Gabriel the High Angel

Please PM interest. My writing style is described in the first post of my Sanctuary. The link is in my signature.
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Gabriel viewed the village from a flat rock jutting from the mountainside. A morning storm had covered the land in a shimmering blanket of snow. Streams of smoke rose from the chimneys, slithering and coiling upward. The lights from the dwelling windows were pinpricks that twinkled like the fireflies he watched on summer nights.

He closed his eyes and smiled as he felt the wind lift his wings; the snowflakes making his feathers glisten. The snowy moonlit night of deep blue and pearl reminded him of Heaven. Gabriel visited Earth four times a year to enjoy the change of the seasons. He loved winter best of all.

This time it was more than a visit, he was here to take someone back to Heaven. Normally, Archangels did not perform such duties but this soul was special to him; it was his namesake. This soul had requested to go to Earth for a reason and Gabriel had granted the request.

He was so caught up in listening to the song of the wind that he didn't hear the tiny angel approach.

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Artemis frowned as she flew through the winter sky. She was lost in thought her bright violet eyes seemed clouded and confused. She was distracted so severely that she was almost directlyon the hovering angel before she saw him. With a flex of her wings she swerved out of theway. Instinctively she turned so she could see who she had almost collided with. Her eyes widened as she recognized Gabriel. Artemis bowed swiftly her silver hair pooling o er her shoulder. "Gabriel sir. " she said still bent in a deep bow, "I have been searching for you."

Gabriel's bubble of silence and tranquility was burst by the voice behind him. He turned to see Artemis, the young angel who had come to their community only a few short years ago, floating beside him.

"Artemis, what are you doing here? This is outside your permission territory. You know this."

But his mood softened. He smiled,

"What do you need, child?"

Artemis would produce a scroll from her robe holding it out to him. Straightening she kept her gaze lowered respectfully. Among the angels Gabriel was the most revered. Artemis herself was inspired by him and to e meeting him face to face was a honor like no other. Her wings flexed keeping her aloft and she had to repress an embarrassed flush. She knew how she must look. She was tiny for an angel with tan skin and hair so pale a silver it was nearly white. Her wings were large and the feathers were a shimmery white... Well mostly. The bottoms of her wings sported feathers of a coal black color. The burn mark between her shoulder twinged and Artemis lowered her gaze to her feet. Both the feathers and the burns were the result of a reckless scuffle with a demon. Clearing her mind she spoke. "If my duty is done then I should ask to take my leave Sir."

Gabriel took the scroll from Artemis and unrolled it. He read it once and his expression darkened. He thought he had promised a sole journey. Apparently not. He read it again.

"You are not going anywhere, Artemis. You are to be under my guidance for the duration of our stay here on Earth. Now stay close".

He frowned to himself, then took flight, with Artemis close behind.

Artemis made a soft soud of surprise. Flexing her wings she flew close behind Gabriel. She was surprised. She had not been informed of her assignment before she departed. Shaking jer head she sighed lightly. She knew that Gabriel did not enjoy having a tag-a-long, especially one who was so supposedly inexperienced as herself. Ah well, there was nothing to be done about it now.