The Harem Hall was quiet the day after the celebration. Everyone was tired and drained after the feast, and getting drunk last night, so it was a calm slow morning, with the concubines still sleeping in late.

Ivan was having afternoon tea in his house when Sang-chul and Apophis came over. Empress Rehema slept over again in his house, after the big festival. The night was intimate and left Ivan feeling on top of the clouds.

They were both slightly drunk after the night, and her majesty had nearly tripped on the perron when they were entering his house. Ivan caught her on time, and two guards rushed over to make sure was okay.

They shared a deep kiss on the perron and made their way inside.

Ivan had his servant get a warm bath ready for the two of them to relax in, and the rest of the night was blissful.

"You're the first man I could ever relate to on this level," Rehema told him after they had finished, she was lying her head on his shoulder. "I grew up with men mostly just bowing down to me in case they thought I would end up being their future wife, or because they wanted me to be their wife."

Ivan ran his fingers gently down her back, softly against her smooth skin. "Well can you blame them," Ivan joked?

Rehema rolled her eyes with a smile, bringing herself closer to him, "Sometimes it's hard to see who truly loves you if they all are putting on the same performance."

"I can see what you mean," Ivan kissed her shoulder. "But maybe also look at their position, your respect means everything to them and their family."

Rehema cocked her head, "Your lack of jealousy is quite something, and sense of empathy is heartful."

"I care very much for my friend's well-being, I can't be selfish when I have a brotherhood where we share the same love."

"Well, that is a beautiful trait for a man to have, and hard to maintain."

"What makes you think so?" Ivan asked.

"Well, when I was only married to Chike and Omari those two were nearly going to kill each other at one point."

"Well, you were both of their first love," Ivan reminded her. "But let's not stress over that, you deserve to have a night with clear thought." And Rehema smiled at him, kissing him on the cheek, before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

Ivan told Sang-chul and Apophis about the night as they were sitting across from him at this tea table, in his sitting room.

"At this rate, you definitely will be the one to give her majesty a baby," Sang-chul said.

"Well, she is definitely not pregnant currently," Ivan told them. Refilling their cups of tea.

"How do you know?" Apophis asked, picking up his teacup.

"When I woke up, I found her majesty had bled during the night," Ivan pointed towards his bed sheets on his bed across the room and Sang-chul and Apophis noticed his house servant was washing the bed sheets on a washboard and the soap water was slightly pink.

"Was she alright?" Sang-chul asked. He heard of how painful that sort of cycle could be.

"Yes, but she was just annoyed it appeared this morning after last night and so she was slightly in fatigue, to get back to work. But don't be disappointed, it is also a sign of good luck," Ivan said recalling back to the morning.

"Oh Heaven's Fuck," Rehema cursed noticing the deep red stain on Ivan's white bed sheets when she woke up.

Ivan could tell she was embarrassed, "I'm so sorry Ivan," she said apologizing.

Ivan chuckled, "It's okay as long as you're healthy; that is all that matters to me. I'll get my house servant to it clean up, and I'll fetch you hot tea before you leave." Ivan told her this morning before she set off for her day.

"Really?" Sang-chul asked getting a bite of a biscuit.

"Yep, her majesty's body is healthy. My mother used to say it's a sign of a positive omen." Then Ivan shrugged and did a mischievous smile, "And they say it brings up good luck if you end up bedding a woman during her time of bleeding."

Sang-chul and Apophis rolled their eyes but also laughed.

"You know Apophis, you're the only one out of the three of us that has yet to have some more personal time with her majesty," Ivan took note.

"So, what about?" Apophis said.

"You don't want to be forgotten right?"

"I prefer to not be in the spotlight, so if she forgets me, I wouldn't mind."

"Oh, come on Apophis a little love can be fun otherwise why become a concubine?"

"I didn't come here for love," Apophis simply said.

"What on earth would be the point of joining a harem if not for love and being spoiled by your wife?"

"For survival," Apophis snapped.

Silence danced around the room for a second before Ivan put down his teacup and nodded.

"Well, that would make the two of us," Ivan agreed.

"Three," Sang-chul added, and he poured himself another cup of tea.

Margo did a twirl in the cold air before landing a clean slide. Klive clapped happily on the side with approval watching her majesty skate across the frozen lake that stood behind the castle. It was mid-day and Empress Margo was becoming more physically active. Skating was one of her favorite physical activities, and Klive managed to convince her to pick it back up.

Klive needed to go slow and steady. Not push her too much or she would get suspicious or angry, and he needed to make Anton be on his side. Having enemies to watch over was going to make this mission way more difficult than it already was.

"Klive come and join me!" Margo urged yelling, as she skated toward him.

"I can't skate," Klive mentioned with a nervous smile.

"I will guide you," Margo giggled reaching out to him. She forgotten how much she loved skating. The feeling of the cold breeze, the ice around her, and the rush.

"I think his highness, would like a dance with you, he seems to be eager," Klive said before Margo could take his hand.

Margo turned her head and noticed Anton had been watching from the steps of the back exit of the castle. "Your right," Margo admitted biting her lips. She skated toward the exit of the lake and waved her arms.

Anton quickly took note and nearly dashed to Margo.

"Yes, your majesty?" He said urgently.

"How long have you been out, I didn't even notice you till Klive told me?"

"I been watching since you came out, just out of curiosity," Anton said nervously.

Margo smiled softly at him, "Do you want to join me?"

Anton eyes widened in shock, "Of course." He said taken back by her sudden kindness and acknowledgment. He quickly adjusted his boots to make sure they were good to skate with,

"I think our first date was here wasn't it, and our first kiss as well," Margo said skating around him and doing a quick jump and spin. Shaved ice sprayed around him.

Anton smiled softly, "Yeah it was." She remembers...

Margo hugged him from behind and slipped her hands under his surcoat. Anton was one of the first people she got to ice skate with. The person who alongside her helped her grow her love for it.

Anton's breath hissed feeling Margo's cold hands climb up his skin. He turned around to face Margo who was smiling at him seductively. He traced his thumb over her bottom lip, and Margo brought her face closer to his. They embraced in a deep kiss, one that Anton missed and yearned for, and made him forget that Klive was there on the sidelines. Made him forget everything at the moment. This was all he wanted from her for a while.

When Margo pulled back, she giggled and took his hand at full speed to skate around even faster.

Klive watched them with a gentle smile on his face.