Trolls Fanfiction: Iris

Chapter 34

Branch blinked in surprise. Silly girl. Her anxiety is making her confused. "Hmm...last time I checked I was a guy." He glanced down at his waist, nodding slightly, a smirk forming on his lips. "Yep, still a guy!"

The Princess sighed, rolling her eyes. "Gross!" She then began giggling quietly to herself. "Okay, okay, that was a dumb question. Sorry. I'm just...nervous."

Branch rubbed her back with his hand. "It's okay, I understand," he muttered softly, bending his head to kiss her on the cheek. "Continue."

Iris took a deep breath, anxiously ripping at the shards of grass as she prepared herself to speak. "I-it's...it's about Titian," she finally said, huffing a sigh of relief.

Branch blinked in surprise. She hardly brought Titian up. The two had not at all made contact since Iris' return. And I know why, he thought sadly.

The King usually hated it when some boy was hitting on her daughter. It had happened before in the past. He had difficulties trusting them. But since Titian had been the son of two of Poppy's closest friends, he found it easier to approve of him. After getting to know the sparkly red Troll, he certainly seemed like a gentleman who would be a keeper for Iris. But now they'd drifted apart, breaking that close friendship they once had.

"What about him?" Branch asked.

"Usually girls go to their moms about this subject," Iris mumbled, half to herself. "But, I figured, since you're a guy and Titian's a guy, you'd be able to give me better information on what he might be feeling. I hurt him, Dad. I pushed him away when he was just trying to help me. If I had let him help me, then I would've never gone out into that forest, I would've never found Creek, and we would all be living safe and happily. But no...I had to screw everything up." Her voice was cracking with emotion, tears welling in her eyes and threatening to spill down her cheeks.

"What? No!" Branch protested. He immediately grabbed her and pulled her against him, rubbing the back of her head. "Hey, hey, stop. Shhh. It's okay." He began rocking her back and forth as he held her closer. "Don't blame yourself. We've had this conversation before. You're not a screw-up. You're not a mistake. We all love and adore you. My life would not be as fun to live without you in it. Sure, I'd be completely happy just with your mother, but having a child like this is probably one of the most beautiful feelings I've ever had. I would never stop loving you just for one mistake. Because I've made mistakes too. So has Poppy. She accidentally led a Bergen to us and got some Trolls kidnapped. Did she continue blaming herself over and over? No! She got over it. I...I killed my g-grandmother..." His voice trailed off. He had told this story to Iris before. "...I was singing and not paying attention, like I've said. Then before I know it, she's taken away by a Bergen. That was a mistake I kept reliving over and over. I became sad and gray because of it. You know this. But I learned to get over I and realize there is a rainbow around every corner, just as your mother has preached over and over."

Iris had stopped crying. Now she was staring up at him with wide, teary rosy eyes, a slight smile curling the edges of her lips.

Branch planted a small kiss on her forehead before allowing her to slip out of his lap.

She hugged herself against him. "This is why I love you, Dad," she muttered.

The King felt his heart swell with affection. "You've always been a daddy's girl. Now, please, continue on with Titian."

Iris stared at the ground again, but then slowly lifted her gaze to his. "I...I still love him," she admitted.

"I figured that," the blue-skinned male chuckled, then let that smile on his face melt away. His daughter just looked too sad. He didn't want her to think he was mocking her or not taking her seriously.