Find Me…I'm Lost
Okay. This is a unique take on Trolls. I wouldn't exactly call this an alternate universe, but it is a little different. Bear with me, but also tell me what you think…good or bad. This is a look into what could possibly be.
I own nothing. Nothing.
Chapter Six
Poppy sighed happily when she stepped into the next room and found a cheerful, crackling fire burning in the fireplace. This was a nice place. Kind of plain, but cozy.
"Get warm and tell me more about why you are here," Thorn ordered, "My lands are not safe for sunny-folk like you."
"Wait, Pop," Cooper whispered, "Maybe this dude's in with that Creek."
"Creek? The little purple fellow?" Thorn asked, making Poppy gasp once again and nod frantically, "I am certainly not in with that creature. Didn't like him."
"You…you know Creek?" Poppy questioned as Thorn spat irritably into the fire.
"Saw him when he was driven to the ice palace from being found half frozen. I trade there on occasions and happened to be in the royal sled that picked the twerp up," Thorn began as Poppy listened with her friends, "Was asking to join our tribe. Little, warm-blooded trolls like you can't handle our weathers for long so he was turned away, but then he began to beg like a weakling."
"Then what happened?" Poppy pushed.
"Just began warbling on and was about to be thrown out of the palace when your Creek made an interesting connection," Thorn continued, "Said how weird it was that one of his old tribemates had what looked like ice troll coloring which made the king and queen take notice immediately. Ya see, you warmer climate trolls have blues, but not the ice blues and cobalts of my people so I think the royal siblings assumed that a troll with winter coloration was a traitor to our tribe who'd left his post. Traitors are not tolerated by my people. King Frost made Creek a deal. Bring him that tribemate and Creek just might be allowed into the ice tribe."
"So that's why Creek kidnapped Branch," Chenille gasped as her twin nodded, "That was pointless. Branch has an exotic coloration, but he isn't an ice troll. He was born into our tribe."
"Interesting," Thorn said as he began to add wood to the fire, "The king may toss the two into this howler for wasting his time if that be the case."
"But Branch is innocent," Poppy exclaimed in a panic as Thorn raised an eyebrow at her, "He was taken against his will and he's…he's sick or hurt. I know it! You were kind to us so not all ice trolls are mean, right? You could have left us outside to freeze, but you didn't, Mr. Thorn. Your king wouldn't hurt Branch if his being brought here wasn't by choice, right?"
"Probably not," Thorn agreed as the other trolls sighed in relief, "I might have been too blunt with you so calm your fears. Mean, huh? Ice trolls aren't mean. We just survive. Ice trolls are colder, but not unreasonable. Our sibling rulers are firm and fair. You'll be able to meet them to inquire about this Branch in about a fortnight."
"Wait, what?" Poppy's horrified voice exclaimed, "Two weeks? I can't wait two weeks to know if Branch is alright. He needs me!"
"Boyfriend," DJ Suki informed the larger troll as he nodded his head in understanding.
"That he might, but howler storms last for two weeks," Thorn explained as Poppy groaned, "There is no traveling far within them so making it to the ice palace is impossible until then and you have to hope that the next howler isn't on the horizon. You've arrived at what we ice trolls call winter."
"I can't wait," Poppy moaned, pacing in agitation, "Creek's got my lad. Branch is mine. What if he's freezing right now? I've got to leave!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Thorn called as he grabbed at Poppy before she could race away, "Look. I didn't mean to scare you one. My king and queen are twin siblings that rule us wisely. If they were angered, it would be Creek to pay the price and not an innocent troll. If Branch isn't a traitor to my tribe then I'm sure he's safely at the palace now. You will die out in that storm and can't help your lad then, right?"
"Right," Poppy whispered as her friends gathered to soothe her, "I am the queen of my tribe, Mr. Thorn. Would you allow us to stay with you until we can travel to the palace? We have rations we can trade for help."
"A queen, aye?" Thorn snorted, tossing his long white hair behind his shoulder, "Well, Queenie, I will trade nothing for offering simple shelter. I'll even help you get to the palace to offer my witness to my leaders about how hard you were trying to reach your little tribemate. For now, just rest. We ain't going anywhere anytime soon."
"Thank you," Poppy sighed, looking forlorn as the surly, but kind troll led her to a chair, "Oh, Branch. I'm trying so hard to reach you."
"And we will," Biggie reassured, tucking Mr. Dinkles in his blanket tighter, "You heard Mr. Thorn, Branch is probably at the palace and enjoying his little adventure since he could prove he isn't a traitor to the ice trolls. He knows, without a doubt, that you'd already be on your way, right?"
"I hope so," Poppy groaned, looking sad as the gathered trolls glanced at one another.
No one spoke out because there was no reassurance that could be offered since no one knew what was really happening at the palace.
oOo
Creek groaned as he limped to his room. First day of training was hard. Very hard and the pain from his vows was throbbing. Branding hurt! He cursed when he stepped into his room before pausing at the muffled sounds coming from the door linking his room to Branch's. The troll hurried into Branch's room and saw Queen Crystal holding a thrashing Branch down.
"What's happening?" Creek gasped, running over to help as Branch moaned and jerked in his sleep.
"He's fighting the cleansing," Crystal snapped, practically laying atop her brother, "Little One's got a strong will and doesn't understand what is going on. Here we go. Come on."
Creek watched as the queen placed her necklace gem to her brother's forehead while the opal-like stone glowed softly. Branch thrashed one last time before growing still and silent. Frost raced into the room with Healer Bhen behind him right as Branch's eyes fluttered slowly open.
"Wha?" Branch groaned as Creek's eyes bugged out of his head.
"What is wrong with his eyes?!" Creek hissed, seeing nothing but a silvery glow coming from Branch's usual blue eyes.
Branch mumbled softly as he closed his eyes again before blinking them open to glance around the room in confusion. Creek couldn't get over how different the blue troll looked with his eyes so changed.
"A response to his medicine," Crystal answered, giving Creek a warning look as she gestured in secret to her necklace while Frost hurried over to lean over the bed, "How do you feel, Little Brother?"
"B-brother?" Branch breathed, sounding tired and weak, "Who? Where am I?"
Creek's guilt raced raw red within him as he listened to the twins basically lying to Branch over an "illness" and "memory loss." The poor troll knew no better and seemed to buy the whole plot with no reservations once he was able to understand what the twins were telling him. The real Branch would have been more cautious.
"So…I'm a prince and have been sick?" Branch asked with trusting innocence as his elder siblings held his hands in theirs, "You are my king and queen?"
"Yes, but more importantly we are your older brother and sister," Frost explained as Branch watched him with those strange silver eyes of his, "You have been very ill and the medicine you needed to get well has affected the color of your eyes and your memories. No worries, Little One, Crystal and I will help you relearn anything you lost and you have your Creek here to help you too."
"Creek?" Branch repeated as Frost pointed at said troll, "Hello. I…we know one another?"
"Yes, we do," Creek offered, fisting his hands behind his back in anger at the twins, "I'm your guard and…and your friend. You probably already noticed that you and I are different from your siblings."
"Yes," Branch agreed, comparing his hand size to Frost's as the larger king chuckled at him, "I don't feel like a child, but I'm small."
"We share a mother, but not the same father," Crystal gently spoke as Branch regarded her silently, "Your father was of another tribe that are a bit smaller than the rest of our tribe which is why you are more delicate framed, but your ice is strong. You are where you should be, among your true tribe. You are young, but not a child. You and Creek are special from the rest of our tribe because you have abilities that he will help you relearn. We are so glad you are finally on the mend, Little One."
"I'm sorry I worried you," Branch offered, looking confused and a bit shaken, "Everything feels so…strange. I feel out of place and lost."
"It's going to be okay, Little Brother. You will relearn everything again and we will make new memories," Frost soothed as Branch smiled up at him, "For now, Bhen here is going to give you a quick exam to make sure you are continuing to heal and then let's try to get some food in you, okay? That's my brother."
Creek hid a frown as he watched Branch being so manipulated. This was wrong. All of this was wrong, wrong, wrong.
"Creek, get my bag," Bhen ordered as the troll jumped to do as asked, "Good. You go to your room now and allow the royal family to get reacquainted. I will see to you later now that I can see how stiffly you are moving. First day of training, right?"
"Right," Creek sighed before walking silently back to his room to wait alone, "Wrong. All of this."
It was late that night that Creek snuck back into Branch's room to check on him and was a bit surprised to see the troll awake.
"Hello," Branch greeted as Creek offered him a smile, "I'm sorry, but do we really know one another?"
"Yes," Creek snorted softly, "Right about now, you'd probably be choking me for walking in on you without knocking."
"I would?" Branch gasped as Creek nodded, "I'm a mean prince?"
"Not mean. I'm a silly troll that has driven you crazy for years," Creek denied as Branch chuckled at him, "How do you feel?"
"Tired of that question," Branch frowned out as Creek's heart raced at seeing something familiar in the other troll's demeanor finally, "Very lost. None of what I've been told feels familiar."
Branch looked back towards the window with an odd expression on his face. Creek discovered the truth in the troll's aura. The prince was frightened and trying to hide the fact. Creek felt it and the knowledge made him angrier than he'd been all day.
"I'm here, Mate," Creek reassured as Branch glanced back at him in surprise, "I know you and I'll keep you safe. I swear to you that everything is going to be fine. You just trust in me, okay?"
Branch seemed to be studying Creek carefully before nodding.
"Thank you. I…I really need a friend right now," Branch breathed as Creek crossed the room to sit beside him, "Everything is so confusing and I just don't feel like a prince."
"Well, you are a prince," Creek insisted, since this was the truth, "And King Frost and Queen Crystal are your older siblings. They care for you a lot."
"We do," Frost said as Creek and Branch jumped while the king stepped into the room, "Little One, you should be asleep."
"I was a bit unsure and unable to stop thinking so many thoughts, but Creek has made me feel a lot better," Branch explained as his brother came over to tuck him in some more before Frost startled when his hand touched the smaller troll's arm, "I'm feeling a bit warm, Brother."
"Hm. Fevers up a little more," Frost sighed, feeling Branch's forehead with a frown before he rose to fill another cup with the tea that Creek knew Branch enjoyed that was always kept brewing over the fireplace, "Okay, Baby Brother. First lesson. Take the mug in both hands."
Branch did so and Creek watched as Frost guided the ill troll in using frost to chill the tea down in a matter of seconds. The demonstration shocked Creek to his core. Branch really did have ice abilities.
"I…I did it," Branch gasped as his brother grinned proudly at him, "I just felt it flow from my fingertips. How?"
"Your ice half," Frost insisted, urging Branch to sip the tea, "You will be amazing once you are fully trained in your abilities. For now, just drink up to help with your fever and then it is time for bed. For both of you. Goodnight, Creek."
"Goodnight, my king. Prince Branch," Creek answered as he rose to leave.
"Goodnight, Creek," Branch called as the other troll paused to glance back, "Thank you. I feel a lot better thanks to you."
Creek nodded and offered a smile before slipping back into his room. The troll wasn't surprised at King Frost coming in a little later.
"You did well, but the whole kingdom has been ordered to keep Branch's original origins a secret," Frost began as Creek listened, "Don't hurt Branch by forcing me to end your life, Boy. You will keep the knowledge you know a secret from my brother. Am I understood, Creek?"
"As you wish, my lord," Creek promised, crossing his fingers in secret, "I live only to please."
"Only if that benefits you," Frost snorted.
"Wrong. I do what is needed for Prince Branch. He is my reason to please you," Creek snapped, losing his temper, "Is it so wrong to think that what you and your sister did is something that your brother wouldn't really want? Prince Branch was given no choice in what was done to him. I think what you and the queen did to your own brother is horrible. He's scared and unsure. I knew that would be how it would be with your deplorable cleansing."
"My brother will forget those fears as he develops among his people," Frost pushed as Creek scoffed, "Your words are not meant to be disrespectful so I forgive you this time, but watch yourself. Branch said it himself, he needs a friend. Be a proper bodyguard and friend within your new tribe, Wart."
"Only for your brother," Creek allowed as Frost glared at him, "I will show you respect more when you've earned it. Right now I just see a pushy troll who is manipulating his brother."
"You truly don't back down, do you?" Frost chuckled as Creek looked away, "You are twisting the situation. Don't you see that Branch has forgotten the hurt of losing what family he knew about? Now he's got a family again, Creek. He will be happier among his real people with my sister and I to watch over him. This is a better life for him. That is not manipulation, but love."
Creek's heart hurt at seeing that Frost truly believed his words. His heart also twinged more painfully when he recognized some of that same type of reasoning in the words he'd spoken to Poppy when he sold the tribe out. What a fool he'd been for a long, long time.
"I understand," Creek lied, hiding his fisted hands once again, "I'll listen and obey."
"Good," Frost grinned out, "Rest because each training day gets harder. Good luck, Creek."
Creek groaned when he plopped into bed and groaned more when he rose the next day. Each day felt harder than the next, but the one bright spot was to see Branch finally healing. It had been a bit of a problem for the twins when Branch's natural intelligence began putting together some clues. Like when he asked about the rope burns around his wrist and had to be lied to that he'd needed to be tied down in the throes of a fever seizure. Branch was learning his royal duties little by little once he was able to move about more a good week later and Creek frowned every time he saw the heavy, crystal headpiece that Branch was supposed to wear to show his rank.
"Thing shouldn't be on his head," Creek muttered when he saw Branch secretly rubbing at the irritating crown after another assembly of some sort as the prince followed after his siblings, "Blasted twin nuisances."
"I heard that," Branch whispered as Creek blushed hard, "My siblings mean well so hold your tongue."
"They are trying to make you shorter with the weight of that thing," Creek whispered back, making Branch hide a snort of laughter behind a fake cough, "The leather and furs you wear show your rank enough. The blasted crown is overkill."
"It was mine when I was prince," Frost joined in as Branch giggled at being caught, "Let me make some more alterations on this. Thought I'd made it small enough. Let me see."
Frost lifted the crown as his hands seemed to almost glow a white light. Branch watched in fascination as Frost's magic manipulated the crystal like working on an ice sculpture. He wondered if he'd have that ability and sighed happily as a much lighter crown was settle back on his forehead. Creek's eyes rolling didn't escape the young prince's notice and he hid a smile. This guard fascinated him the most since they were the only ones with a mane that stood up and Creek watched over him so carefully.
"How's that?"
"Much better, Brother," Branch answered, giving a nod to his sister when Crystal turned to check on what the holdup was, "Frost? Um…"
"Yes?" Frost pushed, seeing his brother's nervousness as he stooped to see what was bothering the lad, "What is wrong, Little Brother?"
"I…I'm really tired," Branch admitted, trying to maintain the façade of calm royalty as he'd been instructed, "I'm sorry to show my weakness."
"It is not weakness when one has been ill," Crystal spoke as she hurried over to check Branch's temperature while Frost patted his brother's shoulder to reassure him, "No fever, but we've pushed you too hard today. Frost and I need to speak with the trade council next so Creek will take you back to your room. Get some rest and we'll come see you later, alright, Little One?"
Branch nodded as he left his siblings' side. The real Branch wouldn't listen so blindly. Creek held his anger in as he walked beside his charge. Branch glanced at him several times before finally stopping with a grunt of disgust.
"If you've got something to say, say it," Branch ordered, lifting his head to glare at Creek, "What is your problem?"
"Nothing is wrong," Creek denied as Branch raised an eyebrow.
"Don't lie to me," Branch insisted as Creek looked away, "I might not remember very much anymore, but I know when you are not being honest, Creek. Please don't make me give you an order to tell me as one of the royal family. I want you as a friend and not as a subject."
Creek groaned softly as he stared at his feet.
To be continued…
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TTFN!