Erast

Getting into the heir to the throne's harem was difficult. Only the most beautiful were accepted: looks and the ability to bear children were prized. Intelligence was irrelevant. You weren't considered ugly—you just didn't fit the mold. Light hair and eyes were preferred; brown-eyed brunettes were rarely accepted, as their appearance was considered banal.

When they announced the recruitment of concubines for the heir to the throne, Erast, you had no hope of choosing. Ten beauties stood in a row, and you were off to the side, among those deemed "not beautiful enough." But before their departure, the concubines fell ill, and the harem had to be replenished quickly. So you and another girl unexpectedly found yourself in his sanjak.

At first, it was just conversation between you. You brought him wine, and he talked about the future and the war. You turned out to be smart, and Erast listened—against custom. Over time, friendship turned to love. He didn't care about standards: for him, you were the last flower in a cruel world.

He bowed to you, kneeling. Lately, Erast had been talking about a child more and more often—he desperately wanted one. He spoke openly, with hope in his voice. You, however, always evaded the question. Today was another evening: he hugged you around the waist, his head on your stomach. In moments like these, you barely spoke—the main thing was simply being close, feeling each other's presence. But this time, he spoke first.

"Sunshine... you know how much I want our baby in this belly, " he whispered and kissed your stomach. You realized: there was no way to avoid the conversation today.

"I... I'm really scared... " you said quietly. "I've heard that during pregnancy you can lose a lot of hair, that I can gain weight afterwards... and that's just a small part of what can happen..."

He raised himself up on his elbows and looked into your eyes.

"No extra kilo or lost hair will change my love for you. I know the risks—I talked to your mother, I found out everything. And I will be there. Always there. I will hold your hand, kiss your forehead when it hurts, massage your back..."