The Dragon King's Heart

"Are you going to tell me where I need to go?" 

"Of course I am!"

Laina sniggered. Even the owner of the fruit stall chuckled. They knew full well Jerome was not giving her the right details. 

"You're probably going to give me the wrong address, I assume?" Laina asked as she looked at the fruits on display, picking them at leisure. 

"Yes! Wait no!" Jerome flustered, "Are you trying to mess with me?"

In his anger, Jerome walked up to Laina and attempted to push her from behind. But Laina could already sense his movements. She simply stepped to the side, causing Jerome to fall onto the fruits. 

He desperately attempts to grab onto something to steady himself but nothing worked. The oranges rolled down the display stand as Jerome loses his grip and falls to the ground face first. 

Laina could not hold it in any longer. She bursts out in laughter and so did everyone else who caught sight of what happened. Jerome, having made a fool out of himself, was beet red. He looked as if he was about to explode in anger as he angrily glared at Laina. 

"Just you wait! This isn't the last you'll hear from me!" Jerome warned before leaving with his lackeys in tow. 

Laina helped pick up the pieces of fallen fruit. She apologized for the trouble she had caused. 

"Oh, it's alright. That's not the first time he's caused trouble anyways," the stall owner replied, "The name's Baxter. What's yours?"

"Laina," she responded with a smile. 

Baxter, the fruit stall keeper pointed Laina in the right direction to go. But before she left, he gave her a word of advice. The rental prices of shop spaces were much higher than a market hall stall. 

"If you really want to sell something in here, I might be able to help you," Baxter offered. 

As it turned out, some of the market stall owners owned their stalls. It was passed down through the family from generation to generation. Some owners either found other professions, leaving the stalls vacant, or were simply too old to manage it on their own. 

"These cases are exempted from the rule, " he explained.

"I see..." Laina pondered over what Baxter told her. 

"If you're serious about getting a stall, I know someone who would be willing to rent it to you."

Laina lit up, "Really?" 

Baxter nodded, "I'll call them over right now."

After a short negotiation, Laina and the stall owner came to an agreement. They were friendly and eager to see what Laina had in mind. 

"What are you going to sell?" Baxter asked. 

Laina pondered for a moment before she replied, "I was thinking of opening a drink stall."

"A drink stall?"

"Yes. A tea stall to be exact," she added. 

With the rental settled, Laina went to purchase the ingredients and equipment she needed. What she could not find she made arrangements for it to be shipped in from elsewhere. During her time as Crown Princess, Laina learned everything she could to start her own business. 

She also gained a long list of contacts who were more than willing to help Laina when she was in a bind. But as she would come to learn, not all of them came through. In the days that followed, Laina received replies to the messages she had sent out. 

Some politely declined to offer any assistance, worried that they would be on bad terms with the current ruling monarch of Kinshearth. Others never bothered to give a reply at all. Lucky for her, a few kind souls came through. 

"That's how you see who's true and who's not," Margaret added as she poured them a cup of tea each after Laina explained what had happened. 

"You're right," Laina sighed as she took a sip from her cup of tea, "When I become Queen, we'll know who to work with."

"When? You're that confident he's not going to make it?" Margaret asked. 

Laina had heard how capable Ethan was. While he might have received the best education on how to rule a Kingdom, he did not have the actual experience. 

"Book knowledge can only help you so far," she explained, "Let's see how he lands on his feet."

Turning her attention back to their breakfast, Laina realized that only Margaret and Marius were at the table with her. 

"Have you forgotten?" she already knew what Laina wanted to ask, "Kol and Florin left for their secret mission early this morning. They didn't want to wake you but they left a note."

After breakfast, Laina headed into Luzernia. Margaret and Marius insisted on following, to help her with her stall but she politely declined. This was the first time she got to do something on her own. 

"I promise to invite you both once everything is set up and ready to go, alright?" Laina added, hoping her friends would agree. 

Margaret sighed, "Alright alright. You promised so you better keep it."

Upon arriving at the market hall, Laina was excited to start working on her stall. But before she could get to her stall, Baxter stopped her in her tracks. He was gasping for air as he did and it took him a few moments to catch his breath. 

"Laina… you're here," he said as he took a deep breath. 

If the expression on his face told her anything, something was amiss. 

"Is something wrong, Baxter?" she asked.

"I'm afraid so-" 

That was all she needed to hear. Laina sped up towards her stall with Baxter following closely behind. When she got there, her eyes widened in shock. All the supplies she had purchased, including the equipment, were destroyed. Even the stall front was damaged. 

"I wanted to get hold of you but I realized I didn't have any means of contacting you. I'm sorry, Miss Laina," Baxter said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. 

She bit her lip. It was clear enough who did this. 

"Jerome…" she muttered his name beneath her breath as she clenched her fists. 

She turned towards the exit, ready to storm out of the market hall to seek justice but Baxter stopped her in her tracks. 

"Where are you going?" he asked. 

He saw the look in her eyes. 

"I know that look," he said, "Trust me, it's not worth it to go after him."

Laina turned back to look at the ruined stall. With the wealth she had, all of it would be an easy fix. That was true. But the damage was done. Starting over from scratch would be the clever thing to do. 

Confronting Jerome would only shine the limelight on her and bring trouble to her doorstep. 

"You're right," she sighed as she loosened up a little, "It would be better for me to start over and focus on that instead."

Baxter clenched his jaw, "About that…"

He hated being the bearer of bad news, but he knew Laina needed to know, "Because of what happened, the stall owner-"

Laina stopped him. 

"I figured out that much."

"Maybe there are other stall owners who would be willing to rent to you."

Laina shook her head, "It's alright. I don't want to trouble anyone more than I already have.. I'll think of something else."