Chapter #7 Secrets Revealed part 2

Grandma Rosiepuff was not having a fun time. Poppy just saw Branch in his demon form and didn't handle it very well. Spruce was a wreck because of the memory of his first few nights with Brandy came to the surface and Floyd refuses to leave his bedroom. It's now been hours since the sun rose over the horizon and normally the fourth heir to the throne never left his room during the full moon phase but this was different. He has to show the princess of the Troll Tree his demon form just like everyone else and she can't get him out of his room which was locked tight.

"I wish their grandfather was still alive." Grandma Rosiepuff thought as she knocked on the door of Floyd's room.

"Floyd, you have to come out." She said. "Poppy has to know."

"No! I'm not a demon!"

"We know that, brother." John Dory said. "But Poppy needs to get use to seeing us in our demon forms."

"I can't do this!"

Grandma Rosiepuff sighed and turned around. Clay was standing near the window with Brandy who was consoling a depressed Spruce while Branch was sitting on the floor with his hands covering his face in shame. Telling the king to keep trying to get Floyd out of his room while slipping a spare key into his hand, Grandma Rosiepuff went over to the youngest prince. She had three grandsons in pain and a frightened granddaughter-in-law to deal with and she needs to be strong for their sakes. She hoped she had enough strength for this.

"Branch." Grandma Rosiepuff said as she sat next to her fifth grandson. "It's ok."

"No, it's not!" Branch sobbed. "She tried to leave!"

"She can't exit the castle, Branch. Cybil fixed the barrier so she can't leave unless one of us is with her and where can she can go? She can't go back to the Troll Tree Kingdom."

Branch lowered his hands revealing his tear stained face. Grandma Rosiepuff was right. Where would Poppy go with the war going on? And there's no way she did any traveling outside her former home. It's not safe to do that unless necessary like transporting food and weapons to the soldiers for example.

"It hurt, Grandma." He said as he remembered what his wife said when she tried to escape. "She said she can't go through with the marriage and wanted out."

"I know. I'm sorry that happened." Grandma Rosiepuff pulled Branch into a hug. "But she was scared and you were not in control of your demon instincts at the time. Try talking to her when she wakes up. Then bring her to the living room so we can fill her in."

"Ok."

Grandma Rosiepuff helped Branch up to his feet and watched him disappear down a secret passageway. Then the former queen turned her attention to Spruce.

"Two down, two to go." She said quietly before she went over to comfort the second heir to the throne.

Poppy moaned as she woke up. She felt heavy like she was pumped with lead and she had a foul taste in her mouth like she threw up in the middle of the night.

"I must be sicker then I thought." Poppy thought as she opened her eyes and turned to rest on her side. She noticed her half finished scrapbook on the desk. She didn't tried to get up because she didn't feel like moving even though she wanted to put the page into the book because it finished drying last night.

Last night.

Poppy's attention turned back to what happened last night. She wasn't sure if it was the illness she caught or it was real. A demon was wearing her husband's wedding band and he tried to have his way with her. But it couldn't be Branch. He never once tried to hurt her. Even after their first night together, Branch had a guilty look on his face. Why would he hurt her? What really happened last night?

Poppy's thoughts were interrupted when she heard the door open.

"Poppy?"

It was Branch.

Poppy closed her eyes. She was relieved it was a familiar troll. She didn't move as the weight next to her shifted and a pair of arms pulled her towards a hard chest.

"Poppy, are you awake?"

"Yes." Poppy answered. "I don't feel good though."

"I help you feel better." Branch said.

Poppy smiled a little as she felt her husband gently cupped her face with one hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Slowly, Poppy opened her eyes. She looked up to see the demon she saw the night before. Only his eyes were red with slits for pupils. She was about to scream when Branch quickly covered her mouth with his free hand.

"Poppy. I should've told you but our wedding night wasn't the time to do it. Then I couldn't because I didn't want you to leave me. I can't handle that. Not anymore. Please. I won't hurt you. No one here will hurt you. Believe me, please."

Poppy was still scared but calmed down when Branch stroked her cheek again mindful of his claws. Slowly, Branch removed his hand and held Poppy closer to him.

"I wasn't dreaming." Poppy said. "You are a demon. But your eyes were pure black last night. What happened?"

"I'm not demon." Branch explained. "No one in my family is. We're cursed in turn into demons at night because of a crime our ancestor committed over 400 years ago."

"What did your ancestor do?"

"He stole from the dead. And that's all I'm saying about it."

Poppy leaned into her husband's embrace.

"If you turn demon at night shouldn't you turn back at daybreak?"

Branch sighed fingered the sunstone beads around his neck.

"During certain moon phases, we stay in our demon forms for the day. Our demon instincts are harder to control during that time. That's what happened last night. As long as I wear this."

Branch held up the talisman.

"I can keep my demon side at bay. The full moon is when Floyd and I turn full demon."

Poppy fingered the talisman around Branch's neck. The beads felt warm like they were sitting out in the sunlight all day.

"All this because what happened centuries ago." She said. "Why? You guys didn't do anything."

Branch nodded. "We know but stealing from the dead is a bad idea and who ever placed the curse on my family line was really angry and wanted us to suffer forever."

Poppy frowned. That's not right.

"Are you well enough to stand?"

"No. This…is a lot to process."

"I know but you still have to eat."

"Which is why I brought your meals up."

Branch and Poppy turned to the door to see Grandma Rosiepuff holding a tray of two bowls of oatmeal and mugs of tea. Poppy watch as her in-law walk in and placed the tray on the nightstand before placing a hand on her forehead.

"You feel warmer then usual." Grandma Rosiepuff said. "Eat slowly and stay in bed. We need to talk when you're well enough to sit up on your own. Stay with her Branch."

With that, Grandma Rosiepuff left closing the door behind her. Branch helped Poppy up so she's leaning against the wall behind them and they ate their food in silence. Poppy glanced at her husband as he ate his oatmeal. He had no trouble like he's used to having those long black claws. How long has he been cursed? The pink princess troll wondered as she slowly ate her oatmeal. It was the way she liked it topped with a little brown sugar and not too hot but she had to force herself to eat it. Last night drained her completely and she needs at lot of strength to handle what was about to come. Grandma Rosiepuff said they were to talk later when she's well enough and Poppy was not sure she's ready for it.

Branch looked at his wife as she placed a spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth. She looked like she was struggling to feed herself but said nothing. He looked at his oatmeal with no brown sugar or any kind of additives. It was bland just like his life before he first saw Poppy at the wedding. The cursed blue troll had to admit his life wasn't all great or exciting. He found out the story his grandmother told him and his family every year in the fall was true and so was the curse. He turns full demon during the full moon along with his older brother Floyd and to make it worse; Poppy will suffer from the curse as well. She was already showing signs last night and he is struggling to keep from marking her like he almost did last night. He didn't want to but he has to convince Poppy to let him mark her or what happened before will repeat itself.

Handle one problem at a time. Branch thought to himself as he ate his oatmeal.

Once the couple finished their oatmeal and tea, Branch and Poppy placed their bowls and mugs on the nightstand and the bat demon prince pulled the pink princess back towards him. Poppy didn't fight him mainly because he wasn't trying to hurt her and she felt a little guilty. She remembered what Branch's brothers said a few nights ago. Her husband was scared of her leaving him because of the curse and she also remembered what she said last night.

I want out! Echoed in her mind.

She was almost bitten and was scared when she said that. How can she take that back? Poppy leaned into Branch's arms. She didn't try to escape for she was too tired and didn't want to. I wonder what Grandma Rosiepuff wanted to say? Is there more to the story then what Branch knows? Or was he told to wait until she was ready to hear it. A few hours later, Poppy was starting to feel a little better. Her stomach settled and her colour was starting to return to her face. Branch still held her close to him. Not too tight but enough let him know she was still here with him. Another hour later, Poppy was well enough to stand on her own and they went to the library after a bath and change of clothes. Branch know he was supposed to bring Poppy to the living room once she was over her shock from last night but she wanted to go to the library because she remembered coming across a book last night. It looked ancient and hand written like it was someone's diary from long time ago. After finding it and agreeing to read it later, Poppy stowed the tome in her hair and followed Branch out of the library and down the hall to the living room. There they found Branch's brothers, Cybil, Brandy and Grandma Rosiepuff standing near the fireplace. Standing as if waiting for the couple to arrive the whole time they've been together in their room this morning.

"Good, you're here." Grandma Rosiepuff said. "Please sit. This story is a long one."

Branch guided Poppy towards one of the green couches near the hearth. She was having trouble moving her feet when she entered the living room. Poppy knew she was going to get the answers she seek but is she ready for this? She wasn't ready for what happened the night before and she's not sure about sitting through this story.

"I'm not alone." Poppy thought as she sat next to Branch who held her close to him again. "Branch can reassure me. I'm slowly accepting him. I should do the same for his family."

"Being married is not only about spending your life with another but becoming part of someone else's family." Grandma Rosiepuff said. "Now we must tell you what makes this family different. Normally, I wouldn't tell this story until the first month of autumn but I'm giving you the short version for now Poppy. Please pay attention."

Poppy nodded. "Ok."

"It all started 400 years ago. Our ancestor Hawthrone wanted to be the most powerful ruler in the land. He heard of an amulet that granted it's wearer invincibility created by a sorcerer who lived in the region. But the sorcerer died and had the amulet buried with him before Hawthrone could find out where he lived. He eventually found the sorcerer's grave and took the amulet. Instead of gaining invincibility he cursed himself and the bloodline. The only way to lift the curse is to return the amulet to the grave of the sorcerer who enchanted the jewel in the first place. If we could ever find it."

"No one ever found it?" Poppy asked.

Grandma Rosiepuff shook her head sadly.

"No, I couldn't find it, my parents couldn't find it. Even my grandsons couldn't find it."

John Dory, Spruce and Clay gathered to hug their grandmother. Floyd, who was wearing a black cloak with the hood up, joined in later. Brandy joined the hug last.

"But every time we tried to figure out the riddle the sorcerer left behind, we came up with nothing. It's like the scroll the clues were written on were cursed as well."

That explains why they've been cursed for so long. Poppy thought. The curse has got to be powerful to doom future generations to become demons at night. But why add another spell to stop them from lifting it in the first place? Was a relative of the sorcerer responsible for it?

Grandma Rosiepuff pulled herself away from the embrace and made her way to Branch and Poppy.

"There's more unfortunately." She said as she placed a hand on Poppy's shoulder. "We hoped the curse skipped Branch but it didn't and the promise you two would marry for the the alliance between the two kingdoms was set in stone. There was no stopping it. I'm sorry, Poppy. In time the curse will affect you as well. You should be showing signs by now."

Poppy felt sick again and leaned against Branch who stroke her hair. How is she becoming a demon at night like them?…then she remembered something. When she and Branch first kiss, she felt something cold enter her mouth. That had to be the curse. It would explain why her husband looked upset when they exchanged rings at the gazebo. He knew it would happen and there was no way to stop it. Poppy placed two fingers onto her lips.

"Yes, Poppy." Grandma Rosiepuff said as if she could read her mind. "A kiss during the wedding ceremony is how the curse transfers to the spouse only you won't become a demon for a day once a month. You'll just turn into the same kind of demon as Branch. A bat demon."

Poppy felt her nausea getting worse. This was more then she could handle. Branch noticed and pulled Poppy onto his lap while saying reassuring words. Poppy leaned against her husband's chest as she fought hard not to throw up on the floor. She wasn't ready for this. Nothing prepared her for it. She closed her eyes trying to fight the tears and the bad feeling in her stomach.

Grandma Rosiepuff looked up to see the sun was starting to set.

"Try to stay awake, dear." the former queen of the Southern Lands said. "It's almost time."

Branch turned to look out the window before tightening his grip on Poppy a little.

"Don't worry, Poppy." He said. "We're here for you. Just relax."

Poppy nodded. As the sun finally disappeared from view, the pink princess felt the pain spread out from her stomach and circulated throughout her body. She winced when her skin started to itch and her back ached. After a few minutes, the pain and itching stopped. Once she felt a little better, Poppy was able to focus on what's happening around her.

Her in-laws were transforming.

Scales appeared on Grandma Rosiepuff's skin and her hands and ears became webbed while her eyes turned amphibious and red in colour. John Dory grew fur, claws on his hands and bull horns on his head. Spruce and Brandy sprouted feathers and parrot beaks with clawed hands and feathered wings on their backs. Clay winced as he grew yellow scales with green diamond pattern on his body, his legs melded together and hissed as a forked tongue stuck out. Floyd remained still as a statue since he's still in demon form.

Grandma Rosiepuff frowned and turned to her fourth grandson.

"Floyd, you promised. Take that cloak off now."

Floyd flinched and slowly reached for the clasp of his cloak. He undid it and let the fabric fall to the floor to reveal he had cat ears, claws and was covered in rouge fur. He had the look of misery on his catlike face.

Branch held Poppy as she tried to fight the urge to scream and ran away. Her husband said no one will hurt her here but she really wasn't ready for this. Branch nuzzled his wife's hair while rubbing her back.

"It's ok, Poppy." He said. "We won't hurt you."

"This…" the pink princess tried to say. "This…is a lot…to take in."

"Give it time." Grandma Rosiepuff said. "And you'll transform bit by bit until you're a bat demon like Branch. Look in the mirror when you're ready."

Poppy wanted to ask what her in-law meant by that but decided against it. It might put her over the edge. She didn't check her body to see what happened. Grandma Rosiepuff decided everyone should turn in for the night and give the Princess of the Troll Tree time to adjust. Branch carried her to their room while everyone went their separate ways. Poppy laid still as Branch flew down the empty hallway while holding her in his arms. This is the new norm for her now. She married into a cursed family, she's cursed as well and is not sure if her father, sister and brother-in-law knew about it. She has so many questions and wasn't sure where to start. Branch placed Poppy on the bed and laid down next to her. The pink princess didn't fight back as her husband pulled her towards him. Branch said no one here in the Southern Lands will hurt her and she has no reason to doubt that.