The Aftermath

The First Annual Crown Orgy would go down in history as one of the most exciting and fun events to have ever happened in the Mushroom Kingdom. For months, it would be all that anyone in Toad Town would talk about. Sure, Peach had overwritten whatever opinions they may have had about it before with the Vibe Scepter, but now that it was over the overwhelming majority was happy for it to have happened. Most Toads admitted that they did feel more sexually liberated; it was hard to be conservative about sex when you literally fucked everyone in town and couldn’t say that you didn’t enjoy it.

Everyone left the castle that night dirty, sore, raw, and caked in sex, but happy, still feeling that mild buzz of euphoria. The people of Toad Town then began the long, somewhat awkward journey back home, picking up discarded clothing along the way. Some decided to have a bit more fun afterwards, for instance a couple of sporty Toads chased after one another with discarded shirts twisted into whips, trying to tag the other on the ass. Another couple of Toadettes relaxed next to the castle moat for a while, letting their tired feet soak in the cool water while chatting each other up and exchanging contact information, giggling liked they’d each downed a bottle of bubbly. But most opted to just go home and take a long, hot shower before resuming business as usual, even if that business was essentially just closing down for the day.

What no one talked about was tomorrow. A silent fear had spread among the populace, spoken of by no one lest they jinx the good vibes. What everyone was most afraid of was that they’d go to bed and tomorrow it would be as though nothing had happened. That the change they had tried to bring about would be all for nothing, they liked this change so far. This pleasant atmosphere was so much more enjoyable than the one cultivated by the old orthodox steward that had essentially been in charge up until now. For once in a very long time, the people of the Mushroom Kingdom could forget tomorrow’s troubles and focus on the now, and they very much didn’t want this happiness to go away.

However, not everyone agreed with the sentiments of the plebeians. Hours after the orgy, Toadsworth paced furiously in one of Toadstool Castle’s many parlors after he, Queen Toadstool, and Mario had collectively cleansed themselves of the day’s events. Peach had invited Mario into the Royal Bath Chambers with her, and they had spent a long time in there, mostly basking in the steam, each other’s presence, and the afterglow of damn good sex. They may have also sneaked in another quickie when a mutual back scrub turned sensual.

“This is a disaster!” The old man cursed, “A complete and total scandal the likes of which no other Kingdom has ever seen!”

Queen Toadstool was seated at the table in a pastel pink terrycloth bath robe and nothing else. She made no attempt at modesty other than to cross her legs, one of which bounced impatiently. Mario was trying not to be obvious about enjoying the view of her exposed cleavage spilling out of her partially open robe. The expression on her face was somewhere between sexy pout and impatient glare.

As for Mario, he was lucky to have an extra set of overalls here at the castle, which he had only bothered hooking on one fastener in order to let his hot body breathe after the bath. The rest of his clothes had been taken by the staff to be scoured of all filth. He thought of his poor cap, left on the floor where he had dropped it and sopping wet from the cum of a thousand Toads. He wondered how many times they’d have to wash it to get it all out.

“This orgy was a disgrace!” Toadsworth frowned, his jaw tight from clenching his teeth, “All those years of cultivating an image of a conservative, prosperous, and peaceful Kingdom gone in a single day of debauchery!”

“Are you done?” Peach asked coolly, and Toadsworth had to do a double take to ensure he had heard Peach’s tone correctly.

“Of all times to be rebellious,” Toadsworth said bitterly, “If your father were here today…”

“Do not dare to bring my father into this,” Peach hissed, “Whatever he wished for this Kingdom died along with him. We can guess as to what he wanted for it and for me, but we’ll never truly know because his game is over, Toadsworth, and no Life Shroom is bringing him back!”

Toadsworth turned away, and sighed, his voice and posture heavy with the burden of age, “I know.” He stood there for a minute silently, before walking over to the table and pulling himself out a chair. He sat in it and stared off into somewhere distant.

“I want you to know, Prin…, Your Majesty,” Toadsworth began, catching himself in old habits, “That I never acted in malice or in self-service. Everything I did, I thought I was doing for the good of the Kingdom. What I thought your father would’ve wanted for its people. Stars rest his soul.”

“I know,” Peach replied, and reached for the pot of tea that had been left steeping on the table, pouring the three of them a cup, “It’s the only reason why you’re not in a cell.”

“Well, there’s that, at least,” Toadsworth grumbled softly, before taking his cup and a sip, “Thank you.”

Mario took a sip of his own cup of tea. He was more of a coffee person, but this didn’t taste too bad, he guessed.

“I’m not totally inept when it come to politics,” Peach said after a moment, “After a lifetime of hanging around those who live and breathe in it, you pick a few things up. But what I can’t do is manage it, and for that I do still need you, Toadsworth.”

She took a moment to take another sip, “But,” Peach paused for emphasis, “I am done with serving the needs and wants of other people. MY people are suffering, Toadsworth, and they’ve been suffering for a long time. We’ve managed to keep them distracted with bread and circuses, but that only works for as long as there’s bread and circuses. We can’t keep going like things are never going to change. Eventually, we’ll run out of food or entertainment and the people will revolt, plain as that!”

“What do you propose then?” Toadsworth asked.

“First, throw out my itinerary,” Peach ordered, “I will not suffer another vapid tea party with a bunch of old men who only show up to ogle at my chest!”

Mario quickly averted his eyes from Peach.

“Those old men donate quite substantially to…,” Toadsworth didn’t get to finish his protest as Peach slammed her fist on the table, spilling tea everywhere, “Am I a Queen, or a whore, Toadsworth?!”

Toadsworth flushed with shame and looked away from Peach. “I, I’m sorry,” he said finally, “I only meant to say without their generous contributions, we may be hard-pressed to sustain ourselves financially. Our war with the Koopa Empire has cost us quite dearly over the years.”

“Koopa,” Peach echoed the name quietly, “You let me worry about him.” Mario echoed the sentiment quietly, he had plans as to how to tame the dragon king. Plans involving a certain pink, glittery notebook. Peach rung a bell, and a Toadette maid quietly appeared from a secret door to clean up the spill before disappearing just as silently.

“Very well,” Toadsworth cleared his throat, “Then what do you plan to do?”

“We’re pulling out our support from all other nations that support us only in word, but not deed,” Peach replied, pouring herself a fresh cup, “We’ll be focusing on strengthening our economy, borders, civilian infrastructure, military, and foreign relations with the nations that will actually help us in our time of need, starting with the Jewelland, Sarasaland, Beanbean, and Hyrule Kingdoms.”

“Very well.” Toadsworth replied, “I’ll send missives. It’s going to make a lot of powerful people unhappy, Your Highness.”

“Let them be unhappy,” Peach dismissed with a graceful wave of her hand, “If they won’t offer us any real help, then they’re of no use to us.”

“And if they stand in our way?”

Peach shot Toadsworth a determined look, giving both him and Mario the chills, “Then I will remove them from my path.”

“Secondly,” Peach continued as though she were talking about the weather, “I refuse to put on that costume ever again.”

“Costume?” Toadsworth brow furrowed, “You mean your dress?”

“I meant exactly what I said,” Peach said in a matter-of-fact tone, “I want all of them taken to the furnace and burned. I will rule in the nude before I ever put that thing on ever again.” Mario had to keep himself from smiling, having just confirmed for himself another trick he could pull with the Grimoire Fantasia. He put his hand in his overalls pocket, feeling the page he had torn out before sending the rest of the Tome home with Parakarry. He didn’t need to take it out to know what he’d written on it:

“Queen Peach Toadstool
“Will refuse to wear her old dresses, referring to them as ‘costumes’. She will rule in the nude before she ever puts one on again.”

She practically quoted it word-for-word!

“That may be so,” Toadsworth said slowly, as though he were searching for the right words, “But you cannot visit other delegations in such a manner. It will send the wrong impression.”

“I am well aware,” Peach replied, “So have the designers and seamstresses of the Kingdom make something new for me. They should have something acceptable by the time that comes about.”

“I… suppose,” Toadsworth relented.

“Finally,” Peach continued, “Mario has performed acts of heroism greater and further beyond than that called by his humble station of Royal Plumber. Therefore, he deserves a true reward and not the lip service we’ve been giving him all this time.”

Mario blinked, this had come straight out of left field. What was she planning?

“Whatever do you mean?” Toadsworth echoed his sentiments out loud, “We gave him a castle and great tracts of land. How much greater can we award him?”

“My hand in marriage,” Peach said simply, sipping at her tea.

“What?!” Toadsworth barked while Mario yelped out his trademark, “Mamma mia!”

Toadsworth then recovered, clearing his throat, “I apologize, Prin…, Your Majesty, but Mario isn’t a Prince or even a Knight. There’s not a single nation nor noble in the world that would recognize the validity of such a union!”

“Zelda would, and I very much doubt Daisy would mind,” Peach smirked, “Besides, you’re not thinking things through well enough, old man. First of all, I no longer have my virtue. How many of the Princes that would be willing to court me be okay with…, oh how would they put it? ‘Used goods’?”

Mario’s dick twitched at the recently made memory as Queen Toadstool continued, “Second of all, as Queen I have the power to grant noble titles to the people of my Kingdom. If we declared Marioland a subsidiary kingdom and granted Mario and his brother the title of Prince, I very much doubt anyone would have a reason to complain.”

Mario had to admit, that was actually kind of brilliant. “Thirdly, I know you’ve been trying to hook me up with Prince Pine, but I’m sorry to inform you of this Toadsworth, but I’m pretty sure the heir apparent to the Jewelland Crown is batting for the other team.”

“What? Are you certain of this?” Toadsworth replied, flabbergasted at this news.

“I caught him balls deep in one of his servant boys. It was cute how flustered he was about it when he tried to explain it to me,” Peach replied with a giggle, “But moving on to my final point, I don’t give a damn what the other kingdoms think about me. The only opinion that matters is that of my people, and they love Mario. They would accept our union, and that’s all that matters to me.”

“Besides,” Peach placed her hand in Mario’s, looking up at him bashfully, “I love him. I have for a very long time.”

Mario kissed the proffered hand, “The sentiment’s mutual, Your Highness.”

“You never have to be so formal with me, Mario,” she smiled, “You’ve earned the right.”

“Well, I can see that’s there’s no fighting this,” Toadsworth said after a moment of Peach and Mario looking into each other’s eyes, “And your plan is politically sound at least. For the record, I think Mario would make a fine king. After a fashion, of course. Ruling a kingdom is nothing like running a business.”

“I can’t imagine it being too different,” Mario replied, dispelling the moment between him and his fiancee, “Besides, in a way I’ve already had practice ruling my own estate.”

“I suppose there’s that,” Toadsworth smiled, the first time he had in hours.

From there the discussion about the future of the Mushroom Kingdom continued long into the evening until all topics were exhausted and so were the speakers. Finally, Toadsworth retired for the evening, with a look of content on his face not seen very often. It was most assuredly different than the steamed expression that the old mushroom man was wearing when he had walked into the parlor that late afternoon.

Mario was about to leave as well, when a gentle voice stopped him, “Mario?” He turned. The love of his life had uncrossed her legs and was playing with the hem of her bath robe. She looked at him with half-lidded eyes, “Would you share my bed with me tonight?” Oh, that voice. Her tone hinting at promises of things best done with the lights off. Mario was sorely tempted, but he had errands to run first.

Mario walked over to her and caressed her face. She melted like putty into his hand, sighing happily. “I would most certainly love too, Peach,” he told her, “But there are some things that I must retrieve from my home first if I am to stay here.”

“Okay,” she said finally, squeezing his manhood gently, again with the promise of things to come, “Don’t take too long.”

“I won’t,” Mario promised as he headed out the door and into the night.