This is basically my take on why Peach's castle changed its design in New Super Mario Bros. U

Enjoy ~

The wind howled as it blew against the cracked window of the study. The howl sounded otherworldly and unnatural, but it wasn't a problem. Princess Peach had seen some other things that were otherworldly and unnatural before. Wind brushing against an old cracked window was the least of her worries.

At least a dozen candles were lit, but only half the room was bright. Most of the candles were placed around the large desk on the far side of the room. The other half of the room was either pitch black or the light was dim enough so you could see your hand a few inches away from your face. The clock in the room had stopped working years ago. Neither Peach nor any other castle servants had bothered to fix it. This was one of those times that Peach was glad that the old thing has stopped working. Total silence and solitude was the only way the princess could focus. Though, she had no idea what time it was. Turning away from the paper in front of her to look out one of the only two windows in the room, she saw the black sky above. She had a nagging feeling that it was around night.

Telling the time from looking at the sky was the only way she could tell time as a child. Spending her days outside and such, she never thought to look at a clock, or the sundial by the gardens.

Princess Peach looked back down at the paper below her. She was awake (barely) and she knew that she had spent quite some time working on the once white paper below her. It was now darkened with meaningless words and scribbles. The princess grabbed the paper and ripped it, muttering foul language under her breath. The ripped paper scattered across the floor while other pieces landed into the waste bin to the side. She turned to the pile of blank papers next to her, grabbed another, rinse and repeat.

Minutes later, she perked her head up to the sound of the study door opening. It made a strange creaking noise as it did – which Peach had come to enjoy from time to time – and heavy footsteps entered the room.

"It's late, your highness."

Peach slammed her pen on the desk and folded her arms. "I lost track of time." And now I've lost track of my thoughts.

Toadsworth walked deeper into the room, closing the door just a bit. It made a higher-pitched creaking noise this time. He set a metal tray down beside the pile of blank papers. He took a seat next to the princess and scanned the desk, looking for nothing in particular. There was once again total silence – minus Toadsworth's natural heavy breathing. He grabbed a crumpled and neglected paper in the corner of the desk. He opened it slowly and skimmed it over.

"Planning a new defense system?" He looked up at her.

"Trying to," Peach said with a sigh. She looked down at her palm, noticing a small slit that wasn't there before. Blood was lightly smeared across, but she wiped it off. Darn paper cuts.

"This looks reasonable." Toadsworth nodded slowly. "Drafting Toads for extra surveillance and protection around the castle is something that could work."

Princess Peach frowned, regretting that she left that paper alone in one piece. It was an idea that seemed right at the time, but mostly because she had nothing else to consider. Now she did. "We're above that. I refuse to force my subjects into such a dangerous job."

"But it is for your own protection. We aren't putting blindfolds around them and sending them out into a minefield."

To the princess, it felt like she was. Returning her attention to the paper in front of her, she dipped the pen in the inkwell and began a rough sketch of the castle. Not once did she look up. "I realize that, but I've also realized that they have friends and families – a life beyond that of mine. I will not stand to see that practically every family will get a note of sympathy because I forced them into the Royal Guard." Anger was creeping into the princess' voice. "Bowser's attacks are always dangerous, and most of them involve the involuntary – ahem – passing of some Toads. It is not fair nor is it the right thing to do."

Toadsworth looked over to the broken window producing that horrid howling sound. He wanted to do something about it, but it was far too late and he was far too tired. After leaving a pregnant pause in their conversation he turned his attention back to the blonde.

"Have you considered war?"

Her head perked up slightly, and her eyes drifted away from the almost completed sketch. Her eyes met with his for a brief second. Her look was blank, but certain. She looked away.

"I will not announce war on the Dark Lands."

Toadsworth admired her dodge, but he pursued. "The Koopa Kingdom will only continue to attack us unless we show them that we are not a force to be reckoned with. We must take action or else we appear weak."

Peach snapped, "We are not weak!" She faced him with a solemn glare. "We have Mario and Luigi to prove it."

"But one day we won't."

Peach's muscles tensed up, but quickly relaxed. Her glare vanished and turned into a puzzled look.

"Princess, one day there will not be either Master Mario or Master Luigi to protect us. They're growing old and are probably tired of the same old shtick. It's fair to say that they might just stop altogether." He leaned in closer, wagging his finger as he said, "They're only human."

Peach watched as he leaned back into the chair. Human felt like such an ordinary word for people that were so . . . extraordinary. But, it was true. Mario and Luigi would probably stop one day. Somewhere in the back of Peach's mind, she knew it was possible. They could just give up; get bored with the same conflict and the same results. It was a possibility . . . but hopefully it was an unlikely one.

"Mario would never do that," she heard herself say. "And . . . and if that ever happens, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of this kingdom on my own. But as long as there is Mario to protect us, war is not an option."

Toadsworth nodded, but that didn't mean he agreed with her. As her royal advisor, he was tasked with giving advice, but that didn't mean that the princess had to do what he said. Nor did it mean that he had to agree with everything she said, either. A simple nod from both parties indicated that there was understanding and acceptance. It was a skill that many involved in royal politics had to get a hold of.

After a long pause, Toadsworth looked over to the metal tray he had almost forgotten about. He picked up a cup. Turning towards the princess again, he asked, "Tea?"

Princess Peach connected a final line and nodded. "Yes, please."

Hot steam rose up into the air. The aroma of freshly ground tea leaves lingered around the room, adding to the musk of old books and early autumn air.

"I don't suppose you've considered building a barricade around the castle," Toadsworth said before taking a sip.

"Oh, I have. I just don't think it would do much." Peach tried to imagine a barricade around her sketch of the castle. Then she imagined an airship crashing into it. It would end like a game of Timber Blocks – the entire thing would come crashing down.

"Perhaps if we set up some weaponry around the outside –"

"I'm not going to fall back on weaponry, Toadsworth." She drank from her warm cup. "That's baby steps to a war, you know."

Toadsworth gave that political nod again.

When Princess Peach woke up in the study the next morning, she found that her tea cup was nearly empty and placed on top of her sketch of the castle. She groaned, thinking that she had placed it there when her mind and common sense turned off for the night. Picking it up and drinking the last of it, she noticed a wet ring around the picture.

Oh, that's just fantastic.

She picked up the paper and one thought came to her mind: A moat.

"Placing a moat around the castle along with a wall could possibly stop most of his attack," she muttered to herself.

Jotting all this down, she felt a heavy weight fall off her shoulders and land to the ground. A large cloth blanket lay there, stretched in every which way. She looked behind her and noticed Toadsworth sleeping in a chair in one of the corners of the room. Peach smiled, feeling pleased that he had decided to stay with her in the study for the night.

"Toadsworth," she called.

"Toadsworth!" she called louder.

He shot up, looking around quickly for any possible threat. After finding none, he met eyes with the giggling princess. "I didn't mean to scare you," she said as innocently as she could.

He said nothing and dusted off his vest.

Grabbing the paper beside her, Princess Peach turned back to him. "I have an idea."

It was just something that came to mind. I also enjoy writing one-shots. They're fun and short and pretty straight-forward.

Criticism or not, all reviews are welcome!

- Great Mistake