In the woods of Narnia, in Archenland, Nadelyn was entering Narnia….

She felt as though she were dreaming as a warm sensation blanketed her and darkness surrounded her. What is this place? She thought as she felt a solid mass forming under her feet. There was a sign written on wood next to the lake she jumped in, it was the only one that was marked; it was called Narnia… What’s Narnia? She though, but the though quickly left as she was suddenly blinded by a light. When she came out of the shock, she was struggling to stand for the ground has come up under her so quickly. She looked around as sun-light poured in through the leaves and branches on the trees. The trees we so tall and thick, the most beautiful trees she’d ever seen; with leafs the size of your hands…

She heard rustling behind her in the forest. She froze in her place. Oh no, I’m dead! She thought. What horrible place have I misfortuned myself upon? She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid she’d open them to see an awful monster waiting to devour her. She had quite the imagination.

“And what, proclaim, are you?” a deep voice bellowed behind her.

Nadelyn’s mind twisted with hearing his words. He must not be in mind to kill me, at least not yet. She thought in reflection… she took a deep breath, be bold. She told herself. And don’t say anything stupid.

Nadelyn began to turned around, “I beg your pardon?” she asked in quandary, for she didn’t quite understand what he meant by ‘what are you’, until she had fully turned around and saw that standing before her was a Centaur, a real one. Her eyes widened and her eyebrows lifted involuntarily. She was astonished. She realized that her mouth was beginning to gape open and she quickly regained her composer, hoping she hadn’t offended him. She wanted to be as polite as possible, for she did not want to upset him, incase he was a bad guy and she would be punished for her ignorance. But she did not want to appear weak.

“Well?” he urged her on. He was not a shy one, he was quite bold. For most would have stayed a great deal of a distance away from a stranger they hadn’t seen. “You must have only just arrived.” He said allowed.

“And how do you come to this conclusion?” Nadelyn said rather boldly. She kept wishing she would keep her mouth shut and appear as shy and frightened, which she was, but she had an awful habit of standing up to things that frightened her. And often she would get in trouble for it.

“You look at me as though you have never seen a Centaur before.” He crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to grin. He was amused with her.

Nadelyn lowered her head, “I apologize, sir. You are correct in your observation.”

“Then you have not been here long at all?” the Centaur asked.

“No, I only just arrived, just before you came upon me.”

“Where did you arrive?”

“This very spot I stand in.”

The Centaur was now confused. “How did you arrive?”

Through the strange portals she had gone through, her memory of the events had become hazy. “I…” she thought a moment longer. “I don’t remember.” She finished in awe of her lack of remembrance.

“Hmmm…” The Centaur hummed with wariness. He did not think this young lady could possibly be anything to be mistrusted, but he thought it odd she had no recollection of how she got there. He shrugged. “I am Borlors, son of Orlem. I am a servant of Aslan.”

Nadelyn didn’t know what to think of his introduction. Does this mean I won’t be punished? She thought, but didn’t dare ask.

“And you are?” Borlors asked, raising an eyebrow. Nadelyn was staring at the ground, as if she were in a trance. He cleared his throat, meaning to get her attention. She snapped out of it. When adults used this to get your attention, you were usually in trouble, at least in her world.

“I am sorry; I was thinking…” she trailed off. “The rings…” she murmured, as she started to piece together everything before her arrival.

“I beg your pardon?” Borlors asked.
She held up her hand, showing him to green ring on her finger. Borlors stepped closer. He was now confused. Nadelyn could see this.

“This gold ring transports who ever puts it on between worlds. There is an intermediate land, full of little lakes, and when you step in them, with this ring on, you are transported into another world. And when you put on the green one, which is in my pocket, you are taken back to the intermediate land. And I assume when you are there and put on the gold on, it will take you back to where you came from, my world.” Nadelyn explained.

The Centaur nodded in understanding. But Nadelyn thought he was mocking her.

“You don’t believe me, do you? And now you’re going to take me in for questioning under suspicion and your Aslan will condemn me to death!” Nadelyn said quickly, she felt tears welling up behind her eyes.

Borlors was shocked at this. “No! Please do not think that!” he said as quick as he could, hoping he would stop her thoughts of fear. Aslan is the good king; the lion is the good ruler of Narnia. It is the white witch you have to look out for, her an all her loyal minions; Calormene. I am an Archenland, friend of Narnia. I am not going to harm you. I am a kind Centaur.”

Nadelyn thought about this for a moment. If he really wanted to kill me, he would have taken me prisoner by now. She nodded her head in compliance that she understood. She looked up at Borlors and he smiled at her. She was feeling shy after all the fears of being held captive and maybe even killed, she smiled back meekly.

“So, you never did answer my question.” Borlors said with a grin. Nadelyn looked at him, not remembering what he was talking about. “What are you?” he asked again.

“Isn’t it obvious? I am a girl!” Nadelyn said, wondering if that was the answer he was looking for. She could see that he was waiting for explanation, so she continued by saying; “I’m human?” she finished in a tone enunciating her race as though to point out it should be rather obvious.
He nodded, “I rather thought so. We call female humans daughters of Eve and male humans Sons of Adam.”

“Ah,” Nadelyn said in awareness.

“And your name?” Borlors inquired.

“Nadelyn. Nadelyn Belmeadow.”

“Belmeadow, I know that name.” Borlors trailed off in thought; remembrance.

“Are you mad? I’m from the world of men! I think you don’t know my name as well as you think. Perhaps it is similar to a name you do know.” Nadelyn said rather matter-of-factly.

“No! I do! And your first name, it has a Narnian background. Are you sure you have only just arrived?”

“I am quite sure!” Nadelyn said, getting offended that she didn’t have enough sense in her head to know when and where she had arrived and how long she had been there.

“Is your father’s name Ashmal?” Borlors asked.
Nadelyn was already ready to say no, for she was certain that no name he knew had come from her world. But she was taken off guard when the name he said was her father name. She had always thought a queer (as in strange) name. “Why, yes… how on earth did you guess??”

“I knew him.” Borlors said with confidence, in an almost teasing way, for the way she had been so positive he had not known her name.