The Dragon King's Heart

"Tell me, Dante, " she finally broke the silence after a long pause, "How can we lift the curse?"

He was hesitant, unsure of what to say. 

"I  know you said it is risky. But I just have to know," she pleaded with him. 

Dante shook his head, "Knowing will only cause you more pain."

He tried to do everything he can to reason with her. But Laina was firm on her decision. She wanted to know. She felt like she had the right to know. But seeing Dante's reluctance, Laina came to her own chilling conclusion. 

"Restoring my memories and powers is the only way for us to lift the curse, isn't it?"

Dante let out a sigh. He nodded his head, confirming Laina's prediction. Laina slumped her shoulders. At that moment, it felt as if her entire world was about to come crashing down. But something lit a flame of hope in her heart.

"I'll find a way," she declared as she tightened her fists.

Determination glowed brightly in her eyes as she reaffirmed her intentions. Laina was going to do everything in her power to restore her own memories. That way, she would be able to save Dante.

"The Oracle mentioned that there was a way for me to restore my memories," she explained as she looked down at her open palm, "I have seen fragments of the past through your eyes and mine. This must be a sign."

Dante caressed her cheek. He had always admired her strength and her persistence. It was some of his favorite traits about Laina. Despite feeling helpless in all of it, Dante promised to remain by Laina's side and help her in any way he could.

"I won't give up on us," he said to her, "I promise."

That night, the two of them huddled close in each other's embrace as they slept. For the first time in a long while, both of them were free of one less burden. The next day, they slept. As soon as her feet touched the floor, Laina shuddered as it was ice cold.

Peering through the gap in the curtains, Laina realized it was snowing heavily. The entire forest was blanketed in thick layers of fresh snow. Heavey darkened clouds covered the sky though there was still some light peeking through. Just then, the aromatic fragrance of roasted meats caught her attention. 

It did not take long for Laina to realize that it was the eve of Log Day. Just as she was about to turn around and tiptoe out of the room, Laina walked straight into Dante. She let out a yelp of fright as she jumped in her spot.

"Dante! You scared me!" she exclaimed as she rubbed her chest.

He chuckled in response before giving her a quick peck on the nose, "Sorry about that. Happy Log Day Eve, my love."

Laina pouted a little as she nudged him on the arm. Dante took the opportunity to pinch Laina on the cheeks, attempting to remold her expression into a smile.

"Why the sudden pouty face?" he asked playfully as he continued to knead her cheeks as if he was massaging some dough.

"It's not fair that you get to call me that and I can't," she grumbled.

Dante chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her, "Come now, we have much better nicknames for one another."

"We do?" Laina asked, then she remembered what he was referring to, "We do!"

Laina had always heard him mention the nicknames sun drop and moon kiss. She had thought it was all just a dream or something that Dante unknowingly muttered in his sleep. 

"That was real too? We had those nicknames for one another?" she asked him for confirmation. 

"Yes, we did," he chuckled in response, a little confused by the expression on Laina,'s face, "What's wrong?" 

She did not seem too happy about it. She looked away from him, attempting to avert his gaze as she pursed her lips. 

"It's so...so..."

"So what?"

"So mushy..." she mumbled, embarrassed as her cheeks blushed. 

Dante could not help but chuckle at Laina's response. It was not what he was expecting her to say. Their nicknames were something they had picked for one another. There was a story behind each of them. One story was simpler than the other. 

"Would it help if I told you how we came up with the nicknames for one another?" he asked as he caressed a lock of her hair in his hands.

Laina nodded quietly in response, although still a little shy to meet him in the eyes. He first explained the nickname he had given Laina, sun drop. The first time they met, Dante could not take his eyes off her. 

She was beautiful, ethereal, with the sun behind her. Her sweet smile and fiery personality paired perfectly well. 

"You were like a drop of sunlight, stunning and shining bright. That is why I call you my little sun drop," he explained with a smile of his own. 

She nudged him as he concluded his story, "So what about me? How did I come up with your nickname?"

She was ready to hear the deep meaningful reason she had come up with such a nickname for Dante. There had to be logical reasoning for it. She was sure of it. Dante did not want to disappoint, so he got to it immediately. 

"We were only able to meet at night at times, and I was a good kisser," he smirked as he continued, "So one thing led to another, and ever since then, you would call me your moon kiss."

Her jaw was about to drop on the floor. Laina covered her face with her hands. She was embarrassed. 

"You're lying, aren't you?" she said as she peeked through her hands. 

She could not believe she would have done something so cheesy! It was embarrassing! Dante could not hold in his laughter anymore. He raised one hand and placed the other over his heart as he swore that he was telling the truth. 

Laina gave up as she got out of bed to get ready for the day. They had slept in on Log Day and there was still much for them to do. It was a time for celebration. As Laina changed out of her pajamas into something else, Dante attempted to convince her to return to bed. 

"Come back to bed, sun drop. It's not every day that we get to lie in," he reasoned.