“Phing my love I am coming.’
“Hey crazy man, are you daydreaming again.” Little mouse teased him.
They had already reached the carriage.
“We have to go now.” Tuk opens the door for Miguel. ‘Little mouse, you run to the Queen and tell her that we got him out and are on our way.”
He enters the carriage and can’t believe his eyes. It is the most wonderful Déjà vu he has ever experienced. Sitting in the corner of the carriage he sees the enchanting girl that had captured his heart and mind completely.
“How are you here? Am I dreaming?”
“Hello Miki.”
Chapter 20
“Where is Phing? I thought she didn’t leave you quarters. Is she feeling better?” asked Rama, as he came to speak to Kanda.
“Oh my love I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry and I was afraid that you will get angry with me.”
Kanda tells him about everything that she had found out the past few days and about the plan that she put into effect. How little mouse found out about the conspiracy. How she made Tuk an ally, and that her brother will arrive tomorrow with enough soldiers to save them.
“My love I did all this for us. You had to be present at the celebrations. Your people needed you to be there, they wanted to celebrate with you. If I would have told you before about all this you would have left the celebrations. And if you knew you would have not been able to keep your calm. And Anantachai would have guessed that we know.”
She falls to her husband’s knees. “Please forgive me my love, I did what I thought was right.”
“Stand up my love. You did the right thing.” Rama hugs her tightly. “What about Phing, where is she?”
“She begged me to let her go with Tuk and with the farang. She was crying and she was inconsolable. And I agreed with her. She was right. The farang cares about her very much and Tuk as one of the best fighters here. They will protect her. And it is better for her to not be here, because if things go wrong I want her to be as far away as possible from Ananchatai.”
“I understand, and you are right. You have always been my strength and my support my love. I will pray that the plan works and we will prevail. “
“Whatever comes our way I will always be by your side, I want you to know that. You are my life and my happiness. I will face anything with you and without fear.”
“These are truly hard times for us. I have always tried my best to keep Ayutthaya safe but our enemies are getting stronger. Now the Chinese are out for our blood and our heads. And my spies in Toungoo have sent word that the new young king there is very ambitious. Bayinnaung has not kept it secret that he wants to create a great empire and he wants to conquer our lands. They say that he is already making plans how to increase his army and is making alliances. I am afraid that even if we defend ourselves from the Chinese we will soon have another invader knocking at our doors. “
“We don’t have the luxury to worry about things that may or may not happen, my love. Please be strong for me and be strong for our people. I need you to be strong and the people need their king, the king that they love and that will fight for.”
“You are right my darling, now is not the time to worry about what Bayinnaung is planning, we will cross that bridge when and if the time comes. For now I will pray that your brother can get here in time and that we will prevail.”
Chapter 21
“I am honored to be in your presence your royal highness.” Miguel takes a bow and gives Phing a cheeky smile.
“Stop that you stupid man I was worried about you. Don’t play games like this.” She jumps up and hugs him tight. “I missed you so much Miki. I was afraid that I will never see you again.” Tears start flooding her eyes again, but this time they come from a happy place.
“I missed you too my lovely girl. I didn’t know if you felt it too. I was afraid that I was losing my mind and that I imagined the whole thing.” He kisses her on the forehead and caresses the back of her head. “But when little mouse came to see me and I read your sweet words my heart was singing from happiness. I felt warm inside and this is good, this feels right.”
“I’m scared.” She pulls back from his embrace and sits in the corner again with her head down and her voice a mere whisper.
“Why are you scared? I read your words. You feel it too. Hey don’t get all shy on me now.”
“Don’t tease me please. This is something new for me. You make me confused, very confused. How is it possible that I can’t stop thinking about you? This is what scares me too much.”
“This is all new for me as well. I can’t explain it. You have awoken something in me, something very profound.”
“My heart is telling me it’s good but my mind is still scared.”
“Awww my sweet girl, my mind is confused too. But my heart is stronger than my mind. It beats so fast when I think about you and I imagine our future. And when I am close to you I feel special and very happy.”
“Your words are so sweet when you talk like this.”
“When you look in to my eyes all my troubles disappear, nothing else is important, it is just you and me and there is where I want to be, that is where I belong, by your side always. This is a strange and new feeling for me. All I know is that I want to feel like this every day forever.”
“You make me feel special too. With you I feel comfortable like I have known you my whole life. I fell that I can tell you anything and you’d understand. I want this feeling to last a long time. In your arms is where I belong. That is my home.”
Phing kisses him softly on the lips and hugs him tight burying her head in his wide shoulders.
“Only one kiss, all right, we have the rest of our lives to do more and more kissing.”
She punches his shoulder playfully and her lips can’t stop smiling. “Hey I’m still shy.”
“I’m sorry, I still can’t help myself you are so cute when you get shy. That is why I like teasing you.”
“We are too serious and emotional tonight.” She looks very comfortable now and at ease being with him. “Tell me about your homeland. I want to hear all of your stories Miki. I want to know everything about you, my sweet man.”
“All right my lovely muñequita, that means little doll in my language.”
“I like that, it sound cute. And you are my quapo. Did I say it correctly?”
“Yes my guapa you did, my heart gets warm when you say it to me. Now I am the one who is getting shy.”
Her face lights up and she starts laughing out loud. “You’re funny too. I like that.”
“I come from a small village in the mountains, it is called Arano. My family has five hundred sheep and a lot of other different animals. With my two brothers we would take the sheep out to the pasture for grazing. And it was so fun. We would make up our own games. We played with sticks and imagined that they are swords and that we are fighting with bad men and trying to make a princess fall in love with us. And now I have finally found my princess.” kissing her cheek. “Don’t punch me again I’m just teasing you.”
“Tell me more I love your stories so much.”
“The winters in the village were the best time of the year. We were playing in the snow, sliding down the hill and throw snow balls at each other. It was so much fun.”
“What is snow?”
“Oh I always forget that people in this country don’t know about it. You see in my land winter is very much different from the winter here. In the mountains it is very cold and that last for half of the year. Oh I wish I can show you what it’s like, when everything around you is covered in white, the hills the trees the grass.”
“What do you mean white? Is it white like your skin?”
“Sorry I get carried away and forget. No, it’s not like my skin. Snow is really white, it looks like the cotton that comes from India that the craftsmen here use to make clothes out of, I am sure you have seen how cotton looks like.”
“Y
es I know cotton. I have seen how people spin it into thread and then weave it into canvas for which other people make our clothes. I am always curious about things like this. From when I was a child I always make my mother take me to see how people make things, all kinds of things. I love to see how people make beautiful things with their hands that is a magnificent art.”
“And I love to hear your stories. When little mouse came to visit me in my cage I was always asking him to tell me stories about you and your life. I want to meet Jawwaw.”
“I want you to meet her too. I saved her when she was a baby, I found her in our garden she was scared and lonely and I have been taking care of her ever since. But be careful she is always protecting me, she will bite you if you try too much naughty with me.” She can’t keep a straight face and bursts out laughing. “Now it’s my turn to tease you.”
Miguel can’t stop laughing too. “I like this side of you. You are so much funny my darling. And you are so smart and always so sweet and kind. You really are all that I have been missing all my life. You complete me.”
Feeling a little shy from the strong emotions that he’s waking up in her heart, she changes the conversation.
“Tell me more about the snow, it sounds so strange.”
“And when it’s snowing it is amazing, you can imagine, it looks like the whole sky is made from cotton and it falls on everything and makes everything white and beautiful.”
“It sounds wonderful, I want to see that.”
“It is beautiful my sweet girl I hope that someday I can take you to see my country and all the beautiful places there.”
“I would like that very much. Wherever you go my sweet man I go with you.”
“But it will be very hard for you to get used to the cold. It is very cold in winter. But don’t worry, I will find some warm woolen clothes to keep you warm, you will look like a bear, like one of those black and white animals in the Chinese stories, a very cute bear.” He hugs her tighter and laughs at the image.
“Hey I’m not an animal.” She protest and punches his chest.
“Aww my sweet girl you are the cutest little animal ever, and very lovable. Sorry I tease you too much. I don’t really think you’re an animal, I am kidding.”
“It will be wonderful to see how winter looks like in Aruno. It really will.” She is getting more and more comfortable with his, she even started to enjoy the teasing.
“And when the river and the small lake are frozen we can slide on the ice. But you need to be careful because if you fall on the ice it is very hard your cute little ass will hurt too much.”
“Stop teasing me.”
He just laughs and gives her a long kiss. Her lips are so soft, he is so happy he doesn’t want this moment to end.
The two of them had been overtaken by the special moment they were having that they didn’t even notice that Tuk had already stopped the carriage and was now standing in the open door and tapping Miguel’s shoulder. They had been traveling all night. The meeting place where Oun was waiting for them was not that far but the buffalos can only pull the cart slowly and it takes longer. Tuk realizes that tapping Miguel’s shoulder isn’t working, and with a raised voice exclaims: “Good morning love birds. We have arrived.”
Chapter 22
Kanda is feeling unsettled. She hadn’t been able to sleep the whole night. She was plagued by worry and terrible thoughts. For the kingdom, for her husband, for the people, for herself, but most of all she is worried for her children. What will happen today and will the plan work. Can her brother save all of them, and will the farang keep Phing safe from harm. And most importantly will they finally be free from that terrible man that has taken over the day to day running of the kingdom and terrorized the people of Ayutthaya.
“Good morning, my love.” Rama kisses hers shoulder. “Did you sleep at all tonight?”
“I couldn’t. Every time I closed my eyes I would imagine all the things that can go wrong and the bad things that can happen to us.”
“I know. I couldn’t sleep too. I felt you tossing and turning all night but didn’t say anything, I was hoping that you will fall asleep at least a little. I didn’t sleep too, my mind can’t stop worrying.”
“We must stay strong and keep spirit. I am sure my brother will do whatever he can, he will not give up. And the farang is strong, he killed a tiger to save Phing, I know it in my heart that he will keep her safe and not let anything happen to her.”
“I trust in your wisdom my love, you know I always have. You have been my rock, my strength for many years. I have trust in your brother and I hope that we will all survive this and that we can enjoy the rest of our lives in peace and will get to see our children live long and happy lives.”
“Oh my love you are such a gentle man. We need to be strong for today and mustn’t let our fears show. Be strong for me, for our kingdom, but most of all for our children.”
“I will be strong. I know what needs to be done. Last night I have sent word to Anantachai that this is the most important day of the celebrations and that I want him to be by my side all day during the festivities. I even told the servants to set up a throne for him right next to mine on the platform.”
“You did the right thing my love. Today we have a part to play in the plan too. We will keep the fat man close so that he will not be able to receive word of what’s going on outside the city.”
Chapter 23
“Uncle!” as soon as Phing saw Oun she ran to hug her uncle.
“Is this the little doll that was always asking me to take her to the waterfalls because she wanted to jump in the cool water all day long?”
He hugs his niece tight the two of them haven’t seen each other for a very long time.
“You never come to visit us anymore. We miss you so much. All of us miss you very much. Your grandfather is always hoping that the next messenger from Ayutthaya will bring some news about you. And now I have no one to go jumping from the waterfall with me.” He bursts in to a loud happy laugh.
“I missed you too uncle. And I miss grandfather. I will visit soon, I promise i will.”
Oun looks at the tall blonde man. “And who is this?”
“He’s my…. He’s….” She can’t find the right words. This is the first time that someone asked her this. Is he her lover or soul mate or what is he? Will her uncle think it’s strange if she says he’s her everything. Her cheeks flush red and she turns in to the shy little girl her uncle is used to seeing.
“I am her royal highness’ most loyal servant, for her there is nothing that I will not do.” Miguel saw that she has become too shy and introduced himself. Winking her way and with a big smile he holds out his hand to greet Oun. “My name is Miguel.”
“I see. I know this cute little face and I know well what makes her act shy like this. Very nice to meet you Miguel, I am Oun.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too.” The two man look at Phing and share a happy laugh.
“Stop it you two, I don’t like it when you tease me.”
“Sir.” a soldier came up to Oun. “The men have come back. They have taken care of the Chinese guards before first light came. They will never see our attack coming.”
“Good, now let’s prepare. And you two stay here where it’s safe.” Putting his helmet on, Oun heads to his men.
Chapter 24
They have been marching for a full moon now. The long trek started in Yunnan. These men are the best trained fighting force in all of the Ming Empire. Their base lay just behind the twenty meter high walls of Kunming. These men didn’t waste their time with such trivial tasks as keeping guard on the wall or doing reconnaissance or act as messengers, they spend their time training for those very special tasks that are of the utmost importance. Their purpose is to kill and to be the best in the world at killing. They serve at the emperor’s pleasure and wherever he commands them to go they do it without question. And this time he sent them to the South. After the Ming had defeated the
hated Mongols, they had unified China under their rule and now the time has come to expand the Empire once again, the next target is Ayutthaya.
The two hundred men dressed in their dark blue vests made from interwoven silk and velvet, and leather armor on top, together with their brass helmets painted in dark brown are a formidable sight indeed. But now, in this strange country they are unsettled. This land is very different from theirs. They are experts in fighting in the hills and mountains in Yunnan and in the plains of central China and Mongolia, but the jungles here and this terrible heat, this is something completely new for them. The thick clothes that protect them so well in battle now act live ovens up against their bodies. And the moisture and the heat in the air make their weapons seem heavier that they are. They were never trained for this kind of thing. A relieve was that they didn’t take the heavy cannons that they normally use. That would have slowed down their advance and it would have been simply impossible for the horses to pull them in this kind of weather.
They have arrived at the destination last night. Their agent Ghao had been waiting for them as arranged. When they got to this little open patch in the middle of the jungle most of the Chinese soldiers had dropped haphazardly from exhaustion, desperate for some rest.
“Come on. Wake up you lazy pigs. The day has started. Stand up or I will have all of you whipped.” Ghao runs around the group of soldiers cracking his whip angrily at them.
He is startled by a battle cry. He turns his head toward the tree line. “They are everywhere.”
Lightly dressed men, with only a simple shirt and a red scarf tied around their forehead, jump out of the jungle swift like monkeys, brandishing curved broad swords.