So, as predicted, late. My computer with this file on it went down, just when I was going to upload :( Anyway, in this chapter we get to meet Peach's suitors. Sadly, I couldn't find as many names of royalty in the Marioverse as I would have liked. Hope it still works.
"So pleased you could make it, your Highness." Toadsworth bowed deeply before the King of the Grasslands, ushering him into the grand throne room of the Mushroom Kingdom.
"Isn't he a bit old?" Daisy wrinkled her nose, making no effort to keep her voice down.
"Hush." Peach put her hand gently on her friend's arm. "He's a nice enough fellow with a pleasant little kingdom."
"But not to marry."
"No, but let's be polite." She greeted the King of the Grasslands courteously, even rising to drop a curtsy to him.
"Thank you, Sire. Do come again," said Toadsworth, hustling the king to the door to make way for the next suitor. Daisy yawned behind her hand and only a supreme effort of will prevented Peach from doing the same. All week suitors had been parading through the throne room as if it had a revolving door and, by this point, she, honestly, couldn't remember over half of the kings and princes Toadsworth had rushed past her. She could recall few such as Donkey Kong who had, apparently, convinced Toadsworth to take his title "king of swing" literally and that annoying Prince Peasly form the Beanbean Kingdom, who had strutted around for at least five minutes, tossing his unnaturally shiny and golden hair while Toadsworth was distracted making conversation with his mother, Queen Bean. Now, the Sammer King was being brought forward and she went through the motions of politness, now virtually on auto pilot, but, inside her mind, something was shutting down. Not one of the hundredes of suitors spoke to her. Not one called up the kinds of feelings she had read about in Bowser's book. Was her chance at romance slipping through her fingers even as she sat here?
"King Boo," the toad herald called, pounding his staff on the floor impariously.
"King Boo? Seriously?" cried Daisy in disgust. "This is an outrage. He's not even huminoid."
Toadsworth glared at her. "Just be glad I didn't invite the Goomba King," he snapped.
Peach shuddered. While, unlike Daisy, she genuinely tried to think the best of people, or boos for that matter, she couldn't deny that the way King Boo looked at her with his tongue dangling far out of his mouth made her feel downright creepy and, when he started to drool, she thought she might be sick. Fortunately, the interview didn't last long. "I hope the next guest is more pleasant," she thought desperately, as she watched the, litterally, disappearing back of King Boo.
"Para Kerry the mailman," the toad at the door announced and Peach breathed a sigh of relief, then sucked it back in quickly when she saw the sheer size of the bag he was hauling, so heavy he couldn't even get fully airborne. Every day, Para Kerry came to the palace to deliver the replies from the royals Toadsworth had invited (invariably yes) as well as requests from those who had been accidentally overlooked. She knew she should feel pleased that she was so popular, but Peach couldn't help cringing as Para Kerry dropped the bag at her feet, thinking how many more days of this she would have to sit through, just to see all the guests whose letters were in this bag alone.
Toadsworth was coming forward, rubbing his hands and seeming far more pleased than he had any business being. How could be be so happy about marrying her off? The truth of the the matter was that Toadsworth wasn't exactly happy, at least not deep down, but, after the initial shock, he had focused all his attention on the fact that his "little Peachy" was turning out to be the most desirable catch in the whole Mushroom World. For him, every letter was another triumph, another flimsy shield against despair and so he practically dove headfirst into the bag of mail.
Daisy tried to wave him away. "Those are Peachy's letters," she scolded. Toadsworth's mustache bristled with affront and he waved his stick imperiously as he prepared to deliver yet another lecture on Daisy's uppity ways. In response, Daisy put her hands on her hips and stuck out her chin, a saucy remark clearly loaded and ready to fire. These constant spats between the princess's caretaker and her best friend were one of the very few things to break the monotony of the suitors and one of the things that Peach disliked even more.
"Toadsworth, Daisy," she said, despite her best efforts her voice revealing how tired she was. "There are so many letters we'll never get through them all unless we work together. I need both of you to help me." Thankfully, they dropped their quarrel at once and turned all their attention to helping her with the letters, which is what they had wanted to do in the first place. The first letter Peach opened was from Prince Peasly. "Hope you think I'm as amazing as I do. Xoxoxoxo," it said and the letter was decorated with pieces of shinny gold foil. Peach considered it in very bad taste and quickly tucked the letter into her purse before Toadsworth could see it and look at it as encouragement.
"Oh my," she heard Daisy say next to her. "Here's a letter from Bowser. Toady, you didn't invite Bowser, did you? You really better not have."
"Most certainly not," exclaimed Toadsworth in horror. "Madam, I'm offended that even you could suggest such a thing. Give me that horrid thing at once and I'll see it burnt on the spot."
"Toadsworth," I can't agree to that," said Peach gently, reaching out to take the letter from Daisy. "I know none of us like Bowser but he isn't a monster and we can't just go burning his letters. Answering him back is probably unwise but, at least, we shouldn't be disrespectful like that." And, quickly, before Toadsworth could object, she slipped the letter into her purse, alone with Peasly's letter, then placed the purse protectively between her hip and the side of the throne.
"Okay, Toads W." said Daisy, about two hours later. "Time to close the shop for the day. Peachy's exhausted," she went on quickly, before Toadsworth could object. "Look at her. She's about to fall over and she hasn't eaten all day. The bros and I will take her to get some dinner."
Toadsworth looked over at Peach and saw how pale she was, not her natural, pretty paleness but a dead white color, as if she had the flu, and there were lines around her eyes and mouth, showing she was stressed, possibly not getting enough sleep. "You're right, lass," he said reluctantly. "Just be careful now."
"No worries." Daisy tossed her head. "Mario's driving so it should be totally safe." They went to the brothers' favorite Italian restaurant, a long standing tradition whenever the four of them happened to be in the same place at the same time. It wasn't a fancy place, rough wood tables and benches, spread with red and white checked plastic clothes, candles stuck into old wine bottled, a resort for working class men and their families, but Peach had always found it charming and comfortable. Now, however, she felt unwelcome. This was Mario's world, where he belonged and she, as a princess, apparently, did not.
"So, what did you a think of the suitors?" asked Luigi, as they took their seats. Since he and Mario were usually standing guard outside the throne room during the receptions, they had seen most of the suitors but had not yet had a chance to talk to the girls about them.
"I don't know, there are so many," said Daisy excitedly. "But I thought Prince Pine showed promise."
"He is a good choice," Mario agreed. "But I prefer a Prince Mallow of Nimbus Land."
"Of course you do," said Daisy. "You helped him regain his kingdom. But don't you think he's a little young for Peach?"
"Mallow's not a that young," Mario protested and as Daisy made a tart rejoinder. Peach was secretly glad Daisy had said it so she didn't have to. Mallow was a good adventuring companion, despite his many annoying personality quirks, but she highly doubted she'd ever see him as anything except a kid. Still, wouldn't that be better than a total stranger?
"Who do a you prefer, Peach?" asked Luigi, but she shook her head.
"I don't know," she said. "Not yet anyway but I know who I don't like. I really hope they don't choose Peasly. I just can't stand him."
"A neither can I," said both brothers simultaneously, scowling over their mustaches.
"You deserve a the best, Peach," Mario added. "The council should be a more choosy about who they let in."
"I agree," Daisy squealed, almost upsetting her water in her aggitation. "I can't believe they actually let King Boo in of all people."
Mario looked sour. "I don't a like King Boo," he muttered.
Luigi laughed loudly, elbowing his brother in the ribs. "That's a 'cause you're afraid he'd going to a put you in another painting. Don't worry, bro. I'll come a save you again." He patted Mario condescendingly on the head.
Mario punched him in the shoulder. "You? You were a scared stiff the entire time. King Boo gives you a nightmares."
"Yes but I still a saved you, didn't I?" Peach tuned out the sibling rivalry and began glancing around the restaurant. At the table to their left, a couple was eating a single strand of spagetti, leaning closer and closer, until they met for a kiss and, at another, they were feeding each other from their goblets of gelato, while soulful violin music wafted through the air. Peach felt something ache inside of her. Italians had always seemed so romantic, at least to her eyes. Why did Mario have to be such an exception? Then, even more painful, came the realization that he wasn't an exception. She'd seen how passionate he could be about rescuing her, about his plumbing, about the sports he played. He just didn't feel that way about her. Was it just because she was a princess? If she had been a common girl, would they have been happy together? Would giving up her status and birth right really be wroth it for her to feel true love?
A loud excalmation from Daisy startled Peach out of her disturbing train of thought. "But you don't even know the half of it yet," she cried, waving her hands frantically. "Bowser sent Peach a letter too."
"That's a sick," said Mario, pausing with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Why can't he a leave her alone."
Luigi nodded. "We'd better a keep an extra close eye on her, bro," he said, "in case he tries to a kidnap her again."
"That would be way ahead of schedule," Peach thought to herself, wearily. "He usually gives me at least a couple months off."
"It's outrageous, isn't it?" Daisy went on. "Bowser married to Peachy? It's such a rediculous notion." The brothers nodded emphatic agreement but, even so, Peach did not miss the subtle glances they exchanged and desperately hoped they weren't thinking what she was thinking: that, according to a certain school of thought, she was married to Bowser. Sure, almost any court in the world would agree that being under magical hypnosis at the time would render the ceremony invalid. By unspoken agreement, she and the brothers were careful never to speak of the event and, without their support, Bowser alone alone couldn't make a case anyone would respect. But still, the situation always made her a little nervous.
Finally, the evening drew to a close. The other three were in fine spirits, laughing and chatting over their final sips of wine and nibbles of biscotti. Not that that was surprising. After all, they weren't the ones getting married off to a stranger. For them, this was just a fun dinner with friends. The bill came and Peach reached into her pocket for her purse, only to discover it wasn't there.
"What's wrong, Peachy?" asked Daisy, noticing her friend's troubled look.
"I can't find my purse."
"Maybe you a put it under your chair," said Mario, getting up to look.
"It's no biggy," said Daisy when he came up empty handed. "You probably just left it in the throne room."
"Probably," Peach agreed reluctantly. "But I feel bad about the bill."
"Not a to worry. We've got you a covered." Mario reached into his pocket and pulled out a pile of shiny gold coins. Peach smiled, thinking what wonderful friends she had. Yes, her longing for romance was strong but she wasn't sure she wanted to marry if it meant giving up these special times with her friends. Certainly, she didn't want to risk that for anyone who was anything less than the answer to all her dreams.