I think all of us agree on one thing: I am evil!
FandomsAreLoveFandomsAreLife- First off, great username. Also, yes, that is so true. Basically, right now it is a drama, so I changed it to an actual drama story, since I didn't know that was an option.
Animal Girl1507- Yes, I think I am becoming more and more evil by the day! Haha
Officerpineiro- I respect your opinion and if you don't wanna read my story, that is fine, it is your choice. But, the reason Poppy is acting a little off is yet to come but there is a reason for everything. You don't have to read, but could you possibly take a chance? Though maybe you saw the reviews and don't want the heartbreak of cliffhangers lol
BananaQUEEN13- Yes, that is what cliffhangers do. I did just give y'all a break, maybe you will have another soon.. But no promises! Nobody deserves it, but.. I just love cliffhangers. Also, thank you so much! I am glad you love my story!
Warning- Slight gore below (not detailed) mention of blood. Keep reading!
"What the..?" Biggie asked, shocked. Emitting from Creek's mouth was in fact not his voice: it was Branch's.
Poppy had fainted into Branch's sky-blue arms, his face shocked and confused, one hand holding his throat as if someone had lunged at him with a knife.
"Guys?" Branch's voice came from Creek's mouth, and Creek held his throat. The doctor dropped her scalpel, a wail came from Satin as she held her foot. The handle came down on her toe.
"I-I don't understand." Suki said at last, Branch still shocked, looking at Creek more like a mirror. He had been wanting his voice back, and here it was. But.. in Creek's mouth instead.
"I don't know, really. Branch, what do you think of this?" He just pointed sadly at the blood-soaked notebook and everyone realised. Branch may have known what was going on, but he was unable to talk. There were no other notebooks around.
"Suki, you stay with Branch, we can all look for some form of paper. We can't risk our biggest warrior and leave him with a dying Troll and an unconscious Troll!" Biggie said. Cooper, Biggie, and the twins left. Fuzzbert just leaped up and down, grabbing something from a shelf. A piece of paper.
Branch, you cannot speak.
"They must've taken all the paper in the castle!" Creek exclaimed after seeing the note. He still seemed slightly disoriented but that soupy liquid seemed to help him.
"Guys, I need to go now. Branch, know what to do?" He gave a curt nod, and she left the room after packing her bags. Branch protectively wrapped his arms around Poppy and kissed her forehead, trying to say he wouldn't leave her side. Nobody understood that, though.
"Man, we know you love Poppy, but now isn't the time! Even if it is your wedding day." Suki said, and he facepalmed, frowning.
"Mate, we know Poppy is unconscious. Don't worry, she'll come to." Creek tried. He shook his head, and Fuzzbert jumped around the place, just looking for another note, not realising their conversation.
Poppy groaned and sat up on Branch's lap, seeing everyone's distressed faces.
"Huh?"
"This." Creek pointed to his mouth, and Poppy rubbed her forehead.
"It wasn't a dream? Ugh. What has happened."
"They took all the paper in the castle, so Branch can't communicate. Basically, they are cutting him off from us. We can't leave him alone, ever. Not even bathroom time." Branch stuck out his tongue in disgust, and made kissy lips towards Poppy, putting his arms up above them.
"You wanna kiss Poppy at sunset, what?" Suki tried. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
"He wants to marry Poppy first, right Mate?" He pointed at Creek and nodded wildly.
"Okay, let's have a wedding for this doomed soul, damned to murder." Suki said in an upbeat manner.
"Come on, seriously? Do we have to say he will die? I mean, first off, we will stay with him, and also Creek survived. So, how bad can this be?"
Branch sadly looked at her, thinking of how naive she really was. His eyes glittered with unshed tears. He worried of Poppy's safety, because when he was targeted, so was she. She could just as easily be eliminated to rattle everyone.
As the five walked from the murder scene, they didn't see the shadow of two someones peering through the window, one of the shadows being tugged by a smaller silhouette.
"Mummy, let's go." The smaller shadow kept whining.
"Wait, mummy?"
He and Poppy both were covered in blood and most of the guests were chased away, but those who stayed watched the short ceremony. Peppy almost questioned their whereabouts until seeing Creek being supported by Branch and Suki into a chair, and he hurried under the arch as Poppy came from behind them.
"Poppy, do you take Branch as your lawfully wedded husband, through sickness and health, til death do you part?" Peppy asked quickly.
More like, until three days or less do you part. Branch thought bitterly, his eyes wild, looking around for attackers. Only Biggie and Suki noticed his distress.
"I do!" She shouted without hesitation.
"Branch, do you take Poppy as your lawfully wedded wife, through sickness and health, til death do you part?" He was asked. He nodded quickly, and then his eyebrows raised and he fled back to his bunker. He grabbed his filled paper with vows, until he realised it was covered in black marker scribble marks. The weird thing was, this one looked like the work of a four year old. He came back and showed Suki, who kept it with the collection of the rest.
"Your vows?" Peppy asked, and he nodded, but then pointed to the black-marked paper.
"Okay, you may kiss the bride." They melted into a kiss, and Branch let his guard down. He felt Poppy's mouth leave his into a scream, and she collapsed into his arms. He tore off his shirt, not caring at the moment of his bare chest, and applied pressure to the stab wound. It was right next to the heart, obviously aimed for an instant kill.
He looked around for help, but no one was there. He was stuck with a gasping Suki, a dying Creek, and himself.
"I felt something hit my head. I just woke up." Suki stuttered, and Creek's eyes were dazed. "Luckily, it wasn't too hard of a whack. Felt like a metal bat. Where is everyone?"
Branch shrugged, not relieving the pressure of the stab wound. He was not letting Poppy die, not like this. He was on guard all day, and right as he kissed her, they decided to strike.
Haha, you let your guard down, and now she is dead.
A note fell to his feet from in Poppy's skirt, and he recognised the writing. This time it was slanted and loopy, not too tidy. He had seen it in the cards he had gathered from Poppy over the years, the man wishing him to come to the party, to make his daughter so happy.
The writing was former King Peppy's.
"Remove the dress, now." Branch raised his eyebrows at the doctor's request, and hesitated. "Just need to check for infections and such. Plus, there's so much blood if I didn't know some of it was Creek's I would say she had no more blood left."
He gently cut it off, his lower lip quivering at the sight of his bride on her stomach. The doctor poked and prodded the wound before stitching it up and applying ointment to the area. She wrapped more bandages around her stomach as he watched closely on how to do it. He now had to care for two loved ones, his bride and his bro.
He sat in the chair next to the bed and took her hand, not caring how bloody it may be from clutching the wound before passing out. His hands were far bloodier.
He carefully covered her bare body with a blanket, concerned at the coolness of her skin to the touch. If only he knew who had no heart to do this to the queen. His thoughts kept wandering to the fact that Peppy's writing was found. Did he..?
No! This was Poppy's father, he would never do this to his daughter. No matter how heartless someone is, who would murder or attempted murder on their own flesh and blood? He couldn't imagine it. But still, there was hard proof that showed the road to his accusations.
He looked at Poppy's face, turned to the side. Her breathing was ragged, and her cheeks were paler than normal. He placed a hand on her cheek. Ice cold.
Her violet eyes were wide open, filled with fear. He closed her eyes and pretended she was just sleeping.
He placed an ear to her chest. A slow, drawn out heartbeat every few seconds, echoing through her ribcage. He wanted to call out to the doctor, but couldn't. So, he did the next best thing.
He pulled out her IV.
"Branch, what the-" He quickly replaced it, and she noticed how slow her heartbeat was.
"Branch, I am so, so sorry. She was impaled, and it cut through some of her arteries, It just missed her heart, but I don't think she will make it through the night." He let out the sob, but no sound escaped his lips. He looked through the clear window. The setting sun was just seen. He just laid a hand on her cheek, as crystal tears spilled over his eyes. He couldn't have the love of his life gone. Her breathing was slowing, and her skin just got colder, no matter how many blankets Dr. Plum insisted being laid on her. Even with a hot iron placed to her hand, she inflicted no pain and her skin remained icy.
Branch reopened her lifeless eyes, allowing himself to fill with love. He gently kissed her lips as she drew her last breath.
His colours drained away as her heart took its last beat, and he promised himself one thing as his heart shattered.
I will get revenge on whoever did this, even if it's the last thing I do. I will not rest my eyes until my Poppy is avenged.
The shadows moved across the window, and Branch narrowed his eyes, recognising one of them.
No!
Please don't stop reading! I promise the track can only go uphill from here.. Or into the Underworld.. Haha! But still, keep reading! Hope you all enjoys today's chapter! Love you all and thanks for reading! Don't tear my limbs off for the cliffhangers!
~GalaxyMegaGirl