Karakade was cooking a dish of spicy seafood with P’ Pin and P’ Yam when Nang Prik came running and shouting, “Khun Ying Karakade!!! Khun Ying Karakade!!!”

“Why are you so loud? So noisy!!!” P’ Yam complained, waving her knife in annoyance.

“Khun Ying Karakade! There’s someone in the main house, asking Khun Muen to marry her!”

“What???” the three of them and all the servants around were shocked.

“Don’t make such stupid lies!” P’ Yam threatened, her knife waving more menacingly in the air.

“I’m not lying! There’s a girl coming with her parents, asking to be Khun Muen’s second wife! You need to come to the main house now and state your claim or you’re going to lost Khun Muen!!!”

Could Khun P’ be doing something more interesting than working everyday? She panicked and thought about what would she do if Khun P’ married another woman, but tried to tell herself to not think bad thoughts first.

Karakade’s heart beat very hard for several seconds.

But no matter how hard she tried to remember, she still regarded Khun P’s manner as loving to her all the time. Would a man who would take a second wife be like that?

Still, she stretched her hands to P’ Pin and P’ Yam who helped her got up. Karakade was big and heavy with her second pregnancy. It was not as big as the first, but she was near to labour time, and she could not move as freely as usual.

The two maids hauled her up and together they walked back to the main house.

**************************************************

“We thought Khun Ying Karakade would like some help with the house management as she takes care of the children.”

Karakade was already seated in one of the divans, with P’ Pin and P’ Yam fanning her.

Karakade took a deep breath, telling herself to not get emotional. She had to know the full story first.

On another note, Khun Ying Jumpa, Khun P’ mother, was not looking pleased. She was sitting in her divan and scolding the girl who was dressed in her best and was looking down on the floor.

“I’ve never heard of a woman who asks a guy to marry her! What a rude thing! What is to become of Ayutthaya?”

Looking very vexed, she threw degrading glances to the girl and the parents.

“Mae Karakade! You’re my son’s wife! You say something!”

Karakade cleared .

“What is the reason for your interest in my husband?”

The girl looked up at her, before quickly looking at the floor again.

It was her father who finally answered.

“It’s like this Khun Ying Karakade. One day, my daughter, Mae Anong, saw your husband at the market. An old lady was carrying something heavy and what she carried fell. Your husband helped her. We all know that Khun Muen Sunthorndewa holds a very high place in court, but he’s still kind enough to the commoners.

My daughter fell very much in love with him, and refused to eat or drink if I don’t come here to propose. I’m afraid for her health, so I come here to try our luck. I assure Khun Ying, if Khun Ying permits, my daughter will always obey you. If my daughter ever has children with Khun Muen, they will also respect your children above all else.

And Khun Ying, my daughter is not ugly.”

Karakade could see that. Mae Anong was actually very beautiful. She had beautifully shaped eyes and lips, a small face and fair skin.

“If Khun Muen and her has children—“ snorted P’ Pin, “You’re out of your mind!”

“Khun Muen’s wife will only be Khun Ying Karakade!” Nang Prik yelled. Khun Ying Jumpa immediately silenced her. Nang Prik shut , but she looked at Mae Anong and her father with venomous eyes.

“I don’t have the right to answer. My husband will be the one who can answer this. As a matter of fact, this is the time when he usually comes home from work. I’ll see him and talk to him about this.”

The father bowed at Karakade, before giving a parchment, “If you please, Khun Ying, this is our ancestry and list of assets. I assure you, we are not from a low family.”

P’ Yam accepted that, before helping Karakade walked to the pier, as P’ Pin went to the kitchen to get some tea and snacks for Khun P’.

*****************************************************

Karakade read about the girl’s family. They were quite a successful merchant of fabric, and could be considered wealthy. Of course, Khun P’s family was a lot richer, but this girl’s family could not be considered as poor or ordinary either.

A beautiful girl with a slim figure and came from a wealthy family. Would Khun P’ be interested?

At that very moment, Khun P’s boat sailed into view.

He was surprised yet very happy to see Karakade welcoming him home at the pier. Since she became pregnant again, she’s been welcoming him with tea and snacks at the main house. It’s been a while since she waited for him at the pier.

“This is a nice surprise” he mentioned, as he stepped onto the pier.

He quickly sat in front of her and waited for her to pour him a cup of tea.

Karakade intentionally waited until he was sipping his tea before dropping the news. “Somebody is inside the main house right now. Asking you to marry her.”

As expected, Khun P’ choked violently.

“What – what did you say?”

Karakade gave him a clean handkerchief.

“So I begin to wonder, you know, Khun P’, have you been doing anything more interesting than working outside?”

“I’ve never! I’ve never done anything, or jao! You know me, right? You – trust me?”

“I don’t know. What am I supposed to think when a woman comes here asking to marry you?”

“I’m loyal to you, Mae Karakade.”

“I’ll have you know, Khun P’, if you think of marrying someone else, I’ll disappear from this house. You won’t even be able to find me, P’ Pin or P’ Yam. I can travel time, remember? I’ll just simply disappear from your life. I’ll bring the children too. And I’ll marry someone else too.”

All of these were said with a cold smile all over her face.

Khun P’ turned as pale as a sheet by then.

“You look unwell, Khun P’, have more tea and some snack. After you’re done, we need to return back to the main house and you have to answer whether you’ll marry her or not.”

“I’ll reject her.”

Karakade flipped her hair arrogantly, “It’s good that you still have some sense.”

With that, she got up with difficulty.

Khun P’ tried to hold her and help her, but Karakade brushed him off and let P’ Pin and P’ Yam held her.

P’ Pin and P’ Yam glanced at their master with hatred, before walking ahead to the main house with Karakade.

*******************************************

Mae Anong blushed very deeply when Khun P’ sat at the divan in front of her, beside Karakade.

He listened to the father with mounting irritation, meanwhile trying to catch Karakade’s eyes.

Karakade pretended she didn’t see what Khun P’ was trying to do, and busied herself in eating mango slices.

“Khun Muen, it would be such an honor for us if our Mae Anong could be your second wife. I assure you, if you agree, she would always respect Khun Ying Karakade and spend her whole life to please you.”

Karakade put on a careless expression and looked another way.

“This is very flattering” Khun P’ replied, “but I will only have one wife in this life.”

Mae Anong began crying at that, as all the servants looked very satisfied.

“She’s the mother of my children, and I’m very pleased with her. I will never take another wife. She is enough for me.”

Mae Anong was sobbing by then, and her father still tried, “But – Khun Muen, if you could consider – you don’t have to take her as a wife now. It could be a long engagement. My daughter wouldn’t mind. Maybe now you don’t want to – but in the future –“

“In the future, my wife will still be only one. Mae Karakade. Stop now, before I forget courtesy.”

His voice was very threatening by then, so Karakade finally spoke up.

“Alright, alright. Now that this matter is settled, shall I invite all of you to lunch?”

Everyone was staring wide-eyed at her, including the girl’s family and Khun Ying Jumpa.

Only Karakade would offer a meal for the family who tried to make their daughter her husband’s second wife.

The family of course refused and hurried to leave the house.

They had a sumptuous lunch afterwards, of which Khun P’ tried to be extra attentive to his wife, but was unceremoniously ignored all the time.

*************************************************

Karakade took a bath in the evening, feeling sweaty and fatigued.

When P’Pin and P’ Yam were wiping her arms with wet cloth, Khun P’ called her.

“Mae Karakade, let me talk to you for a bit” he said from outside the bathing hut.

“Go away! I’m bathing!”

“I’m your husband!”

“I know, Khun P’, but I can’t talk right now, I’m bathing.”

“Let me bathe you tonight.”

P’Pin and P’ Yam were so shocked they let the cloths they were holding dropped.

“Don’t listen to him, just continue—“

But Khun P’ opened the bathing hut door, something he had never done before, making P’ Pin and P’ Yam even more shocked.

“Why are you still angry? Is that even my fault?”

Karakade stared at him with an –excuse me, are you kidding me- expression.

“My husband nearly married somebody else. Can I not be angry?”

“You’re exaggerating” he replied, walking to her wooden board, where she was sitting wearing her bathing cloths, with P’ Pin and P’ Yam beside her.

“You must have done something wrong to make that girl wants to marry you.”

“I’ve never seen that girl until this day.”

“Then you must have been very flirty at the market to make girls like you!”

“I’ve never done such a thing.”

“Yet a girl came here today to be your second wife. Who else would come here in the future, asking you to marry them?”

“But when you go to the market, farangs keep on asking you to marry them” P’ Pin interjected.

“What??? Farangs ask Khun Ying to marry? When was this? Why didn’t anyone tell me this?”

“P’ Pin, why did you have to add my troubles?” Karakade complained in a low tone.

“I’m sorry.....”

“Mae Karakade! Farangs keep on asking you to marry? What is this?”

“Tsk, I always say I’m already married then leave. What’s the problem?”

Khun P’s eyes widened in anger.

“Mae Karakade, a married woman is proposed and you dare to say it’s not a problem?”

“You’re a married man and a woman proposed you too, do you have the right to scold me???”

They glared at each other viciously, until Khun P’ took a very, very deep breath and said, “Nang Pin, Nang Yam, leave us.”

Feeling their lady would be scolded, they didn’t want to leave.

But when Khun P’ glared at them, they didn’t dare and left hurriedly.

After her maids left, she asked in fear, “What, are you going to whip me?”

Khun P’ sighed and chuckled, before finally sitting beside her.

Karakade made a face at him before looking another way.

“I rejected that girl. Do you still have to be so angry?”

“I’m pregnant with your child. And I’m very shocked today! Don’t I have the right to be angry? I’m big and pregnant now, it’s normal to feel afraid that you’ll search for somebody else!”

Khun P sighed, trying to hold her waist, of which she pushed away.

“You’re big, pregnant and still beautiful” he assured. “I even think you’re the most beautiful when you’re pregnant. Because it means you’re carrying the result of our love everywhere with you.”

“Don’t think flattery can get you out of this” she replied, but her tone was already milder.

“Farangs asked to marry you too, right? I should be angry too. But instead, can we just forgive each other?”

“..........you use your speaking skills on me. That’s so unfair, Khun P’”

Khun P’ laughed at that.

“We both know your speaking skills are great too. Maybe greater than me.”

“Khun P’, you really won’t take another wife, right? You promised me that before we married.....”

“I won’t, or jao. And I’ll never change my mind. You are enough for me.”

Karakade eventually smiled, though she didn’t want to.

“Very well, Khun P’, just so you remember.”

“I’ll always remember my promises to you” he said, kissing her shoulder. “So....what do you do with this? What is this, anyway?”

Khun P’ was holding a bowl of sticky white paste.

“It’s rice powder mixed with rose water”

“Ah. So this is what makes you smell so nice all the time.”

Karakade elbowed him gently, “Stop it.”

“Shall I help you put this on?”

Karakade hesitated, but then nodded.

“Where?”

“..........it should be all over my body, but Khun P’ just need to put it on my arms.”

“No, I’ll also put this all over you.”

“But—“

“It’s alright, Mae Karakade. We’ll both end up smelling really nice.”

With that, the day’s events were ended.

Khun P’ honoured his marriage promise to Karakade all his life. He never took another wife, and remained loyal to her to his last breath.

Karakade did a lot of shocking things for that era all her life, but she always was a loving wife to her husband and a loving mother to her children.

They were each other’s moon after all.

Author’s Note:

They’re not only sweet, they’re also so fun to write J

Hope you like this.