The Concubine Does Not Love the Emperor

Once a valiant royal guard, Margaret had faltered in her duty to protect the prince and his wife, resulting in her unjust branding as a traitor. Condemned to the depths of imperial slavery, she longed for a path that would lead her back to her homeland. In the midst of her desperate yearning, a seductive proposition emerged, luring her with its irresistible allure.

[Meet the emperor without hesitation, irrespective of the means and methods. Meet him and carry forth my tale.]

The words echoed in her mind, painting a seemingly simple picture. If only she could reclaim her rightful place and erase the stain upon her name, she believed the world would open up before her. Little did she know, the emperor awaited, poised to shatter her notions of simplicity.

“I am Emperor Suleiman. Bow down and exhibit reverence,” he instructed, his voice laced with a mix of authority and curiosity.

“Why do you pretend to be the emperor, Ray?” she questioned, her heart brimming with a mixture of confusion and anticipation.

Ray, her dear friend whom she fortuitously encountered on the bustling streets, had assumed the role of the emperor, casting a spell of intrigue upon their unexpected reunion.

“I am not playing a role, but do you truly believe I am not the emperor?” he responded, his voice carrying a hint of enigmatic charm.

Since his coronation, the true emperor had chosen to abstain from the confines of the harem, until one fateful day when curiosity seized him and he crossed its threshold. Among the sea of two hundred concubines, his gaze sought out Margaret, and her alone.

“I must return to Berte,” she insisted, her voice tinged with determination and longing.

“I understand. But do you grasp this?” Suleiman, the emperor in disguise, uttered, a soft laugh escaping his lips as he drew closer, his words a tantalizing whisper against her ear.

“You bewitched me,” he confessed, his heart pounding in his chest as her desires mingled with uncertainty.

“You promised to send me back to Berte!” she reminded him, her voice trembling with a mixture of hope and fear.

“Yes. I shall fulfill that promise,” Suleiman vowed, his gaze unwavering as he held her captive with his intense stare.

With an unwavering determination to never let her go, the emperor graced her with a smile of haunting beauty, whispering words that stirred her soul.

“If my heart so desires…”