The Aeronaut's Daughter

A Child without a Daemon

(Y/N) Point of View

I was beginning to fall asleep on Lyra's shoulder when Iorek's constant running shook me awake. 

"You've to keep awake," Aster hissed in my ear. "Or you'll fall off,"

I regained my focus and kept clinging on tight. It had turned dark and we were coming to the edge of a cliff. Iorek slowed down. He began trodding instead of galloping. As he came to the very edge, we saw a fishing settlement at the bottom of a valley near a frozen lake. It looked spooky and creepy. 

"That's the place I saw," Lyra said. 

"Are you sure this is where we're going to find this ghost?" I asked. 

"Yes. Do any of you feeling scared?"

"A little," I confessed. 

"Not yet, but when I am, I shall master the fear," Iorek said. 

"How do you master fear?" I asked. "Isn't it really difficult?"

"It is. The trick is...to find something worth being brave for you,"

"Who do you chose to be brave for?"

"I think only you can answer that,"

As he uttered those words, I thought of his story about his past and why he was banished. Was he thinking of that female bear? He turned and began to descend carefully down the mountain side road to get toes valley below. When we arrived at the small shabby town, we were greeted by a series of unlit lamps and abandoned huts with scattered baskets and nets. Lyra and I slipped off Iorek. 

Spotting an nearby lantern, I plucked it off the stand, took out a flint and steel from my handbag and lit it up. I picked it up, allowing Lyra to see it. 

"Something is wrong here," Iorek said. 

"Where is everyone?" wondered Lrya as she steered around. 

I quivered Not from the cold but from a feeling of fear. it was like being in a ghost town. A sudden shiver took over my body. 

"Are you alright?" Lyra asked.

"I'm fine. I thought I felt something strange here,"

Lyra peered around again, until her gaze was fixed forwards. I turned and saw a giant hut with a small bridge leading up to it. She walked towards it. 

"Are you sure you know what you're doing Lyra?" asked our protector. 

Lyra didn't answer. All she could say was: "I hope I'm doing the right thing all the same," 

"Shall I come in with you?" I offered. 

She didn't answer but she nodded. She looked scared and she wanted extra company. She needed lamplight too. 

"I will stay and keep watch," Iorek dictated, standing guard. The two of us and our daemons walked at a slow pace across the short bridge towards the hut which Lyra had seen in her alethiometer.  

Lyra kept asking Pan to stop whimpering and making her looked scared in front of Iorek but he was so scared. 

Aster whimpered too. He settled a ferret and wrapped himself around my neck. Once again another shiver overcame by body. My fear was starting to show. Lyra looked to me. "We'll be scared together (Y/N). Okay?" she offered a hand.  

I gulped and I nodded. I took it. As we approached the door, Lyra pulled up the lock and she pushed the door open. Instead were series of giant hanging fish, we stared around looking for this ghost that the symbol reader had warned Lyra about.