Chapter nine
Branch woke up some time later. How long had he been asleep? He felt sweaty and uncomfortable. His whole body was sticky with dried sweat. Iugh. He felt disgusting. He sooo needed a shower, better yet a bubble bath. Eitherway, some way to clean himself. But he felt so warm and relaxed and he didn't want to get up. Where was he anyway? This was not his bunker. And what happend? How did he get here?
He just settled back into the pillows and closed his eyes, he would remember. And it couldn't be that bad, if he felt so good, despite feeling disgusting.
But befor he fell asleep again, he heard the pod open.
„You look after Branch, I make tea. I'm sure, he will be thirsty, when he wakes up." Peppy's voice drifted through the pod.
„Ok. If he still has a feaver, should I wash him? It might feel better for him." Poppy. He was in Poppy's pod. The change! Oh hair. He went through the change. How did he forget that? It had been so bad and so nice at the same time. He wanted to say something, but he was still too weak. Poppy would see that he was awake.
Poppy was surprised to find Branch awake and coherent. He looked at her sleepily, but he seemed to know, where he was and what was going on.
„I'm gonna wash the sweat of your body. Just stay relaxed. I'll be done, befor you know it.", Poppy assured him and even if he felt vulnerable having her touch his bare skin, he trusted her to be gentle. And he didn't think he would be awake much longer. He felt so tired.
With Branch's soft nod, Poppy pulled the blanket of him and softly ran the sponge over his arms and hands. Branch didn't care, that she moved his arms for him. He hadn't even enough strength to raise his head on his own.
„How long was I in the change?", he rasped out and looked at Poppy through his half lidded eyes.
„More than a day. The doctor is going to check on you later. Changes are not supposed to last this long or be as intense as yours. Can you describe it?" Poppy was curious. She wouldn't even concider asking any other male troll this question.
„Basicly… just hot and itchy and sweaty and all around uncomfortable. It's like having the chickenpox inside you plus the worst feaver there is. And on top of that, everything makes your senses go into overdrive. It's just so much more intense.", Branch groaned and sighed happily under Poppy's hands and the sponge. „It feels so much better to be cleaned."
Poppy smiled as she washed his chest and stomach. Branch flintch slightly but stayed relaxed.
„Sensible tummy?", Poppy asked mischievously.
„Ticklish." Why by his hair did he tell her that?! But Poppy just hummed in response and washed his sides all the way down to his legs.
„I'm gonna wash your front first and then your back and then we can eat and drink something. You'll need it.", she stated while running the clened sponge over his face. While Poppy cleaned his face, Branch crumbled into a light doze. The tender gliding of the sponge against his sweaty skin felt like heaven. And the fact that Poppy was the one to take care of him felt even better. He snuggled into the soft bed and sighed. How could he not enjoy this. It was sooo worth all uncomfortableness of the change.
„Branch? I'm done.", Poppy wispered. Branch hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep. He felt so much better being clean.
„Hmm.", he sighed and looked at her sleepily. „What now?"
„Now you and I are gonna eat and drink something.", Poppy smiled and wrapped her arm around his back to pull him into a sitting position. Branch wanted to help her, but he felt like jello with barely any control over his body. Poppy smiled calming and arranged the pillows for him to lean against.
„Is it normal for me to feel this gooey? I can barely move on my own.", Branch worried as Poppy settled him in and pulled the blanket over him, too. She started feeding him some fluffberry smoothie and appleroot juice.
„Most trolls feel weak and tired after the change. You seem to be on the extrem side for everything. But you were in change for over a day. It's no wonder you body demands a break. I'm here. Don't worry."
„Poppy? Branch?" A voice interrupted their conversation.
„We're in here, Dad!", Poppy called out. Peppy rounded the corner and settled himself on Branch's other side.
„How are you feeling, son?", the old king asked the tired blue troll.
„Like I went 10 rounds with a bergen.", Branch answered tiredly and smiled. „I'm just so tired. No, actually, I'm exhausted. I can hardly move. Everything feels so heavy."
„That's normal. I can't believe how strong your change was…"
„Peppy.", Branch interrupted. „I never had someone to explain all this to me. What is the change? What does it do? And why was mine so strong?"
Peppy smiled comforting and took Branch's hand in his. The normally strong, independent and confident troll looked a lot younger than he was. He looked helpless, scared and anxious, because he didn't know, what was happening.
„It's alright. I explain. You just relax and listen. You know how a baby troll happens?" Peppy stared with a question.
„Yeah. A male and a female troll have to stand together under the moonlight. They hug and press their bare stomaches together. Then they wrapp their hair around eachothers and curl it together. Then they stretch it towards a treebranch and form a pod and inside is the new troll. It stays in there for 4 months and then the pod blumes. And, zapp, new troll.", Branch rattled down and knapped his fingers.
Peppy laughed and nodded. „Good description. You're right. But important for the topic „change" is, that the male hormones initiate all this. So basicly, you are able to have children now. Your female counterpart can't do the initiating. So it's the males hormones, that lead to having or not having. And since trolls want to find their partner, the partner meant for them, the change forces the trolls to form this connection.", Peppy explained to the young troll, who looked more that uncomfortable.
„How?"
„By her taking care of you and your body excepting her as part of you. All this touches on you body bonded her to you, if she is the one. Normally it is, because you need a deep, loving and intimate connection to trust someone with this.", Peppy explained calmly and watched, as Poppy gave Branch a few, bright purple grazzlegrapes to eat.
„How do I know, if I found the right one?", Branch asked as his gaze flicked over to Poppy and back to her father.
„How do you feel? Except from tired?", Peppy questioned.
Branch hesitated. How did he feel? Tired. Exhaused. Peaceful. (He smiled.) Relaxed. Comfortable. Calm. Content. Fulfilled. Whole. Connected. Loved. In love. He… belonged.
Branch smile grew wider. „I'm home.", he wispered and felt a peace settle over him, like he never felt befor. Poppy's hand slipped in his and his heart beat jummped up. He looked at her and saw the same love reflected in her eyes, he felt in his sole.
„I'm yours.", he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and his voice was still filled with wonder and disbelief. „I always was."
Poppy smiled a teary smile and oulled him into a passionate kiss, that left him breathless and dazed.
„And I'm yours.", was all she said and pulled him into her arms. Neither cared, that Peppy witnessed the whole exchange. Nor did they care, that they just found out, they're soulemates. This moment was filled with love and peace. It was theirs.
