Brand new story I hope you like it. Don't own Trolls and no flames or rude language please.

Chapter 1. When Nightmares Become Reality

The wind blew gently as the waxing gibbous moon rose above the horizon. It was a beautiful starry night with the season slowly changing and the leaves turning from green to red, gold and orange. The first signs of fall. Deep in the forest, stood a castle that has been hidden from the outside world for centuries. Inside three young male trolls sat in front of warm hearth while a female troll told them a story.

"…and only returning the amulet to the sorcerers' grave will lift the curse off our bloodline."

Branch, the youngest of five brothers and fifth in line to the throne, rolled his eyes as he heard this story every year for fifteen years. It was like a family tradition or something because not only had he heard it from his parents before they died from a unknown illness when he was one and now his grandmother, who has been caring for him and his older brothers for years, is telling it. Before going to bed on the first week of the month when summer turns to autumn, Grandma Rosiepuff would regal her grandsons with a fairytale about their ancestor Hawthorne stealing an amulet that was supposed to grant the wearer invincibility but ending up cursing him and the whole family line. It was always the same; ancestor finds the cursed amulet in hopes to defeat his enemies but instead turns his family and himself into animal like demons that feed on life essence of the living. Branch was tired of this story and when he asked if Grandma Rosiepuff could tell another story she would say no and this is a family story with a life lesson in it.

"If the life lesson is don't steal from the dead then we get it already." Branch thought as his older brother Floyd stood up.

"How come no one try to break the curse?" he asked.

Branch couldn't believe it. Floyd was the only brother who was nice to him growing up while the other three would tease and prank him mercilessly. How could he believe in curses or magic? It's far-fetched and if the family was cursed then why don't they look like demons? They still look like trolls to him. He grimaced as he felt a sharp pain in his stomach but quickly hid it in case someone noticed.

"Because no one can figure out the scroll the sorcerers' spirit left." Grandma Rosiepuff answered. "Every time someone in our family tried to solve it they ended up coming up with nothing or the wrong answer."

"All part of the curse." John Dory, the eldest brother and current king said. "Maybe your future wife can solve it right Branch?"

Branch frowned. When he turns twenty-one, he's to marry the princess of the Troll Tree, a kingdom north from where he and his family lives. It was decided years ago that he and Princess Poppy would marry as part of an alliance deal his father and King Peppy arranged. The war against the Party Crashers and their allies the Bergens has been going on for over fifty years with no hope for a peace treaty in sight. This can't go on forever. When will it end?

"If there is a curse." Branch replied.

Grandma Rosiepuff shook her head.

"Branch, don't start again."

"If this curse is real then why don't we look like demons?"

"Because they changed into demons at nightfall."

"Oh really?"

Branch got up and went to the nearest window. John Dory, Floyd and Grandma Rosiepuff gasped as he pulled the curtain open to reveal a clear night sky. Branch turned to see his family was the same. No tails, no wings nothing out of the ordinary.

"See? The fairytale is fake. There's no demons, amulets or curses. Story time is over good night."

His family watched in silence as he left the room. Grandma Rosiepuff shook her head as she fingered a ring on her finger.

"He's lucky the curse skipped him." She said.

Floyd and John Dory nodded in agreement. Then there was a scream. The royal family jump to their feet and went up the stairs to found Branch on his hands and knees dry heaving.

"Branch, what's wrong?" Floyd asked.

"Are you ok?" John Dory said.

Branch didn't answer.

Grandma Rosiepuff knelt down in front of Branch, cupped his face and carefully lifted his head so he was looking at her. Her eyes widen. She knew what was wrong. The older brothers made up the stairs to see what was going on. Branch's eyes were red with slitted pupils and he had sweat all over his face.

"John…"

"On it!"

John Dory quickly went downstairs.

"Floyd, help me carry Branch to his room."

Carefully, Floyd and Grandma Rosiepuff carried Branch to his room on the second floor. Floyd closed the curtains while his grandmother started dabbing Branch's forehead with a wet cloth. His temperature was high and getting worse.

"Grandma…" Branch wheezed. "What's wrong…with me?"

"It's ok, my peach fuzz." Grandma Rosiepuff said calling Branch a nickname she used to call him when he was toddler. "Everything will be alright. Just relax."

"No, it's not…" Floyd started before he became silent when he saw Grandma Rosiepuffs' angry look.

"Get some more ice water."

Floyd left without argument. Before Branch could ask what his brother was talking about he winced as the pain in his stomach came back worse then before.

"Don't worry, Branch. It'll pass just relax."

Branch screamed in agony as the pain started to spread throughout his body. He moaned as something sprouted out of his back and his skin felt like it was coated with insects. He reached out towards his grandmother and his eyes widen when he saw his fingernails grow into claws and his hand was black in colour instead of cerulean.

"Grandma, help me…" was all Branch said before he passed out.

Grandma Rosiepuff eyes glistened with tears as she stared at her youngest grandson. She thought the family curse skipped him but it didn't. John Dory and Floyd walked in to see their grandmother crying and their little brothers' unconscious form.

"Oh no." John Dory said as he and Floyd realized what happened.

Branch is cursed just like them.

He was covered in black fur and his ears were pointed upward. He had black leather like wings on his back and his hands were claws. The curse turned Branch into a bat demon.

Grandma Rosiepuff looked up to see her eldest grandsons standing in the doorway.

"Did you bring the potion?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, Grandma." John Dory said. "We're out of restoration potion and Cybil is out of town till tomorrow."

Cybil was a friend of the family who's known for her talent in the magical arts.

"I thought it skipped him." Grandma Rosiepuff sobbed. "He didn't show any signs."

"Spruce and Clay were late bloomers too, Grandma." John Dory said as he embraced her. Floyd placed the bowl of water on the nightstand and joined in.

Spruce and Clay, the second and third in line to the throne, moved away due to John Dory's bossy behaviour he developed when he took over the throne. The eldest brother wanted the curse to stay secret and for that to happen no one in the family was to marry or have friends unless the curse skipped them. The younger brothers and Grandma Rosiepuff didn't agree to that. So Clay, Spruce and Floyd left the kingdom to live their own lives while Branch stayed behind because he was too young to travel and after almost losing Floyd to a pair of succubi who prey on trolls, the eldest brother learned to lighten up. A few hours later, Grandma Rosiepuff calmed down and Branch opened his eyes.

His red snake like eyes.

"Grandma."

Grandma Rosiepuff, John Dory and Floyd turned to see Branch looking at them with concern on his face.

"What happened?"

Grandma Rosiepuff pulled away from her eldest grandsons and sat next to Branch.

"Branch, my peach fuzz." She said as she placed a hand on his forehead. "There's a reason I tell you and your brothers the story of Hawthrone and the Sorcerer on this night."

Branch groaned as he sat up. Rubbing his face with his hands and winced as he cut himself with his new claws. Wait what? Branch looked at his hands to see they were black with matching long fingernails.

"Wha…what?"

"Branch, take it easy…" John Dory said as his youngest brother struggled to get out of bed.

Ignoring the king, Branch fell out of bed due to his body feeling numb and dragged himself towards a mirror on the other side of the room. He stared at his new form before rubbing his eyes again.

"No…how…?I…"

Grandma Rosiepuff had to do something before Branch started to panic. When that happens, it took a long time and a puzzle to calm him down because he was prone to anxiety attacks since he was little.

"Branch, calm down." She said as she stood up and pulled Branch into a hug. "It's going to be alright."

"Alright?!" Branch exclaimed. "I'm a monster!"

"You're a bat demon actually." Floyd said as he removed his ring.

Branch's eyes widen as rouge coloured fur covered Floyd's body, his ears went up to the top of his head and a tail popped out.

"Just like I'm a cat demon."

John Dory snorted. "You two have it easy."

He removed his ring and he too changed form. Pine green fur covered his body, horns grew from his head, a tail grew out, his feet became hooves and his hands became clawed.

"I'm a bull demon."

"It matches your attitude." Grandma Rosiepuff said.

John Dory rolled his eyes. "Yeah, a long time ago."

"What about you?" Branch asked his grandmother.

Grandma Rosiepuff took a step back and removed her ring.

Pinkish-purple coloured scales covered her body, her ears and hands became fin like and her eyes turned amphibious.

"I'm a fish demon."

"That's why Grandpa called you a mermaid." John Dory said.

"I could pass as one."

Branch couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing. The story he thought all this time was a made up fairytale was real. The family curse was real and he's suffering from it just like everyone else. Why him? Why them? Why…

"What about Spruce and Clay?" Branch asked.

"Spruce is a bird demon and Clay is a snake demon." Grandma Rosiepuff answered. "They'll show you their demon forms the next time they visit."

Branch realized something.

"What about the arrange marriage? I can't go through with it…"

"That's set in stone, Branch." John Dory said as he placed both clawed hands on his little brothers' shoulders. "There's no breaking the deal. As a brother who made a big mistake in the past, I advise you to make your peace with this and tell Poppy when the time is right. The curse will effect her too."

Branch suddenly felt a wave of nausea set in. He knows what happens to those who marry into the bloodline. In time Princess Poppy will…no he can't…

"I don't want that." Branch said as he turned away. His reflection in the mirror staring back at him.

"Why should she suffer from this?"

Grandma Rosiepuff hugged Branch again.

"Don't worry about it." She said. "It'll turn out alright in the end. Now lets get some sleep. It's been a long night. I'll have Cybil make you a ring to hide your demon form when she gets back."

Meanwhile, at the Troll Tree, fourteen year old Princess Poppy was laying in bed staring at the ceiling unable to sleep. She was normally bubbly but now she was depressed. Her father King Peppy told her she was to marry the youngest prince of the Southern Lands in five years and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go through with it willingly. The Southern Lands were known for being full of mystery and dangers at night lately and she's to marry and live there for the rest of her life. She rather stay home with her family but with her older sister Viva and her husband Jive as Queen and King of the Troll Tree, that's not going to happen. She was told Branch was a nice troll, was a bit of a loner and she could bring him out of his shell. That's one bright side. Poppy thought before turning to her side and stared at the door to her bedroom. It was closed just like it always was at nighttime. Then the door opened. It was Viva.

Poppy rolled her eyes.

At least it's not Dad. She thought. She didn't want to talk to her father right now because she was still angry at him.

"Hey." She said as she walked in. "You ok?

Poppy shook her head. "No."

"It's about the marriage to seal the alliance between the two kingdoms huh?"

Poppy nodded.

"Don't worry about it." Viva said as she walked over and sat down next to her sister. "I was nervous when Dad said I had to marry for the same reason."

"But you don't have to move away." Poppy said as she sat up. "It's not fair! Why to I have to leave? This is my home."

"There can only be one King and Queen in this kingdom that's how it is." Viva reminded her.

Poppy rolled her eyes.

"And you and Branch will get along just fine."

"It's not just the marriage I'm worried about. It's living in a castle in a strange land known for it's stories of monsters lurking in the shadows. It's…unsettling."

Viva nodded. She's heard of the rumours circling the kingdom. The people are worried about the youngest princess and what would await her in the Southern Lands. The Queen wished she could tune the tall tales out. They were putting the royal family on edge more then the citizens.

"My friend Clay is Branchs' brother and was from the Southern Lands." Viva said. "You can talk to him if you have any questions."

Viva and Clay have been friends since their teens. Clay wondered towards the Troll Tree after a disagreement with his older brother and Viva found him trying to find work and a place to stay. When she saw he had a knack for numbers, she convinced King Peppy to let him help the people with their taxes and live near the royal pod. They've been friends since and was even ok when they were told they were not allowed to marry. Just as well since they were happy with a platonic relationship.

Poppy looked up at her sister.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Viva stood up.

"See you in the morning."

She left the room closing the door behind her.

Poppy turned and pulled the covers over her head. She's not completely ok about her current situation but she wasn't angry like she was before.

Meanwhile, Clay was about read a book like he did at the end of the work day when he saw a zip beetle holding a scroll sitting near a potted herb on his living room windowsill. He took the scroll and started reading. His eyes widen when he reached the middle paragraph.

"Oh no." He said as he set the scroll down. "Thisss isss not good."

While Clay was letting the news of his youngest brother sink in. Somewhere near the maritimes, Spruce was reading a scroll from his older brother when a tall feathered woman entered the room.

"Honey, what's wrong?" She asked. "Is everything ok?"

Spruce shook his head.

"No." He said as he rolled up the scroll and his purple tail feathers drooped to match his mood. "Things have gotten complicated with my family back at the Southern Lands."