Esi approached the giant red gate that was guarded by two female guards, standing on either side. It was approaching the middle of the day and Rehema had just finished her morning training. Since her sister deeply wanted this resolved, might as well get it over with it.

Esi didn't see why Rehema wanted Ekon's approval so badly. It was not like she needed it anyway, she was Empress, officially crowned, and no one's opinion should matter at this point other than hers.

"His majesty is not seeing anyone at the moment, please come back another time," said the one guard standing by the door.

Esi chuckled, "Oh really?" She ignored the guard and took another step forward.

The two guards jumped forward instantly and pointed their sharp golden spears at her. Esi quickly snatched her curved rusty mambele dagger from her belt and shielded herself. Her knees were bent and her body was in a defensive position ready to respond to the guard's moves.

"Try it I dare you..." Esi hissed. The guards glared at her in defense positions as well.

"Ekon, I know you are in there open up!" Esi shouted from outside. Turning her glance at the gate for a quick second before backing to the guards. "Do you think your Empress, will be happy to hear you have let your guards point their weapons at me?"

Still silence from behind the gate.

"Do you really want this to get ugly!" She shouted.

Suddenly the red gate door unlocked. The door opened slowly only from the right and Esi lowered her weapon slightly.

A male servant stood in view and bowed, lifting his hand to signal the two guards to stand down.

The two guards nodded and placed their spears next to each other and went back to their previous positions.

Esi snuffed, fully putting her weapon away back to her belt, and walking forward past the gate entrance. The gate door quickly shut behind her as she entered.

"His majesty is in his study at the moment—"

Esi ignored the servant walking past him, and the grand water fountain that stood in front of Ekon's home where the Emperor Dowager resides.

She went inside and walked past the foyer, past his sitting room, and up one flight of stairs where his bedroom and study were. Esi approached his study door and opened the door forcefully with might. She walked in to find Ekon facing his back at her behind his desk.

"Well, hello," Esi began.

"How dare you come over to my house and create such commotion," Ekon said not bothering to respond to Esi's greetings, he turned around in his chair finally showing Esi his face. He had a book in his hands that he appeared to be reading. His eyes still focused on his readings even as he turned his body around to face her.

"How dare you ignore your empress. Your daughter whom you promised to protect and serve to your wife, our mother," Esi snapped back.

"She removed me from her coronation council, over Chike's words. Not even bothering to tell me why."

"It was you who started making drastic changes too quickly to her coronation, she didn't want to tell you in person," Esi snapped back.

Ekon gave a confused look at Esi. "What do you mean?" He asked.

Esi rolled her eyes, "Your changes are what got you kicked off, to begin with, such drastic and fast changes on short notice are why she had done so."

"I made no changes, I only put input in what she liked, and the other members agreed with it. Can't you tell Chike is behind this rubbish," Ekon shut the book he was reading.

Esi sighed, "This is actually why I'm glad I'm not empress." The life of the concubines, the harem, being the emperor Dowager, must be exhausting. "And this is also why I'm glad my father never choose to live in the palace."

"Your father has it easy you know. He doesn't have to deal with such nonsense. He doesn't have to deal with husbands trying to turn his own daughter against him. You can enjoy being the savage he is in the jungle." Ekon snarked.

"Hey!" Esi said sternly.

"He isn't as brave as he makes himself out to be, and I never saw what empress Tamela loved about him so much, he was quite different from what a concubine was supposed to be..." Ekon trailed.

"Let's stay on topic which is Rehema," Esi snapped. Her father was not supposed to be the main topic of discussion at the moment.

"I love Rehema more than anything she is the only reason why I otherwise would have left the palace after your mother died; I have a promise to keep to my late wife."

Esi's face dropped with sympathy, she took a step toward, "I'm sorry about what happened with the coronation, but Rehema needs support from those closest to her. You mean a lot to her."

"I will speak to Rehema again, but I refuse to be in spaces with Chike. I will deal with him on my own terms."

"Are you sure about that? Rehema doesn't like unsettled drama to roam around the palace, and neither did our mother."

"I can handle Chike on my own. I must take matters into my own hands when the harem tries to disrespect me as their Emperor Dowager. It will make me look weak if I depend on Rehema for everything," Ekon responded.

"So, if you are blaming Chike for spreading lies about you, why distance yourself from Rehema?"

"I need Chike to think he won for some time, to make him foolishly think he has the upper hand," Ekon responded.

Esi took a seat and sat across from him, "You concubines sure love drama."

Ekon, "I'm not upset with her but hurt. The Emperor Dowager is meant to be respected to be feared by the other concubines, and dismissing me for the emperor lowers my respectability among her whole harem. I refused to be pushed around by other men like I was when I was married to your mother."

"She will not tolerate you spreading scandal either," Esi pipped in.

"I'm fixing a possible scandal," Ekon corrected her. "I will see her this afternoon."

Esi got up exhausted, her job was done. "If you don't today I will be back and much more of an annoyance." Esi started to make her exit to the door, to leave his house.

"Wait!" Ekon called out.

"If you see her before I do, let her know I'm proud of her," Ekon then got up from his seat and stood in front of Esi. "Long live the new resigning empress of the African lands, long may empress Rehema Eze reign and protect us." He did a deep bow in curtsy form. His aged knees shook but he remained in perfect balance.

Esi smiled slightly and acknowledge that she would let her know.

After her morning meeting with her council, Rehema was looking through coronation gifts that had been sent over from the other empresses. They were presented to her when she entered her study that morning.

A huge bouquet of flowers was what, was first to greet her from her desk in her study.

"Who sent these?" Rehema asked putting her papers down and analyzing the first gift.

"The flower bouquet is from Empress Kiana Iona your majesty, straight from the seas and the islands," Frou Frou her main servant told her with a bow.

Rehema smiled, looking at the bouquet of Hawaiian tropical lilies in a vase made of hardened sand. There was a note written on parchment near the vase. Rehema picked it up to see what was said on the card. "Congratulations on your coronation," it simply said in cursive and with a lily drawn at the corner of the paper, and her signature written across the rectangle note.

"These are the other gifts, your majesty," Frou Frou said.

Rehema turned her glance to see more gifts behind her desk and around the room.

"You have two from Empress Fan Du, one from Empress Oishi Bhatt, another from Empress Catherina Garbajosa, and lastly from Loulu Yoki."

"So, nothing from Empress Marjo and Adelaide?" Rehema asked.

Cleared her throat, "Correct, your majesty."

Rehema nodded, "Understandable. I equally do not care to build a relationship with those two either."

Rehema opened her other gifts with help from Frou Frou. She got a unique China tea set from Fan Du, who also gave her imported teas from all the East Asian states, counties, and cities to try. Oshi Bhatt had given her Indian golden goddess idol statue. Catherina gifted her a carnival headdress, and Loulu gifted her a detailed and carefully crafted blue and white feathered dream catcher. All the empresses had sent her letters of congratulations on her coronation as well.

As Rehema was thinking about where to place her gifts around the palace, Frou Frou brought up another thing.

"Another thing your majesty is we are going to have to begin the portraits session," Frou Frou murmured.

Rehema groaned, "Oh please no, goddess forsaken no!" Rehema remembered loathing having to sit for hours in the same position when it came to her portraits being drawn and painted. As a child, she always hated them, and still to this day, she hated them.

"I'm sorry your majesty, but the palace needs an official coronation day portrait to place next to your mothers," Frou Frou continued.

"For how long will this one last?" Rehema asked.

"Two weeks, for five hours a day," Frou Frou answered.

Rehema groaned again, bringing her two fingers to her temple.

"The painter is here today for you to meet him, he is the apprentice of your mothers' painters, and very gifted, but also... different," Frou paused.

"Different how?" Rehema asked, setting her documents down and rising from her seat.

"He appears to be blind and with one arm, and not able to walk properly."

"A crippled?" Rehema asked.

Frou Frou nodded and bit her lip.

Rehema cocked her head, "But you say he is gifted?"

"His work is known as gifted, and you will be his first famous portrait."

"I'm very much interested in meeting him then," Rehema said.

"He and his master are arriving shortly in the court," Frou Frou said and she made her way near the exit of the door.

"Let me know when they arrive," Rehema said, and she went on to stamping official court documents. Frou Frou got the update from another servant that two male guests have arrived, and she immediately updated Rehema. Rehema set aside her work and walked out of her study with Frou Frou to meet the painters.

They fully stepped out of the palace and walked near the outdoor pillars that supported the palace until they found two men in front of the palace stairs. One was an older man in his sixties, and the other was younger about Rehema's age. He indeed had one arm and seemed to be carrying a wooden cane stick to support his walk. They were both dressed in white clothes that had barely visible grey diamond patterned prints.

"Greetings your majesty," Both men said bowing their heads.

"Greetings," Rehema said approaching them and telling them to rise their heads

"You grew to be as stunning as your mother," The elder man said offering his hand. Rehema suddenly remembered him. He was the same man who painted her childhood portraits. Sir Kosi was her mother's main court painter.

"You do remember me? Your majesty?" Kosi asked.

"How could I forget the face of a man I had to sit in front of for 7 hours straight," Rehema joked, and she went to hug Kosi, who was taken back at first but returned the hug.

"And who might this be?" Rehema asked, turning to the younger man. Getting a close look at him, Rehema saw his eyes had grey cloudy pupils. He had olive skin with a handsome and cute face.

"This is my student," Kosi said. "He trained under me since he could walk, a gifted orphan."

"And he will paint me?"

"Yes."

"How is that possible if he can't—"

"Trust me he can, and this will solve your issue of having to sit for hours in front of a painter, isn't that right Basim," Kosi said.

"Correct, your majesty," Basim said shyly.

Rehema smiled politely at him, "Thank you both for coming, why don't you come inside for some tea, and we can sit and chat some more."

Rehema let Frou Frou lead them into the palace and directed them to the visitor tearoom. Kosi held Basim's arm to help him lead the way.

When they entered the team room, tea was already seated and Frou Frou started to pour for them in cups.

They started with a small chat, but Rehema wanted to get to know Basim alone.

"This palace has changed since I had last been here," Kosi acknowledged.

"Why don't Frou Frou give you a tour of the updated changes," Rehema said. "Frou Frou," she said calling to her.

Frou Frou came rushing toward Kosi and he nodded getting up from his seat to follow her.

Rehema turned to Basim whom she was now alone with beside the two guards standing at the exit.

"Well, I guess we should get to know more of each other since you will be painting my coronation portrait, and if you do an excellent job, you might be my official court painter," Rehema said with enthusiasm.

"I will try my best your majesty," Basim said resting one hand on his wooden cane. He didn't touch his tea the entire time.

"So, Basim is what you go by," Rehema asked.

Basim nodded and Rehema scooted closer to him.

"Is it okay if I feel your feel your face, your majesty?" Basim asked abruptly.

"Excuse me?" Rehema asked, taken back, and set her teacup down.

"Can I feel your face, your majesty, please? It will help in the coming days for your portrait," Basim asked again.

Rehema was taken back at first but cleared her throat, she moved closer to him and brought her face right in front of his. "Go right on ahead."

With one hand, Basim gently touched her face. Starting with her chin his fingers brushed it and moved up to her left cheek to her wide nose, and then her right cheek. Basim traced that area twice and started to move to her cheeks.

"How long have you been a painter?" Rehema asked as his hands gently felt her face, wanting to break the deep silence.

"Since my master adopted me, as a child," Basim answered.

"I'm technically adopted as well, just only by my father," Rehema responded. Basim fingers were now on her eyes and moving toward her forehead.

"What else have you painted?" Rehema asked. Basim had already done his whole face and started to trace her face over again and felt a little bit of her hair.

"I paint items I can feel, my master tells me the colors, and I feel and paint."

"Is it hard?" Rehema asked.

"It's something I love, painting saved me," Basim did one more trace along her forehead.

"Thank you, your majesty," Basim said when he was done. "I always do that for portraits of people it helps me visualize the painting much better."

"Well if you need to do it again, just ask," Rehema chuckled. Rehema noticed his cheek fluster slightly pink.

"Are you sure you don't want tea?" Rehema asked. "You haven't touched yours."

Basim shook his head, "I'm fine your majesty. Thank you."

Kosi then came back with Frou Frou, and it was time for him and Basim to leave. Basim would be back next week to start the portrait and would be staying in the guest building.

"Thank you for your hospitality, your majesty. I am honored to be the one to paint your coronation portrait and will fur fill your every wish," Basim told Rehema before leaving.