A cloth appeared in his hand and he pressed it to his nose. Shaugn felt like he was having an information download like a computer. So many images. Emotions. The people. The knowledge. Everything that made this person him.

The pressure inside his skull was excruciating. He took deep breaths trying to absorb the information he was being shown. His name here was Shaugn as well. The last names were different but the looks were almost identical. He was still thirty-six only he was married and his husband was the emperor named Xoan Longwei. That meant he was the empress. The empress of a nation. A royal.

A royal with a young ass husband.

Shaugn was the oldest son of a talented but reclusive physician and a midwife. He was an only child after many years of trying; spoiled and doted on. Surrounded by herbs and the healing arts, he had been a physician at a young age. A simple man who loved nature, he spent most of his time away from his clinic in the mountains or in his garden. He didn't leave home until he was married.

Shaugn tried hard to grasp how he ended up meeting the emperor but that memory seemed to float away. What he could figure out was, after a courting period of a year, the emperor asked for his hand. To show his sincerity to Shaugn and his parents, the emperor made Shaugn his empress. This angered most of the ministers, generals, consorts, and the fathers of his consorts.

Consorts. Plural.

The pressure on his skull began to ease up. Shaugn removed the cloth and dabbed at his nose a few times. This sort of thing was common in many ancient societies so Shaugn thought nothing of it for Xoan to have multiple wives or husbands. So many things could happen. A ruler needed as many children as they could get. What shocked him most was that his body was something special. He had the ability to bear children.

The man and woman knelt down on the floor as Shaugn opened his eyes. "We are sorry your majesty. Forgive us for our ignorance."

These two were almost as fussy as his mother. Shaugn rubbed his forehead and sighed again. What was there to forgive? "It's fine, it's fine. Before the emperor returns with the physician, please tell me everything you know. Help me...jumpstart my memory."

The three looked at each other and shrugged. The guard took one step from the door.

"My name is Radagar." He put his right fist over his chest and bowed. I am your personal guard. There are four regular guards and a dozen shadow guards with you at all times. This is Kazim-bo and Akechi-nan."

The older man and woman touched their foreheads, then put a hand over their hearts, before they bowed at the waist. Shaugn raised a brow. How elaborate.

Radagar continued his spiel. "They are your personal attendants. They take care of your daily needs and any special requests. They handle communications from you to the servants from the gardener, to the cooks, maids, accountants, and so on."

Shaugn gave a slight nod. "How many servants are there?"

"In your palace, twenty."

Worried he wouldn't remember all their names, Shaugn let out a breath of relief. That wasn't so bad.

Radagar continued. "In the entire palace, there are over six hundred."

Shaugn's mouth dropped open. Six hundred! He could barely remember half the students in his class without his attendance sheets. How was he going to remember the names and faces of six HUNDRED servants?

"Why so many?" he muttered. His frown deepened as a thought crossed his mind. That number was just the servants. "How many guards?"

"They number in the thousands. Just in this palace. Outside the palace there are more."

Dizziness washed over Shaugn and he flopped back against the cushions. Each palace had a separate staff. What the hell was he going to do?

"Majesty!" Akechi and Kazim shouted.

Looking up at the intricate carving on the ceiling, he sighed. "I'm fine. I'm fine." Shaugn sat up with a groan and covered his face. "Do I...do anything directly?"

Akechi smiled. "You are in charge of the domestic affairs of the palaces, the harem, and several shops. You also work in a small clinic for the poor once a week."

His eyes widened. "H-harem? I'm in charge of the harem?" You gotta be shitting me. That was like having a target pasted all over one's body 24/7. It was common knowledge everywhere that harems were places of treachery. Everyday was a battle.

Radagar nodded. "Yes. Emperor Longwei currently has twenty consorts."

Shaugn dragged his fingers down his face wishing he could claw the emperor. What kind of insatiable pervert needed twenty consorts? How could any man have that much time or vigor? He'd chafe himself raw with that much action.

Akechi elbowed Radagar in the ribs. "But his majesty is only intimate with you," she said to Shaugn.

"Now," Radagar added.

Akechi elbowed him again harder. He must have had abs of steel because she grimaced and rubbed her elbow.

Kazim hurriedly spoke in defense of the emperor. "Majesty, it's true that the emperor has..." he paused thinking of a diplomatic way to explain. "-has a lot of consorts but, half of them are political marriages."

"-And some remain untouched," Akechi added.

"-And some he took in just to keep his ministers and generals under control," Radagar stated matter of factly.

Shaugn held up his hand signaling them to be quiet. The more he heard, the more it sounded like one of his sisters' damn danmei or yaoi novels. Was this really his life after being attacked by a puma? Thanks a lot, stupid creature.

He sighed. At least he was alive. There was nothing to do but work through it. First thing to do was to learn everything he could so as not to embarrass himself or offend. Ancient people were far too easy to piss off. Only it wouldn't cause you to be cancel-cultured or blasted on social media. It could cause you to lose your life and your relatives' for several generations.

He looked to the two servants. "Can you bring me some books?"

Kazim raised his brows. "What kind of books, majesty?"

"History, politics, medicine, cooking- anything since I'm going to be in bed recovering for some time. I don't want to be bored."

Akechi and Kazim smiled and nodded like bobbleheads.

"I'll go right away, majesty."

"And I'll go get you some nourishing foods."

Before Shaugn could say anything they were gone.

Shaugn sighed. He wasn't finished speaking yet and they were gone like the wind. He had one more thing he needed help with. Seeing Radagar out the corner of his eye, Shaugn flung the blankets off and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. His jellied legs gave out and he fell back on the bed the moment he stood. There was no way he could move around on his own yet.

He raised a brow at the stoic guard. "Don't suppose you could help me to the toilet?"

Radagar's eyes widened. "Your majesty, I wouldn't dare." Touch the empress – no way.

Shaugn crossed his arms over his chest. "It's just helping me to the bathroom." Surely the emperor wasn't that much of a tyrant.

Radagar held his hands up as if to ward him off. "I dare not touch you, majesty. Please wait for the emperor or your attendants to return."

Shaugn narrowed his eyes. "So you're just gonna let me pee on myself? Wouldn't that be worse? The emperor would end up angry as well and think the guard wasn't competent or that he was neglectful of the empress." It was a cheap shot but dammit he had to pee.

Radagar's face turned red. "I-"

"Hmm?"

A voice cut in on his fun. "Making mischief already?"

Radagar exhaled in relief then put on his mask of indifference and stood up like a statue.

Shaugn shrugged as Xoan strode into the room with a smile. He still had a problem. "Then you help me."

Xoan looked him over. "What's wrong?"

"I need to pee." Shaugn pointed at the guard who suddenly became a mute by the door. "Radagar wouldn't take me."

Xoan looked over at the guard with a blank face. Radagar rushed to defend himself. "Your majesty, I-"

"For something like this I wouldn't kill you for touching him."

Radagar bowed. "Thank you, your majesty."

Xoan stood beside the bed and cupped Shaugn's chin in his hand. Leaning forward, he placed a small kiss on the corner of his empress' lips. "Don't be too hard on Radagar."

Though he was embarrassed by the gesture, Shaugn's bladder was about to make its displeasure known. He shrugged. "I just want to pee and not on myself."

In one swift move, Xoan lifted his beloved empress into his arms and carried him to the toilet. Shaugn glared at the man for carting him around like a damsel. His legs were weak but he could still shuffle about with support. All of his complaints were swallowed back as he looked around the bathroom in awe.

A heated pool surrounded by plants greeted him the minute they walked in. steam rose into the air making the room warm and steamy as a small waterfall bubbled at the end. The scents of jasmine, mandarin, and sandalwood reached his nose. What shocked him the most was a copper basin sitting on top of a marble counter. In a cup next to it were two bamboo toothbrushes. If this was the feudal period in his own reality, those wouldn't exist.

Xoan walked into a room off to the left and set Shaugn on his feet. It looked like a composting toilet set in its own room separate from the rest of the bath like in a Japanese home. Shaugn felt a burst of excitement. Did they also have something similar to foaming soap and lotion? Deodorant? Coconut oil? It might not be so bad here.

Hey, he was a modern gay man who was serious about hygiene and skincare. Sue him.

"Do you need me to help you?"

Shaugn snapped out of his stupor. Xoan's eyes held a smile. Realizing he hadn't answered the man, Shaugn took small steps closer to the toilet and raised his gown. At first, he was perturbed to find he was wearing a gown like his mother wore to bed. After looking at the complicated-looking clothing the men wore, he was glad.

Ignoring Xoan's watchful eyes, he turned his back to him and did his business. Shaugn shivered and resisted the urge to moan in relief as his full bladder was emptied. When did peeing ever feel this good? When he was finished, he wiped his hands on a wet towel given to him by Xoan, before walking out.

His legs were weak but he insisted on walking back. He was never going to be stronger having someone else carrying him around. Xoan hovered about ensuring he didn't fall then tucked him back into the bed. Akechi and Kazim had returned and were standing next to a portly man with spectacles.

After giving Shaugn a brief exam, he declared him fit but weakened. The memory loss was the result of his head injury and it should return over the course of time. It was best they didn't rush it so as not to cause discomfort. The bandage on his head was changed. The physician prescribed bed rest, light exercise, and strengthening food before he left with Xoan.

The emperor personally attended to his empress's every need when he came back in the evening. Finding it weird at first, Shaugn eventually submitted to Xoan's pampering. None of his previous boyfriends had ever done this for him. It was...nice.

He couldn't help feeling guilty that he was doing all this with someone else's husband. Sure, he was the Shaugn of this plane...time...space - physically but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually he was Shaugn from 2021. A completely different person with a different set of skills, knowledge, and history. How could he explain this? How would the emperor and the others here feel about that?

Xoan would help him bathe, feed him his meals even though Shaugn insisted he was fine, and would accompany him on walks around their wing of the palace. Xoan was patient and attentive with Shaugn at every turn. He was just the type of man Shaugn could find himself falling in love with.

When Xoan had to leave for court, Shaugn wouldstay in his room with Akechi, Kazim, and Radagar. They brought him an assortment of books fromthe palace library for Shaugn to read. Heread everything from the history of the country to cookbooks and medicinalmanuals. No one came to bother him andin no time, a week passed and he was able to move about without help.

(Joan with a 'sh' at the beginning)

(Sh-awn)

are just words added to the end to show respect to older people (40+) regardless of their position in society.