Fan Fiction |
by MetalAZNWarrior
The Kams tried to enter Ng Sau's apartment to talk to Fiona (Sherming Yiu), but no matter how hard they knocked or yelled, Fiona refused to open. She told them to go away and wished to be left alone. That night, Fiona didn't have to try to sleep. All of the crying had drained her energy. She fainted beside the door.
Fiona didn't wake up until the morning because that night, she had an agonizingly long replay of her final days in the palace.
[Flashback]
[Island Imperial Palace]
Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) and Fiona had been married for two years. Everything seemed to be going well for them. They spent their days wandering around the palace and sometimes secretly leaving it to mingle with the civilians in the capital city. Life was good for Fiona. She finally had someone to share the riches of her palatial life. She was no longer lonely and had someone who could be true to her.
[Palace of Eternal Purity]
As the maids did her hair and applied on her makeup, Fiona received news from Bo Gong Gong (Liu Kai Chi) that her father had grown ill. She urged them to fasten their pace so that she could visit her father sooner. Fiona's father was a man who took great pride in health and he was big on sports. This was why the Island was always so active in games and activities.
[Emperor's Palace]
Fiona greeted her father (Law Kong), "Your Majesty."
"At ease, Fiona, at ease!" his voice sounded weak from his bed.
Fiona is worried and runs towards her father's side, "Father, are you okay?"
The Island Chief (Emperor) cracks a smile; "There comes a time in everyone's life when 'this' happens."
"Father, what is wrong though?"
He carresses Fiona's face, "Daughter, I can't believe you're all grown up now and married as well. It seems just like yesterday when you were still daddy's little girl and begged me to swing you around and undo your braids. Your mother was very displeased because she felt that you shouldn't ask an emperor like me to do such trivial things. Perhaps it was because you were my only child." He was silent for a moment, "I don't know whether it was because of my fault or not, but the other pregnancies that my concubines had were all miscarried or the child was too weak to live past their first year. You were the only one to survive."
"Father, don't say that!" Fiona urged. "You're going to be all right. Your health is great."
The Island Chief laughs. "I don't know if God is trying to play me or not. I thought exercising and eating healthy would keep me well until I died, but I guess not. The Imperial Doctor..." his voice trails.
"What did he say?" Fiona presses.
"He... he said that I had brain cancer and I didn't have much longer to live," the Island Chief sobs.
"Oh, father," Fiona grows emotional.
"Fiona, be strong and stay by my side. I have a lot to teach you."
"No, you must rest! I'm sure you will recover."
"Fiona, it's cancer and brain cancer at that. It's hopeless."
"Father..."
"Fiona, I've decided to pass the throne to you," the Island Chief pronounces.
Fiona gasps, "Father! I couldn't take on such a big responsibility!"
"You're my daughter. It's only fitting that you take over after I die. Besides, you have Ah Sing to help you. He is a smart man."
"Father, I really don't want to be the Island Chief. I'm just a Princess! I don't want you to die either."
The Island Chief wipes her tear, "Daughter, there are a lot of things in life that we don't want, but can we stop them?"
[Palace of Gathering Essence]
Like an electrical spark, the news of Fiona's proposed acceptance of the crown traveled around the palace. It soon reached the ears of Suet Ching (Rebecca Chan) and Mo Yung (Ha Yu). Suet Ching is the Island Chief's older sister. She is a graceful lady who was both admired and feared in the palace. Because Fiona's mother died early, as an aunt, Suet Ching has become Fiona's motherly figure.
"Damn it!" Mo Yung grunts.
Suet Ching continued with her embroidery, "Hubby, don't be so angry."
"Your brother is an idiot," Mo Yung mumbles.
Suet Ching glances up and orders, "Servants, everyone, go out of this room!" They did as she wished and assured her that they would be outside if she should need anything. Suet Ching waited until everyone was out before she said, "Hubby, don't talk about my brother like that. He is the Island Chief, after all."
"It is so unfair to you! The scriptures from our ancestors made it clear that the elder child got priority for the throne. How could your grandfather have chosen your younger brother over you?"
"Our ancestors also wanted the best candidate to become the ruler of the Island." Suet Ching pulls the needle through the cloth and continues, "Cleary, I wasn't fit for the crown. My parents felt that my brother would make a better ruler."
"He's about to die and he doesn't even think of giving you the throne. How can he pass it along to his daughter?"
"Well, the scriptures did say that the current Island Chief's children would get priority when it comes to passing along the throne. How can this aunt come before her niece?" Suet Ching's embroidery of a rose was complete. She bit off the leftover thread with her teeth.
"After all that we did over the past twenty years... the crown is still not within your grasp." Mo Yung is frustrated.
Suet Ching gets up and walks towards the doors. She hears distinct footsteps scurrying from the door. She opens them and yells, "How dare you dogs listen in on our conversations? On Gong Gong!" On Gong Gong (Bowie Lam) appears before Suet Ching's feet. "These nosy servants have the nerve to spy on me! Beat them until they're deaf."
"As you wish," On Gong Gong says and closes the doors for Suet Ching. She walks back over to her husband and whispers into his ears, "What you just said was a mistake. Never mention what we did again."
"The crown is about to be placed in Fiona's hands! Are you just going to sit around and let her have it?"
Suet Ching smirks.
[Imperial Garden]
Ah Sing wanted to cheer Fiona up, so he took her to the Imperial Garden. He hoped that the beauty of the blossoming flowers and their fragrant scent would allure back Fiona's smiles. "Fiona, these flowers are your favorite!"
Fiona sighs, "Picking flowers from the Imperial Garden is against the rules. Do you want to get punished?"
"Well, I picked these already. Why don't you wear them in your hair to show it off?" Ah Sing smiles and places the flowers in strategic spots in Fiona's braids and one above her right ear.
She fakes a smile. "Ah Sing, I hate the palace."
"How can you say that after I left Hong Kong to move into the palace with you?"
"There's too many rules here! Take the flowers you just picked for me. If I was not the Princess and you were not the "foo ma" (Princess's husband), we would have been beaten! I can't do anything that I like here."
"You have the world at tips of your finger."
"How is that possible when I can't even take my father to get treatment?"
"What do you mean?"
"As you know, my father has brain cancer. I want to take him to the US so that he could get treatment, but they told me that it's against the rules for foreigners to treat a member of the royal family. What kind of place are we living in? We're no longer in ancient times! Why can't foreigners treat someone's sickness, especially when they hold a greater chance of curing than an Imperial Doctor? If we adopted the foreigner's technology, why can't we embrace western medicine?" Fiona is exasperated.
"Life would just be too boring without modern technology!" Ah Sing says.
"Why are they so insistent upon preserving what the scriptures say? I just want to help my father!"
"I know, Fiona, I know. Some things just aren't within our power."
"My father will die if he keeps staying on the Island and doesn't go get help!"
"The Imperial Doctors are treating him, aren't they?"
"They're herbal, ancient, eastern medicine, Ah Sing!"
"They have a long history, Fiona. Don't look down on our own culture."
"Let me ask you something. When you're sick, what medicine do you take?"
"Well, the pills..."
Fiona interrupts, "Exactly! Even you don't trust the eastern medicine."
"I'm just afraid of the bitter taste," Ah Sing confesses. "But I hear from some that herbal medicine are quite effective. Besides, it's not as if the westerners have found a cure for cancer. Your father won't survive either way. Why don't you just let him take the treatment from the Imperial Doctors?"
"Even if he can't live forever, I want him to fight for one more day. If we go to the US, then he will have a better chance to prolong his days."
"Prolong his days of agony? Fiona, be sensible. His tumor is in his brain! It can't be operated upon. It's hopeless. So what if he goes for treatment in the US? He'll only live a prolonged life of misery."
"Even so, at least I could see his face for another day." Fiona gets up and runs away.
[Pond]
Fiona sat beside the pond in the palace and threw rocks into the water. Someone catches her hand before she can throw another one into the pond. "Who dares to touch me?" Fiona shouts angrily. She looks back and gasps. "Auntie," she greets. "I'm sorry."
"My dear niece, what's the matter?" Suet Ching asks.
"I'm just frustrated, that's all."
"So you release your anger on the poor fishes in the pond?"
"Huh?"
Suet Ching looks down into the pond, "The water of the pond holds thousands of fishes. If you throw rocks into the water, a fish is bound to be hurt. Just because you're an angry Princess doesn't mean you're the biggest person in the world. How can you hurt an innocent fish?"
Fiona blushes, "I'm sorry. I didn't think of that."
"Well, now you know. Come, take a walk with me."
"Auntie, you're so wise and benevolent," Fiona praises.
"Time does mold maturity. I hear that you made quite a mess today."
"Word travels fast."
"Especially in the palace," Suet Ching adds.
"I don't get it, auntie. Why won't they let me take father to get treatment?"
"Because they have faith in our eastern medicine."
Fiona sighs, "Even you don't understand me."
"I do. You want the best for your father."
Fiona nods, "Yes. I would never harm him."
"Why don't you have a little faith? Before you went off to visit other countries, you were treated by the Imperial Doctors as well and they always cured you."
"I believe we shouldn't be stuck in the past. If we can have television, computers, the Internet, phone, why can't we have more modern medicine?"
"Our ancestors were exiled because the eunuchs framed them for trying to poison the emperor and his favorite concubines. Our ancestors were not only smart and capable, but they were big on medicine. It's because of this that we don't adapt foreign medicine."
"That's just ridiculous."
"Fiona, don't be so hotheaded."
"My father's days are becoming shorter if we don't treat him!"
"But we have been treating him."
"If we adopted the modern medical technology of westerners, father wouldn't have been diagnosed so late!"
Bo Gong Gong approaches Fiona and Suet Ching, "Doctor Tsui is waiting to see you."
"Auntie, I have to go now." Fiona bids farewell and follows Bo Gong Gong back to her palace.
Suet Ching thinks to herself, "Doctor Tsui..."