She was seven when she was given away. It was pre-war Malaya. She remembered when her father took her hand and led her to a strange place, to a stranger. He promised he'll come back, but that was the last time she saw him.
She was given away because of one reason only....she was a girl. The Chinese belief - girls are bad luck to a family. Her mother was reluctant to give her away but she was against her whole family. She knew her will and determination was futile. Forced to give up her daughter, tears welled up in her eyes and heart.
The only thing she could do was to at least find a well to do family to take care of her child. Then she heard about the second wife of the Sultan. She was barren. Apparently she took in children of various races to become her adopted children.
The little girl must have felt very afraid and lonely. She was in a strange unknown world. Tears had fallen but it eventually stopped because she knew nobody from her family would come for her.
She could only speak Hakka - a Chinese dialect. Everyone was speaking a language incomprehensible to her. But being as she, an intelligent girl, she picked up the language - the Malay language in no time at all.
The big 'house' which she later learned was actually an 'istana' [palace] was far removed from her ramshackle family home. She was to call her adopted mother not as mom, mother or mama but as Mak Ungku. Thus begin her life among royalties.
Author's note : I have not finished writing this true story. I decided to write it in segments or installments, whatever, because the story is a bit wee too long.
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