The Dragon King's Heart

Laina's heart was like a whirlwind, filled with different emotions. At that moment, all she could think of was to remain as calm as she could. 

Dante, on the other hand, was trying everything he could to go through with his bold move. He had missed the opportunity once to kiss Laina, he was not about to lose it now. 

They were alone. 

This moment would belong only to the two of them. 

Dante was worried that Laina might back away, but as he got closer she did not move. She was like a deer in the headlights. 

As their lips touched, Dante closed his eyes and savored the moment. 

Everything about it felt right. 

Laina's heart skipped a beat. She could feel the warmth of his lips on hers. He smelled of spices and lightly smoked wood. Laina parted her lips and so did Dante. They deepened their kiss.

Sensations of pleasure washed over Laina as she gasped for a breath of air. She was drunk on love and endorphins. There was something about the kiss that felt familiar. 

Dante's eyes fluttered open, he wanted to ensure Laina was enjoying their moment together as much as he was. Seeing the look of pleasure upon her face gave him the assurance he needed. 

When they parted lips, they looked into one another's eyes. Heat rose swiftly on Laina's cheeks. She could smell the lingering scent of coffee off Dante's breath. Her eyes darted away, a little embarrassed. 

Dante, on the other hand, smiled as he gently tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. 

"Is it safe for me to assume the feeling is… mutual?" He asked with a grin. 

Laina smiled, "Yes, I guess you could say that." 

Her heart was still ringing in her ears. That moment felt so surreal, Laina's mind was still in a daze. As Dante returned to his seat, they could not help but steal glances of one another as they continued their date. 

Dante was beaming with joy from ear to ear. He tried to hide his smile behind his cup of coffee but Laina saw through it swiftly. 

"You don't have to hide it like we're teenage lovers, you know," Laina commented as she took a sip of her tea. 

Dante chuckled, "Shall we make it official then? I am courting you, after all."

"Are there rules on who can court who? Cause I don't think there are any rules that forbid me from courting you."

"You, courting me?" Dante asked, "I would love to be pampered too, Crown Princess Laina. Please feel free to do so. But I must say, it's not that easy to swoon the Dragon King off his feet."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really," he replied confidently. 

"I'll take up that challenge, your Majesty. On that note of making things official, I'm not letting you win this easily. This is only the first date, after all."

Both of them shared a hearty laugh before resuming their date. Laina enjoyed her time with Dante. The burden she carried on her shoulders as the Crown Princess was weighing down upon her for quite some time. 

Moments like this one, where she could be her true self, were rare. By the time they were finished with the treats on the dessert stand, their cups were empty too. Looking down at the empty cup, Laina bit her lip. 

They were having such a wonderful time, she did not want it to end just yet. As the waitress cleared away the dessert stand, she requested for a refill of tea. Dante was surprised by Laina's actions. 

But he knew what it meant. 

"I'll have another cup of coffee too," he quickly added just as the waitress was about to leave. 

Dante reached out his hand, gently touching Laina's hand that was on the table. They looked into each other's eyes, smiling at one another. No words needed to be exchanged, they understood one another perfectly well. 

It was as if they were in sync. 

But, like everything that happens, even good things have to come to an end. Dante and Laina could hear the sound of rushed footsteps coming in their direction. They quickly released each other's hands and turned to see who it was. 

"Your Majesty, Crown Princess Laina, please forgive our intrusion," Marius said swiftly as he walked over to them. 

The serious look on Marius's face was clear for all to see. Laina knew something was amiss. As Marius whispered into Dante's ear, his smile faded away too. Laina knew their date was coming to an end. 

Dante stood up from his seat and took a knee before Laina. He reached out to take hold of her hand. He placed her hand in his as he kissed it gently. 

"I'm afraid something has cropped up in Dracona, Crown Princess Laina. As such, I will have to take my leave with Marius immediately. I can only seek your forgiveness. I will make it up to you, I promise," Dante explained. 

Laina nodded, "Go, we can always meet again." 

Dante took out a small red box from his pocket and opened it. In it, was a necklace. The pendant was in the shape of a crescent moon, carved out of a single black diamond. 

He carefully removed the necklace from its box and placed it around Laina's neck as he explained, "This is my promise to you. You can also use it to communicate with me. All you have to do is tap it twice, and call out my name."

Dante showed Laina the necklace he wore around his neck. It was a pendant in the shape of the sun, carved from a ruby.

"I will be able to use mine to communicate with you."

Laina looked at the pendant he gifted her, "It's beautiful, thank you."

She leaned in close to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. From the corner of her eye, Laina could see how anxious Marius. Something really urgent must have happened. 

Laina did not want to delay them any further. As Dante stood back up, he gently kissed Laina on the forehead before saying goodbye. 

With that, Dante left with Marius, leaving Laina and Margaret behind. Kol stood in the corner, silently watching over them as Margaret sat down in Dante's seat. 

Though she did not approve of the both of them being together, the smile on Laina's face was undeniable. There were so many things Margaret wished to tell her. 

But now was not the right time. 

Margaret wondered to herself. -When that day comes, would you hate me?-

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