Chapter nine:

When morning reached the pod all was quiet, Sage had brought his King breakfast and the blue troll had accepted it gratefully but wordlessly and the guard hadn't felt that he could say anything to his King and friend. Once he had eaten breakfast Branch used his power to sooth the pain from Queen Poppy, he thought about playing his harp for the grey troll, he decided that he would and did so. The blue troll in fact spent the rest of the day in the room of the Queen, he played his harp on and off throughout the day for her knowing that as Peppy had said Poppy loved to hear him play. For some reason which Branch couldn't fathom he found himself playing the music he had heart in his dream to Poppy at least once a day.

A week later Branch was once more sat by the bedside of the grey troll he sighed, Poppy was now clearly losing her battle to live and though his presence had helped to strengthen her in the end the grey troll could not go on without the one she had lost by her side. Gently the King stroked her hair to offer the dying troll what comfort he could and from somewhere he had an over whelming urge to sing to her so Branch did.

"Hush, hush,

The day is done.

Hush hush,

The night has come.

The moon sails across the sky,

A ship of dreams,

On which we can fly.

Hush, hush

The day is done.

Hush, hush,

The night has come.

The stars are diamonds in the sky

They will glow to light your way

A light of hope that will never lie.

Hush, hush,

The day is done.

Hush, hush

The night has come.

When you dream you will shine,

You will be a star like no other

I know in your dreams will be mine."

The blue King was so involved in his song that he is completely unaware of his body guards, the snack pack and Peppy standing in the doorway listening to him as he sang this song. Suki suddenly noticed that the mist was starting to appear around Branch and that it was forming chains round him coming from his heart. The orange haired troll realised what these chains represented in a blinding flash of inspiration, quickly Suki moved forward, she made a grab for one of the chains and found it was solid under her touch. The DJ pulled hard on the chain, it snapped, Branch turned in her direction his eyes full of pain, but before the King could react the snack pack descended on him and his body guards didn't stop them, they didn't know why but they knew what the snack pack was doing to their King was something which they shouldn't stop from occurring but they did know it. So instead of stopping them the ten guards instead watched as the snack pack started pulling on the rest of the mist chains until they one by one broke from their King's body. It was Peppy who spotted the one pink chain amongst the others, the old troll surged forward, he reached past the snack pack grabbed the pink coloured chain and pulled on it with all of his might. Peppy fell backwards onto the floor as the chain broke, Branch closed his eyes, clutched his head, then screamed just like he had on the day his wings first appeared and the same force rippled out of him past the other trolls in the room.

The snack pack quickly backed away from the Mist King, lifting Peppy and taking him with them as they went. Slowly the blue troll's hands dropped from his head, the blue eyes of the King opened, they focused on the form of the grey troll in the bed before him and his eyes widened. "Poppy…" The name fell from his lips in a soft loving tone. "Oh Poppy…" Gently the blue troll pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm here my love, I remember…"

"Please…" Peppy began causing the blue troll to turn and look at him, the old troll moved away from the snack pack, he got down on his knees before the King of the Mist, bowed his body to the floor and looked up at the blue troll. Branch, his guards and the Snack pack all took a shocked breath, this was formal behaviour but they all knew what it meant, Peppy was humbling himself before Branch it was the ultimate apology for a troll. "Please Branch great King of the Mist, my daughters true love and soul mate, please save Poppy."

Branch turned back to the grey troll, he brought one of her hands out from under the sheets and held it between his own. As soon as the King did this mist filled the room shaped as spiralling tendrils, all of them were glowing blue, they reached out embracing Poppy so gently that it brought tears to Peppy's eyes and he wondered why had he ever called Branch a freak? He might be powerful but the blue troll was tender and unique, he also quite clearly loved Poppy with all of his heart and soul. The King rose from the chair at the Queen's bedside, he started to try to take his robe and under top off one handed, Satin moved forward quickly she started to help Branch. "Let me do this, you concentrate on whatever it is you need to do to save Poppy."

The blue troll smiled at her with thanks, when it came time for Satin to remove the last part of his over robe and under top Branch carefully moved the grey trolls hand from one of his to the other so he didn't brake contact with Poppy. Now clad in only his trousers Branch climbed into bed beside Poppy, he let go of the Queens hand for only a moment before he carefully but quickly pulled her into his arms and held her close to him. Peppy slowly got to his feet, the former King the snack pack and his guards watched in silence as the wings of the Mist King closed round the couple hiding them from view. Suki started soundlessly ushering everyone from the room, once they were all outside the DJ took one last look back at the room. It was a beautiful sight, full of the swirling, glowing blue mist and blue glittering particles of light which looked like tiny blue stars. Then in the centre of the room on the bed lay the cocoon of the Kings wings and body holding their Queen both of which Suki noticed were now also glowing blue along with his darker blue hair. Quietly but firmly the DJ closed the door on the magical sight, all they could do now was wait and pray that Branch could do as he had done before and bring Poppy back to them.

Branch gently ran his fingers through Poppy's grey hair. "Poppy my love please open your eyes, I'm right here and I'm not going to leave you again." He placed a kiss to her forehead and then to her lips. "Poppy, my flower…Don't give up on me not now…Not now I'm here and I remember you. The pain I put you through…The pain your father put us both through. I love you Poppy, I will always love you." Slowly the grey troll in his arms started to turn pink, she also started glowing at the same time and Branch smiled down at her glad to see this change occurring to the one he loved. "That's it Poppy…Maybe I should sing our song to you, I know how much you love to hear me sing." The blue troll started to sing their song true colours to the one he loved, as he sang the colour in the Queen spread until Poppy was glowing bright pink in his arms.

As the blue troll finished their song the now pink troll slowly opened her eyes, they widened with surprise as the Queen realised who was holding her and Branch smiled at the one he loved. "Branch…"

"Hello my love." He said to her softly.

"You remember…" Poppy whispered her voice full of awe and relief.

The blue troll gave her a nod before confirming. "I remember…I'm so sorry, I put you through so much pain."

The pink troll shook her head at him. "It wasn't your fault, it was my father who sent you away."

"I think Peppy has learnt a lot from his actions." The King told the Queen his voice soft.

"I think so too. I love you Branch."

"I love you too Poppy." When he had said this the blue troll kissed Poppy gently on the lips not wanting to over whelm her at this time. The pink troll had other ideas though, she placed one of her hands into his hair, the Queen deepen the kiss and slowly but surely Branch responded to this. They both closed their eyes, the couple moved closer, they held each other tightly neither one wanting to let go of the other and Poppy then pressed her free hand to the skin of Branch's back loving the feeling of it under her finger tips. Slowly the two trolls came up for air, breathing hard the King and Queen opened their eyes and the couple shared a smile. Then Poppy looked away from Branch's eyes, she moved her hand from his back she reached out and then gently stroked the one of the wings of the king. The blue troll shuddered slightly with pleasure, before he said softly to the Queen in his arms. "That feels so nice."

"Good I'm glad to hear you say that." Poppy said to him as she continued to stroke her hand over the wing for a few more moments before drawing her had away from them and saying to Branch with reluctance clear in her voice. "I suppose we should really let the others know that I am alright."

"Yes they are very worried about you…" As he spoke Branch slowly moved his wings back, Poppy hated losing the feeling of his wings around her and let out a noise of discontent.

As the blue troll looked at the Queen with confusion, Poppy explained the noise she had made to him. "I miss the feeling of your wings around me…"

The King blushed. "Oh I see, it's good to know you like my wings."

"Branch I don't just like your wings, I think they are magnificent." The pink troll said to him with complete honesty.

The blush on Branch's face grew, but he slowly released Poppy from his embrace whilst she reluctantly also let go of the King. Slowly the blue troll got out of the bed and onto his feet, he turned back to the Queen he held out a hand to Poppy, smiling at Branch the pink troll took his hand and let the one she loved help her up onto her feet. As she looked at the King Poppy had the over whelming urge to climb back into his arms and cling to Branch again, but instead of doing this the pink troll took his hand into hers holding it tightly. The King gave the one he loved an understanding smile, then together they left the bedroom and came into the main room of the pod. As they entered the room all of the trolls in the room looked up, when they noticed Poppy standing next to Branch and that she was now pink as well as awake the snack pack and her father were instantly on their feet. The trolls thronged towards the Queen and the King, then they were hugging them both, they were all crying with relief, laughing with joy and talking all at once. Poppy quickly returned their embraces and then said to them. "I'm fine thanks to Branch. Speaking of which dad, I have something I wish to say to you."

"Yes Poppy what is it?" Peppy said a nervous edge to his voice as he asked this simple question.

"I will be marrying Branch and I don't want to hear anything said against it dad, do you understand me?"

"I understand daughter…And I have no intention of standing between the two of you ever again." The old troll promised his child faithfully. "In fact, if you will both give me just a moment?" The two trolls gave him a nod, Peppy went into Poppy's room where he was keeping his things during his nights in the pod with his daughter and he returned from the room a few moments later with a golden cord in his hands. "Would the two of you face each other and hold hands again please?"

Now completely confused as to what was going on here, the blue troll and pink troll did as Peppy asked them to, once they had done as the old King had requested, Peppy carefully wound the golden cord around their joined hands, he then tied in together in a simple knot and as he did this Poppy realised what her father was doing. "Oh…" She said softly but joyfully.

Branch caught her eyes and the King gave the one he loved a confused look, but before Poppy could explain anything, Peppy had placed his hands on top of theirs, he looked to Branch and addressed him very formally. "Branch King of the Mist islands, as I know true love exists between you both and as I have seen that you are both soul mates I give to you my daughter as your wife. Will you take her as your wife?"

With wide eyes the blue troll answered this question. "Yes, I will take Queen Poppy to be my wife."

"Poppy my daughter and Queen of the trolls of this tree will you take King Branch your soul mate and true love as your husband?"

The pink troll smiled widely at Branch and then answered her father's question. "Yes, I will take King Branch to be my husband."

"Then as the former King of the trolls of this tree I declare that you are now husband and wife. None shall ever part you again."

As soon as Peppy said this the two trolls he had just married shared a smile, it was at this point the old troll took his hands off their joined ones. Then Branch still with their hands bound together quickly kissed his new wife on the lips, swiftly Poppy responded to this kissing him back, their love for each other clear for all those in the pod to see as they kissed. Slowly the two trolls broke the kiss, it was at this moment that Peppy unbound their hands, he then presented the gold cord to King Branch bowing respectfully to him as he did so. "Congratulations on your marriage your majesties."

The blue troll accepted the cord from the old troll with a bow of his head, Branch then swept Poppy up and carried her out of the main room back into the bedroom. Those present at this unexpected wedding shared smiles, they all left the pod of the newly married couple having no intention of interrupting them at this time. Peppy decided to go back to his own pod and leave the snack pack and the Mist King's guards to spread the news of Poppy's recovery and marriage to Branch around the rest of the troll tree and to the Bergan's. As for the snack pack and the guards of the King, the snack pack where quick to offer them their spare rooms in their pods for what remained of the day and that night and in the case of Onyx and Guy Diamond, Jade and Suki they were more than happy to have those they loved in their pods with them for the rest of the day and that night.

It was to none of the troll's surprise that the newly married couple didn't surface for several days, or that when they did Poppy looked as though she were floating on air and Branch looked as though he were the happiest troll in existence. When the blue troll was informed of the part that the Bergan's and Moss had played in bringing him back to the troll tree and therefore bringing him and Poppy back together the King had thanked them all whole heartedly for all of their help. The blue troll soon discovered that Moss, Bridget, Gristle and all of the Bergan's were glad he was back and that Poppy had been healed thanks to his return to her life.

Two weeks after they had been married Branch sat Poppy down in the main room of his pod and settled on the sofa next to her. "Poppy I promised my people that one you had become well again I would return to them, I don't wish to break my word to my people but I know your people need you as well. So I had hoped you would be willing to return with me to the mist so my people can meet their new Queen…Now as you know I can create things with my mist, my intention is to create a mist bowl from the mist for your father and our friends, so that they will be able to communicate with us whenever they should need to. Since I can crate mist portals as and when I need to, getting back here quickly should it be necessary would be no problem I am hoping that knowing all of this you will agree to come to my home with me for a little while."

Poppy took both of Branch's hands into hers and spoke to him. "Of course, you need to return to your own lands, your people have been without you for quite some time and I shall go with you my love, I am after all your wife and Queen. The fact we can use the mist to come back here anytime we need to is a wonderful thing to know and I am also glad to hear that you have been thinking of a way to communicate with my father and friends, it makes me feel much more comfortable with joining you on a trip back to the Mist islands."

"Good I am glad to hear you say that, shall we go and talk to your father, my guards and our friends then?"

"Yes lets."

The young royal couple spoke to all of the trolls who would be effected by their decision, when they had finished talking Jade took Suki's hand into his and addressed his King. "I hope you will have no objection to my bringing my girlfriend with me?"

"Of course not and before you ask Onyx I have no objection to you bringing Guy Diamond with you." This couple smiled at the blue troll.

"Thank you sire." Onyx said politely to Branch.

The blue troll carefully created two mist bowls, he gave one to Peppy and one to Smidge and then explained how to use them. "Just pass your hand over the bowl, then say my name and I will answer you."

"Cool!" Smidge said looking at the bowl made of mist.

"When will you set off back to the mist islands?" Peppy asked the young couple.

Branch looked down at his new wife as he said. "As soon as Poppy is ready."

"That shouldn't take me to long a couple of days or so." The pink troll assured the one she loved.

Sure enough three days later Branch was opening a portal of mist to his homeland, Poppy stood by his side, the King's guards were gathered around the royal couple and with them was Guy Diamond and Suki both of who were holding the hands of those they loved. Once the blue troll was sure that the mist portal was ready the King led Poppy through it and into the room which lay beyond it. Poppy looked around with awe at the room she found herself in, it was a lot like the Bergan castle but much brighter and smaller. Once all of the trolls were in the room Branch closed the mist portal down, he then introduced Poppy to all of the councillors and then to the oracle once more. Silver approached the pink troll standing at her King's side, she smiled at Poppy and then took the Queen's hands into hers. "It is lovely to meet you at last soul mate and true love of my King."

"It is good to meet you too Silver, Branch has always spoken highly of you."

The blue troll could already tell that his wife and Silver were going to get on well, Poppy and Branch went of a tour of his kingdom, the King showed the one he loved the village where he had first made his home. Poppy had to admit that the Mist islands were beautiful, the people were welcoming of their new Queen and they were happy to see that their King had met his true love and soul mate. After this first visit back to the island home of the blue troll the royal couple would travel back and forth between the two Kingdoms using the mist to make travel easy. Jade and Suki were married a year and a half after Branch and Poppy, Onyx and Guy Diamond married another three months after them. Two years after they had married the royal couple welcomed their son into the world, they named him Sapphire, just he like his father Sapphire had inherited the wings and powers of the mist just as Poppy and Branch had known he would.