Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 90: Green Carnations~

Jiu didn't even wait to properly wake, he practically threw himself out of bed, and shoved open his door. He ran down that corridor and down those steps, scared. Something felt wrong. Incredibly wrong. He bumped past a few servants, muttering a quick apology, but couldn't care less. His mind was preoccupied. He halted at Leora's door and prayed it would be unlocked as he gripped the handle. He flung it open. Leora was sitting in bed, perfectly fine, with Dorian Gray and Basil Hallward at her bedside. They hadn't seen those two since Henry's wedding. Dorian had been talking to her, but was now simply staring at Jiu in shock. Basil was nearby, and had been petting Victor, but much like Dorian, was too stunned.
"Er... good morning, Jiu," Dorian chuckled, awkwardly.
"Yes, yes, good morning and all of that," Jiu uttered, hurriedly, before making his way to Leora's bedside; grasping her face and staring at her with urgent eyes," You kept walking and didn't stop."
Leora tilted her head confused. Jiu then realised just how silly he must sound. It had been a dream, no, a nightmare.
He let out a shaky sigh, sitting down, beside them," My... apologies, I had a dream, was all..."
"Another one?" Leora frowned.
Jiu ran his hand over his face, stepping back with shaky breath," Yeah...another..."
Dorian tilted his head, curious," What's all this about dreams?"

"Jiu keeps having these vivid and graphic dreams, though...I suppose it would be more appropriate to call them nightmares," Leora explained.
Jiu stumbled into the empty seat, taking a deep breath, rubbing his temples. It had felt so...so...so real. He distracted himself from the embarrassment of his entrance by looking out of the window, pretending to be preoccupied in something. Just anything to get their eyes off him.
Basil shrugged it off, looking back at Leora with his usual bored tone," Dreams are the subconscious trying to convey a message. I use them frequently for my artwork."
"You do?" Leora furrowed her eyebrows.
"You remember my piece on the lonely window, don't you?"
"A window?"
"Yes, a window."
"Your dreams sure are dull, Basil," Dorian frowned," You would have expected an artist to have quite surreal dreams."
Basil huffed, defensively; his face flushing at the fact Dorian was insulting him," And how is a living, breathing window 'dull'!?"
"Well, it's a window..."
"Then, pray, Dorian; what should I have imagined instead?"
"A living...toy!"
"Unoriginal."
"You would say that, wouldn't you?"
Jiu wasn't listening to their bickering, he was much more preoccupied with Basil's previous comment. That dreams came from the subconscious, trying to convey a message. Whatever message he was receiving, it couldn't be a good one.

His expression darkened. Duncan was messing with his mind on purpose now. Perhaps that was what he'd done to Leora a couple days ago, as well. He was taunting them, and Jiu didn't like it. Despite being ten, that boy was cruel and vengeful, no doubt about it. Victor jumped off the bed and trotted over to Jiu, rubbing his head against the general's legs. Jiu reached down to scratch him behind the ears, out of habit, but he found himself still lost in his mind. He couldn't take these horrible nightmares. They were too vivid, too disturbing. The door opened, and Julian Frost walked in, smiling coldly.
"Gray, Hallward; what a pleasure to see you both again," Julian greeted the two men.
The two glanced up, their expressions somewhat darkening. It was clear, much like Jiu, Dorian and Basil did not take too fondly to Julian Frost either.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Dorian muttered, standing up," The wedding was the last we'd seen of you."
Julian smirked," The wedding was such a pleasant day, no? One could smell the green carnations blooming in the garden that night."
Dorian glanced away, wide eyed and flustered, and Basil's expression darkened moreso, if that was even possible.
"Funny, isn't it?" Julian smirked," That flowers even bloomed at night..."
Jiu could sense that Julian had just told them some cruel sort of joke, to mock them, but he wasn't quite sure what.

Jiu decided to change the topic quickly, sensing that Dorian and Basil were rather upset," I thought Henry and you went back to the surgery?"
Julian glanced at Jiu with a bored expression.
"We did, at night. We're back now. That is that."
"You seem to do that a lot, Julian," Basil let out a cold laugh," Wander place to place in London. Perhaps you're rather a travelling merchant, rather than a doctor, no?"
Julian clenched his fists, but kept smiling to hide it," I'd forgotten you were so funny, Hallward. If you must know, my job requires me to cover a lot of ground in London. I am a family doctor after all."
Dorian tilted his head," Oh? But I could have sworn Henry said whilst you deal with Leora's tuberculosis, you are only serving the Mohan family?"
Julian's face seemed to fall for a brief moment, but he quickly regained his composure when he saw Dorian and Basil look triumphant.
"I would advise you both to be very careful," Julian sighed," Green carnations...they only last till winter."
Dorian looked quite panicked by this, and glanced at Basil, desperately.
"I just remembered we planned to have a luncheon with Lady Gwendolyn, didn't we, Basil? Come, come; we'll come back at a better time."

Basil frowned, but relented," Alright."
Dorian glanced at Jiu, with a weakly forced smile," Jiu, nice to see you again."
Basil nodded in agreement.
Jiu nodded back," Same to you both."
Dorian turned to Leora, cupping her face in a fond manner," Get better soon, dear. We'll see you in a bit, alright?"
"I will," Leora smiled, sympathetically," Have a good day, both of you."
Dorian kissed her cheek, and left. Basil merely patted her head, and walked out as well. It made sense for them to be affectionate with the girl; they'd known her since young, they were practically family. Jiu's expression faded back to coldness, seeing Julian Frost approach him.
"It would be best if you leave now too," Julian smiled," Leora's due a dosage, she'll go down in an instant once she has it."
Jiu furrowed his eyebrows," Why does the medicine make her go unconscious, again?"
Julian scowled, for once showing his bitterness, and not hiding it behind a forced smile," She needs rest."
Jiu stood up slowly, his gaze never quite leaving the doctor, who glared back at him. He made his way over to Leora's bed.
"Rest well, alright?" Jiu whispered, taking her hands in his," If he does anything, please-"
"I'll tell you," Leora nodded, forcing a comforting smile.
Jiu nodded, he took one last warning glare at Julian, before shutting the door behind him.

Leora watched as Julian thumbled around in the desk, her gaze cautious.
"You know, my medicine doesn't seem to be helping you much, Leora," Julian sighed," So, I decided a new treatment was in order. That's one of the reasons I went back to London you see. Tell me, do you know much about bleedings and purgings in medicine?"
Leora's eyes widened," You're not suggesting-?"
"No, of course not," Julian laughed," Not yet, anyway. Though it is a way many try to deal with tuberculosis in this day and age. Do you know what the Greeks call tuberculosis, Leora, after all you and Henry are-"
"I'm only a quarter, I don't know," Leora cut him off.
Julian hummed," They call it wasting away. 'Phthisis'. I argue it's anything but..."
He turned around, a sadistic gleam in his eye, holding an injection.
"Pale skin, glossy hair, bright eyes, flushed cheeks; you're in your prime when death is at your doorstep."
When he stepped closer, Leora tried to push herself back against the wall of her bed, gripping her bedside, terrified. Julian leaned over, smirking. His hand found its way to her hair, and he ran his fingers over it, relishing the sensation.
"No need to be so scared of me, I'm your doctor," Julian whispered," We'll never judge your body, nor tell another. That is our job."
He pierced her skin with the needle, making her cry a little. He held it there, the corners of his lips tugging upwards a little, before. He pulled it out. Leora felt her limbs go stiff, and she collapsed onto the bed, her eyes tear stained.
"Sleep well, patient."