-O-
Picturebook Romance
A Trolls fanfic
By Dreamsinger
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sage Advice
Poppy and her friends shared the love for several minutes, contentedly reaffirming their bonds of affection with one another without much thought before Satin's voice rose from the middle of the group hug. "Hey, Poppy, I bet you're looking forward to the time when Branch starts serenading you, huh?"
As usual, her twin had to up the ante. "Ooo! Even better – a duet! You and Branch, singing sweet, romantic songs together all around the village!" Both twins sighed with what Branch would call lovey-dovey expressions, and then the hug swelled and sank as everyone else joined in the sentiment.
Poppy smiled. "Actually, guys, we've already sung a love song together."
The hug broke apart so that they could all see her, and Poppy knew her face was glowing with sublime bliss.
Little Smidge looked up at her with big blue eyes. "Was it…magical?"
Suddenly feeling older and more experienced, Poppy smiled down at her tiny friend. "It was. We even almost kissed."
"Wait, you haven't kissed yet?" Satin blurted out.
"Whaaat?" An astounded chorus filled the air, brightly techno-tinged by Guy Diamond's rippling vocals.
"Oh my gad, why not?" Smidge demanded.
"He says he wants our first kiss to be somewhere romantic."
"Awww…" A ring of sentimental faces surrounded the happy pink troll.
Then Cooper said, "Of course, that could just be a clever delaying tactic. Maybe he's not that into you after all." Enjoying the attention, he grinned mischievously as everyone stared at him, most of them with expressions of indignation on Poppy's part. Then he ducked his head and looked from side to side, his expression turning stealthy. "What if he's just goin' along with what you want because you're the queen?"
Guy put a hand to his chin, his expression pensive. "You have a point there, Cooper. I mean, what troll wouldn't be flattered to know that he's caught your eye, whether he's interested in you or not?"
Poppy clapped her hands to her cheeks. "Oh my gosh, I hadn't thought of that!"
"Cooper! Guy!" all four girls and Biggie scolded, and they winced.
"Sorry, Poppy," they said mournfully.
"We were just teasing," Guy said contritely, and Cooper hung his head.
Poppy forgave them instantly. "It's okay, guys. I'm pretty sure he wants to kiss me. Almost."
"No offense, Poppy, but sometimes I don't quite understand Branch." Biggie gave her puzzled smile.
Cooper let out a peal of infectious laughter. "Me neither! He's so silly."
Smidge complained, "He sings a love song with you but he won't kiss you? How are we supposed to know what he really wants with all these mixed signals?"
Poppy gestured toward the yellow troll. "I know, right? This hot-and-cold thing is so frustrating that I've even caught myself wearing an upside-down smile."
"You mean a frown?"
"Yes, that. I just don't know what else I can do to encourage him."
Cooper shook his blue dreadlocks. "You should play hard to get. You know, act like you got no idea what's goin' on. That's what I do!"
Poppy scrunched up her face. "But we already said we loved each other. Won't that just confuse things?"
"Exactly! Being confused is fun!" The pink-and-red giraffe troll laughed maniacally and galloped around in a circle.
Poppy smiled at her silly friend, who she knew was not always as oblivious as he acted. "Not for Branch," she reminded him. "He likes things to make sense."
"Aw, he just needs to learn to be more open-minded." DJ gave her a mellow grin.
"He is," Poppy found herself insisting. "Think about how he is now, compared to a year ago."
All of them paused, their eyes glazing over, and then the entire group gave a collective shudder.
"Point taken," said Smidge, her blue eyes huge and haunted in her small face.
Poppy clapped her hands. "Okay, gang, time to brainstorm. Give me all your suggestions for how I can get closer to Branch. Anything except parties."
"How about a party for two?"
"That's what a date is, Satin," Chenille said dryly.
Biggie spoke up. "Well, you could try giving him lots of compliments to boost his confidence."
"Believe me, Biggie, I do. Thanks for the suggestion, though. Any more?"
"Throw pies in each others' faces!"
Poppy scrunched up her face. "How will that help us?"
"It won't," Cooper explained, "I just want to see it, 'cause it's funny."
"Wear your new outfits," Satin reminded her. "He loved seeing you in them."
"Yeah, it might give him some ideas." Chenille giggled naughtily.
"Or how about wearing no clothes at all? Now there's a fabuloOoOus fashion statement. I should know." Guy put his hands on his hips, proudly showing off his comely naked physique.
Poppy looked at him thoughtfully. "Hm. Well, maybe. Branch did say he liked my hips."
Jaws dropped.
"He really said that?"DJ asked with wide eyes.
"Seriously?" Smidge gave her a skeptical look.
Chenille smiled knowingly. "I thought that was why you asked me for outfits that showed off your hips."
Poppy nodded happily, swishing her new yellow skirt around to demonstrate how it drew the eye to the curves underneath.
Satin giggled. "Did you know, Branch did the same thing? He wanted outfits that would make his colors seem brighter."
"Why would he ask-" Biggie began, and then his face mirrored everyone else's as it hit them. "Oh. Self-conscious about his colors, is he?"
Poppy's tone was subdued. "I guess so. Maybe they aren't the brightest in the village, but that's not important, as long as he has them. As long as he stays happy. I told him I thought he was handsome, but…" Poppy spread her hands to the sides. "Well, I guess I'll just have to keep telling him until he believes me."
"I will, too," Biggie promised.
"And meEeEe," trilled Guy Diamond.
"Me, too," Cooper, DJ Suki, and the twins said together.
"I've always admired his beautiful blue eyes," Smidge told them. "Even when he was gray."
They all looked at her in surprise and she batted her long eyelashes and made a sound that would have been a giggle if not for her deep, throaty voice.
Poppy gave them all a grateful smile. "Thanks, guys. Anything else?"
"I could make you a mix tape of romantic music," DJ offered.
"Could you? Oh, DJ that would be fantastic!"
Smidge thrust a fist into the air. "Give him his own set of barbells! Oh, wait, doesn't he already have a home gym? Never mind."
"Do something to lower his guard - dress up like a clown! Or a starfish! Or a starfish wearing a clown suit!" Cooper said in that tone where it was impossible to tell if he was being serious or not. Possibly both.
But no idea is too out there during a brainstorming session. Poppy gave her friends an encouraging thumb's-up. "Great ideas, everyone. Keep 'em coming!"
Biggie raised a hand. "How about extra hugs - you know, outside of Hug Time?"
"Or sneak-attack hugs when he's not looking!" Cooper grinned.
"Well, actually…" Poppy trailed off and put her hands to her cheeks, which turned even rosier than usual.
"Ooo, did something happen?" Biggie wriggled in excitement and Mister Dinkles meeped.
"Tell us, tell us!" shouted the twins.
"Well… I know I gave the impression that he's keeping his distance, but we actually have been hugging a lot lately. Holding hair, and hands, too."
"I saw that earlier." Smidge smiled up at her. "You two looked really happy."
"Yeah…" The smitten pink troll clasped her hands together and sighed dreamily, feeling herself melt inside at the way her sweetheart had held her close to him after he'd talked about his foster dads, and all the other times since yesterday. Having the former loner actually wanting to reach out to her, even just to hold hair with her, was a constant delight to the young queen. She said softly, "He's never been so physically affectionate before. Even in little ways. Like, this morning, we brushed each other's hair, and it was… It was…"
In the face of her rapt audience, Poppy suddenly found herself without words. After what had happened with her 'ice cream' scrapbook, it suddenly seemed wrong to take the closeness she had shared with her boyfriend and put it on display. "Well, it was really special."
"So he has made some progress." Guy rubbed his chin and flecks of glitter sparkled as they sprinkled to the ground.
"It's about time," Smidge grumbled.
"You know, Poppy, it sounds as if you're on the right track," DJ assured her.
Guy nodded. "Yes, listen to your instincts. You know him better than anyone, right?"
Poppy bit her lip, a sudden shadow falling over her heart. "I thought so, but…" She looked at her friends a little plaintively. "I'm realizing that that may not be true. Just today I found out-" She interrupted herself. "Oh, that reminds me. Could one of you do me a favor? I'm planning a surprise for Branch and I could use some help."
She outlined her plan and everyone enthusiastically agreed to help her. "Thanks, guys. I feel a lot better now."
Just then her friends' Hug Time bracelets flowered; like tiny newborn stars, their lovely rainbow colors glimmered brightly in the darkened room as they filled the air with a delicate melody that always reminded Poppy of a music box. Since hers was still with Mandy, Poppy was taken by surprise at the hour. "Six already? Ooo, sorry, guys, but I've got to go. It's been wonderful to talk to you all, but Branch is probably done talking to Cherry Blossom by now. I'd better head outside so he can find me."
The light-hearted pink troll shared one last big hug with all of her beloved friends. "Thank you all so much! I have the best friends in the entire world!"
From the depths of the hug, a gravelly voice asked, "Hey, Poppy?"
"Yes, Smidge?"
"What would you have done if he'd run?"
"Oh, I would have followed him, eventually. But it was really important to me that he come to me of his own free will. He had to make that choice on his own, and it wasn't easy for him." As they all let go, Poppy put a hand to her heart. "But I'm so glad he did."
As everyone moved to leave Guy Diamond's tent, Biggie turned back. "One more thing, Poppy. Branch may be relying on you to be there for him, but you know, you can rely on him, too. Deep down, you know that."
Smidge nodded. "Yeah, you know he's serious about you, if he's willing to take such a big chance with his heart."
She smiled softly at her friends. "I know. He even wrote a poem about that."
Satin's face lit up. "He wrote you a poem?"
"Ooo, tell us!" Chenille said eagerly.
Poppy smiled bashfully. "Honestly, he had me so entranced that I actually don't remember most of it – I know there were a lot of sweet words about my eyes and my smile and my 'sunrise hair' and stuff - but I'll never forget the end message."
Solemnly, she quoted,
All these things at which I stare
Sneaking secret glances
Make even someone such as me
Believe in taking chances
Everyone stared at her for a moment, and then Biggie had tears streaming down his cheeks. "That - that was so beautiful! I don't even-" He waved his hands helplessly.
Half the group was sniffling. Chenille rolled her eyes and passed out handkerchiefs to match the one she'd already given to her soft-hearted sister, whose face was buried in pink cotton with lavender hearts. But even her eyes were glistening.
-O-
"So do you feel better now?" Cherry Blossom asked me.
"Yeah, I do. Thanks a lot."
"I'm glad. Well, shall we head back? I was on my way to meet up with Leafe and our little girls for dinner when I happened to see you and thought it was a good opportunity to talk to you."
"About what?"
"About becoming a teacher."
"Oh, right. I forgot." I gave her a sheepish look. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have let myself get distracted. It's just that I don't adjust very well to change."
My friend smiled understandingly. "No worries. I should have thought; of course you'd need some time to adjust. Anyone would."
"Really?"
"Starting a relationship is not without its share of hiccups. Why, after Leafe and I became a couple, I couldn't sleep for a week. I kept worrying that I'd say or do something to make him not like me anymore."
I was honestly astonished. "No way."
"Oh, yes… I was ever so anxious," she said fondly.
Wow. Just like me.
Wide-eyed, I looked her up and down. From her flower-shaped pale pink hair with vivid pink tips to her ruby-red toes, Cherry Blossom DreamSage was the very picture of serene self-assurance. "I don't remember that. You always seemed so level-headed to me."
"That was because-" To my surprise, she cut herself off and held up a finger. "Ah. That's a conversation for another day."
"Huh?" I gave her a bewildered look.
"Some other time," she promised. "I'll come round to see you after you've had a chance to settle into your new relationship. For now, just enjoy yourself." She put a hand to her cheek, a dreamy look coming into her eyes. "You're making the kind of memories you're going to remember for the rest of your life." She sighed blissfully, and I knew she was thinking of Leafe.
Even though part of me wanted to roll my eyes, another part was deeply touched at her happiness. I sure hope Poppy looks like that when she thinks about me. I really want our first kiss to be something she remembers with such pleasure. Now I was the one getting all lovey-dovey, my stomach fluttering with metaphorical butterflies. Our first kiss, on our first official date… Oh.
My smile vanished. "Actually, Cheery… Speaking of memories, I was hoping to ask you for some advice. About dating," I said awkwardly. "You see, I promised Poppy this big romantic date, the day after tomorrow. At the time, I was thinking of a spectacular party with lots of singing and dancing and everything, but then she kind of blew those plans out of the water when she asked me to keep our relationship private. Now I'm not sure what to do."
She was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Well, if I've learned anything from my life with Leafe, it's that while it's wonderful to do all sorts of grand, romantic things for one another, I often find I appreciate the little things more."
"Little things?"
"Oh, I'm sure Poppy would be thrilled with spontaneous love songs, dramatic gestures and magnificent gifts, but too much of that, even for trolls, doesn't feel sincere," my mentor told me. "You need to show her you appreciate her in little everyday ways. Hold her hand, touch her face, say 'I love you' for no reason."
That sounded right to me. "Oh, I do. I mean, I have been, ever since she told me she loved me back," I explained. "I've just been going with my instincts. Well, my instincts, and the stuff I've read about trolls in love."
"I might have guessed. You've always been a sensitive boy, haven't you?" Cherry Blossom gave me the sort of look I loved to see on Poppy's face, so full of proud affection for me that I couldn't help but feel good about myself. "A natural romantic, you are."
"Yeah." I stood a little straighter, beginning to smile. "Yeah, I am, aren't I?"
"Oh, yes. And that sensitivity will stand you in good stead in all your future relationships, not just between you and your lover."
My good mood vanished like glitter in the wind. "Lover! Oh, we-we're not-I mean we haven't…" I stammered, sure that my flaming face was bright lavender. "Look, it's been less than twenty-four hours! We haven't even kissed yet, Cheery!"
Cherry Blossom managed to look playful and apologetic at the same time; behind her delicate wire eyeglasses her green eyes were sincere, but a hint of a smile played around the corners of her lips. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
I opened my mouth to deny it, then moaned instead, my shoulders dragging downward. "It's not your fault I'm uncomfortable," I muttered, pinching the skin between my eyes to ward off the painful tension headache I could feel gathering. "It's mine! If I hadn't avoided people for all these years I'm sure I'd know what I was doing," I said bitterly.
"All in good time, my friend. There's no need to rush. I'm sure will Poppy understand if you want to take things slowly." My mentor's tone was soft and soothing, but her words had the opposite effect; stirring up everything I'd been repressing since yesterday.
"She says she does, but I'm sure it bothers her." I was starting to breathe faster. "I couldn't even cuddle with her without having an anxiety attack, Cheery! How am I ever going to-" I put my hands over my face, trying to control my roiling feelings, to contain them, to bury them the way I always used to.
Cherry Blossom didn't say anything, but I heard her move closer and then I felt her arm tentatively slip around my shoulders. Slowly I leaned sideways into her warmth, wanting reassurance the same way I had this morning when Poppy wrapped us into a cozy mini-pod within her hair.
I let my hands fall from my face, but couldn't quite manage to look her in the eye, so I stared down at the grass as I confessed, "I worry about it. I want to, but I'm…nervous. I want it to be as good as she expects; better, even. But I'm terrified I'm going to disappoint her. It's not so much the physical side as the emotional one. I just don't know how to be close to other trolls. To expose my deepest feelings goes against everything I've ever been!" I crossed my arms, feeling my body hunch forward slightly as if it remembered the way I used to try to contain all my terrible, negative emotions by cocooning myself in my hair.
Cherry Blossom had known the dour, highly critical teenager I'd been during the years after I'd lost Jaunty and Courtley, when all I'd wanted to do was patrol the outskirts of the village, bury myself in my engineering studies, and not have to deal with happiness or emotions or people. She knew exactly how emotionally crippled I'd been, how incapable I was of relating to another troll on a deep, meaningful level. Can she possibly say anything to give me some hope?
Astonishingly, she did. "But Branch, you're doing that right now."
My mouth dropped open. She grinned at my astonishment and continued, "You've learned more than just how to be happy, you know. Maybe you don't even notice, but I, for one, have never seen you be so open about your feelings before. So even if you don't feel quite ready yet, I'm sure it won't be long at all."
Her green eyes were shining with such warmth that I couldn't help but respond with a smile of my own. I put an arm around her waist, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Thanks, Cheery."
"You know something, Branch?" she said thoughtfully. "You may be more ready than you think."
"What do you mean?"
"The boy I knew never used to seek comfort from other trolls like this. I might put my arms around you, but you would just stiffen up, or go completely limp, as if you were only tolerating my touch. You would never relax against me like this, sharing this beautiful moment of closeness together."
-O-
My friend was right. During the years I'd lived with Leafe, I had gradually begun to withdraw from everyone. I tried to avoid Hug Time whenever I could, disliking it more than ever, and I rarely talked about my feelings, burying everything under layers of logic, work, and sarcasm.
Even more than now, I'd had trouble adjusting to change. Small changes had often felt like major issues, unnerving intrusions that disturbed the calm, regimented pace of life I craved. Bigger changes had felt like threats. Leafe had begun dating Cherry Blossom about six months after King Peppy made us roommates, but it had taken almost another year before I'd completely accepted her presence in our lives, when she and Leafe had chosen to stay home with me instead of going out to join the grand festivities on the anniversary of our escape from the bergens. On Trollstice.
Even though I hadn't said so, their quiet support had meant a lot to me. I had told them to go without me, had tried to pretend I was fine, but I hadn't fooled them. I'd been so relieved, so grateful, and so very touched to have their reassuring company during the most difficult time of the year for me.
-O-
Now I told Cherry Blossom what I should have said then. "I didn't just tolerate you, Cheery. I liked you a lot. I liked how you were quiet and understanding and didn't seem to mind when I complained or acted grumpy. You – and Leafe – were both so good to me." My gaze fell. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that more often."
"Oh, I knew you liked me."
Surprised, I looked up to see her fond smile.
The pink-haired troll explained, "Whenever I needed help with anything around my pod, you would set aside your own work to come and fix it right away, or build whatever I needed. Grumpy or not, you were a good boy."
She wrapped her other arm around me in an affectionate hug. "Don't worry, Branch. When the time comes, you'll find a way to show Poppy how much you love her, you'll see."
I hugged her back. Thank you, Poppy, for all the changes you've made in me; to let me feel so close to the trolls I care about, and finally show them how much I care. I let myself relax, contentedly resting my chin on her shoulder, the flutter of hope like wings in my chest. If I can be this close to my old friend without feeling awkward, surely I can bring myself to make love to my best friend, right?
"Yeah," I mused aloud, "maybe I can just sort of ease my way into…"
My brain took that idea and ran with it, and suddenly I was imagining myself hovering over Poppy, who reached up to me with a welcoming smile and-
"Ack!" I stiffened and pulled away from Cherry Blossom, slapping my hands over my flaming face as I looked to the side, trying vainly to hide my crazy blush.
She giggled. "Darling boy. Oh, how Poppy must adore you!"
Sweating guiltily, I squirmed, rubbing a toe in the grass. "Aw, Cheery…come on…"
"Sorry," she said cheerfully. "It's just that I remember when Leafe and I were like that, so shy, so innocent, discovering each other for the first time… It was rather fun, actually."
I thought about how much I was enjoying flirting with Poppy and making her blush, and I surprised myself with a chuckle. "Yeah, it is."
Now that the ice was broken, I found that I was suddenly overwhelmingly curious about a subject I'd always avoided. Even in school, whenever they talked about this kind of stuff I tried to block it out, or found excuses to leave the school pod, too embarrassed to focus. Why are they telling us this now? We're too young for this kind of stuff! Besides, I've seen animals mating in the forest. What more is there to learn?
Now I wondered if the questions I'd had last night and when I woke up this morning had been covered in class. Everyone else had begun dating without any trouble that I could see, while I'd struggled to hide the awkward crush I'd had as a teenager, not knowing what I could or should do about it. And of course, I'd followed the same fruitless pattern years later when I'd fallen for Poppy.
But I didn't want to do that anymore. Poppy deserved better. And so did I.
So I gathered my courage and took a deep breath. "Um, Cheery, can I ask you something?"
"Of course, Branch."
I bit my lip, unsure of how to word my question, but my mentor caught me off guard.
"Wondering when your relationship should become physical?"
At my look of surprise, she added, "Remember, I teach the oldest age group, the 13-15 -year-olds. That question comes up more often than you might think."
"Oh. Right. So, then…" I gestured in the air for her to continue, suddenly hungry for the knowledge, the secret, whatever it was that everyone but me knew about when it came to taking that final, terrifying step.
"Well, generally we advise younger trolls to wait, mainly because relationships at that age tend to be temporary. Short-term crushes and the like."
"What?" I rolled my eyes, spreading my hands to the sides. "Look, I get that, but what good is that advice for me? Poppy and I aren't trollings anymore. We're older than you two were when you were dating. In fact, Poppy's the same age you were when you got married." Cherry Blossom was seven years older than me; age nineteen when she met Leafe, but he had only been sixteen. They'd dated for three years before marrying when Leafe was nineteen and Cherry Blossom twenty-two.
Cherry Blossom opened her mouth to respond, but my curiosity got the better of me. "How long did you and Leafe wait?" I asked before I thought.
For the first time I saw Cherry Blossom look uncomfortable, and I quickly backtracked. "I'm sorry! Was that too personal? Never mind."
She held up a hand. "No, that's a fair question." She waited a moment and then began, "If you recall, I met Leafe not long after the Trollstice anniversary during the first year you came to live with him. He had just decided to become a teacher, and apprenticed himself to my mentor. Right from the start, we liked each other."
Her face relaxed, and her voice grew warm and loving, drifting through the air on a river of honey. "Soon we were spending all our free time together. Leafe was… Oh, he was my dream boy, so kind and clever and honest and handsome… We had so much in common – the same hobbies, intellectual pursuits, even a similar sense of humor. Then one day, I was laughing at a joke he'd made and he said, 'I love you, you know.'"
"I was surprised, and yet, not really. 'I've been hoping you'd say that. I love you, too,' I told him, and then I kissed him."
"What, just like that?" I was stunned.
She giggled girlishly. "At that moment, it felt right. He was everything I'd ever dreamed of, and I knew it. There was no reason to hold back. Leafe told me later how glad he was that I'd taken the next step and left no doubt about what I wanted going forward."
"That's basically what Poppy did yesterday. Well, she didn't kiss me, but she, uh, made her intentions clear," I said, remembering her hands caressing me and trying not to blush.
Cherry Blossom smiled with a twinkle in her eye as she continued her tale. "Leafe said he'd been trying to work up the courage to tell me how he felt. He said, 'You make me feel special, just because I'm me.' It wasn't long after that that we did what came naturally to two trolls in love. So no, we didn't wait."
I was silent, mulling that over.
Finally I said, "I thought it would be better to hold off, just in case this ends up being one of those temporary relationships you mentioned. I don't want to risk things getting awkward between us, Cheery. Poppy's my best friend - she means everything to me. The thought of losing her…"
I swallowed hard and whispered, "I honestly can't imagine life without her."
Cherry Blossom's forehead wrinkled in concern, but then she surprised me by agreeing quietly, "I know what you mean. It's difficult to contemplate a time when I might have to live without Leafe."
Then she came forward and took my hands in hers. "But Branch, you are so much stronger than you realize. You were gray for so long, but you never gave up. Every time life grew unbearable for you, you found ways to keep going, to make something of your life. Whether you realized it or not, you had hope."
Her smile was full of heartfelt appreciation as she told me, "In all honesty, you've been an inspiration, to me, and to Leafe, and so many other trolls."
"I…inspire people?" I heard the wonder in my voice.
"Every day, Branch," she said softly, gently squeezing my hands. "Every day."
I searched her eyes, reading her earnest belief in me, and warmth filled my chest. "Wow. Thanks, Cheery."
-O-
After one last round of goodbyes, Poppy left Guy's tent and headed back the way she had come. She snagged a double handful of popcorn from the vendor she had passed earlier to placate her rumbling belly and kept walking, looking for a dark purple sheaf of hair among the passersby.
Long purple shadows draped over the land, the air shimmering with golden-red light. The crowd had thinned considerably now, with most of the trolls heading home or settled down to eat their evening meal in the market square. As she wandered farther away, it got even thinner. Then she caught sight of a darker shade of hair in the distance and sucked in a breath to call out to him.
She also sucked in a piece of popcorn. It slid easily down her throat and stuck. She gagged and tried cough it out, but no air came in when she tried to breathe. She thumped herself on the chest and tried again, and then again, her throat muscles spasming as they tried to force out the foreign lump, but it wouldn't budge. She pressed her fingers against her throat to see if she could feel it, but that just made everything feel even tighter.
Poppy broke out in a sweat. Panicking, she did exactly the wrong thing, snaking a tendril of her hair down her throat to try to snatch the popcorn out, but she hit it wrong and shoved it deeper, like a cork in a bottle.
She went still.
Ohhh my gosh. I think I'm in real trouble. Help!
Branch! He would know what to do. Skin fizzing, heart racing, she desperately scanned the faces of the few trolls nearby, but he wasn't there. Where is he? I just saw him!
Or had it been some other dark-haired troll?
She rushed up to the nearest pair of trolls, frantically gesturing at herself, her mouth moving soundlessly.
"Queen Poppy?" one asked in puzzlement.
"Are you playing charades?" the other asked eagerly.
Arggh, no time! She yanked on her hair in terrified frustration. Her chest was bursting! She abandoned them and moved on to the next troll, grabbing at her dress.
"Queen Poppy, what's wrong?" she asked in concern.
Everyone was staring now.
"Something's wrong?"
"Look at her! She's upset!"
"Calm down, Queen Poppy. Tell us what's wrong," someone said soothingly.
I need Branch!
Her mind was blurring. She tried again to breathe, to scream, still expecting on some level to feel air fill her lungs, but although she struggled, mouth gaping open, her muscles were locked, her chest as rigid as a stone wall.
Help! Help me! she mouthed, a wave of dizziness rising inside her.
"Queen Poppy? Do you need help?" came a muffled male voice, as if she was underwater. Her ears were roaring.
A male with light-colored skin and darker hair was approaching her.
There! Oh thank goodness. Branch! She scurried toward him, trying with all her might to cry out.
She stumbled and fell into him, her hands on his chest and her mouth open in a silent plea, but the yellow and blue troll staring back at her in startlement wasn't the one she wanted so badly. She turned away, looking frantically for black hair and gray skin.
Branch, where are you? I need you!
Her eyes were swimming, but then she caught sight of a dark blur from the corner of her eye. Black hair! Poppy whirled around and staggered as her legs gave out beneath her, falling hard onto her hands and knees. One hand flew to her throat, trying vainly to push out the blockage from the outside. She strained to cough, to breathe, to think! Oh, please… Help me…
Vaguely she was aware of the yellow troll asking her something, his voice high-pitched with worry, but she couldn't hear him through the rushing in her ears. Or was that screaming?
The world was going dark…
-O-
"You are a very special troll, Branch. You always have been. And I'm so glad that others are beginning to see that," Cherry Blossom said sincerely. "You should be very proud of yourself."
I looked down, finding the sheer admiration in her eyes a little hard to bear after so many years of believing that I was a troll of no consequence. At best, I'd been a source of entertainment for the other trolls, an amusing diversion; at worst, a menace, causing problems and heartache for everyone, especially those trolls who cared for me.
I'd spent years drifting around the fringes of the village, tempted so many times to simply stop going back, to finally cut all ties, and for the most part, I'd succeeded. No one had wanted me. No one had needed me. Aside from Poppy, no one had cared about me at all.
Or so I'd thought.
I guess I was wrong. I smiled a little. Kinda nice to know that.
Cheery's right. And I've worked hard to become the troll I am today. I've proved to Poppy and the others that they can count on me. There's nothing wrong with being proud of myself. I've earned the recognition in Cheery's eyes. And in Poppy's.
A sense of strength filled me, a quiet confidence that leveled my shoulders and calmed my stomach as I met my friend's eyes, my gaze sure and steady. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome." She looked at me for a long moment, her green eyes bright and soft with the mutual love and respect we had for each other before she let go of my hands and held up her finger in the classic teacher's pose. "So remember, your big date with Poppy should be less about what you do, and more about showing her what's in your heart. That's what will make her happy."
"I understand."
"And you can always come to me or Leafe, you know, if you run into a problem or need some advice."
"I know. I will." I smiled a little. "I'd still like to do something special, though, for our first official date. See, I asked Poppy to save our first kiss for someplace romantic."
"Oh, what a sweet notion…wait." The swoony look dropped off her face as it twisted in bewilderment. "You weren't on a date today?" she asked, and then answered her own question. "Oh! Let me guess…" A note of amusement warmed her voice. "Today is your first unofficial date, right?"
"Well, yeah."
She chuckled engagingly. "Oh, you engineering types. Always so logical."
Something in her lighthearted teasing brought out the playfulness in me that usually only Poppy and my friends ever saw. I put a hand over my heart and lifted the other dramatically into the air. "Ah, but what better way to conceal the soaring passion that dwells within? No one suspects that yours truly is a master poet, capable of moving a troll's – or bergen's - heart with but a few tenderly-chosen words."
"Branch. You write poetry?" She clasped her hands together, her eyes shining. "Well, you certainly are a troll of many talents."
"Would you like to hear some?" I offered, a little shyly, but also looking forward to the chance to share something I was actually really proud of. Not many people knew aside from my friends, including Bridget and Gristle, but I knew Cherry Blossom. It felt right.
"Oh, yes!" she said eagerly.
I went quiet, mentally sorting through my best poems and choosing one that pleased me, the one that I had enthralled Poppy with earlier this morning.
I opened my mouth to speak, and then stopped. My head shot up as I spun around to face the village, tilting my ears forward to catch the thread of sound that seemed off somehow, like an errant red strand in a loom of pale-blue yarn.
Cherry Blossom noticed my shift in demeanor. Gone was the poet; now I was all business. "Branch?"
"Shh!" I ordered.
We fell silent, and then I heard it again. A note of alarm amid the background noise from the Beadfest, which on some level I'd still been paying attention to. My ears twitched, and from the way her eyes widened, Cherry Blossom heard it too; a frightening rise in pitch and intensity. Ice filled my veins, and my stomach clenched."Something's wrong."
"Is that screaming?" Cherry Blossom whispered.
I didn't answer, stiffening as a strong sense of urgency sent lightning crackling down my spine. I scanned the village rapidly, glaring across the field at the festive marketplace. "Can't see anything past all the tents!" I growled, flicking my ears back and forth as I tried to pinpoint the source of the disturbance.
There was a spike in the shrieks of terror. "There!" Cherry Blossom pointed off to the left.
I was already running.
Author's Note:
Notice that in her panic, Poppy looks for gray Branch, the Branch she's known for most of her life.
Lots of hugs for Branch and Poppy in the last few chapters… That's my take on what life is like in Troll Village, (even though in my fic trolls are only supposed to hug during Hug Time, but I figure everyone will cheat a little now and then, lol).
