The Dragon King's Heart

"How do we find a goddess?" Margaret asked Laina as they entered the Royal Library.

It was late in the night so there was no one around apart from them. Laina headed straight for the center of the library where the directory was kept. It was a large leather-bound book on a pedestal that cataloged every section that existed in the library.

"First, we begin by finding all the information we can gather about her. Then we can begin our search," Laina replied as she flipped through the leather-bound directory.

Tracing her finger down the page, she mumbled to herself the names of each section until she found what she was looking for. Laina closed her eyes and whispered a spell while pointing at the name of the section she needed.

In an instant, the letters on the page lit up. A small sphere of light materialized before them and guided them through the shelves to the one they were looking for.

"This is the section of books from and about Wolfenheim. So we should be able to find what we need here," Laina explained as she picked a book off the shelf and handed it to Margaret.

Within a matter of seconds, each of them had a pile of books in their hands. Carefully, they walked over to a nearby desk and placed them down. They had their work cut out for them.

"Is it safe to say we'll be spending our night here, Your Highness?" Margaret asked as she looked on at the mountain of thick leather-bound books in front of them.

"It is, indeed," Laina chuckled.

Margaret nodded, "I'll get us some light snacks and coffee. I will be back shortly, your Highness."

Just as Laina was about to speak, Margaret attempted to stifle a yawn. The Crown Princess placed a hand on her handmaid's shoulder.

"You can retire for the night, Margaret, I'll be alright on my own," Laina said.

"It's alright, your Highness. Two minds and two pairs of hands would help speed things up. I'll be back soon," Margaret replied before taking her leave.

Laina shook her head as she sat down before the pile of books. She picked one off the top and began reading. Margaret had been by her side for as long as she could remember.

No matter what decision Laina made, she would always be there to give her full support. Where was she ever going to find such a capable and trustworthy confidante?

For the rest of the night, the Crown Princess and her handmaid read book after book. They skimmed through the material in hopes of finding any information on the patron goddess of the werewolves of Wolfenheim, Moon Goddess Selene.

There were legends written about her, depictions of her in drawing and pictograms. But there was very little information about her location. They had the locations of the temples and shrines built in her honor, but there was no information on where she was.

"Has anyone ever seen this goddess in person?" Laina wondered as she flipped the page of the book she was reading.

Margaret shrugged her shoulders, "From the looks of it, could she just be a myth?"

If that was so, Laina knew it would just make things extremely difficult. But in a world where magic exists, alongside mythical, magical creatures, Laina knew the possibilities were high.

"Although finding her is one thing, getting to meet a goddess might be another feat on its own," Laina sighed as she continued to look flip through the book before her.

By the time the sun came up, both of them had made little progress. Laina knew she had to find a more efficient way. Perhaps they should enlist the help of an expert scholar instead.

As Laina stretched out her arms and let out a yawn, Margaret found a useful piece of information. The handmaid quickly showed Laina her findings.

"According to the information on this book on the customs of Wolfenheim, there is a group known as the Moon Maidens. They are specially selected individuals who supposedly have strong attachments to the Moon Goddess," Margaret explained her findings.

As she flipped the page of the book, Margaret continued, "The Moon Maidens are usually sent off to take care of the various shrines and temples built in the Moon Goddess's honor. But there is one location they hold most sacred."

The image on the page depicted a beautifully constructed temple built out of marble, on the peak of a mountain. In Wolfenheim, the werewolves had a sacred mountain, Blu Lunara Mountain.

Legend has it that Blu Lunara was where the Moon Goddess created the first werewolves and granted them their powers.

"Would we even be allowed to enter the temple? I would not want to start a war with Wolfenheim for accidentally desecrating their holy land," Laina hesitated as she folded her arms.

She leaned back in her chair and contemplated her options. Marrying the Werewolf King was not an option. The mystery of the woman in the painting weighed heavily on her mind.

Laina was at a loss. She did not know what she should do. At that moment, Dante's face appeared in her mind. If only he was here, he could offer her an opinion on the matter.

"Is there any way we could get hold of Dante?" Laina asked as she turned to Margaret.

"Dante? What for?" Margaret asked, puzzled by Laina's sudden request.

Laina bit her lip, "I was just thinking… maybe he could offer us a different perspective. That could help me make up my mind on how to proceed."

Her handmaid did not buy it. She, of all people, knew there was another reason; the real reason, as to why Laina had made that suggestion. At the very least, it also shows where Dante's place was in Laina's heart.

"Are you sure that's why you want to find him?" Margaret teased.

The Crown Princess immediately defended herself, "Yes, of course, it is! What other reason would there be? It's not like we have not seen one another in some time…"

Seeing Laina trying so hard to defend herself made Margaret laugh. The handmaid pointed to the necklace that hung around Laina's neck.

"Didn't he give that to you, so that both of you can stay connected? You can just talk to him through that," Margaret reminded her.

Laina lit up, "Oh! You're right! Ha ha… how could I have forgotten about it so quickly."

Without a second thought, Laina tapped the pendant twice and called out Dante's name. She waited for a response. She waited for a couple of seconds, anxious as silence filled the air.

Even Margaret was holding her breath in anticipation of what would happen next. But nothing happened. There was only silence. Laina tried tapping the pendant again, followed by calling out his name.

The results were the same.