Vivienne sat on an old wooden bench in the garden. The roses beside her had already faded, but their green leaves still gave off a gentle fragrance. Sunlight lit up the grass, and a light breeze ruffled the tree branches. The cooling air made the afternoon pleasant. Vivienne stared into the distance, thinking about her plans for the coming week. She needed to read new reports about Aiden, then visit the library. There was always something to do, and time was slipping away.
Next to the bench, on the stone tiles, sat Aiden. He held a small stick and scratched simple shapes into the ground. He drew circles, a few lines, and rarely even letters. Sometimes he muttered to himself as he focused on his drawing. Vivienne reached out and smoothed the wide collar of his linen shirt.
– What are you drawing, sweetheart? – she asked softly.
Aiden looked up at her, bouncing lightly on the bench.
– I'm drawing a turtle carrying a house, – he explained calmly.
Vivienne smiled. Aiden always had a rich imagination, even though his speech lagged behind. He still spoke only a few simple sentences at a time.
– A turtle with a house? That's interesting.
Aiden nodded and placed the stick beside his drawing. After a moment, he added:
– Vivienne?
She raised an eyebrow.
– Yes, Aiden?
He lifted his gaze to the sky. Branches blocked part of the view, but that didn't bother him.
– If the gods made the world, and we made the gods through stories… who came first?
Vivienne felt her heart race. That wasn't the kind of question a seven-year-old usually asked. She sighed heavily and took a deep breath.
– Oh… That's a tough question. I don't think anyone knows for sure.
Aiden furrowed his brow.
– But… how can we not know?
Vivienne turned on the bench to look him in the eyes.
– Stories about gods began when people tried to explain storms, seasons, dawn, and dusk. Over time, these tales grew richer. But whether the gods existed before us, or we created them first… I'm not certain.
Aiden nodded. His eyes returned to the sky glimpsed between the branches.
– So… maybe they came first. Or maybe we came first. Or maybe we both came at the same time.
Vivienne didn't have a perfect answer. Thoughts of old texts, legends, and what a wise man once said swirled in her mind. She decided to steer the conversation back to something lighter.
– Aiden, look over there. – She pointed at a small wooden horse lying by the bench. – That horse has a knight. He protects the queen.
The boy turned and picked up the horse. He spun it in his hands, then hugged it to his chest.
– Yes. He protects the queen, – he confirmed softly. – And sometimes dragons help the queen too.
Vivienne laughed.
– In fairy tales, yes. In real life, dragons are rare, but the world holds so many mysteries that you can believe in anything.
Aiden placed the horse back on the ground and stood up.
– I'm going to run around for a bit, – he announced. – Then I'll come back to my room.
Vivienne nodded.
– Be careful and don't wander too far.
He walked toward the hedge maze, stepping between lines of boxwood. Seconds later, he disappeared into the leafy walls.
Vivienne was left alone. She rose from the bench and rested her hands on her hips. For a moment she stood still, listening to her own thoughts. That question was not easy to forget. She thought about what it meant for a boy who had never asked complicated questions before. His struggles with learning were obvious, but that was a different matter — basic math, reading, writing. Those were skills he could catch up on. But this… this was something else.
She nodded to herself.
– Good thing we have time, – she whispered. – So much lies ahead.
She walked toward the maze, moving slowly so as not to startle him. She passed shrubs, brushing her fingers across smooth leaves. The air smelled of damp earth and greenery.
She reached the spot where the hedge formed a half circle. There stood Aiden in the center, next to a small stone statue of an animal. He held the wooden horse and stared at the carved figure. He looked as still as if he were part of the sculpture himself.
– Aiden? – she called softly.
The boy turned and stepped into the light. His eyes shone with hope and a shy smile.
– I'm tired, – he said plainly. – I want to go back to my room.
Vivienne nodded.
– Let's go.
She took his hand and led him back. He walked close behind her, the wooden horse clutched in one hand. In the distance she heard the laughter of servants and the sound of the mansion doors opening.
When they reached the hallway, Aiden paused and looked at Vivienne.
– Thank you for talking with me, – he said quietly.
Vivienne bent down so her face was level with his.
– You can always ask anything you want. But not every question has an easy answer.
Aiden nodded again and continued walking. As they passed the carved double doors to his room, Vivienne let out a small sigh.
She closed the doors behind them, leaving the boy inside his pink-walled room, and took a deep breath. That question about who came first — gods or stories — echoed in her mind once more.
– I'll keep thinking about that, – she whispered to the empty hallway.