A/N: I'm starting to get excited for this one. I really love the movie, so another story is starting to form in my head. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I've placed some singing in this one. I've had a lot of inspirations in this one, I'll gladly enumerate 'em at the bottom, after the story. Enjoy! BTW, the first scene took place before Poppy decided to drop by at Branch's bunker (from the previous chapter).

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, just my imagination working

"Hey dad" a voice said as the door creaked open and a certain pink Troll entered the room. Peppy looked up and straightened his glasses before he smiled as his daughter get inside. She ran towards him and gave him a very tight hug. "Aren't you coming to the party?" she asked.

"As much as I wanted to, but I still have a lot of work to do, princess" he smiled. Poppy pouted as if it would make him change his mind. She used to do it as a kid and it always worked, so maybe it's worth a shot. "Now, now, don't be all pouty, I'll try to stop and drop by." Her face lit up, her smile went back. "That is, if I could finish my work early. Besides, I am too old to party, I can't even walk without my cane. You go have fun" he said, making Poppy a bit sad again.

"Okay…" she sighed then she slowly walked towards the door.

"Poppy" the princess turned with a slight hope that he might change his mind. "Happy birthday" he said. Poppy smiled and thanked her dad.

"You sure you really don't want to come? I don't want to have another Troll decline my invitation" she said with a slight frown on her face.

"Another Troll?" Peppy asked curiously, although he already knew who his daughter was pertaining to. Of course, the grumpiest Troll in the forest.

"Yup. Branch said he's not interested to parties and fun" she said mockingly, which made her father chuckle. "What happened to him dad? Was he born that way? Grumpy, miserable…grey?" She slowly made her way back to her dad's desk.

I didn't know what I should find

When I went looking for a reason to know

I just can't read between the lines

And, hey, I am nowhere to go

I tried to take the road less travelled by

But nothin' seems to work the first few times

Am I right?

At this point, Poppy was back at the front of his father's desk. Trying to get answers from the old king. He probably knew the reason why Branch is all grumpy. Her eyes looked straight into Peppy's eyes as if she could find the answers in it. The king just smiled, so she frowned a bit.

So how can I ever try to make him better?

He doesn't even let me in Poppy turned around and faced the window. She stared at the forest, to the direction of Branch's bunker.

And I can still see you; this ain't the best view

On the outside, looking in

I've been in a lot of lonely places, but

I've never been on the outside

She glanced back to his dad with a sad look on her face. She walked closer to him again, still trying to get the truth as to why Branch is grey.

You saw me there, but never knew

That I would give it all up to be

A part of this, a part of you

It's not all too late, so you see

You could have helped if you just wanted to

But no one notices until it's too late to do anything

She walked away from her father's desk again and started searching through the books in the shelf. She tried to look for the records of all the Trolls living in the village. That has to be somewhere in her father's office. Even if Branch is not living with them in the village, he is still under the authority of her father. When she found it, a wooden stick suddenly blocked her fingers from reaching the book. She looked at her dad, who was holding the stick. He shook his head as if trying to tell her not to touch the book.

How can I ever try to make him better?

Nobody ever lets me in

And I can still see you; this ain't the best view

On the outside, looking in

I've been in a lot of lonely places, but

I've never been on the outside

She repeated the chorus one last time before sitting on the chair in front of his father's desk. "Why won't you tell me dad?" She asked with pleading eyes.

Peppy sighed. "Poppy, there is a very deep reason why Branch is the way he is today, grey. And there's also a deep reason why I don't want to tell you. I'm not in the right place to tell you. If there's one Troll who should tell you everything, it's Branch."

"But he won't even let me through those grey walls of his" Poppy answered.

"Then you should try harder. I know you Poppy, you always see the good inside everyone. And I also know that you don't give up easily. Who knows? Maybe one day Branch will open up to you." Peppy said as he tapped the hand of his daughter. "Just don't rush him, give him the time and space that he needs, okay?"

"Alright" Poppy said quite dismayed, but suddenly a goal started to form inside her head. Her smile came back soon after. "Thanks dad." She stood up and walked towards the door again. "Are you sure you really don't want to come to my birthday party?" she asked again.

"I'm not yet saying that I'm not coming" Peppy chuckled. "But I'm also not making any promise that I will surely be able to drop by"

Poppy smiled and reached for the door. She took one final glance of her dad before leaving him and going to her party.

Peppy smiled and pulled the drawer of his desk. He grabbed the old-looking photograph placed carefully inside. He sighed as he stared at the black and white image of a female Troll who looked exactly like Poppy "She had your determination, Sharon"

"What should we name our child?" an orange Troll asked his wife as they stared at the little pod where their child was placed.

"Hmm what do you have in mind?" the female Troll asked her husband as she sat on the branch in front of the pod. Both of them stared at the pod, which emitted a faint pink light. It was a pink pod with stripes of fuchsia and red running around its surface. It's been there for a while now and the couple couldn't wait to see their baby inside the pod.

"I really don't know, Sharon. It should be something different, something unique, something fit for the child of the King and Queen of the Trolls" he said to his wife, but it seems that she was not paying attention anymore, since her eyes were focused on the flower buds at the base of the Troll Tree.

"Peppy, what flowers are going to bloom from those buds?" Sharon asked curiously as she pointed at the specific patch where she saw the buds growing. It's green with some hairs growing all over its sepal. It's still a bit intact too, which means that it is not going to blossom yet until the next few days. By Sharon's calculations, it would bloom by the time their child would be ready to be taken out of her pod.

"Hmm let's see. Those are green…hmm, its buds look different and it's covered with hair" he examined. "Ah! Those are Poppies!" he replied before he glanced at his wife who is patiently waiting for an answer.

"Poppies?" she whispered. She said the word many times. "Those are weird looking flower buds" she thought. "It's weird, but the flower inside would sure look pretty" she said to herself as she pictured the crimson flowers in her head. "Poppy!"

Peppy looked at his wife confused. Why did she shout "Poppy" all of a sudden? "Is something wrong, darling?"

"I know what we should name our child!" she said excitedly. "Poppy! Let's name our child Poppy!"

"Poppy? Why? It sounds a lot like my name" the king said as he raised a brow. He kinda disliked the idea. Poppy does sound a lot like Peppy.

"Yes. Poppy! No other Troll is named 'Poppy'" she stated. "And look at those flowers buds, they look different and weird…but the flowers that would blossom from those weird looking buds are pretty!" she explained as she clapped her hands in excitement. Peppy could only smile at how excited his wife became. He loved her smile, it's warm and contagious. From the day he first saw her when she was singing on one of the branches of the Troll Tree, he knew that she's the one that he'd spend his life with. He instantly loved her voice, her eyes and her ever beautiful smile. As a prince at that time, he felt so lucky to find a female Troll like her. He just hoped that their child would get that smile, aside from the many things that he loved about her.

"Okay then, we shall name our child 'Poppy'" Peppy said. Sharon hugged him really tight, which he returned as soon as he can. They glanced upon the pod that hang in front of them. Their child will soon be out of that pod.

Just as they were about to sing in celebration, the gates that surrounded the Troll Tree began to emit a clanging noise. The sound, which they all know what means. A Bergen is going to take another Troll again. "Quick, hide!" Peppy told his wife as they ran behind the foliage. Peppy used is hair and took the form of the leaves, so he and his wife could hide better.

The Bergen looked around, it's the same one who wore white clothes. What is she anyway? And why does she always wear the same outfit? They didn't know what her duty in the Bergen castle was, but she must be really important since she's the only one who has the key to the gates. The Bergen frowned, although they cannot really say, her face was too scrunched up already to see any more changes in her grimace. She can't seem to find any Troll to take. "That's good" King Peppy thought. She looked up and eyed carefully at the glowing pod in front of her. Sharon suddenly became tense. That's not just any other pod, that's her child's pod! Her breathing became erratic as the creature slowly walked closer to the pod. Peppy took his wife's hand to calm her down, and held her in case she does something stupid like attack the Bergen.

The Bergen examined the pod closely, then she smiled. She raised her arm and reached for the glowing pod dangling above her. Her fingers were only inches away when Crack! She pulled her hand right away as she flinched in pain. Her hand stings, why? She looked up and saw a red Troll on one of the branches. She smiled again and tried to reach for the Troll with her other hand. Sharon, however, won't allow the creature to take her alive. She whipped her hair again and struck the creature the second time. Angered, the Bergen reached for her with both hands despite the pain that she was enduring. Sharon kept on whipping her hair as she dodged the giant hands of the creature. She hopped onto its arm when she had the chance and whipped the Bergen in the face.

The Bergen stumbled down with Sharon in its arm. Sharon fell on the ground hard. Peppy went down as soon as he can to help his wife who was crawling on the ground to hide behind the grass. The Bergen recovered from the last whip that hit her in the eye and searched for the Troll who caused her pain. She looked around with her one eye, until she spotted the red troll crawling on the ground. The wicked smile on her face returned and she quickly grabbed the troll. Peppy tried to help his wife. He jumped on top of the Bergen's head and tried to distract it. But the creature easily hurled him to the ground. He fell straight on a mushroom, which lessen the impact of falling.

Instinct took over Sharon's head as she bit the hand of the Bergen. Her bite was so hard that she began to rip some skin off the Bergen's hand. The Bergen screamed in pain as her hand was quickly filled with blood. She shook the Troll off her hand until Thud! The red Troll flew right into the Troll Tree with great force. The Bergen growled as she covered her bloody hand with cloth and left. She locked the gates again and ran fast towards the castle.

Peppy gasped as he ran to where he saw his wife fell. He was horrified when he saw her lying on the ground. He ran faster and knelt next to her. Tears started to form at the corners of his eyes as he listened to the labored breaths of his beloved queen. "Sharon? Sharon?" he called. His wife turned her head and looked at him. She reached for his face before she smiled.

"Peppy? Is that you?" she said as she tried to trace the face of her husband with her fingers "I—I can't see clearly. A—And my legs feel a little funny" she chuckled, but tears started to flow at the side of her face. She was silent for a moment and so was Peppy. "Peppy, I don't wanna die" she started to cry.

"What are you saying? You won't die" tears started to flow from his eyes as he tried his best to smile. "We're going to raise little Poppy together, remember?" he said, his voice shaking. "We'll teach her how to sing, dance…hug, remember?"

"Yes…I—I remember" she smiled as she tapped the cheek of her husband. "Peppy, promise me that you will keep our Poppy—no, all of the Trolls in the Troll Tree safe" she said as she started to cough out blood and her breaths become even more laborious. "Promise me, that you will lead them to freedom. And that Poppy, won't grow in fear like we did."

"Sharon, please" Peppy cried as he started to cry. He can no longer keep his pain and sorrow within his chest. The other Trolls came out of their hiding. They gasped when they saw their queen dying on the arms of their king. Most of them heard the commotion, but none of them thought that it was their queen who was fighting the Bergen off. All looked down and closed their eyes as they listened to their queen's dying wish.

"Peppy, please promise me" she said almost like a whisper. "Promise me…" Peppy nodded with a forced smile. Sharon smiled back as she cupped her husband's face before looking at the glowing pod dangling on the branch above them. "Poppy…I hope that you'll grow well and—and make a difference…" she whispered. She looked back at her king and smiled he smiled back. He wishes the same for their little one. "Peppy, could you sing for me?" The king nodded quickly. He doesn't want to sing, not at a time like this. But as his wife held his hand tighter, he knew that he was ought to do as she asked.

Deep in the meadow, under the willow

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow

Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes

And when again they open, the sun will rise.

Sharon smiled at him as she traced the face of her husband. "You really have a lovely voice" she said as she hummed along the song.

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

Peppy stroke the forehead of his wife and straightened her ruffled hair a bit. Sharon smiled at the gesture and held onto her husband's hand tightly.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away

A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray

Forget your woes and let your troubles lay

And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

"I love you…" she sang along as her vision slowly faded. Peppy started to cry as her grip on his hand started to grow weak. Her breaths slowed down until he could barely see her chest rise and fall. Slowly her eyes closed as her hand fell on the ground. He cupped her cheek as he tried to wake her up. He started to shout as sorrow and pain took control of him. The Trolls on the tree started to cry as well. They lost their queen. The cry of the trolls was heard all throughout Bergen Town. Even the Bergen King heard the wails that came from the Troll Tree. Bergen Town was a miserable place, but never in his life has he heard the Trolls cry. It was spine tingling and horrifying to hear. Trollstice is in a few days, they cannot afford to eat miserable Trolls on the day where they are supposed to be happy.

Peppy sniffled as he rested Sharon's head on the soft grass. He looked around and saw that all the other Trolls were mourning with him from the branches of the Troll Tree. He glanced at the glowing pod above him.

"Listen, Trolls in the Troll Tree. My wife, your queen has been killed by a Bergen. It's not that they haven't killed any of our kind before, but this time they've gone too far. I promise you, that I will fulfill your queen's dying wish!" he said as he glanced at the lifeless body of his wife. "I shall lead you all to freedom. I will make sure that before my reign as King ends, every Troll in this Tree will be free from fear, from sadness and pain."

The Trolls started to feel empowered as their king spoke. It's time for them to make a change, and they promised to themselves that they will help King Peppy in fulfilling his promise to Queen Sharon. They all felt determined as they looked at each other and nodded. Peppy looked back to Sharon's lifeless body and sighed. She's gone, but he must keep the promise that she made him say.

"No Troll left behind!"

A/N: I named Poppy's mother Sharon, after the flower Rose of Sharon. Saw a couple of those a few days ago, and they were lovely! Also, the film "Silent Hill" gave me the inspiration to the name. The part where Sharon was fighting off Chef was inspired by "Finding Nemo", where Nemo's mom tried to defend her babies from the barracuda. The dying scene was inspired by the scene in "The Hunger Games" where Rue was killed and Katniss had to sing her a lullaby. Also I added some parts inspired by Lyanna Stark's dying wish to her brother in "Game of Thrones".

The songs I've placed in this chapter were "Rue's Lullaby" (obviously) and "The Outside" by Taylor Swift, which I revised a bit. So I hope you loved this chapter. Got something in mind? Please do tell me!