The Dragon King's Heart

She got up on her feet and made her way to the entrance.

"Didn't you agree to stay?" Neil called out with his arms crossed.

He should have known never to trust Laina. Just like all the other adults, they could not keep their promises. Laina turned around to face him.

"I did. But if you expect me to sit here while all of you starve, I can't do that."

With that, she turned back and left the shophouse in a jiffy. Neil sat down with the other children, shaking his head. Rosie, on the other hand, gave out the pastries Laina had given her. She brought a piece of it to Neil.

He shook his head, stubborn as a mule, "I'm not eating."

"Neil, come on," Rosie begged, "You need to eat."

"Yeah boss, you need to eat," another child chimed in.

The other around him agreed, coaxing him to eat. Still, Neil refused.

"You guys go ahead, I'm not hungry."

Laina walked out into the cool night. The weather was much colder now, she watched as her breath formed a puff of mist. Seeing as it was late, Laina knew it would be difficult to look for food.

"I better quicken my pace," she muttered to herself as she walked down the street.

Unfortunately, as it was getting late, most of the shops and restaurants were closed for the day. The streets were so quiet, Laina could even hear her own breathing as she made her way around.

Finally, from the corner of her eye,  Laina saw a restaurant with the lights still on. Her face lit up as she rushed over to it. Just as she was about to enter through the main door, the door swung open and a familiar face exited.

"Well well well, if it isn't the foreigner," it was Jerome.

Laina clenched her jaw. He was the last person she wanted to see. The stench of alcohol on him was enough to put her off. She wrinkled her nose as she attempted to enter the restaurant.

But Jerome pushed her back on the shoulder. She grabbed hold of his wrist.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked coldly as she glared at him.

From his darting pupils, she knew he was disoriented and drunk. Laina hoped he would not attempt to pull off any stunts. The two lackeys he was with came up close to Laina. They were trying to intimidate her.

"Are... are you trying to enter this restaurant?" Jerome asked with a snigger.

"That's none of your business," Laina replied as she let go of his wrist and attempted to enter again.

This time, Jerome's two lackeys blocked her path.

"You don't belong here, miss. I think the food cart over there is more suitable," one of them teased as they pointed to the small cart in the distance.

"Yeah, I don't think you can even afford a glass of water in here," Jerome laughed.

The two lackeys join in his laughter. Laina, not wanting to cause a scene, paid them no mind. She attempted to push past them again but they did not let her go.

"Move," Laina warned coldly, "Or else."

"Or else what?"

She got up close to one of them. She pointed the sharp end of her dagger at his stomach. Laina did not break eye contact with Jerome's lackey. The young man shivered in fear as he felt the sharp end of the dagger gently pressed on his abdomen.

"I will not repeat myself," she warned.

"You're threatening us with a dagger in public? You got some nerve you bitch!"

Laina furrowed her eyebrow. Her grip on the dagger hilt tightened as she turned her attention to Jerome.

"What did you say?"

"I SAID," Jerome yelled at the top of his lungs in a drunken stupor, "YOU GOT SOME NERVE YOU BI-"

Laina punched him square in the face, breaking his nose upon impact. She could hear the crunch of his nose bridge. Jerome was thrown off the steps, landing heavily on one of his lackeys. He screamed in agony, clutching his broken nose as blood seeped through his hands.

"You broke my nose! YOU BROKE MY NOSE YOU-"

"I would watch your tongue if I were you, Jerome," Laina said to him as she glared.

The two lackeys, shocked by what Laina had done, quickly attempted to help Jerome up on his feet. Rage had overtaken all of his emotions as he tried to attack Laina head-on. But his lackeys held him back.

"Boss... your... your nose! Let's go!" one of them urged.

"Yeah! There's so much blood!" the other added.

But Jerome would not listen. He still wanted to fight Laina.

"I would listen to them if I were you," Laina advised with a smirk, "You wouldn't want to be disfigured after being humiliated by a young woman, now would you?"

Jerome gritted his teeth in rage. He yelled like a wild animal, trying to attack Laina but his lackeys held him back.

"Let me at her! LET ME AT HER!" he yelled. His entire face was covered with blood.

Laina paid him no mind. She went up the steps and attempted to enter the restaurant as Jerome was pulled away by his lackeys into the night. But before she could take another step forward, she was stopped by a waiter.

"I am sorry Miss, but we're closed for the day," the waiter said.

She could see the sweat trickling down his forehead as he avoided eye contact with Laina. He was afraid of her. Perhaps he had already predicted her wrath for stopping her in her track.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Miss. Terribly sorry," the waiter apologized before quickly turning to return back into the restaurant.

Laina grabbed him by the arm. With a smile on her face, she said, "I just need to purchase some food to takeaway.  I'm not eating in. Perhaps your chef would be able to accommodate my humble request."

The waiter shivered in his spot, "Please miss, I'm sorry but we can't afford to offend him. Please go somewhere else."

Laina sighed as she looked over to the side. She could see Jerome being pulled away in the distance. He was still cursing and swearing at her. She could hear him from where she stood.

"I understand," she sighed, "Would you happen to know anywhere else I might be able to get some food at this hour?"

She released him from his grasp, allowing the man to be a little more at ease. He clenched his jaw, hesitating.

"I'm trying to buy food for some hungry children," she pleaded.

It was the truth after all.

Upon hearing that the waiter relented. He pointed her in the direction of a bakery a few doors down.

"They might have closed for the day, but they may have some leftovers that weren't sold," he explained.

"Thank you," Laina immediately went on her way.