CHAPTER 29 – THE PRINCESS PEACH

That night, she fell into bed with her head pounding. Too much, she should have cut back or drank some water to offset its effects, but after her pass at Mario for marriage and the strange aura around both of them she practically owed it to herself to overindulge.

Now, as she laid in her bed, head pounding, she couldn't even remember how the evening ended. Oh well, there were worse things to happen than making a fool of yourself in front of someone else.

When she woke to the light in the morning, her hair was plastered to her face and her head pounded. Stumbling out of bed, she commenced filling the chamber pot in her room with amber bile. When that was done, she pulled her few strands from the foul contents, drew herself a bath, and sunk into it like the embrace of a lover. She scrubbed her hair and body, then enjoyed the heat of the tub.

Yes, she had been foolish. Maybe Mario was even right, what kind of husband, much less a king, would a soldier make? Truth-be-told, she didn't want to be wed just yet, but if she were to become Queen Peach she would need a king.

She thought back to the days of some earlier Mario Parties. There'd been casino games, karting, bowling, fencing, and a good deal of bantering. The last few had been nothing but damage control and angst. How she longed to stretch her legs again on the court and serve up a perfect ace. She felt the muscles in her arm tighten and loosen just imagining it.

Before the water became too cool, she got out and toweled off. Out she went to her audience chambers to deal with the usual demands and requests. Amidst all of this were reports of the war and rebellion. One of those who'd sought an audience with her spoke of something extremely worrisome.

"Princess Peach, I am the captain of the Gold Coin. I've been doing trades with The Bean Kingdom. On the way back here I saw a Delfinian cog, laden with passengers. They looked like refugees based off the damage done to the merchant's boat. I was surprised to see it because it was a coastal cog, not meant for the deep sea travel it was being put to. When I looked through the spy glass, I saw clearly native Delfinians. After that, I ordered my crew to lay to and put distance between us. They tried hailing, but I ignored them. It might have been kinder for all of them if I'd put one in their little craft; better a short drowning than a prolonged blight, but I didn't have the heart."

She straitened her back, "Didn't you think of the other risks of letting them go to the continental population if they should make it to shore?"

"Begging your pardon Princess Peach, but I hope you aren't suggesting I should have killed them for the greater good?"

"You just spoke of mercy and kindness, what about for those that might contract The Boo Blight?"

They went round and round until she'd had enough. "Stop. What you say concerns me, yet your lack of forethought concerns me more. I shall not punish you, but you are forbidden to travel that way again." She turned to her chancellor. "Order it that all shall give The Delfinian Islands a 20-mile birth or else risk having their ship cleansed in fire along with them."

They drew back from her and shuffled about before saying, "Yes Princess Peach."

She ended the meetings after that and ordered her sailors to patrol the waters near Delfino. "While I hate to order this, but must, any ships that try to break through the line must be sunk. Accept no survivors and rescue no strays at sea, regardless of where you find them. The risks are becoming too great."

"Should be close our borders to all foreigners?"

She shook her head, "No. We cannot afford to hurt our exports. But under no circumstances are we to allow any Delfinians in. And all who have had any contact with the islands or those who inhabit it are to be quarantined."

The toad's voice was shrill, "Even Luigi?"

She stopped to draw air, "Yes, even Luigi. He can be quarantined here at the castle when he returns."

"If he returns."

She turned her head to see who'd said it, but couldn't locate them. "No, WHEN he returns."

And with that, she dismissed them all. She nodded to herself. What she'd said had been right, now was not a time for indecision. Hard choices needed to be made as soon as they had the information. There was no other way to ensure safety measures.


Several nights later she was awoken from a sound slumber by a toad.

"Oh Princess Peach, please get dressed with all haste and make your way to the lower levels."

She wasted no time with make-up or glamour. She slipped into fitted pants, a black jacket with armored lining, and slipped through the secret entrance behind her mirror. This was no small emergency or dilemma; a call to the basement meant a potential security breach of the highest order.

Bowser, the thought; or maybe the blight had come to The Mushroom kingdom? All she knew was that they'd called for a state of emergency.

Down the iron ladder with all haste. These tunnels were old, but sturdy rock formations that'd been widened in her parent's days for situations such as these. But the tunnels had hardly ever been used. Some passages still sported jagged outcroppings that she snagged her pants on. When she got to the opening her small counsel sat nervously waiting for her. Mario was also there. She took her seat at the head of the table. It was rough-cut stone that'd been polished to a high shine. Someone, no doubt her small counsel, had lit each wall sconce and brought in additional lighting, as if that would solve the problem she was about to face.

"Now," She began, keeping her voice level with an effort, "What has happened?"

None of them wanted to start, but Mario stepped forward and delivered the unbelievable news. No, she'd misheard him due to his lilting voice, that couldn't possibly right.

She made him, repeat it twice more until she believed it.

Queen Daisy, the recently married, had been murdered.