As Poppy, Smidge, and Satin all quietly and stealthily snuck through the halls of the enormous bergen castle, using their hair to blend in with the environment whenever a guard walked by, the princess only became more and more shocked by the things she had seen.
On the way here, they had passed a group of bergens throwing slabs of meat into cages with strange canine-like animals that she had never seen, and watched the creatures fight tooth and claw over it. Outside of their cracked and crumbling buildings, there were children chained to wooden poles by collars around their necks, being auctioned like property by older bergens.
But worst of all was when they passed the same group of bergens that forced those two children to fight, all standing around a cauldron, with what she could only guess had the corpse of that dead child boiling inside of it.
The princess knew the stories of bergens. She had read the scrapbooks that described their ruthlessness and aggression. But no amount of pictures or stories could have prepared her to see these evils in person.
As they turned a corner, Smidge could hear the sounds of multiple armored feet coming their way. Quickly, she signaled for Poppy and Satin to blend in with the plants next to them. All at once, the three jumped into the pots, and used their hair to create the illusion of green plants.
Seconds later, a very excited-looking group of bergen guards walked through the hallway, one of them pulling a small bergen girl by a chain on her neck. Poppy immediately recognized her as the girl that she and her friends watched kill another child. Bridget was her name, if the princess recalled.
"So you heard the news yet?" One of the guards said. "Chef's back, and so is Trollstice!"
"You better believe it!" The other bergen said as he yanked the chain, pulling Bridget forward every time she started to fall behind. "I was there when King Gristle made the announcement. He sent out some guards to find the rest of those trolls a few hours ago. He also made me get this stupid little brat to clean the throne room. Now, I gotta send her off to Chef to help prepare the meal tonight."
The princess felt a bit of relief knowing that her people were all currently in Branch's bunker. Any bergen that went to their village would never find the other trolls, no matter how hard they tried.
Poppy was ripped away from this relief when Bridget growled and grabbed the guard's leg. She smiled before biting the exposed part of his thigh, quickly drawing blood.
"Aghhh, you little shit!" The guard said before yanking Bridget up by the chain, and punching her in her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs, and making her kneel over, arms wrapped around herself. Grabbing the girl by her hair, the guard forced her to look upwards at him. Even now, the young girl just smiled as she licked his blood off her lips.
As Poppy watched this happen, a part of her heart told her that she should feel bad for Bridget. She was just a child, after all. But seeing her revel in blood and violence as much as the guards, and every other bergen she and her friends had seen made it very difficult. Were all bergens this way? Did none of them know mercy or sympathy?
Bringing his fist back, the guard brought his knuckles into the right side of Bridget's face, knocking her onto the floor. Letting out a small roar, Bridget got up and tried to run at the guard again, but this time, he was prepared. He kicked her down, placed his foot on her chest, and yanked the chain, causing the steel prongs on the inside of the collar Bridget was wearing to jam into her neck. The guard laughed as Bridget tried to rip the collar off her neck, gagging from the loss of air.
"Enough."
Poppy, her friends, and the group of guards looked down the hallway to see the bergen that she and her friends were looking for, the one who took her friends, walking towards the guards, carrying what looked like a cage with a cloak on it. "Leave her to me. I need that servant to help me prepare."
The guard was hesitant at first. He very much wanted to teach the little brat a lesson for biting him, but now that Chef was back in authority, he knew that crossing her was a bad idea. So with an angry huff, the guard threw Bridget's chain into Chef's hands, and he and the rest of the guards left the hallway, leaving the two bergen females to the unseen eyes of Poppy and her friends.
Chef looked at the growling child, quickly making the observation that she was going to be difficult. This type of behavior was to be expected from new servants, but was only ever a temporary problem. In her time serving the royal family, she had broken in many servants with enough physical discipline. But that usually took days, which Chef didn't have time to do. Not if she wanted to live to see tomorrow.
So instead, Chef had another idea.
"You want to know a little secret? A secret even those guards don't know?" Chef said as she approached Bridget, unphased by her intimidation display. "Servants don't get trolls."
Bridget's expression changed from anger to confusion. Slowly, she put her sharp nails away.
"That's right." Chef said, wearing a face of fake pity. "All of the citizens will be here tonight. Every man, woman, and even the children that I'm sure you love to fight with. And they'll all be enjoying those sweet and delicious trolls. But you are a servant of the king now. That is now your only purpose in this world. You will never know the taste of a troll."
Stepping closer to Bridget, Chef smiled, and removed the cloak from the cage she was carrying. Poppy's heart jumped the moment she saw her friends inside of the cage. A very scared-looking Cooper, Fuzzbert, who was running around, and Creek, who was…. Gray.
Poppy, Smidge, and Satin all looked at Creek with horror in their eyes. Creek was sitting in the back of the cage, his hair and fur even grayer than Branch's. He had a large cut across his chest that while did not look deep, was clogged with dried blood. He was rocking back and forth as he cradled his egg in his hands.
But what scared Satin the most wasn't Creek's condition. It was that her sister was nowhere to be seen.
Chef brought the cage closer to Bridget, letting the smell of the trolls fill the girl's nose. Bridget herself was mesmerized by the small creatures. Being very young, the small bergen had never experienced Trollstice, and so had never seen a troll before. Everything about the small creatures, their look, their smell, made her stomach roar. Unconsciously, she reached for the cage, only for Chef to smack her hand.
"But if you're obedient, and do a very good job…" Chef said, throwing the cloak back onto the cage. "I'll save these trolls, just for you."
Bridget looked up at Chef, her eyes filled with hunger and desperation. She nodded eagerly, now ready to do whatever it took to have those trolls tonight. Chef smiled, knowing that she had won the girl's obedience. But there was still one more test to be sure.
"Now tell me, what is your name?" Chef asked Bridget.
"My name is… Servant girl." Bridget answered, knowing how the monarchy worked.
"No, child. What is yourRealname?" Chef asked again, leaning in closer, their noses almost touching.
"It's… It's…." Bridget stuttered looking Chef in the eyes. For a few seconds, the two only stared at each other, quiet and unmoving. The small bergen did not know how, but she sensed that this was some sort of test. A test of her obedience. A test that she would not fail.
"It's servant girl." Bridget finally said, breaking eye contact with Chef.
"Good girl." Chef said. With this out of the way, the two walked down the hallway.
Back with Poppy and her friends, Satin was trying hard to keep her breathing hidden, the fear and worry emanating from her was almost tangible. Her sister wasn't in that cage. They were too late…
Poppy looked at her panicking friend, and grabbed Satin's hands. "It's ok, Satin. We'll find Chenille too, I promise."
"It's too late.." Satin said, her voice cracking like an egg. "Chenille's gone.."
"We don't know that yet." Poppy insisted. "We have to keep looking."
"But even if she isn't dead, we don't know where they took her. How are we supposed to find her in this castle?" Satin asked.
"Our friends might know." Poppy said. "They were with Chenille. They had to have seen something. When we save them, we'll find out where she is too. But right now, you have to stay strong. Do it for her."
Satin looked at the princess, seeing all the hope in her eyes. Even after all these years of being her friend, the twin troll never understood how Poppy could always be so confident, so determined, so hopeful, even in the darkest of times. And she was right. Satin had to have hope that Chenille was alive, or at the very least, that she'd know the truth.
"No troll left behind." Satin said, Poppy's determination reaching her.
"No troll left behind." Poppy repeated with a smile.
With that, the three silently began to follow Chef and Bridget. As they did this, the gravity of the situation started to fall onto Smidge's head. Chef, ONE bergen, had single-handedly destroyed most of their village. Even if Smidge could somehow beat her, how in the hair was she supposed to defeat multiple armed guards if it came down to it?
This fear kept stabbing at Smidge as they followed the bergens deeper into the castle, but she didn't let her face show it. Her friends needed her to be brave. Not just Poppy and Satin, but her captured friends as well.
--
King Trollex could hear it. And so could the rest of his people.
The echo started maybe an hour ago. Trollex had just finished DJing for the afternoon rave, which was a privilege given to only the most skilled Techno trolls. He kissed his lover Bliss Marina goodbye, then headed to his quarters, ready to rest up on his custom-made sofa.
But the moment he lied down, the sound reached his mind. Not just his mind, but the minds of his people. The echo. The echo that only those of the royal family, of His family, could emit.
King Trollex knew it was her. There was no one else it could have been. His mother.
Trollex was maybe 6 years old when he got the news. His mother Strobelight, father Trollkien, and their advisor Whirla Tidepool had left on one of the longest expeditions they had ever embarked on, almost 9 months, looking for new food sources, and potential territory for their people. They left with about 20 of their guards, but only came back with 6, all with various, bandaged injuries.
His parents were not among them, and Whirla was on death's door.
Trollex would never forget the emotional devastation his heart felt when he saw his parent's advisor being carried by the guards. Her seaweed bandaging was so much heavier than theirs, covering her chest, and a patch on her bleeding right eye. But worst of all, her tail fins were shredded to almost nothing.
Usually, Trollex's people coexisted peacefully with most of the other aquaticlife around them, but venomfish were one of the few exceptions. According to the guards, they were attacked by a pack of them on the way back to the kingdom. There was barely enough of his father left for a proper funeral, and his mother was snatched away by one of the venomfish, and never found.
Despite the best efforts of many of the doctors, they informed Whirla's daughter Laguna that the most they could do for her mother was make her comfortable in her final hour. Laguna held her in what would be their last moment together.
When dismay on who would lead Trollex's people until he was of age came, Laguna, being the legal age of 16, stepped up, wanting to honor her mother by taking her place as the new advisor. Even if it meant putting her goals as a marine biologist aside. For those next 9 years, Laguna had taken on the burden of royal duties, all while Trollex followed and observed, preparing himself to become king on his 15th birthday. And when that day came, he was more than ready. Ready to lead his people in a way that would make his parents proud.
Now here he was, an adult of 25 years, at the edge of the reef. His most trusted guards were behind him for what would be the most important rescue mission in history. And Trollex was coming, despite Laguna's current attempts to convince him not to.
"We're ready, Trollex." The captain of the guard said. "If we set off on the whaleship now, and take the safest routes, we should be there in about six days."
"And you've taken every precaution?" Trollex said, his trident in his hands. "Remember, we aren't going there for a fight. This is a rescue mission."
The captain's brow furrowed. He and the rest of their kingdom were not used to seeing Trollex so serious. His laid-back nature and calm attitude were one of the things that made him such a loved leader. Most of the time, people simply referred to Trollex by his name, instead of any royal title, and he almost never expected them to. But at this moment, the guard felt compelled to.
"Yes, your majesty." The captain replied with a nod. "We've already got a plan together. When we arrive, we'll wait for nightfall. Once we find wherever they're holding Strobelight, we'll all make our way through the streams that run through their town, which will lead us back to open water."
"Trollex, please don't do this." Laguna pleaded, swimming passed his platoon. "This isn't a gamble we can afford to take."
"You heard the echo, Laguna." Trollex said. "It's her. It has to be."
"I know that." Laguna said. "I'm not suggesting that we don't try to save her, but you should stay here, where you'll be safe."
"No. Not a chance." Trollex quickly retorted.
"Trollex, the echo is coming from the far west, where the bergens reside." Laguna said. "There will be danger around every corner."
"That's more reason for me to go, Laguna!" The king said. "She's alive, and if she's in danger, we need to save her now!"
"But what about your own safety, Trollex?" Laguna said. "You're our king, and you've left no heir yet. If they capture you or, sea forbid, you die, there won't be anyone left to lead our people. Please, Trollex. Let the guard handle this, and stay here."
Trollex looked at the trident in his hands. The weapon used to belong to his father. Strong and reliable. The long dark-purple hilt was lined with Techno designs, and the three blades at the top were infused with the strongest glowing materials that their people could make, making the tips glow blue unendingly.
The king had never used the weapon in an actual fight. The closest he had was formal training with the guards. His father, on the other hand, was an absolute monster with this weapon. He remembered being a child, watching him and the royal guard completely decimate an octopus that attacked their reef.
When he asked his father why he helped fight the creature instead of just letting the guards handle it themselves, his father just grinned, and told him that while a true leader should be kind and forgiving, they must also always be ready to fight. A king prepared to leave all the dirty work to his people was not a true king.
Right now, Trollex could hear his father's words in his headphones. He knew that Laguna was right. That him embarking on this journey would be a risk. But for his mother, it was a risk that he was willing to take.
"I'm not asking you to come with me, Laguna." King Trollex said, as serious as ever. "But I'm going, and that's the end of it."
Laguna sighed. A part of her already knew that she would not be able to talk Trollex out of this.
In the years that they had been beside each other, Trollex became like a younger brother to her. Moreover, she made a promise to both her mother, and herself that she would stand by Trollex, no matter what. And right now, if that meant sneaking into a town full of giant, dangerous troll-eating monsters, then that's what it had to be.
Mentally making her final decision, she reached into her travel bag, and pulled out a small book from it. A journal that belonged to her mother. Despite being left to her along with the rest of her mother's belongings, Laguna could never bring herself to read its contents. But she knew that it most likely held information on her mother and the old king and queen's travels. Information that could be useful in an undertaking of this magnitude.
"Alright, Trollex." Laguna said. "For better or worse, I'm with you."
Trollex smiled, feeling grateful for his loyal advisor and friend. "Thank you, Laguna. I knew I could count on you."
With that, the king, Laguna, and their platoon all continued to prepare to travel west. Trollex nodded at his guards, a sense of responsibility settling over him. He was putting not just his life, but the lives of his citizens in danger by leaving the safety of their kingdom. But he had to do it. It was his duty as a king to rescue his mother, no matter the cost.
As Trollex was about to order his men to set out, he noticed something in the distance. It was currently too far to see, but from what he could make out, it was black, red, and very large. And it was headed toward their reef.
Seeing the incoming anomaly as well, King Trollex's people readied their weapons, prepared to fight. As the creature grew closer, Trollex and his people slowly began to realize that it was not a creature at all. Its large black frame was metal, and had red colors emitting from it were lights. This thing was some sort of machine made to look like a predator.
Before Trollex could order his group to prepare to attack, the machine came to a halt. Then slowly, its large mechanical mouth opened, revealing two of the strangest trolls he had ever seen standing behind a glass shield that was keeping the water out. The pair were arguing with each other.
The Techno trolls all looked at the arguing pair, their confusion obvious. One of them was a quadruped with a long neck and braided hair, and the other was a bipedal with purple pigtails. Both of them were wielding guitars, ready to play them.
"No fucking way, Kelley!" The one with pigtails said. "That Pop troll is NOT staying at our apartment!"
"She has nowhere else she can go, Val!" The one apparently called Kelley said. "What are we gonna do after this? Just toss her outside and say "good luck"? We can at least let her sleep on our couch till we figure something out for her."
"No." Val shot back. "When she's all happy again, she's gonna want us to play stupid kid games, and sing pop music, and roll around in glitter, and whatever the fuck else Pop trolls like to do. I'm not dealing with that shit!"
"Look, we'll talk about this later." Kelley said. "Just play your guitar so we can get the… Techno trolls… attention." The Funkrock troll's words began to drift as she locked eyes with King Trollex.
--
Barb had never actually had a boyfriend.
As the queen of rock and her roadies all tuned their equipment, preparing themselves for the impending fight with Bergen Town, she thought about her love life, or lack thereof.
Sure, Barb had plenty of hookups, one-night stands, she'd even rolled in the dirt with a few groupies after some of her performances, but she had never been with anyone romantically. It wasn't that she feared romance or commitment to a single troll. As queen, that would ultimately be expected of her.
What Barb feared was the uncertainty of not knowing what this single troll might want. Would they want her, or would they simply want the position, and advantages of being her boyfriend?
Moreover, most of the people around her seemed to easily just bend to her wishes. Of course, obedience was expected from your subjects, but it made life difficult when no one ever had the courage to challenge her commands or decisions. How do you know who's your friend when all people ever do is just go along with whatever you want? Barb didn't need someone like that.
No, if Barb was ever going to open that part of herself to someone, she needed a second-in-command. Not another "Yes, your Rockness" troll.
That's where Branch broke the mold.
The Rock queen looked over at Branch, who was sitting on the couch, and tuning his guitar, looking as determined as ever. Barb could tell that the Poprock troll wasn't bullshitting to Artina when he said that he'd go alone if he had to. She could also easily tell that she wouldn't have been able to stop him either. That alone showed that he wasn't afraid to speak his mind and challenge her. Just like his mother, Branch was loyal, but not blindly obedient.
And most importantly, Branch had hardly used any of his new royal advantages. Almost everything he had was given to him, and never asked for. If all that talk about a bunker was true, the Poprock troll probably preferred to make the things he wanted. He didn't seem interested in gaining any advantages from being close to her. If Branch desired her, it'd be real.
Now all she had to do was get his mind off of this Pop princess he was talking about earlier.
Apparently, Branch seemed to have a knack for attracting royalty without realizing it, as he seemed to grab the attention of the Pop village's princess, Poppy. A girl who would harass and bother him, even when he made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her.
Barb mentally groaned. Poppy. What a stupid name. Because she was a Pop troll? You didn't see any of the Rock trolls naming themselves "Rocky".
So this begged the question. Why would Branch want to go through all this trouble to save this Pop troll, and her friends that occasionally poked fun at him as well. Did he feel like he owed her something? It wasn't like Branch asked this Poppy girl to do any of the stuff she did.
But now was not the time to think about any possible competitors. Right now, Barb still felt a little guilty about something, and wanted to get it off her chest with her newest roadie.
Putting her guitar aside, Barb walked over to Branch, and sat next to him, getting his attention. "Hey."
"Hey." Branch returned, trying to go along with the slightly awkward energy.
"Listen. I.. wanted to say that I'm sorry again. For prying that story about your grandma out of you, I mean." Barb said. "If I knew, I never would've brought it up."
The survivalist looked away for a moment, and then back to Barb. "It's alright."
"I get it, y'know." The queen said, mentally preparing herself. She didn't make a habit of opening her heart like this. "When my dad got sick for the first time, it was fucking scary. I'm always thinking about how much time he has left before I won't get to have his advice, or hear his dumb jokes. I know that when time eventually gets him, it'll just be me. I know it isn't the same, but I know what it's like to feel alone."
"But you did have people around you." Branch said, his brow furrowing against his will. He appreciated Barb trying to sympathize with him, but their lives were very different.
"Not as much as you might think." Barb said. "My whole life, I've always felt unsure about who's really my friend, and who isn't. Are they really friends, or just trolls who tell me what I wanna hear? Sometimes it even feels like my own band are just people who are only around because I was the princess. And now because I'm queen. I don't even know if they'd wanna be around me if I wasn't."
Branch looked at Barb, surprised that she was willing to share this much about herself with him. The Poprock troll hadn't really thought about Barb's situation that way. Being stuck constantly questioning who actually cares about you your entire life didn't sound like an easy burden.
It made Branch think about his own life, and the decisions he had made. Even with Peppy forbidding anyone from taking him in, he had ultimately CHOSEN to be alone. Even when living away from the village, Poppy still showed up to greet him, bring him sweets, and even invite him to her parties. He thought about an alternate reality of his life where he hadn't feared the bergens, or having friends. Where Poppy extended her hand, and he took it. Where he joined her group, and hung out with her and her friends. Where he had let himself be happy.
But then he realized, he didn't have to fantasize about a concept like that anymore. Here, with the Rock trolls, he did have friends. And Barb was one of them.
"You're MY friend, Barb." Branch said. "You being queen, or princess, or anything else doesn't matter to me. The day I got here, you invited me into your group, and you hardly knew me. These last two days, I've let myself do things I haven't done in years. I played an instrument. I went to a party. I had fun. The most fun I've had since I was a kid."
Barb's eyes widened as she looked at Branch. Honestly, she didn't know what she expected his response to be, but it definitely wasn't this.
"And I'm sure I'm not your only friend, Barb." He continued. "Last night, when you were getting ready for your coronation, I talked with Sid Fret. The way he told me about how he acts as your bodyguard, he sounded like an older brother talking about keeping his sister safe."
The Rock queen couldn't help but laugh a little at that. She remembered a funny instance at one of their after-concert parties when some drunk dumbass felt her up, only to get his face caved in by Sid.
"And if you really feel like you don't have friends, like I said, you have one now." Branch said with a smile. "We both know what it's like to feel lonely, right? Let's keep each other company."
Again, Barb was taken back by Branch's words. The way he talked, the way he reassured her, even his smile. It all reminded the queen of her father on his better days. And it felt real. Not robotic or rehearsed like a lot of the things she'd been told in her life. Oh gods.
Without thinking, Barb closed the small distance between her and the survivalist, their shoulders touching. Before Branch could say anything, the queen grabbed his hand, and placed it on her thigh, slowly moving it up to her torn shorts.
Branch's pulse started to pick up. Just like last night, and that little game Barb played with him in that dressing room, his thoughts of Poppy did a complete halt as the troll in front of him seemed to force her way into his mind.
That's when out of the back of his eye, he noticed that Riff and Sid Fret were watching them. Sid had an amused grin on his face.
"You guys need a minute?" Riff said awkwardly, scratching his head.
"We got at least another hour or so before we get to Bergen Town." Sid Fret followed up. "Backroom's empty if you guys wanna use it."
While they laughed, Branch's face immediately flushed, as it did this morning. He turned and looked at Barb, expecting her to be angry or at least embarrassed by her friend's quips. But the queen just laughed with them as she moved away from him, and walked back to her guitar. Little did Branch know that the only reason Barb was laughing was to hopefully distract her crew from the growing blush on her face.
"C'mon, you assholes!" Barb said with a smile as she grabbed her guitar. "Let's warm up a little before we give Bergen Town the show of their lives."
Upon hearing this, Branch got up from his chair, and grabbed his guitar. The survivalist noticed her eyes were still on him. Her devilish grin still very much there, she raised her hand, and began the countdown with her fingers. "One. two. One, Two, THREE, FOUR!"
At the drop, Barb, Sid Fret, and Riff all began to play. The tune as fiery and passionate as it was when they played earlier today. Those few seconds were all it took for Branch to recognize the musical pattern, and join in with his guitar. The musical chemistry between them all filled him with even more determination as Barb began to sing.
(Love Bites by Halestorm)
Don't listen to what your girlfriend says
She reads those magazines
Let's say you fail the test
You don't have what she needs
I'll slither like a viper
And get you by the neck
I know a thousand ways to help you forget about her
That bitch can eat her heart out
As Barb sang the last part of the verse, Branch noticed her coming up to him slowly and almost hypnotically. Circling him like a predator stalking its prey. Leaning in closer and closer, until their lips were almost close enough to touch. But just before she could close the gap, she jumped away, and continued to hammer away at her guitar as she continued to sing.
Love biiiites
But so do I
But so do I-I-I
Love biiiites
But so do I
But so do I-I-I
Even as the four of them rocked out, Barb couldn't deny that the Poprock troll's words of endearment had sparked something inside of her. Something that she wasn't familiar with. She couldn't deny that what Branch said, whether it was true or not, had reached her. Breaching mental walls she didn't know that she'd placed around herself.
Barb had planned on having Branch completely wrapped around her finger. But it seemed like she might have to be careful not to end up wrapped around his.
--
As Holly Darlin, Growly Pete, and the Pop troll Legsly all sat in the very large guestroom that the Rock queen was kind enough to let them wait in, Holly thought on the events that had transpired right before her eyes. Listening to Legsly tell her sad story about how her people were attacked, and how her own king sent her into the wilderness, watching Queen Barb declare that her people were going to battle, it was like something out of a storybook.
A few minutes after Holly's mother and Hickory both stepped out of the room to talk in private, a few Rock trolls came in with silver platters full of food. Steaks, cheese cubes, mashed potatoes, a tray of dark chocolates, and the darkest looking cake she had ever seen. And it all looked and smelled wonderful! Holly tried to thank the trolls who brought them this meal, only for them to simply shrug her off without a word. Seemed that they still weren't happy about being forced to host Country trolls.
Holly had learned so much from her mother over the years. How to tame the yaks when they got a little too uppity. How to churn butter slowly, but effectively, as to avoid aches in the arms and shoulders. She was even the one who showed Holly how to maintain her hair on hot days.
But if there was one thing that Holly and her mother never agreed on, it was her mother's pessimistic view on things like hope.
Holly, like every other Country troll, absolutely understood the value of hard work, and that nothing worth anything in the world came easy. That said, she never believed that it was wrong to hope for things to get better. To have faith that things won't always be bad.
Just like how she hoped that when Queen Barb returned, she and her mother could peacefully sign off on the trade deal, and her people could finally be at ease until the drought ends. And if food like this was what her people would be getting, it'd be worth every single ore that her people gave to them in return!
Holly giggled as she looked at Legsly, who was stuffing her face with a slice of the dark chocolate cake. The way she shimmied her shoulders at the taste was so adorable. Hickory had taught her a few things about Pop trolls. How they were always jolly, ate lots of sweets, and played childish games. But even with that, knowledge on them was very limited. She couldn't help but want to know more.
"So I was curious, Ms Legsly." Holly said to the Pop troll as she grabbed one of the steaks with a prong and a scoop of mashed potatoes, and put them on her plate. "What are your people like? We all thought Pop trolls went extinct."
The Country troll immediately regretted asking about this when she saw the glimmer of sadness in Legsly's eyes as she swallowed the cake. "I… don't wanna talk about my old home anymore."
Holly mentally smacked herself. What in the world was she thinking opening that fresh wound? The poor girl had been through enough troubles already. Her home being attacked by a monster, and then her own king throwing her into the woods for no earthly reason. Oh no, the girl's lip was quivering again.
"T-that's ok, sugar. I shoulda known better than to bring that up." Holly Darlin said, wanting to ease the girl's sadness. "We could do something else to pass the time. Oh I know! Do you like jump rope?"
"Well yeah, but we don't have a rope." Legsly said as she grabbed one of the chocolates and ate it. Jump rope was actually one of her favorite games in Pop village. Most games that let her use her legs were fun for her.
Holly put her plate down and looked over at Growly Pete, who was quietly drinking from his flask. The minute his eyes locked with hers, Pete knew what it was that she wanted him to do. "No."
"C'mon, Growly Pete." Holly said. "Just for a little bit? To help cheer her up?"
Pete looked at Legsly. As much as he might not want to admit it, he could not deny that he pitied the poor little troll just as much as the two Rock trolls that brought her here did. With that, Pete let out a rusted groan. "Fine."
Legsly gave the two Country trolls a confused look when Holly walked up to Pete, and grabbed both sides of his mustache. She awed when Holly pulled them, extending Pete's mustache outwards, moving back until there was about six feet between them. Then slowly, the two started to spin his mustache around in unison. "You ready, Legsly?"
With a great big smile, the Pop troll jumped between the two ropes, gleefully giggling as she jumped and skipped. Holly and Pete kept rotating the mustache rope, occasionally changing direction and surprising Legsly with their agility. It was a silly game, but it brought a smile to Legsly's face and made her forget about her troubles for a little while.
"Donuts and sprinkles, turn around. Donuts and sprinkles, touch the ground. Donuts and sprinkles, do the splits. Donuts and sprinkles, give a high kick!" Legsly said, unknowingly extending her legs upward as she jumped.
As Legsly and Holly continued to play, enjoying one another's positive energy, there was a very different energy outside of the guestroom, in the large, dark hallway. Energy stemming from Hickory and Delta Dawn as they argued.
"Really, Hickory? Now, of all times?"
"Yes. Now."
Delta Dawn rubbed her temples, trying to keep her voice down, and not attract the attention of her daughter. She was already angry enough after watching that child of a queen run off before they could finish their business. The last thing she needed was this. "We've gone over this already, Hickory. Holly can't know."
"Sooner or later, we ain't gonna have a choice, Delta." Hickory said. "Holly's always been a curious girl. You know that. Eventually, she's gonna ask you about her father. Then when you don't got any answers, she'll start asking around Lonesome Flatts. Then when they don't know nothing, she'll start connecting the dots herself."
"And if that happens, I'll deal with it." Delta said.
"WHEN that happens…" Hickory said. "..Is when I'm finished with this lie. You wouldn't let me be there the day she hatched, I missed her first words, her first steps, I hardly even got to help you raise her. I'm her father, and Holly should know that."
"Hickory, we can't keep having this discussion." Delta Dawn said. "You know the laws, and why this can't happen. You're-"
"As much a Country troll as anyone else in Lonesome Flatts." Hickory said as he stepped closer to her. "I grew up there, right beside you. We played together when we were kids. We worked in those mines together. We sang together. Why should my blood matter?"
Delta Dawn sighed, the weight of the pain in Hickory's sad eyes weighing on her soul. She knew that Hickory would have been a good father to Holly. Hell, in many ways, he still had been, even without their daughter realizing it. If things had been different, even if Delta just hadn't known that Hickory was half Yodeller, they'd probably be married. Maybe even with more than one child.
But things weren't different.
Not wanting to talk about this anymore, Delta turned her back to Hickory, and started to make her way back to the guest room.
"I still love you." Hickory said, making Delta freeze in place. "Y'know that, don't ya?"
The mayor gripped her chest with her slightly trembling hand. It was taking everything she had to not allow her voice to crack. Hearing words like that should never hurt. Especially when the feelings were greatly returned.
"... And I still love you, Hickory." Delta said. "And I wish it didn't have to be this way."
With that, Delta left Hickory in the hallway alone with his aching heart.
--
As Chef and Bridget descended down the circular stairs, deeper into the darkest parts of the castle, Poppy, Smidge, and Satin all quietly followed. The bowels of this cursed place were even more unsettling than the castle above. The stone walls were gray and cracked, there were no lights, except for the dimly lit torches on the walls. The dark hall that they found themselves in smelled of dust and roots, and the only sounds that could be heard were the jangling of Bridget's chain, and dripping water.
Soon the two bergens, Poppy and her friends silently behind them, found themselves in a small, dirty, and cramped excuse for a bedroom.
In it was an old-looking water pump, and a very small bed with chipped wooden headboards, and some of the mattress coils were poking out, and rusted. There wasn't a pillow, blanket, or even a sheet. The only form of light in this room was from the large hole above them. Before Poppy could ask herself what the use of that hole was for, a mountain of dishes fell from it, scattering all over the floor.
"This is your new home." Chef said to Bridget as she took her chain, and hooked it to a metal hinge on the wall, and walked to the pile of dishware. "And this is your purpose."
Bridget looked at her chain. It was just long enough to reach the pile of dishes, the water pump, and her new bed. And it was just short enough that she couldn't reach the door, or the wooden stand where Chef had just placed the cloaked cage full of trolls. Her trolls.
Surprising both Bridget and Poppy, Chef backhanded the smaller Bergen with so much force that she fell to her knees.
Poppy covered her mouth as she watched Chef pull some sort of rounded black muzzle, and kick Bridget down, her foot firmly planted on her back. The bergen girl's angry screams and cries were soon turned into muffles by the muzzle that Chef forcefully belted and sealed around her mouth. Satisfied with her work, Chef got up and walked to the door.
Bridget slowly got up, and looked at her tooth that was sitting in the blood that was on the floor. Chef had smacked it right out of her mouth. And seeing it only fed her anger. Without thinking, Bridget ran at the older bergen, only to be stopped by the prongs in her collar stabbing her in the. neck again, stopping her from getting any closer.
"Oh, calm down. That's just a precaution. Wouldn't want you getting your reward early if you happen to break out." Chef said. "Now, I need every pot, pan, tray, and dish here cleaned in one hour. Do a good job, and just as I promised, those trolls on that stand will be all yours."
Bridget breathed heavily, the anger in her eyes only matched by the pain in her mouth. Furiously, she pulled on the muzzle desperately trying to get it off of her face, only to find that there was some sort of lock in place on the back of it.
"But if you fail me…" Chef said, her voice going from calm, to deathly serious. "The rest of our people will be enjoying their trolls with a wonderful side of YOU."
Bridget let out a muffled roar at her before Chef slammed the door, leaving the girl alone with the dishes that she was expected to clean. As much as Bridget would have liked to tear Chef's throat out like she did that stupid boy earlier that day, she knew that she couldn't. Not if she wanted to live past today. With a muffled huff, she began to pick up the scattered dishes, and organize them into piles.
Poppy and her friends, all hiding behind the bed, looked at Bridget as she began to wash the plates under the water pump. Even now, after everything she had witnessed her do, the princess's heart again told her that she should feel bad for Bridget. How could anyone treat a child this way? But she also knew that given the chance, this girl would show them the same mercy that she showed that other child she killed. So as much as Poppy's heart went out to her, she had to focus on saving her friends.
As quietly as they could, Smidge and Poppy extended their hair to the wooden stand, Smidge holding Satin's hand as they went up. The three tiptoed the cage and pulled off the cloak, revealing her three friends. Cooper's face lit up like the sun when he saw the princess and his friends.
The moment it looked like Cooper was about to yell the princess's name, he was immediately shushed by Smidge.
"Don't worry guys." Poppy whispered as she used her hair to fiddle with the lock. "We're gonna get you out of here, and get back home."
"Cooper!" Satin said as loud as a whisper would allow. "Chenille. My sister. Where is she? Tell me we aren't too late."
"O-one of the bergens, the king guy, he has her." Cooper said. "When we were in the throne room, he put her in this locket thing."
Chenille finally let a smile bless her face as her mental torment finally eased a little. Her sister was alive. They could still save her.
After almost a minute of fussing with the lock, Poppy stepped away, and allowed Smidge to try her hair at it. Pulling out the dagger she had on her waist, the dwarf troll slipped it into the keyhole, and in one swift twist, the lock broke, she pulled it off the cage, and opened it. The moment the cage door was open, the trolls all engaged in a group hug. Except for Creek, who was still in the corner.
Breaking away, Poppy walked to her friend. His usually-peaceful and zen energy was as non-existent as his colors. All of it replaced with what felt like fear and sadness. What had these monsters done to him?
"Creek?" Poppy said, making the yoga instructor jump back, holding his egg even closer to his body. "It's ok, Creek. It's me, Poppy."
"Poppy?" Creek said, looking up at his friend. "You're alive."
"Creek, what happened?" The princess asked. "What did they do to you?"
Creek looked at his friends. His friends who probably risked so much to save him, and the others. The shame he felt inside of him eclipsed any emotion he had ever felt in his life. So much so, that even the pain from the cut across his chest paled in comparison.
"I'm so sorry, Poppy…" Creek said as tears fell from his eyes. "I'm so sorry…"
Before Poppy could ask Creek what he was talking about, his hug time watch went off. In that same moment, the hug watches of all six trolls went off in unison. The jingle echoed through the small room.
And got the attention of Bridget, who was now staring at them.