|
Siyama (2008)
Siam in 1766 A.D.
On a historical page of an unrecorded war... in the land of Siam... the knife-fighting troop of around tens of thousands of invaders... left the main troop behind by fortnight... on its way to attack Ayodhaya. Ongmeer, the brutal 'knife-fighting' troop leader, was sexually obsessed and bloodthirsty. He had all Siamese villagers killed; - no exception of children, - Hey, bring me the women! - women and old people. - They are mine! Forwomen, - ...they would be raped and killed. - I told you to kill them! Kill them! Yantra, the deputy leader, is brave, ...and honest in words and deeds. But he fails to tolerate the absurdity... of Ongmeer, his superior. Worst of all, Ongmeerwas lost, and led his troop miles away from Ayodhaya. Yantra. Conspiring with other young warriors, killed Ongmeer and claimed leadership... as the knife-fighting troop leader. Siyama Siyama is a village in a picturesque, shady valley, where its peaceful people of around four hundred once migrated from Ayodhaya. ln harmony, they have been strong Buddhists, earning their living; sharing their gains; and reserving the rest for any arising necessities. Have you made ready to help Ayodhaya? We have, sir. We plan to set out in seven days. You do not have to go that far. They are on theirway towards us. Please prepare yourselves both physically and mentally. Father! Father! They are merchants from the north, who always buy our grains. They told me that thousands of invaders... have been led astray for days. Certainly, they are heading here, to make theirway through Siyama... as a shortcut back to the Ayodhaya route. Can you estimate how long it will take forthem to arrive here? With such people large in number, I think it would take more than 10 days. Maybe up to 15 days. I suggest we should block the village entrance. Well, we intend to support Ayodhaya anyway. So we need not bother to have a long journey. Klong. Yes, father. Go tell others to gather at the yard tonight. Yes, father. Please call Pry for me. MasterJom. Master Tup. Pry is quite an able man. Please accept him as one of the Siyama young generation. Please allow him to help. Klong told me about it all. I devote my entire life to Siyama... from this moment on. I thank you indeed, Pry. Sir, is Siam really at the end of its rope? Whether a land will come to an end or not does not depend on the land itself. lnstead, it does depend on... the land dwellers... and, of course, the land leader. They are not threatening us like bandits. They are not raiding us like brigands. They are thieves. They are to rob our land. We escape not. We run not. We stand here. We will fight against them. We will fight against them! We will fight against them! The village is on the shortcut route in the middle of the valley. The narrowest part of the valley is 20 metres long. lf they know and block off this route, there will be no way out for us. As for another route, it is impossible for us... to take it to request help from the Ayodhaya army in time. Here I think as the blockade. Do you think likewise? How long does this task take? With 200 men... that can be completed in 10 days, Master. Too long. Make it within 7 days. I agree. Should be within 7 days. Ongjan, what is the capacity of Siyama manpower? I estimate it not more than 1,000 men. And they must be cowards! Sniveling cowards! Like in all villages we trod on! They did nothing but beg fortheir lives. Take anything you want, but please spare my life! Mengda, you should not treat the enemy with contempt. We are warriors. They are mere villagers. We will ask fortheir peaceful permission... to take a route through Siyama. Pry and Klong will take a lead. The rest including Karn, Fang, Ding, Khoy, Kok, Kon, and Wan, are called the 'Black Siamese Nine' troop. Excuse me, Master. Unless it is confidential, I'd like Koy to sit with us here. Well, I only want to help.. Help? Help mess it up? Klong! Enough. lt's good to let women realize what is going on here. Finally, we know Koy is a woman! What are you laughing at? The Black Siamese Nine, you go train yourselves... with Old Koh. Put all blades and knives together. Be ready for the iron-melting ceremony... to bless our motherland. I present these motherland-blessing weapons... to you all to protect your lives... and our motherland. ln the 14th night of the waning moon period, the moonless night, I will perform the celestial land-guarding ceremony... by burying talismanic cloths in eight directions. Since those invaders draw near, I beg you all to be ready for action to fight... from tomorrow on out. My homeland, my peaceful land. My homeland, my joyful land. O, suffering is Siyama, my mournful land. Alas, my homeland is in the demon's hands. Faced by dilemma, fooled by a friend, Siyama feels a foreboding threat descend. Be sure we will rise to fight the friend-turned-foe, Only o'er our dead bodies will he tread to-and-fro! Bowing low and prostrating ourselves before... the Mother Nature, whose acceptance we implore, we would rather die forthe land of our birth... than allow our enemy to intrude on its earth. We pray and pay homage to the gods of tradition, begging them to protect us on our mission. lf we lose our lives on the land where we belong, at least Siyama's existence will be prolonged. May the Mother Nature... of this very land... bestow on you protection... and may you all... be accomplished with mission... of our land protection. I am Yantra, the knife-fighting troop leader of Hongsa, I am required to lead the troop through Siyama Village... and need provisions of 1,500 kilograms, carried in oxcarts with guides. Siyama must surrender, otherwise violence will be used! Please reply to your leader... that all demands can be met, but on only one condition. Condition? On what condition? On condition that.. it will be over our dead bodies! There they come. You down there. Come up here now. Quick! Make it quick! Are all guns ready? All ready! Historic City of Ayutthaya, the World Heritage Site. April 2006 A.D. - Ana, if it wasn't for your exam, you would have gotten another Olympic gold medal... in archery for sure. lt's not that easy, Gib. Do you think they will know that we are very grateful to them? Who? Who are grateful to whom? Our ancestors in the Ayutthaya period. Though it was over200 years ago, we are always very grateful to them. lf they knew how we felt, you think they would have been happy orwhat? But I'll let them know personally... because I'm building a time machine... like in Einstein's theory of space and time. He's my hero. - Let me see. - Here you are. My hero. So Einstein is your great grandson, Boat? Oh, you're such a.. Here he is! Oh, you broke it! My screen! Oh! Ana! Stop the car! Stop the damn car! I stopped it minutes ago! But the car is spinning.. spinning in the wind! Oh! Ana! Why the hell did you drive like that? Oh, my mouth hurts! Oh! Wow! What's going on here? I know you're shooting a movie, aren't you? So real! Ana. Gib. Have a look. So many people. Wow, you're so cool! Blood! Blood! I'm bleeding! - Ana, let's go! - Blood! Blood! Oh, Boat!/I was shot! Oh, Boat! Boat! Can you go faster? Gib! Gib! Oh! Who the hell are they now? No! Harm them not! Leave it to me. Look, we are Thai. Thai. Do you understand me? Got it? Do you see blood? My friend got injured. My friend got injured. Do you understand? They are Siamese. With them is an injured man. I will take them to see the Chief Monk. Look! Are you going to let my friend die here? Follow me. Will I get lockjaw? Definitely not. I'm scared. Sir, we saw you a short while ago. So it means... we previously met. lt is not that your casual conversation... would bring you here. Perhaps, by incredible coincidence... there is a relationship between yourwill... and that of the celestial land-guarding power. At daybreak after the full moon night; when the last moonlight... is bathed in the first sunlight, and togetherthey reflect... on any piece of eight talismanic cloths... buried in the ground. There will emerge a time gate, where you can travel back to where you left, in the next 14 days. Do not worry about things that haven't happened yet. You will know well when things happen. Always have the presence of mind and concentration. Then you will know what your priority is. Pry, please take them... to stay with Grandma On. Despite a few hundred of people, Siyama intends... to fight... against us! Even with only a handful of people! Ourtroop has to encamp here longerthan expected. So, Ongjan and Jokin, lead your men to reconnoiter Siyama. Then we will plan an attack scheme. Ever since Ayodhaya suffered its last defeat, Jom and Tup have been resentful. Disappointment griped them; disappointment over some people... who were only lip service patriots. When in crisis, they did anything fortheir own selfish benefit... even if it was the worst forthe motherland. So they no longerwanted to live with such people. My mothertold me that both of them... were the 'Jaturongkabat' bodyguards... who together protected the King's elephant at war. However, the one who is much greater... is Old Koh. Old Koh? ls he greaterthan MasterJom and Uncle Tup? He trained the 'Jaturongkabat' bodyguards. But he likes lying on the ground so much... that MasterJom and Uncle Tup call him as... Koh, the land-embracing man! Well, Gib. At your home. what do you do? I've learnt about history. I know all about what happened and what will happen. You know all. Will Ayodhaya be defeated again? Koy! Koy! Koy! Who? Who the hell is that? lt is me. lt is Khoy. MasterJom is calling for you. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. You scared the shit out of me! Boat! My name is Ana. And this is my friend, Gib. And this is Boat. Hello./Hello. I am a doctor. So you can treat our injured men. Yes I can. But I am short of equipment. I have not so much medicine. I need a hospital... where all patients can rest. We also need beds fortreatment. Send to me your people. I will teach them. Good. I will ask Mai to help. Sir, I'll make weapons for you, weapons you've never seen before for sure. I must say that these weapons... are very great, sir. He's right. He can do that. lndeed, he can do what he just said. I've learnt some forms of martial arts. I'll fight a battle with your men... and you, sir, and us all. So will I. I will fight in battle. I do wonderwhy... women aren't allowed to fight. Why Koy? Who does not allow women to join battle? Women can't protect the motherland? Gib, mind your manners. Are you a hard-core activist? That's brilliant! All right. You will fight in battle with us. I've got a little something for you. lt must be useful for us. lt's called a lighter. We can use it over and over again to light a fire... until it runs out of fluid. I'd like you to keep it. You light a fire here. You have to press it harder, sir. Harder, sir. Yes. Do like that, sir. You did it. Ana and Boot. My name is Boat, sir. I would like both of you to train fighting with weapons. When in crisis, you can save yourselves. The only thing I cannot do is to take one's life. I've been trained to save a life. Not to take a life. I heed by a code of my work ethics. I beg you. I'd like to deny any weapon training. What is a code of ethics? A code of ethics... is like an oath... we take before ourteachers... or before undertaking our professional duties. lt's something like.. All right. I understand what you mean. Sir, I don't want to train in any weapon training, either. I can't handle that. I'll pass out when seeing blood. All right. No weapon training for you. I do thank you for your support. I herein accept you as Siyama children. Take it. Be careful. The wind is strong here. Doctor, we have injured men. Well, let me see. Fon, we need to clean the wound with spirits. Spirits! - Take him to rest first. - Grandpa Foy! Let's bring spirits from Grandpa Foy! Tong, we need many pieces of muslin. All right. Tan, you go boil water quickly! Fon, we need to close theirwounds with stitches. You stay here and help me. All right, Ana. Everyone, first let's remove the cloth bandages. Then we clean the wounds with spirits. Understood? Yes. There are anotherthree injured men in a cart. Why did you just open your mouth? Use that stretcher to carry them here. What are you waiting for, you numskull? I told you to use the stretcher to carry them here. Did you hearwhat I said? Hey, what does 'numskull' mean? How do I know? But I don't think it's something good. Let's do it quickly. Gunpowder! I mean gunpowder! Oh, gunpowder. What do you want it for? I'll put gunpowder on both sides of the cliff. When we light the fuse, the powderwill explode. Boulders will collapse onto them... when they try to run the blockade. But we need large amounts of gunpowder. Uhuh. I like your idea. I agree with you. So do I. Me, too. No! Koy! Oh! Stop! Stop forbidding me to do anything. I will consult with my father and Uncle Tup about the gunpowder. But I worry about how to put it up there. That's not a problem. Leave it to me. You go get Polong here! Here he is, sir. I want to drink. Where the hell is my drink? Just give up and come out here. Don't be serious. Just kidding. Put it here. Here. I did it! Yes! Pass it to me. Hey! Be careful! Be careful! Karn, pass it to me. Ding, give it to me. Be careful! Be careful! All right, Gib. Khoy! Throw it to me. Khoy, be careful! Hey! Watch out! Khoy! Khoy, pull a hoop on yourwaist! Do not worry about others... My strong leader... You must portray yourself mightierthan your heart... And in the eyes of others... you must be mightierthan what others perceive you as... That idea can be either good.. ..or harmful. And do you know... if my intentions are either good.. or evil? Of that, I know not. Kinya. Actually, I came here because I have already thought it all out... and rethought.. The Black Siamese Nine troop snuck in... and set fire to several places in our camp. They took our carts of gunpowder and canons. Ongjan and Mengda are following close behind. lt will be hard forthem to flee this time, sir. Fetch me my horse. Fetch the leader his horse! Khoy, get on! There they are! Follow them! Make it quick! Quick! Get them! - Faster! - There he is, Gib. Faster! Faster! Get them! Quick! Boat! There's someone injured. Be careful! Be careful! You! You! You? How are you? 'You' is not my name. Do not call me 'You'. Now I know that your loudmouth doesn't hurt! Be prepared because you will feel a lot of pain next! You see this arrowhead? I have to take it out. But I'll do it very quickly. Brace yourself and take a deep breath. Gib, give me a hand. Give him that piece of cloth. That stick, too. You and Khoy hold him tight. Do not bother. Don't you have any anaesthetic? What is that? You're such a curious cat! Geez! Are you really going to do that? Turn him over. Get out the cloth. He bit it so hard! Gib! Ana! Gib! Ana! Do you want to come with us? - Where? - We are delivering food. Coming, Ana? You've never been to the blockade area before. Sounds interesting. All right. This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. All kids are kind and lovely, too. Right, Gib? Right. Grandpa Jom teaches us to love trees, to love water.. to love our motherland.. and to rememberthat.. Whereverthere is a forest, there is water. Whereverthere is water, there is life. Whereverthere is life, there is hope. And what about 'whereverthe hope exists'? Then 'there exists happiness.' What bird is singing crrroak, crrroak? Why is the bird singing crrroak, crrroak? The bird ate a frog and flew away singing crrroak, crrroak. lt flew away singing crrroak, crrroak, crrroak, crrroak. Look at them. Such lovely kids. Let's sing it once again. What bird is singing crrroak, crrroak? Why is the bird singing crrroak, crrroak? The bird ate a frog and flew away singing crrroak, crrroak. lt flew away singing crrroak, crrroak, crrroak, crrroak. One more time! One more! What bird is singing crrroak, crrroak? Why is the bird singing crrroak, crrroak? lt's done. Guys, hurry up. Make it quick. Time's running out. Uncle Foy, put this one down deep. Here it is. Like this. Then you cover it with straws. So they can't see it. Attention! This is called.. straw-smoked meatballs. Boom! Turn it hard. Get the thumb inward. Let me see. Don't you want to change your mind? You mean weapon training? What else? There is not harm done in learning. Well, I should not bother you any more. Wait, Uncle Tup. I knew it! Foka, what is going on? Sir, we are nearly short of food and supplies. Most of them were stolen and destroyed in the fire. The food and supplies will only last 10 days. lf there is enough for at least 7 days, we are not short. Ongkin, are the cannons under your charge ready? All are ready, sir. Be well prepared. We may need them before we reach Ayodhaya. Kinya. ln the next two nights... if you aim to do anything, it will be accomplished. But you have to do it... yourself. But you, on the contrary, should not do anything in the next two nights. I warn you in advance. Do I have to believe you, Lady Prophet? lf you have never believed me before, you should believe me this time. Hey, did you write that song forthe kids? You are good at many things. The wound is now healed. I'll remove the stitches in a few days. I thank you. Here are your knives... for self-protection. Thank you. That's a very beautiful arrow. Good weight. You can shoot two arrowheads at the same time. ls it yours? Yours. Mine? No. I can't accept it. I told you I couldn't.. Uncle Tup meant to make it for you. Unless you want to use it, you keep it as a souvenir. lt wouldn't do you any harm. Right. lt is such a beautiful arrow, Ana. lt suits you. I'll keep it as a souvenir. Gib! Ana! Stay here. Do not get out. Ana, you stay here. Do not get out, understood? Gib! Ana, Ana! Where are you? Where is Ana? Where is Ana? - Here I am! - Ana, Ana! Master! We are under attack! Master! We are being attacked! Take the injured people. Go! Ana! Gib! Women! Elders! Kill them all. Kill them all! Fight them! Fight! Fight them off! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Fon? Where are you, Fon? Where are you, Fon? Fon is here. Fon! Fon! Are you all right? Fon! Ana! Ana, did you get hurt? No, I am fine. You as well. You'll be fine. You'll be fine. Do you believe me? Yes, I do. So let's go to our hospital. Allow me. Take all injured people to the hospital. Put her down there. Follow and kill them all. The stain is not on your hands. lt is in your heart. You must clean where the stain is. Sometimes.. we have to destroy one thing to save another, right? Why are you so understanding? That's the Truth in my religion. I also practice Buddhism. What do you practice? Follow me. Master, the weapon of war is ready. Ready! Fire! Cease fire! Ongkin. Ready! Fire! Ready! Fire! Winnae! Sokdong! Lead the troop in! Order received, sir. Attack! Beware of the left! Ready! Fire! Come in. Before daybreak on the eve aftertomorrow... will be the moonless night. Glorious victory will be achieved in any battle. Jokin! Make all forces ready! This time I shall not retreat again! Kok! Ding! What happened? Why do you look pale? Come on here. Sit here, please. Raise your head. Open your mouth. Stick out yourtongue. I have some antipyretics. Good. Please bring it here. Don't worry. Cover yourself up with a blanket. Get plenty of rest. Drink plenty of fluids. You'll feel betterwithin a few days. The Black Siamese Nine are all so strong. No! We have to feel bettertoday! Are you crazy? With such a high fever, There isn't a doctor anywhere that can cure you! Wait! Kok! Ding! Why today? Why? Well, this medicine can reduce fever fast. I'll give it to you only if you tell me why it must be today. The Black Siamese Nine will hunt their prey tonight. The Black Siamese Nine have nine lives. Capture any one of the Black Siamese Nine! At last the sneaky cat burglar... can escape no more! I did not know that... the Black Siamese had a female amongst them! There is no female nor male. There exists only the Black Siamese Nine! I believe you. And I also believe that... the remaining eight Siamese will come forth... No way! You'll never see the others! I'm here on my own. lt turns out that I know the Black Siamese members betterthan you. Do not hide your heads in the sand, you cat burglars! Unless you want to see her.. beheaded here. No! Don't come out! Siyama cannot survive without you. I know that you are here. Come out here! Come out, You cowards, if you do not want to see her dead! No! Don't come out! Retreat! All of you! Don't worry about me! Didn't you say you were on your own? lf so, you die on your own. Stop! I told you so. I know the Black Siamese betterthan you. Who took the life of Mengda, my brother? I did. lt is you who attacked him without dignity. And you call an invader... who oppresses others... as one with dignity? You! You are just a Siyama warrior. I am not a warrior. What my people and I want... is only to expel the invaders. How arrogant you are with only a handful of people! Despite being on my own, I insist on my words. What about you? ls a great warrior like you... brave enough... to have a fight... one on one? A fight one on one? Pry, you are not as clever as I thought. But you are cowardly... as I accurately thought. How dare you! You die! To fight against a great warrior... like you, there should be a condition... so the fight will match your dignity... and my honourable death. I'll grant you anything as your very last request. lf you win.. No! lt's useless negotiating with him. Speak, Pry! lf I win, you must let my people free... and withdraw yourtroops. lf that is the last request... you want before you die, I give you my word. No! Don't believe him. There's no honour among thieves. there's no truth and trust in war. lf you really win, they won't let us walk away anyway. You! Stop insulting my leader! You must be among people of distrust; people without dignity; people with selfishness; people who do not know even truth. Wait! Listen! This fight is predestined. lt will happen anyway. Forthe sake of your men... I suggest you fight within a ring of fire. Please forgive me... lt should be me. who should speak those words. Be careful, Pry! I'll give you time... to bid a final farewell to your love. Not necessary. However, I'll have plenty of time when I bring everyone back to Siyama. Plenty of time in hell! Step back! You did great!! Great? What about the consequence? I made a mistake. I'm sorry. You should have looked before you leaped. Anyway, that is not the way.. women are. What? Women are what? Don't you dare talk to me like that again! I said I'm sorry. What else do you want from me? Anyway, are you badly hurt? We'd better stop here so I can take a look at yourwound. I am all right. But I.. Come on! Won't you forgive me at all? I'm really impressed... that you fought for all of us. Weren't you scared of dying? Of course I was! But there remains a thing I fear more. What is it? I fear one who might fail to keep one's word. To me Yantra is a warrior; a real man. I think he's a man who keeps his words. Well, my friends and I are leaving tomorrow. I'll never ever.. ever come back here again. I guess your family and friends... are worried looking for you, Miss. Yes. They are waiting for me. You addressed me as 'Miss'!! You addressed me as 'Miss' as if you were from my time! Forget it. lt was just a slip of the tongue. A slip of the tongue? So it means.. You're leaving tomorrow. Can I have your phone number? You! You! You? 'Yoo' is not my name. Do not call me 'Yoo'. Should you have a phone number, give it to me without hesitation. lf you want it, you have to come back with me and get it! Go! Tonight there will be a farewell party... forthe three brave members of Siyama. Master, not three. there are four Pry! You, too? We are not the brave. We are descendants of the brave. The brave hearts of Siyama. We are honoured to fight beside you. Some distinct sounds; some distinct smells... make me reminiscent of the past... The sound of flutes; the scent of misty smoke... fill me with a nostalgia... for Siyama Village. How did you get here? I was driving. lt was dark and raining. I saw a monk walking along the side of the road. So I pulled over and offered him a ride. You mean the Chief Monk? Yes. I asked him whether he wanted to come with me. He asked back... lf I come with you, will you come with me, Pry?' He knew my name. So I told him that I would come with him no matterwhere it would be. I drove for a while. He told me to turn right, pull over and leave the carthere. Afterwalking for a while, I was here. ls there any bond between you and Siyama? Let's stay here, shall we? Many people are waiting for us... since we disappeared without a trace. They would have to wait for us all their lives... without knowing anything. There are many of them and outnumber just us two. Am I selfish? I guess so. Do you see that tree overthere? That's the teak tree, aged hundreds of years. When we go back home, I'll bring you to visit it again. How do you know it will be still here? I worked around here. I saw it everyday. Will you really bring me back here? As a man of Siyama, I give you my word of honour. As a woman of Siyama, lf anyone breaks his word given to me, I'll never forgive him. Never! lt is a high time you left, isn't it? Are you not coming with us, sir? The place I'm going to... is not the place I left. Please go ahead with your plan. Good bye, sir. My children, you are about to leave, aren't you? Keep the weapons you used... as a gift from Siyama. lt is believed that you must give something in exchange. You should give a coin in return forthe gift. I've already prepared it for you. Who is this person? His Majesty is the King of Siam, which is called Thailand in our present time. Thailand? What is His Majesty like? His Majesty is the heart and soul... of all Thai people. The year I left was the occasion... of the 60th anniversary celebration... of His Majesty's accession to the throne. Sixty years? My dear Siyama people, this coin displays... the future King of Siam... in the time of Pry and his friends. So His Majesty is also our king. Master, we are in trouble. Those invaders... are attacking us again. Everyone, prepare to return to your stations... Four of you prepare to take your 'cart' home. I'm not going! I'm not going, either. Me, neither. Please go back home, my children. And go tell the people of yourtime... that we will save the motherland... with all of our flesh and blood. The only thing I'd like to ask of you is to... never betray your motherland. How can I leave you in this time of trouble? I can't... and I won't. Leave! All of you leave! We need you no more! I tell you to get out! Leave our Siyama village now! The Black Siamese Nine! You guard Pry's cart all the way home. This is my lethal knee! Why are you back? We are not back... because we have never left. We realize we are the chosen. But now we want to be the choosers. lt is high time. All right! Fang! Pry! Leave it to me. Let me do it, Ana. To us you are more than brothers; more than friends. You are our ancestors. You shed your blood; you sacrificed your lives... to save the motherland for us. Hundreds of years will pass, I've always wondered if we had the chance to be here now, what would we have been done to return our gratitude? We'd like you to know that... we are always respectful of you and grateful to you. Please light the fire for me. Please light the fire for me. That's the teak tree, aged hundreds of years. When we go back home, I'll bring you to visit it again. Will you really bring me back here? As a man of Siyama, I give you my word of honour. As a woman of Siyama, if anyone breaks his word given to me, I'll never forgive him. Never! |
|