Vivienne sat on the edge of the bed, an old, slightly worn book in her hands.
Aiden lay beside her, wrapped in a blanket, resting his head against her legs.
The room was quiet, except for the distant sound of the wind and the soft creaking of the wooden beams.
Vivienne opened the book to the marked page and started reading in a calm, warm voice.
— "Long ago, in a kingdom hidden between mountains and forests, there lived a boy who dreamed of finding the Tree of Truth…"
Aiden listened silently, sometimes blinking slowly, sometimes moving his fingers under the blanket.
He liked when Vivienne read to him.
Her voice was different from the servants or tutors — she didn't rush, she didn't try to sound important.
She read like she truly wanted him to hear the story.
— "The boy set out on his journey, even though he knew many had tried before and none had returned. But he believed that if his heart was pure and his intentions were true, he would find the Tree and discover the truth he was searching for…"
Aiden shifted a little and looked up at Vivienne.
— What if your heart isn't pure? — he asked suddenly.
Vivienne hesitated for a second but didn't put the book down.
She gently ran her hand through his hair.
— Then… then you might get lost. Or never find what you're looking for.
The boy stayed quiet for a moment, staring at the curtains swaying near the window.
— And what if someone has a pure heart but sometimes thinks bad things? Does that make it not pure anymore? — he asked, softly, more to himself than to her.
Vivienne smiled lightly, though something tightened inside her.
— Everyone thinks bad things sometimes. It doesn't make your heart dirty as long as you still try to be good.
The important part is wanting to do the right thing, Aiden.
The boy blinked a few times like he was trying to understand.
Then he pressed his head against her legs again and didn't say anything more.
Vivienne went back to reading.
— "The boy crossed forests, climbed mountains, and waded through rushing rivers. Many times, he wanted to turn back, but something deep inside kept pushing him forward…"
She turned the page.
Aiden moved again.
— But how did he know that the thing inside him was telling the truth? — he asked suddenly.
Vivienne froze for a second.
She didn't expect a question like that.
— Sometimes we don't know — she said calmly. — Sometimes we just have to trust what we feel.
The boy didn't answer.
For a long moment, they stayed like that, only her voice and the soft sound of turning pages filling the room.
When she finished the chapter, Vivienne closed the book.
— We can read more tomorrow if you want — she said gently.
Aiden nodded, though he looked like his thoughts were somewhere far away.
Vivienne set the book on the nightstand and kept running her fingers through his hair until she felt him relax.
— Aiden… — she started suddenly. — Would you like to come to the city with me?
— To the city? — he repeated, lifting his head.
— Yes. I need to take care of a few things, but I thought it might be good for you to see something new.
The boy thought for a moment.
Then he smiled wide.
— I want to!
Vivienne chuckled quietly.
— Then it's settled. We'll leave in two days, once I've prepared everything.
Aiden snuggled closer to her.
— Vivienne?
— Yes?
— Can I pick something out in the city?
— We'll see — she said with a smile. — If you behave.
The boy sighed loudly, like it was the biggest sacrifice in the world.
But excitement sparkled in his eyes.
Vivienne kissed his forehead and blew out the candle on the nightstand.
The room filled with soft darkness.
— Goodnight, Aiden.
— Goodnight.
And before he fell asleep, he kept thinking about the Tree of Truth.
And about that strange voice inside, the one that sometimes whispered things he didn't fully understand yet.
One day, he would learn to listen to it… and to use it.
But that was still a long, long way off.