Gregory Orange & the Enchanted Kingdoms

By UB Wessels

Gregory Orange has lived all of his twelve years in the run-down little town of New Lynn where he is constantly subject to torment and teasing because of his strange looks - white hair and jade coloured 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 exist and he is even more surprised to find out that he wasactually born in the Enchanted Kingdoms.A gnome informs him that he, Gregory Orange,according to a prophecy, is actually a warrior that would save the Enchanted Kingdoms from dying. Together with his newly found friends, a gnome, a pixie and a fairy Gregory goes on a journey in the Enchanted Kingdoms in search of Prince Jadonand 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: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Oct 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781477165881

UB Wessels

Being a single working parent of three children for the past five years has afforded me the opportunity to enjoy the little things in life – the animation movies, the children’s songs, the fun and games – it’s a whole other world being the only adult among children. I have my wonderful children to thank for giving me the inspiration to write children stories and could not have chosen a better outlet for me than creating an enchanted world for my children to enjoy reading. Children are everything!

Book preview

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, he realized, 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 extraordinary height. Actually, it wasn’t just his brothers who teased him; everybody in town mocked him, even his mother’s friends.

‘You know, Gregory looks strange.’ They would say.

‘He gets his looks from my late husband’s side of the family. They weren’t from around these parts.’ Gregory’s mother would reply.

Once, Gregory Orange had questioned his mother about that remark since all the photos of his late father revealed that he had red hair not white hair. Gregory could not remember his father, who had died in a mining accident at his work a few months after Gregory had been born.

‘Your great-grandfather also had white hair and jade-coloured eyes like yours,’ Mrs Orange said and then refused to discuss the matter further. What Gregory also found strange was that his two brothers had red hair like their father and grandfather. Gregory was the odd one out. His mother never had any photos of their great-grandfather, which would have really helped Gregory feel some sort of belonging or connection.

The rain stopped, and Gregory Orange looked up at the large gray clouds that were forming. They seemed to be moving around in circles, almost like a tornado, hovering above the graveyard. If his grandfather were alive right now, he would say it was an enchanted formation. Walter Orange used to love telling Gregory stories of the Enchanted Kingdoms. Stories about fairies, trolls, dragons, dwarfs, and whatever other enchanted folk he could think of. Gregory loved the stories even though his elder brothers teased him about it. Although Walter Orange had often been away, Gregory had grown very close to his grandfather.

With a sigh, Gregory looked around at the gloomy graveyard. There were many tall trees near the edge of the graveyard, and all seemed as stiff and unfriendly as the townsfolk. Gregory noticed that the old picket fence surrounding the graveyard of the little church, the only church in their town, needed repair work done, like many of the fences around New Lynn.

Suddenly, something caught Gregory’s eye. Something fast and furry slipped among the trees and hid. For a minute, Gregory thought he was imagining it, but then, there it was again. This time, he saw a little man with a long red pointy hat run after a furry white thing, and then both ran behind another tree and hid.

It could not be, thought Gregory. He saw a gnome and fluffen. Fluffens and gnomes were not real, he reminded himself. They were just imaginary creatures from his grandfather’s stories. Then he saw the two creatures running towards another tree, coming closer to the people. But if they were real, he thought, they would be afraid of people and would not be coming closer. He looked around to see if anyone else could see the creatures, but nobody was staring at the direction of the trees; only he was.

‘Mom …’ Gregory grabbed his mother’s arm. He was getting scared and desperately needed to know whether his mother could see the creatures too.

‘Not now, Gregory!’ His mother croaked, her voice thick with tears. She 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 died and now his father?

‘But Mom, there’s a gnome and fluffen,’ Gregory blurted out, and his brothers immediately laughed and scoffed at him before his mother threw a warning glance at them. She really didn’t need this. The townspeople gossiped enough about her and her children, especially about Gregory. ‘Hush! The people are staring at us,’ she said agitatedly and brushed off Gregory’s hand.

For the rest of that week Liam and Adam teased their little brother, making his life a living hell, and soon Gregory began thinking maybe they were right, maybe he had imagined the creatures.

CHAPTER 2

THE MAGIC BOOK

Two years had passed, and so too had the memory of the enchanted creatures. One late morning, Gregory sat on a swing in the town’s deserted park. The grass was overgrown, and most swings were either broken or just about broken, 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, pushing his head down the toilet bowl again. ‘Just hoping to change your hair colour, you freak!’ Scott had said and they all laughed at him. Thank heavens, Miss Nadia had walked in and immediately ordered Scott and his friends to leave. This was Gregory’s time to escape. He bunked school and ran to the park, knowing it would be deserted as all the children were at school. His heart was pounding, and his ears were ringing. He was both angry and sad and tired of everyone mocking him about his looks.

‘Why can’t everyone just leave me alone?’ he shouted.

‘They will never leave you alone!’ replied a tiny squeaky voice, which made Gregory jump off the swing. ‘You don’t belong to this world,’ the voice continued. Gregory looked around nervously.

‘Who are you? Where are you? Show yourself, coward!’ Gregory shouted angrily, sure someone was teasing him again.

‘I’m here … on the park bench.’ 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.’ Gregory grew worried. Was he losing his mind?

‘I’m as real as the colour of your hair and eyes,’ replied the gnome grouchily. ‘Come here, Gregory, and sit down beside me. I have a lot to tell you.’ The gnome motioned with his tiny hand. Gregory warily approached the gnome, who was half Gregory’s size. ‘Fluffy!’ the gnome called, looking around. Gregory stopped in his tracks, not daring to breathe as he wondered what or who Fluffy was. Then a white mop-head-like creature with two hefty eyes came running towards them excitedly, making strange but cute whistling sounds.

‘It’s a fluffen!’ Gregory said in amazement.

‘Yes, Fluffy is a fluffen. I must say, they’re a nuisance sometimes, but you can’t help but adore the little creatures,’ the gnome replied affectionately. Fluffy jumped onto the park bench, snuggled beside the tiny gnome, and stared at Gregory. Curiously, Gregory approached the park bench and sat down beside the fluffen.

‘Does he bite?’ Gregory wanted to know.

‘Oh no, fluffens never bite. They won’t even harm a mugget,’ replied the gnome.

‘A mugget?’ Gregory asked, confused.

‘Oh, muggets are similar to what you would call fleas. I’m Ven,’ the gnome introduced himself.

‘How can this be? You can’t be real?’ Gregory said, shaking his head in wonderment.

‘We are very real, Gregory,’ Ven replied.

‘Were you at my grandfather’s funeral?’ Gregory asked suddenly, hoping the gnome would say yes, proving that he had not imagined it.

‘Yes, of course we were. It was a sad day for the Enchanted Kingdoms when your grandfather died. Walter Orange was a great warrior who fought many wars alongside us. The enchanted