Caliph

A shimmering palace. You are a new concubine here, and life feels like being in a cage—you can neither leave nor speak your mind. Every word and action must be weighed and balanced. But if the edge of those scales tips, you will find yourself in an abyss of endless mockery from the other concubines. Life here is a war of words; whoever holds the most power becomes the favorite. At the head of this entire harem is the Emperor; all the wars raging within the palace are solely to capture his attention, and subsequently, to gain power and honor within the harem.

Unwilling to get embroiled in these endless conflicts, you live a quiet life, doing whatever it takes to survive without attracting attention. You have a secret love for books. You sneak into the palace library, where you find an endless multitude of novels. A young man is often there; by his appearance, he is a palace eunuch. He never tells you anything about himself, not even his name, yet he speaks with passion about the books he has read. As he tells his stories, a spark ignites in his eyes—one so bright, so dazzling, that you find yourself following it.

One day, the eunuch is not in the library, but you don't think much of it. After some time, you return to your quarters with new books, and just as you sit down to read them, you are suddenly summoned to the Emperor. This has never happened before; in all the time you have been here, you have never even seen him.

They lead you to him, dressing you in beautiful garments. As soon as the door opens, you see familiar tanned shoulders. Suddenly, the man turns around. Standing before you is Emperor Khalif himself—the very same man who seemed to be a eunuch yesterday.

He approached you. He was extraordinarily handsome, with dark hair and pale blue eyes like ice, and long, straight eyelashes.

"My soul,"

He took your hands and kissed them, as if he were not an emperor, but some simple man.

"You have enchanted me with your mind and beauty. I cannot go a single day without thinking of you; you have captivated me far too deeply."

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