Chapter 3: I'll Never Love Again
Branch made his way towards Satin and Chenille's pod, nervously playing with his own hands. He felt itchy and anxious. He tried to keep a good train of thought to prepare a plan to approach Poppy before she messed things up with the twins. The last thing he wanted was a misunderstanding while trying to tell Poppy he had a crush on her.
Oh, hair, was he really going to tell her that? Did he have to? He could just... easily go back to his bunker and live the rest of his life... or maybe the next ten years... like a reclusive hermit. That would be easier and most certainly would stop any embarrassment and heartbreaks in case she didn't feel the same way.
"If you wanna know
If he loves you so
It's in his Kiss
That's where it is"
Branch heard Poppy's voice singing happily just ahead of him. He felt relieved to see that he was able to reach her before she arrived at her destination. He held his breath to shout out her name, but just then silver hair came out from the nearest bush and grabbed him in a ball, shutting him up.
"What are you doing, Branch? Shush!" Guy Diamond said, lifting his finger to his lips.
"I could ask you the same question! Why - the hair- did you just grab me for?" Branch asked, angrily, but keeping a low voice, just in case. He looked behind Guy and saw Biggie and Smidge there as well. "What's going on here?"
"She's singing the Shoop Shoop Song!" Biggie said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"So what?" Branch insisted.
"It means she's about to set someone up." Smidge continued, looking worried. "Every time Poppy thinks she can fix someone's love life things get messy!"
"Ahh..." Branch stopped himself from commenting any further. So this was a regular thing for Poppy to do... "Does she usually succeed in matchmaking?" He finally asked, looking slightly nervous.
"Well, yes, She's a perfect matchmaker, she picks the right song, the decorations..." Guy continued in delight, but then his expression darkened. "The problem is Poppy gets all depressive afterwards and we don't see her for a whole week."
"Well..." Branch was curious, but he didn't know exactly what to would happen for her to leave her beloved village for a week?
"Guys, do you think we are overdoing it?" Smidge suddenly asked, grinning and looking at Branch from head to toes. He frowned. "She didn't set a date in like... years... besides, we still had the Bergens problem then, maybe now that she's queen she won't get away."
"I don't really get your point." Biggie said.
"Of course! Romeo here could make her forget the Ten-o-o-o-r." Guy said, elbowing Branch with a knowing smile.
Branch almost choked on his own spit, had his crush being so obvious?
"What Tenor?" He suddenly asked, in complete confusion.
"Nobody filled Branch in?! Oh my Guh!" Smidge grabbed her hair and pulled, looking ready to have a heart attack.
"I thought everybody knew!" Biggie said, hugging Mr. Dinkles closer. "That's not something we like gossiping about."
"Wait, guys, this is serious," Guy Diamond said, trying to make everybody to quiet down. He turned to a very confused Branch, "Look, if you really act on that crush of yours you must top the Tenor."
Branch didn't really know what to say. He was stunned that people were acting like his crush was an obvious thing and, at the same time, torn with jealousy and curiosity. Poppy had had someone before? Where was the guy all that time that he had never met him?
Oh yeah, in his fear bunker. He pinched the bridge of his nose, sitting down with a sigh.
"Tell me already who the Tenor is." - So I can kick his butt all the way to Bergen Town. He added, mentally.
"This is a story of love, and song and heartbreak..." Guy started dramatically. Branch crossed his arms and prepared himself to listen.
*** flashback ***
"Poppy, come quick!" Smidge entered Poppy's pod before sunrise, looking frightened. The pink haired princess jumped off her bed quickly, putting her hands on the window and looking outside. "The expedition came back!"
Poppy's heart started beating wildly in her chest. Her father had finally come home after several days away. She hugged Smidge with a squeal and quickly made her way to her wardrobe to change into something warm. It was almost winter and the night was chilly.
"Thank goodness they're okay," Poppy said in excitement as they ran through the village in the middle of the night, towards the hair that were lit up like lanterns.
"They were certainly gone longer this time." Smidge said, doing her best to catch up with the princess.
Poppy's lips turned in a wide smile as she saw her father coming down from his critter. He looked old and tired, but heroic nonetheless. She didn't say much, just embraced him as long and as strong as she could.
"Welcome home, dad."
"My dear girl." King Peppy said gently. "I've missed you."
A groan pulled them from their embrace, making the curious princess make her way towards the other trolls who seemed to be holding something heavy in improvised blankets. Poppy, intrigued as she was, pulled the blankets off to reveal a full white troll. He looked like he was in pain.
"What do we do with him, King Peppy?" An orange troll asked, Poppy knew him as Mr. Heitz, father of her friend Aspen.
"Let's take him to Doctor Moonbloom." the king said immediately. "He must recover so we may know what happened to the other ones."
"Who is he, Dad?" Poppy asked.
"He was in the artistic group we went after," Peppy answered. "It was much more serious than just some runaway teens, Poppy, they were captured by Bergens and eaten. This guy is the only one who survived."
Poppy felt tears burning her eyes. Her friends had been eaten? They had just gone for an innocent practice in the woods and got lost... how...? And who was that guy that was with them?
"I'm so sorry, darling." King Peppy said, hugging her once more. "The white troll was the only one we could save."
"I have never seen him before." Smidge said, taking a close look at the male who looked like he was in agony. "He's not from the village so..."
"That's why I'm putting you in charge, Poppy." King Peppy said, "Soon you'll be Queen and this kind of situation is something you must personally take care of,"
"What should I do?" She asked her father, looking lost and preoccupied.
"Attend to his needs then offer him to stay with us. Give him a welcome every troll deserves."
She nodded, still sad that, once again, the Bergens had shortened their population. Smidge carefully picked the troll up with her strong hair and they walked in silence all the way to Dr. Moonbloom.
It was past noon when the white troll finally opened his eyes. He tried to sit up in bed, but groaned in pain. He saw that his chest was covered in bandages.
"Lay down, big fellow." Poppy said with a gentle voice, pushing him back down. "You have one big injury over there,"
"Who are you?" He managed to say, feeling his throat sore.
"I'm Poppy," She answered as happy as she could under the circumstances. "You've been out for hours,"
"I'm Smidge," The smaller troll popped up in the chair next the the bed. "But most importantly, who are you?" She asked, looking suspiciously at him.
"I'm Gregor," He said with a pained smile. "How's everyone? Are they okay?"
"Hey..." Poppy said in a quiet tone, "Why don't you rest and then we can talk more?"
"Wait a minute, I know who you are," Gregor said, breathing shortly as if it was difficult to hold the air in. "You were a baby last time I saw you."
"I don't really remember you..." Poppy continued, eyeing suspiciously.
"The escape from the Bergens, I was left behind."
Smidge gasped at that. They all believed King Peppy had saved everyone that day. He was adored for it. How come nobody had noticed one had been forgotten?
Poppy was going to interrogate him some more, but she noticed that he was slowly falling into sleep again. She exchanged a look with Smidge and they decided never to mention it to King Peppy.
Weeks passed and Poppy's daily job was to see if Gregor had gotten better. As he recovered she managed to get the construction trolls to build a pod close to hers so she could keep an eye on him.
He revealed that he had been living in the tunnels they used to escape until he was old enough to adventure himself in the forest, looking for the other trolls. Nobody realized he had been left behind because his parents had been eaten the day before, and so they all thought he was gone, too.
Slowly, he and Poppy became good friends. In a few months he was well enough to attend his first party, which was the adored Hair Ball.. The princess made sure everything was perfect and even helped him choose an outfit that could make him feel elegant and comfortable.
In the distance, Guy Diamond watched the pair as they arrived at the formal dance. He had been really jealous of the white troll. He was the only one good looking enough to upstage his glitter. Gregor was tall - taller than any other troll - and he even had some ripped muscles he always hid under a baggy shirt.
"I don't like him." Guy said to Biggie, who just shrugged.
"He looks fine to me, besides, Poppy seems to like him a lot."
"He's one suspicious fellow," Guy continued, "I mean, he lived for years all by himself, who can just survive that?"
"I only find it suspicious that he never joined us in song." Smidge joined the group, sipping on some punch.
DJ started a slow song by the time everybody had had their share of food and drink. Poppy's laughter could be heard miles away, spinning and turning, lost in song and in Gregor's arms.
The first notes were new to everyone, the idea of the slow song was to keep everybody quiet and pay attention to the tune. DJ had researched a lot to find some kind of music the trolls weren't used to. She loved to surprise them.
Gregor's face suddenly lit up. He knew the song. He had heard it before and he sang it many, many times while stealing food in an old abandoned theater in Bergen Town. He saw Poppy resting her head under his chin and grinned. It was his chance to show her he was acquainted with some sort of music, not the ones she was used to, but... oh well.
"No more talk of darkness,
Forget these wide-eyed fears.
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you.
Let me be your freedom,
Let daylight dry your tears.
I'm here, with you, beside you,
To guard you and to guide you"
And the song stopped, and everybody stared. He opened his eyes to find Poppy looking up at him, stunned.
"That bad, hun?" He said, blushing. He was never going to sing again.
"Oh my Guh!" They heard Smidge saying in the crowd.
"That's an amazing voice!" Poppy said quietly, with her hands united. "How did you learn to sing like that? It's exquisite!"
"I... I don't know." He said, embarrassedly. "Dad used to sing like that."
"He's a tenor, people!" DJ squeaked excitedly. "I've only heard of trolls with voices like that, but I thought it was myth."
Guy didn't hear the rest of the song, nor did the other trolls. Gregor was too embarrassed to continue and they returned to slow dancing. Although in the following days everybody in the village commented on how the Tenor had privately finished the song for the princess and she even had joined in.
They heard about stolen kisses under a tree and warm hugs in private swimming sessions.
*** End Flashback ***
Branch felt like he had been stabbed with a rusty knife in his heart. So Poppy had had a boyfriend before. A tall, handsome, ripped, troll who had stolen her heart away.
"Where is this Gregor fellow?" He asked, doing his best not to sound like he truly was: dying with jealousy.
"I don't know." Guy said, "One day he and Poppy went to the forest and she came back by herself. We never spoke of it, we didn't have the heart to ask her."
"She looked so heartbroken," Biggie said, wiping a tear
"She told me he went to find his own musical style." Smidge said, "Although I don't believe her."
"The thing here is..." Biggie continued, "Since then she has been throwing herself at work."
"Being the best friend and the best queen ever has been her goal since." Smidge nodded.
Branch was sitting there, staring off to the treetops, absent-minded. He was revisiting the Truth or Dare the night before. Everything had just made sense then. Poppy knew how to dance the way she did because she had danced like that to her ex. She knew how to move her hips like that because she had moved them to her ex. She wanted to set him up with Satin because she didn't have a place in her heart for him because it was still filled with her ex!
"But you know, Branch, since you've saved her and brought her colors back..." Biggie wondered, bringing Branch's attention back to them. "She's being different."
"I think she really likes you, Branch," Smidge hurried up, grabbing him by his shoulders, "She's just... too busy to realize it."
"Or..." Branch stood back up, dusting himself. "Maybe she's just not interested in anyone because she's saving herself for the Tenor's return."
"C'mon," Guy half-laughed, "It's being like... five years. She's totally over him, she just needs someone as exciting as he was."
"Why do I have the impression you guys are pushing me?" Branch frowned at them and they all grinned.
"Are you THAT blind?" Biggie started
"The way she danced for you yesterday?" Smidge continued,
Branch didn't feel like arguing, because they were right at some point, maybe she did like him a little more than she liked her regular friends, but she had never implied she wanted a relationship with him. Now, knowing that she wasn't exactly inexperienced as he was, only made things harder.
He decided to have a nice chat with her privately and see if he could catch a hint of something. Even if she didn't want anything to do with him like that, he was ready to wait. He would stand by her side and be her protector, her bodyguard. He didn't belong anywhere else, but by her side.
"Don't wanna feel another touch
Don't wanna start another fire
Don't wanna know another kiss
No other name falling off my lips"
Poppy's voice echoed through the lakeside and got Branch's attention as he passed, making his way back to his bunker. He sighed and decided to ignore her words, he really wasn't in the mood to overhear whatever she was doing. He had to give his brain a break and his heart some time off.
"Don't wanna give my heart away
To another stranger
Or let another day begin
Won't even let the sunlight in
No, I'll never love again
I'll never love again, oh, oh, oh, oh"
He hadn't crossed the river yet and he heard a splash. For hair's sake. She didn't slip, did she? He stood, hidden in the bushes as he heard her coming up for air and exhaled in relief.
"I don't wanna know this feeling unless it's you and me
I don't wanna waste a moment, ooh
And I don't wanna give somebody else the better part of me
I would rather wait for you, ooh"
The punch in his stomach was right there in each and every word she sang. It couldn't be clearer to him. She had loved her mysterious Tenor, he had abandoned her somehow and she was so hurt nobody had the heart to talk about it or even ask what had really happened.
He couldn't have guessed. She was so good playing the perfect leader he never realized that she had been anything close to sadness in her whole life. But she could and she would love again, Branch decided just then. She wouldn't spend her life waiting for some jerk who chose to find his own music - whatever that meant - than stay with a lovely, gold-hearted, beautiful queen. His queen was magnificent and she deserved an equally magnificent happiness.
Would he be the one to give her the happiness she deserved? He? The village grump? The overprotective - scheduled -plan-maker? He, himself had lived under the ground for many years and all he knew about love was what he read in books.
Well... he did have the soul of a poet... - he reminded himself proudly.
"Don't wanna give my heart away
To another stranger
Or let another day begin
Won't even let the sunlight in
Oh, I'll never love again
Love again"
He had to think of a way to tell Poppy how much she meant to him and how he was willing to make her forget whoever had hurt her that badly. Okay, maybe he just had to curl up in his bed and pick up the pieces of his own broken heart first.
Relieved that she was just swimming around, although he didn't have the courage to peek, he left her there to her privacy and went back home.
Those were the weirdest 48 hours of his life.
"And then, Violet, you finish the song lowering your voice." Poppy said to her teen friend who had been swimming with matching yellow bathing suits.
Oh, I'll never love again
I'll never love
Again"
"Ohh, I get it, Poppy!" Violet said in excitement. "That was such a good class!"
"Oh, never mind, you didn't need any tips to begin with, I'm sure you'll do fantastic in the school play." Poppy squealed, giving her a hug. "A Star is Born is a classic."
"I'm just so nervous." Violet and Poppy swam back to the shore and picked up their towels.
"Remember to breath with your diaphragm," Poppy said, "I wish I could stay more, but I have a few chores,"
"Oh, it's okay, you helped so much already."
"When is the play, anyway?" She put her dress back on, slipping out of her wet swimsuit.
"Friday, why?"
"Nah, I have a date to plan for a friend, so I need to organize my schedule." And with that, Poppy gave Violet one last hug before happily bouncing to Satin and Chenille's pod to start planning Branch's big night.