It's been a week since almost everyone started helping dinging the escape tunnels, and the main team said they were almost done! Just three more days of digging, then everyone can get out. Just the day before Trollstice too.
He will just dig a little bit more before he visits Branch and Floyd. The latter of which is watching his daughters. He wonders what they are doing at this very moment.
_________
Floyd sat there on a couch, holding a book and reading it aloud to a pink trolling, Poppy, on top of his head. To the right of him was another trolling with crazy blonde hair, Viva, leaning against his shoulder, trying to see the colorful pictures on the children's book.
He was released from the hospital two days after he was checked in, and during those two days it got crazy. Almost everyone in the troll tree started digging escape tunnels. The King being one of them needed a babysitter, so he thought it was a brilliant idea to have him babysit them. Which probably wasn't the best idea considering that he was in the hospital, but he doesn't mind. It wasn't that hard to watch them, though the doctors said to not exert himself, and to not take off those bandages yet.
Currently he is in the living room of his pod, and is just reading a children's book to them, Branch sitting to the left of him writing down a lot of things in his notebook. He's been doing that a lot lately and it's concerning him.
Lately Branch has been waking up screaming. He would come in when this would happen, only to find him writing in his notebook. He assumes Branch writes them down as a coping mechanism, but he sometimes hears him mumble, something about Trollstice and it happening sooner? He isn't sure what's going on with his brother, but it's freaking both him and the princesses out.
“The end.” Floyd said, finishing the last line of the book. He then quickly shut the book and said, “Time for bed!”
“Aww, but I don't wanna!” Viva said, pouting.
“Ya!” Poppy babbled agreeing. “No sweep!”
Floyd just sighed, “Want me to sing you to sleep?”
Both the princesses and Branch perct up at that. Witched kinda surprised Floyd, he knew Branch loved it when he sang, but he thought nothing would bring his brother out of that book.
“Yeah!” Both Viva and Poppy said.
“Well then you better get ready for bed so I can do it.” He said, smiling at how bright their eyes got.
The princesses quickly got off the couch, or in Poppy's case got off of Floyd, to get ready, Branch following behind them. Floyd quickly stopped him before he got anywhere. “We need to talk.”
Branch looked at him with confusion, but complied and sat down. “What is it?” He asked.
Floyd to a deep breath, “I want to ask you…about your nightmares.”
Branch seemed stunned for a moment and quickly replaced it with a blank look. “What about them?”
He put a hand on his little brother's shoulder “You've been waking up screaming, bitty B, and I'm worried about you.”
Branch got very defensive and shrugged his hand off, “I'm fine, you don't have to worry about me.”
This made Floyd a little upset, “What do you mean your fine? You probably had a rough week since me and Grandma have been taken, and your acting like that never happened!”
Branch snapped back at him, “What about you!? You look like you have had a rough week too! You look like you fought your way back home, and you act like nothing happened!”
“I am just concerned for you! You never sang once since I got back, and you're gray!” Floyd shot back, getting more upset. “You hardly talk to me!”
“Shut up!” Branch said angrily, “You're no better! You look just as gray as me! Am I not allowed to be concerned for you!”
Floyd felt tears in the corner of his eyes, “Of course you can, I just wanna know what's wrong.”
Branch seemed to snap at that, “Wrong? Wrong! You wanna know what's wrong!” He got off from the coach and walked in front of him and shoved his notebook. “I have had dreams where Grandma was eaten and you were hurt before you showed back up!” He then opened the boom in his hands and pointed it at a page. “And now I'm getting dreams about the tunnels and them collapsing!”
He then shut the book before Floyd had the chance to process anything, “And my brother came back hurt, matching the wounds I had in my dreams!”
Tears started to spill from his face. What? Branch looked up to look Floyd in the eye and was about to say something else but then froze. “Floyd?”
He looked away from his little brother for a moment, “I…”
He then looked up, “I…!”
He then got up and hugged him, shocking Branch, “I'm sorry!” He said sobbing, “I'm sorry you were alone! I'm sorry I couldn't save Grandma! I'm sorry I got hurt!” He kept saying sorry for all the things he did and should have done. Branch just standing there stunned. He had never seen his brother like this, and why is he apologizing? It's all my fault isn't it?
After a while Floyd started to slow down and eventually stop, but before he did he said his final apology, whispering, “I'm sorry I couldn't stop our brothers from leaving.” still crying. Branch let out a sob and hugged back. “It's not your fault.” He whispered softly.
At that moment Viva and Poppy came back ready for bed, and saw the scene. “Is it hug time!” They both ran up to the two, and hugged them. Not knowing what actually happened.
If you look closely you could see a bit of color return to the saddened trolls.
_______
After both Floyd and Branch stopped crying, and got out of the hug they decided that they should go to bed. So he tucked in the two princesses, who were sleeping on a mat in their room, and went over to tuck Branch in. Then went over to his bed, and layed down.
“Are you going to sing no Floy?” Viva asked. Eagerly laying there waiting for the song. Poppy looking just as excited, snuggling up to her sister.
“Yes.” Floyd shifted a bit, then sat up and began to sing.
‘Blackbird singing in the dead of night’
‘Take these broken wings and learn to fly’
‘All your life’
‘You were only waiting for this moment to arise’
Branch looked towards him in shock, but Floyd was hardly paying attention.
‘Blackbird singing in the dead of night’
‘Take these sunken eyes and learn to see’
Floyd slightly flinched at that line, Branch noticed, but kept going.
‘All your life’
‘you were only waiting for this moment to be free’
Viva and Poppy started to drift off to sleep, Branch right behind them.
‘Blackbird fly’
‘Blackbird fly’
‘Into the night of the dark black night’
Floyd laid down after everyone went to sleep, but continued singing.
‘Blackbird singing in the dead of night’
_______
Bridget looked up at Chef as she held the keys in her hand. “Thank you maid, it took you long enough.”
‘Take these broken wings and learn to fly’
Chef started Walking away, “But because it took you so long to find it, the date of Trollstice has been changed.”
Bridget sighed in relief, fidgeting with the magenta sewn flower she had in her hair.
‘All your life’
“It's going to be the day before!” Chef said cheerfully. Bridget gasped, no what about Floyd! “Isn't that wonderful!”
‘You were only waiting for this moment to arise’
Floyd!
_______
‘You were only waiting for this moment to arise’
Floyd started to drift off.
‘You were only waiting….for this moment to…arise…”
Floyd fell asleep, clutching his BFF bracelet around his arm.