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 Eight

Branch eagerly fired a jet of ice at his brother as Frost whooped and dodged the onslaught. It was nice to finally work up a bit of a sweat instead of feeling cooped up by his health. Crystal clapped from nearby.

"That's it, Baby Brother," Crystal cheered, watching Branch use his hair to push Frost backwards, "You are getting lighter on your feet."

"But not light enough!" Frost teased, snatching Branch up to scrub a hand through the troll's mane while the younger troll grumbled and kicked playfully at his brother, "Looks like Creek's work with you is paying off. You are doing better with this mess of mane. Not a lot of stamina to keep up the fight in you yet, but you are still on the mend."

"Stop," Branch huffed with a joking grin as Frost finally allowed him back on his feet before sobering, "Are you sure that this is my weapon, Brother? It doesn't feel natural in my hand."

Frost exchanged a look with his sister before snatching up the blunt dagger Branch was training with.

"You hadn't decided on which was your chosen weapon yet, Little One," Frost lied as Branch seemed to buy the lie, "This is one of the lightest daggers we have, but I've always felt you would be more of a spear troll."

"Makes sense," Crystal agreed as the eldest grabbed a spear from the wall.

"Look, Branch," Frost instructed, moving in practiced moves across the floor with his spear, "I think this would give you good reach since you are smaller and a spear can be made light enough for you, but sturdy and strong. Spears give an ease of movement that would work with the defenses your hair allows you to have."

"If I've been training in several different weapons to choose one, where are the practice weapons?" Branch asked as Frost straightened to hide his discomfort, "Brother?"

"At the snow fort," Crystal blurted as Branch cocked his head at her, "We forgot to bring them back here in our hurry to get you to Healer Bhen when you fell so ill, Little One. Your practice weapons are there. Frost and I have already commissioned others to be made for you. It will be several seasons before you will travel among the forts, Branch. Your health is too delicate right now and you need to relearn your skills in battle before leaving the safety of the palace walls."

"Are our lands plagued with dangers so bad that leaving means a battle every time we leave?" Branch questioned as Frost eased the irritating crown back on his younger brother's forehead before replacing his own circlet.

"Not as bad as that, no," Frost chuckled, "You will need to relearn our lands' weather patterns to recognize when storms are brewing. You also need better control of your ice to make shelter and to protect you against the cold. Plus, there are the ice animals that hunt our people and the threat of Bergens."

"Brother, Creek said Bergens are no longer a threat," Branch advised as Frost snorted, "He was quite adamant, Frost."

"I trust no creatures that once ate our kind," Frost denied, pulling Branch closer to his side in anxiety, "Bergens have caused a lot of pain for your father's people and we have a duty to protect our tribe, Little Brother. We must always be on guard and one step ahead of an enemy. That is our duty as the royal family."

"Of course," Branch agreed with a frown, "But how do we stop what is so much larger than we are? Unless…"

"Unless, what?" Crystal pushed as Branch grinned up at her.

"Unless you use a hidden ice trap," Branch answered, making his siblings grin back at him, "Cover the thin ice with snow and the Bergens would fall right through with their weight."

"You've been studying. Clever, Little One, and that is why you are our little brother," Frost bragged before startling at a cry of pain and a thud that echoed from nearby, "Ice Wart, you should be dodging the ice and not running into it."

Branch frowned at his older brother before hurrying forward. Kiv sent Branch a look of apology. He'd been on the receiving end of a tongue lashing from the young prince before about being too rough with Creek.

"Blah, blah blah," Creek hissed under his breath before gratefully taking the hand that Branch offered him to stand back up so he could dust the ice bits off his clothing, "I'm doing better, your majesty."

"That you are, but faster on your feet," Frost snorted as Kiv bent to check on Creek, "Why don't you enjoy a soak with my brother, Ice Wart? You've done well today and your prince has pushed himself a bit more than I anticipated. A nice bath in the hot spring will ease any sore muscles for you both. Off you go."

"Right," Creek agreed, limping after Branch as the two left the training room, "Oh, ow, Mate. Don't be angry at Kiv, Prince Branch. He's doing his duty as your siblings have instructed."

"I'll be talking with them too," Branch bit out as he slowed his steps to allow for Creek to catch up, "Do you need to see a healer?"

"No. I'm fine," Creek soothed as the prince gave him a look of doubt, "A soak in that spring will help with the muscle strain. I promise. How do you feel? You worked out more than I've seen you do since you first woke, my prince."

"A bit tired. Sore," Branch allowed, "Alive. Felt good to not be treated like an invalid for a change. You look worn to the bone. Your training seems to be more torture than true instruction to be a guard, honor guard or not."

"I'm warm climate troll," Creek sighed, limping even more so before nodding his thanks as Branch pulled his arm over his shoulder to offer some support, "I've never trained in anything so strenuous besides dancing. I'm leagues behind you."

"How so when I remember nothing?" Branch snorted before being brought to a halt as Creek stopped suddenly.

"You've been sick, but your muscles and survival instincts are ten times better than mine," Creek explained as Branch blinked at him, "You've always been a survivalist. You dig down and won't budge. Your father was like that to a point."

"How so?" Branch eagerly demanded as the two resumed their walk, "I have no memories of my parents, remember?"

"Hm," Creek nodded out, remembering the altered story that Frost had demanded he memorize, but thankfully all of this information was the truth, "Your father was a gatherer. Knew the forest inside and out. Could memorize things quickly. You are the same way. You'd have been a great asset to my old tribe, if you hadn't have been the prince of the ice trolls."

"So how did we end up here?" Branch pushed, "Especially, you. Why are you here and not with your real tribe, Creek?"

"Your mother arranged for you to be brought to your true tribe since you are royalty," Creek lied, hating the dishonesty coming from his lips, "I was sent to be your playmate when you were younger, long after your mother had passed away. There are few young among ice trolls and you were lonely. I don't regret being here."

"Did you not receive the same training that I did?" Branch huffed, "It seems you are being trained from the start, like me."

"I was viewed as too weak, being just a full-blooded, warm climate troll," Creek said, "It wasn't until recently that I was finally granted the right to train as your bodyguard, but then you grew very ill. My training was delayed. That is all over and here we are. Literally. You just missed the door to the spring, Mate."

"Oops," Branch snickered as the two entered and began undressing for their bath, "For loving ice and snow my tribe does enjoy their hot springs."

"Which is a good thing. Ooh, so nice," Creek groaned, easing into the bubbling waters, "Glad they do. So nice. Stay in here forever."

"You'd melt," Branch warned, laying his crown atop his folded leathers before taking his own seat across from Creek in the spring, "Mm, does feel good."

"Yeah," Creek breathed, closing his eyes as he evened out his breathing, "Good."

"What is that?"

Creek blinked at the question and looked up to see Branch hovering close. The purple troll looked down when his prince touched an angry, raised looking mark on Creek's skin.

"A reminder of my vows," Creek sighed, placing a hand over the branded mark of King Frost's and Queen Crystal's rule that marred the skin below his clavicle for a moment, "The red will fade with time once the burn fully heals. All those being trained as honor guards are branded in this way, Mate."

"It looks painful," Branch huffed, tracing the mark gently with his fingers before glaring at Creek, "Does this cause you pain?"

"No, my prince," Creek denied quickly, "It did for a little bit after I took my vows, but it is almost healed. I'm fine."

"Unnecessary," Branch muttered as he retreated back to his seat across from Creek.

Silence reigned as the too soaked for quite a long time before Creek's intuition began to pull at him. Branch's aura was off.

"Mate?" Creek called as Branch looked up at him, "My prince, what's wrong?"

"How do you always know when something is wrong?" Branch snorted, looking away to watch the steam rise from the spring, "You're spooky."

"Oh, you don't remember that I do a lot of meditations which has made me a bit sensitive to others' auras, do you?" Creek spoke as Branch glanced at him sharply in question, "I'm good at feeling an empathic connection to other trolls' feelings. Plus, I know you pretty decently. You are a strong, stubborn troll that hides a lot. What's bothering you?"

Branch sighed as he looked away. Creek didn't press, but patiently waited to hear what the prince had to say.

"I can't remember my mother's face," Branch whispered finally, "Did…did I forget her because I got sick?"

"No, Mate," Creek denied quickly, "You were just a baby when she died. You look just like her."

"I do?" Branch gasped, giving Creek a look of dismay, "She was that ugly?"

"Oh, stop," Creek snorted, splashing Branch in the face as the prince laughed, "You have your father's stature, hair abilities, and his wits, but everything else came from your mother with a splash of her common sense too. There is no denying that you are the twins' baby brother. You three are very similar in both looks and auras."

"It is weird, waking up to find myself with so little to hold on to," Branch hummed, as Creek hid a wince of anger for the prince, "I feel my bond to my sister and brother, but I still don't feel like a prince. Who am I for my tribe? A token prince? They have a king and queen. What am I needed for?"

Now, now," Frost spoke as he entered the room and squatted to regard his brother sternly, "I'm glad I came to check on you. Remember that you are one of the royal family, Brother. A warrior in training to protect our tribe. Never a token prince. If anything happened to Crystal and I, you are next in line to the throne. I never want to hear words like that coming from your lips. You are the crowned prince of these lands and your sister and I believe in you very much. Now get out of that water before you turn into one of those prune's Bhen likes to eat. Up. You too, Creek."

Branch allowed Frost to help him into a robe before frowning at Creek's pained look. The troll was hurting.

"Fine, I'm fine," Creek reassured, slipping into his own robe before hissing as Frost poked at his hip, "Ow, my king."

"How hard did you hit the floor?" Frost asked as Creek flushed, "Did you not go limp and roll as you've been taught?"

"No, I went ow and bam," Creek sighed as Frost snorted at him before the larger troll stilled his half smile as Branch's glare caught his eyes.

"No more training until Creek heals, Brother," Branch snapped, tapping his foot angrily, "Creek is not an ice troll. He's got to be eased into his training slower. You are being gentle with me. Why are you being so hard on Creek?"

"He's got to be tough to guard you," Frost offered before yelping at the ice that burnt his toes despite his thick boots, "Branch!"

"Oh!" Branch gasped as Creek gaped at the other troll while the ice trail retreated back to where the prince stood, "That…that wasn't on purpose. I was angry and it just happened. I'm so sorry, Brother."

"Such a little ice troll," Frost laughed, "Our people make things happen the way we want them to. That is why we survive our lands and this display just shows how your ice reacts to your emotions so not your fault. You will have better control the more you practice and I will bow to your wishes, Baby Brother. I will talk with Kiv about altering Creek's training regimen. I guess it is pretty stupid to train a warm climate troll as if he was of ice. Creek needs to gain his strength differently. I'm sorry, Wart."

"Apology accepted, my king," Creek allowed, gazing at Branch in shock.

The two dressed and Branch wouldn't hear any excuses from Creek to skip having his hip treated. Creek found himself settled in the prince's room after seeing Bhen with a nice cup of warm tea a little later. It had been nice to be treated to a private dinner with the prince instead of having to fight for a place to eat in the guard mess hall.

"Interesting way of dealing with your brother. So don't mess with you, hm?" Creek teased as Branch gave him a small smile, "What does your ice feel like?"

"Like a part of me," Branch admitted with a frown, "But it pulls at me sometimes. My siblings say that is because my ice is strong and I need to relearn my control."

Creek nodded as he sipped at his tea. The purple-skinned troll had been bothered by something ever since Branch had his ice awakened. Creek sensed the ice in Branch and it felt sharp. Almost painfully so and seemed to be growing larger…or more powerful with time. Made him wonder if that was normal for ice trolls, but getting a read on the larger trolls was harder than sensing the auras of his former tribe.

"Thank you for standing up for me," Creek began as Branch offered him another small smile, "It was kind of you. I am expected to hold up my weight in this tribe like everyone else, but it was nice for someone to recognize that I'm different."

"Which is stupid of them since we aren't like everyone else," Branch pointed out as Creek stilled, "You aren't ice troll. I have ice in me, but I'm not fully ice troll. If allowances are being made to help me train, then why are you being treated as you are? You've been nothing, but supportive of me since I woke and it angers me when I see how unfairly you are being treated. You are my guard and friend. I won't stand for it."

Guilt pricked at Creek. Would Branch still feel this way if he remembered the truth of everything? Probably not.

"You will rule well once you take over your duties," Creek grinned out as Branch turned to him in surprise at the words, "You don't hold yourself higher than others. That means that your subjects will know you truly care for their wellbeing. That is why you will never be a token prince, Mate."

"Flatterer," Branch chuckled, leaning back in his chair, "I don't know, Creek. I feel all out of sorts. Kind of like there is a pull at me to be…"

"To be, what?" Creek pushed once the prince had trailed off.

To be continued…