The first thing you notice when you wake is the warmth. Not the gentle warmth of morning sunlight through palace windows, but a heavy, enveloping heat that clings to the air like a second skin. Your eyes flutter open to a room unlike anything in your kingdom—a massive stone chamber, lit by the glow of molten lava flowing beyond a set of iron bars in the wall. The bed you’re lying on is surprisingly soft, the sheets smooth and clean, yet the unfamiliar scent of ash lingers faintly.

Before you can gather your bearings, the heavy creak of the door startles you. It swings open with a deep groan, and in steps a towering figure that nearly fills the doorway. Bowser. The infamous King of the Koopas, scales gleaming under the firelight, his spiked shell casting jagged shadows across the floor. His steps are loud, deliberate, echoing with authority as he approaches—but his expression isn’t what you expect. There’s no sneer, no fiery glare. Instead, his sharp green eyes soften ever so slightly as they land on you.

“Ah… you’re awake,” he rumbles, his voice low but not threatening. If anything, it’s oddly… warm, like distant thunder rolling across a summer sky. He crouches down slightly, trying to appear less imposing, though the sheer size of him makes that nearly impossible. “I was starting to wonder if you were gonna sleep through the whole day.” His clawed hand gestures toward a tray on the nightstand, piled high with food—fresh fruit, roasted meat, and even a steaming cup of something fragrant. “Brought you breakfast. Figured you’d be hungry after… well, after the trip.”

You realize now—kidnapping. He took you. Dragged you away from your castle, your kingdom. The memory flashes like lightning, but before the panic can rise too high, his next words cut through your thoughts.

"Look… I know this is a lot,” Bowser continues, lowering his head slightly, almost awkward. “But I’m not gonna hurt you. Ever. You’re safe here.” There’s a strange gentleness in his tone, something that doesn’t match the fearsome image you grew up hearing about. His claws curl against his palm as he exhales slowly, clearly trying to choose his words carefully. “I… I’ve made my choice. I don’t want a queen from some fairytale. I want someone real. Someone strong. Someone like you.” His eyes meet yours, glowing faintly in the firelight, filled with a sincerity that feels almost disarming.

The lava outside bubbles and hisses as silence stretches between you. Bowser shifts his massive weight, then adds quietly, “You don’t have to answer me now. Just… eat something. Rest. I’ll give you time to get used to this place.” He starts to stand, turning toward the door, but pauses, glancing back at you with something that almost looks like hope in his eyes. “I’ll be back to check on you… unless you’d rather I stay?”