The Dragon King's Heart

Dante wrapped his hand around Laina's waist. He interlocked their free hands together. 

"I don't have anywhere else to be," he replied with a grin, "So I guess I'll stay. Shall we dance, Princess Laina?"

You could not deny that Dante had some smooth moves. He casually guided Laina back into the ballroom and onto the dance floor. As the music accompanied them in the background, Dante and Laina danced the night away. 

Laina was nervous. Her palms were sweating and she was afraid she might step on Dante's feet. Lady Luck must have been shining down upon her as they danced. As they danced, Laina grew more confident over time. 

In Dante's company, everything felt right. She felt safe in his arms. Everything else in the background faded away. To Laina, the entire dance floor was theirs and there was no one else. Dante, on the other hand, was deeply enamored of Laina.

He had almost forgotten what it was like to have her in his arms. Nothing else in the world mattered at the moment they shared. Even as the music faded away, neither of them was willing to let go. 

They gazed deep into each other's eyes, refusing to look away. 

"Dante?" Laina called out his name. 

"Yes?"

"Sometimes I get this feeling. Like we've met before…"

Dante chuckled, "We most certainly have met before tonight, your Highness. Unless you're already forgotten about the time you spent in my castle…"

Laina shook her head, "No, I wasn't referring to that-"

He knew what she was referring to. A small spark of hope was lit in Dante's heart. 

"Then what is it?" he asked eagerly. 

She could not describe it well enough. But every time Laina met Dante when they spent time with one another, she always felt a sense of familiarity with him. It always felt as if they had known one another for a very long time. 

"I don't know how to describe it, but I always feel like we've known one another for a very long time."

Dante looked deep into Laina's eyes. He wanted to tell her everything. But he can't. Memories of a past he wanted to forget resurfaced in his mind. Dante pursed his lips as he came up with a reply. 

"I feel the same way too," he said as he caressed her cheek. 

Laina looked up at him, "You do?"

Dante nodded, "Though we've only met recently, I feel as though we've known one another for a long time. Who knows, maybe we've met in our past lives."

Hearing his reply, Laina could not help but chuckle a little, "Maybe… maybe you're right. Past lives huh? I wonder what would that be like."

They walked out into the open balcony to enjoy the cool night breeze as they continued their conversation. 

"Maybe we were just two common folks from different villages who fell in love and lived together," Laina theorized. 

"Would you have liked that? A simple life in the country," Dante asked out of curiosity. 

Being the Crown Princess had its advantages and disadvantages. The bountiful wealth she had meant Laina could have anything she desired. But the duties and responsibilities of the crown weighed heavily. 

Sometimes Laina wished she could be a little more carefree. When she saw how free the country folk looked, she sometimes envied their simple life. 

Laina leaned over the balcony as she replied, "It does seem attractive at times. Especially when I have a whole day of court sessions and meetings ahead of me."

Just then, a chilly night breeze blew past them. Laina felt a shiver. She wrapped her hands around her arms for a little more warmth. Dante took off his suit jacket and draped it over Laina's shoulders. 

"Thank you," she mumbled a word of thanks as she blushed. 

"You're welcome," Dante replied with a smile as he stood close to her. 

Laina wrapped his suit jacket around her shoulders a little tighter. It felt as if it was Dante who had wrapped his arms around her. 

-That would be nice…- Laina thought to herself.

In her mind, she began to imagine Dante wrapping his arms around her to warm her up. Their bodies would touch and she would be able to smell the sweet scent from his body. When Laina realized what she was fantasizing about, her cheeks turned beet red. 

She turned her face away from Dante, trying to hide her embarrassment. She prayed that Dante did not see the smile on her face, followed by the rising heat in her cheeks. But he saw it. All of it. 

"Your Highness, just what are you thinking of?" Dante asked cheekily as he turned to look at her. 

Laina squinted her eyes shut as she pursed her lips. She was caught red-handed. 

"I… well… I…" she could not even form a proper sentence. 

"My my princess. I must say I am surprised that the Crown Princess of Kinshearth would have the audacity to think of something dirty-"

"Dirty?! No! No! That's not what I was thinking about! I was just thinking it would be nice if you had your arms around me instead of your jacket-" 

When Laina realized she had blurted out what she truly was thinking, she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide in there forever. Before she could say anything else, Dante walked behind her and wrapped her in his arms from behind. 

"Like this? Your Highness?" Dante asked in a seductive voice.

His husky tone of voice sent tingles throughout Laina's body. She gulped as she felt the warmth of his body against hers. Laina blushed beet red. Now, she had no place to hide. As much as she wanted to wriggle out of his grasp, she wanted more to stay in his arms. 

"Yes…" she mumbled softly as she looked to the side in deep embarrassment. 

Dante grinned as he asked, "What's that? I can't hear you."

"I said yes!" Laina raised her voice a little louder as she pouted. 

Dante leaned in close to Laina. He looked over to her but she refused to face him. She did not want him to know she was enjoying herself. But he was not done with teasing her just yet. Dante released Laina from his embrace quickly. 

"Your Highness, taking into consideration your reputation and my own, maybe we should not be so close…"

Laina grabbed hold of Dante's hands. She wrapped them around her again with a smirk on her face. 

"You're not going anywhere," she threatened playfully. 

"Oh? Is that right?" Dante played along with a grin.