Aslan`s Country!

~Aslan`s Country~

Chapter 1!

~The Courtyard!~

“There weren’t always Dragons in the Valley!”

Aslan said out loud as he stood there shaking his wise head and his majestically old Lion's mane extremely worried and completely forlorn about the frustrating situation staring him back in the face; not quite understanding what he was seeing and experiencing in what was taking place in the Valley Region in the Forest of the Woods between the World’s? A place and time where he finally realizes his wisdom has run out, perplexed as he stared out at what he was faced with, no longer did Aslan have any answers or ideas or solutions on what to do? How does he PUT OUT THE DRAGON’S FLAMES BURNING DOWN all the trees and life that has lived here in this place in times that started long before he ever took his first breath or lion’s roar of existence?

The sweat falling from his brow (moment’s later) over the heat that was consuming him not just the life here in the Woods between the World’s, his Country and that of Narnia were also experiencing, finally got to him so… that he tilted his head back the KING over Kingdoms he was and let out a ROAR like no other roar in all the times of Lion’s living anywhere, so piercing that for all who heard it, knew that it wouldn’t be a cry or a moment any of them would too soon forget!

And that’s when it hit him, the only answer he could come up with, the best and quickest solution for the immediate danger and threat that looms over all of the world’s and all life, tree, plants, vegetation, animals and human existence… and that of course meant contacting someone from the place on earth where the human’s live known as Utter East which opens doors to all sorts of additional cross world complications that he’s all to familiar with, sighing over the challenges that lay ahead, considering that this was still the most immediate thing he could do!

He knew that he could only mentally prepare himself for the adventure and wonder that lay ahead as there was no going back, only moving forward from here in search of answers for what grips over him right where he’s standing!

And that there was only 1 way he knew how to do what was needed in order to by the time necessary for his call to reach the one right person to find the urgent answers needed to save all life everywhere from these ever burning dragon’s flames! He knew exactly what he had to do, so he wasted no time in taking a hold of his powers in being able to do what he could, and he began the process of overthrowing all the seasons, he understood that while he waited for Jennifer’s response that he had to STOP SPRING from moving in and taking over everywhere.

So he got to work on desperately seeking ways to make winter stay and freeze over everything, to keep everything in every world, cooled down, in order to keep the dragon’s away and keep them too cold to come out of their den’s and layers, to stop them from warming things up to quickly and causing imminent danger with their throats of fire when they romp and play in jubilant bliss as they wake from long winters rests!

* * * * *

Jennifer

“Aslan?” “Is that you? Are you responsible for this massive thick blanket of covering of snow dump over my home land and territory? This is like no other snowfall I’ve ever seen in this here region, where I now live. I knew right away this was not normal and that it was to be recognized as a sign of something deeper and bigger! Lucky for me I have experience in these sorts of winters as I’ve lived in many other places, and have experienced life where snow is so deep and high you have to walk across the lands and prairies with special shoes made to wear with your boots to get around in winters like this! So I was still able to get out and get to work, but really it did put the whole place in a state of emergency, everything slowed to a snail's pace. It is the largest white out, winter blizzard these here parts have ever now seen!”

Aslan

“Oh Good, so IT DID WORK? I managed to get it right, the snow, it fell over the land of Utter East? I wanted to be sure it was your attention I did reach, that you would recognize my call from my Country!” “And what are those things I seen you wearing under your boots, never seen the likes of anything like those over here or anywhere in Narnia for that matter? Something tells me there’s lots I do not yet still know about your place where the humans being are, at least not from the side of knowledge from adults like you in your place! Over here I have, witches, and magicians and animal people’s and things but when the children came to Narnia, they brought no grown ups with them, even you who I watched over from time to time since the beginning, when you were but still a young girl yourself, not in all that time did I ever see or hear about the likes of such things as those stick made items I have now seen your boots wear?

From the time your imagination and creativity found your way to discovering Narnia and my Country, its you perhaps that has come to know even more then most, maybe you know most of all about Aslan Country then all others? It therefore now makes you important to me and why I had to be sure I could reach you, and not waste my effort in trying! And then out of the blue after all my Lion years of knowing you, I only just NOW learn about these things you used to stay ON TOP of the snow in the storm I sent to Utter East?”

Jennifer

“Well, Aslan I didn’t get it right away, but as the evening got later and the snow kept coming after a whole day of weather too warm and everything melting and being dangerously icy and wet, I put it all the signs together and thought to myself could it be? I mean it’s been so long since I’ve thought of the place, and seen Narnia in my mind and dreams! The last signs I might have thought were messages from you were statues of Lions I kept seeing all over a larger place called a metropolis, (BIG CITY) were everywhere I was walking in this one neighborhood for some time I was there in that part of the Larger Utter East. Which is actually a little more WEST to the Utter East where I’m now home, so it’s all really rather a bit sort of complicated, how maps and directions and things work here compared to your understanding of things about where the Humans are being!”

“What I did know to think, once recognizing that it was in fact you calling to me this way is that you are breaking the rules of the woods between the worlds! That’s why the woods and the Courtyard exists, it’s where we go when we need to seek results on urgent matters that requires the attention and help of the HIGHEST LAWS and RULES of ALL OUR LANDS divided and protected in the safety and sanctuary of the woods between the worlds!”

Aslan

“Yes, I know we normally go to the Courtyard but the matter is rather urgent for me, and there was really no time or other way, I had to seek you and your attention alone. For I believe you are the only human being between all the worlds in the woods between the worlds that has the knowledge that you do and can help me in matters that are affecting both our places and will continue to, unless we come together and help one another! It is indeed my will to have sought your attention in order to get you to agree to meet with me there in that very right place you have now already mentioned!”

“Will you please meet me there in The Courtyard? We can talk more and better and safely within the rules between our worlds and the rules given for us from the woods between the worlds, and we can do so IN PERSON there! As I do look so forward to seeing you face to face. How old are you now, and what do you look like, it’s been so long since you were here with us all, back when you were young from where you are? Here in Aslan Country and Narnia, time doesn’t change as much, we do not age at all much, in fact I don’t even know how old in lion years I really am myself? I’ve only got just so few great gray hairs as the only sign that I’ve indeed been around for the time I have in fact been!” He laughed right then understanding his own point!

Jennifer

“Yes agreed it has been quite a long time in both respects, and I don’t recollect ever thinking I’ve ever seen you in The Courtyard’s before? Have you in fact ever been there before seeking to go there now? I think your age may truly show there, and I’m wondering if you are prepared and maybe in fact ready for this? It must indeed be a terribly important, urgent pressing matter if you seek to see ME THERE?”

Aslan

“Yes! I’m afraid I rather am confused about some things, and that I have some news that in your Utter East would be understood as Bad News or news that is considered worrisome. So without any further time to waste, let us agree to meet in The Courtyard where I can explain it all full well and better speaking to you in person face to face!”

Jennifer!

“Fine, Aslan I am touched and honored that you would seek to find me and request my attention and ask my advise and help, and how could I possibly ever turn down meeting you in person face to face in the Courtyard, it has indeed only been my wildest dreams to climb through the wardrobe like the other children and visit Narnia and your Country when it was all at its best, most beautiful days and times!

To spend time with you and hear you tell me for yourself all about all that goodness and fullness of times in the existence in which you have been in, and be able to see and smell and test and understand it inside me through how you share it with me, would be of an utmost honor and of 1 great time and adventure I’d surely be crazy to pass on or to miss, no matter how old I might be in the Utter East World times, I’m still certainly most young at heart and the girl you’ve always known me, and still remember me to be!”

Aslan

“All is well then, to hear this is spectacular good news, I would indeed love to tell you of all my journey’s and exploration and adventures of times fullness, maybe together we could even write a story or even make it a book to be stored and shared in a library in the woods between the worlds for many future generations of more life yet to come? (Aslan pauses and re-thinks with a sigh and changes his thought to a different remark) Groaning in sorrow his loudness could not be mistaken or unheard he says...

“PROVIDED WE HAVE WORLDS to live in, for more futures to come in all the worlds in the woods between the worlds between your place and mine?” Aslan then stopped and he became quiet and cautious and knew not what else to say!

Jennifer

“Oh, well now that does sound serious! Let’s hurry this up then and agree to meet soon, when the sun is up and we are blessed with the glory of DAY in which to see each other in and enjoy our special time in the beautiful Courtyard together!” “Shall we say Wednesday, tea & crumpets at 2 pm?”

Aslan

(stomach growling) He always did have a weakness for certain foods made by Human’s Being, British Aristocracy and other European delights always his fondest memories and experiences of good bites!

“Tea & crumpets, well now it has been ever so long since I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy this! But as for Wednesday, can we perhaps make it Tuesday, as it really is an emergency, and 1 24 hour day really can and may make all the difference in the time ahead we have to find a way to get it all fixed, and the sooner we come together to discuss it all, the sooner together we can do this?”

Jennifer

“Without question Aslan, if it be a matter that bothers you in such a grand way that you wish to move up our meeting to 1 day sooner, then by all means I can accommodate this, I will just shuffle some things around, move something from here to over there, and something from over there to over here, or another new place and space in my time! So it is then, a Done Deal! Tuesday at 2 pm for Tea & Crumpets in The Courtyards, you and me Aslan, my friend!”

Aslan (ROARS with love, pride, appreciation and excitement for all that is now rushing through him) he looks forward to what will be such great times with someone he knows to regret, times past (lost) in achieving these in person days, a visit long overdue between the 2! As he has after all known all about her and watched over her whole life, from the time she was just a babe in a crib! He certainly doesn’t plan to waste it!

“Tuesday at 2 pm, Tea & Crumpets in The Courtyards it is!”

Jennifer

“Alright Aslan, see you then!”

Then normal life such as it was in Utter East returned and Jennifer once again was faced with the daily order of life and work ahead for her to do. Something she realized right away was a way of living that Aslan would not know about, and she made a note (to herself) to be sure that it was something she brought up with Aslan and told him much about!

With that she wrote in her logbook that it was time for rounds and put her pen down and got dressed in her winter wears and left the warmth and the safety of the shack and walked out into the deepest darkest, coldest days of winter in Utter East and went to work!

THE END of segment 1!

* * * * *

First Visit with Aslan in the Court yards!

Tuesday at 2 pm it now is, just as the agreed upon day, date and time to meet with Aslan in the Courtyard was arranged, looking up from my wrist watch happy to see that I was on time I looked around to see who else and what else was going on in the Courtyard. It had been so very long since I was last here, I was but a wee young one with an ever growing rich imagination just starting out in this great big Universe of ours! How different it was to be here now as an adult, a person whose had children of her own in fact, so now a parent of little people myself too. I could not see Aslan anywhere but I did see the Judge in his chambers and his empty desk in the middle of the courts, and all the various staffing peoples from different places in the woods between the worlds that it requires to run the Courtyard!

And then just when I was coming to an end of my account on who was there I could hear his voice rumble out to me, the loudest and closest I`ve ever heard it in all my reading days and day dreams, and then there he was standing life size right there in front of me! ASLAN the LION, meeting with me Face to Face! What an honor, I was so honored I could not speak, I was tongue tied, all I could do was muster up the strength to take in the biggest breath of excitement I could possibly find within myself to take and then it happened… Aslan spoke to me!

Aslan

“Did you bring them, are those the funny looking contraptions you wear on your feet in the deepest part of winter, with the mostest amount of snow for the season, you never actually answered my question in telling me what they are called?”

Jennifer

Laughing out loud now at Aslan`s cheerful, curious and playful disposition… pulled the 2 sets she had brought with her out from her side and laid them out forward in front of the 2 of them and said…

“Snow Shoes... is what they are called and Yes, Aslan these are them, I did indeed remember to bring them, as I`m of course curious to know why you`d find an interest in wanting to know about these now, and what your plans with such an old fashioned tool for human`s to use to get around might just be, you have my curiosity peaked, I truly must know?”

Then I walked over to him closer and said that I would happily help to show him how they work and help him experience it first hand for himself! So I took the 4 snowshoes and laid them out, each in their right place next to his 4 paws, the right 1 for the right foot. Once I was certain they were all correct I told Aslan that I would need to touch his legs next and that he would need to trust me and follow my instructions from there!

Jennifer

“O.K. Aslan please lift your left foot with me, I have your paw safely in my hand and I will now be putting it where it has to go!” So Aslan`s excitement got the best of him and he showed a bit too much eagerness and his paw moved much higher and faster than it needed to be, I had to catch him and slow him down and ease him into the right place of the snowshoe. Once I got his left paw in place I went ahead and finished tying his paw into place, making sure his first foot was securely in place. And I went around from foot to foot to foot to foot, until all 4 paws were tied snuggly into the snowshoes. Then I went to stand at the front of Aslan to speak with him looking at his face! ̀“How does it feel, are you comfortable Aslan, are you able to stand still with balance? Just practice moving 1 paw at a time up and down and keeping yourself grounded right in place!”

Aslan laughed a laugh so hard the halflings and court officials and all the others there looked over at him worried and curious as to whether Aslan was making a sound that was equal to something that we should all fear, but it was just pure unabashed childlike joy coming from Aslan`s strong and powerful lungs and Lion voice within. He looked down at what he could see of his paws, and while smiling tried to do exactly what it was I told him to do.

He took turns lifting his paws 1 at a time and landing them all back down again, but it seems he couldn`t quite do it, for the animal he was, being on 4 legs not 2. So when he had landed his 4 legs back down he was standing crooked and had his legs in a further stretched out position kind of way, very much looking like his legs were about to do the splits, or like he was about to go sledding on his feet, instead of using a toboggan to go down the hills with, like one usually does!

Aslan

"I don`t think I quite have the handle on this, I think you are going to have to help me some more to get the hang of this, or rather in your human cool terms (into the swing )of things! HA HA HA HA!" He laughed aloud at his attempt in humor and being human cool in his way of talking!

It was pretty certainly decided between him and I and everyone watching that Aslan wasn`t going to be walking too far with me with his 4 paws all strapped into those. A bit of time and practice was definitely needed, before any further venturing out in all this snow beyond the Courtyards would be happening!

And then the courtroom staff suddenly rang the bell and everyone there was scurrying to move into their places, the judges chambers were opening up and the Judge was coming out to take his place for the afternoon session which everyone who knows anything about how the Courtyard works, dealing with all matters for the worlds between the woods, is that Tuesday afternoon sessions started sharply right on time, at precisely 2:15 pm! There was no time to do anything about Aslan`s condition, all he and I could do was muster up the organizing ability to get him turned around and facing the judge while standing there with all 4 feet in snowshoes in front of him in the courtroom!

Of course that's when it happened, with the Judge now sitting in his seat looking down from his high place at the 2 of us standing in front of him in front of everyone else watching in his courtroom in the Courtyard... all the Judge could see was ASLAN and HIS FEET, standing there looking foolishly silly to the judge with 4 funny looking things on his feet. So the Judge immediately had to ask leaning over his desk, his glasses being slid down on his face so he could look beyond them and down at Aslan`s feet…

The Judge

"What are those things, those funny looking contraptions you are wearing on your paws, you do realize you are a Lion and lion`s don`t need to wear anything on their paws, and that you`re in my courtroom that is kept spotlessly clean where there would be no need for assisted footwear here in order to help you move from place to place?"

When he was done talking he sat back in his judges thrown like chair and looked at the 2 of us directly waiting for our answer. As he knew already that this was going to be a good one! As he`d never seen the likes of those kinds of items in his world before now, either!

Jennifer

"They are called snowshoes your honor. They come from the human world. They were invented a very long time ago, they are meant for the winter season, in places where there is LOTS OF DEEP SNOW, or High packs of frozen ice that needs to be walked across. I brought these from my place in Utter East for him to try on and wear to see if he could get used to using them. He told me he had some bad news to share, which he believed that such items as these may be of use and benefit for whatever it is that lies in store ahead for us all. It is why we have come to the courtyards at this time and on this day, so Aslan can speak with you and all the rest of us here today!"

The Judge then looks over at Aslan to see what he had to say?

Aslan

"We only had enough time to get them put onto my paws, I`ve had no time to practice in them yet, or to have them taken off before you came to resume court for the afternoon, so I apologize for the unique circumstances but I am sure you will understand once I have explained myself to you all!"

Aslan went on to explain about what was happening back in his Country and Narnia and many other worlds between the woods. The weather wasn`t going right in these places, winter wasn`t as cold as it should be, and there wasn`t enough snow falling, nor was it as long as it should be. And in the warm season, everywhere has become to warm, resulting in fires in places where nobody used matches or torches or other things to start them. Never before in Aslan Country, Narnia or other worlds has anything of the likes of this been seen? Forest Fires and such things they heard of only happened in the Humans world, but not there`s!

Aslan explained how someone came to him and showed him video and pictures of the SUN starting to fall apart, pieces of it exploding away from itself and burning up until it was no more. And now the ecosystem of wild life was beginning to be affected by this as well. Upon further research for himself Aslan became aware that certain creatures in all these worlds that are reporting problems with the balance of life there were dangerously close to becoming endangered species or worse to cease to exist anymore!

So after long last when he was done speaking he told the Judge he wished for special permission to continue seeking out answers and do further investigation with me as his helper by his side, to see what may be found to help to save all our worlds and return life back to normal in every place?

And that this is where the snowshoes came to be a point and part of the story! For it was in his opinion as he spoke to the judge that there may be a time that all the woods between the worlds may have to agree to come together in making all the worlds live in ONE SEASON for an uncertain amount of time until the kings and courts and creatures and people`s of all the lands can come up with plans or solutions that may finally solve all the problems in all the worlds? And that season of course is WINTER, wherein by we may all need to use snowshoes to get around for a time when walking on our feet and legs because there will be so much snow everywhere during this time!

And Jennifer nodded her head agreed about the term known as Global Warming being a real threat and problem in her world, and that other things like losing our trees for clean air and protection from hot sun and clean water and fish and birds was additional matters that matched everything that was being discussed on this day by Aslan to the judge!

The judge listened to every word seriously and intensely like it was the last courtroom session that would ever take place between the worlds. And then he looked to the rest of the people in the courtyard and asked if any of them had anything to add or say about this information being reported to him by Aslan and Jennifer?

And that's when it really happened the judge saw the hands of people from other worlds, go up, halfling`s and squirts and more all raising their hands 1 by 1 willing to take the stand and tell their stories of what they to were witnessing first hand happening in their homes where they were also from!

It was late afternoon when everyone who wanted to take the stand and be heard sharing their stories were done, it was clear the sun would be going down soon, the Judge knew and understood all the evidence he was presented with was real and true. And that this indeed did declare a state of emergency for all the worlds in the woods and that Aslan had won his case, proved himself and his emergency request for an exception to be made to allow himself to visit Utter East!

The Judge

“This is by far the longest and worst day in my courtroom in the Courtyards in all the years I`ve been a judge in these here in this place, which is so important to all our lives and world`s and where we all call home. And I did not know until today just how severe or serious a problem this matter ever was, so on an individual level as a person I`m quite glad this matter has been brought to my attention, so that I can do my part to try and do more to help reverse affects and damages that are happening everywhere in whatever ways I can! As a Judge I`m going to do something today I think has only ever taken place 2 other times in all of TIME between Narnia, Aslan`s Country, Utter East,(Earth), my world and all the other world`s… and that`s allow Aslan and his chosen hand full of help to cross over to Jennifer`s world and working with her see what kind of clues and answers can be found to help us all?

So I grant you the permission you seek here today in my courtroom Aslan to continue on with what you are doing and will give you the time you`ve requested you needed to try and return our homes back to the normal states in which they should be! I will see you here again in my Courtroom at the said date and time written up on the official paperwork for you both, which allows you safe passage, telling others you`re allowed to be there!

As for those funny looking snowshoe contraptions on your feet, I hope you are able to quickly learn how to get around on those, and find the people who can still make those in Utter East and teach others in our world`s how to use them for whatever time ahead we may all have to endure in the deepest, darkest longest days of winters in all the worlds histories that we may all have to live in while you go out on your journey of investigative work! To see if we can one day finally bring an end to all this winter?

Hopefully everyone who's taught to make them will be able to make enough to meet the demands necessary for us all to get through the unprecedented times ahead? And let me just say I would like to be the first person to make a request to put in an order for myself & everyone in my entire family who will be needing a pair of these!”

Clearly the judge had found the great humor portion of this historic event of the xtra time in winter ahead wherever we are all going to be? He chose to take the optimal most upbeat view on the matter, and find the fun there is in the challenges of people walking on snowshoes everywhere in all the deep and high piles of snow they will need to get used to moving around in.

I guess there really is just a little bit of a kid inside each and every one of us, that when it comes to certain fun stuff(s) in life to experience, there is no age limit on when that fun should ever come to an end!

And that's when the Judge ended the afternoon session in the courtroom in the courtyards for all the world`s in between the woods. When he was finished speaking, "Here's to hoping that Aslan and Jennifer`s adventures together just ahead will make the difference needed for us all!" he picked up his gavel and banged it against its marker officially making courtyard history out of his entire courtyard career in that courtroom!

It was indeed still the deepest, darkest, coldest parts of winter in Utter East but Aslan was free to come with her right then and there on that day to her world, so she turned to him and asked him what he would like to do next….

Jennifer

"Would you like me to take the snowshoes off for you, do you wish to return to your country and come to my world another day, or do you wish for me to come to yours with you, what are you thinking you would like to do now?"

Aslan

"Well now looking down at my feet again since the successful court session has ended, it has immediately occurred to me that I can go have a little bit of fun practicing how to move around on these before planning what comes next!"

Being in complete agreement with his desire she then helped guide Aslan to the place just beyond the courtyards to her home of Utter East. But just before leaving the grounds, a court official ran up to her and gave her the court documents with the judges signature and red seal so all Queens, Kings, Politicians, magistrates, Police people and Chiefs of the other lands can see, keeping them safe and free to go about their needed business in peace!

And Jennifer smiled to the court official and said thank-you! And told him that she was quite impressed with how quickly the courts serviced their needs today and it would be an impressive occasion she`d remember forever and talk about with many others for the longest of times ahead to come!

The court official was very happy and proud to hear her response and was certain to tell her he would report this reply from her to the Judge and his other loyal staff members as well. And then he wished us a safe and productive journey ahead, looking forward to the wonderful good news and results in the courtyard in the judges courtroom when we all meet again as specified in the documents for a review!

Aslan and I smiled and shook our heads in agreement with the court officials` positive view! After all that`s what everyone wants, to see things return to normal, having summers and falls and springs and future`s again, with all ecosystems and wildlife in good active order. So here's to trying and putting our best foot forward, as Aslan took his first step out of, his Country and the woods between the world`s and the courtyards for the first time in a great many many decades; so many decades ago, he was certain he remembered only that he was very young, a much, much, much younger Lion and leader of lands back in those days! And he could only imagine how much things have changed in the human world since? And of course this would be his first time visiting my home in these here parts of the world known as Utter East!

That's 1 GREAT step for Lion and 1 greater step for humankind, Earth, and all the world`s, with animals & creature rulers in all the world`s between the woods and all that will come of the peaceful, unison and collaborating work done in order to save us all?

And all the creatures of all the world`s and all the woods everywhere could feel that FIRST GIANT STEP of Aslan`s lion foot strapped into a snowshoe touching down on human soil and everything shook and shuddered just ever so perfectly, for us all to feel together as we move forward in making history!

Here's to all the hopeful timeless adventures and life yet still to come! If this 1 adventure starting right now works out as we all hope it does?

Writing By,

Jennifer Cooley!