A Time to Heal

So this is the continuation/part two of my story "Find Me—I'm Lost." For the new readers, this can be a bit of a stand-alone, but a lot of the backstory is needed from my first tale to really get why this story is taking place. Again, this isn't quite an AU story, but it is different. Please let me know what you think, good or bad, and I hope you enjoy.

I own nothing. Nothing.

Chapter Four

"Manipulator!" Hatred yelled as Creek jumped at the sudden shout, "Just waiting to betray everyone again. You will do anything to protect yourself. Bully, loser, user."

Creek gasped softly as air felt harder to breathe in when Hatred place his mouth at the other troll's ear.

"Murderer."

Creek choked as he found himself doubled over in his bed as he tried to pull in air. He couldn't. He couldn't breathe. Black was tinging the edges of his vision as he shook. It was a solid smack on his back that made Creek hiss in pain and finally inhale.

"Breathe!" Branch ordered as Poppy reached to hold Creek's hands while the troll coughed even as the prince slapped his back again, "Deep breath. That's it. Breathe, Creek."

"Branch, panic attack?" Poppy asked as Creek began to calm while his prince started patting his back gentler to try and help open his airways.

"No," Creek groaned, leaning weakly against Branch as his prince supported him.

"What was this?" Branch demanded, continuing to pat Creek's back as the other troll panted softly, "Poppy and I heard you gasping through the door."

"I was meditating to speak with Hatred," Creek sighed, closing his eyes as he felt exhaustion pulling at him, "He's horrible, Mate."

"Um…what?" Creek heard Poppy questioned.

"Hatred?" Branch echoed as Creek glanced up at him, "Pop, he's talking about the deep emotions that are causing his self-hurting behaviors. Creek, you've given your feelings a name and it sounds like a face. I don't know if that is healthy."

"I was taught to compartmentalize my emotions by my teacher," Creek started, "It helps to do that so you can let go of these emotions one by one to center oneself, but I also think that makes one lose…how to explain? Lose the connections among each of the emotions if a troll isn't careful, I think. I lost my ability to see reason when I wanted to live and not be eaten, my prince. I rationalized that my actions were right and I had no choice, but to sacrifice the rest of the tribe to save myself or even to take you with me to the ice trolls."

"Kind of like having a one track mind and missing what is going on around you?" Branch asked as Creek nodded.

"Exactly, Mate," Creek huffed as Branch helped him lay back on his pillows, "I didn't want to be eaten. Sell out the tribe. I didn't want to be alone anymore. Take you with me, my prince. I've internally give my hatred an identity of it's own and didn't realize that I've been fighting my hatred until you all noticed my clawing habits. I'm such an idiot!"

Creek covered his eyes with his hands as he choked with his emotions. Branch firmly grabbed his guard's arms and pulled them back down.

"Creek."

"Prince Branch, I am an idiot," Creek interrupted sadly, "Hatred, or better yet, my hatred is me being angry at my failings. Hatred doesn't want a patch to cover my mistakes so no one notices or remembers anymore, but wants to force me to acknowledge what I've done and to destroy me."

"Poppy, can we finish our…um…conversation later?" Branch insisted as the queen nodded as the two blushed a bit, making Creek know that the "conversation" had certainly been a snuggle-fest, "I need to talk with Creek alone, please."

Creek smiled as Poppy reached to pat his shoulder before she left. Branch frowned when he sat on the side of the bed to be able to look directly in his guard's face.

"Destroy you?" Branch spoke up, "This…Hatred is trying to destroy you? How? Are…you aren't having thoughts of dying, are you?"

"No, no!" Creek denied quickly as Branch sagged in relief, "Goodness no, my prince. My hatred is just trying to tear me apart mentally."

"That is not a 'just' and not something I feel great hearing about," Branch fussed as Creek nodded.

"He…he called me a murderer, my prince," Creek whispered, looking down as Branch gasped, "I would have been…if the tribe had been eaten."

"But we weren't!" Branch hissed, pulling Creek's chin up to look at him, "You are not a murderer! Never use that word again. Hatred needs to stuff it. It is good that you are seeing everything more clearly, but don't make more out of things than there are. It seems that everything worked out for a reason, Creek. I don't like that your…teachings made you almost lose the troll-ness of your soul."

"It didn't," Creek soothed as Branch leaned back with a raised brow, "It was me that forget to place everything back together in my head. I selected pieces of myself to keep and discarded what I thought was no longer needed which is not a part of a yogi's training, but a mistake I made. Humility is one example of what I discarded. Prince Branch, I've been a bit of a show boat king for a long, long time prior to learning my lesson."

"I will give you that one," Branch chuckled out as Creek flashed a brief smile, "I don't feel that you are anymore."

"I don't think so either," Creek admitted, "I think I am learning to see things more clearly as you've already stated. I am not stuck with my 'charismatic' head up in the clouds anymore. I've fallen hard and I think I'm having to rebuild myself from the ground up. That isn't a bad thing, my prince, but it can be painful and hard."

"I know that from experience. Learning to live again after losing Grandma was terrible, but I want to know why you couldn't breathe," Branch snapped, still looking troubled, "Did this Hatred within you cause that? That isn't healthy, Creek, and I don't wish to witness that again."

"I don't think you will. I think my shock of being called a murdered caused me to choke up," Creek pointed out as Branch listened, "Hearing that word…it was like a punch in the gut. I couldn't breathe and I was terrified for a moment that Hatred was correct."

Branch sighed softly as he shook his head.

"I called myself a murderer many, many times," Branch confessed as Creek sat up in shock, "My mom and dad were hiding me when I was a baby when Chef came for trolls on Trollstice. My parents were taken while I survived due to being tucked into a hiding hole in the trunk of the Troll Tree. Grandma assured me when I was little that nothing was my fault, but then she was taken too. Taken, because I'd been singing and drew attention to myself and Grandma pushed me out of the way to save my life. All of my known family died while trying to protect me in some way. Poppy has been working with me to help me let my own guilt go too, Creek. Look at yourself."

Creek glanced at his hands and gasped at the lighter purple that showed. He was fading again.

"Hatred needs to go," Branch insisted, pointing to Creek's chest, "You made a lot of mistakes, but you are working to make things right. It's going to be hard and at times, painful, just like you said, but I am done seeing you suffering. I decided when peace was made with the Bergens that I'd be stone-swallowed before I allowed another troll to go grey again. I won't allow this, Creek."

"But, Prince Branch…," Creek began before a finger at his lips silenced him.

"You are my guard. Mine," Branch huffed, "One that I need to be able to live, but one that is more importantly my friend and nearly a brother. You and I fuss and fume like siblings, Creek. Always have. You got lost for a little bit, but I see the troll that I looked up to once as a child. He's working so hard to find himself again. I'm proud of your hard work, Creek. I'm proud of you, Brother."

Creek whimpered before reaching to hug Branch tight as his prince hugged him back just as strongly. Brotherly affection welled up within Creek as he squeezed his prince tighter. It didn't escape Creek's notice when he saw his natural colors brightening. He blushed hot and sat back up as Branch beamed at seeing Creek's true colors.

"Thank you," Creek sniffled, wiping at his eyes self-consciously, "I'm proud to be seen as a brother to you, my prince. I care for you just as strongly, but this is so embarrassing. Showing vulnerability to another, even one you trust, is so hard."

"Thank goodness. I thought I was the only one to feel like that when things get all touchy-feely," Branch laughed out as Creek snickered before yawning wide, "Scoot over."

"Hm?" Creek hummed, doing as the prince asked.

"I want to nap with you," Branch instructed, settling beside Creek on the spare pillow, "Want to be close if you can't breathe again. You were close to passing out when Pop and I got in here. You see that Hatred…you tell him to back the tree bark up for me. Also, to stuff it good, the Bergen poop, pig sty dweller. Get some sleep."

Creek snorted and rolled over as Branch's back settled against his own. The bed was small so there was no helping the closeness, but Creek didn't mind. It felt good to feel his prince's calming presence. He slept. Creek slept and he healed over the next few days. He was there when Branch bit back tears at saying goodbye to his siblings with the promise from King Frost and Queen Crystal to visit very soon.

"You care for Branch well," Frost ordered as he guided Creek away from the throngs of trolls that had grown to enjoy the company of the ice tribe and were there to say goodbye, "I'll bash you good if anything happens to my little one, Wart."

"I'll guard him well, my king," Creek promised as he used his crutches to keep up with the larger troll's steps, "Nothing will happen to the prince."

"And I want you to be off of those crutches and have no need of these when we come visit for summer solstice," Frost continued, reaching to tap the leather that protected Creek's palms, "I've noticed you've done a little better lately with your clawing."

"Prince Branch is helping me," Creek nodded out, "Look…um…thanks for everything, King Frost. Thank you for giving me a new tribe and a place to call my own. I know it was weird and complicated how everything came to be, but thank you. It is nice to know that I can finally be of real help again. I'll not let anything happen to your brother."

"I know," Frost assured, scrubbing a hand through Creek's mane as the smaller troll blushed, "You keep yourself safe too."

Creek nodded as he blushed darker. Intimacy always embarrassed him a lot.

"So cute," Crystal drawled as she stepped up from behind some plants and pinched Creek's cheeks while the troll squawked in surprise, "I have this for you."

Creek took a strange, clear box from the queen. The box was a little bigger than his hand and felt odd to hold

"This is connected to another at the ice palace," Crystal explained as Creek listened, "You place your hand on this and I can feel some of your emotions on my end. We ice trolls have unique magic. I know this isn't the same as letters, but sensing your emotions will help know a little of how both my little brothers are doing. Plus, communicating by emotions keeps one from hiding true feelings, Creek."

Creek blushed red as his monarchy, plus adopted siblings, laughed at him before taking their leave. Poppy soothed Branch as he held his emotions together while he waved at his departing family, but eventually she had to leave to deal with some of her queenly duties. Branch understood and nodded at his lass as she left, but what he didn't know was that Poppy had come to Creek earlier in the day and begged him to help her lad feel better. The guard had agreed easily and had planned ahead of time for this anyway.

"Come on, my prince," Creek insisted, leading Branch over to a nearby cafe that offered beverages and snacks, "I think some of your tea and a nice cupcake will cheer you up."

"My ice being irritable?" Branch asked as Creek set his crutches beside him within the shop.

"You are just torn since you want your family close, Mate," Creek explained as he gestured to one of the wait staff, "Your ice gets active when you are stressed or upset. I'm probably being too cautious in having you drink your tea at the slightest shift, but I'd rather be safer than sorry, Prince Branch."

"I understand," Branch sighed, playing with the snowflake around his neck, "I need a little air. Order what we need and I'll be back in a minute. I promise."

Creek ordered and was preparing his prince's tea when he felt it. A dark aura. A troll sat across from him without asking for permission.

"Hello, Cedar," Creek greeted as he stirred Branch's tea.

"Nice to see you no longer hiding in Branch's bunker like a coward. I wonder what it will be like for you, now that you don't have a bunch of ice trolls at your back?'" Cedar sniffed before jumping as a hand landed on his shoulder.

"He has one," Branch bit out as Cedar paled, "Stop threatening my guard. Stop stirring up trouble. Finally, don't make me step in to defend Creek. You won't like it and your son doesn't need you setting such a bad example. Get out of my chair."

Creek hid a grin as Cedar scrambled up as his prince calmly sat to accept his tea with regal calmness. Branch didn't need his crystal circlet to show his title. The blue troll was every bit a prince. Now if only Poppy could be a little more…queenly.

"Darling, we need to talk," a voice stated as Cedar turned and was caught up between Chenille and Satin, "Let's take a small walk, shall we?"

Branch and Creek watched in amusement as Cedar was practically frog marched away by the conjoined twins with a scowling DJ Suki following. Seems there were others noticing that troll's animosity.

"I could have handled him," Creek sniffed as Branch gave him a teasing smirk after downing some of his tea, "Cedar is still angry for his son. Glade is precious to him, and I placed his boy in danger twice. Once with the Bergens and once when I left the child alone in the woods. I would be spitting darts too if I was in his place."

"True, but this vengefulness is unbecoming of this tribe," Branch pointed out as Creek nodded, "You've apologized and been forgiven for past mistakes. Cedar is purposefully singling you out and I won't have it. Did you order me, carrot cake?"

"No. That's mine. I didn't notice that the waiter mixed up who got what," Creek denied switching his cupcake for Branch's, "I ordered you strawberry. You've always been fond of…pink things."

"Hush," Branch snorted, tossing a rolled up napkin at Creek as his guard chuckled and caught the projectile, "Strawberries are red, thank you very much."

"Strawberry cake is pink, Mate," Creek reminded, "And also Poppy's favorite, my prince. Don't think that I haven't noticed that most of your favorites are the queen's favorites."

"Can't deny that," Branch agreed, removing the wrapper on his snack, "I would see her enjoyment in certain things when I was still gray and would get curious. Later, I'd try the same foods and discovered I loved them too."

"Because of your bond," Creek laughed out as Branch winked as he took a bite of his cupcake, "Also, it seems that your tastes run true with your siblings too. I think the king and queen ate their weight in sweets while visiting."

"Can't deny that either. They've never had the sweets like we have here," Branch nodded out as Creek began eating his snack, "It was fun to watch them relax a little, enjoy life. Sugar is rare in my mother's lands. Hope to introduce more variety for my other tribe once Thorn arrives for the first trading trip. I have so many great ideas of what we can offer."

Creek tuned out as Branch went off on one of his Branch tangents excitedly. This was what the guard had wanted. A distraction to keep his prince from being sad now that his siblings had to leave.

"Not listening," Branch huffed, flicking Creek on the forehead to get his attention as his guard chuckled, "Fine. I know I go off. Let's get home and change."

"Change into what?" Creek asked, reaching for his crutches to follow his prince.

"Into normal clothes," Branch insisted, picking irritably at his leathers, "Only kept these on to appease my siblings. I hate wearing animal skins."

To be continued…