The Aeronaut's Daughter

Bolvanger

(Y/N) Point of View

I hugged Aster close to my chest like a protective teddy bear. 

"I'm so scared," I whimpered quietly. 

"If you had just listened to your dad and to me in the first place, we wouldn't be here," he criticised. 

"I know. I'm so sorry Aster. If we don't get out of this mess..."

"Don't say it," he interrupted. "Please don't," he nuzzled my cheeks. "Help will come soon. Your dad, Lyra and the Gyptians will come and they will rescue us,"

"I just hope they get here on time," I prayed. 

Sister Clara took me into a restaurant where we saw numbers of girls and boys sitting at tables eating food or queuing up. I attracted their attention as I walked by. As I did, I saw Roger sitting at the table. He stared at me. He tried to say something but I stared a little hard warning him not to. He managed to keep quiet. 

Recognising his new friend, Aster turned into a ferret and scurried over to Saecillia greeting her. 

(Aster's P.O.V)

"Hi Saecillia," 

"Hey Aster. How did you get here?"

"It's bit of a long story. (Y/N) and I came to the North with Lyra and Pan. They're on their way here with (Y/N)'s dad and some Gyptians. Oh and Lyra and Pan too! We're going to get out of here," 

"Lyra and Pan? They're with them?"

"Yes. And they coming here as quick as they can. They've been so worried about you and Roger," 

"Thanks for letting me know. It's so good to see you again,"

"It's good to see you again as well. (Y/N)'s keeping her true name secret so you and Roger have to pretend you don't us,"

"Okay,"

Once the message was clear, I scurried back to my human where (Y/N) was sitting alone with a trap of food. 

"I've told Saecillia that Lyra and Pan are on their way,"

"Good. For the time being we need to find a way to break out,"

"We can't get into trouble," I whispered. 

I had to remain hopeful "We won't," 

There was a sudden bang and we turned to see the door open, revealing the same short-haired woman with the fox daemon. "Bridget McGinn!" she called. 

All eyes turned to a girl with long brown hair and glasses sitting opposite my table. 

"Could you come with me please?"

"I haven't finished my dinner yet,'

"Don't make a fuss. Come on," 

Slowly Bridget rose from her seat and walked away following the doctor with the nurses behind her. I gulped, wishing I could scream out to her to not follow those nurses so they could not cut her beloved daemon away. But it would be no use. 

Aster nuzzled my fingers and I stroked his head. I vowed we would never be separated. 

(Lyra's P.O.V) 

It felt like forever hiking through metres and metres of snow. We were getting closer and closer to Bolvanger every league but I still felt like we weren't getting there quick enough. I could not bear for Roger or (Y/N) to be stuck there any longer. 

Lee hadn't spoken a single word since we left. For almost three hours, he kept working every second to heave that balloon along, desperate to get to his daughter. I cast a guilty glance at him. This was exactly why he didn't want to be a part of this at first.