Well, it just occured to me that ANY un-ratified provinces are already AUTOMATICALLY within the Kings ownership and cannot be "owned" by ANY Avatar.

Once they are Ratified then ownership HAS to be clarified by the King doesn't it? For example he either states it remains in the Kings Demesne OR is transferred to a stated Avatar (either to a Duc to then distribute to another or to keep as his own).

Therefore, actually in our game, is there any chance of an Indepenent Noble with land existing?

The way I see is the answer is....No. If that's right then the term as put in there by Zim must mean option b) rather than our initial understanding of it. Unless, of course, this is an error in the rules.

To me, I agree that "independant" has to indicate that there is no other link in the Feudal Chain and the King obtains lands from Duc's who die WITHOUT vassals or Barons to inherit (i.e. without a Feudal Chain behind them).