"My name is Briar. I'm the one who took your daughter to the homeland."
There was a short pause, then a coil of dark blue hair wrapped around Briar's throat and he gasped for air, grabbing at it and squirming. Everyone began yelling different things as Branch continued to strangle Briar, his face twisted in rage with his teeth gritted. About ten seconds in, a voice rang out over the rest.
"Branch, hold on minute." Poppy said, pulling her husband away from him. Begrudgingly, he pulled his hair away and looked to her. She smiled. "I'll handle this."
She looked to Briar, a gentle smile across her face. He almost said something else, but he was cut off once again by a tight wrap of hair, this time from Poppy. There was a bit of a commotion amongst everyone once more.
"Stop, stop, STOP! He was only trying to free us!" Aloe cried out, running forward to try and pry them apart with Sage right on her tail. Poppy faltered at the sound of that, looking between the two of them and back to Briar. She wasn't sure why she did so, but she slowly retracted her hair. The young troll collapsed onto his hands and knees and began coughing like crazy.
"No, Aloe." Briar sputtered, rubbing at his throat for a moment. "I deserved that." He looked at Poppy, who still had a very heated look in her eyes. He knew that glare all too well.
Explain yourself. She wordlessly demanded as she stood by her husband closely, holding his hand. Briar got back up to his feet, brushing off his cloak and running a hand through his hair to straighten himself out from the ordeal.
"Your Highness, I have no doubts that you know the reason Willow was taken." Briar declared in certainty, and it was with reluctance that the Queen nodded.
"Unfortunately." She replied. Briar's heart clenched at the pain in her voice. He wanted so desperately to tell them everything, to tell them why he had gone to such lengths to tear their daughter away from them. But he chose to keep on course with his point.
"I've come to tell you that there is still time to save her." Briar explained. This made everyone present perk up with hope and there was a small hush of chatter amongst the Snack Pack. Branch and Poppy themselves seemed to soften in their demeanor a little at the news. Briar looked between all of them, gripping the strap across his chest. "If you follow me and my siblings, we'll take you to the underground prison where she's being held. We'll set her free and send you back here, no questions asked."
"Well, I—" Poppy began, but Branch placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Wait a second." He cut in, peering skeptically at the young troll. "How do we know this isn't some sort of trap?" His gaze was probably the most judgmental one the young troll had ever seen, though he had no room or reason to blame him. Briar took a deep breath, hating what he had to say next.
"I can't assure you of that. You're just going to have to trust me." He replied. Yet another wave of gasps and chatter erupted amidst everyone present, with Branch's expression turning even more sour at the dissatisfying answer.
"Pfft, trust one of you? You're crazy!" Poppy exclaimed, throwing her hand out to him for emphasis.
"And how did you get past the crystals? I thought their purpose was to keep purebloods out!" Canella added from behind them, glaring particularly Briar. He frowned, licking his lips in thought.
"Huntsman secret." He replied, trying not to grab for the satchel in his pocket.
"No secrets." Poppy ordered, taking a few steps forward. "If you want us to trust you, tell us everything you know."
Briar looked to Aloe and Sage, who stood quietly a few feet away. Aloe nodded to him and his posture relaxed after that.
"We have a slight advantage over your people, Your Majesty." He said. "Contrary to what you and all of your ancestors have been told, sprites are very much still alive. Purebloods…." He trailed off, clenching his jaw for a moment. "….we've used them for our own advantages for hundreds of years. We wield their magic, make crystals and keys out of them, cast spells of any and all kinds. Even ones that can reverse the effects of another spell."
"So, you're saying nothing is truly protecting us?" River joined in. Briar frowned.
"Not anymore as of a few months ago. I admit that it took centuries to perfect it, but we finally found the right combination of spells to slip past your barrier with ease. Every Huntsman carries a crystal of it now. I just happened to be the first to utilize it." He explained. Noting the worried looks of everyone present, he added to his statement quickly. "But hear me when I say that the King is not after anyone here. He already has gotten what he wanted." He said with reluctance.
"Princess Willow." Rosemary whispered from the far end, holding Jules by the shoulders in front of her. Briar nodded to her before turning back to Branch and Poppy. He had never seen a pair of trolls so upset.
"Please, Your Majesties. I urge you to come with me. We have time to save her, but it is dwindling every moment we stand here debating." He stated in urgency. There was a hush over the group as all eyes fell on the King and Queen. The two looked to one another sadly. Poppy sighed, stepping even closer to him.
"How many will we need?" She asked.
"What? Poppy, you can't be serio-!" Branch started to protest.
"You said you'd do anything to bring her back. Here's our chance." Poppy snapped back at him. Branch clamped up for a moment, balling his fist while giving a seething glare in Briar's direction. He rolled his eyes, giving a heavy sigh and crossing his arms. Wordlessly submitting to the plan.
"The crystal's power diminishes little by little with every troll you add on to the travel. I'd say to effectively get back to homeland before tomorrow night, we can't take any more than four. That's taking myself and my siblings into consideration as well." Briar estimated.
"So, besides the King and Queen, who else will go?" River asked, and they began looking around.
"We'll go."
Everyone turned to look at Canella and Verne, who stepped forward with their hands clasped together. Briar should have guessed. Willow's closest friends.
"Oh no you aren't! You have already given me enough heartache with your last rescue mission!" Rosemary scolded, before quickly turning to Poppy. "No offense is intended, Your Highness."
"None taken." Poppy assured her.
"But Mom! Willow's our best friend! Besides, we've done this before now! We'll be better prepared!" Verne argued his case to his mother, who pursed her lips while fighting back tears. She looked between him, Briar, and the King and Queen.
"I swear if you don't bring my son back alive and in one piece…" She seethed, directing it solely at Briar. The troll nodded respectively.
"I understand." He confirmed. He looked between the trolls who would be accompanying him back to homeland and nodded.
"Alright. There isn't a moment to lose." He said, and with a few quick stops along the way for some of them to grab supplies for the journey, they made their way off into the night.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
Tallulah had been sitting and listening to the beautiful voice for a long while, a gentle smile on her face. Slowly, she dragged her ankle chain along as she climbed to her spot, looking over to watch the young troll trace symbols in the dirt of the floor.
And we'll only be making it right
'Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can make it 'til the end of the night
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and kicking up sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight…..
The sprite continued to sit in silence, then watched Willow lean back to look out the small window across the room, her face falling in deep despair.
Once upon a time, I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
And there's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Tallulah's wings sagged at the obvious key change in Willow's beautiful voice.
Once upon a time, there was light in my life
Now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the….heart…..
Willow stopped after that, closing her eyes and giving a heavy sigh. Silence was all that was heard for a long moment.
"You have a wonderful set o' pipes, girly. I had no idea somebody could sound so good." Tallulah finally cut in. Willow looked up to her, giving a weak smile.
"You haven't met my parents. It would be a physical impossibility for me not to have a good voice." She argued, and Tallulah shrugged.
"I don't have ta meet 'em. I can already tell they're good people. Especially your dad." Tallulah explained. Willow squinted her eyes skeptically for a moment.
"How can you tell?" She asked. Tallulah chuckled, giving a wry smile as she rested her chin on the closest metal bar.
"Willow, you'll come to find out that a parent is only as good as their child. You can tell who was rotten at raising a kid, and who was made for it. Sorta like, an intuition between parents, you could say." She explained. Willow's eyes widened a little in wonder.
"You're….a mom?" She whispered. Tallulah smiled sadly, her eyes watering a bit as she looked out her own window in her cell.
"Two boys. Ten and fourteen." She replied. The troll Princess continued to look on her fellow prisoner in a new light again, trying to imagine two little sprites fluttering around her and calling her Mom. It was bittersweet to imagine. She sat up a little bit, her ears drooping a little in hurt.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Willow asked quietly, trying hard to not sound offended. The sprite shrugged at this.
"Never came up in our conversations. Besides, I know they're both safe and sound with everything they need. They're living with my brother." She said, giving a breathless chuckle to that.
"What about their dad?" Willow asked. Tallulah's face twisted in agony at the mention of him, squeezing her eyes shut and clutching her chest tightly. The Princess didn't need any further explanation. "Oh." She peeped, immediately feeling stupid for asking.
"I keep telling myself that every night I spend in this god-awful place is one day closer to being free. To seeing them again." Tallulah declared. "Somehow, it gets me through."
Willow pondered on this thoughtfully, then decided to ask a less painful question.
"What's their names?" The sprite smiled sweetly, looking down to fiddle with her hands.
"Nico and Marty." She replied warmly. "Nico is my oldest and he loves baseball. Marty's my baby and is the top of his class this year. They're both stubborn brats who butt heads with me every chance they get." She informed her before adding, "…..but they're mine and I love 'em more than life itself." She turned to Willow once more, suddenly giving a mischievous smile.
"You'll understand when you have kids someday. Maybe with that Briar fellow, huh? Even if he is a lousy pureblood." Tallulah joked, making Willow's eyes fly wide open.
"Lu!" She yelled, trying to ignore the blush creeping up on her face.
"Aw, I don't mean anything by it, sweetheart. I'm just jokin'." Tallulah assured her, giving a wink. Willow just shook her head, fighting the smirk tugging at her lips.
The moment was short lived as they heard the door open once more, and three pairs of footsteps entered. Willow had a sinking feeling that she knew who they were. Tallulah grabbed the bars.
"Don't worry about anything he tells you, y'hear? He's just a big bully." She said quickly. The Princess nodded gently, trying to bring herself to her feet before one of the guards pulled her hair again. She was successful, and the door unhinged and swung open, revealing Igor as he looked on her with a sour expression.
"Well, half-breed. Are you ready?" He asked. She was about to answer but he cut her off.
"I don't care if you are. Get moving." He said, grabbing her arm and shoving her out the door. The guards took either side of her with Igor following behind her.
Outside, they were met with a small coach. A rather stout-looking troll manned the driver's seat, and Igor nodded to the two guards as Willow climbed inside. She took the seat opposite of Igor, and the two trolls set off without so much as a syllable. It was quiet for a long while, then Igor spoke.
"I hope you are in sorts to meet with the King today. I'm afraid you are quite crucial to our plan for success." He stated. A peculiar thing to say in the least. Willow did not respond, but kept her eyes firmly glued out the window.
"Not talking, hm? Don't worry. That will change." He commented bitterly.
Willow ignored him. Instead, her mind wandered to the hills in the distance, and thought with great despair that hundreds of miles beyond those slopes was home, where everyone resided in harmony. It was a bittersweet assurance knowing everyone was safe as far as she was here.
A pang of fatigue fell over her for a moment, making her vision blur and her back slump to the side slightly. She fought it, pulling herself up straight and blinking rapidly to combat the weary weight on her eyelids.
However, the drive proved to be surprisingly short as the coach came to a stop and Igor cleared his throat, throwing his neck in either direction to crack.
"We have arrived. Keep your posture straight and your eyes anywhere but on His Highness. He dislikes eye contact." Igor informed her bluntly as they both exited the coach and began the long ascension up the many steps to the palace.
The palace itself looked to be of ancient architecture, with high ceilings and arched doorways with intricate designs carved along the walls. Nothing at all like the dank, dirty conditions of the remaining buildings surrounding it. Deep green ivy grew prominently in many places, with its wrought brown vines twisting and turning every which way like a strange sort of wallpaper. Their footsteps echoed in the great hall, and Igor greeted two guards who stood at the nearest doorway.
"Inform His Majesty that we have arrived with the half-breed." Igor ordered them, at which they both bowed slightly.
"Yes, Igor, sir." They said in unison before departing from their view.
"We are to wait here until His Grace calls upon us." Igor declared rather strictly, glaring at the Princess. Willow paid it no mind, trying to fight the dreary feeling in her chest. Standing idly in a quiet hallway was not helping the matter.
To pass the time, she began to follow the ivy upwards along the buttresses, taking in every twist and curve of the hearty vegetation until there was none left to observe. She spotted a small stained-glass window about twenty feet above their heads, and she observed how the faint glint of sunlight cast a prism-like glow amongst the jagged colors of glass. However, it was with the abrupt opening of the doors just in front of her that snapped her attention back to the situation at hand. One of the guards turned their nose in air, moving aside to allow them to pass through.
"His Majesty will see you now." He stated formally. Igor and Willow started forward, and the scenes that played out before them captured Willow's attention once more.
The throne room was significantly smaller than the great hall, columns of stone lining either side with a thick red rug running the entire length of the room. At least ten guards were posted on either side, all of which stood as if they were statues.
"Come in, come in, child. Don't be shy."
Upon a throne carved entirely out of a single cut of stone sat a troll of height similar to every other pureblood she had seen. His pale gray hair and dark gray skin were hardly anything to look at, and his attire was quite illustrious in contrast. The only natural color to him was his deep red eyes, which peered at her in a highly unsettling fashion. He stood up from his seat, clasping his hands together.
"I suspect that Igor has tended to you most satisfactory prior to this?" He asked. Willow stared openly at him, her face permanently frozen in a weary neutral state. The King's ears pricked in confusion for a moment before he leaned forward a bit.
"Are you mute, girl?" He demanded. Willow spotted Igor out of the corner of her eye, his glare murderous. She looked back to the King.
"No, sir." She said quietly, trying to subtly take a jab at his status. It seemed to fly right over his head as he threw his hands up in the air.
"Ah, excellent! It would be quite an awkward situation to have a mute troll on our hands."
"Indeed, it would be." The Princess admitted after a moment or two. With this, the King returned to his seat and propped an elbow up to rest his head on, keeping his eyes on her.
"So, tell me about yourself, dear one. What is your name?"
Willow said nothing, but only absently began looking about the room again. Behind the throne was an enormous stained glass window like the one at the door, but this one depicted scenes of what she could only assume to be the Great Battle. There were sprites in every frame, flitting about to aid their allies, of which were depicted with sickeningly bright colors. A particular troll of earthen colors was a bit larger than all the rest, with a halo of gold around his head. No doubt that it was Birch. A sharp smack to the back of her head made her wince and fall forward a bit.
"The King asked you a question, half-breed!" The second royal advisor hissed at her, getting ready to strike again when King Cypress held up a hand.
"Silence, Igor. I will handle this." He declared before looking to her once more. "Young lady. Come here." He hooked a straggly finger in his direction to beckon her, and she reluctantly did so. Upon nearing the King, she smelled a particularly foul odor of swamp and dead leaves. As if Cypress' appearance wasn't enough to make anyone run for the hills. He leaned in to her, his breath making her eyelashes want to curl up and disappear.
"Do you know what a leeching beetle is?" He grumbled. She gave a rapid shake of her head, holding her breath to keep from smelling him any longer.
"It is a blood-sucking insect that is native to these parts. It is said to literally drain every last drop of your fluids from you and then use your body as its home until there is nothing left." He moved away a few inches at this point, allowing Willow to release her air and breathe a little more comfortably. The King had made his way over to the left side of the throne, looking back at her. "Interestingly enough, I keep a few of them as personal pets in the well below my feet. See?"
Indeed, Willow observed the writhing insects in a mass below them, a pane of glass being the only thing between them and those above the surface. Willow grimaced in disgust. To her displeasure, he neared her once more, placing a cold, scraggily hand on her shoulder. She bit back the urge to dip towards the ground and roundhouse kick it away.
"Now, I do believe it would be quite a pity if you happened to encounter these creatures, would it not?" She shuddered at his implication, taking a huge gulp before nodding once more. King Cypress' mouth curved upwards in a malicious grin. "Hm. So I think it would be in your best interest to answer me when I'm speaking to you. Is that clear?" The Princess could only nod in response, but this did not seem to bother the King of the Purebloods as he returned the gesture.
"Good." What he proceeded to do next made her skin want to crawl off her body and soak itself in soap water. He reached up a finger to trace along her jawline, hooking it in her bangs and taking in the deep blue hue of her locks. He gave a small groan in satisfaction, making a shiver go down her spine.
"It truly is a tragedy, Igor. She would make a fine wife for my son if she had the right genetics." The King called back to his advisor before looking her dead in the eyes. The look he bestowed made Willow grit her teeth to keep her composure. She understood completely where Thorn had inherited his own unsettling nature from. "You've got quite the pretty face, my dear." Willow could only scowl in response, knowing that any other kind of reply would surely get her another beatdown from Igor or even the King himself. Cypress turned away, once again claiming his spot at the throne.
"I trust my son and you have been acquainted?" He asked.
"Unfortunately." Willow choked out in a forced tone. However, the reaction of King Cypress throwing his head back to laugh made her jump in surprise. He wiped an invisible tear from his eye and smiled.
"Quite right, dear girl. Quite right. He is quite the snake, isn't he? If only I had had another son." He replied, and Willow could almost swear to be hearing a pinch of reluctance in his tone. However, the entrance of another troll shoved those thoughts aside and Willow's blood ran cold.
"Father, you're embarrassing me." Thorn appeared in the throne room with a deep red cloak on, wearing a button-up shirt and black slacks. A small iron crown rested in his hair
"Speak of the devil!" Cypress exclaimed only half-excitedly, and Thorn's eyes found their way to hers and he grinned. He truly was a snake, both in looks and demeanor.
"Hello there, Highness. Bet you weren't expecting this, were you?" He asked triumphantly, gesturing to himself. Willow only smirked at this.
"Actually, somebody already happened to tell me of your relations." She informed him matter-of-factly. Thorn seemed taken aback by that for a fraction of a second before giving a shrug of his shoulders.
"Hm. Oh well. I'm sure this won't be the last surprise we'll have for you." His voice was just as unsettling as his father's and he was suddenly very much closer than he had been seconds earlier. Willow cringed.
"Thorn, move away from her. We are not finished here." King Cypress scolded his kin. With one more seething stare in Willow's direction, Thorn smiled.
"As you wish, Father." He obliged, taking up a spot by Deveraux and Igor.
"Now, my dear. I am sure you are absolutely dying to know what we have brought you here for." Cypress questioned.
"You got me." She replied on mock surprise, reminding herself not to roll her eyes.
"Well it really is quite simple, young lady. You see, I am getting old and will not live forever. Thorn is my only heir, so I took it upon myself to ensure that his reign is as long and productive as possible. Coincidentally, certain events are set to align on the autumnal equinox which will guarantee that very assurance." He explained, having gotten up for the third time and was now pacing back and forth along the front of the throne room.
"What do you mean?" Willow asked quietly. He stopped for a moment, looking thoughtful before turning on his heel to face her.
"I trust your parents have informed you of our history." He stated in a hopeful tone.
"Yes, and history says that your kind has been butchering my kind for centuries out of a simple act of jealousy between two brothers." Willow explained with a hint of malice in her tone.
"Ah, but there is one vital point in our history that you half-breeds always leave out. Perhaps it is because King Rowan knew it would be his descendants undoing. Perhaps it was just out of sheer ignorance. Regardless, the fact remains that Rowan and Elwood, the ancient King of the Sprites, were very much like brothers themselves, and in such an alliance had brought upon a slew of powerful spells. One such spell has yet to be released, but we are hoping that with your help, young lady, we can unlock it and utilize its potential."
Was he out of his mind?
"And what on earth makes you think I'll agree to help you?" The troll Princess snapped back, clenching her fists tightly.
"Simple. If you don't, I'll send all of my best huntsmen to wipe out your entire village in the blink of an eye." He said, producing a small scroll that was neatly rolled with a red ribbon tied around it.
"You can't do that. We have a barrier, remember?" She argued with a sassy air to her tone.
"Ah, but you will come to learn, dear one, that us purebloods are far superior to you in every way, and have devised the perfect mixture of spells to break past your measly barrier." He explained with just as much confidence. It was with the fall of her face that he spread a wicked grin.
"You're lying." Willow whimpered, dread filling her heart. She had just gotten her parents back together again and they were already being threatened. She wasn't sure how much more they or the village could take.
"Oh, but I'm not." Cypress chided playfully. He leaned in, his expression darkening and his mouth turning into a scowl. "So again, it would be in your best interest to cooperate."
This could not get any worse. Not only was she bound to help them, but now she had to take part in some weird centuries-old ritual to unleash a power that nobody knew what
"If you're so smart, why don't you unlock the spell yourselves then?" Willow fired back after a few moments. Cypress shook his head.
"Ah, there is the catch. You see, Rowan and Elwood created a spell that could only be unlocked by Rowan's twentieth descendant on the night of the autumnal equinox, provided they were able to find the sacred spot in time. Luckily, we've done most of the work and have found the spot where this spell is kept. And guess who the lucky descendant is?" He said, leaning toward her expectantly as she quickly deduced what he was implying. Her heart sank even further.
Why me? She thought to herself bitterly before Cypress continued.
"Your mother tried to protect you. She was quite persistent too. Begging us to spare you." He explained, dramatically clasping at his chest to mock her mother. "Of course, in end, it didn't matter. We still were able to capture you, and now all the powers of ancient times will be ours to wield."
"What is it with you purebloods and power?" The troll Princess cried out angrily, having had enough of anything that had to do with magic.
"Power is what gives us everything, young girl. Without power and control, how can one even begin to rule a kingdom?" Cypress asked. Willow knew the answer to that question, but chose a different route of which to take her next question.
"So, let me get this straight. You need me to unlock this spell so you can use its mysterious powers or else you'll kill everyone in my village?" She summed up quite neatly. Cypress nodded and gave her a wink.
"You got it, half-breed."
"Why would you want to mess with this spell when you have no idea what it will do?" Her next jab made him frown, but he wagged a finger at her as if to assure he knew where she was coming from.
"We have an idea. We believe it to contain the powers of Rowan and Elwood's armies used in the Great Battle. There's even a manuscript from one of Rowan's last servants confirming the assumptions on his dying breath."
So that was the master plan. Gain the powers of not one, but two armies and use it to take over the entire world. He didn't have to say it; his explanation was enough. Willow said nothing, and he took it as indication that their meeting was coming to an end.
"So, you see, my dear, you are very much needed indeed."
Her head was spinning like a top. The concept of everything hung in question now, as did the safety for everyone. She thought of her parents, her friends, all the innocent lives in Troll Village. They wouldn't stand a chance, and it was all her fault.
The darkness in her heart began to creep over her just a little bit more with every heavy thought that she relayed across her conscience, and it wasn't long before a great wave of sleepiness crashed over her, and she had no room left to argue or to even disagree. This was her fate. This was her destiny. It's time that she started to accept it.
"Okay." She finally mumbled weakly, her eyes cast to the floor.
"Excellent! Now do head back to your cell, dear one. We only have just over twenty-four hours to prepare!" Cypress boasted jovially, gesturing for Igor to escort her back.
Willow barely felt or heard anything on the way back, her eyes clouded over in despair as her impending doom hung over her like a veil.
There was no way she was getting out of this one.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The slam of her prison door echoed through the place as the guards and Igor retreated back the way from which they came, leaving Willow on the floor as she curled into herself, not caring what kind of nasties made their way onto her skin and hair as she lay flush against the cold, stone floor. There was a rattle of a chain, and Tallulah peeked her head over to look at her.
"How'd it go?" She asked like one would ask a child how their first day of school went. Willow shrugged one shoulder, remaining on the floor.
"Just like I thought. The King is a super creep, just like his son." She replied bitterly.
"Ah, well. You won't be seeing them again anyways." Tallulah said before hopping down again. The Princess lifted her head in alarm at the sound of that.
"Huh?"
She heard the sound of a chain falling loose and collapsing to the floor, following by a creaking noise and the inevitable sound of a door swinging open. Willow's eyes widened as she spied the top of Tallulah's head through her prison door, her antenna bobbing up and down as she struggled to get the lock to unlatch. Successful after a few attempts, Tallulah made her way over to the troll.
"Lu…..what are you doing?" Willow protested.
"Getting you outta here, what does it look like I'm doing? Now let's go." She said, intending to go to Puck's cell next to free him before they made a break for it. The troll Princess barely had enough strength to yank her arm away from the persistent sprite, and she sucked in a breath.
"I….." She croaked before completely going limp, making Tallulah snap her gaze to her in alarm. The winged woman threw herself onto her knees, hoisting Willow back up into a sitting position and grabbing the side of her face to tilt it back up in sight.
"Whoa, hold on. Stay with me. Okay, looks like I'll need to use this." She said, producing the other favor that Vole had scrounged for her.
"What is it?" Willow mumbled almost incoherently.
"Shhhh, quiet." Tallulah ordered her before popping the cork off the small vial and pouring a bit of it into her hand. Vigorously, she began to rub the substance all over Willow's face and neck, doing a quick swipe down both of her arms as well. Almost immediately, she saw the light return to Willow's pink eyes and she blinked rapidly in surprise at her sudden burst of energy. However, it was only confirmation for Tallulah as she nodded gravely.
"Just as I thought. Willow, when you made your deal with Deveraux, did anything strange happen? Anything at all?" She asked, holding the girl by the shoulders with a concerned look across her eyes. Willow thought for a moment, but only one thing managed to come to mind.
"Well, he made me shake hands with him. I felt something sharp, and I got this." She explained, holding out her right palm. Tallulah took it gingerly into her grasp, peering at the small nick in the very center of her hand. She frowned in worry.
"Oh boy." She whispered.
"What? What's wrong with it?" Willow asked frantically, looking down at it as well as if it would make a difference on what she saw.
"That Deveraux is a tricky one. He's put a life-draining spell on you." Tallulah explained. That didn't sound promising in the slightest.
"What? Are you sure?" The blue troll asked skeptically.
"Honey, I'm the daughter of one of the most famous spell casters in the sprite community. I know my spells." Tallulah informed her in a haughty tone, beginning to bring herself to her feet again.
"Then how do we fix it?" Tallulah froze, her wings drooping slightly in distress.
"….you can't. It's a blood-binding spell. One of the hardest ones to break." She informed the young troll sadly, who gasped and held a hand to her mouth. Tallulah looked back up to her, staring into her eyes before snatching up her hand. "We have to get you home."
However, the door to the underground prison once again slammed open and they both froze. Tallulah sprinted out of the cell, locking both doors behind her then doing the same for her own as she made her way back in.
"Lu…." Willow whispered viciously as she eyed the impending sunrise. It was about the time for the guards to be filtering in for their shifts.
"Shhhh sh sh! We'll make a break for it tonight, I promise!" Tallulah cried out in a whisper as well, hoping that the guards did not hear her. Thankfully, no further footsteps advanced in their direction and both troll and sprite relaxed. They took up their daily duties quietly, acting as if they had not just been scheming for an escape that night.
Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you
Tallulah smiled as Willow began to serenade her and Puck with her voice yet again, making the daily work go by so much quicker.
Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you
Oh, can't you see
You belong to me
My poor heart aches
With every step you take….
"Remember, Willow. I'll always be with you. No matter how far apart we get."
The bittersweet words of her father on her tenth birthday following the song echoed in Willow's mind. Though she knew they were apart, and had been for a while now, she replayed every memory she ever had of him. That way, she felt some comfort in this cold and cruel city in a land far from home.
It'll all be okay. She thought, a small smile spread across her face as the ray of hope shone within her, quite a contrast to her dark thoughts earlier. Maybe, just maybe, it would be enough to save her.
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So, I guess I must have had a burst of motivation or something, because I got this all typed up for you guys pretty quickly! I am super amazed at myself right now! However, in being so quick to upload, I must also apologize for any typos this chapter may have. I do my best to look over it at least three times before publishing, but sometimes there are still little snippets that slip through.
That being said, I hope I am not writing too much for any of you. There are plenty of other wonderful authors to choose from in this archive, and I hope I'm not making anything monotonous. I just love this movie and the Broppy pairing to bits and want to express it in every way I know how. 3
I hope you all are doing well, and I will see you in the next installment!
Sincerely,
Heartforhumanity845