The Dragon King's Heart

Before she knew it, they arrived at their destination. The temperature of their surroundings had dropped significantly but Laina was not the least bit bothered by it. In fact, she kind of liked the change in weather. 

It had been quite some time since she was surrounded by snow. Dante knew Laina would be alright in the cold, but he still draped a long coat over her shoulders just in case. Feeling the warmth of the jacket made her look up at him. 

"Thank you," she mumbled in reply before turning her head back to marvel at the view before them. 

Laina was still angry at Dante for taking her out of Kinshearth without her permission. But, she was happy for a change of scenery and a change of pace. The last few months have been endlessly stressful. 

Dante placed both of his hands on her shoulders as he guided her forward. As they came up to the elaborately carved solid wood doors, the doors swung open on their own. Laina was surprised by the grandeur of the mansion. 

"You own this place?" she asked Dante in disbelief as they stepped in. 

Two rows of servants, maids, and butlers stood on each side of the red carpet that had been set out for them. As soon as they entered, the staff of the mansion greeted them. 

"Welcome to Starfrost Mansion, your Majesty, Crown Princess Laina of Kinshearth"

Laina had seen her fair share of castles and mansions. The opulence of the Kinshearth Palace was one of the grandest in all of Gaeia. But standing on the red carpet of Starfrost Mansion, Laina was speechless. 

The decor in the mansion was unlike anything she had seen before. The style of the architecture was unique, the intricate detail in every piece of furniture was a sight to behold. 

"Wow," she could not help but exclaim in awe. 

"I assume that means you like it?" Dante remarked with a grin. 

"Like it? I might get obsessed with it," Laina replied as she walked up the marble stairs in the middle of the hall. 

She leaned her head back as she looked up at the ceiling. Even the ceilings were decorated with hand-painted murals. With all the blood rushing to her head, Laina felt her vision spin when she lowered her head. 

A misstep caused her to fall backward. 

Lucky for her, Dante was right there to catch her in his arms. 

"I think that's enough excitement for the time being, your Highness. You should get some rest," Dante said soothingly as he wrapped his arms around her waist and guided her up the stairs. 

As they walked down hallways after hallway, Laina could not help but be intrigued by everything she saw around her. The oil paintings that hung on the wall, the antiques that lined the hallways. Everything looked so interesting and captivating. 

It was as if every item in the mansion had a story to tell. 

"Did you furnish this place yourself?" Laina asked. 

Dante nodded in reply, "It was in disrepair for a period of time. Dracona Royalty had properties like this one all over the Kingdom and beyond…"

He went on to explain further, how he had heard about the mansion and its close proximity to the thermal hot springs in the mountains. Realizing it was a perfect spot for rest and relaxation, Dante decided to make it his own.

Every piece in the mansion was hand-picked by him. Every mural on the walls and ceilings was based on Dante's vision. While he would have liked to paint them himself, he did not have the time to do so as a ruling monarch. 

"And here we are, where we'll be staying for our stay here," Dante announced as he pushed open the carved oak wood doors behind him. 

Laina walked in, following behind Dante. She furrowed her eyebrows and turned back to look at Dante. 

"Did… did you say this is where 'we' will be staying? During 'our' stay?" Laina asked. 

"Yes, that's right. I hope that arrangement would be to your liking," he replied with a coy grin. 

The audacity he was willing to go to to make her his! Laina folded her arms with a wide grin across her face. She shook her head in defeat as she leaned against a side table. 

"You never fail to surprise me, Dragon King. But may I please have my own room during my stay?"

Dante walked over to her. He wrapped his hands around her waist, their bodies were pushed together. He gently fixed a lock of her hair behind her ear while shaking his head. 

"I'm afraid there aren't any other available rooms, my princess. This is the only one that's fit for a beauty, such as yourself to stay in. Every other space cannot match your brilliance."

She was blushing. She was grinning with glee. Not only was he shameless, but he was also such a smooth talker! To be honest, Laina did not mind sharing a room with Dante. She worried about the rumors that would spread about their relationship. 

But the more time they spent together, Laina came to a realization. She wanted to spend more time with Dante. Though they might not have known one another for very long, she always felt a sense of familiarity with Dante. 

"Alright," Laina said as she averted Dante's gaze, "I'll stay here then."

"Good," Dante replied as he gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. 

He cupped her chin in his hand, gently caressing her smooth skin. Dante gazed lovingly at Laina. He cherished every moment they shared with one another as if it was their last. He never wanted to let her go. 

"Are you tired?" he whispered. His voice filled with worry and concern for her well-being. 

"I'm alright." 

"Shall we explore the thermal baths then?" he asked. 

Laina nodded, "Sure, it would be nice to warm up."

"You don't have to be in the water to warm up. I can warm you up," Dante teased. 

She could not help but chuckle when she heard his reply. But Laina had an even better suggestion. 

"I know you can, but wouldn't it be more fun to cuddle in the water; our bodies even closer together?" she asked as she pressed her body against his.