Losing Her Wings

Chapter 1

Skylar found it hard to find her feet, unable to move from the place where she had come into existence, the large willow tree she was curled up against and the bench sitting in front of it, allowed her a sturdy surface to steady herself with. The wind was blowing through her hair, cold and harsh on her bare skin as she shivered, naked to the elements around her. It was a ruthless, dark night that would have seemed almost cruel if the moonlight that shone so brightly upon her, had been absent and the sheer uncertainty of it all frightened her, though somehow the emotion felt unfamiliar, as if she had never experienced it before. Reaching up to the armrest of the bench, she knew nothing more of her surroundings than that it was dark and the features…the trees, the bench and the driving force against her skin…were familiar feelings to her, though she was unable to name them or know what their purpose was.

The force of the gusting wind against her skin felt almost like a punishment but there was no way for her to escape it. Barely a moment passed as Skylar’s fingers tightened around the rot iron of the bench, the little strength she had in her arms unable to raise her to her feet until a dark figure approached from behind the bushes ahead of her. She opened her mouth, frightened and desperately trying to speak, trying to scream to alert someone to this new danger to her but the words and sounds were unknown to her, however close to her tongue they seemed. And she knew that whether she could get the sounds out or not, she didn’t yet know if there was anyone to hear her and rescue her from this new danger. A few strangled letters and sounds came from her mouth, through sheer determination as though she were a newborn infant learning to speak it’s first word and it frustrated her, a strength in her tone forcing a reaction from the stranger.

“Calm yourself child.” A warm, deep voice called, taking the black, suit jacket from his shoulders as he approached her, crouching down to her level until the moonlight hit his face. It was strong and yet somehow gentle at the same time, warm and familiar to her eyes, soothing her instantly. His eyes were dark, nothing more than a vast hollow of darkness with a gentle sparkle here and there, as though she were staring into the universe, a thousand galaxies hidden within his eyes. “You know me Skylar…I am here to help you.” He smiled at her softly, wrapping his jacket around her as he held his hand to the back of her head and gently urged her forward into his arms, cradling her as a mother cradled a crying child. He calmed her with soft whispers of words Skylar couldn’t understand, in a language she didn’t know and wasn’t familiar with. A language unlike the words he had, not moments ago, spoken to her that she had somehow understood with no hesitation as to their meaning.

For ten silent moments, she heard nothing but the sweet whispers of her companion, like a gentle wind blowing in her ear, speaking to her the words she knew in no other time and understood in no other place than her heart. “Come my dear, we have much to discuss…” He advised her calmly, standing before her with an outstretched hand to guide her. In that moment, as he spoke in the language she knew and understood, a floor of recognition came back to her. A brightness, a place of joy and love and the stranger, the man now before her, guiding her into that loving and joyful place, away from the darkness and hate that stood behind her. It was quite vague to her for a moment until she looked up at him and smiled, able to somehow remember everything as though she had never forgotten it in the first place. There was no flood of memories or a shock instant where everything made sense, it was just something she knew and had always known, despite her previous confusion.

“Link…?” She whispered, somehow able to form the words and know their meaning, to recognise everything around her and be conscious of the fact that she was naked, wrapping his suit jacket around her self-consciously. Everything in her head was back to where it should be and she knew there was nothing to be frightened of or confused about anymore, until she looked at her surroundings and knew that although it was vaguely familiar, she did not know it as she knew, with an absolute certainly, everything else in her head. “Where am I?” She asked gently, slipping her hand into his with all the trust she held dear, recalling his faithful guidance and protective presence from long ago.