Gregory Orange and the Enchanted Kingdoms

By Ursula Graetz

Gregory Orange has lived all his twelve years in New Lynn where he is constantly tormented and teased because of his strange appearance - his white hair and jade colored eyes. For years his grandfather told him tales about the Enchanted Kingdoms but one day he is surprised to discover that the Enchanted Kingdoms really do exist and he is even more surprised to discover that he was actually born in the Enchanted Kingdoms. A gnome informs him that he, Gregory Orange, according to a prophecy, is actually a warrior who is going to save the Enchanted Kingdoms from doom. Together with his new found friends, the gnome, a fluffen, a pixie and a fairy, Gregory goes on a journey through the Enchanted Kingdoms in search of Prince Jadon and to save the Enchanted Kingdoms. On this dangerous journey through an enchanted world, Gregory Orange discovers the secrets of his own identity, as well as other secrets and hidden talents.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ursula Graetz
• Release date: Nov 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370189014

Ursula Graetz

Ursula is a Holistic Therapist offering Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy and counselling, as well as various Energy Healing modalities. Her love for writing started at a young age. Bullied at primary school forced her to hide in a library, and that is where her love for reading and her journey of writing began. It opened up a world of imagination which she incorporates into all her novels.

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GREGORY ORANGE & THE ENCHANTED KINGDOMS

THE PROPHECY OF THE CHOSEN ONE

Copyright 2016 Ursula Graetz

Published by Ursula Graetz

Cover by Orphia Creative Solutions

LICENSE NOTES

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.  This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people.  If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.  Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

COPYRIGHT

All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, especially the rights of translation, re-use of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior written permission given by the Author.

Copyright 2010 Ursula Graetz (Previously published through Xlibris under the name and style of UB Wessels)

Gregory Orange and the Enchanted Kingdoms is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Table of Contents

Chapter One – The Gnome & The Fluffen

Chapter Two – The Magic Book

Chapter Three – The Truth

Chapter Four – The Enchanted World

Chapter Five – Bee

Chapter Six – The Dungeons of Lome

Chapter Seven – The Great Raid of 44401

Chapter Eight – The Field of Flowers

Chapter Nine – The Fairy Kingdom

Chapter Ten – The Dragons Gift

Chapter Eleven - Jadeonia

Chapter Twelve – The Unicorn Rider

Chapter Thirteen – The Prince

FURTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER 1 – The Gnome and the Fluffen

Although it was a miserable day as the rain poured relentlessly down onto the grounds of the graveyard, it was even more miserable for Gregory Orange. Today, his beloved grandfather, Walter Orange, was getting buried. Gregory was grateful for the rain; it meant that nobody could see him crying. Being ten years old was not easy, especially when having two elder brothers who continually tormented him and teased him because of his strange appearance – his snow-white hair, his jade-coloured gemstone eyes, and his extraordinary height. Sadly, it wasn’t just his brothers who teased him; everybody in town mocked him, including his mother’s friends.

You know, Gregory is quite a strange-looking boy, they would comment.

I know, he gets his looks from my late husband’s side of the family. They weren’t from around these parts. Mrs Orange would always reply.

Once, Gregory Orange had questioned his mother about that remark, since all the photos of his late father revealed that his father had had red hair, not white hair. Of course, Gregory had never known his father, as his father had died when Gregory was still a baby.

Your great-grandfather had white hair and jade-coloured eyes like yours, his mother had then replied and refused to discuss the matter further.

Another thing that Gregory also found strange was that his two brothers had red hair like their father and grandfather. Gregory was the odd one out. It was unfortunate that Gregory’s mother never had any photos of their great-grandfather, which might have helped Gregory not to feel like the odd one out and would have given him some sort of connection and sense of belonging to the family. As it was, if it weren’t for his grandfather, Walter’s affections, Gregory would have felt estranged from his family. It always felt like he was a stranger in his own home and an unwelcome one at that.

The rain stopped, and Gregory looked up at the looming large grey clouds that were fast forming in the skies above them. They seemed to be moving around in circles, almost like a tornado, hovering above the graveyard. He smiled. If his grandfather were alive right now, he would most definitely have said that those clouds were enchanted.

When Walter Orange visited, he used to love telling Gregory stories of the Enchanted Kingdoms – stories about fairies, trolls, dragons, dwarfs, and many other enchanted creatures. And Gregory loved hearing the stories, even though his elder brothers hated the stories and teased Gregory about it. Sadly, Walter Orange did not visit often, yet in the time he did spend with the family, he and Gregory had formed an extremely close-knit relationship. Now he was gone. With a sigh, Gregory glanced around at the gloomy graveyard. There were many tall trees near the edge of the graveyard, and they all seemed as stiff and unfriendly as the townsfolk of New Lynn. Gregory noticed that the old picket fence surrounding the graveyard of the little church, the only church in their town, needed repair work done, just like many of the fences around New Lynn.

Suddenly, a movement caught Gregory’s eye. Something fast and furry had sprinted past him. But when he looked around, he didn’t see anything. For a minute, Gregory remained glued to where he stood, thinking he must have imagined it, but then, there it was again. This time, he saw it clearly. A dwarf-like creature ran past him. It wore a long red pointy hat and a strange outfit of yellow and red. Running beside it was a furry white ball of fluff with little black eyes. The creatures dashed behind a tree and hid there for a few seconds before leaving that tree and sprinting to another.

Surely, it could not be. Gregory was sure that those creatures were a gnome and a fluffen. But fluffens and gnomes weren’t real. They were merely imaginary creatures from his grandfather’s stories. He shook his head. Perhaps his grief was making him lose his mind.

Then he saw the two creatures dash behind another tree. They seemed to come closer and closer to the people who were attending his grandfather’s funeral. He rubbed his eyes. Truly he must be seeing things. But then he saw them again.

If they were real, surely then they would be afraid of people? They wouldn’t be moving closer to them. He glanced around to see if anyone else could see the creatures, but it seemed nobody had.

Mom! Gregory grabbed his mother’s arm. He desperately needed to know whether she could see the creatures and it wasn’t just in his imagination.

Not now, Gregory! his mother croaked, her voice thick with tears.

Mrs Orange was angry and sad at the same time. Now she was completely alone to look after the three boys – not that it made a difference. Her father-in-law had hardly been around anyway, she reminded herself bitterly. First, her husband had died, and now his father. How would she cope now? She cried a few more tears and held her tissue to her eyes.

But Mom, there’s a gnome and a fluffen, Gregory blurted out, and his brothers immediately laughed at him.

Mrs Orange lowered her tissue and shook her head distraughtly before giving the boys a warning glance. She didn’t need this. The townspeople gossiped enough about her and her children, especially about poor Gregory. Hush! she beamed in a low tone, Everyone’s staring at us. She brushed away Gregory’s hand and ignored him.

For the rest of that week, Liam and Adam teased their little brother for living in an imaginary world, and soon Gregory began to agree with them. He must have imagined the creatures.

CHAPTER 2 – The Magic Book

Two years had passed since the funeral, and so too had the memory of the enchanted creatures that Gregory had thought he had seen.

But then one day everything changed.

Gregory sat on a swing in the town’s deserted park. The grass was overgrown, and most swings were either broken or just about to break, but he didn’t complain. At least he was alone. The school’s bully Scott and his group of followers, wannabe bullies, had pulled Gregory into the girls’ toilet, dunking his head down the toilet bowl, again.

Just hoping to change your hair colour, you freak! Scott had bellowed mockingly, and they had all laughed at him.

Gregory was just grateful that Miss Nadia had walked in at that moment, and immediately ordered Scott and his friends to visit the principal’s office. This was Gregory’s chance to escape. Humiliated and sad, he had run away from school and ended up at the park which he knew would be deserted as all the children were still at school – where he should be.

As he sat on the swing, he battled to control his sadness and humiliation. His heart was pounding, and his ears were ringing. Why did everyone always have to mock him for his peculiar features?

Why can’t everyone just leave me alone? he howled in torment.

I’m afraid they will never leave you alone!’ replied a heavily accented voice, which made Gregory jump off the swing. And that’s because you don’t belong to this world," the voice added.

Gregory squirmed and looked around, first afraid, then angry.

Who are you? Show yourself, coward! Gregory was tired of being teased.

I’m here, hiding behind the tree near the park bench, the voice came.

Gregory turned around and looked at the bench. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. It could not be. No, you’re not real, he stammered. Was he losing his mind again?

The creature climbed up onto the bench with some difficulty before sitting down, and then regarded Gregory with interest. I’m as real as the colour of your hair and eyes, the gnome replied, and Gregory was sure he picked up on a hint