A flash of tarnished gold caught his eye, and he made his way slowly towards it. The badge from an officer’s cap, its owner lying a few feet away, the only grown man in a sea of children. The man’s long coat was green, not red, and after a moment of blankness Rowan realised this was an enemy officer. The gold badge was spoils of war, rightfully his, since no other had yet taken it.

This thumb-sized piece of gold could feed his little sister for a year.

All he had to do was live long enough to see it reach her.