“Thank you for what you did, really. You have brought back my smile. And teasing me like that makes me very happy. You are getting very good at teasing me. I think that you like teasing me too much. Thank you my love.”
Chapter 28
Oun and Tuk are standing in the middle of the battle field while their men are rounding up the Chinese soldiers that had surrendered, relieving them of their weapons and armor and binding them in a circle.
“You were right Tuk. These men are not the regular peasants that get taken from their villages and sent off to war. These are highly trained killers. Lucky for us is that they have never experienced fighting in this kind of heat before.”
“And we caught them by surprise. They were not prepared for a fight.”
“The universe is smiling down on us today. We only lost around forty men. It is good that the battle ended very quickly and that the Chinese were too tired and half of them surrendered.”
“I am impressed by your men Oun. They are excellent fighters and they move as fast as jungle monkeys.”
“My men are well practiced. Our lands see very few peaceful times. There is always someone attacking us and trying to take over our mines. Sometimes it’s these bastards here and sometimes the Bamar. And the Hindus are always a constant threat.”
“What will you do with the prisoners?”
“They will be special guests at our gem mines. They have tried to take them from us so many times, and I think it is fitting that they help dig our gems for us. I find this a kind of poetic justice.”
The two men burst in to a loud happy laugh.
“What are you two laughing about? I am guessing that we won right.” Phing joins them, walking hand in hand with Miguel.
“You are absolutely right. Hey did you ever doubt your strong uncle?”
Oun embraces both of them, his sweet niece Phing and her chosen man Miguel who he was already starting to like very much. “What happened to your face farang?”
“I am fine. It’s all good. The man that got away from you, you don’t need to worry about him, he is no longer a threat. “
“You killed Ghao?” Tuk is surprised.
“Well the little princess here helped a lot. Without her I wouldn’t have been able to do it. Thank god she didn’t listen to my orders when i told her to stay with the soldiers on the clearing.”
“Hey I am the one giving orders here. Don’t you forget who I am.”
“I am just teasing you my love. You know that I would never give orders to you. We are partners always.”
They kiss like they are alone and there is no one else around.
“You will have plenty of time for that later you crazy kids. Now we have some more work to do. Did you forget that there is still someone that needs to get his punishment?”
Oun starts shouting orders at his men. “Collect the Chinese armor, weapons and banners and let’s prepare. We are going in to Ayutthaya.”
Chapter 29
“Her royal highness the princess still hasn’t joined us. Is everything all right?”
“Don’t worry my Lord I am sure that she will come soon. She needs to look her best for today’s occasion, she is the guest of honor after all, we are doing all of this for her. Are we not?”
But Anantachai is getting more and more anxious by the moment. “And when will I receive my answer my king? I have been more than patient, but the situation has become very dire and you need to make the right decision as soon as possible. I am sure that in all your visdom you have come to realize that I am the rightful future for Sasithorn and for our great kingdom.”
“I have told you already my Lord. You will receive my answer at the end of the festivities. Now enjoy yourself for this is a day for celebration.” Rama raises his right hand to signal to the servant to come. “Bring more food and drink for our noble Lord.”
Anantachai clenches his fist behind his back. His mind focused only on one thing. He tries to calm himself down with the thoughts. ‘Oh I will celebrate you weak little king. Just you wait till this day is done. We will see how you feel about my proposal then.’
******
Meanwhile, at the Northern entrance to the city, the guards at the gate do exactly as they had been ordered by Anantachai. When they see the large group approaching and they recognize the Chinese armor and helmets they open the gates and let them in without a word.
Almost all the people of Ayutthaya are gathered at the large square in front of the palace and no one notices the large number of Chinese armor moving quickly through the city.
When they get in to view of the palace the people start to run away screaming. The musicians and dancers stop and join the confused crowd. This is it. This is the moment that he has been waiting for so long. Anantachai jumps out of his sit and descends the stairs to meet the men that will finally bring him to the throne.
“You took your bloody time. You should have been here a long time ago.” He shouts from a distance at Tuk, who is leading the group with the dark brown helmets.
“If I were you I would watch the way that I speak my dear Lord.” Tuk takes a few steps to his left and the men follow his lead and separate. Out from the center of the large group, two of the most unlikely people to ever be wearing Chinese armor come forward. Phing had insisted that she too was to put on the armor and that she is to lead the men. Miguel had followed suit, although he felt slightly ridiculous wearing this because it was too small for him, leaving his bellybutton uncovered.
Phing raises her sword in the direction of Anantachai. “This is over. You are done. There will be no fighting here today.”
Anantachai is in shock. The voices in his head are too loud. ‘How….’ ‘This can’t be happening.’ “How is this possible?’ ‘All my hard work has come to nothing.’ ‘I am ruined.’
The crowd had become calm at the sight of the princess, and when they heard her words they start shouting insults at the fat man who is by now completely lost. He has never felt defeat before and he has never felt smaller than how he feels now. In a last desperate attempt he starts to run away heading toward the palace wall. A small foot gets in his way and sends him tumbling down in the dirt. Little mouse steps out from behind the wall. “It looks so funny when pigs run, and when they fall always makes me laugh so hard.”
The crowd cheers at the boy’s remark and now everybody is laughing on Anantachai’s expense. The palace guards stop the people from charging at him and put him in chains and quickly take him away out of sight.
******
The festive atmosphere had returned to the square. The musicians and dancers are once again displaying their full splendor. The people are rejoicing again for the princess and for the king. And getting rid of Anantachai is the best gift that the princess could give them. She is the hero of the day.
Tuk and the rest of Oun’s men had thrown away the Chinese armor that they were wearing and now joined in the celebrations.
The king descends the stairs to greet and congratulate his saviors. Miguel gets down on his knees in a deep bow before the king holding out his sword in both hands in front of him. “Your royal highness my sword is yours and my destiny is in your hands.”
Phing joins him and does the same. “Father where he goes I go. He is my destiny. He is my life.”
King Rama is deeply touched by both of them. “Stand up farang. You have earned it. From this day forward our hearts are open to you. You are now family. And you have made me a proud man, I am proud of both of you. ”
Rama embraces them both. The crowd starts cheering the princess’ name. Tooka pulls Miki close to her and kisses him in front of everybody. The cheers of the crowd change and the whole square echoes with. “FARANG” “FARANG” “FARANG”
EPILOGUE
The festivities in Ayutthaya lasted for two more weeks. Everybody was overjoyed. The people celebrated their King, their princess and the new found freedom that the banishment of Anantachai had brought them. They no longer are the
oppressed and exploited that had suffered for many years because of the evil fat man. He had finally gotten what he deserved.
On Oun’s proposal, Rama sentenced Anantachai to hard labor in the gem mines in Luang Prabang. It was a fitting punishment for the end of the man who had tried to be King. He didn’t last long there, when the Chinese found out that it was him who was responsible for their fate, they were not happy. Only three days after they had brought him to the mines, the guards found his large body in one of the mine shafts, his face almost unrecognizable from the abuse. It was a fitting end for such an evil and devious man.
******
Tuk was rewarded for his bravery and his honor. Rama made him commander of the royal guards and gave him Anantachai’s house as a gift. Tuk had no need for such a place and he decided to make it a place for good. The pleasure palace was demolished and the poor captive girls set free and sent to their homes. The house was turned in to a place where the poor can be taken care of and fed and clothed, and that orphan children will call home for many more years to come. In the large gardens, long houses were build that will provide a safe place for all those that will need it. Tuk’s heart is finally at peace. He had regained his honor and has again become the man that his old master was proud of. This new place for the poor and the needy will be a legacy in the memory of the old master who had made him the man he is today.
******
The last day of the celebrations was the happiest that the kingdom has seen in a very long time. The people had never seen a wedding like this before. In the days following the victory over the Chinese and Anantachai, the King and the Queen had become very fond of Miguel. They accepted him with open hearts and were impressed by his character and by the way that he treated their daughter and how happy he made her.
Rama gave him the honorable title of ‘Protector of the innocent’. And giving the blessing for their wedding made him feel like he was the proudest and happiest father in the world.
The ceremony was magnificent. The royal seamstresses had a hard time making the golden robes for Miguel, they had never even tried to make clothes for a man of that height, but they did a splendid job. They rode through all of Ayutthaya on an elephant painted in the richest colors, waving and smiling at the people who were cheering for their health. And Phing was glowing from happiness, she is now complete, she had found the other half that her soul had been waiting for. It was the happiest day in their lives. Miguel could never have dreamed about all this from his village in the mountains. He had travelled to the other side of the world and he had suffered hard times and pain, but it was all worth it. He had found his destiny. He had found his home. His one true love is Phing and he will never leave her side ever again.
Following the wedding Rama had sent the best craftsmen and builders in the kingdom to the coast where Klahan and Kulap had lived, and he ordered that a great temple be built in honor of the good couple that had selflessly saved the life of a stranger and had cared for him and treated him like their own child. This temple will keep their memory alive for generations to come as a symbol for all the kind hearted people of this land
Phing wanted to visit the place too, and Miki was eager to show it to her, because that was his home. They stayed in the old house on the beach. He was always drawn back to this place and over the years returned here and kept the house in good condition. This simple one room shack to Phing felt like the most beautiful place in the world because she was here with him. Lying in the simple hammock with him like this, her head on his shoulders and her hand on his heart, she is in paradise.
“I can stay here forever with you like this. I don’t need a palace and I don’t need servants or fine clothes. All I need is you by my side and your warm embrace. You really make me happy you crazy man. I want to sleep in your arms forever with my head on your chest so I can listen to your heartbeat. For me that is the most wonderful and magical sound I have ever heard”
“We can stay here my love. Nothing would make me happier that sharing this with you. I can always take care of you. I will be picking fresh fruit for you every day and I can go catch fish for dinner.”
“Of course you will. Did you forget you are my personal servant?”
“It always makes me smile when you tease me darling. I am always your servant, and you are my life. And we will make this the place of our dreams. And we can have many children running around on our little beach, they will be beautiful like you my love and they will have my eyes. And we will have so much fun making them.”
“Always thinking about that.” She smiles sweetly and gives him a kiss. “You are my naughty crazy man. You make me the happiest girl in the world. You know that. I love you so much Miki.”
“And you are my everything guapa. You are my world. You are my paradise.”
THE END
About the author
Mile Mitrov is born and lives in the Republic of Macedonia. He has graduated from the department of history at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Macedonia. "The Farang" is his first work of fiction. The author is of Aromanian (Wlach) descent, a people that have led a nomadic life for millennia. He has a passion for different cultures and distant places and is always planning for his next destination.
Author's note
First of all I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who joined me on this wonderful and exiting journey, and decided to give my first novel a try. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
This book is a work of fiction and is in no way based on any historical events in Thailand or that part of the World. The main objective in writing this book was exploring the beautiful country of Thailand, its rich culture and customs and the wonderful welcoming people of this country that rightfully deserve the praise that they are always smiling. This is a story of how the East meets the West. It's a story, of the coming together of two very different cultures that seem so exotic and unimaginable to each other. And in its heart it's a passionate and honest love story. I hope that I have managed to pass on to you the great joy that I felt while I was writing this book Phing and Miki's story, and that you have come to care about them like i do.
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