The Theater Nerd In Me Is Pleased While The Chronicles Of Narnia Nerd Is Very, Very Concerned

The Theater Nerd in me is pleased while the Chronicles of Narnia Nerd is very, very concerned

Edmund: Why do I act like such a creep?

Peter: Why did I hit him?

Eustace: Why won't she date me?

Susan: Why do I cry my self to sleep?

Lucy: Why...

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New Story Underway

Hello my fellow Phantom Phans! 

If you have been keeping up with my account on Wattpad, you’ll see that a new story for my Phantom series is now underway and that the prologue has been published. Please don’t forget to check it out along with books 1 and 2!

https://www.wattpad.com/user/ChristinaMorgan7

Fiery Love Through Burning Sands Chapter 2: Shadows of Fate

The air around him was filled with the scent of sulfur.

The scent of home.

Bowser opened his eyes as he took in the sight around him, feeling calm as he glanced around the familiar space. He was back at his castle, back in the garden in the middle of the courtyard. The sight of the marble statues of his graven image filled him with a sense of delight as he wandered closer to the flower beds.

The fire flowers and piranha plants were in full bloom and growing quite nicely, as he expected.

What he did not expect, however, were the other blossoms that decided to bloom undisturbed as well. Yellow daffodils, red gladioluses, golden marigolds, yellow and red roses, purple hyacinths and lobelia, and multicolored hibiscus plants all seemed to clutter the space as he carefully maneuvered his colossal frame to avoid crushing them. A fresh wind blew as the smell of smoke mingled with the scent of the new flowers, making Bowser look up toward the obsidian gazebo at the very center.

If he thought that his garden was a strange sight, nothing prepared him for the sight that he was to behold next.

The gazebo, made from the very obsidian deposits that were hewn for the construction of his castle (and had the added benefit of hiding any discoloration from the constant soot from the lava around them), seemed to have been destroyed on the right side of the garden, and instead been replaced by the pearly white glow of marble.

In fact, the right side of the garden didn't look like HIS garden at all!

The garden that lay beyond the white side of the gazebo was bursting to life with all sorts of flowers and trees. The sweet and spicy aroma of magnolia blossoms filled the air as the breeze pushed past the trees that lined the garden walls. The flowerbeds were filled with rows and rows of white chrysanthemums, yellow sunflowers, purple forget-me-nots, multicolored proteas, white daisies, purple iris, and every color of snapdragon possible. And in the middle was a pond filled with a school of Cheep-Cheeps and pink and white lotus blooms floating on the water's surface.

But the most surprising thing of all was not what he saw.

But who.

Sitting on the edge of that pond was a beautiful woman. And for once, it wasn't his beloved Princess Peach!

Her jet-black hair was filled with soft, tight curls that, like the flowers, bloomed around her head. Her skin was a dark brown, and her arms were covered in golden bangles and arm cuffs that glittered in the sunlight. Her face was adorned with painted markings on her forehead and chin, and little white dots stretched across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. From her ears hung golden hoops, and a golden circlet was nestled on her forehead. A golden medallion hung from her neck, and in her hand was a single forget-me-not.  Though her clothes were simple, she was absolutely stunning, with a cream-colored top and skirt that opened in the front revealing puffy pants and a flowery wrap tied to her waist.

Bowser couldn't help himself as he slowly made his way from his side of the garden to where she sat, more and more entranced by her beauty. But as he approached, he was suddenly hit with a wave of intense sorrow. As if the woman in front of him was made of it from head to toe.

Sorrow that somehow punched him in the gut.

It was at this moment that the mysterious woman looked up, her eyes welling up with tears.

To say that she was startled would be an understatement. Bowser watched as the woman shot up from the bench, her body taking a defensive stance as they stared at each other. Watery brown met crimson red as her eyes darted between his hulking figure and the space behind him before speaking.

"Who are you," She asked, "And why is half of my garden missing?!"

But before Bowser could speak, the sound of dissonant laughter filled the air. The two of them froze in place as the wind picked up, the flowers in both gardens seeming to wilt and turn to ash as the wind scattered their remains. Above them loomed a pair of glowing purple eyes, devoid of a soul and holding nothing but pure, unbridled evil.

The look sent a chill down the Koopa's spine.

"What the hell is that?" Bowser asked the woman but was struck dumb at the look of absolute horror that filled her face.

Before either of them could respond, the purple aura that surrounded the floating eyes turned pitch black and, like arrows from a skilled archer, struck both of them in the heart.

Bowser woke up with a start, rattling the gilded bird cage that was his prison.

Pillars of smoke came out of his nose as he tried to calm down his rapidly beating heart.

What the hell was that all about?  He thought, getting up from the floor. The shrunk king paced around his cage, his mind reeling with what he had witnessed in the dream.

The mixed-up garden.

The sickening laugh.

The creepy purple, glowing eyes.

Her eyes.

He shook his head at that, almost regretting taking an early lie-in, regardless of the plan.

It took a bit of time, but Kamek had finally found a way to contact him, and they had planned to escape during the wee hours of the morning when it was guaranteed that all of the Toad guards would be fast asleep. Stretching his limbs, he took one last glance around his cell.  Though the room was dark, the full moon's light bathed it in a soft glow. He took one last count of the number of columns that held up the room, the scratches on the tile floor from the Toads dragging their spears instead of actually picking them up.  He then cast his eyes on the mini grand piano that Princess Peach was so gracious to allow him to have.

The Koppa King growled slightly as his thoughts turned to the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.

It was one thing to be rejected by her and then defeated by that red plumber and his cowardly green brother, but to be robbed of his true form and stuck as a shrunk version of himself was just cruel, even for him. Sitting on the tiny piano seat, his claws lightly settled on the keys as he began to play a soft tune. Allowing himself a minute or two to relax his mind.

"Psst! Sire? Sire, are you awake?"

He paused his playing, turning his head towards the window.

Right on time.

With a wave of his wand, Kamek transported himself and the clown car he drove into the room.

"My king! Not to worry, sire, we are here to set you free!" He whispered in his gravelly voice.

"About ti- Wait a minute! We?"

As if summoned, the head of a small Koopa boy with a tuff of fiery red hair popped out of the clown car, smiling.

"Hi, Papa!" The boy chirped a little too loudly, causing Bowser and Kamek to shush him.

"Kamek! What is the meaning of this?!" The king hissed.

"Sorry, your Wrathfulness! He had somehow snuck in before I took off from the hangar."

Bowser groaned, rubbing his temples while his son beamed from ear to ear, pleased that he was able to trick his tutor. As much as he loved his son, he had a special talent for making things more complicated than needed.

"Junior, how many times do I have to tell you to stay at the castle? We're in the middle of enemy territory!"

"But Papa! I wanna see Mama Peach!" He whisper-yelled excitedly.

The king sighed. Of course, he would. Ever since he told him that Peach was his mother, he had wanted to see her. He wasn't stupid, it was his own damn fault for telling him that in the first place. Raking his claws through his mane, he couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. No doubt he was his boy.

"Later, ya little brat. You can see her later. But right now, we need to get back home and regroup. Speaking of which..."  

He gave a pointed look at his advisor as he waved his wand to open the cage door. Then, with a flourish, he hopped into the elder mage's hand, and off they flew, the Mushroom Kingdom growing smaller and smaller as they rose higher and higher into the sky.

As the sun rose behind them, the Toad guards awoke to an empty room devoid of it's scaly, fire-breathing, homicidal prisoner, and the entire kingdom now on high alert.

Taraji gasped as she jolted awake in her bed, nearly toppling over to the floor in fear.

The dream seemed so real.

No, she thought, Not a dream. A vision.

A vision too real to be ignored.

Wrapping herself in a sheer white robe, the queen took off her hair bonnet and stumbled out of bed, the moon bathing her room in its silvery light. With a sigh, she grabbed a few sticks of incense, opened her bedroom door and walked into the hallway, her mind deep in thought.

Months of radio silence from the Great Grambi, and all of a sudden, she was granted a vision. And not a great one, to be sure.

Not only that, but the purple eyes were certainly daunting. And that laugh.

That laugh was so familiar.

Too familiar.

A shudder went up her spine as she rounded the corner.

Then there was the matter of the creature that had somehow infiltrated her vision.

Taraji wasn't stupid; she knew very well that there was only one Koopa that was that large. But it still didn't explain why she was having a vision with him, of all people, in it.

Or why it seemed like his pain mirrored her own.

She paused, having reached her location. Opening the doors, she stepped inside the Chamber of Kings and made her way towards the altar, her path lit up by the hundreds of candles that lined the walls. On those same walls were the portraits of all the former rulers of her empire and the royal family during their reign, from the great King Totomesu to her mother and father, whose portraits lined the back wall where the altar stood in front of a small pool of water filled with lotus petals.

Taking the incense, she lit the ends on one of the candles that was close to the marble pedestal that faced her parents and the family portrait that hung under it, taking a moment to look at their faces. Her father, King Mwindo, stared down at her, a stoic sense of pride etched onto his face, as if demanding that she protect the legacy of the kingdoms that he loved so much. Meanwhile, her mother, Queen Zuri's, gaze was soft, as if reminding her to rule with compassion and empathy. Her eyes glanced over to the family portrait, her heart wrenching as she remembered the day the portrait was made. Gazing back at her own image, holding a little bundle in her arms as next to her stood her late husband.

A few stray tears left her eyes as she quickly wiped them away and placed the incense on a silver holder that was embedded in the pedestal before going back to a cushioned pillow, knelt down, and kowtowed in prayer.

"Oh, Great Grambi and our beloved ancestors, please show me what I cannot see. This vision was troubling, and I am in need of guidance. May you give me clarity to lead in the right direction. Protect my people, my empire, and my allies. As stardust we were formed and as stardust we shall return."

"Your Majesty?" A voice interrupted.

Taraji got up from the floor, turning to see a Bunbun girl with her head down.

"Yes, Nora?"

The Bunbun looked up at the mention of her name before clearing her voice.

"I have your schedule for the day, as requested, my lady. As well as an urgent letter from Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom."

The queen smiled, taking the letter out of her servant's hands and opening it. Taking a second to read, her expressions changed from amusement to confusion, to concern, and then to resolve.

"Thank you, Nora. Tell the other servants that we will be having guests in a couple of hours. And alert the Bela Nandi and tell them to meet me in the throne room in 30 minutes."

With a bow, Nora left the room. Meanwhile, Taraji made one final nod to the portraits before heading back to her room, but not before making one more detour.

Picking up speed, she rushed down the hall until she came to a door decorated with glowy stars and old "Keep Out" posters and, without a second thought, opened the door.

"Daisy!"

Turning on the lights, she watched as the lump on the bed started to shift and groan.

"What?"  The girl was startled awake, her own hair bonnet slowly slipping off of her head.

"Wake up and get dressed. We have guests coming from the Mushroom Kingdom, and it's urgent."

Daisy checked the alarm clock next to her bed.

"Raji, it's so early! Can't this wait until a reasonable hour?" She whined, attempting to lay back down to go back to sleep.

Taraji rolled her eyes before going to her bed and yanking the blankets off of her.

"Hey!"

"Get dressed, or else you're going to be running 20 extra laps before training for the next two weeks."

The princess jumped at that, rushing to grab her clothes and running to her bathroom. Her sister now productive, the queen quickly ran to her own room to get dressed, but not before offering one more prayer.

Great Grambi, please, PLEASE let Daisy behave herself today.