SUCCESSION CRISIS
Eleanor giggled as she sat down on her brand new throne and her best friend Anna rolled her eyes at her audacity. She grinned winsomesly at her friend and made a fake imperious gesture as she pulled a pompous face.
"So what do you think? Do I look suitably regal?"
Anna shook with barely supressed irritation. "I can't believe you agreed to this Eleanor. This is crazy!"
"Awwww don't be such a sourpuss. They offered the throne to you first, but you said no."
She shifted uncomfortably, the fine robes and expensive jewels she now wore an unaccustomed weight on her nerdy frame. She felt weird in all this finery, she was usually a jeans and a t-shirt kind of girl, but a Queen had to keep up appearances. At least they'd let her keep her glasses so she could see. "Look Anna, I know it's a stretch but I couldn't just leave them in the lurch, they need our help."
"But we have to get back to our world and out of this crazy place! We've done enough to help them... defeating the wicked witch, saving the kingdom from destruction... it's just a shame we weren't able to save the royal family before the witch murdered them."
For the last few months Anna and Eleanor had been trapped in a magical fantasy world after falling through a magic mirror. They'd battled monsters, shown themselves full of plucky courage and even saved the kingdom. Now Anna was desperate to return to Earth and her family.
But the people of the Kingdom had begged for their help. With the royal family murdered, there was no one to sit upon the royal throne and now the people would only accept one of their two saviours. To avert a civil war and prevent the total destruction of the people they had saved Eleanor had agreed to become their queen. At least as until such time as a better ruler could be found.
After all what did Eleanor know about ruling a kingdom?
"It's going to be okay. I can do this," smiled Eleanor. "I want to help these people. I want to help rebuild, ensure there is fresh water for the cities, house the homeless... advance the rights of the citizens. This is a chance for me to make a real difference. I can always return to the real world later. All my life I've wanted a real purpose and something meaningful. Here in the Kingdom I can finally do something good."
Eleanor reached to the side of her throne and picked up a grisly looking leather bound book. "I found the witches spellbook after our battle. I've been reading through it and I think I found a way to make a magic mirror on this side and then you'll be able to cross between worlds. Only problem is time dilation. If I'm right months and years in this world are only a matter of hours in ours. No one will even know you've been missing but if you come back months or even years might have passed here."
Anna's eyes widened in alarm. "Eleanor be careful, that witch was completely evil. Is it safe to read her spellbook?"
"I'm sure it's perfectly safe. If I'm going to be a good queen I need every tool at my disposal. The book hopefully has some knowledge I can use for good. Besides it's the only way I know to get you home. Look don't worry about me. Go back, I'll return one day."
Eleanor began to read from the book, her tongue clumsy around the unfamiliar syllables. The air shimmered and turned to glass as a magic mirror as tall as Anna was created.
The two girls hugged and cried. Then with a final reassuring squeeze of their hands - Eleanor watched Anna step through the mirror. Anna vanished and Eleanor was left all alone in her throne room... alone except for the book.
Eleanor suddenly felt very alone and a little scared, but she reminded herself... she needed to be brave. She COULD do this.