A Time to Heal

Hi, again.

So this is the continuation/part two of my story "Find Me—I'm Lost." For the new readers, this can be a bit of a stand-alone, but a lot of the backstory is needed from my first tale to really get why this story is taking place. Again, this isn't quite an AU story, but it is different. Please let me know what you think, good or bad, and I hope you enjoy.

Sincerely,

Turtle Babe

I own nothing. Nothing.

Chapter One

Poppy's tribe looked on in wonder as the handful of ice troll's followed the warm climate trolls' queen to the Troll Tree. It was amazing for the warm climate trolls to see the vast difference between the two tribes as they stood next to one another and even more mind-boggling to see the three foxes that had pulled the lovely sleds and one carriage up to the Troll Tree. Ice trolls were much taller than Poppy's tribe and their manes swung in intricate braids down their backs. Most impressive of the group were Branch's recently discovered twin, older siblings, Queen Crystal and King Frost.

"Poppy!" Peppy called, hurriedly getting to his daughter the best he could with his walking stick, "Oh, I have missed you."

Poppy embraced her eager father as Branch grinned up at Creek for a second while his guard was held carefully in King Frost's arms since his injured hip was still on the mend.

"At least he kept his clothes on," Branch whispered as Creek snorted softly while the prince's older brother lifted one brow in question, "Tell you later, Brother."

"Very well," Frost nodded out before looking up at hearing his baby brother's name shouted out.

Creek watched as Glade ran up to hug Branch as tight as the lad could hug once the prince dropped to a knee to be at the boy's height. The purple-skinned troll felt bad about how much he'd upset the boy when he'd kidnapped Branch in front of the trolling. Glade must have been pretty frightened by it all, judging by his behavior and not seeming to want to let go of the prince.

"Now, now, Glade," Branch laughed out, scrubbing a hand through the boy's mane as he stooped to settle the child back on his feet, "I'm alright now."

"But Mr. Meany stole you," Glade pouted as Creek sighed within Frost's arms.

"He did, but Mr. Meany isn't mean anymore because he found my family for me, Glade," Branch explained as he reached to pull Glade towards him and pointed at his siblings, "This is my brother and sister. Creek found them for me and took me to be with them so everything is okay now."

"Really?" Glade questioned, looking up with big eyes at the large ice trolls before focusing on Creek, "You did mean things!"

"I did and I'm sorry, Glade," Creek offered as Frost settled the injured troll on a nearby toadstool to sit, "I won't do mean things anymore. I promise, Glade. I acted very ugly and scared you a lot, but I learned my lesson and promise to be a good troll."

"Hmm," Glade hummed, not looking convinced before going up on tippy-toes and reaching to touch the new, crystal circlet that Frost had made for Branch since the prince was still kneeling beside him, "What's this?"

"That is something that shows that my brother is a prince of his mother's people, Sweet Laddie," Crystal offered, bending to place her hands on her knees as the green child turned and smiled up at the pretty queen while Branch blushed a bit, "Don't be silly, Little Brother. Frost and I are both wearing our circlets too."

"Still not something I'm used to yet," Branch huffed as his siblings laughed at him while Glade looked confused at what was being said.

The tribe surged around the child and Branch as murmurs began among the trolls.

"Ooh. Look at that. Cooper was right."

"So Branch is really royalty now? Cool!"

"So when he marries Poppy then Branch will be King-Prince Branch? That's be a mouthful."

"Hey, Branch, why are you so much shorter than the other ice trolls if you are their prince?"

"Be quiet! Don't be rude."

"He looks so handsome in those clothes, but why boots? What troll needs boots?"

"Oh, my," Branch sighed as the murmurs and questions turned into a large clamoring while Poppy hid a smile that he noticed, thank you, "Stop. Poppy will explain everything that has happened since…well, since I've been away, but first let me introduce you to my brother and sister and to my new bodyguard…someone we all know well. This is a long tale so settle in."

The tribe eagerly gathered while Poppy began her story. King Frost was charming. Queen Crystal was warm, but regal and Creek was beyond uncomfortable as trolls he'd grown up with stared at him in surprise and curiosity. His welcome wasn't as bad as he thought, but it wasn't a welcome with open arms. Still, it was nice to be able to offer everyone a public apology for his doings. Poppy accepted the apology on behalf of the tribe, but Creek could see the doubt on some trolls' faces.

"King Frost, Queen Crystal, let us show you how we party!" Poppy cried out after all the introductions and formalities were over with as Branch cringed while his siblings smiled at the pink troll.

Several hours later, Creek felt even more uncomfortable. Distinctly uncomfortable, sitting beside Kiv as the rest of the tribe were putting on a song and dance number like no one's business in attempts of impressing the ice trolls. Frost seemed to be enjoying the number as he clapped along while Creek felt Queen Crystal's strain.

"Your brother is trying, my queen," Creek offered as Branch continued working to calm the party down a little, "Warm climate trolls thinks louder is always better."

"I see," Crystal hummed, hiding her dislike of the din pretty well considering, "I rather enjoy…softer tunes myself. Frost has always been the one who enjoyed larger groups. I am not like that."

"Neither is your younger brother," Creek chortled, gesturing to Branch as he looked close to tearing his hair out, "Prince Branch is not one for big and flashy, but he can dance with the best of them when he wants to."

"Sure can," Poppy giggled, hoping over as the routine ended to hug Crystal's arm as the ice queen smiled down at the lass, "Have you heard your brother sing yet? My Branch has the best voice of his father's people. Let me show you."

Crystal sighed when Poppy didn't even wait for a reply from the queen before racing off to grab Branch and begin begging for a song. Soon enough, Poppy had won the battle and Branch blushed as he was led to the center of the party. True Colors. Prince Branch's and Queen Poppy's song that no one else sang anymore under unspoken understanding that this song was just for these two.

"Beautiful," Frost breathed as his sister swayed to the sweet melody, "He sings like an angel."

"Better than even Mother's voice," Crystal whispered as her twin exchanged a happy look with his sister.

Creek smiled at the dancing pair before noticing eyes on him again. Several pairs. The stares were uncomfortable. Though he'd announced his formal apology at arriving home and had been offered a full pardon by Poppy in front of the whole tribe, Creek knew auras. He saw the distrust from many trolls. He knew this would be what would be waiting for him here. A bed he'd made himself, but it still hurt deep down to feel the distrust.

"Hey," Branch whispered coming to take Kiv's seat now that his song was done as the large guard was pulled to the dance floor by some eager children, "Relax, Creek. Open your hands."

Creek looked down at his fisted hands in surprise before sighing in shame while uncurling his fingers. Would this way of dealing with stress never cease? He never meant to rip at his skin, but he felt tense ever since arriving at the Troll Tree.

"I'm sorry, Prince Branch," Creek groaned before snorting as the other troll knocked his shoulder against him.

"No apologizing. We'll just continue working on this now that we are home," Branch instructed before growing still as Creek seemed to pale a bit, "Talk to me."

"I'm fine, Mate," Creek spoke up, shaking his head at Branch, "I'm just really tired and my hip is bothering me."

"That and something else," Branch insisted as Creek looked away before slowly nodding, "What is it?"

"Nothing that can be changed until I show your tribe that I've changed," Creek spoke as Branch startled.

"My tribe? Creek this is our tribe," Branch pointed out before blinking as Creek patted his honor guard brand, "Oh."

"I'm not a member of this tribe any longer," Creek reminded, "My tribe is of the ice. I serve my royal family with due diligence now. That is my job."

"Remember what was said to you, Creek?" Branch pushed, "It was Poppy and Satin that pointed out the truth. You are like me. You and I are of both tribes, I by blood and you by being honor guard. I won't allow you to emotionally seclude yourself out of guilt, okay? We're starting over again and…oh, hello."

Creek glanced up to see some of the smallest trollings surrounding Branch. The prince had told Creek on the journey here that he'd been helping with the younger generations since Poppy had been too busy to help like she used to. The tots seemed happy to see the blue troll. Creek watched the interactions feeling content before tensing and catching one of the little lassie's hands as she went to jerk on Branch's necklace. Branch couldn't lose the opal snowflake or his condition would flare out of control. Branch's ice was being suppressed by the ice opal and being separated from the stone could kill his prince.

"No, Sweetie," Creek denied quickly as the babe gasped and pulled her hand back.

"I just wanted to see it," the little, yellow child whimpered as her eyes welled up with tears, "It's pretty like a star."

"It's okay, Sherbet," Branch soothed as the babe began sniffling while hostile glances started being thrown Creek's way from the trolls that were near, "Creek had to stop you because there is a reason I have to wear this."

"That's right, Pretty Lady. My prince has to wear this special necklace so he doesn't get sick," Creek tried to explain in his most gentle voice as the child calmed and turned to listen to him as he pointed out Branch's snowflake ornament, "Prince Branch can never take this off, but it is pretty like a star, isn't it? You have very good eyes, Sherbet."

"I think it's pretty like a raindrop," a little lad chirped as Sherbet nodded at Creek, "I want one too!"

"Me too!"

"Me!"

Branch was trying his best to calm the tiny hoard as Creek smiled at the innocence of children. He had missed the little ones when he'd been banished. He could kick himself now that he knew what an idiot he'd been at thinking he could sacrifice these babes. An idea came to him and he nodded to himself as he turned in the direction of someone that could possibly appease the children.

"King Frost, may I ask something of you?" Creek called as the large troll came over, making the toddlers gasp and hide behind Branch, "These trollings love your brother's necklace. Sherbet here thinks the necklace is pretty like a star and this fine lad thinks it shines like rain. Children, this is Prince Branch's older brother and if you ask him nicely…he just might make you a necklace of your own with magic."

"Really?" Sherbet squealed, bouncing from around Branch in her excitement, "May I have a pretty star too like Mr. Prince-Poppy's-Branch, Mr. Prince-Poppy's-Branch's-Brother?"

Creek snickered as Branch's face heated and the prince shook his head in exasperation. The large king laughed with such a jolly ring to it that the rest of the toddlers came over with begging faces too.

"I see," Frost hummed with twinkling eyes as he sat to be less intimidating for the children, "I think I can do a little something. Let's see here."

The children gasped again and then clapped as Frost used his powers to manipulate crystal right in front of the babes' eyes. A small star formed and Creek smiled as Poppy handed him some cord and scissors. Creek slid the charm handed to him by his king onto the cord and measured it around Sherbet's neck before cutting it and tying the ends in a knot.

"Thank you Mr. Prince-Poppy's-Branch's-Brother and thank you Mr. Creek," Sherbet giggled, admiring her little star before joining the group as Frost worked on a raindrop charm next, "Ooh! Mummy, look at my star!"

Creek tied another knot for a different child as he watched Sherbet jumping into her mother's arms. Other parents watched warily as Creek interacted with their children. He didn't blame them for their feelings as he returned their looks with a nod of understanding. Some of the parents seemed surprised at Creek's acknowledgement, but others only turned their noses up and walked away.

"Poppy, I'm getting tired. Would you?" Creek called as the queen stepped up happily to interact with the babes and finish the last of the impromptu necklaces, "Thank you, my king. I apologize for calling on you so suddenly without asking ahead of time."

"Not a problem. I'm happy to do this," Frost snorted, shaping a small crescent moon for a squealing lass, "None of the young from our tribe are this tiny. I'm up to my eyeballs in cute and feel myself melting. My subjects will disown me."

"Not at all, Brother," Crystal chuckled, watching from her seat while other honor guard watched on with grins on their faces, "It is nice to see our abilities used to make others happy for a change instead of for just surviving and fighting. Clever, Creek."

"Very clever," a troll named Cedar stated, holding his son Glade on his hip, "Always know how to help, don't we, Creek?"

Branch glanced up as Creek swallowed uncomfortably. This troll was obviously none too happy that Creek was back. Probably because of leaving his son alone in the forest when he'd kidnapped Prince Branch along with the whole Bergen fiasco from before.

"Seem to also know how to make a giant mess, too," Creek sighed as Cedar cocked his head in surprise at the statement, "I'm sorry, Cedar. I can't apologize enough for frightening your child. I promise to never do anything as vile as that again."

"Enough," Branch said as Cedar opened his mouth to say something, "Everything has been forgiven. Cedar, Creek made mistakes, but he's proved himself to me and my family. He's an honor guard now so show him respect. You don't want to insult the ice troll tribe, do you?"

"Of course not," Cedar assured, glancing about as ice trolls turned to watch the discussion with narrowed eyes, "Um…my son wanted to ask if he could have a necklace too."

"Yeah! A leaf one," Glade cheered as his father settled him on his feet to scamper over, "Please, Mr. King."

Creek watched Frost oblige as he quietly reached for his crutches and slipped away from the gathering. Branch was doing fine so leaving wouldn't be bad as long as he didn't stray far. He found a quiet spot around the trunk of the Troll Tree that was clearly used as a gathering area and took a seat as he gazed up at the stars through the branches. All of the different feelings of mistrust he was picking up on was a bit…taxing. Sighing, Creek allowed the sadness to well a bit.

"Saw you leave."

Creek startled and looked to see Cedar walking over. The troll didn't look happy.

To be continued…