The Colors of Love

Chapter Three

That evening, Creek returned to the village, his hair and trousers stained with Poppy's blood. He limped towards DJ Suki, Biggie and Smidge.
"Creek!" Biggie cried out in shock. "Where were you?! What happened​?!"
Creek just took deep breaths as tears fell from his eyes.
"Where's Poppy?" DJ Suki asked, noticing her friend's absence.

King Peppy was sitting at his desk and looking at an old photo of his queen holding their baby princess. He then heard someone coming in and turned to see Creek and DJ Suki, the former stained with blood.
"What happened?" King Peppy asked.
"Poppy's... dead," the DJ sobbed.
The king gasped in horror.
Creek told them about the lizard attack, but he avoided the truth and claimed that he tried to save her. He knew that if he told them he abandoned the princess, he wouldn't hear the end of it. Creek also lied about her dying in his arms after they said their marriage vows, but he only did that for the sake of the Trolls. Who would watch over them after King Peppy was gone?
"I just wish there was more I could've done," he sobbed. That was true. Creek loved Poppy, but he didn't want to die, too.
King Peppy and DJ Suki hugged Creek and wept.

That night, as the rest of the Trolls slept, King Peppy remembered the night he lost his wife. She fell gravely ill and knew she wouldn't survive, but she wanted Poppy to live a full life and King Peppy promised he'd make sure she would before the queen succumbed to her illness...

🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻

Poppy's eyelids felt too heavy for her to open all the way, and her vision was slightly blurry. She looked around and saw where she was. It looked (and smelled) like an underground home, and she was tucked in bed. Her arm and both legs were covered in bandages and her whole body felt numb. She turned her head slightly and saw a photo of a family of Trolls. The father was green with blue hair, the mother was bright blue with lavender hair, and the baby had teal skin, a light purple nose, and dark blue hair with a tinge of purple. Poppy gave a small smile.
Then, she heard a door open. Poppy looked up and saw something she had never seen before. He looked like a Troll, but he was nowhere near as colorful. He was gray with black hair, and he wore a leafy vest and brown shorts covered in patches. And he held a cup in his hands.
Poppy's mind was infested with questions, but she was too weak to ask them.
“I know you're scared, Poppy," he said. “But I promise, you're safe."
How does he know my name? Poppy wondered as he told her what happened.
The Troll's name was Branch, and while he was gathering food, he heard Poppy's cries. When he found her, she was about to get eaten by the lizard. He would've let it eat her, but he recognized her and knew that the Trolls didn't deserve to have their future queen eaten. So, Branch whipped at the monster with his hair until it fell into the ravine. Then, he picked up Poppy and took her back to his home. While she was unconscious, he treated her wounds.
“You're lucky to be alive," he added. “You dislocated your shoulder, both of your legs broke, and you lost a lot of blood. Not to mention, you've been asleep for three days. I had to feed you without choking you."
Poppy felt the urge ​to cry. All her friends and family must've thought she was gone forever.
“You should make a full recovery in a month or so," Branch informed her. “But until then, you're staying here. Do you understand?"
Poppy nodded sadly.
“Good," he said, and held the cup to her face. “Drink up, you'll feel better."
Poppy opened her mouth and felt the warm soup fill her mouth. It wasn't very tasty, but her hunger took over and she drank the whole thing.
“It'll be okay," Branch consoled her. “I'll take care of you."
After Poppy finished her meal, she began to feel sleepy. Branch crawled into the bed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He wasn't into hugging as much as the other Trolls, but he knew she needed comforting.
With her belly full and her heart in pieces, Poppy fell asleep in the gray Troll's embrace.

And so it begins.

Creek's​ a sucky boyfriend. And he'd make a suckier king. But at ​least they'd write songs about him.

Creek the Coward betrayed his bride
When he finally returned, he lied
The villagers discovered his trick
Creek the Coward was such a...

“ALRIGHT, WE GET IT!!!"
Sorry. 😶