Peach was starting to get tired of the sight of trunks half filled with her various belongings. There was only so much she would be able to travel with, so she was having to be very careful about what she chose to take with her to her new life in the Koopa Kingdom. Luckily, the majority of the things she owned held little sentimental value to her, being expensive but relatively thoughtless gifts from her parents or distant relatives who only showed up on important occasions like weddings and funerals. She had refused the help of anyone aside from Toadette, not trusting any of the other servants and certainly not wanting to be anywhere near her parents, so the process had taken nearly the entire day. But the end was in sight now. Peach let out a relieved sigh as she finally closed the lid on the last trunk and called for the servants to begin loading her belongings into the carriage she would be travelling in. Initially, she had planned on travelling in her parents' carriage to the Koopa Kingdom and then sending the coachman home once she had arrived. But, upon receiving her first letter, Bowser had written back quickly and told her he would send his brother's royal ceremony carriage for her to travel in. Peach had thanked him and thought nothing further on the matter until this morning, when the carriage had arrived on her parents' doorstep. It was far larger than any horse drawn carriage Peach had ever seen before. The outside was brilliant, shining white with details of silver and gold and the inside was just as luxurious with plush cushions and velvet curtains, pulled by six beautiful horses, their glossy brown coats gleaming in the sunlight. Whether Bowser had been intending on showing up her parents in a display of wealth and power or he had simply wanted his fiancée to travel comfortably, Peach didn't know. But she had smirked to herself nonetheless at the looks of shocked embarrassment that had appeared on her parents' faces when they had first seen the carriage arrive.

"There she is," the accented drawl of her mother's voice broke Peach from her thoughts as she made her way towards the castle entrance. She sighed as she turned towards them; she had half been hoping she could slip away unnoticed.

"Hello mother, father," she nodded to them both with as much courtesy as she could manage; she had stopped curtsying to them years ago, despite the fact they would always be socially superior to her, and that they loved to remind her of that fact.

"Now darling, have you got everything you need?" her mother asked and Peach rolled her eyes.

"Yes, mother," she sighed.

"Peach, there's something we need to speak with you about before you leave," her father said stiffly and Peach frowned at him in confusion.

"Your father and I need to discuss this marriage with you," her mother smiled and Peach's frown quickly turned to a scowl.

"The last thing I need is you two telling me what I can and cannot do. I've made up my mind and that's the end of it," Peach crossed her arms in front of her chest. No matter what her parents were about to say to her, she knew she couldn't be swayed.

"Yes, yes, marriage, wedding, falling in love, et cetera, et cetera," her mother brushed her off with a wave of her hand, "all child's play. But what we really need to do is have the adult conversation here and discuss politics,"

"Politics?" Peach asked, her confusion clear on her face. Why on earth did her parents want to talk about politics with her?

"Yes, Peach. You're about to marry into a very powerful and clearly extremely wealthy family," Peach's father said, gesturing in the general direction of the castle entrance and Boo's carriage.

"So?" Peach narrowed her eyes; she did not like where this conversation was heading.

"So, darling, you must make sure you read through any documents these Koopa brothers throw at you, okay? And in those documents there needs to be clear sections about the planned political alliance between our two kingdoms and what we gain from handing you off to-" her mother rambled but Peach cut her off before she could continue any further.

"That's not what this is about," Peach spoke coldly, not looking at either of them. She had known her parents were cold hearted, but this? This was almost cruel.

"Well, what else could this possibly be about? It's not exactly like you could actually love that poor creature," her mother laughed and Peach's hands balled into fists by her sides.

"You know, if you had behaved yourself more as a child, I might have been inclined to save you from throwing yourself at his feet. I highly doubt he'll treat you with any form of respect, knowing his reputation, but I suppose it's what you deserve for being as... unruly as you are. It's not as if we would be able to marry you off to anyone of actual status," her father sighed, looking down his nose at her.

"How dare you! You have no idea what he's like. How could you? You wouldn't know what love was if it took a dagger and stabbed you in the heart! He's shown me more care and respect than either of you have shown me my entire life!" Peach yelled, her anger rising.

"But, darling, he's a monster," her mother gasped, a hand clutching at her chest.

"The only monsters I see here are you two," Peach glared at them both.

"You must secure this alliance, Peach. It's the only reason we're allowing you to continue this silly, childish game of yours," her father shook his head and Peach felt like she would explode.

"You do not control me. I will travel to the Koopa Kingdom. I will marry Prince Bowser. And, for the first time in my life, there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me," Peach spoke in a quiet voice, her fury boiling the blood inside her. She straightened her back, lifted her head, and strode past them both.

"Don't you dare walk away from me young lady!" her father yelled angrily after her but Peach continued steadily towards the door.

"If you step out that door, you forfeit all claims to this kingdom and these lands. You will have nothing other than what your so-called husband will dain to bestow on you. And when he abuses and abandons you, you will have nothing at all. You'll spend your life begging on the streets!" her mother threatened, her anger and confusion clear in her voice. Peach reached the door and paused, placing her hands against the doorframe.

"Then I will no longer be your problem. You get what you always wanted. You win, mother," Peach said over her shoulder, not quite looking at her parents as she spoke. Slowly, she pushed open the door.

"I will banish you! You will never return home!" her mother screamed, running after her as her desperation grew.

"This was never my home," Peach sighed, mostly to herself, before breathing deeply and stepping outside, the door closing with a resounding thud behind her. As soon as the warm summer air hit her face, she smiled. She walked down the steps and over to the carriage that awaited her. Toadette stood beside it and smiled at her, dipping into a quick curtsy as Peach approached.

"Is everything alright, my lady?" Toadette asked with concern and Peach smiled at them; for the first time in a long time, Peach felt the weight of her parents' control begin to slip away.

"Yes, I'm fine," Peach smiled, her shoulders relaxing, "let's go home,"