The Dragon King's Heart

Margaret gritted her teeth. She curled her hands into fists as she listened to Laina. She could not even look Laina in the eyes. But Margaret's silence did not sit well with Laina. Unable to take it any further, Laina picked Margaret up by her collar.

She forced Margaret to look her in the eye. Marius and Kol were stunned by Laina's actions. Neither of them was able to convince her to let Margaret go.

Laina, on the other hand, had tears in her eyes. She was holding it back.

"Tell me, Margaret. Talk to me!" Laina shook her as she yelled.

"Have you considered what would happen to you?" Margaret asked.

"What?"

It took her a while, but Margaret finally mustered the courage to look Laina in the eye. She had tears in her eyes as her hands were shaking.

"Have you considered what would happen to you?" she repeated.

Laina's eyes widened a little as she released Margaret from her grasp.

"I..." She averted her gaze as she tightened her fist, "I know the consequences."

"Do you really?" Margaret questioned her as she took a step towards her.

Laina retreated back.

Margaret placed her hand over her heart, "It pained me not to tell you. Trust me, it did."

She saw how loving Dante and Laina were. She could see their relationship growing stronger with each passing day. Margaret cupped Laina's face in her hands.

"If I told you, you would have done everything you could to save him. As it seems, you're already doing so. But there was a chance you would never find out. So I took that chance," Margaret explained.

All she ever wanted was for Laina to be alive and well. That's it. The emotions swelled in Margaret's heart as she recalled the past. She had almost lost Laina once. She would do everything she could in the present to keep her alive.

"I can't lose you again, Laina," Margaret said to her, "Never again."

Laina shook her head, "I won't stop making the elixir. It's working Margaret. It delayed the effects..."

"You're just delaying the inevitable."

Laina shook her head, "I'm buying time. I know there has to be a way to lift the curse. I know there is!"

"Laina, the cure-"

"There has to be a cure!" Laina exclaimed. She was sure of it.

"Even if there isn't a cure. I'll prolong his life as long as I can. Even if it's just one more day. It is a beacon of hope," Laina was determined.

She turned to Margaret, holding on to her hands.

"Please Margaret," she turned to Marius as well, "Please Marius. Promise me you won't tell Dante that I found out. If he knew..."

If Dante knew Laina found out about the curse, he would leave. As much as it pained for them to be apart, he would still leave to spare her the pain of his demise at the end. If he knew, he would stop taking the elixir she prepared for him.

Seeing as Margaret and Marius remained silent. Laina bit her lip.

She got down on her knees.

A long time ago, Laina promised herself. She would never beg. She would never kneel. But now, she got down on her knees before her friends.

Margaret and Marius gasped in horror. They quickly rushed forward to pull Laina up but she refused.

"Please, I beg of you," she had tears in her eyes as she pleaded with them.

Neither of them had ever seen Laina like this. Margaret was stunned.

Margaret pleaded with her, "Please Laina, get up. We can discuss this-"

"No!" Laina said as she shook her head, "If you don't accept it, I won't get up."

"It doesn't have to be like this," Marius added as he tried to help Laina up too.

But no matter what they said or did, Laina refused to get back up. Not until they promised her. Kol, seeing how things unfolded, knew he had to do something. He too got down on his knees.

"Kol? You too?" Margaret asked in surprise.

"You've seen how much she loves him, right?" Kol blurted out.

The hybrid had always been straightforward. He never really beat about the bush.

"Have faith in her, Margaret. Have faith in Laina," Kol pleaded.

Margaret sighed. From the start, she knew how stubborn Laina could be. What just happened was a great example of that. Did she ever have an alternative to work with?

Margaret sighed, "I promise you. Marius will too."

Laina lit up.

"But-" Margaret stopped Marius before he could protest any further.

"Dante will not find out from us that you know, alright?" she said to Laina, but not before giving a word of caution, "If he finds out on his own, that's not my problem alright?"

"Understood," Laina hugged Margaret tightly, "Thank you."

The warm hug was unexpected. But Margaret was grateful for it. She rubbed Laina's back as she felt the warmth of her body on hers. To be honest, Margaret knew Laina would find out eventually.

It was all just a matter of time.

What Margaret had not expected, was that Laina figuree out how to create the elixir. That was something she found a little odd. When she asked Laina, the former princess revealed how she came to know about it.

"You've met with the Oracle?" she asked Laina in shock.

She told them everything from the beginning. She told them about her initial suspicions when she was unconscious. Laina told them about how she came to meet the Oracle and make the elixir.

Upon hearing that Laina mention a peculiar portrait, Margaret was intrigued. After listening to her describe how it looked, Margaret went silent for a while. Marius knew exactly which portrait Laina was talking about.

"It was uncanny," Laina commented, "I was certain that it was Dante and I in that painting. But those clothes... how was it possible?"

"Perhaps we should pay the Oracle another visit. They might have more answers on how to lift the curse," Margaret added.

Laina agreed with her. Oracle Ramona had promised Laina to contact her should she find any useful information for her. Perhaps she should pay a visit to see how things were going.

But for now, Laina had a task at hand to accomplish.