Rehema was sitting at her desk when her younger sister Esi barged into her office unannounced. Rehema was stamping documents and looked up, seeing her sister holding a wrinkled letter.

"What brings you here now?" Rehema asked returning to her work. Her sister never came in to help just to deliver news, mostly discouraging news.

"Keyon sent a letter, he wants to visit with Monifa and Jatau," Esi said with a smug grin.

"Really?" Rehema said surprised.

Jatau and Monifa were the last two children of the late Empress Tamela Eze, but Rehema didn't have a connection with them as she did with Esi because their father Keyon Eze being resentful towards Rehema and Esi. Upset and jealous that he had two children with the empress and neither achieved a high status compared to Rehema and Esi's fathers.

Rehema wished to bond with them liked she did with Esi, but that always seemed to fail. Since they were kids Jatau always gave her a nasty, distant attitude, and when thier father got dismissed from the harem. They all moved out the palace to god knows where.

Esi didn't complain, to her they were just spoiled brats with no respect. "Your dad got poisoned and mine lost his favoritism, and yet they still complain about their status," Esi told her when it was reported the two youngest siblings packed up and left. They didn't have to leave with their father but they choose too.

But Rehema didn't like this. They needed to be a stable family to run the empire, and the state correctly. The last thing she needs is to be constantly fighting with her own family.

"I don't know, I say we reject the invite," Esi said sitting down across the desk from Rehema.

"No," Rehema replied. "Let them come for dinner, let's see what want."

Esi twisted her face, "Why?" She whined.

"Because this is a chance to mend things," Rehema replied and she went back to stamping papers.

"There is no mending anything with Keyon, you know how bitter his heart is," Esi shot back.

"Well, we need to try," Rehema said. "And see what they have to say."

"Probably nothing but rubbish," Esi responded.

Rehema went on to start drafting a response to her two other siblings. That was when she heard a knock on the door. Esi got up and opened the door, standing outside faced an advisor from Rehema's council.

The advisor jumped at first seeing Esi, "Uh is her majesty here?" He asked. Esi opened the door fully to let him in. Rehema looked up from the paper that she was writing on.

"Yes, what do you need Midge?" Rehema asked dismissing her paper.

Midge walked into the room and stood in front of Rehema, quickly doing a bend on the knee.

"Your majesty, a letter from Empress Fan Du of the East Asian Lands," he said handing it to her. "A pigeon delivered it today."

Rehema took it from his hand and looked at the envelope. Expensive paper and nice penmanship. So, this had to be something important.

"Thank you, Midge. I will get a look at this later."

"Looks like you got some eager friends already," Esi grinned. "What could she want?"

Rehema shrugged, and sighed returning to her important daily duties, "Don't know, read it out loud for me."

Esi took the letter out and scanned the paper, "It says here, I hope you receive this at a convenient time, Empress Rehema. I am sending you this letter to reinstructed myself to you. I hope you are doing well, and I wonder if you are happy with the concubine you've chosen. If there is anything you need you can always reach out to me, and maybe in a few months you can even visit the East Asian lands. I send nothing but blessing and good wishes to you and the African Lands, Sincerely Empress Fan Du."

Esi then put the letter down, "Well she seems genuine."

"Yes, that is kind of her to send that. I will write back tomorrow," Rehema said multitasking and stamping more documents.

Esi crossed her arms, "What about the Sea lady?"

Rehema lifted an eyebrow at her, "You mean Empress Kiana."

"Yeah her, whatever. Have you heard from her?"

"No...But she did talk to me the most and seemed also genuine.

"She seemed a little stuck up to me."

"Watch it, you can't judge a book by its cover. We barely even know her enough to pass harsh judgments like that," Rehema snapped.

Esi rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm kind of glad I'm not the eldest this empress stuff does not look fun."

Rehema glared at her, but Esi chuckled. "I'm going for lunch; will you becoming?" Esi said switching the topics and standing up. Rehema shook her head her eyes glued on her work.

Esi dismissed herself, "Don't work too hard. Go easy on yourself." Rehema gave her a final goodbye and they said goodnight to each other.

Rehema spent the rest of the afternoon doing work in her office until the sun was down it was night. Rehema rested against her seat exhausted, from working for hours with no break.

A knock came at the door when Rehema almost fell asleep in her chair. "Come in!" She yelled, whipping her mouth.

A servant came in the room, holding the board of names for the Harem hall. "Your majesty can you pick tonight?" the servant said kneeling on the ground.

Rehema got up and approached the servant. At this rate, she was exhausted so she couldn't wait to just cuddle with someone.

"I guess, I have to get on with it," she huffed. She scanned the names lined up on each stick. She had already visited Omari, Chike, Jafari, and Emad plenty. She was about to pick Sang-chul but she had lunch with him the other day. She then noticed the name Ivan Omach, someone she wasn't familiar with. She was still at the stage of getting to know the new concubines.

"Have I had any record visiting Ivan Omach?" She asked the servant. The servant shook his head no, "He so far has served zero nights for you."

Rehema then flipped his stick, "Get the sedan chair ready and take me to his house."

"Yes, your majesty." The servant did one last bow and fled the room. When Rehema got outside and exited her study the royal sedan was ready, and a guard helped her inside.

When they got to the house Rehema was happy to see she had a warm welcome. His house was across from Sang-chul and he was standing in front of the gate of his house holding a banquet of roses.

Rehema got out of the sedan with the help of a guard that was carrying one side and approached Ivan.

"Well, isn't this sweet, for me?" She said with a smile. Ivan grinned back at her, "Placing the flowers in her hands, and wrapping his arm around her, "For only you." He flirted, and the gates of his home opened and they started to walk inside.

"I was starting to think her majesty didn't even know I existed," He pouted as he walked on the path to inside.

"Sorry," she sighed. "I just have been so busy, and there's still a lot to adjust to before I get a fair schedule for the harem."

"Doesn't matter now, you're here and I will make the most of it," He responded with a bright smile. Rehema was impressed at first about how happy he was. He just stays on the bright side of things. Like his body and aura just gave off unlimited joyfulness.

The minute they stepped indoors the smell was filled with food. "Goodness gracious, I'm starving."

"Well, we have plenty to eat thanks to what my two servants whipped up," Ivan said, and he took Rehema's hand to the dining table. Ivan kissed her hand and welcomed her to sit at the dinner table. The table was filled with beef, steaks, and mashed vegetables. Ivan started to fill her plate, and then his, later on pouring her wine.

Rehema and Ivan went on to start eating. As they did Rehema went on to discuss, where Ivan came from, and things he liked. She wanted to understand him more, instead of just talking about herself.

He mostly talked about his rich family upbringing, his taste for music. They had similar taste in music and Rehema was happy about that. "It was when my father went on a trip to the European Lands once he brought back different instruments and the sounds always interested me," he went on. "If you want, I could play you the harp tonight."

"Thank you. Ivan but I'm so tired tonight," She yawned, and a servant came over to start clearing their plates.

"Off course, we can get ready for sleep," Ivan said helping Rehema up and taking her to his bedroom. There at his grand bed, Rehema climbed on it. Ivan went to the corner of the room to change and he pulled out an extra set of nightwear for Rehema to change into. Sitting on the bed Rehema looked at the clothes Ivan placed for her when he came back dressed in no shirt and just underwear.

Rehema gave him a look, and Ivan couldn't help but grin.

"As much as you are handsome, and I want to be intimate with you Ivan, tonight I'm too exhausted from work." Rehema picked up a nightgown that was very...seductive.

Ivan pouted again, sitting next to her on the bed, and wrapping his arms behind her. He kissed her shoulder; "we don't have to do anything. But her majesty can wear it for my entertainment. Cant's I get a gift for waiting so long for you to visit me." He kissed her shoulder again and brought his nose to her neck.

Rehema had to admit Ivan was very good at being flirty and lustful. Too good.

"I'll wear the white one," Rehema said giving in and turning around. "But nothing more tonight than that."

Ivan grinned ear to ear, "That's all I need."

"You aren't a shy one, aren't you," Rehema as she slipped out of her afternoon clothes.

"Not in particular," Ivan said as he helped her slip the white nightgown on. He couldn't help but get excited especially with all the cleavage it showed.

"Have you at least made any friends in the harem then?" Rehema asked and she fully laid down on the bed next to Ivan.

"Well yes, Sir Sang-chul has been a good friend to me, but the rest of the Harem men can be a bit...competitive, and hard to get around." He said laying on his side with his shoulder prompt up. He stroked Rehema's cheek and lightly kissed her there.

"Really?" Rehema said. "I might have to talk to Chike about that them." Rehema was staring ahead at the ceiling of the room.

"I don't know if that will change much..."

"I want you guys to be in a safe environment there isn't a need for constant competition."

Ivan smiled softly at her, "Well it nice to know our wife deeply cares."

"I will always care." She yawned again.

"Alright, let's get you to sleep then," Ivan said lastly, hinting at her weak eyes and yawn. He got up and blew out all the candles in the room before returning to the bed to cuddle up next to Rehema. Rehema felt Ivan's hand around her waist and his hands played gently on her stroking her belly button before her eyes fully shut and she was fast asleep.