She had two more weeks. Two more weeks to finish up her little plans before she officially became Empress. The past two weeks all of the African lands and states have been in mourning of her mothers death.

She was running late for lunch with Ekon, after spending the morning getting measured for her coronation outfits, and fitting. After the fitting, now she was in a rush to get to her carriage to get to the Ekon, her adoptive father, the only father she knew all her life.

The carriage driver finally reached the palace gates, and Rehema dashed inside to get tot he dinning room. By the time she got upstairs, she had burst in the room and saw food was on the table. Ekon hadn't touched anything yet since he waiting for her.

He jumped from the sudden burst of the door. Realizing it was her he quickly went over to great her, "Greetings your majesty," he said with a bow.

Rehema quickly told him to stand. "You don't have to keep formally greeting me like that each time now father."

"I will since you are your mothers eldest daughter, and I will never disrespect the lineage of your family or the empress."

Rehema rolled her eyes, and sat down the table to get started with eating lunch, "I'm sorry I was running late but you could have just started without me." She grabbed a biscuit, and a servant started to add food to her plate.

"It is alright I understand you are very busy since you have a coronation two weeks from now to finish planning for," he said as he filled his plate. "If I am scheduled to eat with you, I will not eat until you arrive. I did the same with your mother."

Rehema smiled, she remembered that very well. He scowled her as a child once when her mother was running late to meet them for lunch, and Rehema had tried to secretly start her meal without her being there.

"Well, you never been one to forget tradition," Rehema said with a laugh.

Ekon stopped eating between bites, "Are your ready for your trip?"

"Almost," Rehema replied with a full mouth.

Tomorrow she would be leaving for a week trip to meet the seven other empresses of Pangaea, along with the Queen council. It was a rule that every new empress that ascended the throne had a official meeting with the other rulers of Pangaea, and introduced themselves before their official coronation. For Rehema's introduction all the Empresses were meeting in the North American Lands.

Rehema had no idea what she she was going to expect.

"Stand strong," Ekon told her. "You have no reason to feel intimated, and be careful."

Ekon never really knew much about the other empresses but he did know one in particular, one family that had always historical been known for causing choas in Pangaea. There was already tensions between the European lands, and the frozen lands. Tension and war that had been ongoing for centuries.

The Kaspereks's. The family that had been ruling the European lands, and the one to always start violence, was one thing he feared. He heard the horror story of what that family had done to the Vanhala's of the frozen land, the ongoing conflict with the East Asian lands, and now the rumors of the cruel current empress Adelaide Kasperek. He wasn't someone to be interested in politics but everyone would agree the Kasperek's always over stood boundaries and went against regulations that the Queen council puts to keep peace and prosperity in Pangaea.

"Your mother never let the other Empresses try to intimated her, and I know that you won't," Ekon continued. "You always been head strong as a child, don't stop now. Especially when we need it the most."

Rehema spread condiments on her bread, "I can get along with others very well as long as they don't cross the line, but somehow that never seems to happen." She was going to have to think careful on her cabinet for state affairs, it was a make or break, and the pressure was on.

"You still have to finish up filling your harem. You only have had one child, and you will need a girl to succeed the thrown," Ekon brought up switching topics.

Rehema rolled her eyes, "I know father."

"Its important that you have the right harem and good control over it, they are what hold the future generation of your family."

Her mother the late empress Tamela Eze, struggled with bearing children in her harem. He remembered the amount of miscarriage's and still borns she had before she finally gave birth to a healthy baby Rehema, and later her three other children. Tamela was constantly worried that she was going to fail continuing the family lineage before she finally gave birth to Rehema.

"Is there something wrong with me? Have I been cursed? Am I picking the wrong men in my harem. Why do my children keep dying before they even meet the outside world," Tamela told him one night crying in his shoulder.

Ekon also remembered the bit of jealousy Tamela had when Rehema had found out she was pregnant wit her first child, much younger than Tamela ever had a child.

"Yes, yes you told me many times, I promise I will start filling my harem soon," Rehema said.

"And auditions?"

Rehema stuffed her mouth, "Yes and auditions."

Ekon smiled at his adapted daughter who was on the verge on becoming on of the most powerful person in Pangaea.

Chike waited patiently for Rehema, for dinner in his dinning room. He had his servants decorate the plates and table set to match her favorite color, gold.

He was pacing back and forth. He already had taken Mosi to bed, and he wanted to have a nice dinner with Rehema with no disruptions. He barley had time to speak with her ever since her mother the late empress Tamela Eze death. He knew he was going to be selected to be part of Rehema's harem as empress but what rank was he going to get? He was one of the first men Rehema had started a relationship with, and he was loyal and served her since they were teenagers. He was now the father of a baby boy they shared.

But soon when she officially get more men in her harem who would fight to bare her children, and everyone would be eager to get the first girl.

Whoever was the first to pregnant her with a girl, was someone that would hold more power then him, and he would be in second place. He needed to have another child with Rehema. He had already been competing with Omari for years over Rehema's attention and love, and now it was going to be ten times harder with dozens of other men involved.

He heard the door opening snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry I'm late!" He heard Rehema shouted as she came in. She was dressed in a one her puffy royal court dresses that was in black and touched the floor. Along with a headpiece that was gold and black that covered her hair.

"Lots of meetings my whole afternoon, you know I leave for my trip soon darling," She said.

He quickly went over to her and bowed, "Good greetings your majesty."

She smiled at him and told him to stand, "I have to get use to all these formal greetings," she said as she made her way to dinner table set up with food.

Chike sat across from her and started to fill her plate.

"Did you cook all this?" Rehema asked, she always loved his cooking.

Chika nodded, and placed a plate in-front of her before he went to sit across from her. "I wasn't busy much today, so I thought might as well make something special for you for dinner."

"Your so sweet Chike," She told him warmly, as she reached for a glass of wine.

"You will be the leader of the African lands and states, its the least I can do."

Rehema grinned as she took a bite of chicken, "Well I have something exciting to tell you."

Chike looked up from his plate. 'Here it comes.'

"I have decided choose you, to hold the title of Emperor in my harem," Chike looked at her with awe for words.

"I cannot accept such position," He said stuttering in shock. He was expecting to be given the second highest rank, imperial noble consort, but Emperor. The emperor was not only the main husband, but was the father of the harem, and had the most power in it. He wasn't expecting to be given emperor since his first born with Rehema had been a boy, which meant he didn't have a child that was part of the line of succession, at least not yet.

Rehema smiled, and grabbed his hand, "Your the father of my first child, and one of the people that I trust the most. Since we were teenagers you served me. The least I could do is let you be emperor in my harem, I'm thinking of letting Omari be imperial noble consort, and I might add two other guys I have had been off and on with to be hold the third rank."

Chike winced at the mention of Omari's name. It was nice to know he had a higher rank then him but still dealing with Omari no matter what, was a pain.

"It's still much empty, father Ekon will be holding auditions for me to fill my harem when I get back from my trip," Men that he was going to be in charge with when it came to becoming a proper concubine and serving the empress. He knew that Emperor Dowager Ekon was someone he had to respect being the he was the adaptive father of Rehema. The Emperor Dowager held more power and respect than emperor. But maybe he could learn advice from him since previously Ekon used to be a concubine for Rehema's mother.

"I can't thank you enough, I'm very grateful, your majesty," he said out of breath staring down at his plate. He had gotten more than he had wanted. He had went to being the son of a government official to now being the main husband of an empress.

Rehema smiled, "Well," she said putting down her fork. "I was wondering if your bed tonight was going to be needing some one to warm it tonight."

Chike smirked, "It always needs warming when you are not in it."

Chike then took her hand leading her to his bedroom.