The Premonition

It was the happiest day. Trollstopia was bursting with happiness in every direction she looked. Poppy could barely keep her heart from beating wildly in her chest. All tribes joined to prepare for the biggest party they had ever thrown! No Hairball could compare to the HairBall Supreme!

Yep, Supreme, because now it was four times bigger and ten times more trolls were going to attend. Poppy considered herself a queen that could handle her duties and always had a list of things to make a party flow perfectly, but this time she had about fifteen lists. It was with a mix of joy and bruised ego that she had to share the decorations with her closest friends.

It was gleeful seeing everyone working together. Even Branch was happily participating instead of setting traps on the edge of the village. It was his trap maintenance day, but it took Poppy one puppy look to get her boyfriend to forget safety for a few hours and convince him that he would be much more useful working on the glitter slide that ended straight into the chocolate pool.

Hair, she could barely wait to jump into that chocolate goodness when the party was over. But first things first. Poppy checked her Hug Watch that twinkled at the precise moment she was supposed to head to Maddy to have her hair done.

Poppy promised herself this year she would look her best, after all, it was the first Hairball when she was officially dating Branch and he had mentioned dancing until their knees gave out. It thrilled her from her toes to the top of her hair. Yes, they had danced before… thinking about it, it was some sort of dance when he saved them from the Bergens… and they had danced, even if it was just practicing for the Swing Dance fiasco. Okay, so those times didn't count.

Maddy's pod looked packed. Poppy had never seen it like that. Trolls were nearly falling off the tree trying to get inside. Disappointed, the pink queen realized she probably would have to get her hair styled on her own. Could she make it look fantastic enough to impress her boyfriend? Maybe she could work on a candy tiara and let it down? Or maybe an elegant knot on top of her head to invite Branch to lean into her neck to smell the perfume she got exclusively for this event?

She felt a thrilling chill coming up from the base of her spine just to think about that delicious sniff he was going to take.

"Queen Poppy!" Cybil squeezed herself out of Maddy's pod with a hair that looked like an ice cream full of sprinkles. She didn't look happy, though; "I was looking for you."

"Cybil! Your hair looks amazing!"

The fortune teller looked up, as if noticing her hair for the first time.

"Goodness! They have done my hair!" She looked back to Poppy and grabbed the queen's hands. "Anyway, you must come with me. I need to speak with you privately."

"Now? The Hairball is only a couple of hours away…" Poppy tried to protest, going against her queenly instincts. She wouldn't normally decline a talk with a troll in need, but - Hair - she wanted to get ready for Branch! They first Hairball as a couple! It was… more than important! It was the moment she wished for years!

"Queen Poppy," Cybil looked straight into her eyes, making Poppy suddenly understand that whatever her friend wanted to say, it was serious enough to distress her. And Cybil practiced meditation daily. If something could distress her to this point, it was mandatory to be listened to. "I've had a premonition concerning you and I cannot wait another moment."

Zipping her lips and putting on a happy face to cover the concerned one, Cybil firmly grabbed Poppy's hand and marched straight to her pod, saying quick hellos to everyone who curiously stared at the fortune teller pulling an unwilling queen with her.

"Can it be fast? I really need to get ready…" Poppy started saying when Cybil pulled the curtains of her pod and lightened up a couple of candles around the crystal ball. Windows were closed and doors were locked.

"We can't rush your destiny, my queen." Cybil sat down, projecting her voice with an ethereal vibe. "And I wouldn't advise you to rush it because it looks bleak!" Poppy's eyes widened at that and she clasped her hands together on her lap. "Beware of the events tonight. You'll have a huge disappointment!"

"Is it my hair? Am I not going to make it look good?" Poppy pulled her hair, scared just to imagine the horrid hairdo she was going to have. Holly was not going to touch a strand of her hair tonight!

"Oh, no. You will look precious, Queen Poppy. The disappointment concerns someone you love dearly." Moving her hands, the crystal ball lightened up and a smoky edge made a scene starting materializing inside it.

Poppy leaned closer to see it better. It looked like she was holding someone who was wailing with a soul-crushing pain. She looked sad as well, and the next moment she was on her own, inside her pod, sobbing and screaming into her pillow. Her skin flashed gray several times and she forced herself to sing happy songs to keep her positivity.

"This is bad." Poppy whispered. Her heart seemed to ache, anticipating the sadness it was going to feel.

"Only light can brighten the darkness, Queen Poppy." Cybil said. "It's crucial that you don't allow sadness to take over you."

"But… who is sad as well?" Poppy learned even closer, touching her nose to the crystal ball. "I can't see. Can I help this troll?"

"Before helping anyone, you must help yourself." The fortune teller explained. "Take care of yourself. Find your light."

"I can't understand…" She was breathless. Poppy could hear the fear in her own voice.

"You will seek knowledge. You must understand the circumstances before it's too late."

As if to illustrate her point, the crystal cleared and next, it fogged again. Poppy frowned when she recognized a daisy. Then another. And another. The daisy field she used as her private refuge appeared in front of her like a framed picture. Feet lying down were revealed from among the grass and flowers. The feet were gray and covered in pink. The paint was washed away completely by the thick raindrops that started falling.

Poppy stood up with a bust, gasping for air.

"What is it?!" She nearly yelled at her friend, holding herself back at the last moment.

"It's a warning, Queen Poppy." Cybil stood up as well, holding her hand to her chest. "My spiritual guides asked me to deliver this message and this is all I can say."

Branch held his breath when his girlfriend walked into the Hairball. Breathtaking wasn't the word to describe her, because she had taken this breath, his thoughts and his soul away. Poppy chose a violet dress. It went straight down to her knees, light as breeze and shiny as glitter. Her hair was braided down with sparkling dots on top of her head.

Beautiful. Fantastic. His heart fluttered like a young bird longing to embrace the world before him.

And then Branch caught something.

Poppy smiled and hugged her friends. She had on her brightest grin for every picture that was taken while she walked towards him. It wasn't her smile. When Poppy was happy, her cheeks pushed her eyes up, nearly closing them with joy. His girlfriend - the queen - had a ghost of a smile on her face, to fool her friends and avoid questions. She wasn't truly as happy as she wished for them to think.

His heart immediately broke.

"I'm sorry I'm lat-" Poppy got interrupted by his arms. Branch didn't let her finish apologizing and engulfed her in a protective hug that caused her to stand on her toes. His hand firmly pressed on her lower back, joining their fronts in a warm touch through their clothes.

"I love you," was everything he could say to avoid giving away that he knew she was sad. He didn't want to expose her or to make her feel like she needed to explain her mood. His words worked perfectly. Her body melted into his and her hands hesitantly raised to his shoulders, returning his gentle gesture. "I'm dying to waltz with you all night."

Poppy giggled into his ear. A real giggle.

"We better fill our stomachs first. We'll need fuel for the rest of the night."

"I'm totally beating Smidge and Milton." Branch joked, "They won't win two years in a row."

Poppy didn't answer him right away. She was admiring him as he spoke, Branch noticed. Her eyes ran over his face, and then to his formal clothes and the red bow tie he made sure to wear again. She bit her lower lip and blinked; looking so adorable he wanted to kiss her, right there, in public and everything.

He was about to do that. Branch caught himself leaning towards her lips, he saw her eyes fluttering close in anticipation. He even heard gasps around them. He could swear he caught someone elbowing Val to see them close to kissing.

Branch was almost closing his eyes, diving deep into the waterfall of feelings that washed over him when he caught sight of a dreadful decoration on Poppy's ears. He stopped, interrupted in the gate of heaven to come face-to-face with hell.

His girlfriend was wearing skully earrings. Beautiful, transparent, with strass lines that came from its sides to pool on her shoulders. It matched her dress and it looked like a fine goldsmith's art.

But it was still something only a rock troll would wear.

"I'll get some refreshments." Branch quickly said, with his voice high pitched.

In that beautiful evening, with the stars shining bright upon a new era of trolls' celebrations, Branch had to hide behind a tree to take a few deep breaths to calm his spooked heart. His girlfriend was Poppy, not the rock version that laughed teasingly in his nightmares. She was sweet and kind, not the vile product of his imagination that haunted him to make him pay for his sins.

His girlfriend was gentle and forgiving.

She was also oblivious.

And it scared him more than anything.

Branch put a hand on his pocket to get a tissue to wipe the sweat from his forehead, but instead, he found a card he had roughly scrapbook earlier to ask her to stay over. It had been days since they had a sleepover. He wanted to end their perfect night of dancing with cuddles and hopefully with kisses.

It sounded like a terrible idea now. He knew he was going to have a nightmare. It was impossible to avoid it at that point.

The medicine for his nightmares got clearer each passing day. He had to redeem himself. The weight of that slip was becoming too great for him to keep carrying it.

In order to beg forgiveness he'd have to risk breaking the purest of hearts.

"Uh, this must be the best brownie in the world." Poppy's voice started him. He hadn't even noticed that she came looking for him and accidentally, the scrapbook fell on the floor.

To his utter mortification, she caught before he could stop her.

"Oooh! You did this for me!" Poppy squealed, holding the card to her heart. "Of course I'll stay over tonight!"

Branch forced a laugh, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck because suddenly he didn't know what to do with his hands.

"It has been a while…"

"I know, right?" Poppy stepped closer, making him blush. "And… are you planning to take me to the dance floor or do I have to make you make me dance with you?"

The tension slowly subsided. His frown softened and he gladly noticed her smile was genuine. Whatever was bothering her when Poppy arrived was put in a box and temporarily forgotten so she could enjoy her evening with him. It was only fair he did the same.

"So…" Branch slowly slid his hands around her. Their feet automatically followed the crowd to the dance floor. Their friends stepped aside, allowing them to find a place. "Beautiful earrings…"

"Do you like them?" Poppy blushed avoiding his eyes, but placed herself in front of him anyway. "Val gave them to me last week." Her hands lightly rested on his showers and swiftly, they moved from one side to another, waving with the song.

"Glitter matches you." Branch said, tightening his arms around her, shivering involuntarily at the sight of the skully jewelry and Poppy's strawberry scent.

"You match me." Batting her eyelashes at him, Poppy finger-walked her way down to his bow tie. She had kissed his cheek in public. Everyone knew they were together. She looked like she wanted a kiss. "We will always be together, right?"

A red flag buzzed in his brain. Branch nearly stepped on her toes. What was going on that would make her ask such a question?

"As long as I breathe." Branch half answered, getting a relieved sigh from his girlfriend. It seemed to be enough for her to shake something heavy from her shoulders. Poppy took a deep breath and grinned.

Branch found himself spinning on his feet for a couple of seconds before he was caught in enticing pink arms.

"Let's win this dance competition, mister."