The interior of the Castle was somehow more fantastic than she ever dared dream.

The entrance hall was a vast, gorgeously spacious foyer that spread out into several hallways. She couldn't quite tell where each of them led, but each was clearly labeled with a symbol, the meaning of which was lost upon her. The Castle was attended to be a cleaning staff of sentient brooms, who walked about with buckets of water cleaning every speck of dust with gusto.

She asked Snow White a flurry a questions as they walked up the stairs and to the upper floors, but she said very little. Peach had the impression she was not the talkative sort.

"Are you the oldest of your siblings?"

"I have no siblings."

Peach frowned. "I thought you said there were seven-"

"Ah." Snow White said. "You misunderstood me. No, the girls living in this castle with me are not my flesh and blood. We are closer than that."

Peach frowned. "Closer?"

"Our hearts are bound together more closely than most can even fathom." Snow White said quietly. "We are the ones chosen by Disney to represent our chosen worlds. We are the face of the Kingdom… so to speak. It is our responsibility to maintain peace among the Worlds… to preserve the Kingdom as it expands and grows."

"Oh, I see." Peach said. "You are all Princesses of different Kingdoms, from different Worlds. And it was Disney that united all of you together."

"That is correct."

"Who is Disney?" Peach inquired. "Is it your family name?"

"It is not." Snow White said heavily. But she said nothing more. Peach cast a look at a portrait at a wall, and noticed a portrait of an older looking gentleman. She was about to ask if that was Disney when they came to a stop.

"Your quarters." Snow White said politely, as she opened the door. "Please allow yourself to become comfortable. I will send someone to get you for dinner."

"Thank you so-"

She was gone before she could even finish speaking. Peach frowned, a little put off, as she turned to inspect her new living quarters. She was pleasantly surprised: The bright pink décor was to her liking, and the bed was as comfortable as the one back in her own castle.

In fact… she thought as she looked around. The room did in fact look rather similarly to the ones she typically designed throughout all of her properties. It was not an exact one to one replication of any of them, but there were enough similarities to throw her for a loop. The dresser and wardrobe resembled the one in her primary residence, and the flowers were the exact kind and build she liked.

She glanced at her bedside table, expecting to see nothing, and was shocked to see a photograph and her and Mario attending an amusement park. She stared at it, the wheels turning in her head. She didn't recognize that photograph…

But the park… was it not the same one that was just outside?

She checked the wardrobe and dresser and found a number of clothing items and accessories in her size and tease. Much like the furniture, she was taken aback at how Disney seemed to know her preferences, from her measurements to her favorite color.

She was a little bit relieved when she stepped into her bathroom and saw that it was a lot less familiar. She took a shower, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and was just trying on the other dresses when a knock came at the door.

"You are expected."

She finished dressing herself and cast one last look at herself in the mirror. She fluffed up her hair and took in her appearance.

"You may enter."

The door opened. Peach was half expecting to see a broomstick, the likes of which she had seen cleaning the castle on her way up. Instead a small candlebra, perhaps only a foot high, tottered into the room.

"Mademoiselle Peach?"

"That is moi." She said, as she gave a twirl. She smiled down at it. "And to whom do I owe the pleasure?"

The thing bowed.

"I am Lumiere, Mademoiselle." It said. "Personal attendant to Princess Belle, at your servant."

"Belle… Is that another one of the Seven? I haven't had the pleasure."

"It is indeed." Lumiere said lightly. "I daresay you will get along famously.

"I think so too." Peach said lightly. "I look forward to meeting her… and the other six. Perhaps you can tell me all about them, as we head down to dinner?"

"Perhaps I can tell you about my own mistress." Lumiere said. "I daresay it is not my place to speak of the others."

"You only serve Princess Belle then?" Peach asked. "Do all the Princesses retain their own exclusive staff?"

"And their own Kingdoms to rule over, yes." Lumiere said. "But please… let us not dawdle. We would not want your meal to get cold."

Peach was quick to agree, and they set off into the hall. Although Lumiere moved rather quickly for an object of his size, it was still rather slow going. Not one to complain about such things, Peach instead probed him for information about his mistress, and about the Castle.

She learned that Belle was a voracious reader and spent all of her time in the Castle library. She was considered the most quick witted of the seven, knowledgeable about all of the Kingdoms under Disney's control and was heavily involved in maintaining each of them.

"How many Kingdoms does Disney control?"

"Too many to count." Was the reply. "And not just Kingdoms… all manner of governments fall under our banner, sooner or later."

"Why?"

"Because we are so well established." He said. "No other Empire in history has controlled so many properties… we have done more than simply colonize other planets or spread to other galaxies. We have taken other universes."

"For what purpose?"

"To grant them resources and connections that they would otherwise not have." Lumiere answered. "Everything you see in this Castle came from a different place… all of it coming together to create this Castle of Dreams. Nothing like it exists in all of the worlds."

He had dodged the question. She realized. Perhaps he was unwilling to speak of such matters with her.

They came to a stop outside the dining room and Lumiere bowed her inside. She thanked him, and stepped in.

She was surprised to see that she was the only person present.

"Am I… dining alone, then?" She had imagined that she would meet all seven princesses at dinner.

The door slowly slid shut behind her.

"So that is the hated Princess Peach." Mulan, the hero of China, said, as she glared down at Peach with great dislike. "She brings dishonor to us all."

"You're one to talk of dishonor." Alice sniffed. "What, do you hate her for not pretending to be a man?"

Mulan angrily opened her mouth to reply, but before she could Belle, ever the peacemaker, intervened.

"I must say she strikes me as quite a bit more elegant than I had originally imagined." Belle said. She leaned over the side of the railing. Below them a misty fog took the shape of anything they wanted to spy on within the Castle. The image of Princess Peach dining alone was their focus today.

"Elegant?" Alice scoffed. "Her?"

"A real woman fights her own battles." Mulan agreed. Belle frowned at them, but before she could cut in Princess Aurora came in behind them, yawning.

"Look who got out of bed." Alice said snidely.

"Good evening." Aurora said sleepily. "How is our dear guest doing?"

"She's too stupid to realize that anything is wrong." Alice sneered.

"No, that isn't it." Bella said, surprising them all. "She's getting a read on the situation."

Mulan narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"She's trying to figure out what we're trying to do." Belle said. "She's probing everyone she speaks to for information. She's trying to understand just who we are and what we want. I daresay she is already well aware she is in danger."

Alice snorted.

"You give her too much credit." She said. "She gets kidnapped like what? At least once a week?"

"The woman is weak willed and powerless." Mulan agreed. "Doubtless she was taken in by the splendor of the Castle, like all others."

"I believe you are both underestimating her." Belle said. "Aurora, what do you think?"

Aurora pressed her fingers against her lips.

"I want to know what her lips will feel like on mine." She said. "Send her to wake me up sometime, will you?"

"Gross." Alice said, disgusted. "You barely know her."

"That isn't what I asked, Aurora." Bella said patiently. "What do you think of her? As a Princess I mean."

Aurora stared down at her unblinkingly.

"Well she certainly has men willing to fight and die for her." She said. "The Brothers Mario…"

Alice shuddered. "Don't say that name, geez. It's creeping me out."

"She composes herself well, and has treated all that she's met with dignity and grace. She is, I think, an ideal candidate to become one of us."

'Yes…" Belle murmured. "The Mouse agrees."

There was a heavy silence all around the room. It was not often that the King of the Disney Kingdom took such an interest in a new girl, outside of his domain. Doubtless this would spell trouble for them all.

"What must we do now?" Mulan asked. "Do we kill her?"

"And risk his wrath?" Bella asked, her voice bitter. "No. We have no choice. It looks like Disney is going to acquire the Mushroom Kingdom in the near future."

"After buying Fox and Star Wars this should be nothing." Alice said, placing her hands on the back of her head. "She only made a billion dollars, how much can she cost?"

Belle pursed her lips.

"I haven't asked the King." She said. "Doubtless he is investigating the matter himself. In the meantime I ask that all of you try your best to get along with her. I daresay she will become one of us very soon."

"Like Leia?" Alice asked, as she waved her hand at the image below them. The image of Peach shifted. In its place was the corpse of Princess Leia of Alderaan. She had been crucified and left to rot in a dungeon in her own domain. She only moved and breathed due to black magic, and every word to her subjects came out in rapid gasps that spewed blood.

"Exactly like Leia." Belle said promptly. Alice grinned.

"Oooooh this is going to be fun." She said enthusiastically. "I can't wait!"

She bounced on her heels away from them, to the door. It slammed shut behind her.

"Do we really have the capital to acquire new properties?" Mulan asked, once she vanished. "We still haven't recovered from the Star Wars buyout, and that was a decade hence."

"Let the Company worry about the financial aspect." Belle told her. "Our goal is to make Princess Peach feel welcome here."

Mulan shook her head.

"I have no head for business." She said. "Or for petty politics. I will leave all of that in your capable hands."

"Noted." Belle said dryly, as she marched to the door. She and Aurora were left alone in the room now. Belle waved her hand. The image changed back to Princess Peach. She had finished eating and was conversing with the waiting staff.

"This girl has no idea what she has just gotten herself into." Belle said. "I daresay she will never see her friends again."