Fan Fiction |
by MetalAZNWarrior
Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) was taken to the emergency room. After running tests, the doctor concluded that Ah Sing was suffering from sleep and nutrition deprivation. He was also coming down with a fever. Ah Sing was put into a hospital room and tubes were placed into him to replenish his energy. "Get me out of here!" Ah Sing begs.
Nim Chi looks at Ah Sing with sad eyes. "Ah Sing, be good and rest."
"Ma Chi! I'm fine. Fiona needs me. I can't stay in this place."
"I know, I know. How can you help Fiona if you're too weak to do anything?"
"Ma Chi! Please, I need to get out of here."
"Ah Sing, please..."
Ah Sing was about to open his mouth to say something else, but his eyes became heavy and he falls into a deep sleep. Nim Chi can't bear the sight of seeing her son looking so frail. Ah Lam (Linda Chung) enters the hospital room. Ah San (Steven Ma) had called her and told her about what had happened. She places her hand on Nim Chi's shoulder.
"Ah Lam, you've come?"
"Ah Sing has been a wreck since he heard something happened to Fiona. He hasn't slept and he lost his appetite. I got him to eat and sleep a little, but not a lot. He said that he wouldn't be at ease knowing his wife was in danger." Ah Lam sighs, "Ah Sing is so childish!"
"He seemed fine last night..." Nim Chi says quietly.
"Ah Sing is like that. He is good at keeping things inside."
"Ah Sing..." Nim Chi frowns.
[Boat]
Fiona (Sherming Yiu) woke up from another nightmare with On Gong Gong (Bowie Lam) giving her a slap. "Wake up, bitch!" he barks.
She glares at him.
On Gong Gong grabs hold of Fiona and takes her upstairs to the compartment where Suet Ching (Rebecca Chan) was resting. He shoves her down onto her knees and makes her bow at Suet Ching.
"On Gong Gong, what do you think you're doing?" Suet Ching gets up her from chair and slaps him.
"Your Majesty, I thought you wanted me to deal with this bitch!" On Gong Gong stares at Suet Ching in disbelief.
Suet Ching smiles, "Dealing and abusing are two different things. Step aside!" She grabs a hold of Fiona's face and tucks loose strands of her hair behind her ears. She takes out her handkerchief and wipes Fiona's face, which was covered with sweat and dust. "My dear, poor niece... You've gotten thin! This isn't good. Your face, it is too pretty to be looking so pitiful!"
Fiona musters up strength and pushes Suet Ching onto the floor. Suet Ching is angry, but she calms herself and smiles. She says to Fiona, "Fiona, is that any way to treat your aunt? You don't want your father to get upset, do you?" She caresses Fiona's right cheek and whispers, "Your father is still alive."
Fiona stares at Suet Ching in incredulity.
"Yes, it's true," Suet Ching repeats. "Dear niece, give me a reply, won't you? The tenth day has come... your voice is back."
Fiona's mouth and throat were dry from her days of not speaking. She exercises her mouth and formulates words into the air. Slowly, she speaks her first line in days, "What do you want from me? Why won't you leave me alone?"
"Sweet niece, how can you ask me that? I'm your aunt... I care about you, it's as simple as that."
Fiona shakes her head and screams, "No! That's not true! You broke our ties after what you did."
"There's been a terrible misunderstanding."
"Stop with the crap! I don't know what you want from me. You took everything away. You took everything that could possibly appeal to you away from me. I have nothing now. Why won't you leave me alone?"
Suet Ching wipes tears from Fiona's eyes and answers, "Because I care." She claps her hands and orders, "Maids! Come in here! Take Fiona to her chamber and restore her beauty and grace! Transform her into the princess of her past. We're going to arrive on the Island soon and she must look her best."
Maids escort Fiona to another quarter of the boat. The room was equipped with a powder table, dresser, and a bathtub. The maids took Fiona over to the bathtub and take off her clothes. The water in the tub was warm and fragranced with yellow rose petals. She steps into the bathtub and washes off the dirt and dust that had accumulated over the days. From the ten days of not washing, Fiona reeked as badly as a female version of Gam. She was too tired to fight anymore and she didn't want to take her anger out on the maids, who were only following their duties.
After her bath was done, the maids dried her with cotton towels and she was wrapped into a silk robe. Fiona walked over to the vanity table. The maids began working on her appearance. They applied powder, make-up, painted her nails, and styled her hair. After they were done, Fiona was dressed into a lovely gown and expensive jewelry was adorned onto her ears, wrists, and neck.
Fiona's transformation was complete. Within an hour, she had changed from a peasant-looking and dirty girl into a gorgeous princess. As she gazed into the mirror, she felt that it was a most ironic reflection. She was made-up and looked good, but her inner soul paled significantly to her outer appearance. Under the make-up, jewelry, and silk gown was a girl who had nowhere to go and who cried out for help, but to no avail. She pulls out a handkerchief from her pouch and dabs her eyes before tears had a chance to ruin the make-up.
Fiona walks up onto the deck. It was the first time that she had breathed in fresh air in days. A brisk air made her gown ruffle and her hair flow. The Island was becoming more and more visible. The most distinct feature of the Island was the enormous Imperial Palace, which stood in the middle of the Island within the red walls of the capital. She could imagine the people in the ports trading and the merchants picking up their goods.
The Imperial Ship had its own spot on the port. It would soon land and anchor itself. Although commoners were not allowed onto the grounds of the Imperial Ship's dock, they were permitted to watch the royals unload the ship.
As the port became life-size, Fiona's knees shake. She had no idea what Suet Ching wanted and why she was being forced back onto the Island. The only thing she was sure of was that she wasn't returning to peace or to a home. It terrified her that she didn't know what to expect. So many questions circulated Fiona's thoughts.
"Is my father still alive? What intention does Suet Ching have for capturing me back to the Island? What does she want?"
Suet Ching emerges onto the deck and places her hand on Fiona's shoulder, who jumps with a start.
"Dear niece, what is the matter?"
"The matter is that I saw you," Fiona sneers.
"My! You look stunning! The commoners will have quite a treat when they see you."
Fiona walks to the other side of the deck.
Suet Ching follows her trail and whispers, "Don't forget... you still have one more poison ticking away in your system. If you don't get the antidote today, your life will end before midnight. If I were you, I wouldn't leave my side."
"I'm no good to you if I die, right?" Fiona bitingly remarks.
Suet Ching blinks and smiles, "Why... don't say that!"
"If I die, you can't get whatever it is that you want from me."
"Don't be silly!"
"You know what? Either way, I'm going to die, aren't I? Let me make it brief and end it now. I won't have you threatening me." Fiona was about to jump off of the ship when On Gong Gong grabs a hold of her. He taps into her pressure points and freezes her from moving and talking.
Suet Ching sighs, "I didn't want to do it. We could have had it so much easier..."
The only body part that Fiona could move were her eyes, which twitched back and forth, surveying the scene. Without the mobility of her head, Fiona's vision was limited to one section. She was carried down into the bottom of the ship by On Gong Gong and placed onto a bed.
When the ship stopped moving, Fiona heard footsteps entering the room. On Gong Gong gives her a smirk and sneers, "You're damn lucky to have me carry you. Don't think you can continue having this service." She was placed onto On Gong Gong's back. He carried her up into the deck and down the stairs on the loading dock onto the ground. A palanquin waited for Fiona nearby.
On Gong Gong seats her into the palanquin and covers the blind. He orders the four carriers to lift up the palanquin. Suet Ching walks onto the port slowly and waves at the crowd. She gives light nods and proceeds to her own palanquin.
Before she had a chance to sit down, she heard a commoner shout, "Why was Princess Fiona carried to her palanquin? Why didn't she wave to us? Is something wrong with her? Are the rumors true, Your Majesty?"
Suet Ching grins. "My dear niece is feeling tired. She fell asleep on the trip home. That is why On Gong Gong had to carry her to her palanquin. Don't worry. She is fine. She will address everyone shortly. She felt so strongly about the accusations against me that she decided to return early from her vacation to clarify things. Save the questions for later." Suet Ching closes the drape of her palanquin and discloses herself before anyone else has a chance to speak.