1547. Fernando de Gama, a young "Soldier of Fortune" from Portugal, set sail for the Orient in an effort to find a man who murdered his father and, with luck, like many of their compatriots, to make his fortune. A vicious storm in the Indian Ocean almost ended his plans when he was on the ship sank. The sole survivor, he was washed up on a tropical beach only to be captured by Arab slavers and taken to Ayutthaya in the kingdom of Siam, where he was offered for sale as a slave.

Dhep is a traveling photographer on his way home to broach unresolved problems between his father and himself. But, on his way home to the island, he meets Riam at the pier, and swiftly falls in love with her. before learning that she’s his father, Cheng’s, new wife. Dhep’s stay at their place familiarizes him with the problems between his violent and sadistic father and stepmother, so he tries to treat Riam kindly to make her feel better. But the forbidden love rears its head again, and the pair decides to make a go of it.