Love in the Oddest Places (bowuigi story)

Chapter 24: Penny for your thoughts

Bowser found himself alone in the halls of Floating Fortress. No guards, no servants. No one. The King walked down, then turned a corner. He continued through an open hall; the warm lava glow of his home lit the way.

            He entered a long corridor and gasped at the sight. A massive tapestry hung from the wall. The image of his parents smiled down at him, their appearance preserved in woven cloth. His father, a husky Koopa with ebony scales and bright red hair, held his wife close and their horns pressed together. The queen’s golden scales shimmered in the lava glow; her raven locks cascaded down her shoulders. Bowser let out a chirp and smiled; he hasn’t made that noise since he was a child.

            As Bowser stood there, gazing at the tapestry, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. The intricate details of the woven threads brought back memories of his childhood, reminding him of the love and strength his parents had always shown him. It was as if they were still watching over him, providing comfort and guidance even in their absence.

            The King hummed at the sight before moving on. He walked past other tapestries, depicting various scenes from his youth. Now that he was looking at them again, he had no idea how his parents kept him still long enough for the weaver to take a snapshot; guess Junior did inherit his hyperactivity.

            Bowser turned another corner, expecting to see more family tapestries, maybe ones that depicted him and Junior, but he didn’t. Instead, there was a most unsettling scene in front of him. His smile dropped and his heart raced.

            A lone tapestry stood in a dead end. The lava outside felt cold. Bowser stared back at his own image; he was younger then, merely twenty years old. His eyes were closed as he smiled and held his… the queen’s hand on his arm.

            Stheno’s flawless silver scales seemed to glow with an otherworldly radiance, complemented by piercing teal eyes that gleamed with deceit. Cascading tresses of dark brown framed her face in seductive tendrils and a sly smile curled on her lips. Judging from the intricate clothing they both wore and the fact that her hair was braided with gold and sapphires, this was their wedding tapestry.

But that shouldn’t be possible.

            Bowser tore up and burned the pieces a long time ago, a symbol of divorce in his culture. This damn tapestry was gone! It shouldn’t be… No. He doesn’t want to look at it anymore. His mind raced with questions, trying to make sense of the impossible sight before him. Was this some kind of cruel joke? Or perhaps an illusion meant to torment him? The king tried to take a step back, only to be met with a wall.

“What?” he gasped.

            Bowser turned around and his fear was confirmed. Suddenly cruel laughter echoed through the dead end. The king growled and looked back at the tapestry; part of it (where he was supposed to be) was burnt, while Stheno remained pristine.

“Hello, Bowser~”

            The voice was cold and mocking. Bowser's heart sank as he recognized the voice. The Koopa King roared and bared his teeth. Stheno continued laughing, “What’s wrong, daarin? Don’t you miss your beloved wife?”

            Bowser wasn’t going to entertain her with a response.  He looked around frantically, but there was nothing but him and that godforsaken tapestry. A pair of cold, clawed hands grabbed his throat and pushed him against the wall. Bowser snarled and fought, only to find himself looking into Stheno’s cold teal eyes. “Burn our marriage tapestry, have the kingdom curse my names, turn the son I birthed for you against me-” her grip tightened. “I will always remain.”