His Dark Materials

Chapter 3

mrs coulter did manage to wish lyra a quick good night sleep before she walked out of the room to take a look at her monkey who had been patiently sitting on the floor and listening to the conversation between her and lyra. they were both lost in thought, strangely eying the floor. her daemon kept thinking back at their flight, he was the one who noticed lyra was carrying something with her all the way to london, and even mrs coulter herself saw a golden reflection shining from the pocket of lyra’s red dress that was currently lying on the bathroom floor, the girl should have been more careful if she never wanted mrs coulter to find it out and whatever it was, the woman did assume lyra wanted to hide that thing from her, perhaps it had something to do with the master. mrs coulter walked into the bathroom to look for lyra’s filthy dress after giving her monkey a vile, vicious smile. she picked up the piece of lyra’s clothing and reached the shiny thing in her pocket to find one of the few alethiometers in her own shaking hands. marisa couldn’t believe it, how did it end up at jordan collage, she kept wondering. perhaps.. “asriel” she whispered the man’s name, the same man’s who ruined her whole life just 12 years ago, lyra’s father. he must have hid the golden compass within the walls of jordan collage where the magisterium had no access to it, for the collages in oxford were protected by the scholastic sanctuary. she wasn’t mad at lyra at all for protecting the alethiometer, she was mad at the master who knew how precious and dangerous it was but still gave it to her child who had no idea how to even read it. the monkey growled, as if trying to say something and touched the golden metal with his little paw and mrs coulter immediately pushed him away. she didn’t have the slightest idea what to do with it. it would be easier to destroy the compass or give it up to the magisterium, but it was way too mighty and fancy, and important.

Lyra had relaxed, though she felt something was wrong, as did pan. She bit her lip, wondering what it could be. She was so so relaxed and unable to think a lot. She'd never thought she'd enjoy laying in bed at bedtime instead of scaling the rooftops of Jordan collage or escaping the gatekeeper to run around with her friends in the street. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the pillow. All but a moment later, she shot up and clutched the bed sheets. "lyra!" came pans voice beside her. Shit. She had one thing to do. The master was absolutely going to kill her, if he didn't manage to assassinate her uncle first. "i know" she whispered, she opened the door and ran to the bathroom hoping it wasn't too late. She stopped dead in her tracks as she swung open the door. "i... Mrs Coulter..." she suddenly became anxious, nervous, her breaths short and her palms sweaty as her eyes fixed on the alethiometer. Her mind told her to run, pan, told her to run, but she resisted, like a deer caught in headlights. She tried to speak but her tongue was frozen. "i.. Um.." her eyes flickered to the golden monkey, she could grab it and run. For the look on Mrs Coulters face was one she couldn't entirely figure out.

marisa’s hands started to shake, she dropped the alethiometer as soon as she heard lyra’s brittle, confused voice. thankfully, the monkey was able to catch it in his sharp paws in time, he gave it back to marisa who was now looking up at lyra in shock. she didn’t know what to say to the girl, how to explain herself, she hoped lyra was soundly sleeping in her bed, where she should be. lyra’s mother let out a quiet, unclear laugh “lyra, darling.. what are you doing out of bed?” she warmly asked, as if not knowing how to say this exactly, how to get the girl away from the object in her hands. she decided to act as if nothing happened, because there was nothing important happening on the floor of marisa’s bathroom, nothing important at all. maybe lyra won’t mind the situation in which marisa will be taking care of the golden compass now. it wasn’t safe for lyra to have it, the magisterium was doubting her mother already, she knew her behavior was already way too suspicious.

Lyra felt sick, so much so that her face had paled. Recently she'd decided maybe trusting the master wasn't her best option, but a warning on Mrs Coulter, was a warning no less. She gulped and stood up straighter, as if she had any authority in this world as a child. "i.. I'm going to need that back, Mrs Coulter" she said, glancing at the monkey, she was also making sure that pan remained at her side, she remembered how apologetic marisa had been earlier, and she didn't want to start another fight. She bit her lip slowly and let go of the door handle, even if she didn't have it, and didn't know how to read it, she felt bare. If command didn't work, maybe fear would, and lyra would only like to know just how much Mrs Coulter did care about her.