Gabrielle

She woke up.
For a moment, Gabrielle lay in her cosy bed gazing at the ceiling. She snuggled under the covers, reconstructing the fragmented memories of her dream. Smiling to herself, she swept the covers back, got up and walked over to look out of the window. It was a clear night, a full moon hovering just over the horizon. She ignored the rows of houses just across the street and stood for a moment, drinking in the pattern of starlight and clearing her mind.
Eventually, Gabrielle moved away from the window. She walked over to her wardrobe and quickly dressed in warm clothing, then bent to pull on her fur-lined leather boots. She buttoned up her sheepskin jacket then knelt to rummage under her bed for a moment. Crawling backwards, Gabrielle dragged out a sheathed broadsword which she slung across her back as she stood up. Taking a last look round, she left the room, walked down the stairs and out of the front door. Shutting the door behind her, Gabrielle walked out and waited on the front lawn.
After a few short minutes, the sound of strong wing strokes filled the air. Gabrielle turned and watched two pale shapes slowly grow until she identified Michael sat astride his great winged horse, Athelstan. Her own mount Eldred was flying beside him.
As the two horses flew down to land, Gabrielle studied Michael. He was dressed in similar apparel to her own and although a good few inches taller and broader, the familial likeness was obvious. He hadn’t changed.
‘Hello Michael’, she greeted him.
‘Hello Gabrielle. You heard the call then.’
As she mounted Eldred, Gabrielle just glared at Michael. There was no point answering the obvious.
‘I see you kept your boots’, Michael stated.
‘I know. I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. Besides, they’re good for keeping my toes warm. As it turns out, it’s a good job I didn’t.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Michael, then, his tone turning more serious, ‘It’s happened again.’
‘So I gather. We’d best be off.’

The horses turned and leapt back into the air. Gaining height, they turned and headed north. As they passed over the city, Gabrielle glanced down and watched the street lights pass below, spread out like constellations of human life. Almost as pretty as the real thing, she thought.
Gabrielle glanced over at Michael who was also watching the ground, lost in thought. She couldn’t help smiling and over the noise of the wind whistling in her ears shouted across, ‘Fantastic! I’d forgotten what this was like!’
Michael looked up and grinned at her. ‘Yes,’ he shouted back, ‘It’s been a long time!’ He paused for a moment, then asked, ‘Do you remember?’
The smile leaving her face, Gabrielle answered ‘Yes. It’s all still there. I haven’t heard the call for a long time.’
Michael looked downcast for a moment. ‘No,’ he said, ‘We haven’t called for a while.’
As each returned to their own thoughts, the journey continued in silence.

After a time, the two horses flew over a large forest. Gabrielle looked up and spotted the clearing ahead. Loosing altitude, the horses circled and finally landed with gentle thuds on the soft turf. Dismounting, Gabrielle gave her silent thanks to Eldred and massaged her buttocks - it had been a long time. Eldred nodded at her, and with Althelstan, walked under the cover of the trees, where they would wait until they were needed again.
Taking a deep breath, Gabrielle shot a quick glance at Michael, who gave a reassuring nod of his head. Gabrielle paused for a moment, then drew her sword. Kneeling down, she placed the sword across the ground in front of her and bowed her head. As her forehead touched the sword, her jacket fell away, allowing her wings to spread wide, casting a faint silvery glow from the brilliant white of her feathers across the clearing.
With a feeling of elation and a sense of freedom at last, she stood up and glanced again at Michael, a wide smile of true happiness on her face. Michael had seen this before, but still struggled to comprehend the vision before him. In a loud, clear voice, Michael sang out, ‘It is done!’
Gabrielle looked around her with renewed clarity, her ancient memories flooding back to her. Previously hidden in the deep shadows, Gabrielle saw the souls making their way towards her, coming out as she called to them. One more time, she gathered up the souls to her, then with strong beats of her own wings she gave a mighty leap and flew up towards heaven.

Fast asleep in her cosy bed, Gabrielle smiled as she dreamt. Slowly, she turned onto her side pulling the covers around her, the sound of her movement not quite masking the faint ruffle of feathers sounding from beneath the quilt.