Chapter 3

The next day Branch went to the castle and peeked through the window. He tapped on it lightly to get his friend's attention. Poppy sat up in bed and looked at Lilly who was still sleeping. She looked at Branch then back at Lilly uncertain if it was safe to go outside.

"Come on Poppy," Branch whispered to his friend.

Poppy slid out of bed and tiptoed her way to the window. She motioned Branch to back up. "I cannot believe your on the roof of the castle," she whispered.

Branch softly leaped out of the way as she climbed outside and shut the window behind her. "Come on! Come on!"

The two friends went to the park and played on the swings and jungle gym. "Poppy," Branch said. "Your my very best friend."

"Your mine's too Branch."

"And we're always going to be friends forever, aren't we?"

"Yeah forever."

Then Branch had an idea. "Hey let's go swimming!"

Poppy ran to the lake in the park. "Last one in is a rotten doughnut!"

She jumped in the lake first with Branch jumping after. Big Mommy looked out the tree and smiled at the two trolls playing together. Poppy made a big splash and nearly caught Big Mommy.

"Poppy!" Lilly cried.

Poppy stopped and looked in the direction of the castle. "I've got to go."

Branch splashed in the water. "Aw. But we''re having so much fun!"

"My sister is calling me."

Poppy got out of the water and ran to the castle.

"Alright! See you tomorrow at the park okay? Don't forget!"

"I won't!" Poppy cried back as she ran further and further from the lake.

The next day Branch waited for Poppy to come on and play but she didn't come. Confused, Branch went to the castle and climbed up to the window. The window was opened this time so he was able to come in.

"Poppy?" he called.

Poppy turned to face Branch. She had a sad expression on her face. Branch looked at her leg.

"Good grief! Your chained up to the bed!"

"My step mom told me that I can't go anywhere so she chained me to the bed so I can't really move."

"We can play here."

Branch had jumped from the window and was making his way to his friend. He gently grabbed her hands.

"No. Not with Lilly here."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Grey trolls aren't allowed in or anywhere near the kingdom."

"How come?"

"The queen's order. Not mine."

"What do you me by Lilly?"

"She's one of the trained guards here. Do you know what these guards do to grey trolls?"

"I don't understand why I can't be here?"

Poppy gasped when he went over to her bed.

"Branch! No!"

Branch got on the bed and walked on it. He looked at the helmet and the armor in the corner of her bed. "Why is there armor in here?"

"That's what you have to worry about!" Poppy whispered loudly.

Lilly stirred a bit when Branch tripped on her legs as she moved them. Branch raised an eyebrow in confusion when she began to murmur in her sleep.

"I'm going to get that troll. I'm going to get that troll."

"What is she talking about?"Branch asked.

"Branch you have to get out of here!"

Lilly opened her eyes a bit and saw grey. "Grey? A grey troll!?"

Lilly leaped out of bed and jumped on a rope next to the window. The bell rang urgently as the trolls in the castle ran to find the troll.

"Run Branch! Run!" Poppy cried.

Branch bobbed and weaved his way towards the door as five of the guards burst into the room. The guards ran after the grey troll throwing nets and throwing bombs at him but Branch managed to dodge all of them. He ran out the door with the guards hot on his heels. He ran into the forest and skidded to a halt when he saw his adopted mother driving off.

Branch huffed and puffed for a bit before running after his mother. The troll looked beside her and saw her son running on the wall wildly as if his life was in danger. Suddenly a spear was thrown at him. Branch jumped up in the nick of time then looked behind him.

"Branch!" cried the old troll.

An arrow nearly missed Branch's head by in inch, brushing the tips of his black hair as he ducked in the nick of time holding his head down then brought it back up. He jumped in the back of his mother's truck and ducked his head as another bomb was thrown at him. The troll stopped her car and got out.

The guards stopped as Branch's mother got out the car and stood her ground while facing them with a tight expression on her face and her hands on her hips.

"Lilly, you untrained bastard!" she snarled as she grabbed a bomb from all of the guards. "Give me that bomb!"

Everyone covered their eyes as she threw the bombs at the guards' precious equipment that they brought with them.

"Our special equipment! Why we oughta-"

The troll whipped out her hair and brought it close to his chest. "Hold it right there!"

"Wait, Willow! There's a bomb in your hair! Literally! Your loaded!"

Willow shoved him backwards with her hair then shot the bomb in a tree far away.

"Now there's no weapons!"

"Willow, your grey son of a troll here is not allowed to cross that fence!"

"Lilly that temper of yours is going to cause you a lot of trouble some day!"

"Temper? Woman you haven't even seen my temper!" Lilly snarled at she stomped her strew hat onto the ground. "The next time I see that grey troll near my castle I'll blast him! And next time I won't miss!"