The Four Faces of Rath

"A Wing and a Prayer"

Chapter 1

I

The trees skimmed by beneath her wings like a patchwork of green as she topped the peak of the forested mountain and faced into the east wind. The breeze felt good against her face. It was so peaceful here… so calm… so beautiful. All the cares of the world were behind her somewhere far below. Liz smiled and spread her wings wide to capture the wind below them. She felt the lift… taking her upward, upward… with no effort at all. Then she rolled slightly to the right and dove back toward the valley, following the contour of the mountains below her. Buoyed by the wind under her wings, Liz glided out over the flowing waters of a large river and turned upstream, dipping down to skim just above the water. She could feel the cool mist in her face, on her body, over her wings, as the swift waters rushed by beneath her… so nice on this hot summer day. She dipped the fingertips of one hand into the river, creating eddies in the rushing waters.

Liz was so absorbed in the serene beauty of the landscape and the feel of the cool mist in her face that she hadn't noticed she had company now. She looked up suddenly, as a hand reached out and touched hers. She smiled. It was Max. Max smiled back then released her hand, gliding upward toward the sky. Liz followed. She took his hand again, as they both spread their wings wide, capturing the lift of the high east winds.

Liz looked at Max, and she smiled again. He did look so like an angel to her with his ample white wings spread wide, feathers flexing subtly like small ailerons controlling his graceful flight. She took both of Max's hands and rolled over, allowing him to hold her in his arms, supporting them both with his strong wings. Max looked into Liz's eyes, and slowly, inexorably, their lips drew together. The east wind rippled under Max's wings, lifting them ever higher and higher.

Suddenly, a noise jarred Liz out of her bliss. She opened her eyes quickly and looked around the room. Then she looked at the small alarm clock dancing next to the bed.

Liz looked at Max. He was still sound asleep… with a smile on his face. She shook her head.

"How can he sleep through that racket?" Liz leaned over and kissed Max then got up and showered and wrapped herself in a bathrobe.

Twenty minutes later, Max walked into the kitchen, yawning, his bathrobe wrapped around him. He kissed Liz, who was making breakfast for him, Maya, Andya, JoLeesa, and herself. She smiled and kissed him back.

"I didn't hear the alarm go off."

"Well, it did," Liz replied simply, as she stirred some golden eggs in a pan.

"Oh. Where's the alarm clock?"

Liz smiled. "Outside."

Max looked momentarily confused then enlightened. "Oh! I wondered why the window was open. It's three stories… down… from our bedroom. Do you think we can hear it down there," Max asked, grinning.

Liz put her arms around Max and kissed him. "I certainly hope not!" She looked into Max's eyes. "…I had that dream again, Max."

"The one where we were flying?"

"Yeah."

Max looked at her strangely.

"What?"

"I had the same dream. But it didn't seem like a dream. It seemed almost…"

"I know! Real," Liz answered for him, nodding… "For me, too… much more real than a dream. But it was a dream… wasn't it?"

Max nodded.

"You were still sleeping when I woke up, Max. …How far did you get in your dream?"

Max smiled. Liz hit him playfully on the arm. "Darned alarm clock! I hope it's broken permanently!"