Julien is used to the taste of petals and blood, he'll spit blood and pick petals from his teeth one week and then be fine the next, it's practically rinse and repeat. Until he develops a crush on Clover and finds himself coughing up bouquets.
Familiar
Julien hated the look Maurice gave him as he took the steaming mug of herbal tea for the ever-persistent tickle in his throat.
"We both know this is nothing Momo," Julien remarked as he took a sip of the tea and thanked the Sky Spirits for the instant relief it gave him in clearing away the taste of blood that stuck to his tongue, "in another week or so it will pass."
"You said that two weeks ago, your Majesty." Maurice pointed out flatly. He was used to seeing his nephew come down with the love-sickness every few weeks, but it never lasted more than a week or two. "Perhaps it's time to consider that this isn't one of your typical crushes like you had on Ted or Willie. Especially given what happened this morning."
"You and Clover worry too much," Julien complained still irritated that he had been confined to his room for most of the day after a minor coughing fit.
"Julien," Maurice dropped the royal monikers hoping his nephew would understand how terrified he had been earlier. "I saw Rob pulling white chrysanthemum blossoms from your throat. And thank the Sky Spirits that Rob was even in the village getting supplies or you could have died. It isn't just petals anymore."
"I understand that," Julien rolled his eyes unphased by the fact that he could have died. Living in Madagascar dying was a daily risk and it'd be more impressive to list the occurrences where he hadn't even come close to a life-threatening situation. "But you forget that this is not the first time I fallen for someone this hard. The Sky Spirits have merely blessed me with a heart that not only finds love frequently, but also loves deeply. Just sometimes deeper than it should."
Maurice felt his expression soften at his nephew's words. Since taking the throne Julien had made many mistakes and errors in judgement. At first Maurice had looked at it as a lack of experience or maturity and to a certain extent that held true, but the motivation behind many of those decisions were out of love for the kingdom. He wished more of the kingdom saw it that way, instead of going after Julien any time the smallest thing went wrong. He shook his head and focused on the present once more. "It's as much of a blessing as it is a curse. I just wish you would take your health a little more seriously."
Then before Maurice could even begin to get into the fear of letting Uncle "King" Julien take back the crown and the how the kingdom would suffer terrified yelps sounded from outside of the Julien's room.
"Your Majesty, I came as soon as I heard what happened," Clover announced as she burst through the door in what had been dubbed her battle mode stance.
"Clo Clo!" Julien grinned and did his best to suppress the next bought of coughs he could feel building in his chest. It was clear she must have left in the middle of her training with Sage given that she wasn't in her usual guard uniform. "You didn't have to come although I am flattered." Julien was quick to add with a wink.
"Nonsense your Majesty, it is my duty to come to your aid no matter the time or place. Now whose face do I have to break?" Clover stood tall and cracked her knuckles, hoping that her sister had once again charmed Julien. Although she didn't exactly need a reason to start a fight with Crimson.
Julien shook his head and laughed, "there will be no breaking faces today. By the Sky Spirits blessings, I am already feeling better. Go back to Sage and continue your training."
Clover visibly brightened at Julien's suggestion, but she still hesitated and stepped closer to Julien's side. "While that is a generous offer, I wouldn't be fulling my duty of keeping you safe. Someone could take advantage of your-"
"Don't you dare say weak, a king is never weak," Julien warned even though there was no real malice behind it.
"-situation, then," Clover continued. "My point still stands, King Julien. It would be unwise to leave you unguarded until you are fully recovered." She wouldn't push further on the issue although it did concern her how worn the young king looked. He was hiding it well, but she had known him for some time and had learned long ago when his exuberant energy was being forced. His labored breathing also did nothing to assure that he was in perfect health. It was clear that he was suffering.
"Mo Mo was just overreacting…again," Julien waved off her unvoiced concerns. "There is no need for you to sit here with me over a minor coughing spell."
"I'd hardly call passing out a minor coughing spell." Clover had been horrified when XiXi had come announcing that the king had collapsed in the middle of the market place. Her first thought had been that the former king had succeeded in one of his various assassination plots. Then her second thought had been that she had failed, not her duties as the King's Head of Security, but Julien himself. One of the few people that embraced her abrasive nature, one of the few, if not the only person she could actually call a friend.
"This is not the first time I've had love-sickness. It will pass just as it has before," Julien assured her even though he wasn't certain that these feelings would pass as the others did. He had only progressed to full flowers once before and it had taken death to break the hold those feeling had over him. Still remembered when Clover had shown signs of the love-sickness and it had been clear that the flowers had been for Sage. Even if he did not know exactly the standing of their relationship it was hard to deny the happiness Clover had when she spent time with the nomad.
"You're Majesty?" Clover asked hesitantly.
"What are you still doing here? I told you I will be fine. Now go to Sage before I order you to."
"Thank you, Julien." Clover dropped her usual formalities and smiled at him before turning to Maurice. "If he so much as tries to put a toe on the floor send a messenger and I will be back to tie him to the bed."
Maurice held back a laugh as Clover and Julien both recognized the implications of what she had said and watched them flush. "Will do, but I believe I can handle my nephew for the day."
"Thanks Maurice. I'll be back before sundown." Clover gave Julien one last glare, "and I mean it, not one toe!"
Once Clover was gone, Julien began to cough, blood flecked white chrysanthemums and green clover leaves falling through his fingers to stain the blankets.
