Four Little Princes

Sick Baby

Zarc woke up late that night to the sound of little Yuya coughing next to him. The poor baby coughed for nearly five minutes before his coughing fit finally ended. Zarc gently picked his little one up and cuddled him.

"Sounds like you need more medicine," the king murmured. "Odd-Eyes, could you tell the servants to fetch the royal doctor, please?"

Odd-Eyes, who had been awakened by Yuya's coughing alongside the other dragons and Zarc, nodded and got up from the bed. As the dragon went out into the hall, Zarc hummed a little lullaby to soothe Yuya. The king hoped to Ra that none of Yuya's brothers caught his cold. He didn't want any of his new kids to suffer, and he really hoped that Yuya would recover from his cold as soon as physically possible. The poor little one didn't deserve to be sick like this! None of them did! Fortunately Yuto, Yuri, and Yugo hadn't been awakened by Yuya's coughing. They were all sleeping soundly snuggled into Dark Rebellion, Starve Venom, and Clear Wing.

The royal doctor arrived within minutes, bringing Yuya's medicine with him. He had been checking in on the toddler throughout the night, monitoring his condition. After all, Yuya was a prince now, and it was the royal doctor's duty to take care of the royal family's illnesses.

Yuya, like most little kids, did not seem to like taking medicine. The first couple of times he'd taken it without fuss, but it seemed he'd figured out that when the royal doctor offered him a spoon, it would taste awful. The little prince refused to open his mouth when the royal doctor tried to give him his medicine this time, and even tried to hit the spoon. "No! No! Yucky! Yucky! Go 'way!"

"Yuya, you have to take your medicine so you can get better," Odd-Eyes said gently. Yuya hid his face in the dragon's chest. "No!"

"Please, Yuya?" Odd-Eyes pleaded. But Yuya continued to refuse. He began chewing on Odd-Eyes's pajama shirt.

Zarc reached out and gently took Yuya, sitting him in his lap. Then, without warning, he began tickling the tiny toddler. Yuya squealed and laughed, his little mouth opening just long enough for the royal doctor to dump a spoonful of medicine into it. Yuya's eyes widened in horror at the sudden nasty taste in his mouth, and tried to spit it out, but it was too far back in his mouth to spit out. He had no choice but to swallow it, before looking up at Zarc with a look of utter betrayal. Then he started to cry.

"Shh, it's ok Yuya!" Zarc said, cuddling the tiny toddler. "You're ok! You're going to be all better soon, and then you won't have to take that nasty medicine anymore!"

Yuya sniffled. "Pwomise?" he asked, looking up at Zarc with big, teary eyes. The king melted at his expression. "I promise!"

Yuya calmed down and snuggled into Zarc's chest. The king kissed his forehead and hummed a little lullaby to him. Slowly, the little tomato fell back asleep.