A brilliant light extinguished the darkness. A sharp icy wind tore at Fand’s blood soaked gown. Her feather’s rustled. The light was so bright she could not see. She shouted, “Where am I? Where?” Someone groaned beside her, a vague shadow registered in the brilliance. The smell of lavender filled Fand’s nostrils. It was Renate. She turned to confront her captor because that is what Renate was. Hunkered over and in obvious pain, Renate clutched her belly and gasped for air. Instead of the tirade Fand intended she asked, “Are you all right?”

The “No,” Renate managed was barely audible.

Fand's eyes began to adjust to the light. They were in a range of mountains covered in ice. The range seemed to stretch all the way to the edge of the too bright sky. Through clenched teeth, she heard Renate say, “There is a key in my pocket and a door directly behind you. We must get inside quickly.”

When Fand reached into the pocket she felt the spasm of Renate's belly. “Are you in labor?”

“I don’t think so. Please get us inside. Every second we are out here, could give us away.” Fand pulled the key from Renate's pocket. She turned to face the rock wall. There was absolutely no sign of any door. "I don't see anything."

"Just hold the key out and touch the mountain."

Fand did as she was instructed. A stone door immediately appeared. It sucked the key from Fand's fingers and pulled it into the key hole. The door swung open. Another spasm rocked Renate's body. She could not move. Her hair had fallen over her face. Fand grasped Renate’s shoulders. “I will help you. Lean on me, I can drag you inside.” Leaning forward was all that Renate could do. With difficulty, Fand maneuvered Renate to the door. At the door Fand’s wings instinctively collapsed against her sides so they could fit through the doorway. The instant they were inside the door slammed shut. Fand had expected to be hurled into a new darkness, but that was not the case.

A stone in the center of the room glowed with yellow light and warmth. The stone was suspended from the low cave ceiling. There were two cots. Very strange cots designed to account for wings. They had hollows in them where the wings would lie. Fand helped Renate to the nearest one and covered her with a quilt. Another spasm trembled through Renate’s body. Alarmed Fand pushed the older woman’s hair from her face. She was deathly pale and sweating. Fand asked, “What do you need me to do?”

“Nothing, this will pass. I just need to catch my breath.” Renate closed her eyes and stroked her belly. Her worried expression did not encourage Fand.

Regardless of what Renate said, Fand was pretty sure she was in labor. Why had this woman risked her life and the life of her child to whisk her to this mountain? A low moan came from Renate. Panic shot through Fand. She did not have any experience in birthing. All birthings on the farm had been left to Zog and Uncle Wert. The blood of the procedure always upset her, and then there was the knowledge that her birth had led to her own mother’s death. Another fear took root in Fand. What if Renate died? What if this baby killed her? Renate was old! Too old to have a baby!

Frantically Fand looked around the small round cave. There were a few books propped on a shelf. Beside the other cot there was a huge urn. Behind the urn was a wooden cupboard. Fand prayed the urn contained water or at least some consumable liquid. She went to the urn and removed the lid. The fresh scent of water filled her nostrils. Good. Next she opened the cupboard. It contained linens, wooden bowls and utensils, three glass jars of dried fruits and meats, and what looked like a healer's medicine bag. She pulled out the bag and asked, “Is there anything in here that might help you?”

For a brief second Renate glanced up. "Look for a vial of red liquid."

Fand opened the bag. Her fingers brushed against various packets, bits of herbs and what felt like a few frog skins. Finally she felt the coolness of glass. She pulled out the vial. "This?" Renate nodded. Fand took the vial to her. With trembling fingers Renate uncorked the vial and took a small sip. She grimaced. Fand took the vial from her shaking hands. Renate closed her eyes and said, “That should calm my body.”

Silently, desperately Fand prayed, Please let it be so! She corked the bottle

Renate covered her nose with her hand. She said to Fand, "I can’t bear the sight or smell of your blood. Get cleaned up, but don't use too much water. There should be some gowns among the linens."

There were gowns in the cupboard. They were made of a fabric that Fand had never felt before. Soft, silky, yet bulky and warm. At the shoulders were slits to accommodate...WINGS! In her worry over Renate she had momentarily forgotten her wings. She realized they were no longer heavy. They moved with her body, as if they had always been part of her body, and yet, they felt so alien. Fand reached back into the cupboard and pulled out a wooden basin and some cloths. Her bloody gown had adhered itself to her body where the blood had dried. Most likely, ripping it off would cause her to start bleeding again.

From the cot Renate told her, "Just dampen the gown where the blood is. Once the blood is wet, it won't be so hard to get the fabric free from your skin. There may be a little bleeding, but not much."

Fand did as she was told. Despite her best efforts, lifting the wet fabric from her bloodied skin was painful. The sensation of her wings made her feel like she had fallen into some bizarre dream. How was all this happening. She was just girl from Tashe. When she finally got her bloody gown off, she wiped herself down with lavender water. Her wings beat ever so slightly, causing her feathers to flutter.

Renatesaid, "It looks like your wings are fully in. Turn around." Fand did so. "Your shoulders are already beginning to heal. Put your gown on." Fand slipped into the gown. It slid over her wings easily. Renate continued, "That is better. Place your soiled gown beneath the stone."

The stone pulsed with what looked like sunlight. Fand placed the gown beneath it. In the warm yellow light, her bloody shredded gown was made pure white. It was not mended, but now the cloth could be used again. She reached out to touch it. It was warm. Before her the stone pulsed with a peach glow like the color of dawn. What was this thing? She reached out her hand to touch it, but Renate said, "Don't ever do that. It can restore but it can also destroy. You have had enough of both for one day. Would you like to know where you are?"

"Yes."

"We are in the Tabin Range." It was a range Fand had never heard of. All at once she knew she was probably farther from home than she had ever been. Gently, Renate said, “You are right. I am sorry.”

“Why can't I go home?”

“Your wings. There are bounty hunters that seek the wings of angels. They are said to possess many magical and miraculous properties, You would never be safe within the Council Walls. The Council is misguided in its belief in the wall. There are more holes in that wall than there are holes in a sieve. Things, people, creatures are forever passing in and out. You must go where you will be safe.”

“And where is that?”

“There is someone who is coming. She will teach you to use your wings. The place she resides can only be reached by flight. No one without wings has ever seen it or knows where it is.” Wearily Renate closed her eyes.

In the light of the stone, Fand caught sight of the shadow of her wings upon the wall. It chilled her. Angrily she grasped one wing and pulled it forward so she could look at it. It was made up of long white feathers, like swan feathers. She let it go and touched the feathers on her shoulders, they were soft as goose down. Fear of an uncharted future filled her. She wanted no part of this. “I want to go home!”

Renate opened her eyes. There was compassion in them and also sadness. She said, “You have endured much Fand. Think of what you have survived so far. Trust the Keeper to guide us through the conflict of now.”

“All, I want is to be a girl from Tashe, a simple farmer’s girl like I used to be.”

“You were never just a farmer’s girl Fand. You have always been what you are now. You just didn’t know it.”