Well, this was hard to figure out. Enjoy!

“Poppy! Please, come back!"

No matter how loud Branch's cries were, Poppy wouldn't turn back. She just ran deep into the forest, hoping to get as far away from everyone as possible. But suddenly, she felt very dizzy and collapsed.

“Get off your lazy butt!" Cedar's voice yelled in her head. Poppy wanted to, but she felt too weak. All she could do was close her eyes in shame. At least, for now, it couldn't get any worse.

SNAP!

Poppy's eyes opened wide as she heard a rustling noise. She slightly sat up and nervously looked around. Another twig snapped. She saw a pair of hazel eyes in the bushes.

“Cedar?"

It wasn't Cedar. It was a Snickergill! A large snake-like creature with two front legs, a red tail fin, orange gills, and a black mouth oozing with venom. Poppy tried to get away, but she felt too light-headed to get up. All she could do was back up against a tree. The Snickergill approached the frightened princess, sniffed her face, she would make a good midnight snack. He opened his toothless mouth wide and prepared to swallow her whole...

“Stay away from her!" a familiar voice shouted. The Snickergill hissed in pain as someone threw a rock on its face. Poppy turned her head slightly to find Branch glaring at the creature. It growled ferociously and prepared to spit venom at him, but Branch grabbed another rock and threw it in the Snickergill's mouth. As the beast choked, Branch ran to Poppy and used his hair to conceal himself and her. Once the Snickergill got the rock out of his throat, he just returned to the water to rehydrate.

“Poppy, you okay?" Branch asked worriedly as he pulled his hair back. Poppy glared at him.

“Can't you just leave me alone?" she said bitterly. “What more could you want from me?!"

“Well, I, uh..."

“Where are you?!" Cedar shouted in the distance. “I'm not kidding, Princess! If I see him with you, you're dead!"

You need to get her out of here, Branch thought to himself. “C'mon, Poppy. Let's go."

“I'm not going anywhere with you!" Poppy spat. “Just get out of here!"

Branch couldn't believe this. “But–"

“But nothing! Go!"

Knowing he couldn't change Poppy's mind, Branch ran off, but eventually stopped, worrying something bad would happen.

“There you are!" Cedar said as he found Poppy sitting against the tree. “What did you think you were doing?!"

“I-I-I needed some fresh air," she muttered.

“There was plenty of air at that party," he pointed out, grabbing her arm. “Come on, let's get out of here."

“Wait, now?" Poppy exclaimed. “But what about my song?"

“No one wants to hear your singing!" Cedar lied.

“But my friends said–"

“You don't deserve any friends!" Cedar yelled, throwing her into a mud puddle. “You're so pathetic! No one cares about you! No one could ever love you!"

Poppy felt her eyes water. “But... I thought you loved me..."

“Oh, please!" Cedar groaned. “I only stayed with you this long because no one else will! Everything has to be perfect for you! Your perfect boyfriend in his perfect suit with perfect suspenders! Don't you know they're tight around my shoulders?!"

“Wha-What are you doing?!" Poppy exclaimed as he ripped off his coat and suspenders. He crawled on top of her and tied one of the straps around her wrists behind her back.

“Well, guess what?" he said angrily, tearing up her dress. “I'm making sure you don't control anyone anymore. Your kingdom doesn't need you. They don't even want you. So once I'm done, I'll do everyone a favor and take you somewhere no one will ever look at you aga–"

Cedar was cut off by someone grabbed him by the neck with their hair. He tried to pull away, but it was too tight a grip.

“How dare you?!" Branch yelled, slamming Cedar into a tree trunk. “What kind of a Troll abuses his girlfriend?!"

“Oh, how sweet," Cedar laughed sarcastically. “The village grump is here to protect his princess."

“I'm not kidding!" Branch said, letting him go. “You leave her alone! You don't deserve someone as perfect as her!"

“Please, even you said she'd be a lousy queen one day!" Cedar pointed out.

“Well, I was wrong!" Branch argued. “And I'm not letting you hurt her anymore!"

“And how are you going to do that?!"

To answer his question, Branch grabbed Cedar by the hair, pulled him closer, and began punching him in the face and ribs. Cedar attempted to smack his opponent in the face with his own hair, but Branch grabbed it with one hand and gave it a hard pull. Cedar yelled in pain.

“That's it!" Cedar shouted. He forced his arms free, pulled his other suspender out from his pocket, and tied it around Branch's neck, strangling him. “She belongs to me! You can't change that!"

“We can!" someone announced, and a cloud of glitter blew in from nowhere! Accidentally freeing Branch, Cedar tried to clear it away with his hands, but Cooper made his way through and kicked him in the gut.

“Hair hugs!" Satin and Chenille exclaimed, wrapping their hair around Cedar's body.

“Oh, my gah!" Smidge yelled, running towards the despicable Troll and tackling him. The twins let go and backed away nervously.

“Poppy, are you hurt?" Biggie asked with concern. The princess' only response was her tears falling. He tried to help her up, but she didn't have the strength to stand on her own and fell back down in the mud.

“There you go, Branch!" DJ Suki said, untying the strap around his neck so he could breathe again.

“Thanks... DJ..." he panted, and ran up to Poppy. “It's okay, Poppy. It'll be okay."

“What are you guys doing here?" she asked quietly.

“Saving you from that jerk," Satin said.

“Yeah, Guy Diamond told us the mean things he said about you," Chenille added. “He called you pathetic behind your back!"

“He tells me every day," Poppy muttered. “And he's right. I'm just a dumb ugly girl who's not worth anything good. I shouldn't even be queen..."

“Poppy, don't say that!" Biggie insisted. “He only tells you those things to hurt you. You shouldn't have to give in to him."

“I saved you an eclair, Poppy!" Cooper said excitedly, holding it to her mouth. “Try it!"

Poppy shook her head and kept her mouth shut. She didn't want it to go to her thighs.

“She looks malnourished," Guy Diamond whispered. Poppy was so thin, a few of her bones were showing!

“You need to eat, Poppy," Branch said, taking the treat and helping it into her mouth. The eclair was gone in a heartbeat. Smidge returned to the rest of the group and rubbed her hands together.

“Well, that was fun," she said, feeling pleased. “Is Poppy okay?"

“No, but she will be now," DJ replied. “What are we gonna do about him, though?"

“Take him back to the village and tell everyone what he did," Branch explained. “I'm taking Poppy to my place."

As the rest of the group carried Cedar's body back to Troll Village, Branch held Poppy close to him and took her to his bunker. Along the way, he noticed her dull, bruised face and a large scar on her ear. No doubt that was from him. Once they were inside, Branch placed Poppy on the couch and had her wrapped in a soft blanket.

“Can I get you anything?" Branch asked, looking into her eyes. They looked so tired and broken. She wouldn't even answer him. “Okay, why don't you just lie down? It's getting pretty late, you need rest."

Poppy gave him a slight nod and attempted to make herself comfortable. It wasn't long before she was sound asleep. This was the first night she had actually rested since Cedar moved in with her. Before heading to his own bed, Branch placed a brief, but gentle kiss on her forehead.

💔💔💔💔💔💔

The following morning, Poppy awoke to the scent of pancakes. She looked around to find she wasn't in her pod. On Branch's coffee table was a jar of some sort of jelly with a note on the lid.

To help with your bruises

–Branch

Poppy opened the jar and rubbed a dab of the salve onto her wrists. There were many more across her body, but she didn't feel comfortable taking... whatever was left of her clothes off in another man's home. It was just the top and underskirt, but still.

“Morning, Poppy," Branch greeted, putting a plate of pancakes on a nearby table. “Feel any better?"

“A little," Poppy replied. Branch took a seat on the couch next to her and she stared at him curiously. “Why'd you come back? I was so mean to you."

“Well... You're my friend," Branch replied. “You mean everything to me."

“Everything?" Poppy asked, confused.

Branch's eyes widened. “Uh, well, I uh... Of course, when I say everything, I mean, uh... I made you breakfast! Come on!"

Hitting himself in the head, Branch led his princess to the table with the fresh pancakes. As Poppy took a seat, Branch put three on one plate, placed it in front of her, and offered her some syrup. Poppy wouldn't even look at him, so he just sat down and watched as she took slow, tiny bites with her head low. This was bad, Poppy never acted like this. Her smile was gone, her bright colors faded, it was as if part of her had died.

“Is there anything you'd like to talk about?" Branch asked. “It can be about anything at all."

Silence.

“Okay..." he said nervously. “Last week, Guy and I saw this movie where a group of kids get sucked into a–"

“The night he moved in with me, he cut my ear," Poppy interrupted. Branch noticed her eyes were closed, as if she was fighting off tears. “He tried to throw away all of my scrapbooks. We had a fight, but then... H-He threw scissors at me... They hit my ear."

Branch watched as Poppy attempted to cover her scarred ear with her bangs.

“I don't know why he did it," Poppy continued. “He cleared off my bed, pushed me against it, and he kept hitting me as he... while we were... Afterwards, he took away all my scrapbooks. I could barely move, I just cried..."

Branch felt his heart break. “Poppy..."

“You were right," she admitted. “I should've dumped him. He threatened to kill me if I ever spoke to you again. And you're my best friend. I'm such an idiot!"

Branch got up from his seat to hold Poppy as she sobbed into his shoulder. It pained him to see her like this. The strongest woman he knew never looked so weak.

“It's okay, you're okay now," he reassured her soothingly. “He can't hurt you anymore."

“What do I do now?"

“I can't make that decision for you," Branch admitted. “But whatever you do, I'll be there for you."

Poppy smiled and pulled away from him. “Can I go home after breakfast?"

Branch nodded and returned to his chair.

Once they finished eating, the two Trolls cleared the table together and Branch found a long coat for Poppy to wear. No sense in having her go back to the village in a ripped-up dress. As they made their way through the village, everyone stared at Poppy with concern. It made her feel uncomfortable.

“Just ignore them," Branch whispered. Soon enough, they arrived at her house, where all her friends and family were waiting for them.

“Poppy, you feeling better?" DJ asked the princess, who nodded.

“Poppy," King Peppy said, approaching his daughter with a stern look. As Poppy lowered her head, his expression softened and he wrapped his arms around her. “Thank goodness you're alright."

“Oh, Dad..." she sobbed. “I should've said something."

Branch smiled as the rest of the group joined in on the hug. He was about to walk away, but Smidge grabbed him with her hair and forced him to join.

“Okay, okay! That's enough!" Branch insisted, pulling away. “I gotta go. You know where to find me."

“Branch?" Poppy said. He turned to face her. “Do you think I can... find you somewhere else?"

Branch felt nervous. “You mean, like if we met up somewhere?"

Poppy nodded. “Maybe not right away. I need a little time."

“I understand," Branch replied. “Whenever you feel like it."

After Branch left, DJ Suki and the twins giggled. Poppy raised an eyebrow.

“What's so funny?" she asked.

“You asked Branch out on a date!" DJ replied, in a rather loud tone.

“Poppy likes Branch!" the village teased playfully.

“She does not!" Creek shouted.

“Creek likes Poppy!"

Another Troll signed. “‘He does not,'" her translator repeated.

“Poem likes Creek!"

“She does not!" Aspen protested.

“Aspen likes Creek!"

“Nobody likes Creek!" Smidge yelled. “Oh, my gah!"

That was the last of Cedar. I'll let you guys decide what happened to him.

I'm not entirely sure how to end this. In fact, I might just end it here. I'm sure I'll figure something out, though.

I'm probably gonna include Poem in “Restoring The Balance." It'll only be one chapter, but a good one.

I promise you!

Until next time.

🌈📖