Trolls: Gladiola Trollkonge
Chapter 2: Gladiola
Eighteen years after the royal birth
"Years moved on, and as they did the Trolls and the Bergens lived together in happiness and perfect harmony..."
"Harmony..."
"Harmony..."
Eighteen years had passed since the stripped gladiola had bloomed with the Troll princess in it and Gladiola Trollkonge had now grown into a young, healthy, and adored Troll woman. She wore a rain and cloud themed blue dress with a puffy skirt decorated with purple droplet gems that went down to her hips, green sleeves made of see-through gossamer and designed with blue flowers, a rainbow girdle belt that outlined her waist very well, and a pointy color made of blue-gradient leaves. Under her dress, she wore teal leggings and jeweled, vine themed green sandals (unlike the other Trolls, she preferred to walk around in sandals). Her jewelry included two purple bracelets on her left arm, blue flower earrings, and a green tiara similar to the crown her mother wore. A dark blue and teal elastic was used to tie up her magenta and sky blue streaked hair into a rising but elegant ponytail. She was very much her parents' pride and center of happy adoration and everyone in the Troll Tree and Bergen Town adored her. Like her mother Queen Poppy, she was optimistic, brave, and a lover of parties. Like her father King Branch, she was resourceful, aware of her surroundings, and had a sense of occasional sarcasm. Like both of her parents, she had an amazing voice and was very benevolent towards her people and neighbors.
Right now, in the middle of this warm last day of winter, Gladiola was going on her usual weekly visit to the Recreational and Education Center, the brand new Bergen-and-Troll school that was constructed about six years ago. The young children, especially those below six, would get excited whenever Princes Gladiola came over every week to watch over them, contribute to games, teach the small ones how to read and write and sing, and read stories from her handmade scrapbooks while they gathered in a semi-circle to listen to her read.
"And that's why we all live happily ever after together!" a little green Troll girl said as Gladiola finished reading everyone's favorite story, the one of their people's history and eventual friendship, and closed her scrapbook.
"With songs, dances, hugs, collaborations, and peace treaties, you got it!" Gladiola winked at the little Troll as she fluffed the latter's hair teasingly, making the child giggle.
"And parties and storytelling almost once every week!" a young Bergen girl said while high-fiving the green Troll from earlier.
"I wish we'd party and tell stories at every hour," a Bergen boy said in a little sad tone.
"I know you do." Gladiola smiled sympathetically. "But as much as we all love to have fun together, we also have to work together. Because?" She motioned her young audience as if she were an orchestra master.
"Working together makes us stronger!" all the children said together, making the princess smile with pleasure.
"Princess? How come your last name is Trollkonge?" one of the Bergen children asked.
"Trolls have last names that identify their uniqueness," Gladiola said as she walked over to caress the Bergen's cheek. "In the royal family, 'Trollkonge' is the term used to refer to anybody born with royal blood. But since most Trolls' last names are very long and all use the word 'Troll', we prefer to keep things simple by calling everyone by their first names."
"Princess Gladiola, are the mean Chef and Creek still out there?" A blue Troll boy asked, making a reference to the villains Gladiola had talked about in her stories.
"Who knows?" Gladiola said as she picked up the blue Troll in her arms, noticing how his light blue skin nearly reminded her of her father's. "The last thing anyone remembered from them was that they were permanently kicked out of Bergen Town when they accidently dashed off in a burning stew pot. Many like to believe that they either burned to death or got eaten by one of the forest monsters, but like King Branch says, you never know."
"But I don't want them to come back!" a Bergen boy whimpered as he hugged his Troll friends close to him. "Being with my Troll friends makes me happy!"
"Having birthday parties at the arcade!" a Troll boy said in excitement.
"Hot fudge sundaes at slumber parties!" a Bergen girl suggested.
"Staring at your parents while they sleep." A small, wall-eyed Troll in yellow diapers said. Everyone looked at him for his creepy comment that reminded Gladiola of the older brother of the child. Even as an adult, he liked watching his parents and girlfriend while they slept.
Gladiola looked at the classroom's clock and noticed that its arms were indicating the time to be 2pm. "Well, I'd better be off, kids!" Gladiola put her belongings in her hair as Trolls mostly carried their stuff in their big hairy masses. "It was nice seeing you!"
"We'll see you at tonight's party, right, Princess Gladiola?" the green Troll girl asked eagerly. This made Gladiola slapped herself mentally! She had completely forgotten about tonight's party!
"Of course I'll be there!" she said. To hide her anxiousness, she pulled out her precious cowbell given to her by Queen Poppy. "I'll definetly be there!"
She beat her cowbell in rhythm and soon she was dancing her way out of the Recreational and Educational Center and into the streets of Bergen Town getting ready for tonight's party.
Gladiola: What can I say? I'm just being Gladiola Trollkonge.
Woah, oh, oh.
If I'm needed, I just have to hear people calling for me, Gladiola Trollkonge.
Woah, oh, oh.
With her hair, she swung herself from lamppost to lamppost and helped the Bergens and Trolls set up party streamers so that the streets would look like rainbow arcs were dominating them. All the Bergens and Trolls waved happily in gratitude at the princess as she moved on to helping the others out.
Trolls: We've all been blessed with such a benediction
That came years ago from a stripped gladiola flower.
Bergens: We are happy thanks to the princess.
Her existence is a gift so priceless.
Trolls and Bergens: That's why we can hardly wait the hour
Until Princess Gladiola's coronation!
Gladiola went to the town square where she helped citizens lift up the glittering giant artificial flower pod they were going to use as a disco ball for the party.
Gladiola: It's just in my nature to help others.
I see them all as my sisters and brothers.
Their happiness is something really worth seen.
I sure hope this will stay that way when I'll be queen!
All: Tonight, we shall celebrate!
Tomorrow, our feelings will reciprocate
When we see Princess Gladiola Trollkonge filling our souls.
Because by then, she'll be Queen of the Trolls!
Cooper's daughter, Chandler, and a friend of Gladiola, caught Gladiola right when the latter landed her back and began to carry her like a pony would towards the Troll as the happy crowd made way.
Chandler: Make the way.
It's our day.
Glady here's one of a kind.
Never knew somebody so kind.
Ain't no Troll that don't like her,
And ain't no Bergen wanting to eat her!
Gladiola: Don't exaggerate, Chandler.
I'm just carrying on the family banner.
Chandler: Girl, I didn't hear you say that! Yo!
Who's gotta remind who's the best, Gladio?
They were joined in by more of Gladiola's friends as they made their way to the Troll Tree: Gossamer and Fabric, the respective daughter of Satin and son of Chenille, Petite, the daughter of Biggie, Disco Jam, the son of DJ Suki, Smitten, the daughter of Smidge, Glow Ruby, the daughter of Guy Diamond, and Fuzzbert Jr, the son of Fuzzbert.
Gossamer: Never have we seen someone so sweet with children
Fabric: It's quite a way to win the hearts of every civilian.
Petite: Who else knows how to grow our crops big and strong?
Who knows how to makes us happy all day long?
Disco Jam: No one's ever seen a princess brave and strong
Just like back week when she got a Bergen's head out of the church's gong.
Smitten and Glow Ruby: She'll be our queen by tomorrow
And she will keep kidding us through.
All: That's why we can hardly wait without negotiation
Until Princess Gladiola Trollkonge's coronation!
Everyone was dancing happily in the streets of Bergen Town as Gladiola got off Chandler and made her way towards the Troll Tree, where her parents and grandfather were waiting for her. Flower petals used for confetti were being thrown out of windows in order to practice for tonight's main event. Cooks were putting a diversity of pastries on the tables and artisans were placing the podium for tomorrow's coronation.
Gladiola looked behind her at her people and their Bergen neighbors as they shared their excitement together about the event. Tonight they were celebrating the planting of the stripped gladiola that bloomed and released Gladiola from the seed her parents had planted, and tomorrow, on her eighteenth birthday, she would be crowned Queen of the Trolls.
Gladiola: I gotta admit, this is worth something to be seen.
Tomorrow will be the day I turn eighteen,
But by tomorrow I'll move on from princess to queen.
For some reason deep in me, I just don't feel it.
I don't think that I can handle this duty to commit.
But I can't disappoint them all, see what I mean?
All: Tonight, we shall celebrate!
Tomorrow, our feelings will reciprocate
When we see Princess Gladiola Trollkonge filling our souls.
Because by then, she'll be Queen of the Trolls!
Gladiola: I don't think I'm ready to rule just yet.
All: Tonight, our hearts will with happiness!
As we celebrate the future of our beloved princess!
Gladiola: But my royal duties are hard to forget!
All: When Princess Gladiola Trollkonge delights our souls.
Because by then, she'll be Queen of the Trolls!
"Yay! Hooray! Long live the princess!" Gladiola heard the happy Trolls and Bergens cheering from outside, which kind of grew the uneasiness in her as she got inside her family's pod.