"Aethel! Aethel!"
Mrs. Moror's voice echoed across the backyard.
"Yes, Mrs. Moror!" Aethel called back. She poured the last scoop of feed into the trough and carried the empty bucket toward the chicken cages. She dropped it carefully, dusted her hands, and started toward the back door of the orphanage.
"AETHEL!" Mrs. Moror shouted again, louder this time, pushing through the side door and hurrying toward her.
"I'm here, Mrs. Moror," Aethel answered, stepping inside.
The woman's face was furious at first, but the moment she saw little Aethel, her expression softened with relief.
"What are you doing in the backyard, dear? Why aren't you at breakfast?"
"I was feeding the animals," Aethel replied.
Mrs. Moror sighed gently. "Go eat your breakfast, sweetheart. I'll feed them."
"I already fed the chickens. You only need to feed the goats."
"Well then," Mrs. Moror smiled, "thank you, my dear. Now go. Visitors will be here soon."
"Okay." Aethel nodded and headed toward the dining hall.
As Mrs. Moror turned, she spotted two girlboth older than Aethecoming down the stairs from the children's rooms.
"And what do you two think you're doing wandering around?" she snapped, frowning. "Do you want people to think I'm not doing my work properly? Go to the dining hall at once!"
The two girls hurried off; no one wanted to see her temper.
Mrs. Moror was short-tempered, but she had a soft spot for Aethe which was exactly why many of the other girls disliked her.
Today was the last Saturday of the month. The orphanage always welcomed visitors on these weekends. Some came to adopt, others came to bring gifts or inspect the place on behalf of the government.
Ten girls were already seated on both sides of the long oak table when Aethel entered. The two girls Mrs. Moror scolded earlier walked in right behind her. One had dark skin and black hair, the other fair skin and brown hair.
"There's Mrs. Moror's princess," the dark-skinned girl muttered.
Aethel ignored her and sat at an empty space on the bench. She didn't want to argue this mornin not that ignoring them ever helped. The brown-haired girl sat beside her.
Most of the children were already eating bread with soup. Aethel and the two girls still had empty plates.
Caretaker Mahina came out from the kitchen carrying a pot of soup. She served Aethel first, then the others whose dishes were empty.
"You like making me serve you twice," Mahina muttered. "Especially you, Aethel. Why don't you ever come early for breakfast?"
She didn't wait for a reply before turning back to the kitchen.
As soon as Mahina left, the brown-haired girl snatched an apple from Aethel's hand and held it high.
"Stop it, Blake! Give it back!" Aethel stood up and tried to grab it, but Blake hopped to her feet, lifting the apple even higher. Her movement knocked over a plate of soup, spilling it across the floor.
"Take it if you can, dwarf."
Aethel jumped, but Blake spun around, still holding it out of reach.
"I'm going to tell Mrs. Moror!" Aethel warned.
"Blake, why don't you bully someone your own size?" a voice said.
A girl with golden hair Apri stood from her seat.
"And why don't you mind your business, April?" Blake snapped.
She lowered her hand as if she was about to return the apple to Aethel… then deliberately dropped it on the floor.
"Oops."
April sighed. "Won't you ever change? Why do you hate this girl so much?"
"Because she gets treated like a princess when she's not."
"Stop that, the both of you," caretaker Mahina said, returning at the worst possible moment. All three girls turned.
"You know you're not supposed to play with food. Clean that mess, Miss Blake. And eat the appl you wasted it."
Blake grudgingly cleaned the floor, then sat back down after washing the apple. Mahina handed her another one.
Moments later, the sound of horses and carriage wheels echoed from the orphanage entrance. Most of the girls lit up with excitement.
"I hope I get adopted by a rich family," Blake said proudly as she stood with two other girls in the backyard.
"Me too," one said. "This beauty needs expensive care."
"I want to marry a prince," Blake added dramatically.
"You dream too high," April said, passing behind her.
"Mind your business."
"Not until you mind yours," April answered, walking toward the backyard door.
The children gathered in the open yar. this was where families usually looked at them, talked to them, and selected the child they wanted.
April scanned the group but didn't see Aethel anywhere.
She went back inside.
Straight to the dormitories.
No Aethel.
She checked every room.
Nothing.
She climbed the stairs to the attic.
The door was locked.
She knocked three times. "Aethel? I know you're in there. Open the door."
Silence.
"Aethel… talk to me."
Nothing.
Nearly a minute passed.
Then finally, a small voice replied, muffled:
"Go away. I don't want to talk."
Aethel sat curled in the corner of the dusty attic, hugging her knees, her face buried in her arms.