Chapter 3: Hot as fire

It was time for the bathing ritual.

Every woman in the harem was expected to attend, no exceptions.

The process was not only a cleansing but also a preparation, a rite to enchant and seduce the crown prince.

It was tradition, but more than that, it was a competition.

The women scrubbed their skin with crushed rose petals fifty times, their bodies slick with milk and perfumed oils meant to tantalize the prince's senses.

Each hoped to rise in rank, from a mere concubine to a coveted consort.

The madam observed them carefully. Once a renowned courtesan in House Rose, her mastery had earned her the emperor's favor and countless honors, a mansion, a private garden, and unimaginable luxury.

Now, she trained these women to perfection, her sharp eyes missing nothing as they prepared for the royal bathing.

At the hour before sunrise, the women undressed, their delicate forms stepping into the steaming pool.

Their movements were precise, rehearsed, as they washed under the faint light of dawn.

But Rae? She was still asleep.

Lila gasped, clutching her thin drape dress as she readied herself to join the others.

Her small, untouched form trembled with anxiety as she turned to Rae, still sprawled in her bed.

"Rae, by the gods' breath, why are you still sleeping?" Lila whispered urgently.

Rae groaned, rolling over. "I'm not interested in bathing today, or seeing the sun, or breathing. Let me sleep. Maybe if I stay still long enough… I'll wake up at home."

Lila's expression softened. It hadn't been long since their villages had been raided, their lives torn apart, and they were dragged here to the palace. Each day had been a nightmare.

But Rae? Rae was different. Beautiful beyond compare, with an air of defiance that set her apart from the others.

Lila often wondered why Rae, of all people, had chosen to speak to her, a plain and unremarkable girl.

"Rae, I know you don't want this, but you have to go. If you anger the crown prince…" Lila hesitated. "I've heard he's not very kind."

"You mean he's a pig?" Rae muttered, her voice sharp with disdain.

"Rae, I do not wish to be beheaded," Lila hissed, her voice trembling.

Rae opened her brilliant blue eyes, the faint light of the morning sun casting a violet sheen over them. "Well, I do."

Lila sighed in defeat and hurried after the others.

----

The bathing pool steamed as the prince reclined in the water, his eyes closed, his expression unreadable.

Lila's breath caught as she caught sight of him.

His beauty was both terrifying and divine, sharp, adulterous features paired with the body of a god.

Despite his reputation for cruelty, she couldn't help but understand why so many women longed for his attention.

The line of women slowly moved forward, each one eager to be chosen.

Of the hundred who scrubbed and preened, only twenty were selected to join him in the royal pool.

Their skin gleamed like polished shells, and they moved with the grace of water nymphs.

Leading them was Ethel Mirathos, an Egyptian beauty with fiery auburn hair and smoldering dark eyes.

Confident and calculating, she floated toward the prince, her movements slow and deliberate.

Reaching him, she slipped her legs between his, her washcloth in hand.

With an exaggerated motion, she wrung it out, the water cascading in sensual rivulets. Her lips parted in a seductive pout as she reached for him.

But his eyes remained closed, unmoved.

Frustrated, Ethel grew bold. She extended her hand with the washcloth, daring to touch him.

The prince's eyes snapped open, and in a flash, his hand caught hers mid-motion.

Silence fell over the pool.

"Madam," his voice was low but commanding, "where is Lady Rae?"