The Green Rings

A sequel to The Chronicles of Narnia and maybe even to "Alone"

~*~

This is a story about something that happened long ago when your grandfather was a child. It is a very important story because it shows how all the comings and goings between our world and the land of Narnia first began.

-C.S.Lewis The Magician's Nephew

~*~

This is a different story; and it too, is an important one, because it shows how the comings and goings between our world and the otherworlds began. Years after the gates to Narnia closed forever, and Elvis wasn't even singing; there was a little, young, city girl living in a quite part of New York. I do not know the exact date or time or era that this story takes place but I do know that this girl was a very up-to-date teenager with a vivid imagination.

There was nothing this girl loved more than to sit and lean against the old willow tree behind her house and dream about anything she pleased. Most of the time it was fantasy stories, based around that one heroine she'd made up in her mind, 'Ann'. Ann was what one would call, a typical heroine. She was chubby, cute, with golden hair and freckles that just added more character to her personality that was, as guessed, happy and carefree. The creator of Ann was actually quite original, but the reason she chose such a common character for her stories was because she too wanted to be like Ann.

I do not know this girl's name so from now on I shall refer to her as Miranda, because she sounds like Miranda from Shakespeare's novel, The Tempest. Miranda was witty, beautiful and out-going. Yet she was confined to a wheelchair. Her legs were weak and did not allow her to go far without failing. This certain feature made her conscious about herself and at times very upset. Yet she was still an attractive character for as mentioned above, she had wit and was not at all shy.

The beginning of this story takes place not on land but on sea. Miranda's illness had made it compulsory to go to Paris for an operation and immediately too. The best surgeons had been provided for and her parent's, though well off, had to spend a large sum of money just to get her there – let alone the expense of the operation. It was on the deck of 'Lady Gill' that she bumped into a boy that would change her life forever.

Miranda was sitting on a deck chair, covered with a pink blanket and silently imagining Ann sailing through the seas of a magical world when she noticed a boy crawling onto the deck from the other side of the railing.

"Oh my! Isn't that dangerous?" she asked in shock. The boy looked up and smiled at her.

"Not really, I recommend you try it." He said with an English accent. Miranda shook her head.

"I can't. My legs won't let me." She replied. The boy raised an eyebrow.

"How come?" he asked.

"Because they're weak." She said as the boy jumped to her side of the railing.

"Oh, so you're her." He said putting his hands in his pocket.

"Her who?"

"The girl… the one everyone's talking about. You're the special one going for some kinda treatment in Paris."

"Yes, I am. What has that got to do with anything?" she asked slightly embarrassed and infuriated.

"Nothing… " He said then he leaned over the railing. "I'm on the highest deck. I'm coming for my dollar in a few minutes." He shouted to somebody below. Then he bowed to Miranda and climbed over the railing again.

"What a strange boy." Thought Miranda. She didn't see him for the rest of the time she was on the "Lady Gill".

~*~

On the last day of the ship, the third day after England came in sight, everyone except Miranda stood on the deck and waiting for the ship to dock. Miranda stayed in her chambers and started to think about Ann. In her hands she held a sheet of paper and a pencil. She wanted to write about Ann yet no words came to her and for once her imagination refused to function.

"Oh blast it!" she shouted as she threw the pencil on the floor and slipped the paper back into the bedside table. Reaching for a pair of crutches she climbed out of bed and rang the bell for her maid. The maid appeared and Miranda asked her to pack her belongings since they were going to dock in three hours. The maid sighed and nodded then quickly out away the few things Miranda had taken out of her travelling suitcase.

"Is England really as cold as they say? Will I need two coats?" asked Miranda who was concerned about getting sick before she had her operation. The maid shook her head.

"No miss, its not yet Autumn. One coat will be enough; two coats might suffocate you. Especially two of the type of coats you own." She replied smiling. Miranda smiled at her then climbed back onto her bed.

'Maybe the reason I can't seem to write is because I'm nervous. I'll try when I get back on land.' She thought as sleep consumed her and dreams of Ann and different magical worlds raced through her mind.

~*~

The family Miranda was staying with was not related to her family. They were actually very old family friends who her parents trusted so much as to let Miranda stay with them while she was in England. It was a very lively family; there was Uncle Jacob who reminded Miranda very much of a Father Christmas with a red beard. There was Aunt Millicent who was a hopeless romantic who spent all day playing the piano, reading, gardening and gossiping with her friends. Then there was their baby daughter Julie whom everybody cooed over all the time.

Miranda found them absolutely hilarious and lovely. One sight and she immediately realized that this was the perfect family for Ann. A jolly father, a social mother and an adorable little sibling all living in the urban part of London. So perfect.

"Miranda, would you like to go to the park. You can hold Julie and I'll push your wheel chair for you." Said Aunt Millicent, interrupting Miranda's thoughts. Miranda looked up from the floor and smiled.

"Yes Aunt Millicent. I would love that!" she exclaimed. She called Aunt Millicent 'Aunt' as a form of respect that her parents had told her to do so. Aunt Millicent then told the maid to get Miranda's blanket out and to bring Julie down. For the past two days since Miranda had arrived the entire family had gone out of their way to make her feel at home till the day the ship from France arrived, exactly a week from then.

The walk to the park was interesting. Cabby's raced by and newspaper boys were going wild selling newspapers by the tens. Miranda's eyes happily darted from on person to the next then back to Julie who was gurgling in her arms. By the time they reached the park Miranda was in the mood for an adventure.

The park was empty except for a young mother and her daughter at the swings. Aunt Millicent pushed her through half of the park before they decided to stop and rest. She took Julie from Miranda's arms and lay her on the bench. While Aunt Millicent played with her daughter for a few minutes Miranda decided to walk around a bit. She reached for the crutches attached to the back of her wheel chair and got up to explore. Due to the fact that she was experienced with her crutches, Miranda got to places easily. Before she knew it she had wandered very far off and completely far away from the path.

"Are you lost?" Miranda turned around yet she saw no one. "I'm up here." Miranda looked up at the tree besides her and spotted the same boy from the ship sitting on a branch chewing a stick.

"You again?"

"Yes me, I never really got to introduce myself properly. My name is Ben." He said as he jumped down in front of her. "I was hoping I'd meet you here, Miranda."

"How on earth do you know my name?" she asked.

"Everyone on the ship knew." He told her.

"And what made you think I'd be stopping in England?" she asked trying not to look surprised.

"I had a hunch." He said. For a moment both of them were silent then Ben spoke, "Listen I want to show you something. Come with me." He began walked behind a bunch of trees. Miranda stood there for a moment resting on her crutches. Ben turned back then sighed.

"I'm sorry. I forgot." He said and then walked back to her and before she could protest he picked her up and carried her behind the clump of trees. He sat her down on the remains of a chopped-down tree trunk then went to get her crutches. Miranda could do nothing but stare at him while he did that. When he came back with her crutches he smiled at Miranda's dumbstruck face and said,

"Not all English boys are as forwards as I am. It's just your bad luck you had to meet someone like me." He then laughed then pointed to a tree trunk.

"Do you know what the carving on that tree trunk says?" he asked. Miranda shook her head.

"It's a treasure map. I was just figuring that out before I saw you." He said then pointed to a clearing from where Miranda could see the path that she was supposed to have taken.

"Oh, so I was that close to the path!" she exclaimed. "But do go on, this sounds interesting." She said turning back her attention to the tree trunk. She was already feeling as if she was part of this adventure of Ben's, even though he'd only shown her the map less than ten seconds ago.

"I would but I see your Aunt looking for you." He said. Miranda frowned but got up with the help of her crutches.

"If you'll come here tomorrow at the same time I'll explain this to you." He said as he helped her onto the path. Miranda nodded and turned to shout out to her Aunt of her location. When she turned back Ben had disappeared.

Writer's Note:

That was chapter one of "The Green Ring", book one of "The Otherworlds". It's meant to be the next installment of The Chronicles of Narnia, but it doesn't take place in Narnia. It takes place in a sister land of Narnia. Kind of… I'm not really sure. As I was writing this I thought, why not just change some stuff around and make it into an original fic but then again, the whole fun of writing this fanfiction is the "fan" bit. I enjoy adding related stuff with twists and turn along the way. That's the whole point to the fic.

And what I mean by saying it is a sequel to Alone is that it takes place after the events of Alone. Though I might not add anything about Susan's family etc.

Hope you people enjoyed this. It's dedicated to all those wonderful reviewers of mine who really encouraged me. Thank you all, so much.