Behind These Wings

Prologue

"State your name and purpose." A stout guard ordered the frail looking woman who stood before him.

"I am here to see the Archangel."

"Aren't we all?" The guard replied after chuckling at the blatant naivety of the frail woman. "Name?"

"I'm here to see the Archangel." She replied stubbornly still not looking up from her shoes that peeked out from the bottom of her cloak, revealing more of her toes through their large holes than the muddy, worn leather that formed the patchwork shoe itself.

They were her last pair.

Not that she had taken many substitutes with her when she had left. A hasty departure was never well planned.

"State your name or I will be forced to have you escorted from the area." The guard continued, gesturing to his non-existent colleagues to come and deal with this pest. Despite his best efforts no such 'back up' would be arriving. It was two o'clock on a November morning and the majority of the guards that were supposed to be standing in the frigid air were currently sheltering within the alcove by the kitchens being cared for by the rather overindulgent chef.

"Please, I need to see the Archangel." Something within the woman's voice caused the guard to stop and assess the woman once more. She sounded vulnerable, even more so than she looked. Standing at little over five feet, the woman couldn't have been much older than the young guard's wife and yet here she was out alone, completely exposed to the harsh night's air.

"I can get you something warm to eat and a blanket but I am sorry, you will not be able to see the Archangel tonight ma'am."

"I have a feeling he would make an exception for me." The woman said softly. She didn't want to pull rank. She didn't want her return to be too much of a funfair. She didn't want to have to muster up the energy to put on the show. Not yet at least. But she had come too far to turn around now. Besides if she left now she would never be able to find the nerve to return.

"And why is that?" The guard quizzed intrigued by his late night visitor.

The woman's head rose causing the head of her cloak to fall and her bright emerald eyes to be revealed.

"I am his wife."