Bowsette: A New Life
Chapter 16
Negotiations
"A peace treaty!? This is utterly absurd!" The chancellor scoffed. "It has to be a trap." The royal treasurer remarked. "Of course it is. That lizard woman just wants us off our guard while she puts forth her latest scheme." Toadsworth concurred. Mario and Peach sat across the room from each other as the various officials bickered.
"Enough!" Peach rarely raised her voice, but when she did people tended to listen. The whole room went quiet and looked at the princess. "Let's go over the terms." Peach said and held up the letter.
***
Dear Losers, The room collectively groans.
As sovereign and sole ruler of the Koopa Kingdom I, Queen Bowsette, am proposing a permanent peace between the Koopa Kingdom and the Mushroom Kingdom.
As has been demonstrated many times, the Koopa Kingdom is more than capable of annihilating most Mushroom Kingdom forces with ease "We can't-a argue with that." As much as no one wanted to admit it, what Mario said was true. and I am well aware it is in your best interest to accept the terms, which are detailed as follows:
- No citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom may interfere in Koopa Kingdom affairs within the Koopa Kingdom's borders.
- Any attack by Mushroom Kingdom citizens upon the Koopa Kingdom's forces will be considered an act of war.
- No merchant of the Mushroom Kingdom may engage in trade with the Koopa Kingdom without an official license. Any merchant found engaging in espionage will be executed without trial.
- No Mushroom Kingdom military or diplomatic forces may cross the borders of the Koopa Kingdom without notice. Any Mushroom Kingdom military or diplomatic forces found in the Koopa Kingdom without official permission will be treated as enemy combatants.
- No Mushroom Kingdom military forces may interfere with official Koopa Kingdom business outside the borders of the Koopa and Mushroom Kingdom. Interference will be considered an act of war.
- In particular, if either of the two idiot plumbers ever cross the border of the Koopa Kingdom without an official invitation from the Koopa Kingdom it will be considered grounds for dissolution of the Peace and immediate retaliation. The same will be said if the two fat Italians interfere with any Koopa Kingdom business in other lands.
In return, the Koopa Kingdom will cease all aggressive actions towards the Mushroom Kingdom for as long as the treaty remains in effect. The Koopa Kingdom will abide by all these terms towards the Mushroom Kingdom in turn. All terms are nonnegotiable.
I await your response.
Sincerely, Bowsette Koopa the First.
***
Peach sighed as she finished the letter. All Peach had to do was stamp the Mushroom Kingdom's official seal and have it sent by air mail and this long war between the two lands would hopefully be over, but she still was uncertain. Everyone in the room stared in disbelief as Peace read the contents of the letter.
"Thoughts?" Peach asked. "Mario, what do you think?" Mario was as confused as the rest. "I don't…" Mario considered. "I don't think-a its some kind of trap." He admitted. "And on what basis do you make that assumption?" The chancellor asked. "Well…" Mario hesitated. "Out with it!" The chancellor snapped. Mario sighed and continued. "Bowsette just had the chance to-a kill me in our last fight, no escape, she beat me. She let-a me and the princess go."
The room went deathly quiet as the implications hit them all. "Mario… you didn't say anything about this." Peach was stunned to say the least. "Didn't feel-a up to it." Mario deflected. "I don't-a understand it myself." That was an understatement if there ever was one. Suddenly the whole room erupted in loud arguing between everyone present with the exceptions of Peach and Mario who stayed silent. Luigi said nothing and just gaped at his brother.
***
"A peace treaty my Queen?" Kamek stood there in the throne room with his Queen sitting on the throne itself. "Are you certain…?" Kamek was less than thrilled at the prospect of questioning her, but he was too surprised to keep his mouth shut. "Yes Kamek." Bowsette said dismissively. "May I ask why?" Kamek risked. "No. You may not." Bowsette glared. Kamek shivered a bit but continued. "Perhaps we should take some time to reconsider your Highness. We need not be hasty in sending out the…" Bowsette barked out a laugh. "It's already been done."
Kamek sighed inwardly, of course she would just do it without consulting him. "May I read the copy of it Mistress?" He asked. "Naturally. It's on the desk." Kamek walked over and took the treaty copy to read. It was rather favorable to the Koopa Kingdom he noted which was to be expected. "Rather effective my Queen. Now the Mario Brothers can't get in your way without endangering their own kingdom." Bowsette cackled. "I know! I should've thought of this years ago!"
Despite Kamek's words, this situation… Kamek was worried that this treaty was simply to avoid the real issue. Or more specifically, to avoid a certain red clothed plumber. His Queen's language in reference to them in the treaty had made that obvious even if he didn't already know something was up between them. As… odd as he found it, Kamek had been suspecting something of the sort with the other Queen Bowsette for a while, and it seemed to him that his current Highness was struggling with the same feelings.
He had to do something. Something to get his Queen back on track. There was only one thing he could think of, though he might lose his head over it he still had to try. Kamek hoped that Queen Bowsette will ultimately forgive him for what he had to do.