Mario Lore

Part One, Chapter Twenty-One

The wedding bells chimed as Queen Rosalina stood in the back row of the heavy crowd. Her eyes fell on the bride long before she walked down the aisle.

This woman, whom she had never laid eyes upon, was strikingly familiar. It took Rosalina some time before she fully realized where she had seen this princess before. It was at the entryway to the castle, that morning, that she remembered. Her vision. The princess seemed to be the perpetrator of the action that killed King Boo in her vision.

She aimed to find Boo prior to the ceremony, but she wasn't able to find him until the crowd had settled, and she couldn't very well cause a scene in front of so many people.

As the married couple left, the crowd threw traditional flowers and rice. Rosalina stayed seated. That was, until the king made his way down the aisle after them. Amongst the crowd she easily swept the king to the side.

"Hey!" he shouted. Rosalina covered his mouth with her large hands. Her face was so burned into Boo's memory that she was easily recognizable to him even without her signature get-up.

"Rosalina?" He asked, stunned as she led him behind a series of hedges.

"Indeed." She responded.

"I waited all night for you to arrive, but I am so glad that you came!" He said happily!

"Boo, I came in such a scurry because I... I have something I have to tell you." Rosalina spoke softly and frantically.

Boo was fearful, in every fantasy he'd had about them reuniting it had never crossed his mind that circumstances would seem so bleak. "What's the matter?"

Rosalina sighed, holding his hand. He looked up and into her eyes for some sort of reassurance. "Darling, I had a vision of your death." She began, "A premature death, one that will be all but certain if you do not leave the kingdom with me tonight."

Boo stared blankly at her, "What?"

"I have seen the two events, Boo, you must believe me." Rosalina explained. "If you leave with me now Bowser will become king and all will be as it should."

Boo's mind reeled in sheer confusion. This was the woman he'd spent his whole life waiting for, and here she was offering him an out. A way to escape the kingdom and the crown that had haunted him all his days. Still, he couldn't wrap his mind around the words she was saying.

"I know you can't possibly comprehend it, but please, I can't bear the thought of something like this happening to you." Rosalina choked out her words as her blonde hair fell over her face.

"If I stay, and I die, Bowser would be king, there would be no difference there, doll." King Boo said emotionlessly.

"The difference matters to me, Boo." Rosalina pleaded. "If you were to die, Bowser would face banishment."

"You expect me to believe my own brother would murder me?!" Boo shouted, venomously.

"Of course not-" Rosalina shouted back "I can't say it all. Boo, you know how the fates are..."

"Cruel." Boo said, turning his back to her.

"Come with me, Boo. Your life means the world to me. The Celestial Kingdom can be your home, we can finally be together." she begged.

"If I am to die I will die as king." Boo said seriously. "This is my brother's wedding day, stay and drink for tonight. I will make my decision in the morning, should I have that long to live."

Rosalina swallowed her panic. "One night shall be fine." She said.

"Join me." Boo requested, holding his hand out to her.

Rosalina took his hand gently and left her cloak in the garden.