The Dragon King's Heart

"Is this all of them?" Laina turned to ask Margaret as they walked through the Petunia Ballroom.

The art competition had ended two days ago and all the art pieces were labeled and ready to be viewed. Laina had hired a group of six art experts from Kinshearth and beyond to be the judges. But she also wanted to judge the pieces herself.

"Yes, this is all of it," Margaret replied as she flipped through the papers in her hand, "So the judges picked…"

Laina stopped her, "Don't tell me, I want to judge the artworks on my own."

Margaret nodded and took a step back, giving her more space to look through the pieces. There were paintings on the ground, paintings on easels. Some of them had already been framed. With one look, Laina knew which paintings were painted by the nobility. High-quality paint was used, making for more vibrant colors. 

The subject of their artwork was vastly different from that of the common man. As she continued to view each painting with scrutiny, few captured her attention. Even fewer had the essence she was looking for. 

In total, Laina selected ten pieces of paintings and ten sculptures. She had them brought to the Ruby Gallery where she would view them once more for further inspection. The rest of the paintings would be kept for display. 

"For the pieces that had been picked by the judges, have them brought to the Ruby Gallery as well," Laina instructed.

With that, they proceeded to the Ruby Gallery to view the artworks that had been selected. Laina also called for the judges to join her in the viewing. Laina was already there when the judges arrived. All of them knelt and greeted her before they began. 

One of the artworks captured Laina's attention for its bright colors. Though the quality of paint used could not compare to those used by the nobility, the colors produced were just as lively and vibrant. The longer she looked at it, the more she loved it. 

"You seem to like this piece quite a bit, your highness," Margaret commented with a smile.

Laina grinned, "I don't know what it is, but there's something about it that speaks to me. The colors, the petals, brilliant."

"I'm surprised that you would favor this one."

"Oh? Why so?" Laina asked out of curiosity. 

Margaret chuckled as she replied, "Well, this is quite the opposite of your favorite shade, black."

The painting was that of a vase of sunflowers on a yellow background. The sunflowers were all in different stages of bloom and wilt. The colors were so vivid, it almost felt as if the flowers were real. If you reached your hand over, you might just be able to touch the petals.

"Who's the painter behind this work?" Laina asked.

Margaret flipped through the papers in her hands, "It's by Vincent Van Hoff, your Highness."

The name rang a bell in Laina's mind. She was sure she had heard this name before. Just then, it clicked in her mind. This was the brother of the merchant Theon, who had come to the palace to get a place for his brother in the competition. 

When Laina walked over to view the pieces picked by the judges, she was happy to see that it included a few of those she had chosen. But it soon became clear that all the pieces they had chosen, were painted or sculpted by the nobility. Some of the pieces were questionable at best. Laina wondered what the judges even saw in them. 

"Can you explain to me why you've chosen this piece?" Laina asked them.

She was referring to a painting of a single ballerina dancing in a ballroom filled with spectators. The lighting and shading were mediocre at best, with rushed brush strokes. All the faces of the spectators had no details on them. One of the judges, Carson, stepped forward and began to give his explanation.

"This work is done by a skilled artist, your Highness. The lighting and shadows are well placed as you can see here. The focus is on the ballerina, which is why the painter decided to paint her with such detail. While the other characters in the background are dull in comparison," he explained.

Laina could see that Carson was sweating as he gave his explanation. His shoulders were tense and he was constantly fidgeting his hands. Margaret noticed it, just as Laina did. She leaned in to whisper in Laina's ear. 

The Crown Princess took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. 

She turned to Margaret and whispered, "You have the evidence to back this?" 

Margaret lowered her head, "Yes, your highness."

Laina went on to ask the judges for their opinions on some of the pieces she had chosen. 

"These were done by the common folk of Kinshearth, what do you think of them?" she asked nonchalantly. 

The judges went around to look at the ones Laina had pointed out. They whispered and communicated amongst themselves before giving Laina a reply. Their criticism was harsh, commenting about the full colors due to the lack of good paints. 

But some of the judges saw through it and commented about the positive aspects of the pieces as well. 

"Although this carver lacked the necessary professional training, you can tell from their piece that they have a vivid imagination. It is simply impossible to imagine this with a simple mind," one of the judges commented after reviewing one of the sculptures. 

Laina nodded, "Indeed, perfection is difficult to achieve without the advantages of high-quality tools and proper tutoring. An imaginative mind, now that is something that's difficult to find."

The other judges nodded in agreement. 

After assessing all of them, Laina announced the final chosen pieces. She could see that Carson, who previously commented on the painting featuring the solo ballerina was nervously fidgeting throughout. 

When the list of works she had announced did not include that painting, the judge was visibly in even more distress. Before Laina could even say anything, he spoke up first. 

"Your Highness. Would you reconsider this piece?" he said as he walked over to the ballerina painting. 

He almost stumbled on his own feet walking up to it. 

"I believe this… this piece deserves some recognition," he said as he took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the sweat off his brow. 

Laina nodded, though she was not convinced. 

"Is it perhaps because you know this painter personally?" she asked as she crossed her arms.