Episodes 13 and 14 brings Roy Mai closer to the climax of the lakorn, the end all. Unless the production has decided to change the duration of the lakorn, it should end next Monday at episode 15, which I don’t care to think about right now. Why can’t this lakorn go on and on? I will be happy to live vicariously through Siriwong and Maneerin’s world, for a long time to come.

By way of summary, episode 13 marks the end of Mei as she takes her own life to prove her boss’s innocence (Siriwattana suspects Bua Ngern for slowly poisoning his father.) You may wonder how she got her ugly face after her death, well, while trying to prove her innocence, Bua Ngern gets hold of a steaming iron and unceremoniously plastered it on her maids face.

Siriwong and Maneerin are madly in love, having secret rendezvous all over the royal palace. Their scenes never get old, it is as sweet as pie. I recall a scene where Siriwong hugs Maneerin from behind and rests his head nicely in the crook of her neck, and I thought to myself, they sure make a fine couple. It was decided then that Siriwong will be the one to confess to his brother about their relationship. Being the optimist, he says his brother will understand them. Maneerin however, is concerned. She asks him, “what if we’re torn apart?” He comforts her with “there is no way we will be apart. Except in death. You are my first love, true love and only love. Always.” When was the last time someone told you that?

But, his own comment is the impending foreshadow of his fate.

As the episode progresses, we learn that most of everyone are aware of Siriwong’s and Maneerin’s love. Pan warns Siriwong that certain things can be prolonged, but this truth cannot. Siriwong musters up the courage to confess, but before he was able to do that, Siriwattana tells him that he will be out of town for 3-4 days. This gave us more time to watch Siriwong and Maneerin’s sweet scenes. They are so picture perfect as she lays in his arms while he plays his instruments. Little did they know that Siriwattana was spying on them. That evening, the real confrontation between the brothers undid me and that’s when the waterworks started.

When Siriwong marches into his brother’s office, it was like a death march. He tries to confess but tells Siriwattana that he doesn’t know where to start. Siriwattana aided him, “why not start where you left off last week in the office?” Siriwong then knew that his brother has seen him and Maneerin’s rendezvous. He apologizes but the tension is coiled and bounced between one brother to the other. It was a powerful scene.

Siriwattana decides to ask Maneerin between her duty and love, what was more important to her. Maneerin goes on her knees and begs him for the goodness in his heart to let her and Siriwong be together. Siriwattana seeths with anger, he asks her, did she not know that he has given her his heart a long time ago, he gave her all of it and how can he let her go? But Maneerin says that if it is true love he feels, why doesn’t he want to see someone he love be happy? But Siriwattana furiously forbids it.

In present time, Rerin is hiding out from Suriya by staying with Kamtiang’s descendent. As episode 14 starts, we learned that she has just finished Pan’s journal. She is determined to finish the loom and to return to the museum, but unfortunately the lock has changed. This time around, luck was on her side and someone has left it unlocked.

Suriya walks around the museum and wistfully, I wish he could see his past life too, Rerin is having all of the fun. Suriya knew that Rerin had some unfinished business, so he left the room unlocked for her. As he circles the museum room, he noticed a photo of Princess Maneerin. And she looks unerringly like Rerin. Could it be a coincidence? Will he believe her?

Going back to the past, Bua Ngern tries to talk to Siriwong and advises him that he should elope with Maneerin. I wished he took her word for it.

And the start of our heartbreaking scenes commences. It is Songkran, a day to receive blessings from the elders and a day to celebrate with water and fun. Siriwong has prepared a beautiful, golden hairpiece for Maneerin and tells her maid that they would rendezvous by the river. Meanwhile Bua Ngern has more evil plans up her sleeve. Mei has returned to her as a ghost and is willing to do her bidding. She contrived to get Mei to possess Siriwattana so as he can get rid of Maneerin for them.

It was a happy moment for Siriwong and Maneerin as he presents her with the gold hairpiece. He tells her that he is not afraid of what can happen. He knows what love is and he is fearless. But their sweet moment came to an end. Pan has warned Siriwong that it was like the calm before the storm. Indeed. Siriwattana, possessed by Mei and with an entourage of guards, proceeds to the river area. Siriwong tells Maneerin to take off first as he deals with Siriwattana’s wrath. He’s his brother, right? The older prince would not hurt him. And that is where he was wrong.

Siriwong’s inevitable fate is not surprising- we knew this will happen. Yet when he declares that he would rather die for Maneerin, while grabbing his brother’s sword with both hands, as the edges slice into his hands, and his brother stomps on him as he endures the pain, I can no longer steel my heart from the storm of tears that overwhelmed me. Shortly after Siriwong body lies floating on the river, Maneerin dashes back in to see him. That’s when I can no longer hold back the tears. Maneerin screams out her anguish and rushes to see him. She drags his body to land (it’s a short distance) and hugs his body to her. Siriwong still has his last breath when he tells her that he will never forget her face. He also tells her that he knows how to complete his poem and proceeds to read the last few lines slowly as Maneerin cries, holding him tightly to her. As he slowly dies in her arms, he tells her that no matter the time, century or life, he will always love her.

Maneerin’s face crumbles as she realizes that the love of her life is dead. She shakes him as if to wake him up but to no avail. A short distance away, Siriwattana sees a Buddha and Mei’s spirit is evoked from his body. With the bloody instrument in his hands, he realizes what he’s done. His regret and angiush was heard through the river and woods.

The day goes by and Maneerin is like a shell of a body, her soul and spirit dying from the inside. She doesn’t eat, doesn’t speak and wiles away her time thinking about ways to be with Siriwong again. A thought came to her as Siriwattana orders her to finish the loom and marry him. She agrees to finish the loom, but only to use it to strangle herself to death.

Siriwattana is still convinced Maneerin would be his. He begs him to forgive her and to allow him to make it up to Siriwong’s death by taking care of her. Give him a chance, he pleads. But Maneerin utters “whether it is this life or another life, I will never love you. Give me back my love or let me die..”

And my heart breaks.