Chapter Eleven: The Moon Island

They were on the road for hours. Branch seemed to pay attention to everything Poppy did. The forest was thicker in the Rock land and a good part of it smelled like burned wood. According to his map he had to pay attention to take the right turn on the forked road. If they went the wrong way they would end up in a tarantapuff's nest and it wouldn't be pretty.

His mind was on the road, his eyes were on the map, but his heart kept beating wildly while recalling the previous night's events and his fists clenched at the conversation he had overheard Between Barb and Poppy that morning. He was a mix of feelings and whenever that happened he wouldn't make much sense if he said anything, so he decided to keep his mouth shut along the way.

Poppy didn't seem to mind. Barb had gotten them as far as possible into the forest. The subject that got Branch angry was the one he had foreseen: The ride was quite enjoyable until Barb asked where they were going. Poppy had to open her mouth and spill everything, making him uncomfortable that someone else knew what they were up to.

"It isn't safe. Even for a myth." Barb cleaned her front teeth with a toothpick. Branch wondered why she supposed it was all a fairytale. Her father had only become King because his older brother died trying to conquer the Empress's heart. She wouldn't be Queen in the first place if it wasn't for the Island. "Were you invited?" she asked.

"No…" Poppy replied and Branch mentally scanned his left pocket where he had put the Pop Ring. If they were invited the pink gem was supposed to glow. He wondered if they were going to be able to get in the boat.

"Oh well… it must be a bunch of ruins now." She raised her shoulders in defeat. "I hope you like archeology."

Branch didn't like to be left out. It seemed that Barb knew something about the Island, well, at least more than he and Poppy did. A small spear of anger sprouted in his heart, knowing that King Peppy was most likely playing senile to keep hiding important secrets. It occurred to him what their next step would be once they found out the truth.

If Poppy really was the daughter of the Empress of Music, what would happen?

"What do you know that we don't?" Branch asked Barb, who cackled at his question.

"Do you like fairy tales? I would never guess it." But when he just glared angrily at her, Barb decided to speak and be done with his curiosity. "Oh fine," She rolled her eyes. "It's an old story, really. My uncle told me a long time ago there was a common girl in love with a Prince, but the Prince didn't like her, despite all her beauty and gentleness. She devoted her life to him, helping his assistants around the palace just to be close to him."

"Oh, that's so sad!" Poppy said and Branch gulped. He knew a certain pink girl who had devoted years of her life to get his attention…

"... sad?" Barb scoffed, "she was pretty stupid, if you ask me. Listen to the next part: one day they spotted a meteor shower. The Prince was enchanted by it, so he went up to the tower to have a better look. The tower, by the way, was where the girl had been placed to sleep and on his way he woke her up. She joined him on the balcony and they both watched the universe's show for a while."

"Owww, tell me he fell in love with her!" Poppy squealed and Branch rolled his eyes. Stupid story, really.

"Uh, hate to break it to ya, Popsqueak, but have you ever heard of ancient tales having happy endings? Seriously, a meteor fell from the sky and hit the Prince in the chest, literally ripping his heart out!"

That surprised Branch and he considered asking Barb to stop, because Poppy looked shocked with the plot twist, but he was too curious about where it was going... "The meteor was a white piece of the Moon itself, so, as the girl saw the love of her life taking his last breaths on the floor she got on her knees and begged for the Moon to save him, that she'd devote her life to the moon if he lived."

"He lived and he fell in love with her, right?" Poppy asked, hopeful.

"He lived, all right." Barb scratched her hair. "But it's a story my uncle told me to keep me away from boys, so let me tell you that the Prince lived, but the moon couldn't make him fall in love with the girl. She kept her part of the deal and continued in her devotion every night, as a fair exchange to keep him by her side. The moon kept him alive while her devotion lasted."

"And they died, the end." Branch tried to cut the story short, hoping there was something behind it that was useful about the Moon Island.

"Almost over, jeez… so impatient." Barb leaned down to whisper in Poppy's ears "He skips preliminaries, doesn't he?"

"Hey!" Branch looked at her, completely flushed by the insolent comment.

"Anyway! The girl was taken as the moon's child, receiving its blood and, like a caring father, the moon sang her lullabies as a consolation for living a loveless life."

Poor Poppy was crushed by the tale and Branch looked angrily at Barb who just shrugged.

"They say it's how the Island appeared. Every night the moon shines there, turning everything all white and mysterious." Her amused smile at Poppy's sad face showed how much she didn't take the story seriously. "Boys are trouble!" Barb shouted just before leaving them.

Poppy and Branch arrived at the forked road and Poppy waited by his side, tickling a fuzzy critter that had started following her around while he double-checked the map; her giggles were distracting and she backed up towards him when the critter playfully counter-attacked. She stood so close that her hand brushed against his arm, sending an electric feeling with the reminder of her touch from the previous night..

They took the path the map indicated and soon they found another arrow with a P carved in a tree, confirming they were on the right track. According to the map and the scrapbook, they would arrive at the beach a little after lunch time. They would have the whole afternoon to explore the place.

"I really want a tan!" Poppy said, jumping excitedly at each step she took.

"As long as you're ready when the sun sets, you can do whatever you want," he replied dryly.

"Somebody isn't in the brightest mood," she called from ahead. If only she knew how his bad mood was, she wouldn't even joke about it. She was such a tease even without knowing it and that made everything even more frustrating.

"I'm… just anxious to get there. I'm sorry."

But his bad mood lifted completely when they both felt the warm sand under their feet. He couldn't help but to open a broad smile at her toothy grin. The place was a small piece of paradise. They had never seen a beach like it before. The sand was so white it almost felt like cotton and the water, far ahead, was so blue that, for a second, they thought it melded with the sky.

The sun wasn't too hot. It was just perfect for spending the day without having to look for shade. The only thing that disturbed the natural landscape was a small wooden construction. They didn't have to voice their curiosity to walk there. Someone had the brilliant idea to install a small shelter with a cold shower, so they could wash the sand and salty water off.

"This IS paradise!" Poppy squealed, already opening her bag in search of her bikini.

"What are you waiting for?" Branch called in a rare display of carefreeness, he shook off his leaf vest and threw it on the sand as he ran to the water. Diving in with an excited shout.

Poppy couldn't believe her eyes. She quickly changed behind the shelter and took off as fast she could, shouting as happily as he had done. The temperature of the water was just right. Highly suitable for the day they were having and the tides were so small they were almost nonexistent, giving the ocean a feeling that it was a big lake.

"This place alone made the whole trip worth it!" Branch said, swimming closer to her. Oh, he did like the sight of her wet hair. It floated around her in every direction, creating smooth waves that moved languidly in hypnotic ripples.

"Unbelievable," Poppy replied, still looking around like she was in the middle of an impressionist painting. "And my dad never spoke of this place."

Unknowingly, she had rubbed the mental wound. He was trying to avoid that thought.

"Hey…" He said gently, finding her hand under the crystalline water and pulling her closer. She grinned at him, placing her small hands on his shoulders. "I love you."

She was taken by surprise for a few seconds, replaying the scene when he said those words for the first time. Her heart skipped a beat, like the revelation was news to her. She gently kept kicking her feet under water to float at his eye level. It didn't go unnoticed that she was swimming while he kept his feet planted on the fluffy sand below.

"I love you, too." Poppy's voice came out in parts, breaking at each kick and that made him chuckle. Unknown to himself, Branch's courage seemed to soar when they were alone. In a calm and accurate move, he wrapped his arm around her small waist, bringing her as close as physically possible.

Her expression was a mix of excitement and bewilderment and it was only when he brought his other hand behind her head that she understood that he wanted to kiss her, and for that he supported her underwater, so she could stay still.

It was amazingly exciting kissing like that. Their bodies, slick from the water, seemed to make the feelings escalate to a level where battling tongues didn't seem to suffice. Poppy couldn't believe she had shut herself out from all that. If only Branch had given her a chance before…

His courage progressed to boldness when she playfully bit his lower lip, igniting a fire that he also didn't have experience with. His body guided his moves while his brain went for a joyride. She didn't protest when he slid his hand down from her back and explored lower, instead, it seemed to please her - according to the increased volume of sounds she started to make.

It was mind-blowingly good. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him and her hands cupped his face. His knees buckled at the feeling, nearly drowning them both. She didn't mind, or stop her sweet invasion in his mouth, but safety spoke louder and he slowly walked them both to the sand, still holding her while he did. He wondered if she even noticed he was getting out of the water.

He laid her down, with soft waves licking their bodies on the fluffy sand, he kept his firm grip on her thighs. She gave him full permission by doing some exploration of her own. Her curious hands felt everything, from his back to his arms, to his chest and trailed up to restart the process. Her tiny pink fingers were killing him with anticipation. He wanted so much more than superficial touches.

And so he tried, slowly - while keeping an eye half open to study any sign that she might be startled or confused or anything that would make him immediately stop - to reach down to the tie on the side of the bottom part of her green swimsuit. He tugged it a bit and she didn't seem to mind - or notice.

Another tug…

His mind ran wild. It occurred to him that it could be a scene that followed the smooth jazz hallucination. Both, lying on the sand, loving each other until the stars started to appear. It was the most romantic scenario for their first time.

"Branch…?" Her breathless voice sounded desperate against his lips. She grinded her hips against his, not really knowing what she was doing. It took him a moment to realize she wanted to say something and he patiently waited for her to come out with it. "Will you always be here?"

At first he didn't understand what she was asking, Although he wasn't entirely sure, it appeared that she was afraid that somehow he would abandon her one day. That he would return to his survivalist ways and lock himself in the bunker and lock her out of his life. It was an irrational thought, because he had made it clear to her that he didn't want to be anywhere she wasn't.

But then again… they were both about to do something they weren't supposed to think about. And when feelings came to the surface, lingering fears were bound to show.

"Each day I love you more than I did the day before," he said quietly, brushing a strand of wet hair off her eyes. "There's nowhere else I want to be."

He felt her hand grabbing his hair and pulling him down in a fierce kiss. That was all the answer she needed.

A seagull squawked right above them. It was loud and the only sound that disturbed the otherwise peaceful setting. Branch moved to dive into her kiss, brushing the intruder off, but another sound made it impossible for them to ignore. Breaking their lips apart, Poppy raised a hand to protect her eyes from the sun, while seeing several white birds coming to the shore.

That couldn't be normal.

Frustrated with all the excitement they had built and now was slowly dying, Branch sat up to see the line of birds coming from deep in the ocean. They seemed to follow something - some sort of shape that kept getting bigger while getting closer.

Poppy and Branch looked at each other, seeing that a few stars had timidly started twinkling in the sky and the sun had tiredly made its way behind a mountain. It was the boat! Quickly standing up, they both threw their clothes on and adjusted their hair the best way they could. Branch, having quicker vestments, watched Poppy with a slight smile, admiring the redness of her cheeks. Either it was from blushing or tanning he couldn't work out, but she looked incredibly adorable.

Without a breeze, the boat approached very slowly and it was already dark when it stopped near them.

The troll sailing it was a small and old fellow, with a thick mustache that matched King Peppy's description perfectly. He was as surprised as they were. Every day for years he made his way down the beach as if out of habit and returned without any guests. He had nearly forgotten the sight of other trolls, but what really surprised him was Poppy. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and stared at her for a long moment.

"Good gracious…" Was everything he said.

"Hm…" Branch was hesitant at his silence, but he wouldn't let it prolong to the point of becoming uncomfortable. "Is it the boat to the island?"

"Get in at once, children," he said, offering Poppy a hand. She exchanged a glance with her boyfriend before accepting it. They put their bags in the wooden boat and sat side by side, with eyes wide and both their heads swimming with thoughts of how real that mere fairytale was becoming.

"Unbelievable," the old man said, "after all these years…"

Branch's left hand was on Poppy's right knee. The small gesture could be interpreted as ownership, like he possessed her and nobody would come closer, but the warm touch and the lightness that he was managing to keep, even with a big hand like his, the pink girl could only see it as supportive and protective. It felt intimate and right.

"Do you mind telling us a little about the island?" Branch tried making conversation. "Sir…?"

"Mare," the boatman answered; his mouth was unseen, only his mustache moved when he spoke, making his voice a little muffled. The wrinkles on his face certainly were earned from years of sailing under the restless sun. The salty waters and sea breeze didn't favour his looks in the long run. "You're telling me you have no idea where you're going…" It wasn't a question.

"We've read stories. We're here to explore." In a spur of bravery, the teal troll felt like he could face anything in their way. There he was, proving that he was right, that the King was keeping secrets from them; he was approaching the pinnacle of a journey his own dad had made before and… - he dared a glance at a very oddly quiet Poppy - he was going to help her get the gift her mother had left her. She'd see that it was all true.

"My… my… I'm sure they all will want to explore as well…" Mare said, turning his boat to the left, sailing towards the rising Moon. A mesmerized gasp escaped the pop trolls' lips when they saw the size and the brightness of that spectacle in the sky. It was bigger than either of them had ever seen before. For a moment it looked like they would anchor in there.

A hot breeze met a colder one. From both sides of the boat the endless ocean reflected the stars, tinkling with the discreet waves. They barely had time to admire the constellations - Mare grumnled in annoyance, as if he had seen that sky so many times it bored him - and a thick mist started rising until it completely hid the night.

Branch felt Poppy's hands searching for him and they intertwined their fingers in anxiety. They could barely see each other and the water was so calm that they ceased to feel the gentle current. It made sense why King Peppy would scrapbook about floating. It felt like they were sailing in the clouds, but the survivalist's rational mind kept note of the reality of it all, keeping himself from submerging in pointless fantasies.

The boat stopped abruptly, making both trolls to grip on the sides so they wouldn't be tossed forward. Mare stood and tied the boat to a small pole by a wooden bridge. Branch offered Poppy a hand while Mare put their backpacks on the landing.

"I know it's not my business…" the boattroll used his arm to roll the rope back in place, hucking it on his hand and on his elbow. "But I'd keep my eyes wide open if I were you."

"Oh, we will!" Poppy squealed in excitement, giving the old troll quite a fright when she jumped on him for a tight hug to show all her gratitude. It was the first time Branch noticed her mood had drastically changed, going from apprehensive to beamingly happy. "Thank you so much for the trip!"

"Thank you, sir…" Branch was still serious, concentrating on possible dangers around them, and having someone who had known the island its entire life warning them, certainly didn't make him relax.

Mare didn't answer, he just walked on the sand towards huge stones that held back the crashing waves and rising tide. He didn't even leave footprints on the sand. Observing him, Branch had a chill like he had seen a ghost.

Poppy found a staircase carved in the stones and was already hopping her way up to the higher grounds when Branch caught up with her. The bright Moon was back above and the mist stayed under them, completely covering the ocean, giving it a real feeling that they were in a land in the sky.

"Poppy, wait for me." Branch clasped their hands together firmly and stared into her eyes as if it was the last time he was seeing them sparkling with that much excitement. A scary feeling passed by him, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. "Let's stay together. Not a centimeter apart, do you understand?"

"Oh…" She turned to fully face him. Behind her, the light was so strong he could barely see her features. Her pink hair seemed to shine and her outline gleamed, giving her an unearthly feeling. For a moment he forgot how to breathe and she took his stunned silence to wrap her arms around him. "My love… I'll do whatever you say."

If Branch wasn't gently tugged forward, he wouldn't have moved at all. He felt like his mind had been swept away in a delightful trance. Poppy led the way until they reached the top step and both stopped to appreciate the view before them.

The castle was still there, and it was breathtaking. Branch didn't think he would love the view at that point. His high spirits were unmatchable, making him feel like his feet weren't touching the ground anymore. Maybe he wasn't levitating, but he almost fainted in ecstasy. Scary and holy feelings were rippling through him with dizzying confusion.

The castle was a construction in romantic style, where the stones were sculpted in white marble, and the windows were drafted in semi-circle arches, with round iron painted in white and transparent glasses that seemed to go up forever, decorating the slim towers with curves and lines that reminded him of opera scenarios. If Bach's music could be interpreted in structures, that castle would be Cello Suite n°1.

Poppy had a similar feeling, her hand slightly twitching at each new detail she saw, making him understand that she was much in awe as he was. He couldn't brush the faint feeling that it was the place where she had really come from. It scared him that there wasn't a place as heavenly that he could offer her back in Pop Village.

They walked in silence towards the giant white doors that most likely were the main entrance. Branch's amazement came under control as his mind grew alert at any sign of suspicious movement. The boat troll made it sound like the island wasn't inhabited, so he kept a keen eye for surprises.

"Branch…?" Poppy came to halt, making him look at her in confusion. Her eyes were set somewhere behind the castle, where the east wall ended. He was curious about getting to enter that place, but she almost let his hand go to follow whatever captured her attention, so he decided it wasn't a good place or time to banter about it, and escorted her silently from the shadows until they had walked around the side.

It was a garden that looked like it was abandoned. The grass - with a green color so faint that it almost looked like it was white - was growing tall and the bushes needed to be trimmed in shape. The Moonflowers decorated the floor and as beautiful as they were, what really took the couple's breath away was the giant statue of a troll, sculpted in a white stone, looking serious and elegant.

From the scrapbook, they both knew the name of the Empress of Music was supposed to be there so they walked closer, pushing the grass out of the way until they found it. It was exactly who they supposed it was: Lily.

"Branch…" Poppy said breathlessly, taking a few steps back so she could see the statue in its entirety. "So… this is my mom."

"I suppose so…," he replied. It was impossible to deny her likeness, Poppy was a perfect copy of Lily, with happier eyes and brighter smile. He gave her all the time she needed to study the statue. It was perhaps five or six times their size, showing how grand The Empress had been. It also occurred to him that she wasn't in the statue hall that King Peppy had described, but in the middle of the garden, looking dirty from staying under the weather, unprotected.

Maybe that was the punishment she had received. She wasn't allowed near the others that came before.

"Let's see if there's someone inside." Poppy's voice brought him back from his dream. Branch thought she'd have liked to stay there longer, but apparently, his girlfriend was the kind to look at her past with less curious eyes than she looked at her present.

They didn't have the time to go back to the front door. They heard a ringing sound behind them and turned around to be greeted with two soldiers wearing white armors firmly holding blades with their unwavering hands. Poppy gasped and Branch pushed her behind him, opening his arms to get ready to defend her by counter-attacking.

"Invaders," one of them said, "your presence is required inside the castle."

Branch felt her warm fingers relaxing from its grip on his leaf vest and his shoulders fell, even if still feeling suspicious. Both guards also visibly let their tensions fade by sheathing their swords back in place. Their eyes held a fear that didn't go unnoticed by the survivalist. Their tongues were frozen, but they were visibly shaken by the sight of Poppy.

The interior of the castle was just as majestic, although it seemed like it should be dusted more often. The first room, next to the entrance was where they were guided and mentally, Branch made a parallel with the scrapbook once more, getting the feeling that they were in the Prime Minister's office.

It felt colder inside. The tall walls and double height rooms were strategically designed to keep the temperature to an agreeable degree, even if outside was freezing cold or egg-frying hot. The chair behind an enormous white desk in the middle of the room moved, taking their eyes from the ceiling. The yellow troll with purple hair looked old, with several strands of white hair standing in a neatly combed way.

He restrained his surprise when he saw Poppy, unlike his guards, he didn't show emotions or break the strict protocols he maintained even with an Empressless castle.

"This is a very pleasant surprise…," he said, standing up. Branch tightened his grip on his girlfriend's hand, showing her that he wasn't letting go. The Prime Minister's sharp eyes noticed that. "... Your Highness."

"Oh…" Poppy was surprised and laughed nervously at the sudden name. "There's no need for formalities. I'm Poppy."

"Poppy… daughter of Lily." He inspected her closer, hunching down his back and adjusting his golden monocle in place. "Quite impressive, I'd say."

"And I'm…" Branch started to say, but the man interrupted him with a single clap, looking suddenly very thrilled.

"You must be tired from the long journey. I believe your mother's old chambers will be fitting. And you…" He looked at Branch from head to toes, obviously not liking what he saw, but showing very little opinion of his own. "... you may find the guest room quite comfortable."

He exchanged a quick look with Poppy as they followed the brisk troll out of the room and up the marble staircase. Their joined hands were going to remain like that: completely glued to one another.

"Sir…" Branch started, but once again he was ignored.

"Mr. Prime Minister." Poppy said in a louder voice, noticing that the man would only hear what she had to say. Indeed, she was right. The troll stopped right in front of huge double white doors with silver designs and looked back at her. "This is Branch, my boyfriend, and we're not getting separated." The old troll's eye twitched, even if his face remained still as stone. "I thank you for your kindness to see the best accommodations for us, but two rooms won't be necessary."

"I see…" an exceedingly long, dramatic pause followed and the yellow troll pushed the door open with a swift move. "I beg your pardon, I'm not acquainted with the practices outside the Island."

"We don't want to be disrespectful." Branch said, trying to make appear agreeable.

"I believe we will have time to get to know each other over dinner," the Prime Minister said, checking his wrist watch. "I'll send someone to guide you to the dining room in an hour."

The door was closed behind them. Their hands let each other go for the first time since they arrived there. The poor teal troll wasn't expecting a burst of excitement to wash over his girlfriend and he was knocked down when she flung forward into his arms to hold him as tightly as she could with a fit of giggles.

"Oh my Hair, Branch…," she said, rolling on top of him like a little girl. "It IS true. This place is like a dream!"

"Told ya…" He couldn't help but grin at her amusement.

"Oh, thank you." She showered his face with tiny kisses repeating 'thank you' between them. "We must explore!" Standing up, she quickly looked around the room, taking the place in for the first time.

A huge bed was in the middle, with silver satin sheets; a white transparent veil covered all sides like a tent, giving it a vague feeling of privacy. On the opposite side a huge walk-in closet with several dresses in display captured her attention, magnetically pulling her towards it.

Branch chuckled at her and looked around a bit more. A breakfast table was by the enormous glass windows from where the Moon seemed to spy on them. A small door led to a balcony and from there he could see they were in the highest tower.

Another set of doors to the other side and he found a bathroom. Shining clean, with a Victorian bathtub in the middle, a shower in the corner and a big sink; it made his bunker look like a prehistoric cave. The suite alone was bigger than all the levels combined.

He felt his skin sticky with the salty water and it had been bothering him for a while. He had just one more set of clean clothes, but that bathtub would be useful to wash the rest of them. He could leave his vests hanging on the balcony to dry during the night. Nice place for laundry.

So he filled the bathtub and while he waited for it to reach the right level, he undressed and opened the shower. The water pressure was indescribably perfect - strong, steady and it massaged his sore muscles to the point of relaxing him. With a hand on the wall, he felt the sea water wash away. The taste on his mouth changed from salty to sweet and his hair went down for a few seconds, before he stood it back up.

He was so engrossed by the shower that he didn't see Poppy enter the bathroom. If she peeked he'd never find out, but she left his shampoo on the floor by the glass shower door and got inside the bathtub, splashing around with giggles.

"P-Poppy!" She surprised him, obviously, and he spun around, hiding his parts with his hands, completely red-faced. "What are you doing?"

"I didn't see anything," she laughed, submerging herself to get her hair wet. She had her back turned to him and the bubbles completely hid her body from his curious eyes. "You said not a centimeter apart, I'm just obeying you, kind sir."

"You are a tease." The embarrassment wasn't too overwhelming after all. She was minding her own business, not looking at him and not long ago they were about to do some delicious things to each other that involved a lot of nakedness. Even if it was a bit much to act normal around her - some obvious reactions were impossible to ignore - he picked up the shampoo and resumed his washing.

"What do you think is going to happen now?" she asked quietly, working on cleaning her own hair.

She didn't need to explain any further. Since they bonded from the Escape of the Bergens, they seemed to know what each other were thinking. It was the miracle of love, he guessed. They must have developed some kind of telepathy. She was worried about their next steps. If she belonged on the Moon Island, what would happen to Pop Village? And, could she go back, knowing that such a wonderful place existed?

"I think…" he began, shutting off the water and wrapping his body with a white fluffy towel. He saw her turning her head slightly when she heard him walking closer. She didn't blush when he kneeled down by her side with a smile filled with certainty. "We should stay for a few days. You get to know more about your mom…"

"But the village…"

"...I say you're the one to decide what you want to do. If you want to say, we'll stay." Permanently, he wanted to add, but he didn't need to voice that. She understood what he meant.

"It's not fair with you…" she whispered, but she was considering it. "Your bunker…"

"It would be more than enough to stay by your side…" Branch leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the lips, slow and meaningful. It was meant to show her just how far he was willing to go for her. "... I just want to be the troll you love."

A/N - You wanted to Moon Island? It's here! Lol. Sounds too good to be true? ehehehe