The Dragon King's Heart

Laina handed a mug to Ethan after she set the tray down on the coffee table. She leaned back comfortably on the sofa and took a sip from her mug. 

"So, what would you like to discuss?" she asked without skipping a beat. 

"I..." Ethan hesitated for a moment. 

"I came here to ask for your help," he finally said. 

"My help? I am afraid you'll have to be more specific than that, Your Majesty."

Ethan clenched his jaw. He did not appreciate the way Laina was treating him. After all, it was mostly her fault that he was in this mess. Or so he thought. 

"I will not beg, Laina. I won't" he said through gritted teeth. 

"You landed me in this mess and you're going to fix it." Sitting on the sofa alone, waiting for Laina stirred the negative emotions he harbored. 

After all, he was a King. A King does not beg for someone's help. He regretted coming here to ask for her help. But on the other hand, he did not have any other choice. 

Laina could not help but laugh. She was amused at the notion that Ethan was in trouble and it was her fault. 

"My fault?" she scoffed, "I don't even know what sort of trouble you're in. How could it possibly be my fault?"

Ethan slammed his hand on the coffee table. He leaped out of his seat as he pointed at Laina. 

"You emptied the Royal Coffers! Not leaving a single penny! Does that ring a bell," he yelled. 

Laina put the cup of hot cocoa back on the table. She remained calm and collected, which only infuriated him even more. 

Laina leaned back in her seat as she looked up at him, "If you're going to be like this, then you may take your leave."

Ethan chuckled, "So I was right? You were the one who emptied the coffers? I should have known you were up to something. 

I knew it!"

Laina did not appreciate being falsely accused. But she was not about to lose her cool. Not when she had the high ground in the argumet. He came knocking on her door, not the other way around. 

"I do not appreciate the false accusation," she snapped back at him, "I simply took what was mine."

"So everything then?"

Laina shook her head, "Only what belonged to me. The Royal Coffers should have more than enough funds to last at the very least another six months without replenish from taxes that were due to come in at the end of the year. Which is in a couple of weeks."

She narrowed her eyes at him as she continued, "I could have left you high and dry, Ethan. Trust me I thought about it. But I did not."

"Then..." Ethan could not even piece the words he wanted to say, "How..."

He yelled in anger as he sat back down on the sofa, burying his head in his hands. From the way he reacted, Laina realied her prediction was right. But she was surprised. It happened sooner than she had expected. 

In just a few short months since his coronation, the crown was already in debt. Laina sighed as she rubbed her temples. 

"I can't believe this happened so soon," she sighed in defeat. 

Ethan looked up at her, "So you did plan this?"

"Of course not!" she rebutted, "I predicted this might happen."

Laina rubbed her temples as she closed her eyes. 

"How much?" 

"How much what?"

"For crying out loud... how much debt is there?" Laina asked as she continued to rub her temples. 

Ethan paused for a moment. He hesitated telling her. He averted his gaze as he bit his lip. 

"If you want my help, spit it out."

He did not want to say it out loud. So, Ethan leaned over to Laina and whispered the amount into her ear. As soon as she  heard it, she slapped his across the face. 

Pak!

Everyone gasped in shock when they witnessed it. They were surprised that Laina did that. Even she was in shock that she did. 

"What have you been doing?! Spending on frivolos balls every day?" She yelled at him. 

Ethan, who was still a little stunned by what had happened, attempted to defend himself, "Not everyday! Every other day..."

"You slapped me across the face? I'm a King! Have you gone-"

Pak!

Before he could finish his sentence, she slapped him across the face again. The others who were listening on the stairs could not help but cheer in silence. Dante chuckled. Ethan was asking for it. 

"I'll gladly do it again if it calls for it," Laina warned him sternly. 

Both of them calmed down a little. They sat there in silence for a while, trying to recollect their thoughts. 

"The Nobles of the High Court. I assume you gave into their every demand after you took the throne?" Laina sighed as she leaned back and sipped on her hot cocoa. 

Ethan was stunned, "How did you know?"

She rolled her eyes. How could she not know? One of the main reasons they disliked Laina so much was because of what she had done. Laina noticed many industries in Kinshearth were monopolised by the nobles. 

This led to the controlled pricing in the market and less common folk were able to trade in the industries. Existing contracts with the noble houses were often done at exorbitant prices when the actual cost were only a fraction. 

The nobility were one of the main reasons the crown was in debt to begin with. When she explained this to Ethan, he was shocked. 

"I... I never knew..."

"Of course not," she sighed, "Why would they ever tell you any of this? You thought you had them in your palm, but you've actually been their puppet all along."

The nobles knew Ethan would follow the traditions Kinshearth. They knew he would given in to their demands. He was their perfect puppet. 

"I assume you brought back all, if not most of the royal traditions as well?" she added, "Like the second breakfast, early and late afternoon high tea with the nobility?"

Ethan nodded. 

"Do you know how much those cost?" She sighed,"All those add up. And they are so unneccessary. How can anyone possibly eat everything?"

Ethan leaned back in his chair. Laina was right. Not only did those meals take out so much time in his day, the food was mostly wasted too. Now he understood why Laina implemented so many reforms. 

"If those noble houses weren't unscrupulous businessmen and women, do you think I wouldn't have awarded those contracts to them?" Laina defended herself.

She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Now you see my plight."