Chapter 14: A Discussion of Tradition

Later on into the day, Isobel and Julien decided to visit the penguins.

"I need to tell them about what my father said." Isobel said on their way to the penguin's habitat.

"They won't be too happy about that." Julien guessed.

"They won't feel any worse than I did." Isobel shrugged. "If I end up marrying, it will be more likely from my homeland. Though it is better to tie two nations together."

Julien nodded. "It's the opposite in de Madagascar. Outsiders aren't welcome. Except for my mother. It was different."

"Where was she from?" Isobel asked.

Julien shrugged. "I don't know. Another time that rule was ignored was when my father married my step-mother after my mother passed away."

Isobel searched his facial expressions from the side. "Step-mother?"

Julien's eyebrows suddenly crinkled together. "Yes, and she is a real wickedy-witch of the west! She had a son before she married my father. He is my age. Thinks he's all that."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Yeah, I have an older brother and a younger sister." Julien told her. "They live with my step-mother in South Africa somewhere."

Isobel nodded. "If you have an older brother, how did you become king?"

"He refused." Julien rolled his shoulders, adjusting his crown.

"I would have done the same." Isobel said quietly.

"Why?" Julien asked.

"It is a lot of work to rule a kingdom." Isobel explained. "I'm sure you know this."

Julien looked away. He didn't know. He only knew about how to throw parties for his people. He couldn't even keep them safe from the fossa.

"How old are you?" Isobel suddenly asked.

Julien snapped out of his thoughts. "I will be twenty-three next month."

Isobel nodded. "You are a young king. Someday, your people will want a queen."

Julien twitched his ears. Surely, someday, she would want to be queen of something.

They reached the penguin's habitat, and they climbed in through the fishbowl.

"Okay, Rico." Kowalski said. He was standing next to Rico, who had what looked like a metal strainer connected to a bunch of wires on his head. "Hold still. There is only a slight, uh, ninety percent chance this will shock you with static pain. But it should only make your cranium feel slightly itchy."

Rico whimpered. "Oh, boy."

"I should have expected you to be working on something, Kowalski." Isobel smiled.

Kowalski looked up, as he was about to flip the switch on Rico's hat. "Oh, Isobel! Hello."

Rico sighed in relief at the distraction. "Iz!"

"Ello, Isobel!" Private waved as he looked away from the TV.

"Long time no see." Skipper said from his seat at the table, stirring his coffee with a fish.

Isobel sighed as she went to sit at the table as well. "I have a story for you."

"Go on." Skipper told her. "We can handle it."

"Ooh, storytime!" Private twirled before plopping down to listen.