She wondered why her older sisters were given pretty dolls with yellow dresses and Ballerina Barbie dolls in pink tutus, while she was given toy guns and swords. She stared enviously at her 3 elder sisters playing make-believe with their dolls at the receiving room. A lone doll in Tropical Hawaiian clothes lay by the feet of her sister Lucille. Her sister doesn't seem to like it. It was shoved on the side without being given much attention. She wanted to ask her if she could have the doll. She would call her Amaya. How she would love to comb her long dark hair and put pretty flowers on its hair but she was afraid this would displease her father.
She remembered dancing in front of a mirror. Twirling around and lifting her heels while her hands were over her head imitating her sisters during their dance classes. Her father caught her and scolded her. He said she shouldn't be preoccupied with silly things like her sisters. He told her to grow up fast that he may bring her hunting with him. But Oscar didn't want to go hunting. She didn't like the idea of carrying a gun and shooting a helpless little fox or a cute little fawn. All she wanted was one little doll she could call her own. One little doll she can play make-believe with. A little doll she can pretend to be her... to be free to dance ballet...free to put frilly dresses in bright colours and ruffles.
She immediately wiped the tear that slid down her face as she saw her sister discarded the Hawaiian Barbie. Her father told her never to cry, that she must be tough and hold in her emotions. You could have asked her for the doll. Lucille will gladly give it toy you, she scolded herself. She ran up the second floor in frustration. Just get your water gun and play outside, she thought. But on the way she heard giggling in her oldest sister's room. She quietly opened the door and peeped in. She found her putting some colourful stuff on her second eldest sister's face. She watched them in awe as she saw her other sister transform into a beautiful princess-her lips were cherry red, her eyes were bright with different hues of blue-it was fascinating.
"How come when you put it on me it looks so much better than when I do it myself," complained her second sister pouting but nevertheless pleased and happy with the way she looked on the mirror.
"Margaret, have you tried on the peach dress I gave you. It is my favourite dress. You can wear it on your friend's birthday party," said her oldest sister to her third sister who was busy brushing her hair till it shone like gold. She looked at her own pixie cut hair. There's nothing much of it to brush. I too have golden blond hair like Margaret's. I want to put ribbons on it too and brush it till it shines as bright as the sun. She watched Margaret try on the dress. It fits perfectly. I know I would look nice in that peach dress too, she thought. Why can't I have my older sisters' dresses? Because you're too small and they're too big, she scolded herself. Maybe I can use some of Lucille's or Michelle's, they're not much bigger. Yeah and have your father raving mad, she thought.
She ran out the garden to play alone by the fountain. None of her sisters would be playing with toy guns anyway. She sat by the fountain and threw her gun on the ground in frustration. I want a doll, she thought and burst into tears.
"Don't cry Oscar. Come here, I'll fix your gun." Oscar looked up and found Andre standing beside her near the fountain. He thought the broken toy gun upset her but truth be told, she was pleased it was destroyed.
"I don't want to play with it," said Oscar in a small voice. Andre looked at her, as though trying to decipher what was going on in her head.
"Alright then...I'll get your sword..."
"But I have no one to play with," protested she.
"You can play with me. We will sword fight. You'll be King Arthur and I'll be Lancelot Dulac," he suggested with a big smile.
Oscar returned his grin. "Really? Would you play with me?"
"Of course. Come on let's get your little pony and I can teach you how to ride before we play sword," said Andre.
Oscar was thrilled and from then on not playing with dolls wasn't so bad after all. He enjoyed playing war games with Andre using her water gun. They play with her pellet guns too, shooting cans on the hillside whenever they take a hike by the stream. She likes their sword fights too. Her father was very pleased to see her playing with Andre. He told her that next year on her seventh birthday, she will start having her fencing lessons. She was excited! She wanted to beat Andre in their sword fights. So far Andre would always win or he would let her win whenever she's had enough of losing for one day. Someday I'll be as strong as you are Andre or even stronger, she mused with delight as she looked at her friend. It wasn't so bad being a boy. It was fun playing with Andre.
She enjoyed his company. She used to hate climbing up trees and running up the hills the way boys do. Whenever she sees her male schoolmates doing so she thought it was stupid making themselves all sweaty climbing up and running. It's better to read poetry and sing in Italian or any foreign song like her sisters. At least her father allowed her to have that music education like her sisters and she feels proud that she can play the violin and piano as good as they and her voice was more beautiful than any of them. That's what their teacher told her and it gave gave a sense of accomplishment. She was happy to do something she likes that pleased her father. He loved listening to her play the piano and sing.
But having Andre with her gave her enjoyment in activities she used to loath. She suddenly found them fun and exciting. She couldn't imagine a day without her bestfriend Andre. Her father was totally pleased seeing them play sword in the garden. He felt equally delighted when he saw Andre teaching her some self defense against bad guys, and his fist-fights were amusing to her father. He heard him tell Andre to help her be a brave boy.
One day as they sat by the stream in the mountain Andre noticed that Oscar was deep in thought. "What's the matter, Oscar? Come on I'll give you this chance to shoot me with water. I will not hit you back," said Andre with a grin.
"Nothing's the matter. I was just remembering the story nanny told me before I slept the other night. It was a story of a princess named Olivia."
She then turned to Oscar and asked earnestly. "Andre do you think Olivia is pretty name?"
"Uhm.. well, yeah," he answered uncertainly.
"Why do you think father didn't name me Olivia and why didn't he named me Francesca after my grandmother? I don't like my name... it's ugly. I think it's a boy's name," she confided to her friend.
"Oscar happens to be a beautiful name. I like Oscar and I think it's beautiful," Andre said.
His response delighted Oscar. "Really? Wow!" replied Oscar with a big smile.
"Besides, it's unique to have a boy's name...makes you extra cool," reassured Andre.
This seemed to excite and pacify Oscar at the same time. "You really think so?"
"Of course! I love the name Oscar Francois," reassured Andre.
"Come on Andre let's play water fight. Promise you will let me win today, okay."
On her seventh birthday she met her new fencing instructor who would start giving her lessons every Tuesday and Thursday. As a gift, her father bought her a new pony. It was black. She didn't like it. It looked fearsome. She still preferred her white horse Swiftwind but an additional pony meant Andre can use the other and this made her happy. They can start riding together. The other horses were far too big for Andre as they were her father's horses. She felt sorry for him whenever he would take her and her pony out for a ride. He was on foot leading them.
"Pssttt... Oscar...I have something for you," whispered Andre from behind the ballroom door. He was waving at her to come out and follow him. She looked around and found everyone busy with their own business. Her birthday party was a huge success. She immediately ran out to follow Andre. She ran after him but he was ahead of her by a long shot. She still couldn't outrun him. Maybe she would eventually...
She thought he went inside the little cottage he shares with his grandmother inside the Jarjeyes Mansion grounds. "Andre!" she called.
She found him inside his bedroom with a big smile on his face. "I have a present for you...it took me months to refurbish it...I hope you will like it... It's not brand new and it's not as expensive as the ones we see on shops on the mainstreet...but what the heck..."
He opened his closet and there inside was huge doll house.
"It was my mother's. My grandmother kept it. I know you want to play with dolls but you were forbidden and so I fixed this and added a few more furniture inside. Look..."
Andre demonstrated that the house can be opened in the middle and inside were rooms of the house with furniture and a little doll with blond hair was seated on the rocking chair.
Oscar's eyes were as round as a saucer. Never had she possessed anything so magnificent. My sisters would love to play with this...her big smile suddenly vanished. "I can't play with it. My father will be mad."
"You can play with it here, in my room. He wouldn't know. And besides, if we close the house. It would look like an ordinary wooden house painted by a little boy. He wouldn't know there's a doll inside. You can play make believe now. Here, I saved my money so I can buy him..."
He showed her another small figure. It was a boy with black hair.
"I bought him so the little girl doll won't be lonely. Now they can eat together, play together, and they can sleep together," smiled Oscar.
The doll house had three floors. There was a living room, a kitchen, a study, a dining hall, 2 bedrooms, and a bathroom with a tub. Oscar was delighted. She took the little boy doll from Andre and placed him on the chair beside the little girl doll on the rocking chair.
"This is the best gift ever..." she grinned at bhim.
Oscar touched the dusty 2 small figures in the doll house. It had been ages since she played with them. Has it really been twenty years since then? She grew up too fast, too soon being assigned in the Royal Army at fifteen. She remembered playing with the dollhouse everyday for the next two years after her seventh birthday, then it became twice a week on the next year, and then twice a month when she turned 12.
Then when she was thirteen she had to practice harder to be qualified to be in the Royal Army, to be a skilful and competent soldier that she had an only managed to see her doll house once in a blue moon. The day she became a soldier she moved the dollhouse to her own room. She knew her father wouldn't be invading her privacy now that she has grown up. She wanted to keep it as a memento of happy childhood and a special gift from her best friend.
As a child, she would have forgotten she was a girl had it not been for Andre, and when she became an army soldier at 15, she thought she was saying goodbye permanently to her womanhood but the dollhouse in her closet was a reminder that despite her unusual job for a lady, despite her skilful swordsmanship and her masculine army uniform she was still a girl.
She dusted off the two small figures and had them stand together in the living room of the dollhouse like two individuals in an embrace. Oh Andre, all these years you have been my armoury, she thought. You were my big brother, my confidante, my best friend. I was blind not to notice when your friendship and brotherly concern turned to something more. Perhaps I have become too much of a tough army soldier, oblivious to anything else but my responsibilty and my reputation as a great and efficient soldier.
I love you too, Andre. Not as a friend, not as a brother... Looking back I must have loved you too back then with a special adoration of a little girl but I was learning and adjusting to be a man...
A tear slid down her cheek. I'm sorry father. I must disobey you. I cannot marry Girodere. I have done nothing but try to please you all these years. I hope you understand that now I must follow my heart.
Prettydynamic says: I'm not sure if I should add to this to make the story more elaborate or keep it as is. The ending may be just that...Oscar realizing how much she loved Andre...