The council finally picks a husband for Peach and the aftermath. I apologize for the shortness of my last entry and hope this one is more satisfying. Also, I apologize for not updating sooner. I basically had this all ready to go and just forgot to log on, which I will try not to let happen again. I realize this isn't much a plot twist with all the foreshadowing that went before but I hope it's still fun.
At long last the parade of suitors was over. Peach was utterly exhausted, draped limply over a lawn chair in her small private garden as Daisy hovered protectively nearby, offering her a glass of cold lemonaid. "Sorry I had to leave for those few days," said Daisy in a subdued tone. "I came back as quickly as I could."
"What happened?" asked Peach quietly, reaching for her drink.
"Oh Sarasara Land had some kind of 'state crisis.' I don't know what it was but, apparently, I needed to make an appearance to calm everyone down."
"Doesn't it bother you that you have so small a role in running your own kingdom?"
"Naw." Daisy shrugged. "I have more time for fun this way. Why? Does it bother you?"
"It never did before but, recently, it's been bothering me a lot."
"Why don't you do something about it then? For example, tell old Toadswaddle that you're not going to let him pick a husband for you."
"Oh, I couldn't. I don't really care for any of the suitors so what's the point of picking. If the husband I want won't have me, I might as well make Toadsworth happy."
"Peachy are you still mad at me, for kissing Mario I mean?"
"No, I'm too tired and worried to be mad."
"But afterwards?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'll be happy in my marriage and won't care anymore."
"I hope so. I really hope you'll be happy, Peach. Only..." Daisy looked even more worried than she had a moment before. "Only once you're married you won't have as much time for your friends."
"Who knows? If I don't like my husband I may need even more time with my friends to make up for it."
"This suspense is awful. Why doesn't Toadswaddle hurry it up?"
"I'm sure he and the council want to make the very best decision possible."
"Humph!" Daisy crossed her arms and sniffed contemptuously. "If he really wanted to make the best decision, he'd ask your opinion."
"Toadsworth did try to ask one day during tea. At least he sort of tried but he was so embarrassed and fumbled around so much that it was almost impossible to understand. But I'm pretty sure that's what he meant."
"And?"
"I couldn't bring myself to say I didn't like any of them so I didn't say anything at all."
"Wonder how he liked that."
"It was odd." Peach slumped back down in her chair. "He said it was totally proper for me to be so secretive and shy but he knew what I really wanted and would do his best to make it happen."
"That is weird. You think he secretly plans to marry you to Mario?"
Peach shook her head. "Can't be. Not after he got so upset the first day." Just then, they heard the garden gate creek open and Toadsworth came hurrying in.
"It's polite to knock before entering a private garden," said Daisy tartly.
Toadsworth ignored her and went over to embrace Peach, not sobbing but still clearly overcome with emotion. "My little Peach Blossom, I'm so happy for you," he crooned into the princess's blond hair.
His reassuring squeeze seemed to release some of the tension inside Peach and she let fly with a giddy giggle. "Thank you so much, dear Toadsworth," she cried with excitement. "But please, tell us, who is it?"
"Come now, haven't you guessed already? It's Prince Peasly of course."
Peach's arms fell and she took a step back, her face washed white. "Prince Peasly," she whispered. "No."
"You're not happy?" Toadsworth looked confused. "But..but...you...I found...I mean...I thought..." Frantically he struggled for a plausible explanation for why he assumed Peach favored the prince without revealing who he had snooped in her purse. "You seemed to like him," he finished lamely.
"You bumbling idiot," shrieked Daisy. "Peasly was one of Peach's absolute least favorite suitors. You just hop on over to the council chamber and tell the retainers the wedding is off. Hurry now." Toadsworth turned pleading eyes on Peach, begging her to say it wasn't true.
"Daisy's right," Peach said coldly. "Call off the wedding." A jolt went up her spine. She was doing it, setting her will against that of her councilors and now everyone would know who was the real ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.
"But, precious, I can't do that. We already mailed the letter to Prince Peasly. If we later reveal that we have to cancel the offer, especially if it's because you don't like him, what an insult that would be. The Bean Bean Kingdom might even go to war with us."
"Which wouldn't be such a tragedy if your army wasn't a total joke," said Daisy, rolling her eyes.
"No, he's right." Peach looked at the floor in despair. "You should not have done this without consulting me but, now that you have, getting out of it won't be so easy." Toadsworth's mustache twitch as he mumbled something that might have been an apology but also could have been, "I know, that's why I did it."
In the uncomfortable silence, Daisy pulled out her phone and began making calls. Through her depression, Peach gave her a half-hearted questioning glance. "I'm calling Mario and Luigi. We need to have a meeting. A private meeting," she finished, looking pointedly at Toadsworth.
"But ladies, Prince Peasly has many excellent qualities, a fine chap really. It can't be that bad, can it, princess?" He looked imploringly at Peach.
"That is beside the point," she replied and the new, imperious edge to her voice made Toadsworth decidedly uneasy. "I am very disappointed in the way you've managed this situation. I think you'd better go." And he shuffled off like an old dog going to hide in a corner and, despite how distressing it was to see him so down, Peach also felt a stab of elation that her command was being obeyed. It turned out the brothers were at a plumbing job so Daisy's emergency meeting couldn't take place for a couple hours but, finally they were all together in Peach's room with the doors locked, the meeting being too top-secret for a restaurant and, for added security, they all huddled together under the canopy of Peach's oversized bed and spoke in hushed tones, just in case someone had their ear to the keyhole.
"This is a tough nut to a crack," mused Luigi after Daisy had brought him up to speed on the situation in a tense whisper. "The trick is to come up with a reason you can't a marry Peasly that has nothing to do with the way you feel about him."
"That's a very good idea," replied Peach gently, "but I have no idea what reason we could possibly use. He's a great catch in every way except for being completely insufferable."
"That's a so," Luigi agreed and they all sank back into gloom.
"That's it," cried Daisy, leaping excitedly and almost upsetting the plates of snacks set out on the bed.
"I thought you wanted us to a keep our voices down." Mario winced, putting a hand to his head.
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry." Daisy quickly lowered her voice but still kept speaking a mile a minute. "If Peach were already married then she couldn't marry Peasley. It's brilliant."
"But she's a not," Mario objected, poised to grab his plate in case Daisy made any more sudden movements.
"That's where the two of you need to elope tonight." Daisy grinned, sure that she'd found the perfect solution to her friend's problem.
"No." Mario did not even hesitate as he spoke.
"What did you say?" Daisy's voice was starting to go up in volume again.
"I said a no."
"But why a not?" Asked Luigi looking confused.
"I've a served the mushroom Kingdom for years. I've always tried to a do what's best for the princess and I see absolutely no reason why this marriage would not be a good for her."
"Because I don't want it," cried Peach in desperation. "How much of this is really your dedication to serving me and my Kingdom and how much of it is your desire to not marry a princess?"
"If you're going to a get all sore about that then I can't a help you."
"Please don't fight you two." Daisy tried desperately to soothe situation. "We need to think of something. Though I still thought my idea was pretty good."
The other three continue to argue back and forth while Peach sat and nursed her hurt feelings. At first she was too depressed to pay much attention to what they were talking about but gradually she began to listen to their conversation and, realizing that they were no nearer to solving a problem than they had been before, she felt panic start to grow in her again and wondered frantically if there was anything she could do. Why did Mario have to be so noble or stubborn or whatever his problem was? Daisy's idea sounds like a perfectly good plan and successfully circumvented Toadsworth's objections. Part of her would almost have like to has seen his face when she told him what happened. There was that strange feeling again. Even in her extremity she was still having these un-warrented malicious thoughts. Just like she had the whole time when she had been kidnapped the last time.
Like cold water thrown over her, she realized that she could still use Daisy's plan if she really wanted to. According to some schools of thought (Bowser), she was already married and they would never hesitate to back her up on that claim. If she wanted to, she could be free. All she had to do was come clean about what had happened on their last adventure. But that would mean taking another husband, a husband, at least in the eyes of everyone around her, a hundred times worse than Prince Peasley. Peach shuddered and decided Mario might be right. She would follow his advice, accept her fate, and trust that her counselors knew what was best for her but it wasn't an easy choice and she didn't see how she could ever forgive him for having forced her to make it.