Conscious about what all kings expect initially (5)
I believe the answer is:
awake
'conscious' is the definition.
(associated in meaning)
'about what all kings expect initially' is the wordplay.
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'about what all kings expect' is 'AWAKE'.
(Other definitions for awake that I've seen before include "Patriotic song 'The West's .....'" , "Not asleep" , "Unable to sleep" , "No longer in the land of Nod" , "Stop sleeping" .)