Day 591: 5 Minute Freewrite: Monday - Prompt: Rule

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After a long day ruling Unbeton, Queen-Steward Justiss enjoyed her opportunities to visit with her younger grandchildren, and just sit with them and watch them play. She also relished all opportunity, as they grew up and realized she was more than just their grandma, to guide them to be ready should the stewardship of Unbeton ever come to them.

Little Ndevoor, precocious as he was, often provided occasion for that kind of training. He liked to bounce up on his grandma's lap and ask good questions, and sure enough, he left his drawing on the floor at a point in the evening and bounced on up onto his favorite lap.

"So, what's it like, being in charge of things, Grandma?"

"Bring me your ruler, grandson."

He brought it, and his grandmother took it.

"Why do you use this, Ndevoor?"

"It helps me draw straight lines, so my pictures come out right."

"You have to hold it firmly while you use it?"

"Yes. I can't let it slip around, or things won't go right."

"That is exactly what I do for our people, Ndevoor. The High Law is our constitution, how Unbeton is supposed to run -- it is the ruler for Unbeton. My whole job is to guide the country along that ruler, so that it runs the way it is supposed to, and everyone's life has the best chance possible to come out the way it should. That is what it means to rule properly, Ndevoor."

Ndevoor thought about this for a long time.

"Do your hands ever get tired?"

"Yes. That is why your cousin Troothe will be king-steward while you are still not too big of a boy. But while I rule and hold the ruler, I must hold it well, or things will slip around, and Unbeton does not need to slip around."

Ndevoor put his hands around his grandmother's wrinkled hand, around the ruler.

"Troothe and I will help you hold the ruler together," he said.

"Sweetheart, I expect that you will."

(For more occasions to read about Queen-Steward Justiss of Unbeton, enjoy her dealing with her country's enemies in my "Delegation" freewrite, and also trying to help her friend the "Emperor" before he went out with no clothes...)

Photo Credit: William Warby on Unsplash