A/N: Hey all! So, I have to leave in less than an hour for work, and I've been working on this all day, but here's the third chapter! I'm so grateful to everyone who's read this, and I promise to get that last chapter written up and posted as soon as I can. This chapter alternates between Poppy's POV and Branch's; they each have two scenes. Enjoy!
As always, comments, questions, reviews, and helpful criticism are highly appreciated.
Poppy didn't know how much time had passed since Bridget had left and the two guards had arrived. While Bridget was gone, Poppy and the rest of the Snack Pack began to make a plan to rescue Branch. However, it was hard to come up with much when there was still a lot that they didn't know; for example, where Branch even was.
Poppy looked up from the group huddle when the door opened. Bridget was standing there, talking to the guards stationed outside the door. Whatever she said to them must have worked because they let her in without comment, shutting the door behind her.
"Bridget!" Poppy said happily, careful to keep her voice low. Bridget approached the Trolls, a worried frown on her face. "What's wrong?" Poppy asked.
"I saw Branch," Bridget whispered. Poppy felt something in her chest loosen up and she wriggled with happiness as her friends celebrated behind her. Poppy felt a bubbly relief rise in her chest and let out a relieved laugh. It didn't last very long before she was biting her lip to keep it from becoming a sob. He was still out there, alone, and Poppy had the sudden urge to wrench apart the cold, unforgiving metal bars that kept her from her Branch and the need to find him was so strong that she felt unstoppable, invincible, untouchable; like she could storm through this castle and nothing would stop her or dare get in her way.
"Is he okay?" Poppy asked instead, pressing herself against the icy metal of the bars to bring her back to reality. Poppy couldn't remember ever feeling this white-hot rage before, but she wasn't all that upset. As long as it helped her in her mission to save Branch, she honestly didn't care. She just wanted him to be safe.
"He's… alive," Bridget offered. "When I saw him, the king had him."
"The king?" Poppy repeated, her brow furrowing. "Why? What for?"
"I'm not sure," Bridget answered truthfully. "Sorry, Poppy. I wish I knew. But he looked okay. Maybe a bit shaken up, but alright. The king was heading towards his room, I think."
Poppy nodded absently. Branch was alive! Now that Poppy knew this, she could focus on the escape plan without worry clouding her mind.
"Okay, everybody," Poppy said, drawing the attention back to her. "Here's what we're gonna do…"
OoOoOoOoO
Branch had figured out their destination when they were halfway there and was not too happy about it. The king's room wasn't exactly where Branch wanted to be right now. He wanted to be with Poppy, even if that meant he would be waiting for his inevitable death by Bergen.
The king was humming to himself, and it was so horribly off-key that Branch was seriously considering tearing off his own ears.
"Here we are!" Gristle announced, flinging open his bedroom door. Branch just raised an eyebrow. Did he expect him to respond? Apparently the answer was no, because the king wasn't even looking at him. Instead, he made his way over to his bed, setting Branch down on the end table there happily before stepping back as if to admire the view. Branch didn't blame the king for wanting to soak in all of Branch's glory, but now was not the time.
The king turned away and wandered over to a bookshelf on the far end of the room. Branch looked around, searching for anything that could help him escape, and spotted the bathroom. A devious thought sprang into existence in his mind and he grinned.
"I have to go to the bathroom!" he called, making the king jump in surprise. He didn't really have to go, but, if the king let him out to do his business, Branch could make a break for it. Even if the king didn't fall for the oldest trick in the book, it would still be fun to drive him crazy.
"Oh. Um…" Gristle stared at Branch, who blinked at him innocently. "I, uh, thought… Right. Can't… can't you hold it?"
"Hold it?!" Branch repeated incredulously, "No!" I really have to goooo!" He let a whine slip into his voice and danced in place for added effect. This was way too fun.
"Hold on…" Gristle said, crouching down and searching for something. It was funny at first, but Branch soon began to get bored watching the Bergen crawl around his room. Time to spice things up.
"I really, really have to go! Right! Now!" Branch called, his tone warning. He shimmied in place convincingly. The king was beginning to panic and Branch snickered. He jumped in place, stopped, held still for a few seconds while letting a smile stretch across his face, then sighed in a satisfied way.
"Never mind!" he said cheerfully.
"No, no!" the king screeched, practically flying across the room and desperately searching Branch's cage for the nonexistent mess. His terror gave way to such a comical picture of bewilderment that Branch could no longer hold in his laughter. He cackled and heaved, trying to breathe unsuccessfully. He hiccuped a few times, which made him start all over again.
"You… you tricked me?" Gristle said, staring at Branch. Branch snorted a few more times before finally getting ahold of himself and grinning widely at the dazed Bergen. All was quiet for a few moments and Branch began to fidget. Was the king mad? What if he did something to him? What if he did something to Poppy?!
Branch's frantic thoughts were interrupted by loud giggle-snorting. Amazed, Branch stared at Gristle as he laughed loudly.
"That… was hilarious!" Gristle gasped out. Branch scowled. The king was supposed to get mad! He wasn't supposed to find Branch funny! "Boy, I'm glad Chef didn't kill you," Gristle commented in a conversational way, as if he was talking about the weather and not life or death, literally. "You're great for entertainment!" Branch's face darkened and he crossed his arms.
"I'm glad you find me so amusing," he spat angrily.
"Oh, I do! Can you do anything else?" the king asked. He either totally missed the hostility coming off of Branch in waves, or he was ignoring it. Neither sat well with Branch. "How about dancing? Oooh, or singing?"
"I don't dance, and I don't sing," Branch scoffed, sitting down and turning his back on the Bergen. His instincts screamed that this was a bad idea (Never turn your back on your enemy!), but Branch's fury overpowered his paranoia. "And I certainly won't perform for a savage, bloodthirsty Bergen like you!" he added scathingly.
To his surprise, Gristle was silent. He heard the king sigh heavily and walk away and turned to watch. The king sat a few paces away on his bed, staring at his hands in his lap. Gristle's pet lizard-dog-thing whined and jumped up next to his owner, pawing at his knee.
"Maybe you're right," Gristle said quietly. "Maybe we are bloodthirsty. But," he glared at Branch. "Don't my people deserve to be happy, too? It's not fair that you Trolls are always so cheerful all the time while Bergens are so miserable!"
"Does it look like I care?" Branch sneered, refusing to back down. The king had a point, but Branch couldn't do anything about it. What was he supposed to do? The Bergens' solution was to eat Branch's people! Who does that?!
"I thought you'd understand my problem!" Gristle said. "I mean, you're unhappy, just like us!"
"Well, I don't," Branch growled. "At least I don't eat people! If you're looking for sympathy, talk to someone else, because you're not gonna find it here."
"Fine!" Gristle snapped, standing up and storming out. "Come on, Barnabus," he ordered. The lizard thing whimpered and followed the king out. The door slammed shut, leaving Branch all alone.
OoOoOoOoO
Poppy huddled together with the rest of the Snack Pack in the darkness of the ceremonial pot, listening to the noises of Chef and the other Bergens in the kitchen. She looked over at her friends affectionately: Biggie was huddled on the floor with Mr. Dinkles in his lap, Smidge on one side and Fuzzbert on the other. They were talking to him quietly, comforting him. Guy Diamond and Suki were sitting side-by-side, conversing quietly, while Satin, Chenille, and Cooper played some sort of game next to Poppy that involved Cooper's hat and some pretty cool hand movements.
Four sharp clicks broke through the relative silence and everyone looked up as the lid slid aside, light flooding in.
"Now, for the main course!" Chef said gleefully. Poppy scrambled backwards, her friends following close behind. "The Trolls!" Chef laughed as tons of colorful bodies poured into the pot, shrieks of surprise and grunts of pain accompanying them. When the last of the Trolls hit the bottom of the pot, the lid was shut once more with a loud grinding sound.
"Poppy?" The pink troll turned and saw her father. She opened her arms and collapsed into his embrace, smiling slightly. "Oh, Poppy, you're alive! I was so worried," Peppy pulled back, his hands resting on his daughter's shoulders as he searched her face.
"Princess Poppy?" a young Troll asked, tugging on the hem of Poppy's dress. Poppy crouched down to the little Troll's height. "What's gonna happen to us now?"
Poppy glanced around as the crowd murmured worriedly. They were all looking to her for guidance. Poppy felt a pang when she didn't see the gray skin and bright blue eyes of the Troll she'd come to depend on to always be there for her.
"Don't worry," Poppy said confidently, getting to her feet. "I have a plan. And," she looked at her friends. They smiled encouragingly, and the twins gave her a quadruple thumbs up. "And, we have help from someone on the outside."
"Who is it?" someone asked excitedly.
Everyone began to chatter at once, wondering who this person could be.
"Is it Branch?!" an orange Troll asked, gazing at Poppy. The crowd whispered enthusiastically. Poppy didn't respond, staring at nothing as a rushing noise filled her ears and pounded in her head. The world tipped violently, nearly sending Poppy tumbling to the floor. She felt a hand rest on each of her shoulders and saw Satin and Chenille come to stand beside her.
"It's okay, girl," Satin told her.
"Chin up," Chenille urged her, a smile stretching across her blue-purple face. The rest of the Snack Pack stood behind Poppy, their solid presence keeping her from breaking down. Poppy smiled at the twins before turning back to the now silent crowd.
"No, it's not Branch," Poppy began. "Branch… Chef took him." Everyone gasped. Poppy waited for silence before she continued. "This person is a Bergen. Her name is Bridget, and she's going to help us escape. We've already worked out the details. As for Branch," Poppy paused, making sure all eyes were on her. "My friends and I are going to find him as soon as everyone is safe."
"Can we help?" Peppy asked. Poppy shook her head.
"The best way for you guys to help is to stay safe," she said gently. "That way I'll only have to worry about Branch. I need you to be safe," she spoke mostly to her father. He smiled sadly but nodded.
"You heard the princess!" Peppy said to the crowd. "As soon as this Bridget frees us, we must all get to safety! I will lead us there. You," he gestured to Poppy and the Snack Pack. "Go find Branch."
Poppy nodded, looking back at her friends. Their faces were set in determination. She had the best friends in the world.
Click.
Everyone looked up, falling silent. The lid was pulled back slowly. Poppy braced herself, doubt whispering in her mind that she quickly pushed away.
Here we go…
OoOoOoOoO
Gristle was gone for a long time, and Branch was bored out of his ever-loving mind. He had tested each and every one of the fifteen bars, attempted to pick the lock a grand total of nine times, had done as many push-ups as he could in a row (twenty-one), and had counted each of the individual leaves that made up his vest (he lost track at thirty-six).
Just as Branch was wondering whether or not it would be worth it to try to pick the lock for the tenth time, the door opened. King Gristle came inside, followed closely by two attendants.
"I have to look perfect!" Gristle said, stopping in front of his mirror and posing.
"And you will, Sire!" one of the attendants promised. She held something up and Gristle motioned for her to step closer. She obliged, setting the piece of cloth (which Branch decided must be the "bib") around his neck.
"You look outstanding, Sire!" the other attendant assured him, straightening out his royal cape. She spotted Branch staring at them in the mirror and walked over to the end table. She picked up the cage and held it out to Gristle. "Do you want this, my king?" she asked. Gristle glanced at Branch, who glared back at him.
"Sure," Gristle said, shrugging and looking back at his reflection.
The attendants both curtsied and followed Gristle out of the room obediently. Why did Gristle want to bring Branch?
He wants me to watch my friends get eaten, Branch realized with horror.
The Bergens all got to their feet and clapped when Gristle entered. He waved and sat down in the throne-like chair at the head of the table. As the attendant set Branch down on the table next to Gristle, Branch spotted something in front of the king that surprised him. It was Bridget's other skate from when she went on a date with the king disguised as Lady Glittersparkles. Branch watched as the king picked it up and spun the wheel nervously.
"Give it up for your Royal Chef!" A familiar voice called out. The door was thrown open and Chef strolled in, Bridget following at her heels, pushing a cart with a large cooking pot on top. The Bergens cheered, pounding the table. Branch grabbed his ears, wincing at all the noise.
"There is only one thing that can make you happy," Chef told Gristle, bowing with a greedy smile. "And only one Bergen who can provide it! Bon appétit!"
Branch watched with apprehension as she whipped off the lid dramatically, gripping the bars so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He couldn't see into the pot from his angle, and he couldn't tear his eyes away either.
The Bergens gasped in mingled dismay and outrage.
"They're gone?!" Chef said, staring into the pot.
"Gone!" The Bergens echoed angrily.
"Gone?" Gristle exclaimed.
"Gone…" Branch repeated to himself. He let out a breathy laugh, followed by a strangled choking sound, before he began to laugh loudly. He was gasping for breath, tears welling up in his eyes, but he couldn't stop. Branch began to feel lightheaded as he wheezed, laughing hysterically. Tears were gushing down his cheeks and Branch couldn't tell if he was laughing or crying. Maybe a bit of both.
Branch sank down dizzily, the edges of his vision going black, but he couldn't stop. Finally, he let out a raspy giggle before his eyes closed and he collapsed, unable to draw enough breath.
They're safe! He thought before the darkness claimed him and he knew no more.