Trolls Part 1 (Branch X Jamie)

Chapter 13: Finding the Kidnapped Trolls

The guards greeted each other as they walked in the hallway. A torch was lit until it died down to show it was really Jamie's and Poppy's hair. They and Branch looked to see the coast was clear, slung their hair to the chandelier, and swung to the other side.

"So where do you think our friends are?" Jamie asked.

"If I had to guess, I'd say in a Bergen's stomach," Branch answered.

"Could you try to be positive? Just once. You might like it," Poppy said.

"Okay. I'm sure they're not only alive, but about to be delivered to us on a silver platter," Branch remarked with fake positivity.

"Thank you. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Poppy wondered, making Branch give her a dumbfounded look.

Jamie shook her head, looked at her sister, and whispered to her, "Poppy, you know he's being sarcastic, right?"

Before she could respond, both hers and Jamie's hug timers went off, giving them an idea.

"Branch!" Poppy exclaimed.

"Hug time? Seriously?" Branch questioned irritably.

Jamie shushed him by putting her finger to his lips and instructed, "Listen."

Branch both listened for the sound Jamie was talking about and thought about how he could kiss Jamie's finger right now. But he kept it to himself as they all heard the other hug alarms go off from their friends.

While Bridget pushed a cart with the cage with the Trolls inside, King Gristle and Chef walked through the dining room where the guards were preparing for Trollstice.

"This is gonna be the best Trollstice ever! Such a great idea I had," Gristle replied proudly.

"Yes. Tomorrow is Trollstice, everyone. And it must be perfect!" Chef commanded.

"Yes, Chef!" the guards responded.

"Feels great to be ordering everyone around again," Chef stated.

At that moment, Branch, Jamie, and Poppy made it to one of the chandeliers and looked to see the others were safe for the moment.

"Branch, look!" Jamie pointed.

"They're alive?" Branch questioned.

"And on a silver platter, too. We were right," Poppy remarked, forgetting he was being sarcastic before.

"Wow," Jamie mumbled, making Branch chuckle quietly.

"And to mark the occasion, Your Highness, look. I found your old Troll bib," Chef said, holding the bib.

"Oh, wow! I bet you still fit," Gristle said, struggled to put it on, and when he did, he couldn't breath as he remarked, "Like a glove!"

It popped off, making Bridget gasp and Cooper laugh until the other Trolls shushed him.

"Oh, you think that's funny? We'll see who's laughing when I bite your yummy head off. When I bite all y'alls yummy heads off," Gristle threatened.

As he looked at all of them, he realized how many more Bergens there were than the kidnapped Trolls at the moment.

"Wait a minute. Chef, this isn't enough yummy heads to feed all of Bergen Town," Gristle pointed out then asked, "How are we supposed to have Trollstice if there's not enough Trolls?"

"Oh, there's plenty more where that came from, sire," Chef assured.

"Are you sure? Because I promised everyone a Troll," Gristle replied.

"No, no, no, sire! Everything will be fine. If I were truly worried, would I be willing to do this?" Chef asked, then grabbed Creek.

"Creek!" Jamie squealed until Poppy and Branch pulled her down.

Chef looked in that direction suspiciously until Gristle spoke.

"Oh, my first Troll!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Go on, eat, King Gristle. Enjoy a taste of true happiness," Chef urged.

All the Trolls, kidnapped and spying, watched in horror as Gristle lifted Creek to his mouth.

"Shouldn't we wait for Trollstice?" he asked, stopping.

"Phew," the Trolls sighed in relief.

"Sire, every day is Trollstice when you have Trolls," Chef answered, putting Creek in a taco then handed him back to the king.

"Yeah, I guess," Gristle responded.

He lifted the taco to his mouth until he stopped again.

"But my dad said the first time should be special," Gristle pointed out.

All the Trolls sighed in relief again.

"Well, you're the king now," Chef stated, pouring hot sauce on Creek.

"Yeah, I am the king," Gristle said.

He did it a third time until he stopped again.

"But I think I should share this moment with all the kingdom," Gristle remarked.

Chef growled and ordered, "Eat it!"

She shoved Creek in the king's mouth and he groaned while the Trolls gasped.

"Oh my God!" Smidge said.

"No!" Jamie yelled.

"Yes!" Chef exclaimed then snapped her fingers.

The guards put a sombrero on the king's head, maracas in his hands, spun him towards the door, and played trumpets.

"Idget, lock these Trolls in your room and guard them with your life," Chef commanded and threw a wooden spoon at her head.

"Yes, Chef," Bridget said.

Gristle moaned and Chef responded, "Yes. Yes, I know."

Once they left the room, Jamie was freaking out.

"Guys, we have to save him!" she said, about to leave.

"Save him from what? His stomach?" Branch asked, pulling her back.

"We didn't see him chew. We didn't see him swallow!" Jamie pointed out in a panic.

"Face it, Jamie. Sometimes people go into other people's mouths, and they don't come out. If we go after Creek now, we're going to get eaten. I'm sorry, but it's too late for him," Branch explained.

"Branch is right, Jamie. We can't save everyone," Poppy added.

Jamie looked where the king and Chef went then saw Bridget pushing the cart with the others toward the stairs. She gave a determined look to them and jumped.

"Huh. Jamie!" Branch exclaimed as Poppy looked with worry.

Jamie slid down the edge of the ladder, jumped on a spoon, and surfed on it until she made it to one of the strings of Bridget's apron. Poppy did the same thing and made it to the other string. Branch made it down, jumped across the guards hats, swung on one of the tassels, and made it to the string that Jamie was on. Their faces were really close to each other, making them blush (but you couldn't tell with Jamie since she's a red Troll), but they shook it off and waited to see where Bridget would go.

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A/N Creek was eaten and they are determined to get the others free. Plus the position Jamie and Branch were in, I love it! Lol!