Acorn Plains- Book One (COMPLETED)

~nine~

I stand in front of the front door, panting, and staring at it.

It was too easy. There's a catch. There has to be. Nothing is ever this easy. I place my hand on the iron doorknob. I gasp and pull away, studying my hand. It burnt me. My palm is now bright red and white. 

Conversation startles me from down the hall.

I hurry to turn the knob, my hand screaming in pain, and try to push it open. It's too heavy. It's too heavy. I fall to the floor and hold my hand. He knew. Bowser knew and he let me go anyways. I try to crawl over to the wall, where a small opening is, but I'm too slow on my knee's. Two turtles come around the corner. Their conversation stops. They look at each other and smile. 

"Ah, isn't dis the princess?"

"Yeah, man," the other replies.

They move closer.

"Please," I tell them. "I mean no harm."

"Oh, we know," the first one tells me, "But we do."

I gasp and back up against the wall.

They grab me and drag me into the room I was just trying to get into. 

"No! Wa-" One of them shoves their hand over my mouth.

They start to pull my dress up my thighs. I try to scream, but it comes out muffled. 

"Hush it, girlie," one of them growls.

Tears stream down my face. "Please," I want to tell them. I want them to know that they don't have to do this. That it's wrong.

They grin and I close my eyes as they push open my legs.

"Hey!"

I open my eyes. Bowser is standing in the doorway. He has never looked angrier. I can see his eyes glowing orange from here. "Guards! You are hereby dismissed from your duties and you shall receive the death penalty!"

"But, sir, she was escaping!"

"She was not. I allowed her to roam the castle. Even if she was escaping, you took it too far. You should have turned her in to higher authorities." Fangs begin to grow from his teeth.

"Uh- she... er, please, sire-"

I squeeze my legs together and crawl away from the guards. 

I hear a loud roar and cover my ears. I hate this place. I squeeze my eyes shut.

Then I hear my muffled name.

"Peach."

I open my eyes.

Bowser is on his knees in front of me. I uncover my ears slowly. I was almost raped. Tears spring to my eyes, but I blink them away. I had cried enough.

"How could you get caught?" he breathes, his eyes fading back to brown.

"I couldn't open the door," I say softly.

He curses under his breath. "I'm sorry. Only someone with turtle skin can stand the heat. I'm so sorry."

I shake my head. "Why would you let me go? I can't get across the moat either."

He frowns. "There's a bridge."

"Oh." I look down and rub my arm. I close my eyes and rest my head against the dark wall. 

"However, I have decided that you won't be locked in your room anymore. I'm sure I won't have my head chopped off for that."

I look at him. "You risked your life for me?"

He shrugs. "No one would have known it was me, and even if someone thought that it was me, no one else would have believed them. I'm going to be king soon."

I furrow my brows. "But I'm going to be queen soon."

He stands and shrugs. "Precisely."

I stare at him in confusion. Then I realize. He wants me to marry him? "What?"

He chuckles. "Come on, Princess. Surely it's not that big of a deal. Or maybe you actually were in love with that boy Mario? Because from my intel, you weren't. Perhaps I didn't save you."

I keep my lips sealed. He's right. I'm not in love with Mario, even in the slightest. I hardly even know him. So why am I so offended?

Oh, that's right. Because I'm going to be betrothed to a madman- again. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" though, is the only thing I manage to ask.

He frowns. "Because this wasn't your decision. And don't look at me like that- it wasn't mine either."

I start shaking and my vision gets blurry. When was the last time I ate? 

"No," I tell him. 

"What?"

"No," I repeat. "No no no no no. I am done with this... this bullshit!"

"Princess-"

"No. My turn. I am done with getting betrothed and getting kidnapped and being primped and being royalty." My voice cracks. "All I've ever wanted was a small cottage in Acorn Plains." I bury my face in my knees. 

We're silent for a long while. Finally, I look up at him.

"Acorn Plains?"

I nod slowly. "But I put my people ahead of me, because that's what my mom used to tell me to do." I stop and cover my mouth with my palm. I will not speak of her to this man. 

"Your mother? The queen? But she's..."

"I know. And I know who did it."

"Who did it? Didn't she die of sickness?"

I shake my head and start laughing, my heart beating rapidly. "Are you serious? You're not even going to own up to it?"

"Princess, I assure you, I have no idea-"

I stand and flip the table I had just been laying on. "I loved her, you know. You could at least be honest with me."

"I am being honest with you," he tells me quietly.

I look at him. His eyes are confused. He's looking at me softly. I frown. "You didn't do it?"

He shakes his head. "No," he mumbles.

I look out the door, confusion wrapping itself around my brain.

Who in the hell killed my mother?