It was very sunny the next morning, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Toad ran quickly across the courtyard carrying the daily newspaper. His short legs fluttered and he grunted as he took each step. He ran into the castle and struggled up the stone steps. Paintings of different parts of the kingdom were spread out along the halls. The marble staircase shined and the bright sunlight gleamed through glass windows. Panting very heavily, Toad reached the big pink doors at the end of a corridor. He knocked meekly as the doors swung open.
"Princess, Princess Peach!" cried Toad, very shakily. "It's your sister Princess, she is dead!"
"Oh my!" replied the Princess, already awake by the beautiful morning. Her cheery looking face turned quite melancholy. "But, how? I mean... my sister?" The Princess burst into tears. "How d-do you know th-this Toad?"
"It was in the New York newspaper your highness." Toad answered, "Last night, at around 8, or so, there was a car accident and a man crashed into the body of your sister Pauline. But she was already dead, they think. The policemen identified her body and when they went up to her apartment, they found her blood and a broken window. They think she killed herself, think she just jumped out of the window Princess."
"Oh don't tell me anymore Toad! I can't bear to hear it. Leave me be, I must mourn my sister." cried the Princess. She walked to the window and looked at her kingdom below. "Pauline," she whispered to herself.
Toad looked at her pityingly, closed the door, and rushed down to the kitchen to get tea. When he arrived at the kitchen, he found that more people had been reading the newspaper. They all looked shocked and sad. He hurriedly fixed her tea and carefully walked back up the stairs. He looked to the side of the staircase and glimpsed the other princess, Daisy, looking quite dreamy.
"Your highness," started Toad, "Haven't you heard?"
"Heard what, my good Toad?" replied Daisy, suddenly coming to attention."
"Your sister Pauline's death!" said Toad bluntly.
"Oh yes Toad, I just came from chapel. I was praying for her. You know Toad, I had a dream about her last night. Very odd indeed." finished Daisy, very awkwardly. "Well, I am off to visit Luigi." And with that, Daisy walked out to the courtyard."
Toad continued up to Peach's chambers. As he knocked with one hand, he balanced the tea tray with the other. The door did not open. "Princess!" he cried lamely. "It's me Toad, I've fetched you some tea and biscuits." The door, however, did not open. Toad put the tray on the floor and banged the door with all his might. "Princess, please open the door!" When Toad did not hear an answer, he ran downstairs to get a royal guard. When he returned with the guard, the door was wide open and the tea tray was gone. Toad, followed by the guard, ran quickly into the room. They halted and gawked at the vanity. He could hear the Princess taking a bath in the next room.
"Princess!" yelled Toad. His voice had hints of worry in it.
"Yes Toad. I'm in here, just getting washed up. Have you any more bad news to tell me?" She opened the bathroom door wearing a pink bathrobe, eating a biscuit, and holding the cup of tea. As she came out, she looked at the vanity mirror. "Oh no!" she cried, and she dropped her cup.
"It's a warning Princess," Toad said, managing to clean up the mess the Princess had just made. "We are going to have to move you out of here your highness. For your safety. Pauline's death wasn't accidental after all."
"Oh what more miseries shall befall me?" Peach sobbed. The guard escorted her out to the hallway. Toad went to the bathroom to get a towel and to wipe the message written on the mirror. It read simply, with a daisy drawn next to it,
"You're next."