The Green Rings

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

~*~

"Men like me, who possess hidden wisdom, are freed from common rules just as we are cut off from common pleasures. Ours, my boy, is a high and lonely destiny."

-Uncle Andrew, The Magician's Nephew.

~*~

Miranda's biggest problem was that she was excited, she showed it, very clearly. She jumped around in her wheelchair and moved her shoulders up and down as if trying to control her breathing. That night when Aunt Millicent had her group of friends over they seemed to notice it and their slightly egoistic heads made them think that it was because of the lovely tea-party that they were having just then.

"Oh Miranda honey, would you like to come over tomorrow to my place? My kids are here from their boarding school in America and I'm sure you'd like their company." Said one of the women. Miranda smiled politely.

"I don-" she began but Aunt Millicent interrupted.

"Why she would love to. You know how these children get so bored without their fellow classmates and friends so it'll be good for her to socialize with new people." She said speaking for Miranda. Miranda bit her lip wondering how on earth would she meet Ben the next day.

"I know! Why don't you come after tea for dinner? My children are never home until after tea so it'll be quite an ideal time. You come too Millicent." Said the woman. Miranda smiled politely and asked to be excused for the time being. Then wheeled out of the room wondering how she was going to escape from this.

~*~

It was late that night that Miranda woke up with a weird feeling in her stomach. A butterfly stomach type feeling; yet not from nervousness. It was as if she were being urged, to go somewhere… she got up from her bed, and limped to the door. Grabbing her nightgown she wrapped it around herself then made her way across hall and picking up her crutches she noiselessly made her way downstairs. There seemed to be something in the air that made her, dizzy. Magic.

She reached the bottom step and made her way to the door. Her hands automatically went to the door and the next minute she found herself outside crouching below a tree. Her hands were now wrapped around a stick, digging deep into the earth. She soon hit a metal box. Her hands quickly grabbed hold of it just as somewhere in the distance a cock began to crow. Miranda held the box tightly and rushed inside. She hastily climbed up the stairs with one crutch and left the other downstairs. On reaching her room she shoved the metal box under the bed and jumped onto the mattress. In two minutes flat she was fast asleep, only to be awoken a few hours later by Aunt Millicent.

~*~

Two hours into the morning, Miranda finally got the chance to go back up to her room. The digging through the dirt last night was a dream… yet she still wanted to check. She bent down and checked under the bed. There was nothing there. She got up and sighed at her silliness. Of course there wasn't any box! It had been a dream.

She turned around just then to see a metal box lying on the other side of the room. She had slung it under her bed with too much force and that's why it had slid all the way across the room. She limped to the other side of the room and grabbed the metal box, and opened it. Inside she found three green rings and three yellow ones, all neatly placed. She put out a hand to touch one just as her aunt called from down stairs.

"I'm coming!" she shouted and shut the box and placed it under her pillows. The rings would just have to wait.

~*~

Lunchtime saw Miranda squirming uncomfortably in her seat. Her mind had been on those rings all morning and she was just dying to see them. It was unfortunate though that Aunt Millicent had chosen that day to serve a four-course meal.

"As it is your last day with us before you leave for Paris." She had said. Miranda had politely smiled then bit her lip. It took two hours but when they were done her aunt suggested that she changed into something to go out in and visit the family that had invited her. Miranda went upstairs and changed. She then decided that she's take the metal box along with her also. Tucking it under her wheel chair's pocket she wheeled towards the front door and called out to Aunt Millicent whom had just entered fixing her skirt.

"Ah, you're ready!" she exclaimed and picking up Baby Jane she made her way towards the door to wheel Miranda out. It took them five minutes to set out and Miranda was already impatient. It was 4 o'clock and she really wanted to see Ben, but she couldn't tell her aunt just now. They walked for only half a mile or so when Miranda spotted an Iron Gate covered in creepers with some kind of pink flowers growing in-between. To her surprise it turned to be that house. The servant, who smiled and led them inside, greeted them at the gate. Inside on the veranda swing sat a little girl with pigtails. She smiled up at the three.

"Oh! Baby Jane!" she cooed and trotted over to them. Aunt Millicent handed over her baby to the girl who took her and slowly climbed the veranda and placed her on the swing couch and began to play with her. Miranda smiled as se pushed the wheelchair to wards the side of the house and up to the backyard where a table was set out for tea. Just about then the door opened and somebody ran out and almost crashed into her.

"Oh! I'm sorry." He said brushing away the brown hair away from his eyes then staring. "Miranda?" he asked.

"Ben!" Miranda exclaimed. Ben's mother came out just then.

"Oh Benny, do stay here. Miranda's come all the way for you people. You don't have to go to the park." She said. Miranda couldn't help smiling at the tone of his mother's voice. Ben looked embarrassed.

"Yes mother." He said but smiled at Miranda. An older girl came out and smiled at Miranda.

"Hello. I'm Jenny." She said shaking her hand then walking off to talk to Aunt Millicent.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the park?" Miranda asked Ben. Ben crossed his arms.

"I was on my way there. Aren't you supposed to be also?" he asked. Miranda blushed slightly from embarrassment.

"Yes, but I was going to escape… not that I want to be a rude guest of anything but I didn't want to leave you waiting or anything." She said. Ben smiled at her. He gestured to offer to push her wheel chair to the other side of the garden and Miranda let him. Once they were away from everyone else. Ben's voice became slightly excited.

"Well any ways, I copied down the map," he said showing her a piece of paper with a rough drawing, "…and so far I'm only able to tell that this cross leads to one of the houses on you block… The treasure is so close." He said. Miranda frowned.

"But I'm leaving tomorrow." She said. "How will I find this treasure?" she asked upset. Ben suddenly looked thoughtful.

"Hmm, that poses a problem. We only have a day then." He said. Miranda's eyes lit up and she moved over to one side and her wheelchair tipped. Ben caught it just in time for her but the tin box fell out.

"Oh… the boxes with the rings." She said. Ben picked it off the ground and opened it. They both stared at the Yellow and Green Rings. Miranda's hand went out to touch one, and so did Ben's. In a flash the two found themselves in darkness. Then in light again and before they knew it they were in the middle of a busy street surrounded by a troop of guards who were holding spears towards them.

"Come with us prisoners," said one of the guards.

Writer's Note:

And this was chapter two. I really hope you like it. It's not much; I had writer's block and actually still am suffering from it. I wanted to write more but I couldn't think of anything else to write. As I think I might have said before, there are plot holes, and I'm sorry about that. However, I am a very unorganized writer who keeps on getting in and out of writer's block so you can expect that of me ^^u.

Thank you to all the reviewers of chapter 1. I really appreciate it; you guys are very encouraging. Thank you all so much!