"And that's when she told me the flowers were the wrong colour!" Peach announced with a laugh, gesturing her hands in the air to emphasise her point. Bowser doubled over in laughter, his cheeks aching with how much he had smiled in the past few hours- Peach being the source of it all. The night air was clear and crisp as the two of them walked the endless maze of private gardens that surrounded the castle. Peach released her arm from Bowser's for a moment and leaned over to a rose bush next to them, smiling as she inhaled their sweet scent. Bowser paused as he watched her silhouette under the light of the moon above them, illuminating Peach's pale skin in an almost mythical glow and creating a halo around her head, as the stars seemed to shine in her eyes. His dark green suit jacket was draped around her bare shoulders to shelter her from the slight chill that had begun to form, and Bowser thought it suited her rather nicely. As Peach stood up straight again and turned to face him, a smile on her lips, he couldn't help but smile back at her. Then her hand rose to cover her mouth as she yawned, and Bowser suddenly realised just how tired he also felt.
"It's getting rather late, isn't it?" Peach managed to say through her yawn and Bowser nodded, trying his hardest to stop his own yawn.
"It is... would you like me to show you to your room?" Bowser asked, offering out his arm to her once more.
"Oh, but I've so enjoyed our time together tonight. I would love to continue this conversation, but I fear I'm just too tired," Peach stifled another yawn, linking her arm with Bowser's.
"Well, how about this? I could take you on a carriage ride through the kingdom tomorrow morning, so we may continue our conversations then?" Bowser suggested, beginning to lead them both back towards the castle.
"That would be wonderful," Peach smiled, leaning her head against Bowser's arm as they walked. It didn't take them long to reach the castle, Bowser opening the door for Peach to step inside.
"It's so quiet in here now," Peach whispered, looking around to see not a soul in sight, a far different experience from when she had first entered the castle just a few hours earlier.
"It always feels like that after everyone goes home," Bowser reassured her, closing the door behind them to keep out the chill. He led her through the corridors and up several flights of stairs, pointing out paintings of landscapes and busts of members of the royal family and his ancestors as they went past them. Eventually, he stopped in front of a beautifully carved wooden door halfway down a long corridor.
"This will be your room, if it pleases you," Bowser smiled, opening the door. Inside, the room was softly lit with candles and a log fire burning low against the left wall. On the opposite side sat a plush looking four poster bed, with her trunk of belongings already set at its foot. Directly across from the door was a large window, framed by heavy velvet drapes, looking out into the gardens they had just been walking through, the light of the full moon illuminating the view.
"Thank you, this is delightful," Peach smiled, stepping into the room fully.
"Your handmaid has been put up in the room next door, though chances are they'll probably already be asleep at this late hour. Should you need anything, ring the silver bell on your bedside and one of our night servants will take care of your needs," Bowser explained, pointing over to the small bell that sat on the stand next to the bed.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning, then?" Peach blushed, not quite believing this was all really happening.
"Yes, I'll meet you down by the stables. The servants will show you the way once you are dressed," Bowser nodded.
"Oh, you'll probably be wanting this back," Peach suddenly remembered, beginning to shrug Bowser's jacket from her shoulders.
"Keep it, it suits you," Bowser smiled, holding out his hand to stop her. Peach paused for a moment before pulling the jacket back around her, holding on to it a little tighter than before.
"Thank you, truly, for letting me stay here. I look forward to getting to know you more," Peach reached forwards and held Bowser's hands in her own. Bowser blushed at her touch, leaning down and pressing a light kiss to her cheek.
"Goodnight, princess," he smiled, letting go of her hands and stepping back out of the room.
"Goodnight, Prince Bowser," Peach smiled back, giving him a small wave before gently closing the door as he turned and left. She stood still for a moment, her hands pressed firmly against the cool wood of the door. Then, after she was certain Bowser was far enough down the corridor that he would not hear her, she let out a high pitched squeal of utter joy. Giggling to herself, she began pacing the room, occasionally jumping and skipping as she did so. She could feel her cheeks and neck growing hot as her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with the events of the last few hours. She still couldn't believe it was all true; it was like something out of a book she'd read as a child. Kicking off her shoes into the corner of the room and throwing herself onto the bed, she stared up at the canopy above her, in awe of how lucky she had suddenly become. Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes and attempted to calm herself; afterall, she still needed to get to sleep somehow tonight. Eventually, she managed to steady herself, though the smile on her lips refused to leave her. She quickly undressed and slipped into her nightclothes, grateful she had been optimistic enough to prepare a trunk of her belongings 'just in case' earlier that day. She closed the heavy drapes around the window and, shivering slightly from her lack of clothing layers, she slipped into bed and pulled the covers tightly over her. Still smiling, she blew out the candle at her bedside and lay down. Within minutes, tiredness overtook all other emotions and she drifted into sleep, dreaming of nothing but gliding across the ballroom floor, held in Bowser's arms as the music swirled around them.
