Alright, everyone knows about why the Trolls escaped from the Bergans, right? The Trolls didn't want to live for generations in fear of every Trollstice feast with them as the great dinner. What the Bergans and most Trolls don't know is that a secret special group of Trolls were chosen by King Peppy. They were the protectors. They scout and forage. They built and hunt. They anticipate and plan. They are the knights in bright colors. They are the Knolls.
They were chosen to be the Knolls based on their survival, bravery, wit, and camouflage. They were the brave ones who sneaked through Bergan Town to gather information. They were the ones to help King Peppy plan out the tunnels and scout out for the perfect area to rebuild their civilization.
Twenty years later in their established village, the daughter of the Knolls Guild Master, Basil, sat camouflaged, watching the pod that Princess Poppy was in, reading history to the younger generation of Trolls. While she is the Princess' bodyguard, she didn't exactly need to be on duty right now. Her father had set up temporary guard switch; she is just avoiding him and his succession talk. Glancing down at her fidgeting forest green fingers, she breathed in deep and stilled them. Perking up to awareness again when she heard the princess singing, she watched and moved silently with her green hair.
Irritation flared when she heard the princess sing out that she was still going to throw the party and starting showering everyone an invitation. Basil had a meeting with the royal family with her father and second hand about the planning of Princess Poppy's party just yesterday about this. They had agreed to down size the party because the Bergan threat larking in the forest. The scouts had confirmed this with photos as proof! Apparently, Princess Poppy didn't agree to this and went out on her own to arrange the party. How can they have the biggest, loudest, and craziest party of all time when the festivities are going to alert the Bergan searching for us just 50 clicks away! It was like saying, "HELLO! THE TROLLS ARE HERE READY FOR THE PICKING. COME AND ENJOY A TASTY MEAL!"
She needed to stop this.
After checking that her outfit was civilian enough, she swung down behind the Snack Pack silently. Basil cleared her throat loudly before the Princess could hand out her handmade invitation to Branch. The group instantly fell silent and separated for her to see the princess flinch. Marching right up to the slowly turning princess, she stared at her charge even when they were the same age. The princess fidgeted and glanced everywhere except at her. Branch gave an audible sigh of relief.
"Finally! Someone else who has some sense around here, you guys really need to listen to her! She knows what she is doing."
Basil spared him a glance and a smile before returning her gaze to the nervous Princess Poppy. Basil sighed and gave the princess a disappointed look. Everyone knew that look. The Snack Pack shuffled awkwardly. They were accustomed to the two's arguing, but it didn't make it any better each time. Branch just looked satisfied. Basil and Branch had a particular relationship. My rumors were that they were together-together or best of friends. No one knew for sure about it, and it drove the princess nuts. Basil was her bodyguard and yet she hadn't made much of a connection to her. Why did Basil have a good relationship with Branch? Why couldn't they be friends?
Before the princess could say anything, Basil cut her off gently.
"Your highness, you know why we can't have a party that big. I can understand inviting your friends, a couple of neighbors and family, but why did you this? The entire community? It's a risk to our safety and your father's and yours, Princess Poppy."
Princess Poppy just looked down before rising up again with a smile and moved around the stiff Basil over to Branch. The princess smiled brightly as she presented her invitation to the gray Troll.
"Everyone deserves to find happiness. What better way to do that than a party?! Just don't understand why you are so against it."
Princess Poppy twisted her upper body to stare curiously at Basil's unimpressed look. They had this particular argument before many times. Basil's rolling eyes meant they were to continue this later as she stepped up beside Branch. Branch didn't look as impressed as Basil did when the glitter settled on his face.
"What do you say Branch? Are you coming tonight?"
Seeing Branch's usual frown turn into a slight smile, Basil was quick to pick up the invitation from the princess before it could meet its end under Branch's foot. Folding it back properly, Basil frowned at Branch for his intended thought towards the invitation, but Branch was too busy explaining his hypothesis on how said party would end. Then Creek came flouting down with help from his pet electrobug, Nemasti. The princess' favored troll. Basil scowled at this Troll. She never understood why the princess liked him.
"Whoa, whoa easy Branch, easy! Okay, first of all, mate, thanks for sharing your unique perspective, again."
Basil glanced sharply at the other two troll lads for laughing. Creek was too close to Branch for her liking.
"But, just for now, why don't you try some positivity, eh? A little positivity might go with that vest."
Branch didn't really like Creek near as much as Basil did, but it was as much of a dislike as hers was. He just didn't like him.
"Okay, fine, I'm positive you all are going to get eaten."
Basil sighed as Branch's smile but stayed back. Branch could take care of himself. Suddenly everyone who had a hug-time flower bracelet went off. Suddenly, Branch and Basil were uncomfortably squished into a group hug. Basil struggled to get away from Creek as he hugged both her and the princess to him. She was able to pop out of the group. Soon after, Branch did too, with much less grace. Basil brushed herself off and swung off towards the Knolls' headquarters as Branch marched away on foot with his firewood. She needed to inform the guild to double or triple the watch tonight.
After getting her hearing back from her father's succession and no running off talks, she had doubled the security for the clueless Troll citizens. She even sent a few Knolls undercover to the party so the glitter and volume doesn't get overly bearing or loud. She was actually crawling on a branch high up in the tree disguised as a hairy caterpillar to check on things when she saw her friend walking away from the view of the party carrying more firewood. Biting her lip before sighing, she signed to the large butterfly perched not too far from her that she was taking the rest of the night off. After getting a response she was looking for, she smiled and left to her pod to gather some stuff.
With a basket in hand, she scurried over to Branch's secret entrance to his survival bunker. Knocking the code, I slipped in, making sure that the door behind her was locked and secure. She walked through the tunnels filled with supplies, tools, and traps until she came upon the informant center. Just as she thought, Basil saw Branch sitting alone at his table in front of his listening tubes in deep thought. She knocked on the earthen wall to get his attention. When Branch finally snapped out of his daze, he stiffened before seeing it was Basil. She smiled sadly.
"I see you still like to sit there all by your lonesome. May I join you?"
"Uh, yeah, sure, take a seat. What brings you here?"
Basil approached the table to set down her basket and straighten her dark blue dress before sitting down. She wanted to look nice since this was Freedom Day. She uncovered the blanket from her basket to show a quality juice bottle, a couple of tasty snacks she baked earlier that day, and Branch's invitation from the princess.
"Well, I thought that since today is Freedom Day, I thought we could indulge for a bit. Also, since I know how you like to uh, keep the princess' invitations, I thought I should give this back. Happy Freedom Day!"
She smiled as he showed a slight curve to his lips too. She cleared her throat and chuckled awkwardly. This wasn't exactly her kind of thing.
"Now, don't get too use to this! This will probably be a rare occurrence."
"Okay, thank you Basil."
He laughed softly, and she turned away, embarrassed. He moved to stash his invitation with the others and grabbed two cups before returning with a really small genuine smile. Over the next hour they talked comfortably, eating the sweet snacks she baked, and drank the juice she prepared. Then the knocking began. We paused for a moment to see if it would continue. It did a moment later along with the princess' voice calling for Branch incessantly. Basil stayed where she was, sipping her juice discontent, as Branch went to check on things.
Next thing she knew, she was being pulled along with the princess to a certain spot. Princess Poppy and Basil sat in that one spot dumbfounded, watching as Branch prepared every kind of trap and lock there was. Basil glanced at Princess Poppy, then to Branch. The only thing that could ever get Branch this stirred would be a Bergan attack. Basil rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration as the princess tried to tell Branch something only to be shushed every time. Eventually, Basil started to rub her temples from the oncoming headache that was Princess Poppy.
Basil knew she should have forcibly canceled the party, but she was too soft on the princess, again.