Poppy's POV

After a good day's work, I'm exhausted. I've been running back and forth all day between King Gristle's palace and the party planning center and the newly made law book, trying to get as much stuff done as I possibly can, so that tomorrow will be a little easier.

I was only pretending to be cheery when I went to see Branch, but I am a very good pretender. As I lay on my bed in my pod (painted bright pink, of course) I realize that I haven't been this tired since I was on my adventure to save Cooper, Smidge, Fuzzbert, Satin, Chenille, Biggie, Suki and Guy Diamond. NOT Creek. I never walked a single step to save that lying, cowardly traitor. Not one single step. I remember being so hot, cold, itchy, and terrified all at the same time that I almost wanted Chef to catch me. It was the worst experience of my life, but I did it all for my friends. NOT CREEK.

I sigh. Who am I kidding? Most of it was for Creek. I loved him. I thought he loved me – you know, as more than friends. How could I have been so blind? Branch was right. I have horrible judgement. I should have known that there's more than cupcakes and rainbows out there. I don't deserve to be queen.

I open my eyes and look in the mirror on my wall. I almost want to cry. I'm gray from head to toe. Only my hair and eyes have stayed pink. This is the third time I've lost my color since Trollstice almost happened. Both times before, Branch helped me back to normal. He told me I was an amazing leader and I had learned from my mistakes. He said that I was the only reason that he didn't lose hope when everyone else did.

I try to tell myself this, but I don't believe it.

There's only one person who can help me now. The same person who helped me the very first time I lost color. My father comforted me as I cried when I remembered how my mother had died. He helped me come to closure then. I hope he can help me come to closure with this. I try to make myself look a little peppier. After all, I'm going to see King Peppy.

I uncover the hole under my bed. It's an entrance to the secret tunnels inside the tree. No one's used them since we left, and I hope no one is in them now. I drop myself down into the musty, dark, moist passageway and begin walking in the direction of my father's pod, hoping that he's there.


When he sees me climb up through the living room floor, he gasps. "How…" he whispers. "How did my little happy, bubbly, beautiful princess become… sad?" "I throw myself into his arms and cry into his shoulder. He tells me exactly what I need to hear, and somehow, he comforts me in a way that only a father could.

When I finally realize that things will be okay, I take a deep breath and tell him about how busy I am. "This is exactly why I made the new council," he says. "Once they get into action, you'll have about half as much work, and hopefully not as many worries." "Thanks, dad. Thanks for caring about me," I murmur as I fall asleep. I'm happy now, but I've worked all day long. I'm tired.

I wake up in the bed that used to be my mother's. I see her picture on the nightstand next to me and smile. She was a bright yellow troll with green hair – like a flower. Her name was Daisy. I wish I had gotten to know her, but she was taken the year before we escaped. It was the same year that we lost Rosiepuff, my father tells me. I was too young to remember her.

I always wondered why I didn't have a mother. My father told me when I was old enough, and from then on, I wanted to stop Trollstice for good. I didn't want to just hide from the Bergens until they found us again. I didn't want any more trolls to lose their parents or grandparents. Branch lost his whole family to the Bergens. I was lucky.

I was too scared to go looking for the Bergens and somehow stop them. Instead, I only started my quest after my friends had been taken. I marched on with relentless optimism, even after I almost died and Branch saved me. If I could just stay happy, everything would be okay. That's how life works in our kingdom. Things aren't the same in the wild forest.

That's what I need to learn. Being optimistic will solve some problems, but not all of them. From now on, I'm going to be a better queen. I'm not going to let myself go gray again. The kingdom needs me to be strong. I know that the world isn't all happy stuff, and I'm going to live with that. I've got to prepare for things instead of throwing parties all the time. I'm not going to change myself into Branch, I'll just be a little more cautious.

Now that I've decided how to change my reign as queen, I've got to get started. The party still has to be planned, after all! After thanking my dad again and saying goodbye, I make a list of things that need to get done for the party on my way to King Gristle's palace.

1. Find a good place for both the Trolls and the Bergens. It can't be too big, or we'll never see anything. It can't be too small, or the Bergens will hit their heads.

2. Pick the food. What do Bergens eat, anyway? Just trolls and pizza? That sounds depressing.

3. Decorate the place. I wonder which colors, decorations, and fireworks they'd like?

4. Pick the DJs. Obviously Suki, but I'm considering also having a Bergen DJ.

5. Party! That should be easy – I've done it all my life.

Now that that's all settled, I'm getting to work. I spot Suki and Satin across the huge, Bergen-sized street, and wave. After the light changes, letting trolls cross, I run to meet them. "Where were you last night, princess?" Satin asks. "You missed the sleepover!" "I…" I know I shouldn't lie to my friends, but I don't want to tell them what happened. I didn't tell them before, because I can picture what would happen.


"You what?!" Cooper screams. "Sad? Gray?! This is awful! The kingdom will fall apart without you!" he shrieks after I tell the Snack Pack the news. "No – see, I'm better now!" I try to convince them. "Are you sure?" Chenille asks. "I think I see some gray in her hair," Biggie whispers to Guy Diamond. "Really, I'm fine! I'm just as happy as ever - " "She's not singing! She must be about to turn gray!" Smidge says in worry to the rest of the Pack. "I'm fine!" I shout. "Stop worrying!" They all gasp. I look in the mirror. I'm gray again.


In a split-second, I decide not to tell them. "I had some work to finish up. I'm sorry I forgot about the sleepover! I was just really tired after a long day –" "It's fine, girl! You can come tonight!" Suki interrupts. "Wait – you're having another sleepover?" I wonder. "Of course! It's not a real party unless you're there, after all. Now come on. We need to help you with your work so you won't be too tired. Let's go!" Suki shouts as they link their arms through mine and march me to the castle.

I'm not sure how well this will work out – after all, the only time my friends have met King Gristle in person is when he wanted to eat them – but I'm glad I have friends willing to do this for me.


Author's Notes

I'm sorry this chapter was late; I have a lot of homework. If you're not the type who enjoys the long strings of thought, don't worry. There will be more action in the next chapter. The first two are sort of setting the stage for the rest of the story. I plan to go back and forth between Branch and Poppy POVs unless there's a third point of view that would be really key to the story. I hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews!