She is the second daughter of the head of a group of tribes, her father Sisavang Kham is a respected and honorable man. He is a good ruler who is loved by his people. She was loved by her family and by her people too, and when her father had decided that she was to marry the prince Rama, who was the same age as her, she trusted her father’s judgment and she obeyed.
She first met her husband at the wedding ceremony. But right away felt at ease with him. They both were only twenty years old, and at first he was shy even more than her. With her wild northern spirit she made him feel comfortable and started to open up to her. In a short time she came to know that he is a good man, with a good heart, and above all an honest man, both with his emotions and to his people.
With every year they spent together she respected and loved Rama more and more. Their happiness always growing, first with sweet Phing and then with the next king Arthit, they had been trying and waited for an heir many years, and when he was born all the kingdom celebrated for twenty days. Her children are the most precious thing in her life, they are the light in her eyes, and every single beat of her heart is for them.
That is why this morning she is sad, because in this happy time of celebration she can’t console her daughter, who hasn’t stop crying since she came home, or more accurately since they took the farang away.
“Calm down my child, you have been through a lot. I know it’s been very hard for you. The tigers must have scared you a lot. Please tell me, what can I do to help?”
Wiping away her tears she speaks softly, her voice a little sore from all the crying. “I don’t care about that. I already forgot about the tiger. They put him in a cage mother. They beat him. And he was good to me. He saved me. He’s a hero. He’s my hero.”
Kanda puts her hands around her daughter’s head “my sweet, sweet, Phing. I Know all this, you told me already. Yes he saved you, but why do you care so much about this man. You don’t even know him. He’s a stranger.”
“No he’s not. Not to me. We only spent a short time together, but Miki is a good man, an honest man, a brave man.” She takes her mother’s hands in hers and looks at the ground like she’s shy or ashamed. “Mama it is not just that he saved me. When he speaks to me I feel special. When he looks into my eyes I feel warm inside. I don’t know how to explain it, I feel strange. I can’t stop thinking about him. Could this be love?”
Kanda can feel it in her voice that she truly cares about this man. “My sweet child, this is strange for me too. You know that I sent you on the pilgrimage to the holy temple so that maybe you will glimpse your destiny. And what I was praying for that the universe will provide us with a way to save you from marrying Lord Anantachai.”
The tears flow again from Phing’s eyes. ”I will never marry that disgusting fat pig. I will go to the jungle and give myself to the tigers if you make me marry him.”
“Maybe the universe has answered all our prayers my child. Maybe it was no accident that this man crossed your path that day. Maybe he is your destiny.”
A small child came running in the queen’s chambers stopped by no one. “My queen, my Queen, they plan to ruin us all, I heard them. It’s terrible.”
******
From since he could remember, Chati has been a very active child. Now he’s almost eight years old, although he looks like he is five years old, and he is more lively and full of energy than ever before, and then all other boys at his age. Everybody calls him Little Mouse, because of his small body and the way that he’s always running around everywhere, sneaking around and between people’s legs without them even noticing.
The nickname has become so popular that even his mother has trouble remembering his name sometimes. He had grown up in and around the royal palace. His mother a chamber maid to her majesty the Queen, and he has always had the freedom to where his interest took him. The Queen is so fond of him that she treats him like he is family.
Highly intelligent and always looking out for the people he cares about, he knows everything that is going on in this big city. People don’t notice him, he knows the tree tops so well and all corners of the city, and those very few that do see him are used to it that they pay no attention anymore.
Of all the people in his life he cares the most for the Queen and her two children because she has been so good to him. Always giving him sweets and treats, she tries to give him nice clothes too, made from the finest silk but he always refuses, always with the words ‘when I rip them or get them dirty I will feel so bad, I don’t want that.’ When he is playing with prince Arthit in the palace gardens the servants treat them the same, the Queen had made sure of that, whatever food was brought for the prince they brought the same for him.
And the thing that he was most aware of was that Lord Anantachai was evil, very evil. On many nights he would sneak into the man’s garden, jumping from tree top to tree top over the wall. And last night the things he heard terrified him so much that as soon as he knew the Queen would be awake he ran straight to tell her.
“What is it little mouse? What scared you so much? Come! Tell me.” said Kanda with a motherly tome.
Little mouse tells everything that he overheard with an exited voice. Trying carefully not to leave out or forget anything.
Hearing the story Kanda embraces the child. “Don’t worry little mouse I will not let anyone hurt you, or any of us. You are my family, and remember, family always protects each other.”
“And you say Tuk punched the tree angrily? I always thought that he was Anantachai’s right hand man. It would appear that maybe he can be easily persuaded to come over to our side, he will be a formidable ally.”
Kanda stands up and commands the servants. “Call up a messenger. I need to send word to my father, quickly!”
Phing has been listening to the boy tell his story but her mind was still on her troubles. “Little mouse, will you do something for me? Will you take something to Miki? Please.”
“You mean the farang?” the boy’s quick wit made the connection right away. You never needed to explain things to him too much.
“You know I can’t refuse you. You are like my big sister. Give it to me and I will find a way to get to him.” He smiles sweetly hoping to make her feel better.
“Give me some time and I will call for you when it is ready.”
Phing found her strength again. Wiping off the tears she tries to find the right words to express her feelings. There is hope. All is not lost.
Chapter 12
Three day had passed since he entered the city. Well not really entered, it was more of a ‘dragged in a cage’ sort of a situation. Everything that happened now seems like a dream. If he ever gets the chance to tell his story people will say that he is making it all up. He never imagined that something this crazy can even happen. And certainly could not have imagined it at all in his small little village up in the Pyrinees Mountains, where he grew up. Life there was ordinary. It was not a bad place to grow up. For a child it can be very fun. In winter when the snow fell he and his friends would take old sacks from the barn full them up with hay and tie it at the top with a string. And then they would climb to the top of the hill and slide down on the sack. It was so much fun. The rich kids had wooden sleighs that cost a lot of money and were crafted by skilled woodworkers. But little Miguel preferred his sack full of hay it was so much more comfortable and softer on the butt. That’s the thing he misses the most, playing in the snow and breathing in the morning winter chill that really wakes up your lungs and makes you feel alive. Or in the summers, when his father wasn’t looking, together with his friends they would take the horse cart, push it up a hill get in it and drive all the way down. They broke quite a few carts over the years that way. And once when they couldn’t make the turn they ended up in the stone built chicken coop, the cart was smashed to pieces and his friend broke his arms. That was the only day that his father beat him, but it was worth it, that was so much fun, it was still fun many years later too, whenev
er he met Juan after that they would have the best laugh remembering that day.
For a grown up, there wasn’t really much do there. He loves his family very much, but his heart was wild and always craving new and exciting things to see and to do. Every moment of free time, when he wasn’t helping with the sheep or with the firewood, he would spend on the top of the hill just to the north of his village. From there he would look at the Atlantic Ocean and all the tall ships coming to and going from San Sebastian. He would set his imagination free, to fly with the white sails of the ships to lands far and wide, to cities large and small, to people scary and beautiful. He knew from an early age that he has the heart of an adventurer. Knowing that he can never be happy with the simple life, he had said his goodbyes and went to San Sebastian to join a crew. His mother’s tears pained him a lot, but this was something that he had to do. His destiny lay across the blue water.
And in this land where he woke up stranded on the beach, all that his imagination could conger up had been surpassed many times over. Even though he was now sitting in a cage not sure of his ultimate fate, he will not change anything, he would do everything over again the same way. All his travels and experiences, and all his troubles and adventures, had lead them to her. ‘Phing.’ Whispering her name brings a smile to his face.
“Stop dreaming you white devil.” A small hand taps him on the shoulder. He turns around and sees a small face smiling back at him.
“Who are you child what do you want?”
“I am Little Mouse, Phing sent me here to give you something” Said the child holding up a folded piece of paper.
Miguel reaches for it, but the boy pulls it back laughing. “Slow down big boy, calm down.”
“Give it here you little rat.”
“Hey, that’s not nice. My name is not rat, it is mouse. Here I am bringing you a present and you insult me, don’t they teach you manners where you come from?” The boy continues to tease him.
“You’re right, I am sorry little mouse. Can I have my present please?”
“There you go. I was only having a little fun with you.”
Miguel opens up the piece of paper and he starts reading quickly before the sun sets over the horizon and all light disappears.
Sweet Miki
I have never done this before. It is strange for me that I am writing to you. And it is even stranger that I am doing so when I only know you for a very short time. Somehow I feel that I have to tell you how I feel.
You saved me from the tiger, and I will always be grateful for that. But you did so much more. In the worst day of my life you made me feel comfortable. You cared for me. You teased me to make me smile, and made me forget about my troubles. I enjoyed hearing the stories about your life.
I can’t put my thoughts into words to express how I feel. I don’t know how I feel this is all new for me. This is something that I have never felt before. I feel very close to you, like I have known you forever. Did we know each other in a previous life?
All I know is that with you I feel comfortable. When you look at me with those strange eyes of yours I feel warm inside and I feel safe. And it feels right.
I wish the soldiers had found us a little later.
Thinking of you
Phing
“What does it say?” Little mouse startles Miguel.
“That is none of your busyness. You are too young for things like this. What are you still doing here?”
“I am waiting to see if you want me to take back a reply from you.”
“I am sorry if I yelled at you, you are right boy. You are completely right. Thank you.”
Miguel thinks for a moment of his reply. “Go now, go to Phing and tell her that I feel it too. When I was with her I felt good and warm inside. Tell her that she makes me feel very special. Tell her I think about her all the time. And I want to see her again and spend my time with her.”
He takes a deep breath. “Will you remember all that?”
The boy nods, give him a big smile and goes on his way.
He starts reading again from the beginning.
Chapter 13
A rider is galloping through the jungle. He is pushing his horse to the limits of endurance, stopping only every few hours for water. In the past two days he had to change horses in 4 villages along his way north. Time is of the utmost importance. Dressed in simple peasant clothes, the red shirt that the royal messengers usually wear was not an option this time. This mission had to remain a secret. This messenger is on a mission for his Queen. He’s on a secret mission that can mean their survival.
These northern lands are different than Ayutthaya, the trees are different, the fruit here is different. And the weather is much cooler in these hills than back home. When they are sent to come here on a mission it is the happiest time in the life of a royal messenger.
The rider arrives at Luang Prabang, and showing his royal seal he is allowed to see his highness Sisavang Kham.
Sisavang is in his seventies, but is still a formidable man. His body stands straight and his face portrays resolve and strength. And in his official silk gown with dragons embroidered in gold he is the epitome of royalty.
He takes the Chinese message box from the messenger and quickly performs the few twists and turns required to open the hidden compartment where the message is hidden. He always used this method of communication with his daughter, another thing from his pesky neighbors that he found quite useful.
After reading the message and realizing how the situation down south is about to escalate, he calls for his son.
“Oun my son, your sister needs our help, and the kingdom needs our help. Dirty snakes are preparing to overrun the capital and we need to help. Prepare our best fighters immediately and head south. When you arrive there Kanda will send someone to coordinate what needs to be done. Go.”
Chapter 14
Tuk has always thought of himself as an honorable man. Working for Anantachai left a bad taste in his mouth every single day. But he didn’t choose this life, it was forced upon him. The only thing keeping him here was his sense of obligation.
Every time that he was sent to threaten or beat some poor man that had failed to pay the money demanded by the Lord, he imagined that he is hitting the fat man’s face instead. And when some of the girls in the pleasure palace acted out of line and he had to discipline her, he would fantasize about putting a long blade in that disgusting fat belly. He hated that damned pleasure palace so much. It was him that had to hear the poor girls’ crying and screaming. When he was sent to distant villages to buy them from their parents for a few coins, his heart was breaking. How can someone do a thing like this to their own child, for him his children are the most precious thing in his life and he would never let the actions of the fat man bring harm to them.
He had a good life once. He wasn’t feared and hated by the people. He was a good child. Not very rich but hardworking, he used to get up before dawn to go pick fruits in the jungle and spend the day with his mother selling them in the market. His mother was a kind and gentle woman but she had the bad luck of choosing a worthless man. His father spent his days drinking and gambling away all their hard earned money, the little that they could make. And when he came back home after losing everything he would take his anger out on little Tuk, beating him until passing out from the drunkenness.
His only escape was the old men living in the house next to his. The man had once been a great warrior, in his hay day respected and praised by all but now in his old age forgotten in his little shack with no family of his own to take care of him, not that he needed to be taken care of for he was in very good shape for his years thanks to his strict discipline, or to help the days feel less lonely. He took pity on little Tuk and took him in like he was his own son. The boy had a pure heart and a good sense of honor. He was always submitting his young body to his father’s drunken blows, doing all that to protect his poor mother from them.
Tuk liked the ol
d man very much. He saw him and a wise man and love to listen the stories of his adventures. It wasn’t long before the two of them spent every free moment together. The boy had found the perfect father figure that he badly needed, and the old man had found someone to whom he can pass on all that he knew and someone of who he could be proud of, that brought great pleasure to his lonely life. He had found a worthy successor for his legacy.
Together they were the perfect master and student. The lessons covered all different subjects needed to groom Tuk in to a good man above all else and a good and brave soldier. The little boy had advanced in all disciplines very quickly; from breathing techniques to expert swordplay, and from poetry to strategy.
At the age of seventeen the royal guard had taken notice and they were considering giving him a position with them, but Anantachai had other plans. He had also been alerted of the boy’s promise from one of his many spies, and he had been looking for a way to take advantage of that.
He found exactly what he needed in the boy’s father. That man was such a disaster that it wasn’t difficult to use him as he needed. The foolish drunk was constantly lured in one or another of Anantachai’s establishments where he was allowed to drink, eat and gamble to his heart’s desire, the house always too generous to give credit. The debt had grown to a huge amount and when the Lord came to their home offering to take the boy to be his personal slave for 15 years as payment or to execute them all as criminals the boy had no choice but to bow his head and agree. It was wrong, and it was against all the principles that he had learned from his master, but when it came to choose between his suffering and the life of his mother, in his heart that choice was easy to make.