It had been a week since Prince Bough arrived in to the world where Trolls and Bergen's partied every day.
He still didn't have his colors.
But his features were becoming more apparent even to those that weren't his very devoted parents. He did, for the most part, look just like Branch. But he had the wide round eyes of his mother, or as she liked to point out, his grandfather. Those eyes were a deep purple and captured everyone's hearts that got to look in to them.
As the week went on and Poppy kept breastfeeding him he slowly didn't want the cuddle associated with it. So he was quickly weaned off to a bottle where he could be laid in the bed without being cuddled to eat.
He was also growing very fast and others started to suspect he was going to be a large Troll just like his grandfather.
Branch was completely enamored with his son. However, Poppy could tell that something was starting to bother him. His moods were also becoming pretty stormy. She reassured him every day that the infant would get his colors when he was ready and that it wasn't his fault. Then she started to think that...maybe...something else was on his mind that he refused to tell her.
She wasn't far off the mark as he left Bough and Poppy alone that night in their chambers to find some alone time.
He was at the top of the Troll Tree and way out on a limb so that no one would come to bother him. His knees were pulled up to his chest in a relaxed manner and his elbows rested on his knees. It left his palms dangling. His light blue eyes scanned across the vast Bergen Town and how it had changed within the year and a half or more of the truce. It was a shaky truce at best. This is what had been bothering him.
Who could he honestly tell that he was afraid for his sons life? Staying here until the Bergen no longer wanted to be friendly? Until Gristle didn't agree to something once more? On the same coin he couldn't just decide to take Bough to Troll Village because the Bergen knew exactly where it was. They would have to move so far out that it would take a lifetime of voyage to get away. With the Bergen's senses becoming more attuned to the Trolls - the possibility of escape was no longer there.
How had Peppy done it?
His eyes closed and he sighed deeply.
"Your Majesty."
Branch didn't open his eyes but said quietly; "What is it, Tony?"
"Nothing urgent-but could I talk with you?" Tony remained behind him.
"I don't know. I honestly have a lot on my mind." Branch explained politely.
Tony ignored the polite no and walked up beside the king to sit beside him in the same pose. He was taller and thinner than Branch. The navy of his skin was in sharp contrast beside Branch's bright cerulean.
"We're not safe here." Tony almost whispered.
Branch's eyes snapped open and his face whirled to the Troll's beside him. Question's stuck in his throat.
"I don't mean imminently." Tony explained without looking at the king. He was looking out across the Bergen Town as he went on; "But I don't trust the Bergen. I know you don't either. The more I think about it though it seems impossible that we could sneak away while they are all peacefully sleeping. I've really been searching my heart for the right answer and I think I may have found it."
"What made you start to have these thoughts?" Branch interrupted.
Tony's bright green eyes looked at the king sadly and he didn't have to explain anymore to Branch. They both had lost nearly everyone to these damn monsters.
"So what's your plan." Branch inquired.
"Send a troupe of Trolls, or hell, just me if it ends that way. To scout far and wide for a place the Bergen aren't going to find us. It may even take us years."
"You do realize this mission would have to remain secret? If you or your gang get lost or in trouble there would be no way I could send a rescue party." Branch warned.
Tony nodded solemnly.
Branch stood up to look down at the taller Troll and without realizing it his chest was puffed out. He really had a kingly personality.
"Only ask or tell Trolls that you know will either join you and not speak of the mission to anyone. You have my blessing." He held his hand down to Tony.
Tony grinned with tears in his eyes and clasped the kings hand tightly. Branch pulled him to his feet and they embraced roughly with the raw emotion of lost loved ones. Their embrace ended abruptly and Tony promised with his voice rough; "I won't fail you. I won't let down my fellow Trolls."
"I believe you." Branch clasped him by the shoulders and their eyes locked before Tony turned and ran off.
Branch watched him go and scoffed to himself. He turned to have one last look at Bergen Town before heading back home.
Poppy was pacing the bedroom fretfully as Bough wailed. When she rocked him he screamed, when she laid him down in his crib he shrieked. There was nothing she could do to calm the fussy thing down. He didn't want her breast, didn't want a bottle, didn't want anything else to suck on. She wished she could go to her dad and ask him what he used to do when she fussed - but Peppy didn't even know who she was anymore.
Just as she was considering screaming and crying with him Branch walked in. Sobbing, she walked up to him and shoved the baby in his arms. Branch smiled despite himself and cuddled Bough close with one arm as he brushed away Poppy's tears with the other.
"You go take a walk, Poppy. I'll settle him down."
She wiped at her face but nearly ran out the door.
Branch walked over to the rocking chair with the screeching little banshee tucked in his arm and sat down. He decided to sing to him in hopes it would calm him down, and if not, well at least it would keep his own mind focused at the task at hand instead of getting upset too;
(Ozzy: My Little Man)
"Don't you know I love you more than life itself; don't you know that you're my pride? And I would not have you walking through this world without me by your side.
Go to sleep my little man, don't you weep my little man."
Bough didn't seem to appreciate the sound of his fathers sweet voice and was still screaming. Branch picked him up as he did on the day of his birth and had the boy face him as he rocked and continued;
"I'd like to keep you with me all your life; but I know I can't do that. So I must try to teach you wrong from right, to keep the Bergen from your back.
Go to sleep my little man. Don't you weep my little man."
Bough opened his eyes just enough to recognize his dad but was determined to not stop crying. Branch smiled at the infants determination;
"And when you're dreaming you can talk to angels. So wipe the tears from your eyes."
He took a thumb and gently rubbed it over each of those deep purple eyes and down his chubby cheeks. Bough snuffled and chewed his bottom gummy lip.
"And if there's Bergens that try to steal your breath away - You can't believe that, know my spirit will be standing by your side.
You saved me, you gave me, the greatest gift of all. Believe me, believe, there ain't no mountain that's too tall."
Branch touched his nose against Bough's and the baby stopped fussing. He closed his eyes. So Branch cuddled him up close to his chest as the little face nuzzled in to his scent;
"I would gladly carry your cross for you, to take your pain away. But what I can carry is my love for you beyond my dying day.
So be strong my little man. When I'm gone my little man. You got to be my little man. So don't you weep my little man. Go to sleep my little man. Don't you weep my little man. You got to be my little man. So don't you weep my little man."
Success. Bough was asleep. Branch chuckled and stood up to relocate the baby to his crib when all of the sudden he noticed a glow from the corner of his eye. He looked down to see a purple glow coming straight from the baby. At first he wanted to panic but then realized as he watched and the glow faded away-He was the same color as his grandma.
His little nose was the same color as his own, his cheeks a slightly darker purple. But he was the same as grandma. Branch hurriedly put the baby down in his crib as he crumbled to the floor and covered his face to sob.
Tony searched and searched for Cal.
Where he finally found him was at, like, a nursery type thing. He wasn't entirely sure but the little bulb that he was in was swamped with babies and children. When he finally found the white spotted Troll he shook him awake more roughly than he needed to and it nearly gave Cal a heart attack.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Cal whispered angrily.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Tony retorted as he pulled Cal out of bed and out of the bulb.
Once they were outside and out of earshot of the children and babies Tony explained with adrenaline running through him;
"I went to the King and told him my plan."
"Oh geeze, come on, Tony." Cal rubbed his eyes.
"He gave me his blessing and told me to find Trolls to take with me or if they don't want to go to keep the mission a secret."
Cal's mouth popped open and his eyes bulged a bit. He didn't know what to say. Was Tony asking him to go?!
"So what about it, want to make history?" Tony was standing tall and proud of himself. He was panting with the sheer excitement he couldn't contain.
Cal's face wrinkled as he looked back towards the entrance of his bulb. Then he turned back to Tony.
"No. I like it here. I finally found my place. I take care of babies and children who don't have anyone or their parents just need a break. This is where they need me. I love them."
Tony's face turned dark instantly. He went to grab a hold of Cal's shirt collar but Cal jumped back and smacked the other Troll's hand away.
"Stop that. Do you think I would be good in the wilderness when all you have to do is bully me?" Cal was panting now too but out of fear.
Tony's eyes narrowed but instead of threats he turned and walked briskly away. Cal wanted to call after him and reached out to do so, but then he didn't. Instead the hand he had reached out ran through his hair. He stood there a while until his breathing slowed and then went back to bed.
When he got back to his bed a little kid that had had a nightmare was in his blankets curled up with a stuffy. Cal smiled and climbed in the bed with the little one to curl around him safely. They fell asleep that way.
(Will Tony find a group of like minded individuals? And what's the deal with him and Cal? What also do you think of Bough's colors? Any ideas of what you'd like to see in this story arc?)