SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
Canon Compliant up to Chapter 215, Canon Divergence afterwards SPOILERS
Julius is alive, but age regressed to a teenager, basically it is treated as a Magic Knight only secret that he's alive (and only the Captains, Yuno, Asta, Noelle, Mimosa, and Leopold know)
Asta, Yuno and the rest of their age-mates are 18-years-old, nearing 19
Therefore all characters are aged up 3 years from their canon age
If you don't like Original Characters, I'm not sorry? I had a lot of space to fill. I'm sure that we'll get to meet members of the extended Royal Families and the like over time in the actual manga, but for the sake of the story I made my own.
This Hanahaki AU is not just romantic in nature, but also platonic and familial.
WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER:
Blood, vomiting, coughing
The Clover Kingdom
Capital City
Remembrance Day
The day was warm, the sun was high in the sky, and the eighteen-year-old Golden Dawn Magic Knight Captain Yuno, wind wizard, hated security duty in Capital City. Today was Remembrance Day, a day in the Clover Kingdom where everyone remembered fallen Magic Knights and loved ones lost from illness or otherwise. Yuno was not big on the day, as he hadn't anyone to really remember.
The big event this Remembrance Day was a big speech and gift-giving ceremony from visiting royalty from the Heart Kingdom. The Queen of Hearts, the Wizard Queen of her Kingdom, was in the Capital as the guest of the Royal Family of the Clover Kingdom. Capital security was heightened for this reason since there had been two major attacks in the Clover Kingdom Capital City (the first attack of the Midnight Sun and months later of the same year, the battle of the leader of the Midnight Sun and Wizard King Julius Novachrono).
"You looked thrilled as always, Yuno," said the same cheery loud voice of his childhood friend and his one and only rival, Asta. Asta, despite being eighteen too, hadn't grown much, but he still looked cool in the new improved Royal Knights robes. His hair was still a rat's nest of fluffiness, but he carried himself with a great confidence that was definitely not a front. Asta had been recently made the Captain of the special Magic Knight force, but still also maintained his spot in the Black Bulls. Yuno was quite proud of him, even if he didn't say it out loud.
"Asta," said Yuno, smirking (he hoped he was smirking and not smiling like Bell and Mimosa and Klaus always noted when Asta was near). "How's your sweep?"
Asta grinned. "Nothing out of the ordinary, but I don't think I like that Sekke guy and some other Green Mantis knights checking travel papers at the gate is a good idea." Asta had Noelle only with him, despite Yuno knowing that almost every Magic Knight was in the Capital.
"Wizard King Fuegoleon knows best," responded Klaus, who had been following behind Yuno. Yuno, being the Captain, preferred to have people he actually liked working with him, so naturally he chose Mimosa and Klaus to stick by him while Langris lead a small team and so did Alecdora.
"You're right," said Asta, agreeing. "I hope this ceremony doesn't take forever, though."
Yuno snorted. "Remember not to be late. All of us Captains have to be on the stage in our seats for the speech on time."
Asta nodded and turned to Noelle. "Remind me of the time."
"Geez, you would be lost without me, dork," teased Noelle. Noelle Silva, a member of the Royal Family, a powerful water wizard, had grown much in the last three years since the clash against the elves. Much to Yuno's secret irritation, Noelle and Asta had grown much closer as teammates and as a friends. Though it seemed to him that Noelle had long since lost her crush on Asta, there was an ease and comfort in which Asta and Noelle interacted that set Yuno on edge.
"I really would," joked Asta, right back. The soft smile that Asta gave Noelle hurt Yuno's heart a bit.
Suddenly feeling slightly put out, Yuno said to Klaus and Mimosa, "Let's go. One more perimeter sweep." They took their brooms out, while Asta and Noelle waved at them while Yuno and his squad mates flew off, as the two Black Bulls went to continue their ground-level sweep.
In the air, Mimosa said, knowingly, "You know, Noelle's gonna get the impression that you don't like her if you run away every time Asta and her interact."
Yuno didn't respond to her comment as he scanned the crowd and used his magic sensing abilities for anything out of the ordinary. He heard Mimosa sigh. He knew from experience that she was going to pull him aside later to talk about his feelings. It was something that he didn't look forward to happening, but she meant well.
After circling the city two more times with nary an incident, it was time for Yuno to make his appearance at the stage as the Golden Dawn Captain.
The stage was set up just like during the Star Festival and the Winter Festival and Yuno took his place between Asta and Nozel Silva. Fuegoleon, the Wizard King, was there, waiting for the King of Clover and the Queen of Hearts to start the event. Yuno spotted the younger Julius Novachrono in the front row of the crowd, grinning up at them.
"This should be good," muttered Asta at Yuno's side. The King of Clover, the simpering man, walked side-by-side by the far more impressive Queen of Hearts, the Wizard Queen of the Heart Kingdom.
Both the two young men from Hage still didn't like the King of Clover, finding him more annoying than ever, especially as the two grew in the ranks. Yuno just hoped that the Clover King did not insult the Queen of Hearts and start an incident.
But at the moment, it was Fuegoleon's job to keep the peace between the two monarchs, but it will be his job in the future when Yuno became Wizard King.
Fuegoleon bowed slightly as the monarchs approached the podium set up. The Vermillion Royal sent a look at the captains on the stage, a warning to be on the best behavior.
"Good afternoon, everyone! I'm glad that you all could make it," said Fuegoleon, as one of the attendant wizards used a sound spell to make his voice louder. "Today we remember those we lost. On this Remembrance Day, we have a special guest visiting our beloved King Augustus Kira Clover XIII, all the way from our western neighbor and ally, the Heart Kingdom, the Queen of Hearts, the Wizard Queen of the Heart Kingdom, and the Wizard of Weather, Queen Ophelia Elizabetva Theodora Nova Heart VII. Please welcome her with a hearty cheer!"
Everyone erupted into clapping, Yuno and the other captains were not doing it as enthusiastically as the crowd, but it was still loud.
Fuegoleon moved out of the way and let the Queen of Hearts take center stage. Yuno did not miss the look annoyance pass over the face of King Augustus.
"Thank you everyone for the warm welcome," said the Queen of Hearts. "I am happy to be here with you all to observe Remembrance Day. I also want to thank King Augustus for hosting myself and my family for the event. The Clover Royal Family had always been known for genuine kindness towards guests and strangers alike."
Yuno observed the Queen of Hearts. Of course, as a Captain, he received a packet of information on her from Klaus to prepare him. Queen Ophelia gave off a very calming air, much like Wizard King Julius used to do for people. She had black hair and green eyes, and stood no more than 5 feet tall. Dressed in the Heart Kingdom's traditional Queen Robes and tiara, she struck not an imposing figure but a kind, mother-like figure.
Unlike their king, she was, at least, known to be competent. She was the one that forged the alliance with the Clover Kingdom, aided by her old friend Julius Novachrono. It was why the Queen of Hearts was there at their Remembrance ceremony, because she was honoring Julius. Yuno felt like it was unfair that someone that had been good friend with Julius didn't know that he was still alive, but it was a closely guarded secret until Julius could grow up more and gain more magical ability.
"…Your former Wizard King was some kind of special man, kind, reliable and knowledgeable, a giant magic nerd, and someone who constantly borrowed my books and never returned them," Queen Ophelia spoke clearly. Yuno may have tuned her out, but she sounded quite fond of the former Wizard King. "So, I gift to the indominatable Magic Knights of Clover, a statue of a great man, imbued with strong powers of luck so you may all prosper."
With a wave of her hand, the giant cover of the statue that was now in the center of the Capital revealed a decent sized statue of Julius Novachrono's likeness in the shape of clearly lightning-forged crystal. Yuno was able to sense the luck magic from his seat, even Asta shifted next to him, sensing the residual ki no doubt.
"I hope that our two great Kingdoms can continue to come together cough to provide a way to better society as a whole," the Queen of Hearts continued. Her voice was becoming quite raspy, but she didn't stop and Yuno felt something off in the air. "Cough I really wish that Julius was cough here to see the great things cough cough we will all do to change the world. Cough cough cough cough"
With the last resounding heavy coughs, the Queen of Hearts bent over and black petals fell from her mouth along with an unhealthy amount of blood dripping down from her lips. Fuegoleon was at the Queen of Hearts' side in an instant to steady her and aid her to a seat. It didn't stop there. Out of the corner of Yuno's eye, he saw his several of his fellow captains fall to the ground, also coughing up bloodied flower petals (all different kinds, Yuno didn't know the names of the flowers). To surprise, it was Nozel Silva, Mereoleona Vermillion, Dorothy Unsworth and Charlotte Roselei (some of the strongest captains in his opinion, other than him and Asta, of course) who collapsed. The remaining captains scrambled to help the victims.
Yuno was out of his seat and scanning the ground for unusual enemy mana when Fuegoleon barked out, "Yuno take a team and go find a curse wizard! Asta, stay here, we need your swords. Magic Knights crowd control!"
Asta summoned his anti-magic swords, while Yuno scanned the crowd. "Luck, Klaus, Noelle, Vanessa, I need you, let's go."
"Oh My DEAR," screamed the Clover King, as he panicked when his grand-niece Lady Finesse Calmreich went to the ground too, coughing out brightly colored daisy petals.
Soon the air was filled with screams of terror and panic.
Yuno moved. The three Black Bulls and Klaus followed behind Yuno, flying off into the crowd. Luck was exceptional at sensing magic, just as much as Yuno. Vanessa's abilities would also be useful. And Klaus had the investigative mind. Noelle was their firepower along with Yuno.
"Captain, we have find the enemy first," said Klaus, "and we have to take him into custody to interrogate him."
"I sense someone with strong magic moving quickly to the south entrance," called out Luck, lightning charged all around him as he flitted in the sky. He sounded way too happy.
The group went south towards the south gate entrance/exit. The crowds of people were dispersing into the buildings making a clear path for them, at least. The people were used to incidents like this and knew what to do to get out of the Magic Knights way.
Yuno knew that they absolutely had to catch the enemy. What spell or curse had people throwing up flower petals? He had never heard of such a thing before. There were a lot of other questions that they needed answered. However, the main questions were if this was a Clover Kingdom enemy or a Heart Kingdom enemy and how the enemy got through the tight security of Capital City (i.e. how did no one notice?).
When they arrived at the south-side, Yuno sensed the person that they were tracking was no longer south but suddenly at the east entrance. Luck noticed.
"East, move east," called Yuno, as the team abruptly changed direction.
"How did this guy get in," grumbled Noelle from the back of Vanessa's broomstick.
"Worry about that later," responded Klaus, "this may turn into an inter-kingdom incident if the Queen of Hearts dies!"
Yuno knew that Noelle was more concerned for her oldest brother at the moment, since the Silva siblings started to mend their broken relationships.
"He's going north now, this asshole," shouted Luck, sounding determined to kick some ass soon.
Yuno, annoyed, hated this wild goose chase. There were wizards out there able to mask their mana or make it seem like they were in one place, when in reality, they weren't.
At the north-side, it seemed that the enemy was too cocky because Yuno spotted a man on guard tower, clearly waiting for them to show up.
"Took you Clover Kingdom dregs long enough," taunted the man, dressed in the typical garb of a Heart Kingdom wizard. "How's Queenie? Did she suffocate yet?"
Luck and Yuno didn't wait, they charged the man. Yuno used his wind magic to attempt to catch the rouge wizard. The rogue wizard, however, dodged and threw a flower spell at them. The flowers whipped by Yuno's face. Nothing happened, as Yuno's used his magic to blow the flowers far away.
While Yuno was busy distracting the rogue wizard, Luck and Klaus prepared a large spell to combine the lightning magic and the metal magic.
"You should give up now," taunted Yuno to the rogue wizard.
"Yeah, right, pretty boy. I can't give up until the Queen is dead." The man's next spell was more like flower dust or something.
Yuno rolled his eyes. "Wind Magic: Wind Blades Shower."
At the same moment, Luck and Klaus shouted, "Compound Magic: Thunder Arrow Redux!" The lightning magic combined with the wind magic, being complementary magics, hit the Heart Kingdom's rogue wizard with a large KABOOM.
Noelle used her water magic to catch the wizard before he fell to the ground and Vanessa used her strings to tie the unconscious fellow up.
"He's not dead, right," asked Noelle, warily, kicking the man in the shin for good measure.
Yuno floated to the ground and checked the pulse. "He'll live. Unfortunately. Let's get him to interrogation."
"Captain, are you alright," asked Klaus, concerned. "You got hit a few times with this man's magic."
Yuno shook his head. "I'm fine. Nothing happened."
"If you're sure, let's go then."
Clover Kingdom
Magic Knights Headquarters
The Infirmary
Still Remembrance Day
Asta sat as quiet as possible, very uncomfortable with the situation. His anti-magic swords could not dispel the victims of the coughing up flower petals thing, so he was sitting uselessly next to his poor senpai, Finral, hacking up cherry blossom petals. Asta hated to be idle, especially when his friends, fellow Magic Knights, and the civilian bystanders were suffering.
"Don't make that face, Asta. Cough I'm sure that Noelle, Luck and Vanessa got the guy and he'll reverse it," said Finral, trying to comfort Asta. Finral doubled over in pain as more cherry blossom petals came spilling out of his mouth.
Finral was taking this surprisingly well, Asta thought to himself, at least. The worry gnawed in Asta's stomach as he surveyed the room. Captain Mereoleona was arguing with Dr. Owen, as she was quite annoyed, not even pausing as red camellia petals fell from her mouth. She had her youngest brother and Asta's rival, Leopold, who was suffering as well, right next to her.
Leopold looked pale as the petals that fell from his month were covered in blood and larger than Asta had seen previously. Fuegoleon was hovering, trying to calm both of his siblings, to no avail.
Across the room, Nozel Silva was silently suffering, with Nebra and Solid sitting by his bedside. The Silver Eagles' Captain was quiet the entire time, which was strange for him, as he never minded speaking his mind. Next to him was Kirsch Vermillion, the vice-captain of the Coral Peacocks, being extra dramatic, as Mimosa sat there as the dutiful sister trying to calm him down and ease his pain.
"Sol, I'm fine, for the last time. Cough This is not the first curse I've suffered from cough cough cough," said the irritated voice of Charlotte, as Sol got the in the way but tried her best to comfort the Blue Rose Knight Captain. Blue Rose petals fell from her lips and it had nothing to do with her magic. "Dr. Owen, cough perhaps we should call my cough Aunt Ruth?"
Dr. Owen had more grey hair than ever as civilians were just as moody and cranky as Captain Mereoleona. "Uh, God, I don't want to deal with her, but she is an expert in botanical curses."
"I can go get her," offered Asta, whomever this Aunt Ruth was, if she was an expert in something then maybe she would help more than Asta at the moment.
"I'll have Marx contact her. And, Your Highness, please stop crying over Lady Finesse, she's not dying," said Dr. Owen, as the King of Clover was crying over Lady Finesse, as if she was dead already. The daisy and blood covered royal woman was pale but took everything happening to her in stride.
"At least cough Captain Dorothy is sleeping through this whole cough thing," said Finral.
Asta took a look at the Captain of the Coral Peacocks, Dorothy Unsworth, who remained sleeping, but had pink rose buds falling from her mouth every time she coughed.
The Queen of Hearts was in the bed next to Finral and she tried to sit up. Asta moved around and got her bucket, so she could spit out the black rose petals. "Thank you, cough cough cough Captain Asta. I'm terribly sorry cough for cough all the trouble. I think cough I know who caused this. Cough cough cough We may have a cough cough cough bigger problem on our hands."
"Queen Ophelia, what do you mean," asked Asta, eyes narrowed.
"This is definitely a cough curse, but a particular kind cough cough which is why your anti-magic swords can't do anything cough cough."
Dr. Owen came over, "Don't worry, we'll figure it out. I'm going to get all the people I can that I know are experts to help. I need to you to relax."
Queen Ophelia shook her head, miserably and Asta felt an uncomfortable amount of sympathy for her. "Don't understand. Cough cough" She collapsed into a coughing fit, blood and flowers falling from her mouth.
"Asta, go get Marx, as quickly as a possible, there's people we have to call."
Asta nodded and ran out of the room like a bat out of hell. He had to find Marx, who was most likely in the Wizard King's office doing paperwork. He hoped that Yuno and the rest were all alright and found the jerk that did this, otherwise Asta was going to go out there and help.
Clover Kingdom
Magic Knights Headquarters
Interrogation Room
A Few Hours Later, Still Remembrance Day
Yuno exited the interrogation room, followed by Asta. "Well, at least, we have some idea what to do."
"I'm still confused," said Asta, admittedly. Marx used his magic to get all the important information out of the rogue Heart Kingdom wizard.
"Well, once we give the information to Dr. Owen, it'll be explained the victims again. You know that you need things explained more than once to really get it, if it has to do with complicated magic," said Yuno, not in a mean way. Asta had always had the disadvantage of not having magic, so when people talked magical theory or things related to it, Asta had a hard time grasping the subject. But he learned eventually. Yuno may have called Asta an idiot sometimes, but Asta was far from being stupid.
"Yeah, I'm just worried. I want everyone to get better," said Asta, taking longer strides to keep up with Yuno as they walked upstairs to the infirmary. "There was so much blood, Yuno."
Yuno shot a worried look at Asta. "I thought it was just flowers after the initial attack?"
Asta had a thoughtful expression on his face. "Yeah, I mean mostly petals, sometimes flower buds, but the blood…"
Yuno didn't like the sound of that at all.
"I mean, most of the Magic Knights are holding up well, but the civilians, Lady Finesse, the Queen of Hearts are looking rather rough," said Asta. "Though, the Queen of Hearts was the first victim, so she's had it longer."
"We had better hurry," said Yuno. The two childhood friends and rivals quickened their pace to get to the infirmary quicker with the information that scribe wizards dictated for the doctor. Then they just started running.
Yuno entered the infirmary before Asta, and it was bedlam.
There was no way to describe how chaotic and packed the infirmary was as Yuno and Asta stood side-by-side watching everything unfold.
"MOTHER, UNHAND ME!" Mereoleona Vermillion, the Captain of the Crimson Lions, the former Captain of the Royal Knights, and the most badass, fearsome wizard in the kingdom, was being hugged by a woman half her height, as Leopold resigned himself to being in the clutches of the woman. The woman was apparently their mother, despite having blonde hair. She may have been smaller than her children but she was able to hold both Mereoleona and Leopold.
"NOZEL, WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME RIGHT AWAY?!" Nozel was pale as similar looking man cried about being a bad father and why do his children never need him. Nebra, Solid and Noelle were just as disturbed as Nozel.
"KIRSCH, MY DARLING BABY BOY, DO NOT FOLLOW THE WHITE LIGHT!" Mimosa had her hands in his face, shaking her head, embarrassed beyond belief, as Kirsch's older body double cried together with Kirsch.
Similarly, there were other people that Yuno had never seen before in the room. It looked like even Finral's father and step-mother showed up, though the two Vaude adults were getting protective death glares courtesy of Vanessa.
But, to Yuno's irritation, his vice-captain did not show up for his brother and Langris will be spoken to by Yuno. Finral was in the hospital and Langris was his brother. He honestly thought things were better between them these days. Well, Langris stopped trying to murder the other spatial magic user.
"What the hell," Asta muttered, looking up at Yuno with curious eyes. There was just so many people in the room.
Yuno shrugged, just as baffled as Asta. Dr. Owen was sitting in a chair, glasses off of his face, and rubbing his eyes. The healing wizard was tired and so done.
"I need a drink," said the doctor, solemnly looking at the room. "Ah, Captain Yuno, Captain Asta, thank God you're here. Got the info?"
"Uh, yeah," said Asta.
Yuno pulled out the papers that the scribes gave him and handed it to Dr. Owen, but before the doctor could even look at the papers, they were snatched out of his hands. Asta and Yuno were shoved to the side. To be fair they were standing in the doorway of the infirmary, but the 60-something-year-old grey haired woman was in the room, with a deep scowl on her face.
"I see nothing got done, Owen," said the woman, with a huff. "Where is that Wizard King of ours?"
"I'm right here, Lady Ruth," said Fuegoleon, entering the room. "Ah, Yuno, Asta, thanks for the hard work." With a glance into the room, Yuno saw the look pass over Fuegoleon's face. "Everyone let's settle down. There are the ill in the room." Most listened to the current Wizard King's words, except well, the Wizard King's mother.
"Fuego, why didn't you call me right away," demanded the small mother of the fire Vermillion siblings, still hugging two of her children.
"Mother, you're suffocating Leo," said Fuego, with the sigh of a long suffering son. "Yuno, Asta, I know that you have not be introduced to many of the visitors here." With a smile at Yuno and Asta, "Leo, Mereoleona and my mother, Lady Solace Vermillion, a healer wizard. And this is Lady Ruth Roselei, the head of the Roselei house and the former Captain of the Blue Rose Knight squad."
Lady Solace released poor Leopold and Mereoleona to stand up and straightened her robes. She had a warm smile on her face as she approached Yuno and Asta. "Of course, my children speak highly of you two. It's very nice to meet you both."
"It's nice to meet you too, Lady Solace," said Asta, as politely as possible.
Yuno was jolted to respond as Asta elbowed him in the side. Asta always had to remind Yuno to be polite to important people. "Right, nice to meet you."
"Wonderful, now, I'm sure that Lady Ruth will come up with a great idea to get everyone back into tip-top shape," said Lady Solace.
Lady Ruth was already in the middle of the reading the papers and she just waved her head, in a minor acknowledgement. "Not likely, from what I know of this particular kind of curse."
"Auntie, please be more optimistic," said Captain Charlotte, from her bed.
Lady Ruth snorted. "I'm surprised by silly sister and her useless husband aren't here fussing over you, Charlotte, my dear."
"Mother and Father are on holiday," said Charlotte, in a tone that stated that she had rather not speak about the matter in front of prying ears. "What do you know?"
"Is there something that we can do," asked Asta, getting the nervous bounce in his step when he's been idle for too long.
"Everyone find a seat, this is a long story," said Lady Ruth, with a huff. "Solace, do use your soothing healing abilities to ease the victims pain. You too, Owen."
Asta went over to sit with Finral and Vanessa, while awkwardly followed Asta over to his two teammates, because other than Mimosa who was by her parents and brother, Yuno didn't know anyone else that well. Lady Solace and Dr. Owen used their grimoires and spells and even Yuno felt at ease with the healing magic in the air.
"Okay, good," said Lady Ruth, tying her graying black hair up in a bun. "What this curse is called the Flower Unrequited Love Curse, or in the land in the East, where Yami Sukehiro comes from, it's called Hanahaki. There's two or three versions of the curse. I think for everyone in this room we are looking at one particular version."
"Great, do you know what to do to fix it," interrupted Asta.
"Sort of," said Lady Ruth. "All versions of the curse can be fatal as blood loss and suffocation do, that much is certain, however, it looks like everyone in the infirmary had been hit with the simple, quick version. The effects of the curse were immediate and everyone will only be spitting up petals or flower buds and not whole flowers. There are two sure-fire cures, which is easier said than done."
"What can we do," asked Mereoleona, miserably.
"Either confess to whom you harbor feelings for to either gain acceptance or rejection. Reciprocated feelings have an immediate cure. Once you're rejected, you'll cycle through the five stages of grief and eventually accept that the love wasn't meant to be. It's sucks but that's it."
"Sonovabitch," Mereoleona and several others in the room cursed.
"Mereoleona, language!"
"Yes, Mother."
"Also, the curse can not only affect people suffering from romantic unrequited love, but also unrequited platonic or unrequited familial love as well," finished Lady Ruth, eyes scanning the room. "We healers can ease the pain until then. But it's best if everyone confesses sooner rather than later, otherwise you will all die of blood loss and suffocation."
"Lady Ruth, please don't put it that way," pleaded Fuegoleon.
"I'm not gonna sugarcoat it for these babies," said Lady Ruth, sternly. Softening a fraction, "However, I will look into other possible cures. No promises though."
"It's all we can ask," said Fuegoleon. "Alright, everyone let's make sure we make things as comfortable as possible for the people under the curse. Asta, Yuno, I'm calling a Captain meeting with the remaining captains, first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes sir!"
Gardenia
(Meaning) secret love
Clover Kingdom
Magic Knights Headquarters
Outside the Infirmary
Middle of the Night, End of the Remembrance Day
Nozel Silva walked the halls outside the infirmary with his best friend and rival Fuegoleon. They were second cousins and sometimes, they didn't get along with the different ways of doing things like leading, like taking care of siblings and so forth, but Nozel was glad that he was able to have someone like Fuegoleon be his family, friend and rival.
"You've been uncharacteristically quiet since this morning," said Fuegoleon, voice telling Nozel that Fuegoleon was being cautious.
Nozel had hated being cooped up along with everyone else. While he's been working on being a better person and not being an elitist, there was only so much people-in-general stuff he could reasonably take in one day. He hated Festivals for that very reason. "I'm fine, Fuego."
Of course, he had a coughing fit as soon as he said that.
"Fine, right, and this has nothing to do with that person…"
"Shut up, you promised never to reference that person every again in my presence," snapped Nozel, nearly growling the sentence out but his throat was too sore at the moment to sound intimidating. Nozel had another coughing fit.
Fuegoleon's look was undisturbed by the outburst and there was a knowing look on his best friend's face.
Nozel hated his face sometimes.
"I didn't mean to cough cough snap at you. Today's been cough extremely stressful," said Nozel, sighing, rubbing his throat. If he never saw another flower again, it would be too soon.
"I know, Nozel," said Fuegoleon, arms crossed. "Do you want me to tell you where that person is?"
Nozel shook his head.
"No. cough cough cough cough"
"It's been years, Nozel. You are a grown man and you can talk to them."
Nozel sighed. "Exactly. It's been years. Things from back then were harder than now. If we grew up now where things have been easier between the classes, it would have been better. I have no right to intervene in their life after all this time, not after what happened, Fuego. I just can't. It wouldn't be fair to myself or to them."
Fuegoleon was quiet.
Years ago, Nozel had been a stupid teenager. Years ago, Nozel's stony heart was cracked for one person. And that person was a commoner, a magic knight yes, but still a commoner. Nozel's grandfather, who had long since passed, found out that Nozel had been merely speaking with that someone and threatened to be cut out of the family tree. Nozel's brow-beaten, heartbroken father had been no help. At the time, there was no way that he would risk his title and place in the extended Royal Family, but not for the reason anyone else other than Fuegoleon would suspect.
Nozel could not leave his siblings. They needed him. They had no mother and their father was a good man, but unable to function after the death of Acier Silva. Nozel was the oldest. He promised his mother, he promised that he would look after them.
Granted, he should have did a better job taking care of Noelle, should have been a better big brother, be that someone that helped rather than hurt, but she didn't need him anymore. She had the Black Bulls, much to Nozel's mild irritation. However, Nebra and Solid still needed him.
Nozel was just piecing together his siblings, trying to make them a proper family without the tenseness and drama.
"What's in the past is in the past. I may have always loved that one, but I cannot leave my siblings. I love them more," said Nozel, nodding.
Fuegoleon smiled. "You stopped coughing."
Holding his throat, he didn't feel anything. "So it seems I have."
Nozel smiled for the first time in a long time. He was cured.
Red Camellia
(Meaning) You're a flame in my heart
Clover Kingdom
Magic Knights Headquarters
Inside the Infirmary
Middle of the Night, End of the Remembrance Day
Mereoleona Vermillion, the Flame Queen, the Captain of the Crimson Lions, was not very happy at the moment. She had her baby brother curled into her side, as he fitfully slept thanks to some of the doctor's sleeping tonic. Mereoleona was more worried about him than herself. Some coughing and bloody flowers was not going to make her die.
Normally she was not super affectionate with either of her younger brothers, but Leopold always enjoyed calmer moments when they weren't doing intense death training. She ran her hands through his messy head of vermillion hair and sighed.
"Not sleeping," whispered her mother, Solace, as she moved to sit on the chair that Fuego placed there earlier. "Sweetheart, why didn't you ever tell me there was someone?"
Mereoleona looked at her soft, kind, sweet mother who always taught Mereoleona and her brothers to always judge people not based on anything but their character. Her mother was soft in ways that Mereoleona wasn't, but the best thing about her mother was that she was not like other mothers. Solace Vermillion never cared one way or another who her children loved, as so long as they were happy.
While her father hadn't been completely thrilled at the prospect of his only daughter living in the Grand Magic Zones to train, but Solace went out to buy supplies with Mereoleona the very day that she announced her decision, and even made Mereoleona a first aid kit. It was the kind of person that Solace Vermillion was and Mereoleona loved her mother for it.
It was just that her mother wanted to talk feelings sometimes and Mereoleona wasn't super comfortable with it especially as she got older and tougher. She had an image to maintain as an unrelenting badass, after all.
"It would cough cough cough have been hard," replied Mereoleona, softly as not to wake up anyone else.
Solace hummed. "Love is hard, my sweetheart."
Mereoleona snorted. "I was a young cough cough fool then, Mother, nothing more."
"If you say."
Mereoleona made a face. She knew it, she knew that her mother was doing it on purpose to get her to talk. "It was Zacharias."
That startled her mother for once. "Oh, sweetheart…"
"No. cough cough cough none of that, Mother," said Mereoleona, sternly. "No pity, cough cough you know I hate that."
Sadly shaking her head, Mereoleona's mother sighed. "I should have guessed it was him. He had been the only one not intimidated by you. You two had spent a lot of time together back then."
"He was cough four years older than me, but he cough never thought me any less than him because I was a cough cough girl," said Mereoleona, fondly remembering Zacharias Kira Clover, the rightful King of Clover. He was the current fool of a king's older brother, the first son and first legitimate child of Augustus Kira Clover XII. Crown Prince Zacharias Kira Clover had been beloved by many. He was fair, just, he even joined the Crimson Lions as a Magic Knight, being the first royal ever to enter the Magic Knight Exams like the nobles and the commoners.
"His death was so sad, sweetie, I know," said Solace, taking Mereoleona's hand in both of hers in a soothing motherly manner.
Mereoleona almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Zacharias wasn't dead.
He asked her to help him become free, so she helped fake his disappearance and then death. She couldn't say no. Of course, she couldn't when she had been so enamored with him. Stupid feelings gave way the Clover Kingdom having an idiot on the throne.
She got a letter from him once after he left.
He sounded happy in the letter. What more could she ask? Still, she should have dealt with her long buried romantic feelings ages ago because now, she was stuck in bed, coughing up red camellias laced with her blood.
As her mother attempted to soothe her when Mereoleona was actually quite okay, Mereoleona knew in her heart-of-hearts that she didn't stand a chance with someone like Zacharias. He needed a soft, kind woman, not a demonic incarnate hellspawn woman like her.
And she was strangely okay with that. Acier always told Mereoleona that she was too much woman for some people. Mereoleona had to agree with her old mentor.
Because her parents loved her for who she was; her brothers admired and loved her for who she was and she had her little minions that she kidnapped on occasion to bring into brutal training (Asta, Yuno, Noelle, Zora, occasionally Finral, Mimosa, and a few others), she didn't really ache to have a special someone like others. She was happy.
"Sweetheart," said Solace, in awe.
"What?"
"You stopped coughing."
Mereoleona startled for a moment.
"So I did."
Primrose
(Meaning) innocence of young love
Clover Kingdom
Golden Dawn Headquarters
Yuno's Room
Middle of the Night, Remembrance Day Over
Yuno once again was unable to fall asleep. Normally after a long day, he was out like a light, but that night, he just couldn't get comfortable.
Maybe was it because Asta was on his mind again. But Asta was always on Yuno's mind even when he didn't want it to be. Asta was his everything and that was the problem. Asta had been quiet for his standards (as he had sometimes a hard time hearing, not that Asta would admit it, so he was loud so he could hear himself speak) in the infirmary that afternoon, as they had met the parents of some of their friends. It worried Yuno. Quiet Asta was not something he liked.
It was strange to be reminded that Mimosa, Noelle, and even Mereoleona, Leopold, and Fuegoleon had parents who were still alive. Naturally, Yuno never wondered about his parents because he knew that they were either dead or didn't want him. He didn't need them. He had Asta, Sister Lily, Father, and the other kids at the orphanage. He had his friends and rivals in the Magic Knights Squads.
But Yuno knew that Asta sometimes wondered about his own parents and why he was left. He always tried to tell Asta that there was too much down that path, to not do it, but for an orphan, there was nagging thing in the back of both of their heads.
Why weren't they good enough?
Yuno should talk to Asta tomorrow after the meeting.
The meeting was first thing in the morning, which meant for Fuegoleon one hour after sunrise. Yuno had to get some sleep, otherwise he'd be dead on his feet and lose focus in the meeting, which was not allowed in Fuegoleon-lead meetings.
Yuno coughed. He rubbed throat and felt something catch in it. He heaved. Pounding a fist on his chest to help whatever was in there out, he threw his blanket and duvet off and grabbed his garbage basket.
A wet slimy soft thing came out. He looked down to the basket and in the pale moonlight, there was several flower petals, the yellow ones covered with traces of blood.
Yuno almost didn't believe it.
He had the curse.
Asta cannot ever know.
Ch. End