#ONC2024 Round 2 Ambassadors Pick | Shortlister (Finalist)
When Prince Oskar decides to disguise himself and goes out into the village to see what the people are like, he is met with a shocking sight. There are orphaned children in the streets, begg...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Early the next morning, Oskar walked into Fernsworth as the sun was starting to appear. He wore a satchel, in which he carried loaves of buttered bread and the pouch of silver coins. The same group of children were sitting on the side of the street. Oskar went straight to them and knelt on the ground.
"Good morning," he said from within the hood of his cloak. "Have you eaten today?"
The children huddled together and would not speak. Oskar thought perhaps they were afraid of him. He was a stranger, after all. Without giving it further thought, he dug into his satchel and brought out one of the loaves, breaking off a piece and holding it out to the youngest of the five children.
"I mean you no harm," Oskar said softly. "You must be hungry, yes?"
The little girl with big brown, lackluster eyes looked at the bread and carefully accepted it. The others watched as she took a bite and it was as if the clouds shined a single light down on her. Her eyes no longer lacked luster.
"It is still warm," she cried as she took another bite.
Oskar smiled as he broke more bread and gave it to the children. He didn't even mind the fact they were too busy chewing to thank him. He was just glad they could eat.
"Dorthee needs some," the little girl was about to break her piece of bread in half, but Oskar stopped her.
"I have more I can give Dorthee," he said, touching her shoulder. "Show me where she is, little one."
The little girl grabbed Oskar by the hand, guiding him down the street. The other children remained, eating what was left of their bread. People watched him with the little girl; some sneered while others appeared to have pity. They turned down a narrow alley, which took them to a secluded area. Oskar was shocked when he saw the encampment of homeless individuals.
"Dorthee," the little girl said, leading Oskar to one of the tents pitched at the center of the crowd. "He has bread. With butter!"
The tent curtain opened and out came a young woman. What was once a dress was now barely a piece of clothing at all, the dirt stained fabric hung onto her shoulders like a discarded old towel.
A large piece has been ripped from the right side and there were holes all over, leaving much of her exposed to the elements.
She wore a scraggy vest over her dress; a size too small, stained and dirty, but at least it helped her stay protected from the elements, even if only for a little.
Her pants weren't what they used to be either. There were holes all over the bottom part and a big tear on the right side. But at least she had shoes to protect her feet. Although grimy, way too big and with a hole in the left toe box which let in water and dirt.
A small scarf was around her neck and wrapped around her face to just below the eyes. Dirty and shoddy, but at least it doesn't smell. Her head was covered by a bandana, surprisingly with no holes or stains or any other major flaws besides its age. However, the most prominent feature Oskar noticed was the cluster of scars surrounding her eyes. They appeared to be stretched, as though they had been given to her at a young age, and carried a deeper flesh tone than the rest of her pale skin.
