Chapter six:

Side by side and hand in hand Branch and Poppy left the dungeons, as they came out into a castle hallway the couple were spotted by the guards who were searching for the princess. When their eyes fell on Branch they froze, their eyes widened, a couple of the guards dashed off to fetch King Peppy while the rest just stood there staring at the blue troll standing hand in hand with their princess. A few moments later King Peppy came racing into the hallway, he smiled with clear relief at the sight of his daughter safe and sound. Then the old troll noticed the blue troll she was holding hands with, his orange eyes went wide before he managed to say. "King Branch?"

The younger King gave him a smile. "Yes, King Peppy."

"Your blue again…" He said with awe.

"I am, that is thanks to your daughter, her true love healed my long broken heart."

Peppy looked at his daughter, who blushed becomingly and then smiled up at the blue troll by her side. "Poppy?"

"It is true father. I discovered that when I healed Branch that it was not prince Creek one who saved me from my curse but Branch. Prince Creek then imprisoned Branch using the spindle from my curse in order to prevent us from finding out the truth."

The old troll looked from one troll to the other, Poppy and Branch could see that he was both confused and in disbelief. The couple shared a look for a moment, they gave each other a nod and then Poppy said to the King softly but clearly. "Branch my true love." Instantly he began to glow with blue light causing the guards in the hallway and King Peppy to gasp.

Before the old King could say anything to them Branch spoke. "Poppy my true love." Sure enough the princess began to glow with a pink light.

Peppy looked from one of them to the other, before smiling slowly at the couple and saying. "Well this is unexpected. As long as you are happy my daughter then so am I. I know that King Branch is a good troll so I am content he will treat you well but what of prince Creek?" He asked as them both as the light faded from the two trolls.

It was Poppy who answered this question. "Prince Creek lied to us. His actions also angered one of my fairy godmothers…So we shall have to see what she does to prince Creek in order to punish him."

"I see." Was all King Peppy could think to say to his daughter, he knew well enough that angering a fairy was never a good thing and he pitted the prince. The old King shook himself and turned his attention onto Branch who was looking down onto his daughter with a loving expression on his face. Peppy called the blue trolls attention back to him by speaking to him. "King Branch, do you intend to wed my daughter?"

"I would be honoured to marry your daughter but I have no wish to rush Poppy…Despite the fact that we have known each other for years…Not that we knew at the time what each other really was. I also think after all the years which Poppy and yourself have spent apart that it would be best to give you both some time to get to know each other before Poppy and myself are married."

The old troll smiled widely at the younger King as usual he showed his wisdom. "Thank you, that is both fair and kind of you King Branch."

Branch smiled at King Peppy. "I hope however you will understand that I shall wish to visit your daughter very often until we are married."

Peppy returned the smile of the blue troll. "Yes I understand that. Poppy is this all of this alright with you?"

Poppy looked at her father and said to him. "I think that as you said father Branch is being very kind and fair but I would like to marry Branch sooner rather than later if you don't object father."

"I don't object daughter." Peppy told her with a grin for his daughter.

The pink troll smiled up at the King by her side, who smiled back at her before he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Peppy smiled at the young couple standing before him they reminded him so much of himself and his wife when they had been their age. The old King could tell already that Branch and Poppy were going to make a wonderful King and Queen of their combined kingdoms as well as a very happy married couple.

When morning came to the castle a loud scream had the servants, guards, King Peppy, Poppy and Branch going to see what was wrong. They found that the scream had come from Creek, Nightshade had really outdone herself with the curse which she had placed on the troll. The prince was no longer handsome he was instead both extremely ugly and also grey. The three royals looked at each other, they knew that this had to be the prince's curse and they all wondered how long he would be stuck like this. Poppy was the one to address Creek. "It would appear your lies have caught up to you."

Snivelling Creek turned to look at her, then noticed Branch standing next to her and his eyes widened as realisation set in. "How are you free?"

"True love can conquer all things." The King said with a smile before he took Poppy's hand into his.

Peppy spoke up at this moment. "It would appear prince Creek that you have been cursed, it is never wise to anger a protective fairy godmother."

The blue eyes of the prince widened further at these words and then darted back to Branch. "You have a fairy godmother?"

"Yes, in fact Poppy and I have the same fairy godmother. It would appear she was none too pleased with your actions."

"She said I would look like this until I learnt to be kind and treat other trolls as I would wish to be treated." Creek said with a distinct whine to his voice.

Branch shook his head at the other troll. "If you carry on behaving like that then you're going to stay like this for many years."

The grey troll glared at the King. "I want to go home."

"I think that can be arranged prince Creek." King Peppy assured him.

So, it was that with help from the staff of the castle Creek with all of his belongings left the castle for his home country at around lunchtime of that same day. It would as Branch had predicted be many years before the grey troll mended his ways and managed to at last break his curse but this story isn't about him.

Poppy and Peppy spent many months getting to know each other as father and daughter, the two trolls talked about anything and everything, including as the King had promised his daughter her mother. The princess had soaked up every last detail about the mother she had never known and over time she had come to love her father very much. Knowing about both of her parents helped Poppy to understand many thing about herself and her personality. Finding out she had the same beautiful singing voice as her mother and the same stubborn streak as her father had pleased the pink troll a great deal.

Over these months, Branch would come to regularly visit his true love from his western county. Poppy had noticed that now he had his colour back a lot of other female trolls were paying attention to him. The princess knew that the blue troll only had eyes for her, but that didn't stop her wanting to grab hold of Branch and yell mine every time other female trolls stared at him with clear desire in their eyes. Whenever the princess's possessiveness of her true love did show the King would smile at her, then with laughter dancing in his eyes he would kiss her forehead before saying to her. "My heart is yours and yours alone Poppy."

The first time the princess heard her true love sing she was amazed, Poppy had never heard a voice so angelic in all her life. After hearing the King sing, the pink troll couldn't help but want to hear Branch sing again and the blue troll often found himself being begged for a song from the one he loved. Sometimes the blue troll would give in to her begging and other times Branch would not, but most of the time he would only not give in to Poppy's pleading if to many other trolls were around, as the King didn't like to sing before lots of trolls. Branch had to admit though he always enjoyed the look of pure bliss on Poppy's face when he would give in and sing for her.

Six months after Poppy had woken from her curse the pink troll and her father made their way to Branch's home country, the pink princess thought that it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen in her life. It was a country full of high hills, sheltered forests, deep valleys, majestic mountains and glittering rivers. Peppy couldn't help but smile at the expression of wonder on his daughters face as she took in the home country of her betrothed. It had been two months after his daughter's curse had been broken that Peppy had announced the betrothal between Poppy and Branch to all of his Kingdom whilst Branch had done the same in his. Both kingdoms had greeted the news with great joy, after all every troll knew the story of princess Poppy and King Branch now. Peppy was feeling a little sad on this journey because he was taking his daughter to Branch's kingdom so they could be married, he was not unhappy about the wedding just a little upset that he was losing his daughter already. The old King shook himself he shouldn't think like that Branch had said they would visit often and he wasn't losing his daughter but gaining a son. There had been a lot of conversation before the journey to Branch's home Kingdom for the wedding had been decided on. Poppy had been firm on wanting to travel to his home, stating that tradition in troll culture dictated the bride be brought to the groom and so it would be for her as it would be for any other troll bride.

Poppy's eyes widened as the hills on either side of the carriage fell back, bellow them lay a valley, a shimmering river meandered through it. On its banks was the capital city, the buildings of which were all made of white stone, and towering above it was a castle which set her own home to shame, it was a tall blue elegant structure, with golden shimmering topped towers. "Oh, father it's beautiful…"

Peppy smiled at his daughter, it was times like this he had to remind herself that she had spent years living in the forest and had never seen sights like the famous blue castle of the Kings and Queens of the west. "Yes, the castle is beautiful."

When their carriage palled to a halt in the courtyard yard, Branch was standing there waiting for his soon to be wife. As soon as Poppy was out of the carriage she was walking over to the King and taking both of his hands into hers and as had become Branch's habit when they were in company and he wanted to kiss her the blue troll instead placed a kiss to her forehead. "Welcome to my home my love."

"I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life." Poppy told him honestly.

Branch smiled softly at her before saying to her. "I've seen something much more beautiful than this."

"Oh, what was that then?" The pink troll asked curiously.

"You my love." The King said with honesty.

These words caused Poppy blush brightly but she couldn't think of anything to say in return so the princess let Branch escort her out of the courtyard and into the castle. The King gave the princess a quick tour of his home, introducing her to all of those who worked at the castle as they walked along, then once the tour was over Branch took Poppy to her rooms and left her to get some rest after her long journey.

Two weeks after her arrival at the blue castle it was at last the day Poppy had been looking forward to for months now her wedding day. The princess's gown was a work of art, it was white, but every time she moved it shimmered blue Poppy had to admit the moment she had set eyes on that fabric she had known that it would be perfect for her wedding dress. The gown had a fitted bodice, long skirts which fell down strait to the floor and then flowed out behind her to make a train. Her father had given her a necklace which had belonged to her mother to ware today, it was white gold chain with a single bright pink diamond teardrop hanging from it. Her fairy three good godmothers had made the matching tiara of pink diamonds and white gold which was settled into her hair. Nightshade's gift had been an immunity from all future curses for Poppy, Branch and their children.

Poppy's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door of her room. "Come in!"

Peppy entered he smiled at his daughter and then offered the princess his arm. "It's time. You look exquisite Poppy."

"Thank you." She said before slipping her arm through her fathers and setting off.

They walked from the castle to a grove of trees which stood not far from the castle, Poppy had been surprised to discover that this was a very old tradition for Branch's family, each couple was married in the grove and then planted a tree in that grove. As they entered the grove Poppy looked around in awe, the trees cast the grove into a dappled light, they stood in two straight lines towards a lake at one end of the grove. All of the trees were in bloom each one had different colours of flowers representing all of the couples who had come to this place before them. The princess couldn't help but think it was like being married in a cathedral of trees.

Poppy turned her eyes away from the trees and towards her true love, who stood waiting for at the other end of the grove of trees. Branch looked so handsome today, he wore the formal crown of the western Kings it was of white gold and each point of the crown was decorated with a diamond. Branch wore dark well fitted deep blue trousers, a cream high necked shirt which opened at the front in a v shape, over this was a jacket in the same deep blue as the trousers it was fitted to his upper body before flaring out slightly at his waist to settle at his hips.

When they reached Branch Peppy held his hand out to the younger King, the blue troll placed his hand into Peppy's, the old troll joined their hands together holding them between his own for a few moments and saying to Branch. "Take good care of my daughter."

"Always." The blue troll assured him.

With a nod to Branch Peppy released their hands, the young couple shared a smile before turning to the troll who was marrying them. Poppy thanked the heavens that here in Branch's kingdom the ceremony was not long and soon enough they were exchanging vows, it was the King who went first. "I Branch King of the western troll clans take you princess Poppy of the central troll clans to be my wife and Queen. Our true love brought us together and nothing will ever part us. I am yours now and always, this I freely promise you." Gently the blue troll slipped a white gold wedding band onto the middle finger of her left hand and smiled at the one he loved.

Poppy smiled back at him before making her own vows in return. "I Poppy Princess of the central troll clans take you Branch King of the western troll clans to be my husband and King. Your true love set me free and brought us together, I know nothing will ever part us. I am yours now and always, this I freely promise you." Poppy carefully placed a corresponding white gold wedding band onto the middle finger of Branch's left hand.

The troll marrying the young couple spoke then. "I now declare you, husband and wife, King and Queen together you may kiss."

Branch swept in kissing Poppy, she quickly started to kiss back and sure enough blue and pink light started to emanate from the couple. They newly married couple brought this kiss to an end before the light grew too bright for the guests at their wedding. Hand in hand they walked back down the grove of trees, they stopped at the end of the grove in order to plant their own tree together, this tree would go on to be one of the very few trees in the grove to have flowers which glowed. The two kingdoms declared a holiday for the wedding which mean that both countries could celebrate the wedding of the two trolls in great style which they did.