Prologue
The wind passed through the chamber as a simple summer breeze, the smell of the flowers in the courtyard all but filling the room with their sweet aroma as the sound of heavy boots could be heard upon the marbled floor. The armed guardsmen simply stood at attention as the pair of men passed, the long honour tradition of the Royal Guard apparent with the steel of their armour glinting in the light off their polished surface. The sharpened halberds within their hands were gripped tightly out of duty as they remained as still as the statues which dotted the room; tributes to the Kings, Queens and heroes who had fought valiantly over the years. At the head of the chamber upon the raised dais sat a pair of thrones though only one was occupied and at its flank stood the Royal Chancellor, the one man who's wisdom could be counted greater than his age and the man who would rule in the nobility's stead should the need arise. He was well dressed; his garb almost screamed nobility on its own were it not for the traditional headdress he wore and the extravagance of the woman's dress upon the throne.
The detailed white lace of the dress pooled about the woman's feet, the intricate pattern itself a mixture of the various house sigils interworked with the Kingdom's own. The pattern's intricacy only seemed to grow as it worked its way up the woman's gown until it reached her bust. The dress itself was strapless, but looked remarkable upon the woman as it fit her like a glove, its neckline plunging just slightly towards her stomach. Golden locks of her waist length hair coiled about her, draping her shoulders and chest with her tiara almost hidden upon her head were it not for the marvelous gems adorning it. The woman's eyes were locked upon the pair of men who were now approaching her throne.
Even if she hadn't recognized them as they came in, she would have acknowledged them as skilled warriors as they approached. They were twin brothers with matching hair and eyes, as well as their mannerisms and finally well groomed matching facial hair. The immediate telltale difference between the two was their stature itself. On her left the brother was taller and a little on the thin side but the air about him spoke of his knowledge and skill, a tactician unmatched and thorough in his execution. His clothing in turn reflected this, the light leather armour upon him carefully crafted with detailed runes that had been carved carefully and flawlessly set atop a tunic of green adorned with equally intricate patterns rivalling those upon her dress. The selection had been deliberate, his own agility was well known throughout the Kingdom and this would allow him to retain his speed and mobility; even with the massive war-hammer he carried in his left hand. As with his garb, the hammer was intricate in its simplicity as the head was plainly adorned with patterns scribed into the metal, a pattern repeated with the pole tightly within his grip, its base tapping ever so quietly upon the floor with each step he took.
To her right, this brother was easily a head shorter though he was much sturdier. It was simple to tell that this man was fighter; the air about him told stories of his many battles with a twinkle of wisdom that said he was a leader of men. Unlike his brother, his armour comprised of heavy plates adorned with the Kingdom's sigil scribed deeply into the steel, beneath this a set of leather armour with similar runes to his brother's carved deeply and cleanly into them. Lastly, beneath it all was a tunic of red with patterns telling detailed stories of his conquests. Within his right hand was also a mighty war-hammer, just as remarkably well adorned upon its head and its pole as his brother's, again each step was matched with a steady tapping as it struck the floor with the same timing and precision as its mate. Unlike its companion, this hammer was scuffed and pocked with the signs of battle; its surface still shimmering in the light, revealing the imperfections forged in combat.
When they reached the foot of the dais, both fell to a knee and removed the helm from their heads as they bowed in respect. The helms themselves were largely unremarkable compared to the rest of their gear, a small visor upon them to keep the sunlight away from their eyes. Yet these were unique of themselves as they were vastly different from the more dome-like helms of the Royal Guard and headdress of the Chancellor, something modern and distinct from the soldiers who would follow them.
"Rise, my friends. I expect everything's gone as planned?" The woman's voice was soft yet powerful, almost like that of a songbird but there was that hint of a threat behind it. Even the expression upon her face bore no falsehood, no sincere sign of a threat; a smile crossed her lips, as gentle as a flower. The men themselves responded without a moment wasted as they rose to their feet with helms still in hand; to keep her waiting would be unforgivable.
"Yes, my lady. Our soldiers are at the ready, pledged to our service from every corner of the Kingdom. The regulars have been trained, awaiting their orders, while our reserves are undergoing the more extreme routines now. Additional resources and our first regiment are in position waiting for your mark. Our allies have given us their final decision and are...refusing to join us in this campaign, I'm afraid," The armoured man spoke, his accent thick and his voice confident despite the fact he still kept his head bowed, unwilling to look the noble woman in the eyes.
A small click escaped her, an initial response before she spoke though her words were still gentle sounds masking how she truly felt, "Such a shame, even the Stars have been unwilling to lend their aid after I approached them. They've gone so far as to stop all forms of communication with us. It seems we'll have to rely on our plans going accordingly then, Ser Mario. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Princess."
A sideways glance from Mario to his brother was unneeded as the other man began to speak nearly seconds after he had replied, his own voice seemingly more confident with the same thick accent, "M'lady, the fleets have been prepared and will be awaiting your signal. My agents have also prepared a preliminary report on the estimated forces we'll be up against, which I have left with Lord Toadsworth for your leisure."
The Chancellor simply nodded in response with a subtle nod from the Princess the only acknowledgement before she spoke, "Very well then, it seems as though all we're waiting for is the final piece of the puzzle to fall into place. Ser Luigi, prepare my ship."
"As you wish, m'lady."
This is a Concept at the moment, please leave feedback and reviews on what you think! The more positive reviews/feedback on this (and quickly) and I'll get started pumping out more of the story. Unless otherwise stated, all characters are human.
This is an original story set in Nintendo's Universe; unless otherwise stated all characters, locations, items and anything else you can think of is Copyright and Property of Nintendo. Medieval/Fantasy Concept Armour, Weapons and Clothing for the Mario Brothers, Princess Peach Toadstool, Toadsworth and the Royal Guard are property of SnoweyShadow.