The doors of the great imperial complex were opened giving way to the great crowd of young, beautiful women from good families who would participate in the selection.

The tension was felt in the air, as were the envious looks between them.

Ezra Azzar, daughter of the sayid of the Himyar tribe, was walking through the imperial garden with her friend Badar Alid. Both had been chosen to appear in the selection of concubines, following the tradition of many generations of their tribe.

Ezra looked disinterestedly at the flowers of the immense garden with only one hope: not to be selected. If he became part of the king's imperial harem he would lose his freedom and all contact with his family.

Some time later all the young women were ordered according to family rank and merit.

Ezra watched as the girls with joy and pride occupied the front places, she with a hidden smile is among the last in line. His family was not very influential.

The room melted into an eerie silence and eager to know why, he poked his head from the perfectly demarcated rows. At the end of the long corridor he managed to see the incoming figures of the Empress Dowager and Empress Regent, further back from them the emperor entered and stood on his lavish throne. Thin layers of silk covered part of their bodies. Everything there was covered in gold, there was no place in that hall that did not shine, let alone the empresses, their splendid garments were filled with all kinds of precious stones; Alexandrites, sapphires, emeralds, and opal, that vision was simply majestic, for the splendor of an entire empire was represented in its highest leaders, those present in that room.

"Greetings to their majesties," they say in one voice, leaving the precious sound of female voices in the air.

Almost immediately a small army of maids entered the hall and took up position next to each maid. Once they receive the order of the chief eunuch they begin to perform a thorough examination of each woman. Beauty, teeth, hair, hands, body odor and purity. If any of these women did not meet all the requirements , she was given a gift and then left the room. At that stage of the examination many women had been eliminated and unfortunately for Ezra, she had not been among them.

In the end there was a select group, about 300 women. From that moment the selection depended on the king, his mother and the sympathy he felt with the woman. And of course the family to which the future wife belonged played a very important role.

Ezra watched as his other companions presented themselves to the king, some were mostly selected by the empress dowager, who took into account the beauty and family status. The king declined offers if the woman was not to his liking. Shortly afterwards her friend Badar showed up and after a few tense moments, the king selected her. The turn was now Ezra's and with calm steps he walked until he became visible.

"Greetings to your majesty. I am Ezra Azzar, daughter of sayid Himyar ," she spoke in a clear voice.

"In this selection the Himyar tribe  has sent two women. This is the first time this has happened, what is the reason?

"Responding to your majesty, we appreciate the care you have given us. The fact that two women are introduced to you is a sign of appreciation from our leader.

"You are an eloquent young woman, as well as a beauty. You will definitely be part of the harem.

Ezra held his head down for a few moments. Then aware of the fact he thanked the king for something he had not even asked for.

After a while, Ezra raised his eyes to the bleachers of the room and was surprised to see two women sitting in them. The yellow and red cut dresses worn by both wives were of supreme quality and exquisite beauty. Ezra was sure that they were the two secondary wives of the emperor, the splendor of the empire was also reflected in those women. 

Ezra could not imagine the power they could reach inside and outside the harem, that entity was a real battlefield where only the strongest managed to survive and rise above the others.

The young concubine turned her gaze back at the emperor and found that the man was still watching her through the thin veil. Ezra could not see the king's face  but the man's gazes stuck on his skin like sharp daggers. The man's gaze did not leave the girl and although Ezra tried to look calm, the slight trembling of his hands gave her away.

Such attention on the part of the king towards Ezra did not go unnoticed by Empress Khatri, who with a grimace of annoyance looked at the woman.

There was an almost innate law between concubines and wives: the first to share the king's room after a selection was his declared enemy.

The empress would not allow any novice concubine to seduce the king with cheap means. She as the leader of the king's harem would make known to all wives and concubines her hierarchy of terror.