⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀< ❈Branch's POV❈ >
Branch looked around at the Trolls they'd managed to gather. Just last night, as Creek had left them to prepare for this "war" he had declared, everyone had gone to retrieve the remaining villagers on their side.
There were about twenty of them altogether. And even if that seemed like a large amount, they were still way outnumber by Creek's Trolls.
They'd also made plans to get help from the Bergens, which was an obvious choice. Bridget would certainly be there to take their side. We will win this war, Branch thought with satisfaction.
He noticed Iris pacing backs and forth nearby, her fists clenched and muttered words escaping her mouth. As the King approached her, he noticed how distressed she was looking and his gaze softened.
She was talking rapidly to herself but everything she said was all too quiet for Branch to hear. She eventually halted, letting out a groan of annoyance and kicking away a nearby pebble.
"Uh, Iris?" Branch questioned, tilting his head to one side. "Are you okay?"
The Princess gasped in shock and whirled around, then relaxed when she seemed to notice it was only him. "Oh...h-hi, Dad," she stammered, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing."
The bright blue Troll shook his head. "I don't think so," he corrected. He moved closer and gently grabbed her hand. "Please, tell me if something is bothering you. I want to know..."
Iris sighed, lowering her gaze, her pointy ears drooping slightly. "Can we go somewhere else?" she asked. "Somewhere more private?"
Branch glanced over his shoulder, seeing everyone appeared to be occupied for battle preparations and not at all focusing on the King and his daughter. He turned back to her and blinked. "Sweetie, I don't think they're paying attention. But, I mean, if you really wanna go somewhere else, we can."
Iris nodded. "I do want to," she told him. "I just don't feel comfortable talking about this with them so close. What if they come over here? I'm not taking any chances."
"Alrighty, Cupcake," Branch chuckled. "You want me to get your mom? Why do you only need to tell me?" He cupped her face in one of his hands, staring straight into her pretty pink eyes.
"Because I know this is something you'll be better at helping me with," the blue-skinned girl told him.
The King snickered gently, grabbing her hand once more and leading her off through the thick underbrush surrounding the edges of Troll Tree. They had all moved as far from the village as they could but still stayed close enough to watch Creek.
Soon, they arrived in a small clearing, with pretty flowers sticking up from all around. They seemed to be the last colorful thing remaining as fall was still approaching their home.
The brawny male settled himself in the grass, patting the empty space beside him to invite Iris over.
The Princess seated herself next to him, staring at the ground and swirling her fingers over the blades of grass. She looked quite anxious.
"So, what did you need to say?" Branch asked. He moved himself closer to her, staring down at her with a rather concerned look on his countenance. I hope she's not about to confess another horrible thing Creek has done to her.
"Dad, I....I need advise," Iris muttered.
"Okay," the blue male mumbled. "What is it?"
"I thought it would be necessary to ask you this question because w-well...you're a guy..." She stared up at him. "...right?"
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.
But Iris didn't seem to have noticed his expression. "What do I say? I don't want our friendship to be over."
Branch sighed. "Before you came back to us, Titian admitted he was still in love with you, Iris. In fact, he was blaming himself for this entire thing. He does not blame you nor is he mad at you."
Iris looked a little disgusted. "Yeah, that totally explains why he was yelling at me. Telling me I was a toxic Troll...that he needed me to get out of his life..."
The King felt a small flash of anger. Titian had mentioned none of that. How dare he? he thought darkly. But then he forced himself to push these thoughts aside. The memory of Titian's regretful face told him he had meant none of his words. "Honey, he was upset. He really does love you still. I've seen him staring at you over the past few days. But every time you turn in his direction he looks away. He thinks you hate him. So...maybe, just maybe, you might wanna consider talking to him."
Iris stared up at him in disbelief. "R-really?" she asked.
The King nodded. "Absolutely. I like Titian, Iris. I trust him. And that's a surprise because usually I'd be watching a guy like that as if I were a hawk. I can't risk letting you get hurt...even though I kinda already did."
The Princess shook her head. "Dad, don't blame yourself. You just got done having this speech to me! No hypocrisy!" Her eyes were sparkling with amusement and playfulness.
The King rose to his feet, grabbing Iris' hand and lifting her into a hug. He chuckled softly. "I'm sorry, Cupcake," he said with a sigh. He pulled back slightly, staring straight into her features. "Let's get back. We're about to go into Bergen Town." He turned his head towards the bushes, his gaze dark, but then...something caught his eye.
He glanced downwards and gasped, scampering over towards a tallish, blue-purple flower with droopy petals and a yellow center. He plucked it from the ground and turned towards his daughter, approaching her once again and slipping the flower stem into her hair. "Perfect. You look beautiful."
Iris looked upwards at the flower, squinting her eyes. "What kind of flower is that?" she asked curiously.
"An iris," Branch replied. "They were my grandma's favorites." He slipped her hand into his and began walking with her back to the other Trolls. "I named you after that. All because of my grandma." He sighed as he remembered the day she had taken him out to the little flower patch near their pod. How she had shown him the iris flowers. He remembered seeing poppy flowers and thinking of the Princess, how he'd had a crush on her since the day she was born. Man, I never thought I would actually get with her. He glanced down at Iris again, smiling. I am the father of her daughter. My child self would have never dreamed this was possible.
Iris lifted her hand and poked the indigo-blue petals curiously. "Well, that's interesting," she giggled.
Branch was about to reply, but a loud scream nearby made him freeze, his breath catching in his throat. He thought he recognized the voice, and as another shout came, he pinpointed it exactly.
"Poppy!" the King wailed, dashing through the bushes with Iris racing just behind him.
"Dad, what's happening?" Iris shouted.
"I don't know!" Branch hopped over a rock in his path. Through the spaces between the leaves, he caught sight of his wife, struggling and tearing at the ground as she tried to fight off whatever was attacking her. Then Branch saw it—him.
Creek was grabbing the Queen's body viciously, dragging her away with him and trying—but failing—to make her be quiet.
"That son of a bitch!" Branch snarled. He quickened his pace, but a sharp yelp from Iris made him halt. He turned around and saw the Princess rubbing her leg. He noticed she must've rammed straight into that rock he'd jumped over.
"Iris!" He dashed towards her, lifting her up.
"No, no, no!" Iris hissed, shaking him off. "You go save Mom! I'll be fine!"
"I'm not leaving! You're bleeding!" He saw scarlet droplets seeping through a wound on her shin.
"Mom is more important!" the Princess argued, pushing him back as he tried to help her once more. "Dad, stop!" she shrieked.
The King froze, staring her in the eyes. "This is a minor wound. Very minor. I only need a band-aide to cover this up! GO SAVE MOM!"
Branch was startled by her sudden ferocity. It somewhat reminded him of his grumpy days, how he would lash out like that to anyone who pestered him. Dear goodness, she's like me in every way! But he flung the thoughts away for now. What she was saying was true. Poppy was at the risk of death.
"Stay safe, Cupcake. I love you." He quickly kissed her on the nose before turning and running off, hearing Poppy's desperate cries for help fading off into the distance. He ran for what felt like hours until his heart felt it would explode right from his chest. He forced himself to stop, his sides heaving and his whole body trembling. "I'm too late..."
I haven't updated in a bit so here!!
This was a fun chapter to write!
I hope you all enjoyed and stay tuned for chapter 35!