Chapter 10

Poppy and branch had made their way to the troll palace. He had never seen the inside of the palace before, it was large and colorful. Looking around with wonder and curiosity  all over his face. Traveling around a large corridor, he saw a large window with a seat cushion build into it. The perfect angle to see the whole square. However he quickly broke his concentration by the sound of poppy calling for her father. "Poppy"?! A voice echoed. Hearing slow patters of foot steps, poppy eagerly ran up to hug her father, who just came around the corner of the corridor. "Poppy! Oh thank goodness! You're alright! You've been gone all night, I was so worried. Where were you"? Asked the concerned elder. "I'm sorry dad, I didn't mean to worry you. Branch took me to a lovely place yesterday and we lost track of time". She says as she nods in his direction. Branch slowly walked up to the troll king, kneeling before him. "I-it's my fault sir. I took her to a nice lagoon I found and I thought she would like to swim with me. But she didn't know how, so I taught her. We were there for so long we didn't realize the day was almost gone. I'm sorry, sir....". He claimed in a sulking voice with drooped ears, as if in trouble at the principal's office. "My boy! Do my eyes deceive me"? The king asked, astonished.  "S-sir"? Branch asked as he stood, confused. The king slowly walked to the young troll, taking his hand happily. Smiling widely. "Why your colors, young man. Your colors. They've returned! Oh happy day! How did this happen"?! The king asked excitedly. Branch was actually lost for words. The KING himself, was happy his colors returned. Branch stammered for the words to use, before poppy took over. Easing his nervous demeanor. "Well dad, that has a little to do with yesterday too. Well, I Went to go see branch after....(Remembering creek's unpleasant attempted advancement) a...short conversation with creek....". She trailed off with an unpleasant tone. Both of the male trolls noticed this. "Why did she sound so....uncomfortable, when she said that"? Thought branch. Both wore expressions of confusion and concern. Realizing the looks they had on their faces, poppy instantly perked up and continued her story.

"Well, anyway, I went to visit branch, only to find out her was planning to take me somewhere. We left on a hike through the forest and came across an absolutely beautiful lagoon with a waterfall and silky smooth sand and.....". Branch couldn't help but watch her beautiful face as she so happily and energetically told her story of their day swimming together. Her shining personality was almost blinding, her voice as bubbly as a freshly opened soda can. He felt warmth surround him as he gazed at her soothing smile and heard laughter in her voice. Not realizing he wore a soft smile, and lightly visible blush the entire time. King peppy looked from his daughter to the young blue troll. Noticing that both had the same looks on their faces. He knew exactly what was happening. He had never seen his daughter this happy before, and seeing branch with his colors again? This made him feel happy himself. He let a small smile crease its way across his lips. 

"......He taught me how to swim too, it was a bit hard at first, but after a while, I finally got it! It wasn't until it was almost dark that we realized that we needed to head home. So we headed out to his bunker to rest up". She said as she looked to branch, her face beginning to get flushed. The king chuckled to himself, he thought it was almost cute how they were acting. Like two children at christmas. "Yes sir, it was still quite a walk for her to head home. But I wouldn't feel right if I sent her home in the dark on her own. So I offered to let her stay the night....But don't worry sir-". Branch finished, trying his hardest not to blush from remembering the rest of their night. "Branch my boy, my daughter is a grown lady, she can spend time with whomever she chooses. As long as she is safe, then that is perfectly fine with me". Placing an understanding hand onto branch's shoulder, to calm him. Branch felt light with relief throughout his body. King peppy looked to him with a calm face. Easing branch's nervous tension. Branch nods in acceptance.

"Poppy tells me that you're very talented with many things, branch. Would you be willing to help me with some security measures"? Instantly perking himself up, he was both surprised and honored to help king peppy with anything he could. "O-of course sir! Whatever you need". He stammered excitedly. Chuckling to himself softly, king peppy waves off branch's words. "Branch, branch, branch, just call me peppy". He says the the young blue troll. Making branch feel happy inside, the king of the trolls, in comfortable with him calling him by his first name. "Yes sir- I-I mean, peppy". Poppy felt a wide and warm smile streak across her face. She felt so glad for her father to be so kind to branch, not to mention how happy he was when he saw his color had returned. "What is it you need help with, peppy"? Branched asked almost awkwardly, not used to calling the king by his name.

"Well word in the village is that there have been sightings of Frostmouth snakes not too far from the village. It makes me uneasy knowing that they are getting too close, since their bite is deadly, you can obviously see my cause for concern. We need to plant some firebell flowers. I have a few bulbs leftover from when we fled troll tree. But Haven't the time to fully plant them around the village grounds. Plus, as much as I don't like it, we will need to  venture out further past the grounds just to find more firebell's..... and some gloom blossom flowers". Finishing his statement with worrisome concern. Branch sighed deeply, he wasn't pleased with hearing they needed gloom blossoms, but he understood his fears. Frostmouth snakes were extremely deadly and had the ability to change the color of their skin at will, but since there had been sightings, branch didn't want to take any chances. The only concern, was locating gloom blossoms to extract their nectar. With worry written all over his face, he immediately accepted to do this work for the good of troll village, the last thing he would want is for anyone to get bitten. "Don't worry peppy. I'll make sure to plant them around and out near the grounds, the snakes hate the smell they give off, so if I plant enough around the grounds, it'll be a decent shield against them. But......the gloom blossom flowers.....". Branch trailed off, frowning from both concern and worry. "I know branch. I wouldn't be asking if I had any other choice, but just in case, we need them. It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it". Peppy said as he nodded in agreement to branch's hesitations. 

Poppy was confused, why was finding some flowers so difficult? It seemed as if they were afraid. "Dad, I don't understand, what's so hard about finding these flowers"? Branch and peppy stood for a moment in silence. Before peppy could respond to her, branch beat him to it. "It's a flower called the Gloom Blossom. It's so named because it will only bloom at night under the moonlight, although no one really knows why. They are the only known cure for a frostmouth bite, even the anti-venom plants I taught you about won't work. They're very rare nowadays. And the ONLY known location for them......is outside of bergen town". Branch sighed breathlessly. Poppy gasped as she heard him. That would be a dangerous journey indeed. If the bergens were to ever know that there were trolls even close to them....she shuttered at the thought. However, she did agree with her father. With the snakes being seen too close to the village, it would be better to plant the firebell's and create a sort of shield for them and travel to find some gloom blossom flowers, than to do nothing and risk everyone's safety. "Alright dad, how do you want to start? What is our first plan of action"? She asked, determination seeping in her voice. Both branch and peppy smiled at her determination and safety concern for her people. "First, we need to plant the firebell's. We need to put them at a safe distance to were we will still be able to have a decent space for us to live in, but not too far out to where we wont notice them anymore. Branch, there is a small collection of bulbs in my apothecary. I kept them on hand just in case. I'd like you to try and plant as many as you can, before I chose someone to go to gather the gloom blossoms. Poppy, I want you to go around the village and warn everyone about the sightings and inform them of our plans for now. But beforehand, I would like to have a talk with you. But first, Would you mind showing branch to the apothecary"? 

Nodding obediently, she immediately took branch to a hallway on the other end of the corridor. Leading into another corridor that ended in a wrap around stairway. Heading up the stairs, branch couldn't help but notice that Poppy was quiet. Which was strange, he could rarely get her to shut up. So seeing her so silent made him nervous. They reached the top of the stairway, coming into a large hallway with only one door. She opened the door to reveal a room filled with live plants as well as dried ones hanging from strings around the ceiling. It actually impressed him to see as many plants in this room as he had in his bunker's infirmary. Poppy stopped in the center of the room. Looking to branch with her arms open wide. "This is my dad's apothecary. He grows some plants here and dries them for later. Allot like you branch". She said happily, but softly. Branch noticed that she was still rather quiet. For some reason, he remembered the looks on her face when she mentioned why she went to go visit him the other day. He was wondering if she was really ok, but he could tell by her body language that she wasn't. "Pop, what's wrong? Since you mentioned about visiting me the other day you've been quiet". Poppy paused, wondering if she should just take it slowly with what happened, or to be straightforward. She figured after all she and branch had done and been through, he deserved to know. 

"...W-well....remember the day I came over, really tired and out of breath"? she asked. He nodded, showing that he did. "Well....there's a reason why I did....". She paused again. Trying to find the right words to say. "The day I came over to your house, I was sitting in my favorite spot in the window sill. I talked to my dad about a few things, then chose to come visit you. But creek caught my attention before I could leave...He tried to talk to me and asked me for a walk. But since I have spent so much time with everyone else, I thought I wasn't being fair, so I just accepted. The walk was nice enough....but...". Her voice trailed off, leaving her face to look uncomfortable. Branch stood close by, patiently waiting for her to continue. "He asked me why I liked spending so much time with you. I told him that you were very nice and you were interesting to me. He got really nasty about how you were always grey and just kept insulting you. I didn't like it at all. Not one bit. As I tried to leave, he tried talking to me more and.....tried to kiss me....among saying some really uncomfortable things to me....". She winced as the words came out of her mouth. Branch's face flashed with anger. Not with her of course.

 She did nothing wrong. But he couldn't stand creek in the first place, but now knowing that creek was being shady, made him very upset. "Well, the first time, I told him that I just didn't like him in that way. He was my friend. Nothing more. But he told me that if I kissed him, I would see that he could take better care of me than you could. Among other things...He tried kissing me again while grabbing my face, but at that point I was disgusted by the way he was disregarding my feelings. I was so uncomfortable and honestly, a little afraid. So I ran to your house as fast as I could. To where I felt I would be safe.....".Poppy finished. Shyly hiding her face from the blue troll. It intensely angered branch that creek tried to kiss poppy more than once against her wishes. Had he no respect for the princess? He gripped his knuckles in a tight grip and he contained his anger and annoyance. He will NOT let anyone touch his princess. He almost dared for anyone to even try. "Branch...? Are you alright"? Poppy asked, with a worrisome expression.

He looks to her, and softens his angry scowl. "Yeah pop, I'm fine. But I don't want creek coming anywhere near you again. What he did was wrong and he overstepped his boundaries. If you ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable, come find me, I'll always protect you". He said to her gently as he takes her hands into his. She smiled sweetly. She felt safe with him around her. He leaned in to hug her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in tightly. Nuzzling her neck, taking in her smell. The smell of sugar berries and flowers filled his nostrils. The smell he loved. Moving his face to look at hers, pressing their foreheads together. "I swear on my life....I'll always be here to protect you". He whispered to her sweetly. She felt her heart pound and her breath hold. His words sent a shiver up her back. She felt goosebumps cover her body almost instantly. She cups his face with a warm and soft touch. Looking at him intently with her lovely magenta eyes."I know you will". She cooed in  a hushed tone. Branch looked to her lovingly. Leaning in to caress her lips against his.  Poppy lightly moaned from his kiss. Feeling her heart pound against her ribs and feeling light. She didn't realize she slipped her tongue against his. Branch broke the kiss to look at her playfully. "Oh don't you start anything now, not only is your father here, but we also have work that needs to be done". Trying his hardest not to get an erection. "Awweeee.....But I can't help it. You're just so sweet and handsome". She giggled. Sighing to himself, branch smiles to himself, chuckling under his breath. She pulls away from him, knowing if she stayed closer, she may end up doing more. Branch keeps hold of her hand. Poppy stops and looks to him in confusion. Branch greats her gaze with a look of lust and love. ".......later"? He asked her softly. She nibbled her bottom lip, nodding to him. "Definitely". Giving him a wink. She left the room to join her father, and to let branch get to work on his newest job.

End of Chapter Ten