3Toad Town, Capital of the Mushroom Kingdom, one week before Mario and Luigi's arrival in the Mushroom Kingdom from Brooklyn, New York, USA, Earth
Bowser's airship circled what was now Peach's Castle as Bowser looked down from the prow.
The Princess's foster father, King Toadley, had died of a panic-induced heart attack the day Bowser had declared war. Bowser smiled as he thought of his first casualty.
He had already seen the smoke and fires rising from the buildings of downtown Toad Town as Koopa Troopas, Goombas, Shy Guys, and Bob-ombs marched Toad civilians out in lines for deportation to Darkland's subterranean mines.
Enough citizens were left behind to keep the capital's basic services working and serving the conquerors—restaurants, inns, and shops couldn't run themselves—while Bowser was sure many Toads were still hiding in their basements.
No problem. Boos could move through walls.
Bowser paused as he realized that was a big problem.
He'd been keeping his own Boos back in Darklands while King Boo of Forever Forest sent his forces to reinforce Bowser's.
Forever Forest was a small nation surrounded on three corners by the Mushroom Kingdom and one by the Beanbean Kingdom.
The independent Boo state had been, and still was, a Kremling ally for decades.
When K. Rool had committed his forces to aid Bowser by besieging Rougeport and numerous other sites on the Mushroom Kingdom's east coast, his vassal King Boo had taken it for granted that much of the conquered territory would end up under his control.
Bowser didn't really care about territory; he was fighting for revenge. King Boo could secure his border by taking Dry Dry Desert for all Bowser cared. What did annoy him though, was how King Boo's ambition made it hard for him to accept Bowser as the supreme commander of the allied Darklands-Forever Forest-Kremling forces.
Of the kings, K. Rool had the most seniority, but as he was not actively commanding and it was Bowser's vengeance for which they were fighting, Bowser had the command, much to King Boo's chagrin.
He wanted to throttle his spectral ally but knew that no physical attack except one based on electricity or rapidly changing temperature extremes could hurt him. Bowser's fire breath was just too slow.
That being said, he'd happily give King Boo the entire Mushroom Kingdom if he'd just quit trying to usurp command.
All that Bowser wanted was revenge, and with Toadley gone that left Peach. The Princess was not directly responsible for the his tragedy, not being the sovereign, but still her family had to answer and she was its head.
A red-shelled Paratroopa wearing an aviator's cap and goggles flew up to Bowser on the deck of the airship from the castle and saluted upon landing.
"Your Majesty," he reported, "Princess Peach is willing to negotiate."
Bowser scoffed before smiling. There was nothing she had that he wanted. Could she bring his mother and brother back? Could she bring Clawdia back?
No, no, and no.
Still if she was willing to negotiate, she must be desperate. With her capital in ruins how could she be anything else?
She had nothing Bowser wanted other than a public acknowledgement of the wrongs her family had done to his.
Still, Bowser was determined to end the political existence of the Kingdom that had caused him such pain, and he couldn't stand for that annoying ghost to get it all.
He stroked his chin.
"Let's hear what the spoiled little brat has to say for herself."
Peach's Castle
Bowser threw open the doors to Peach's throne room and bore his fiery eyes into her resolute gaze.
Her bodyguards crossed their spears in front of her in a futile attempt to block Bowser's path, but the Princess herself motioned them away.
She was a mystery to Bowser. Why was she so confident when her forces had put up such weak defenses? Her Toad guards had spears and shields but wore togas over their clothes instead of armor. Why was this castle made of red and white brick and not something stronger? Even the rooms exuded weakness with their red carpets and black and white checkered floors...
So, why was she so confident?
"You look pretty unshaken for someone whose capitol has just been sacked." Bowser folded his arms.
"I will not deny that I have no hope of winning this conflict," she said calmly before she looked him in the eye and said with a compassionate tone, "And I will not deny that you have suffered greatly—more than any being should, and truly believe my family to be responsible."
That compassion struck a chord with Bowser. She reminded him of the various sources of female compassion he had had in his life going all the way back to his mom, Kylie.
Peach had been too young to be involved in her murder, or in Ludwig's, and Bowser seriously doubted she'd been involved in Clawdia's, but her foster father most certainly had.
She hung her head for a long moment before rising to her feet and boldly declaring, "But even if I cannot persuade you of my family's innocence, even you have to admit that my ordinary subjects in Toad Town and throughout the Mushroom Kingdom are innocent of anything between us!"
Bowser smirked and chuckled. She almost had him going with the compassionate act, but this was all clearly a stalling tactic designed to get her kingdom off the hook.
"Nice try, Peach. Your father should have thought about your innocent subjects before he killed my family. Did the two of you really think there'd be no price to pay?"
What Peach said next shocked him.
"Then I will pay it myself."
These were not the words of a spoiled brat, but a wise and mature leader.
"If you stop this aggression against the Mushroom Kingdom, I will be your hostage, under lock and key at your castle."
This was so...not what Bowser was expecting. She was really surrendering, not her kingdom, but her very self into Bowser's possession. It had to be a trick!
"And should you mysteriously be rescued by your intelligence operatives?"
"My kingdom is now a vassal to yours. If any of my people step out of line," Peach said looking down, before gulping, "You may kill me."
That truly shocked Bowser. Here was someone who was putting her subjects before herself. She could be faking of course but she seemed genuine. Her words and offer only underscored for Bowser that she wasn't involved with his tragedy.
"It's really your father I want, but the lucky bastard died unpunished, so you'll have to do!" Bowser stomped toward Peach with the guards vainly trying to block his path.
"No!" Peach shouted to the guards who, like Bowser, froze.
"The duty of the Toad Guard is to the Kingdom, not its princess! You must let me go with Bowser!"
The guards looked to Peach for a moment, then to each other before she softly said, "Please..."
They parted their spears as Peach walked to Bowser.
"Your Majesty, I surrender myself into your possession. Please be gentle to my Kingdom."
Bowser smiled outwardly, but inwardly he was confused. Peach was not the one who had killed his family, and now her actions as well as her words showed she could be selfless. Bowser almost...admired her?
He couldn't let anyone know.
Grabbing her wrist roughly, he shouted, "Come on, let's go!" and dragged her out of the throne room, easing his grip when they were outside.
"Sorry," he whispered as the confused Princess stared at him, knitting her eyebrows. She supposed she understood. He had to act the conqueror in front of everyone.
Bowser's Castle, Several Hours Later
Peach signed the papers placing the northwestern Mushroom Kingdom, including Goomba Village, Flower Fields, Toad Town, and Koopa Village under Darklands administration, while Dry Dry Desert and its capitol of Dry Dry Outpost in the south along with Twilight Town near the center falling to King Boo's administration. The remaining territories in the far north and on east the east coast remained under local control. In name, Peach was still the Princess of the whole kingdom, except for those territories annexed by King Boo, although she was Bowser's vassal.
Bowser noted as Peach's tear fell next to her signature.
"It didn't have to be this way..." he said slowly with a gentleness that surprised him. "We've been allies for nearly a century," he paused and swallowed "and still would be if not for your father..." Bowser let his own head hang unsure of what to say next.
Peach clearly wasn't his enemy as her next soft and warm words indicated: "You've suffered more than anyone should have to and, given what you've seen, I understand why you blame my father."
Bowser noted her soft words: she understood why he blamed her father.
Bowser felt his heart, so recently bereft of love, begin to melt.
She truly sympathized with his plight.
"If I had only seen that camera recording, I would believe someone in my government was responsible too. They probably were."
That was a remarkable concession! Peach accepted that the Mushroom Kingdom started this war, and Bowser felt his admiration for her kindness grow tenfold. However, she still would not concede one thing.
"But you think your father had nothing to do with the murders?"
"It's not the kind of Toad he was," Peach shook her head. "After all, even though he and my mother could have had royal Toad children of their own they adopted me—a being of unknown species and origin who looks like a furless Kong to be their daughter."
Now that Bowser thought of it, there was no one in the world of Peach's species. She was...exotic...and even a murderer like her foster father was apparently capable of some good acts.
Bowser laid his hand on top of Peach's and gave a gentle squeeze, realizing he was to late to stop himself and, surprisingly, that he didn't want to leave without reassuring her.
"While a king must take responsibility for the actions committed in his name, maybe he really didn't know what his minions were up to..." Bowser trailed off. He still had years of heartache and anger that needed to be sated, he wasn't sure where his target was any more...he just knew that Peach made that hurt melt away.
"I clearly can't punish you or your people for something your foster father may or may not have done...but I have also made promises to my people as a king: reuniting the Koopa, Goomba, and Bob-omb communities in Darklands with their relatives in the Mushroom Kingdom...and blood has been spilt...I can't just give you back independence," Bowser knew that explanation must sound forced and lacking conviction. It wasn't, but he was worried it could sound that way.
He looked down, closed his eyes and swallowed.
Meeting Peach's eyes, he said, "Maybe there's another way..."
She looked at him quizzically as he held her hand.
"Princess Peach, can we unite our Kingdoms and reign together as King and Queen?"
Peach shot to her feet trying to process it all. Earlier today he'd wanted to kill her—now, he wanted to marry her?
"Bowser," Peach said, "This is so sudden. I know about you, but I don't know you. I need time!"
"It's in the best interest of both our Kingdoms," Bowser pleaded.
"But I can't love someone I've just met! It doesn't work that way!" Peach turned her back to Bowser and walked away from the table where she had just signed away two provinces to the Boos and the rest to the Koopas.
Why had she done that?
Because her people needed the war to end.
But did they need her to marry this monster obsessed with his own hurts and grievances, no matter how justified his hurt was.
She spun on her heels and looked back at the still seated Bowser.
"Please, give me time to think..."
"Of course," Bowser said as he rose, "Take as much time as you need."
When Bowser left, the Terrorpin guard outside closed the door to her room.
It was lavish with a fireplace, big screen TV, her own bathroom with a tub, and a spacious bed.
It was a comfy cell, but it was still a cell.