#the queendom of puzzlewood

[theskyehealers]

Her fingers moved over a passage in one of the tombs of a book Eddard had presented her during their weekly lessons.

She had asked to have lessons outdoors as the weather had begun to warm. Veda glanced to Eddard, who was peering off, quill in hand, and then read aloud.

"Lord Eddard, you once served as Queen Elinor and Hyrum as their kings guard?"

Startled back into reality, he turned at her voice. "Yes, your humble majesty, I did."

Slowly, Veda read aloud, fingers moving of the text as she did, "I swear to ward the Queen, with all my strength, and give my blood for hers. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children, I shall guard her secrets, obey her commands, ride at her side, and defend her name and honor." And warm grey-blue eyes averted to him.

Eddard nodded slowly, "And I obeyed."

"You have taken lands, you have fathered children and...you will take my Auntie Tisha as your wife." She said a bit matter-of-factly.

Eddard fell silent a moment, setting the quill aside, "I have, yes..."

Veda regarded him a moment longer. She was being trained to not just be their next queen but to rule. Sitting forward, she shut the book with a snap, "If the gods and goddess herself is good, then, I shall change that." And pushed herself out of her chair.

"You will serve as My Hand. And Aunt Tisha as part of my privy council." She stated with a precise and reaffirming nod.

[theskyehealers]

Aviva could not believe her sweet girl was growing up.

Veda was headstrong, determined, and her abilities to be psychically inclined to any and all animals continued to grow.

The menagerie of animals they already housed also continued to expand.

Aviva could remember when Veda had decided to present to her, her newest friend; a black spider that had once been dozing on a leaf from Aviva's healing garden, and how crestfallen Veda had been when the spider was no longer there, and she could no longer 'feel' it's presence.

Her eyes had welled up with tears and was only soothed when Aviva explained the spider's duties were not yet done and had left to complete those spider tasks.

What loomed now was the eventual ascension of Veda, and her royal place in Puzzlewood.

Aviva's stomach still clenched at the thought of what could and would come when the little princess of what would be Puzzlewood would become Queen.

A child queen, at that.