Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it does not belong to me. Gabriel, however, does.
Chapter One : The Beginning of The Beginning
Dust clouded in front of me as I walked into the deserted house. It smelled musty. One could tell that it had not been lived in for many years. My eyes adjusted to the darkness. I threw my soaking wet overcoat to the ground. It had been raining for two days. I was glad of my newly found shelter.
I had always loved to explore, anyway... and I could do plenty of it in the mansion that I was currently standing in. The full moon streaming through the boarded up windows helped me see my way to the bottom of a large grand staircase. I pulled my flashlight from my backpack, and started to climb, dust clouding up before me with every cautious step that I took.
I stopped on the second floor landing, but felt that I should go on... like someone invisible was calling me to the third floor... so I climbed on.
Before me loomed a long corridor. I walked slowly, taking in my surroundings.
Whoever had lived here before had been rich. There were antique vases, and old nick-nacks that lined shelves and cupboards, which in turn lined the hallways. The carpet was so thick, that my footsteps made no noise when I walked.
When I came to the right door (and yes, I knew that it was right), I opened it slowly, and crept in. It was a bedroom. A huge bedroom, with an intricately carved canopy bed right in the center of it. A large oak dresser sat to my right. To my left, there was a glorious looking fireplace.
My body suddenly shivered, as to remind me that I had been out in the cold for days. I walked over to the fireplace, and was surprised to find adequate wood to make a fire, as well as matches. I was even more surprised at how clean the room was. Everywhere else in the house had been covered in dust. This room, was completely spotless. It was as though it had just been dusted.
I struck a match. Surely no one would see... there wasn't a house around for miles... I dropped the match on to a log, and nearly had to jump back as the fire sprang to life, instantaneously. It was perfect.
I stood, and walked over to the bed. I wasn't surprised to find a long silk gown, just my size laid out upon it, or the covers already turned down and the pillows fluffed. It was as though the house knew that I was coming.
I slid off my soaking wet clothes, and slid the gown over my head. It felt so wonderfully soft. I slid myself into the covers and marveled at how soft the bed was. I don't know why, but I felt so at home in that house. I felt like I had lived there for years. When my eyes wandered to the canopy above me, I gasped.
There was the most beautiful picture I had ever seen painted there. It was a lovely mural. In describing it, I would do it no justice, yet I will try for the sake of this story.
It was a beautiful, lush forest, with snow covering the fir trees. They themselves seemed large, and proud. They almost seemed to be moving, as though they were swaying in a gentle breeze. In the midst of the wood flowed an icy, but beautiful river.
Beside of it, stood a man... animal... being. Yes, that's it, a being. He was half man, and half horse, it seemed. A centaur, is that right? Yes, I believe that it is. His black flank glistened in the sunlight, and like the trees, he stood tall and proud.
I yawned. I hadn't slept properly in three nights. My eyes began to shut, yet, they opened quickly as I noticed something disturbing about that picture... it was moving. The water was flowing. The trees really had been swaying in the breeze. The centaur stepped forward, and drank from the river,
And then, the oddest feeling that had ever come over me enveloped me. I felt as though someone was pulling me forward by the insides of my stomach; like some invisible hook had me by the navel. And then I was falling, though I was lying still. When I realized what was happening, I saw that I really was falling. The bedroom had disappeared. I saw the trees whizzing by. My body fell faster and faster, and then SPLASH! The icy water of the river met my body with force.
I rose to the surface, and came face to face with a very pointy sword. It was held by the centaur.
"Who are you? How did you get here?" He asked, his booming voice making the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I suppose the icy water helped.
"My name is Gabriel," I said, " and I don't know how I came to be here!" He studied me for a moment, then sheathed his sword. I sighed, and began to shiver. He had suddenly taken me by the underarm and hoisted me out of the river.
The nightgown clung to my wet body, and I tried desperately to cover myself. He saw my misery, and his eyes softened.
"I will get you a blanket." He said. I nodded appreciatively, and tried to control my chattering teeth. I looked around. I was most definitely not in Kansas anymore.
The centaur returned, and placed a large brown wool blanket over my shoulders. I gladly accepted the warmth, pulling it tighter around my shivering form. I looked up and noticed him studying me.
"Are you... human?" He asked. I nodded. He looked surprised.
"Where am I?" I asked, trying not to shiver.
"You are in Narnia." He said. I wrinkled my brow.
"I've never heard of Narnia." I replied. The centaur nodded his head.
"Because it is not of your world." He said. Somehow, I knew that he was speaking the truth.
"Aren't there any humans here?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
"Not by nature," he said. I was silent.
"My name is Oreius, Gabriel. I am a centaur." He said. I nodded.
"Please tell me of how you got here."
Oreius stroked his chin inquisitively. He had lit a nice warm fire as I had been telling my story. I was not shivering anymore. He had made me start at the main beginning, with my running away from home. Oreius was the only person that I had ever told about my beatings, and I barely knew him. Yet, I felt that I could trust this centaur. Isn't it strange that I wasn't even frightened upon meeting a mythological creature?
"I shall have to take you with me." He said.
"Take me where?" I asked, though I was not afraid.
"To my home, the shuddering wood."
a/n: I don't know if this showed up on the first chapter or not, so I will just say it again. This is my first fanfic, so I would appreciate it if no one would flame me, at least not too terribly. I probably won't get to update as often as I would like, and I apologize for that, but I am often busy during the summer. I would also like to warn to mary sue haters out there, that while this will not intentionally be a mary sue, it may turn out that way regardless. Sorry!