It was finally auditioning day and the palace was in a frenzy. The sovereign middle court was perfectly set up ready for auditions to present themselves to the new empress.

Rehema was first putting on her outfit for the day before she would officially be out and about. Her nails were freshy painted and manicured. She put on an elegant purple flowered pattern gomesi, and her natural hair was styled in a bun with a slip gold bridal leaf tiara on top of her head. She put on rhinestone bell design jhuma earrings, and simple necklace with a x closed circle pendant.

After she done, her servants helped her exit the room and took her into a carriage to set her to the sovereign middle court. When she reached the court, they took guided her to the backstage area and that was Rehema saw that Ekon, Esi, and her two main advisors were already there.

When she took a step on the stage everyone greeted her kneeling down, and saying in unison, "A thousand years of harmony to her majesty." Rehema told them to all rise and went over to her seat.

Rehema sat in middle of Ekon and her main official advisor Dayo Saro- Wiwa. Her second main advisor Lungile Yar'Adua , stood behind Dayo, and her younger sister Esi stood behind her, while guards and servants stood across from each other on the stage. They were all on a stage platform the three of them seated. Rehema sat in the middle of a simple large brown throne draped over in soft lion's fur.

Rehema relaxed, leaning back in her seat.

"Are you ready to begin, your majesty?" Dayo asked.

Rehema nodded, and raised her hand slightly, "Lets get on with it."

Then a loud bong clash came, and the audition finally began to start. The first row of young men came lined up. Rehema took a good look at the first eight men standing in front of her. Most of them were African men, Rehema could tell that two other ones were foreigners. She could tell they were all in their best dresses and stood up straight, with good posture. All to impress her.

Rehema looked over at Ekon, and then to her advisor Dayo.

Dayo gave Rehema a nod, seeing that she was hesitating "Your majesty the ball is in your court. No one is allowed to pick who is in your harem but you."

Rehema felt her stomach twist. All day she was going to have the face the looks of certain males' disappointment when they see she rejected them. They came a long way to impress her, but she just simply could not pick all of them.

Rehema turned to Dayo and urged him to come closer to her. He nodded unsurely bringing his ear to her lips.

"After the auditions are over, go the department of Exports and Purse and have them deliver gifts of chocolate to remaining men that didn't get chosen," Rehema whispered in his ear covering her mouth.

Dayo nodded doing so and leaned back in his chair.

Rehema took a deep breath and began to select. She based on decisions on what would be the best luck. Empresses in the past have had more luck picking a diverse harem, and not basing everything on looks.

She could hear her mother words in her head when she would lecture her, about her future duties. "You know one day you're going to be in my shoes. You are my eldest girl, a future empress. Soon their will come a time when you will have to select not just one husband to fulfill our family's dynasty but more than dozens. You must not base everything on what you see. Your eyes can trick you from seeing the actual reality."

Rehema had to be careful. All of them were handsome, presentable, good-looking, and had a nice face. But those same characteristics were who killed her biological father, and the last thing she wanted was a dangerous harem. Even tough Kiana told her it was inevitable, every harem was dangerous, she had to at least try.

Rehema picked two men standing in line out of the eight. One that she could clearly tell was from the African lands, the other had to probably be from the European lands. The others that didn't get chosen dropped their faces in disappointment.

Rehema cleared her throat and urged for the next line of men to come in. This time all of eight of them were from the African lands. Rehema noticed one boy who was standing out particularly because he was cheery and radiated positive energy, she could tell from his simple plain clothes he didn't come from a rich or higher up background.

Rehema pointed to him selecting him. He was in awe and shock at first but quickly dropped to the floor to kowtow and thank Rehema. Rehema than pointed over another taller men, who held a serious expression and was well built. The guards escorted the two men and the rest left disappointed.

Ekon turned to her, as the next line of men came lined up. "How many are you adding to your harem today?"

Rehema studied the new batch in front of her. "I'll bring in eight concubines for today," Rehema replied. Four already chosen, know who was going to last lucky four.

Rehema carefully looked at the next eight facing her. She spotted one foreigner from the south asian lands, and the rest from her homeland. Rehema picked the foreigner and a light skin that had a pretty face, almost like he was a model. The two showed excitement from being picked and the unchosen left disappointment written on their face.

Finally, the last line that Rehema was going to pick form for the day.

"Are you sure only eight?" Ekon urged. "There are still many that didn't get to present themselves to you, and they came a long way."

Rehema sighed, "Yes for now just eight maybe later on in the future I will do another audition but eight is good enough for today."

The last line she was looking at all looked nervous. Expect one guy that stood out, he looked like he didn't want to be there. Like he bored and unimpressed. Rehema smirked at the rebel. What was the point of showing up with an attitude like that? Rehema pointed her finger at him, "You." She declared, "And..." she scanned the line to make a quick final decision. "You!" She pointed at a foreigner who seemed to be a mix between the South American lands, and African lands. The guards came over to escort the men, taking the two chosen ones to the left and the unchosen to the right.

Rehema stood up and took a breath. Glad for all of that to be over. She could hear groans from the men waiting outside the court, because they were delivered news that the selection process was now full.

Rehema walked over to Ekon, "What do you think?"

Ekon chuckled, "Your taste is similar to your mothers," he bellowed. He put his hand on the cheek of his adopted daughter, "I will work hard to make sure they all serve you well."

Rehema smiled, "Don't be hard on them." She looked over at the now empty courtyard. "I don't want them to suffer from pressure."

"They will be fine, don't worry about them. You have more important matters to worry about."

"Yes, I guess I should head to my study to assign everyone their official houses and learn the new one's names," Rehema concluded. She left the stage area with some guards to get too her carriage and take her to the official main palace area and back into her study.

After the auditions were over Sang-chul wanted to peek at who were the new entries. Sang-chul was alone reading in his room in his guest room when he decided to call for Addo.

"Yes, Sir?" Addo said greeting him with a simple bow by the knees.

"Am I allowed to leave this afternoon? I want to see some of the new male concubines that have entered the palace."

"Off course, we can pretend we are going on a walk I guess and see who the new faces in the palace are," Addo left the room to get the sedan ready so they can leave, so they could head to the sovereign middle court.

When Sang-chul left his room he saw the sedan was ready outside of the guest building door. He went outside and Addo helped him get in.

As the guards carrying the sedan began to walk with Addo walking beside him, Addo went on to explain some things. "Just in case you don't know Sir, the sovereign middle court is where a grand stage for events is and a garden area. Many presentations, and concerts have been held there, as well as grand performances."

Sang-chul nodded sitting comfortably in the wooden sedan, listening. It was when it came to sudden halt and that the sedan was put down and Sang-chul knew they had reached their destination.

But it seemed like people were leaving the courtyard.

"What happen?" Sang-chul asked getting up from his seat. Addo came over to help him, "It seems we came at the end of auditions."

Sang-chul stretched his neck around to see if he could make up who might have been chosen. He noticed lot of men were leaving with chocolates and disappointed faces.

"It seems like the chosen ones are over there," Addo motioned to a clear area in the court where eight men were standing. They were listening to what an older gentleman in front of them was saying.

"Talking to them is her majesty's main advisor Dayo, he must be directing them the first things they have to do," Addo went on. After the advisor spent some time talking to eight men, he walked away leaving them be.

The men were given servants and they each lingered around taking a glance around the wide court area.

Sang-chul could tell who came from upper class families, and lower-class families based on their clothing. He was disappointed to not see someone from the East Asian lands but was also happy to see new faces. Maybe make a new friend for once.

Sang-chul was going to head back to his sedan and go to his room but stopped when he heard someone call out. "Weird I don't remember seeing you get picked?"

Sang-chul turned around. It was a young man about his age, he had red undertone brown skin, and was wearing casual white pants with a black and white Dashiki top. He had to be from a upper class family from how neatly he was styled, expensive shoes white matching slip on shoes, and a curly top fade hairstyle. Sang-chu looked closer and saw he had a lion tattoo on his neck.

"You're a concubine?" The man asked in upbeat voice.

Sang-chul nodded, "I'm new as well just I was not part of auditions. I was here before."

The young man smiled and held out his hand, "Ivan Omach, I'm Ivan of the Omach family." He walked next to Sang-chul. Addo moved out the way to let the men speak.

"So, what it's like here? Dull?" Ivan went to ask. "Should I be excited or is boring days ahead."

Sang-chul smirked, "I'm much happy here and I only been here less than two weeks already."

"Really?" Ivan said sounding surprised. "Where were you before?"

"I was an unused concubine for a different empress, Empress Fan Du of the East Asian Lands. Then I was given to her majesty Empress Rehema as a gift," Sang-chul went on.

Ivan put his hands in pockets, "Really?"

Sang-chul nodded, "You must come from a popular family." Sang-chul noted at his clothes.

Ivan chuckled and grabbed his neck, "Yeah the Omach are famous for their business empire in Ugandan region of the African lands. My father and the late empress kept ties when it came to trade and money. Do you have a strong family background as well?"

Sang-chul shook his head, "Just farmers. Farmers with better money now since their son is serving an empress."

Ivan looked around before to make sure no one was watching them or eavesdropping before he asked the next question. "What about your thoughts on the Empress? Have you bed with her yet?"

Sang-chul face flustered red, "I haven't been chosen a night to serve her yet, but she has treated me well. She is very kind."

"Your being honest with me?"

Sang-chul nodded, "She gave me more attention in one day than I ever had in the two years when I was a concubine for Empress Fan Du."

Ivan nudged him and said in a low voice, "Does she make you want to touch your manhood at night alone."

Sang-chul returned him a face expression of shock and embarrassment with a tomato red face, not daring to answer Ivan's question. Ivan couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

"Well, you certainly are innocent. From your haircut to your crispy white farmer shoes," Ivan said.

Sang-chu couldn't help but curl his toes as Ivan teased him.

"I'll be heading to look around some more, care to join me or are you busy?" Ivan asked, putting his hands behind him.

Sang-chul looked over at Addo who was standing across from them at the abandon wooden sedan chair.

"Hold on," Sang-chul told Ivan rushing back to his main servant Addo.

"Yes, Sir?" Addo asked with an eyebrow lifted.

"I want to spend the rest of the afternoon hanging out with Ivan and showing him around," Sang-chul blurted out.

"Well, you don't have anything else on your schedule so do as you please Sir. I will stay here guarding your sedan chair with the guards. Just come back when you're finished," Addo instructed.

Sang-chul nodded in excitement and went back to Ivan.

"You have time in your hands?" Ivan asked.

"Yes, this whole afternoon a matter of fact," and Sang-chul went to show his new friend the garden area in the sovereign middle court first.