Jinn Nee, Personal Diary

Siam, Royal Palace, December 15th, 1861

My name is Jinn Nee. I am a royal wife of the King Mongkut. When I was thirteen years of age, I was brought to the palace and became a wife. I am eighteen years of age now, and much has happened since then. His Majesty, the King, has many wives and at first I felt very lost among them, but the King takes very good care of his wives. I have born him a daughter, Ying Yaowlak.

I have decided to keep this journal to recount my experiences. I know that being a woman, this journal will never become something important, but I hope that when I am older, my daughter and her children can read it. I believe that my King can greatly change Siam, with the right kind of push. Perhaps someday this journal will be a reminder of Siam's past.

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Siam, Royal Palace, April 23rd, 1862

His Majesty has arranged for a new tutor in English language and Western customs. Anna Leonowens will arrive in a few weeks from England. I do not know what to expect. My daughter is full of questions about this English woman. This woman must be scientific, I have heard she is coming alone, with her young son. There is no man accompanying her.

The King seemed especially pleased with the clothing I finished for some of the royal children today. Perhaps he will share his bed with me tonight... I can only hope. It is difficult for the King to pay attention to every wife in the kingdom, when he has so many. It has been a while since the last time, however...

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Siam, Royal Palace, April 24th, 1862

Last night was a very wonderful night.

I have heard the other women talking, I have been around the kingdom for enough years to be included in the older wives' conversations. Some of the wives are dissatisfied with their emotional relationship with the King. Many of them feel that once every so often is not enough. They say that they would not remain here if they did not have to.

I do not understand these women. They must not know the King as I do. He is a kind and benevolent ruler who is trying hard to bring Siam into the modern world. He does the best he can, and I love him for who he is. I have no idea what opinion he has of me. For all I know, I am just another face in the multitude. I rarely speak of this, however. One time when I spoke out in my opinion of the King, they all laughed at me. I felt very young and naive, even though there are several wives younger than myself. Only one woman seemed to understand: Lady Thiang, mother of the Crown Prince, Chaufa Chululongkorn. Perhaps I will find time to talk to her later.

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Siam, Royal Palace, April 30th, 1862

Anna Leonowens arrived last night. The King brought us all out of our bedchambers to meet her.

The King only named a few of his wives when he introduced us to Missus Anna. He could not name all of us, there are far too many. It pleased me, though, to feel his hand rest on my head as I knelt before him, and he introduced me as 'Lady Jinn Nee'.

I am very proud of my daughter. She walked proudly when presented to this new teacher, and was not shy at all. This teacher is very odd indeed. I have never seen such pale skin, nor such brightly coloured hair. She wears a very large dress, shaped like the top of the palace entryway. She showed us her legs underneath, but I do not see the use of wearing such a large and inconvenient covering, if it was not to hide the fact that she was legless.

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[author's note:] I don't own the musical this was based on, this story is for fun and not for profit, blah blah blah.

I've decided to group it into chapters to help organize this better. And for those of you who didn't read the description and don't know where this came from, I am currently playing a wife in a production of this musical, and decided to develop my character by writing this journal. You lucky people get to read it! Well, my name's Jenny, and that's where I took my Siamese name from: Jinn Nee.

I hope you like it, please review, more coming soon... etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.