𝓢𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓜𝓲𝓭𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 ~ 𝓑𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓱 𝔁 𝓯𝓮𝓶 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓵 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 / 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 1

7. 𝓖𝓮𝓽 𝓒𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓴 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴

The scullery maid, made her way down the many stairs ahead. I caught her name from the Chef, Idget, what a name.
Step by step, she neared the ground of her little room, in the basement, with our friends in hand.
When Branch and I got the chance, we sprung off her bow and quickly hid in the nearest hiding spot, under a wooden table in the corner.
The girl sat the cage down on the nearest table. But suddenly, a ringing voice made its way down a thick metal tube, sticking out from the ceiling. "Scullery Maid!" The voice echoed, it sounded like the Chef. Metal was clanging inside the tube,and lots of pots, pans, plates, knifes, forks and whatever else Bergens used to eat Trolls with, got thrown through the tube, stacks of it landing with a clanging sound on the hard, rock, floor. All the heavy metals landed right on top of Idget. "Wash these pots and pans for Trollstice! The King is inviting everyone, except you!" The Chef added, throwing one last spoon down, hitting Idget again on the head.
I tiptoed from the wooden table to another, getting closer to hear better. I took a Quick Look back, Branch luckily following my actions without protesting. But he was approaching slightly slower, making sure the Bergengirl didn't notice. As we approached our new hiding spot, hoping to listen to another important conversation, words wasn't that, it was sobs, Idget stated to cry. Even though she's a dreaded Bergen, I'm kind of feeling bad for her..
She cried silent sobs, as silent as she could be. She ran out of the stack of Kitchen stuff still on the floor, on top of her. The metal clanging as she moved her legs. She threw herself on her pink bed, muffling her sobs and burrowing her heavy tears in her pillow.
I place my palm, on my chest, where my heart is placed, feeling my heart throbbing for this poor girl. I turned my gaze back to Branch, beside me, who was raising an eyebrow at the whole situation. He caught my gaze on him, now looking confused at me, and my empathy for a Bergen.
Idget pulled herself together, rolling over, now laying on her side. She reached down, pulling a little pink curtain aside, under her night desk. The little room behind the curtain, was filled with magazines of the King.
🎵I've been alone with you, inside my mind..🎵 She sung as she has taken a hold of a magazine, with The King's picture on front. She grabbed a little pink scissors, matching her curtain, cutting the King's frame out of the Magazine. 🎵And in my dreams, I've kissed your lips. A thousand times.. I sometimes see you pass outside my door.🎵
🎵Hello! Is it me you're looking for? I can see it in your eyes, I can see it in your smile🎵
🎵You're all I've ever wanted.. And my eyes are open wide! 'Cause you know just what to say. And you know just what to do.🎵
🎵And I want to tell you so much-🎵
"I love you" She spoke in a lower tone, the last part as she has taped the kings figure from the magazine on her pillow. She got emotional again and began crying, bringing her pillow up, covering her face again, muffling her sobs. She sobbed until she fell asleep, falling back to lay down on her bed, just like that.
"Awh, she's in love with the king!" I spoke, my hand still at heart. "What are you talking about? Bergens don't have feelings!" Branch spoke up, both his hands waving in mid air, reasoning with me. "Well, maybe you don't know everything about the Bergens." I replied, shrugging my shoulders at him. What would he know about feelings anyway... I thought, before speaking up again, changing the subject. "now! Let's go."
We ran over to the wooden table, beside the Bergen's bed, where our friends was held captive. Branch helped me reach the duvet, covering the table, by lifting me up by my waist. I crawled up the duvet, Branch jumping to catch it, crawling after me.
As we reached the top, standing straight up, running closer to the cage. Branch pulled the blanket, which was covering the cage, revealing our friends, and my dear sister!
"Poppy-Flower!" I yelled out excited, forgetting everything about Idget for a moment.
"Sunshine!" Poppy yelled back, forgetting as well, reaching out, taking a hold of the beams.
"Guys!" My gaze turned from Poppy to the others, standing behind her.
"Juniper!" They excitedly cheered back. 🎵Celebrate good times, come on!🎵 they all began singing, dancing from side to side with the rhythm.
🎵It's a celebration!🎵 I sang with them, swaying my hips and closing my eyes, feeling the happiness flowing right back with the others. Before we could continue our little song, Branch jumped in, placing a finger back over my lips, and shushing the others.
🎵There's a party going on right here-🎵 The others continued the song, in a whisper.
"No! There is not a party going on right here!" Branch whispered harshly back at them, making them stay silent this time. He reached a hand up into my red locks, snatching the scissors I used for scrapbooking earlier, out of my hair. He stamped to the cage, using it to unlock the lock hanging from it. And then gave it back to me after, completely out of shape and couldn't cut properly anymore. I send Poppy an apologising look, it was actually her scissors I just burrowed.
"The sooner we get you guys out of here-" Branch spoke removing the lock.
"The sooner we can save Creek!" Poppy interrupted his sentence from inside the cage.
"Yes-" I straightened my back as I spoke.
"What!" Branch then interrupted, yelling in a louder tone. before..
"Hello!" Idget suddenly said, sitting straight up from her lying position. She has woken up, her eyes big and wondering.
A silent gasp, escaped all of our small mouths, leaning back and standing, frozen in spot. Hoping she didn't notice sudden movements.
"Is it me you're looking for-?" She dreamily ranted on, as she laid back down again.
We all let out a final breath, we were holding in, our discussion continuing.
"I know you two are looking for the cupcakes and rainbows here, but let's face it. Creek has been eaten." Branch spoke up again, in a low tone, opening the cage for the others.
Poppy walked out first, as I threw myself at her, attacking her in my big embrace.
"They put him in a Taco!" Biggie informed us, as Poppy and I pulled back from each other, even tho we were there ourselves. But what would Biggie know.
"It was horrible!" Cooper whined, walking out right after Biggie and Mr. Dinkles of course. I then approached Cooper, running to his side, and hugging him bone-crushingly tight. He didn't mind, holding into me with one of his front feet and his neck wrapping around my back, returning my hug.
"Sorry Poppy, Creek is gone." Guy Diamond spoke, walking out from the cage as the last one. He patted Poppy on her shoulder, in a sad matter, knowing how much Creek meant to her. Poppy's gaze fell, sadness and realisation hitting her, he was really gone.
I pulled back from Copper's embrace, making my way over to Branch. Poppy was down and needed comfort. My arm hit Branch's, nudging him softly, he was the one looking realistic on most things, maybe he could comfort her a bit.
He looked back at me, clueless of what to do, I nudged him a little harder, basically pushing him over to Poppy.
He sighed in defeat. "Poppy, how could you possibly think Creek is still alive?"
Her gaze lifted from her feet, to Branch, now standing in front of her. "I don't think he is alive! I hope he is alive, and that's enough."
"How do you always look on the bright side? There is no bright side here!" Branch groaned irritated. This was not supposed to happen.
"Guys stop fighting!" I whispered, still trying to stay quiet and unnoticed, getting in between them.
"None!" Branch continued the argument, ignoring my frame blocking his full view on Poppy. "There's always a bright side!" Poppy said over my shoulder, both of them ignoring my presence completely.
But they both stopped their stupid arguments, when the bright light of a lantern, blinding us, and the scullery girl was the one holding it!
"Hey! Where do you think you're going!"
All of us jumping in surprise, screaming at the top of our lungs in fear, as we all ran in different directions. Guy Diamond shot Glitter in her eyes to blind her, giving us some time.
"No! Get back in your cage!" She yelled, reaching out for us, her hand slapping against the wooden table as she missed. Branch quickly took a hold of my hand and leaded me after the others, jumping down from the table. He kept holding it, leading me under a table further back in the room. As we stopped, I looked around, I couldn't see Poppy!
"Chef's gonna be so mad!" Idget cried out, as the Trolls kept avoiding her desperate attempts on grasping them.
"No!" She screamed after the others again, trying her best to keep up as they parted ways again.
She noticed Branch's small figure on the ground, he's left our hiding spot, to go grab a tool to use as protection. The Bergen reaching her hand out to grasp him. "Branch get in here!" I screamed at him, just for him to ignore it. He grabbed a fork, laying beside him on the floor, which was his target. It must've fallen out of the sink, which was used to wash dishes.
Branch used it as a weapon against Idget. She grabbed a Frying pan beside her head, ready to throw back at Branch.
"Bridget Stop!" Poppy yelled from the distance, making all movements slow down and everyone's attention on her. Her name is Bridget! That makes so much more sense.
"You're in love with King Gristle!" She accused, pointing a finger at the girl, as she stood in front of a bigger pink curtain.
Bridget gasped as she held the Frying pan in front of her face, clearly embarrassed. "Uh, I don't know what you are talking about-" Poppy pulled the curtain behind her, revealing a whole collage full of taped on pictures of King Gristle's face.
"Excuse me!" Bridget pushed herself past, reaching the curtain and pulling it out again. "That not mine!" She quickly denied.
Poppy pulled a little part on the corner, revealing a picture of Bridget on the collage. "What does it matter. It's not like he even knows I'm alive." Bridget sighed in defeat, her face falling.
"Bridget! We can help you!" Poppy suggested looking over at me on the ground.
"What if there is a way, where we both can get what we want?"
"You love Gristle too!" Bridget said in shock, both her hands leaning on the shelf underneath Poppy. "You better, back off- girlfriend." She threatened, awkwardly scratching her nails and hissing at Poppy.
Poppy looked just as confused as we all were, her face questioning every thought going through that girl's head. "No, Bridget no- That Troll, King Gristle put in his mouth, that's Creek." Poppy spoke sadly. I made my way to the side of the shelf, crawling up the curtain, making my way up beside her. I reached up into my hair, pulling out the frame-of-friends I had taken with me, handing it back to her.
She accepted it gladly from my hand, sending me back a smile. Her eyes sadly eyeing the picture frame of Creek.
"I would do anything to save him... The only problem is, we can't go anywhere near the King- without him eating us."
"Oh.." Bridget sighed, understanding our situation.
"But, You can!" Poppy added as Bridget's eyes lightened up. "You can walk right up to him and tell him how you feel!"
I looked at Poppy beside me, before my eyes moved to my feet, and then down at Branch, who had crossed arms, listening in on their conversation. I know I have some kind of feelings for him, I can't really explain. Even though it's not for explanation, I wouldn't just walk up to him and tell him. I don't think Bridget would, or can either, these feelings are important.
"As if! I can't just walk right up to the King! His royal awesomeness would never talk to a Scullury maid like me.." Bridget said looking sadly down at her fiddling hands in front of her. "Bridget has a point." I shot in, crossing my own arms.
"But what if he didn't know she was a Scullury maid? What if he thought she is this total Babe?" Poppy explained, looking at me.
"What kind of total Babe would be dressed like a Scullury maid? I smell like Gravy.."
"What if we made you a new outfit?" I spoke up, looking down at Satin and Chenille.
"I'm thinking-" Satin added.
"Jumpsuit!" They both spoke, pointing at each other as they said it at the same time. Them and the others has made their way onto Bridget's bed, their movements bouncing on the mattress.
"What's the point of a 'Jumping-suit' if I still have this hair.." Bridget protested again, reaching up and taking a hold of a strand of her purple hair, which was covering the most of her forehead.
"Oh we can fix that!" Poppy shrugged, fully in on the plan in function. "What's the point of a new outfit and new hair, if I don't even know what a 'total Babe' would ever say." Bridget again denied, she was getting irritating.
"We can tell you what to say!" Poppy said.
"Really?"
"What do you say Bridget? You get us Creek, and we'll get you a date with the King!" Poppy leaned closer, as Bridget did. We all looked hopefully at each other. Except Branch, he didn't look convinced Creek was still alive. Bridget placed her hand on a picture of Gristle while she thought about it. "Let's do it?" She nervously spoke.
"5, 6, 7, 8!" Poppy yelled.
🎵When you look in the mirror, let it disappear, all your insecurities!🎵 We all sang together, as we picked up some different beauty things. Satin and Chenille and I, picking up some fabric and needles, getting ready to sew her jumpsuit.
"Wait!" Bridget suddenly yelled making us all stop any movements. "Why isn't this one singing?" She said pointing at Branch which has crawled up beside Poppy on the shelf, I myself was on a moment ago. He was leaning against a plank, which was holding Bridget's curtain up, his leg crossed over the other. He discovered everyone looking at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Come on Branch! Sing with us!" Cooper encouraged as the others nodded beside him.
"Oh no, that's okay." Branch answered Plainly, standing straight up again. "Branch?" Poppy nervously chuckled, mostly for Bridget's sake, looking weirdly at him.
"You don't think this will work?" Bridget said on the edge of crying again. "Oh no no! It's not that, I just don't sing."
"Really Branch?" I spoke this time, looking over at him as I laid the needle in my grasp, beside me. "No. He's right, this idea is stupid! King Gristle will never love me!" Bridget sniffled, whining out, throwing herself flat down in her bed and began sobbing heavily into her pillow.
Our friends gathering around her head, patting her hair, trying to comfort her. Poppy gave Branch a stern look, before jumping down to comfort Bridget as well.
"That's right Bridget! Just let it all out. Get a good cry." Biggie comforted as Bridget leaned up, letting out a loud whiny sob, before face planting back into the pillow. "Okay... now bring it back in, reel it in" Biggie's comments made Branch roll his eyes, scoffing, and turned to the curtain. Poppy waved her arms, motioning for me to follow him.
I laid the needle I was still holding, beside me, standing back up and swinging down on the shelf, using my hair. Landing beside Branch.
"Branch, what are you doing?" I asked, my eyes moving with his frame, moving away from me and up the curtain. I straightened my back, before crawling after him, up the curtain. "If you don't sing, we can't get Creek back." I tried calmly explaining to him, hoping he somehow would give in.
"I've told you all already, I don't sing!" He shot back as he reached the top, pulling himself up on the window frame.
"Well, you have to, so Bridget goes with Poppy's plan."
"I'm sorry, I can't Juniper!" He said back, his voice raising slightly, sounding serious. My heart was arching by his harsh choice of tune.
"No, you can, you just won't." I continued pressing on, standing straight up, as I stepped up on the window frame, behind him.
"Fine! I just won't!" He answered back trying to open the window. "Do you really do everything Poppy tells you to do?"
"No I don't! But this is important!" I whined back, my own voice raising.
"I don't sing!" He looked at me through the glass of the window, seeing my figure in the glance of it.
"You have to!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!!"
"Why not! Why won't you sing!" I yelled out, accidentally getting everyone's attention. "Because singing killed my grandma, okay!" He ranted out, in the same tune as I. His whole body facing mine as he did, but quickly turning back around, back facing men wanting to hide his hurt expression.
"Now, leave me alone." He lowered his tone, sitting down in the corner of the window. I stood in shock, my eyes widened, following his movements. I felt terrible for yelling and for pressuring him into something he didn't want to do.

"My uncle broke his neck tap dancing once-" Cooper whispered to Biggie.

I slowly stepped closer to Branch, kneeling down in front of him.
"How did- singing kill your grandma." I wondered, my eyes searching his, which was avoiding mine. "What was she singing?" I tilted my head, not sure if he even remembered.
"I was the one singing-" His eyes finally met mine.
~~~
Branch Flashback:
🎵And I need you now, Tonight. And I need you more, than ever!🎵 Younger Branch was singing, using a stick as a microphone. He was all caught up in his beautiful song, his grandma looked out for him, hanging up the wet clothes she's been washing. She turned her back to him in a second, and suddenly a Bergen appeared behind him. His Grandma noticed the big Bergen, as she looked back at Branch again, The Bergen seeming to have set him as her target.
Branch: That day, I was so lost in song. I didn't hear my grandma trying to warn me...

"BRANCH! WATCH OUT!" Grandma yelled, dropped the laundry she held, running out to young Branch, as fast as her legs could take her. The Bergen were ready to snatch him right up.
🎵And we'll only be making it right!🎵 younger Branch kept singing, clearly not noticing the Bergen. "Watch out Branch!" Grandma screamed again, finally catching his attention, he followed her gaze, turning around, facing a big hand. Before the Bergen got her long nails could dig into the young Troll, Grandma pushed him out of reach for the Bergen. And he fell, the grandma got taken in the push by the Bergen.
He could hear her screams in the distance, as the Bergen got further away. Branch landed on the ground harshly, he was taken aback by the situation, not fully processing what've happened.
"Grandma!" He screamed reaching out in the direction the Bergen disappeared in.
That night, was the night he gave up, he's lost the only one caring for his presence. He blamed himself for what happened to her, his negative emotions getting the better of him. His beautiful Blue coloured skin, turning all grey, his normal dark blue hair, turning black as coal.
He promised. He would never sing another tune.
~~~
🎵Once upon a time there was light in his life, but now there's only love in the dark. Nothing he can say.🎵 The others has reached the window frame, Bridget right behind them. 🎵A total eclipse of the Heart.🎵 Bridget sang in a beautiful, light, note.
"I haven't sung a note since" Branch spoke, he has stood up, holding a hand on the glass of the window.
"I'm so sorry Branch- I had no idea." I apologised, it was not in my meaning to get that pushy with him.
"I just assumed you had a terrible voice.."
"No, no, it was- like an angel's. At least, that's what grandma used to say.." He turned back around to me, giving me a hint of a smile.
"I'm sure it is." I ran to him, holding both arms out, embracing him in a tight hug. "Whoa, whoa! What are you doing? It's not hug-time."
He stammered, both his arms staying glued down his sides.
"I just thought you could use one." I spoke, hugging his shoulders tighter, I could actually feel a relief in his shoulders as I hugged him. Which quickly went away after all the others joined in the hug, even Bridget. Her large Bergen hands, making their way all around us.
"Okay, Okay! I'll help. But I'm still not singing!" Branch stumbled back, pulling away from the group hug. He brushed his vest off, before pointing his finger at all of us, making sure we understand.
"Okay, people. Hair we go!" Poppy said, swinging her hair, getting on with her plan.
As the others was getting Bridget's new outfit, new nails and everything done, I walked over to Branch. "Thanks for telling me- us Branch. And I'm sorry for being pushy, it wasn't my intention." I told him, correcting myself with 'us' as the others overheard us.
"You meant it for the good Princess, and I guess, it's good to tell someone how you feel sometimes." Giving me a small smile, I could feel my stomach flutter, he looked so charming...
I flashed my smile back at him, stepping closer. leaning in, I kissed his cheek, my lips brushing his cheekbone softly.
Before pulling back again, jumping down from the window frame, stepping in to help Satin and Chenille with the jumpsuit.
Branch took a hold of his cheek in awe, looking down at me.