Enjoy Your Meal

"Somebody pinch me!" Dehlia exclaimed as soon as she came into this huge hall. Gwen - the girl who awoke her into this strange place - told her this was a birthday celebration for his majesty, King Romulus. 

Since then Dahlia has been brainstorming her head, trying to think of places on earth that still practice the monarchy system. However, the few countries in her head, she couldn't remember one having a king called Romulus. The more Dahlia stayed here, the more creeped out she was.

 The whole place was luxuriously decorated; the hall was lit up with chandeliers and strange-looking stones that were as bright as the bulbs back home. Dahlia tried to trace the wires that generated the electricity and she came up with nothing. Perhaps the engineers in charge of this place must be greatly skilled to have been able to hide the wires perfectly. 

However another disturbing fact she noticed about the people here was the fact that they were all Caucasians and outwardly beautiful. It was so stunning because back on earth, she had never seen so many beautiful pale-looking people gather at one place. Their features almost reminded her of vampires...

Vampires? No, that can't be possible. Vampires don't exist, Dahlia told herself. However, her inner mind summed up the events so far convincing her, yet it didn't make sense nor does she want to believe it. So like a doubting Thomas, she needed evidence. 

Dahlia turned around to ask Gwen more questions, but she was no longer with her and when she looked around, found her around a strange pale-looking man who had his arm around her waist and occasionally grabbed her backside.

What the hell? How dare he?! Dahlia was so angered. Just because they were escorts doesn't mean they get to be treated that way. So she walked towards them hoping to save her friend from that lascivious asshole when a huge-looking man stopped right in front of her.

"Where's your patron?"

"Huh?" her mouth stupidly fell open.

Before Dahlia could come up with an answer, the man roughly grabbed her hand and looked over her branding.

"301" He called out, "That's your patron over there," He pointed at a table at the far end that she couldn't see. How was he even sure her patron or whatsoever they called him was there?

"Now start moving, human!" He said in a gruff voice pushing her along.

Dehlia stumbled at first from the force applied to her back but she was able to recover and walked at her own pace. She didn't have any urge to find this patron but these men frightened her and she had a feeling that they would do much more if she didn't comply. Dahlia, what kind of trouble have you landed yourself in?

She was able to find the table because there was a number tag on it. And when she reached her patron, it was a fat man with bulging cheeks and a potbelly, and right now, he was smoking from a pipe. That made her brows furrow, why was he smoking in public? Doesn't he know that affects the health of other people out here?

"301?" the man called out with a nonchalant tone that was quite disrespectful. She could as well have been a speck on his fingers he flicks away.

"Y-yes?"

And that was it, he didn't speak to her as the ceremony progressed. Dahlia looked at the stage where a group of barely clad women was dancing and although their dancing was quite stunning, she was not interested.

She needed to find Gwen who would tell her more about this place she found herself. Whether she was kidnapped or taken here? She had a right to know. And where the hell was this place.

But then, before she could do such a thing, the music ended and she watched the majordomo climb up to the stage to announce, "And now, the moment we have all be waiting for has arrived,"

All heads turned to the stage including the guards and Dahlia thought, perhaps this might be the perfect time to escape. 

So while her patron and the others watched, she take one step back and a two and a..... she bumped into a cold, hard chest. Geez, he was freezing. 

However, she looked over her shoulder to see it was one of those disturbing bodyguards again and she gave him a goofy smile before retracing her steps, standing right beside her patron once more. Geez, can't a lady get a break here?

"Let's welcome..." the majordomo was still speaking, "Our king, your king, king Romulus of the great kingdom of Acadia!"

At once, a deafening sound of applause, almost like Thunderclaps filled the hall and there were traces of excitement on the guests' faces as if they had seen their messiah.

Then the long-awaited messiah stepped into the stage and Dehlia froze. Was he real?

Dehlia had never been assaulted by such good looks until now. How could someone be so handsome? He looked like those described-to-perfection male leads brought out of a fantasy storybook. She must be dreaming right now. 

But no, she wasn't. 

King Romulus had hair as dark as a raven and it touched down to his shoulder - what was he doing with so much hair? 

His piercing silver eyes roved around the hall with boredom as if he was used to such parties. He wore a camel's hair coat, along with a surcoat that depicted the emblem of the King. The elaborate dress embroidered with gold, was, of course, accompanied by the king's crown which was richly adorned with jewels. The king dressed to stand out, showing off his status and wealth to his subjects. 

"I have nothing to say other than to thank you all for attending," King Romulus addressed his subjects, "It has been a prosperous reign for us and I ask we continue in peace and unity. Now enjoy your meal," Romulus went to sit on his throne that was on the raised platform and overlooked the rest of the hall. 

When the king said, enjoy your meal, Dahlia was expecting the door to burst open with staff rushing in with their food. Unfortunately, what she heard was the scream of one of the girls and she looked in that direction only for her eyes to widen.… 

Oh no, you got to be kidding her.