The Golden Bridle (Open novella contest)

Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Louise's POV

As I come round the corner to see my sister, I can't help but tell her off "what the fucking hell are you doing here?" I was born first so have always had a big sister instinct towards her. She's the shyer one in the pair so she doesn't argue and lets me play the role, unlike a lot of twins. But of course, as soon as I see the winged horse standing behind her all thoughts of dragging her body back to the house disappear. I've always felt my sister's affinity for the myths and of course horses meant she believed what our family said about Bellerophon much more readily than it deserved. But even I can't argue with empirical evidence and my mouth is legendary among my friends and family.

 At this point I should just stop and explain what Ella and I look like. I've always found it very hard to describe myself but very easy to describe Ella so that is how I would do it. We are after all identical mirror twins. We both have classic Mediterranean skin, dark eyes that one of our more whimsical art teachers called "chocolate shot through with honey" and hair the deepest chestnut brown my mother had ever seen. Ella's left-handed and I'm right, a consequence of us being mirror twins and we have the same birthmark - hers on her right knee and mine on my left. It's often how our friends tell us apart particularly in the summer when we wear mainly shorts. The other way you can tell us apart is our personalities. Ella, as I've said before is shy and retiring with an affinity for stories, I'm much brasher, bolder and sassier everybody says and I have to admit that it's true. 

Anyways, all that is irrelevant for this story. What is relevant is the way she is staring at me right now, her mouth open so we look like we really are each other's mirror. "What is it?" I say, truly concerned. "United in birth with their other half" she says, reciting the first line of our families prophecy. "Twins, mirror twins". And then, as if she needed clarification "have you been hearing the whinnying?" I had been in fact. I just decided to ignore it. There are times when my sister's sentimentalism does come in useful, because despite everything my cynicism is washed away by the sight of Pegasus standing behind my sister. "Come here" she says and I cross over to where she's standing. She takes my hand and lays it on Pegasus' back. At first he moves slightly, as if he's feeling a little skittish. But then he settles, relaxing as if he knows me.

"Pegasus" I whisper and jump about a foot in the air when a voice in my head echoes "yep, that's me!"

"I didn't know Pegasus could talk", I say out loud.

"Well I can, I your head" came a response. "Now where would you like to go?"

"I don't know you choose." Ell and I said together.

"Well I can always sense where there is trouble in world of the gods."

"Well perhaps we can help you sort that trouble out." I suggest. Ella agrees quickly enough. Then for the first time we mount Pegasus, I let Ella go first after all she is the one with a better touch for horses. I then clumber up to sit behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist like were on a motorbike.

"Ready?" Pegasus asks.

"Yes" Ella and I say together.

"Okay then" Pegasus Launches himself in to the sky and despite not knowing where we were going, I let a "whoop" of joy and make a vow to myself, whatever the prophecy holds in store for us, I won't get scared because I've got my sister behind me and together we can take on anything.