Thanks for your reviews! Anyways here is the next chapter to this story that was only meant to be a one shot story but I am glad I continued it. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I will try to update more than just once a week. Please leave a review, favorite or follow:D I look forward to reading your wonderful reviews and sorry for any typos.
By the next morning Branch's fever was gone thanks to Dr Plum's medicine and whatever cream she had used on him was helping take away the pain caused by Boulder and his gang. The grey troll wiped his eyes to clear his vision and was about to sit up when a loud snore that sounded almost like some sort of growl caught his attention. He sat up and looked to his left towards the sound and saw the Princess fast asleep in a very uncomfortable looking way in his chair. A small smile appeared on his face as he noticed how far open her mouth was and the little droplets of drool that was falling from it.
"But I want to finish baking the rainbows..." she mumbled softly before letting out a nother loud snore.
Branch got to his feet and walked over to the sleeping princess "Poppy?" he whispered gently tapping her shoulder. He figured that her friends would be wondering where she was and besides it was time for to leave. "Poppy?" he whispered a little louder.
"Noooo..." the pink troll groaned "Five more seconds."
Branch rolled his eyes as he tapped her shoulder harder "Poppy?"
Then without warning the pink troll shot up and slapped the grey troll across the face not meaning too. "Branch," she said blushing "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean, too."
"It's time for you to leave," Branch said rubbing his cheek
"But what about you?" she asked "Are you feeling better?"
"Just fine," he lied
"Are you sure?" she asked with concern "Who did this to you?"
Branch turned away from her "You should just go."
"But, Branch?" she said softly as she stood up and placed a caring hand on his shoulder causing the grey troll to tense up.
"Please just go!" he snapped causing her to jump secretly wishing he had not done that.
"Fine," she huffed as she stomped towards t he exit "if that's the thanks I get for staying with you."
As Branch watched her leave he felt so guilty for upsetting her like he did and was mentally kicking himself for it.
Once she was outside Poppy breathed in the icy air before she started walking back to her pod but on the way she over heard sometrolls laughing. She followed the sound of their laughter until she saw them.
"Did you see the way he looked when I used the stick?" one troll said before laughing
"Yeah," another one laughed "and the way we all held him down."
It did not take the pink troll long before she realized who and what they were laughing about. Before she could stop herself she was already halfway to them, she felt a feeling that she never never really felt before...anger. Poppy marched right up to the laughing trolls and with her blood surging brought her hand back and 'WHACK!' she layed it right across Boulder's face.
"I know what you did!" she hissed
Boulder glared at the Princess as he cupped his cheek in his hand "I was just protecting my sister!" the troll spat "That crazy grey troll attacked her."
"You're lying!" Poppy snapped "And what you trolls did was very untroll like and you should all be punished."
The trolls behind Boulder gave each other side glances as the Princess continued to scold them. "Calm down Princess," Boulder said coolly "we were just messing with him."
"You call hurting someone just messing with someone?" Poppy asked as she placed her hands firmly on her hips "Just because Branch is grey doesn't mean that he has no feelings."
"Whatever," Boulder smirked
Poppy could feel her face go hot with anger as this troll was showing no emotion that he cared about hurting another. "You trolls are horrible!" she snapped
"Poppy?" a voice asked coming up from behind "Is everything alright?"
The troll boys all took several steps back as the King walked ober to his daughter. "No Dad," Poppy confessed "These troll have been very untroll like to another troll."
King Peppy looked at his daughter before turning his attention to the group of boys "How so?" he asked
Poppy lowered her head at the thought of repeating what they had done to Branch to her father. "They attacked Branch," she whispered trying hold back her tears "They hurt him really bad and if I had not been delivering an invitation to him, I never would have found him in time."
"Is this true?" King Peppy asked the boys
"AS I told the Princess before," Boulder explained "that troll attacked my baby sister."
"Well you should not have taken the matter into your own hands." Peppy told them "And I think a word with your parents is an order."
"But Dad?" Poppy questioned as her father started to lead them away and back to the village "What if they just do it again?"
"We won't," Boulder quickly added "We're trolls of our word."
"We're still going to discuss this matter over with your parents," King Peppy said sternly.
Poppy started to follow her father but he calmly told her to stay put. As much as she hated to stay she did as her father told her to. She let out a sigh as she walked back towards her pod but then a bright idea came to her. She quickly ran home and started to make her famous cupcakes and it wasn't long before her friends joined her.
"Hey Pops!" Suki greeted happily as she and the others walked into the royal kitchen "What's you up to?"
"Just making cupcakes!" a flour covered Poppy exclaimed as she furiously mixed the batter.
"We can see that," Suki replied "but for what?"
"A party?" Biggie questioned quickly bringing his fists together with excitement.
"No," Poppy replied with a smile
"Then for what?" Cooper asked
"Branch," the happy princess replied as she ignored her friend's looks of disapproval.
"But why?" Cooper blurted out "He's such a party pooper."
"Because I feel like it," she shrugged as she continued to mix her cupcakes.
"I think it's a wonderful idea," Creek spoke up as helped prepare the cupcake tins for the princess.
"Thank you Creek," Poppy replied trying to hide her blush.
The purple troll caught this and used it to milk all that he could "I would do anything for you," he said coolly as he gently used his right hand to lift her chin up before playfully 'booping' her nose.
"All right we'll help," Suki smiled
Poppy thanked her friends as they prepared as many cupcakes as they could. After baking and cooling it was time to decorate. Once decorating was complete Poppy only picked out the most perfect cupcakes for her grumpy friend.
"Do you want us to tag along?" Suki asked taking a bite of the leftover cupcakes Poppy had left.
"I'm sure," Poppy replied as she walked out of her pod. She felt that Branch would not want the others trailing behind her, in fact was was sure he was still upset with her from earlier. It wasn't long before the princess was standing in front of the enterance to his bunker. She gathered all her courage and knocked.
"BRANCH!" she called
"What do you want?" she heard his voice ask
"Can I come in?"
She heard him sigh before opening the enterance to letting her in. "I made you some cupcakes," she said happily as she held out the small plate of tasty treats.
The grey troll looked from the her to the cupcakes "Why?" he asked totally confused
"Because," she shrugged "I wanted to."
Branch carefully took the plate from her and for a brief second Poppy thought she saw a smile on his face. Speaking of his face Poppy found herself staring at it for longer than she should have, she could see that the marks had gotten darker from earlier.
"I know it was Boulder and his friends," she whispered slowly looking away "he said it was because you attacked his sister."
Branch turned away from her "But I know that's not true," she continued "and that he was lying. I overheard him after I left earlier laughing about it."
The grey troll sat the cupcakes aside before turning back to the princess who looked as if she was ready to cry. "Please don't kick me out," she whispered hanging her head low "I want to be your friend."
Then without any warning Poppy rushed over to the grey troll and just as she had done when she was younger she threw her arms around him and embraced him in a warm hug. Branch opened his mouth to protest but the sudden warmth that came over him stopped him and for reasons unknown to him it just felt right to be in her arms. He wanted to lift his arms to hug her back but he just couldn't bring himself to do it as much as he told himself to. As Poppy nuzzled closer to him he could smell the sweet smell of rosebuds and berries that was Poppy.