Chapter Forty-Three

After the wedding, Bowser took Peach to his summer home in the Dark Lands. Much like hers, it was secluded but it was bigger and filled with more entertainment than anything else. The master bedroom was huge and the eight guest rooms were also large but there was no official living room. There was a theater room, bowling, arcade area, poolroom with huge water slides and a legitimate roller coaster that connected each room. There was also a Trick-or-Treat/Trip-and-Die room that Bowser sealed shut with nails in case Peach got too curious. Only Koopas with extra protection could go in there.

"I'm a little disappointed," Peach teased Bowser. "I was hoping you had built this place on a live volcano."

"I AM the live volcano," Bowser stated, taking a pose and snorting smoke proudly.

"Yes, I suppose so," Peach laughed. Holding her wedding dress up, she walked up the stairs and opened the door to the master bedroom. Bowser was right behind her, clicking his claws nervously as she walked in.

"Do you like it?" Bowser asked, with an anxious look on his face.

"I love it," she said with a smile, taking his claw in her hand and pulling him towards the bed. Bowser grunted as Peach stood on her tiptoes to kiss him greedily. He knew what she wanted and he would gladly give it but…

"Peach, can I go to the restroom? I gotta…" he trailed off sheepishly.

"Of course!" Peach said with a giggle. "You don't have to ask my permission to go to the restroom, Bowser."

"Okay, I just didn't want you to feel like I'm bailing," Bowser chuckled as he kissed her. Peach sat on the bed as he entered the bathroom and shut the door. It had been a long day and Peach knew that Bowser had worked hard to make their wedding perfect. He had called all the best wedding planners and attended every detail to make it all go as smoothly as possible. Even the white suit and top hat had been made to his design. All of Peach's closest friends and family were invited, even Mario and Luigi, though no one else. Bowser had kept the invitation list small knowing that Peach didn't want a massive party.

Peach got lost in her thoughts for a while but soon began to worry about Bowser. He still hadn't come out of the restroom and she didn't hear him doing much of anything.

"Bowser?" she called with concern.

"Hey… uh, just a sec. I'll be out soon!" he answered. Her worry grew when she heard a hint of panic in his voice. He had never been good at hiding his feelings and he was even worse at lying.

"Alright, just checking. No need to rush," Peach said, getting up from the bed to look around the room. Once again, she was impressed by Bowser's foresight when she opened her closet. It was massive and filled with all sorts of clothes and dresses. Anything she could want was there and she smiled as she found a replica of the pink dress she wore the first time he kidnapped her. She wouldn't have been surprised if it was the actual dress. Bowser had always kept some of the little things she would throw away or leave behind when she returned to the Mushroom Kingdom.

She spent a half hour looking through her wardrobe before she found herself standing in front of the bathroom door again.

"Bowser, are you okay?" Peach asked as she put her ear to the door. There was no answer but she could hear a small shuffling noise on the other side of the door. "Can you open the door, please?"

This time there was no sound in response.

"Boosy… I know you're still in there," Peach said with a soothing voice.

Still no answered.

Peach was surprised. Bowser always came to her when she called. All sorts of alarming ideas and thoughts began filling her mind. Her imagination ran wild when she remembered the old lady Toad she had met the day before her wedding. The old woman had told her all sorts of horror stories about grooms or brides dying on their wedding night. Even worse, Bowser had already died once.

"Please, Bowser. Are you okay?" Peach asked, fear gripping her heart.

No answer.

Peach walked away from the door, crossing her arms over her aching chest. Her mind raced through all sorts of terrible scenarios until she remembered something.

"The key," she whispered. She had always kept it with her pink phone but she had left them in a bag to be brought to Bowser's summer home. The servants could have put them anywhere. Peach walked around the room, searching through anything and everything. She opened every drawer and patted down every one of the dresses until she came across a square velvet box in the far corner of her closet. It was the original box that Bowser used to give the key to her. Quickly, she opened the box and took the key into her hand with a sigh of relief.

"Bowser, I'm coming in," she stated as she walked to the door and inserted the key.

*Click*

The door opened and Peach walked in slowly, surveying the bathroom anxiously. Bowser was standing in front of the mirror with his claws covering his head as he leaned against the sink. Peach put her hand out and touched her husband's shoulder hesitantly.

"I'm sorry, Peach," he whispered, moving his claw slightly to look at her. "I can't… I'm just not…"

"It's okay, Bowser. Whatever is going on, let me help you," Peach said kindly, rubbing his shoulder.

"No, Peach. You shouldn't have even married me at all. I should never have forced you into this," he growled through his teeth.

"You didn't force me into anything. You asked and I said yes because I chose you, Boosy," Peach answered earnestly.

"You shouldn't have," Bowser ran his claws over his head with frustration.

"Why not?" Peach asked indignantly. "You are everything I want. You're unbelievably smart, you love me more than anything in the world, and you make me laugh on a whim. You're also a wonderful father and ruler."

"But I am ugly," Bowser snarled and looked at her with grief in his eyes.

"What? No! When have I ever…?" Peach began.

"Peach, look at me. Look at my face. You saw the rest of me when we were in that hotel back in Sarasaland. You know I'm right," Bowser argued, distraught as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Bowser… That was the first time I realized you were…" Peach began shyly.

"What? That I was what?... Say it," Bowser pushed off the counter and turned to her with balled fists, ready to receive her criticism.

"Hot," Peach said quietly. Bowser stood motionless with disbelief evident on his face.

"Peach, I'm not…" Bowser began.

"You are hot, Bowser. You have… really great abs and your build is… attractive," Peach stated bashfully.

"…Really?" Bowser asked, letting his hands relax.

"I was really looking forward to having… to being with you tonight," Peach said, standing nervously with a blush creeping from her neck to her cheeks. Bowser shook his head slightly as his former wife's voice whispered in his head.

"You're the ugliest of all Koopas to be sure. You have no sex appeal at all for women and men alike but there are still other species out there that you might be better than," Clawdia chuckled meanly.

Bowser stepped back from Peach and shut his eyes sadly. He could practically feel the disgust in Clawdia's eyes as she looked at him. All of those years he had been alone because his former wife thought he was ugly. No matter what, he couldn't satisfy her. What would he do if Peach became disgusted when he made love to her?

A soft hand touched his cheek and brought him out of his thoughts.

The Koopa shuttered but opened his eyes and looked at his wife. Peach slowly stepped closer and put her free hand on his purple bowtie. Bowser stood completely still as she pulled and loosened it from his neck. She then took her other hand off of his cheek and unlatched the silver spiked arm bracelets, setting them on the floor with a huff. Bowser tried to help with the last one but Peach refused with a kiss. It was her turn to do something for him.

Once the bracelets were off, she pulled Bowser out of the restroom and to the bed where she had him sit down. Her next project was taking off his effing heavy steel shoes. She pulled them off and grunted as she dragged them away from the bed.

"You want me to help you with that?" Bowser asked with a small smile.

"Yerrraaaahhhhh…(thud)… Nope! I can do it," Peach said with an assuring smile as she came back and started taking off the other shoe. Bowser sighed as she slowly dragged the second one away just like the first but he didn't ask to help her again.

"Okay!" she giggled as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "Next is the shell…" she mused out loud as she crawled onto the bed next to him and looked for the button to unhook his shell.

"Here, allow me," Bowser said, pressed a button under his arm and pulled off the front and back of his fancy shell as if it was the lightest thing in the world. He laid it on the floor and pushed it with his foot, causing it to slide neatly into the corner of the room.

"Thanks," Peach said. There was no way she could have gotten it off by herself. Bowser watched her warily as she climbed off the bed and stood in front of him. With a sheepish smile, she took hold of his lavender colored dress shirt that had been hidden under his shell and started to unbutton it.

Bowser grabbed her hand.

"Peach, are you sure?" he asked with a worried look on his face.

"Yes. I am," Peach answered resolutely and pulled her hand from his claw. Without another word, she began tugging on his shirt and he winced with each button she unfastened. He closed his eyes and looked away with a defeated expression as she pulled his shirt wide open.

"Bowser…" she whispered in awe as she gently put her hand on his chest and pulled her fingers across his skin.

"I'm sorry, Peach. I know I am not what you…" Bowser began but his words died away as he felt Peach lean in and kiss his chest, sending chills through his body. He wanted to retort but she kissed him again and again, trailing kisses all over his skin. Soon, she started kissing up his neck and dragging her hands along his shoulders.

"Bowser Koopa, King of the Dark Lands, I love you." Peach whispered as she kissed his face gently. "Let me show you."

Bowser opened his eyes and began to kiss her back cautiously but she wanted more. She crushed into him with everything she had and refused to let him push away. His skin grew hotter the longer she pushed him and a fire began to burn inside him. The craving for love and physical touch was tearing him apart and the queen in his arms was begging him to hold her tighter.

Peach loved him.

"No one will ever love you more than me," Clawdia sneered in his mind. Bowser clenched his teeth and snarled.

"Kiss my spiky ass, Clawdia," Bowser answered and something inside him snapped into place. The woman lying next to him was all that mattered.

Peach yelped in surprise as Bowser took a hold of her and surrounded her with all of his love. Her skin was his solace and her lips were his redemption. He poured his soul into every movement and did everything he could to please her. When he had done all he could, she didn't leave.

He had succeeded and he smiled.

Note to Readers:

Happy New Years to each of you and congratulations for reading this far! I am shocked and humbled by the amount of feedback I have received. You are far too kind.

Thank you :3