Vigilante: Adventures Of An African Hero [COMPLETED]

[Nineteen] Dinner With The King

Romeo and Gomez were in the changing room putting on the new clothes they were given. "This is too tight. Aren't you uncomfortable?" Gomez asked, pulling the collar of his shirt. "I can't... breath."

Romeo laughed. "You must have been given Quan's clothes. You saw how tight they were."

"And who's clothes did you get?"

"I don't know. Maybe Gideon's. We are the same size." 

"Lucky." Gomez was done putting on his boots and a smile crept on his face. "I actually like this ensemble." He gazed at himself on the standing mirror, turning sideways to get a good view of the leather pants, blue shirt and white waistcoat. "I look good."

"Are you trying to look good for the king?" Romeo raised his brow. "Do you love him?"

Gomez bent his head back and laughed loudly. "Men are not my type. And if they were, I wouldn't go for a king. Too egotistical for my taste. Plus, I don't even know how the man looks like. Do you?"

"I've only seen him once," Romeo said. "It was on the newspaper, when Morocco was the first - and only - African nation to trade with Father James in multiple dealings. He has a large dark beard that grayed at the sides and green eyes."

"That's all?"

"That's all that matters."

There was a knock on the door. Romeo opened it and Gideon came to view. "Are you two done? Dinner is ready," he said. 

Romeo looked at Gomez and the young man nodded. He looked back at Gideon. "Yes," he said.

"Then follow me."

They arrived inside a large dinning room. There was a table at the middle with six chairs on either side and one at the opposite fronts, each. The long gold and silver curtains draping over the windows had words written in Arabic, and there were paintings of the king on the walls. He looked just as Romeo described. 

"What's with rich men and paintings of themselves?" Romeo asked.

"No one loves them more than them," Gideon replied. 

"It's an ego thing more than anything else. It's there to remind us they are better than us in every way," said Gomez.

"But is that a lie?" Romeo asked as the three reached at the dining table.

"Financially? No. But in terms of looks? I'm way better looking than most of them," Gomez said, taking a seat.

"Someone's egotistical," Romeo said.

"Nah, that's just a fact," Gomez replied. "When are we going to eat?"

"Once the king arrives," Gideon replied.

They waited for over ten minutes. Gideon was on his holographic phone chatting to someone. His mood went from happy and cheerful to shocked and afraid. Romeo assumed he must have gotten some bad news. Gomez was drinking water after a servant had brought them glasses and a jar full of it. He was so hungry, he was chewing it.

"Calm down, Gomez," Romeo said, before he chuckled.  "Who chews water?"

"Someone who hasn't eaten in a while. Why are you so calm? You barely ate your food before the competition. You should be eating your chair."

Romeo recalled the nights he spent without eating after Hans died. It wasn't because he was grieving, but Hans was the one who paid him for every criminal he took down, and he would use the money for food. After Hans' death, he stole money and used it for basic needs and finding an apartment. "I can wait," he said.