Not My Lyra

Chapter 12

On the way back to the flat, Marisa stopped into a few shops to pick up something for Lyra to help soften the blow with the news she was about to tell her daughter. In the first shop nothing jumped out at her, the second the same. Then she came along to one with like traveling gear, Marisa knows her daughter wants to be an explorer like her parents so maybe she should buy her something and she can do some exploring around the city of London.

Pleased with what she found, Marisa continued back to the flat. Once the elevator doors opens, Marisa walks out and could hear Lyra and another female voice.

"Lyra?"

Lyra came in to show her mother she was still in the flat.

"Lyra come here please"

Marisa used that tone that if you don't listen something bad will happen. Lyra slowly walked  to her mother.

"Follow me to my study please"

Both walked quietly down to Marisa's study. Lyra kept thinking to herself what have I done wrong, am I going to get into trouble for talking to Olivia.

"Take a seat Lyra"

Marisa walks around to the other side of her desk and sits on her chair. Marisa opens the top right hand draw to pick up an object.

"You aren't in trouble dear, we just need to have a little chat. You see when the Magisterium took you, I went to your room to try and bring myself together, as watching you being taken away from me again killed me. I laid on your bed and felt something hard under your pillow. When I lifted the pillow I found this"

Staring at the Alethiometer, Lyra looks up to her mother and starts to cry.

"You had this all this time? I thought I lost it when those men took me. Can I ask why those Magisterium men took me?"

Marisa took a big breath in, all these emotions started to take over and she looked down at her feet.

"They took you...... to punish me, for being sinful.... when I was married to my husband"

Marisa quickly snapped back into reality.

"Now, the other reason I wanted to talk to you is, I have to go away for awhile and your father will be taking you. Lyra I'll be sending you to Jordan college and your father will come and collect you. I don't know when, but he'll be watching you while I'm gone. But before you go I bought you something, I thought you could use it while you are staying with your dad, he can help you use them and show you a few tricks. I got you this note book where you could write down all the things you find while exploring, a pair of binoculars and a book on different things you can find around the city. Your dad can help you, he knows a lot about the creatures and life around London and Oxford"

Lyra didn't like that idea of leaving her mother but liked the idea of spending some time with her father as that's all she craved growing up.

Lyra was at Jordan for three days before Asriel finally showed up.

"Lyra, before we head back to my place, I want to show you some things"

Asriel grabs his daughter by the hand. He still wasn't one hundred percent there with calling Lyra his daughter, but he did care for her but his work was just more important to him than anything else.

They both walked a bit then got into a car. The car ride went on for about an hour till they arrived at their destination.

"Where are we Asriel?"

"This Lyra, is sort of where your story started"

Lyra looked at her father strangely.

"I thought my story started when I was born and you took me away when mother told you to"

"Well yes that's true but I'm meaning when you were taken from me. You see that place there was a nunnery you stayed at till the great flood happened, and that pub over there, the owners son saved you from the wrecks of the nunnery and traveled for many days to find me so he could give you to me"

Amazed as she didn't know that part of her life, Asriel takes Lyra's hand and walk towards the Trout.

"We will have a quick lunch here then we will have to go back to my place"

Lyra just nodded, she didn't care what they did or where they went, she just wanted to be with her dad.

After their lovely lunch of fish and chips, Asriel wanted to show Lyra more. They pass this massive mansion and Lyra was in awe of how grand it looked.

"Who lives here Asriel?"

"This use to be mine. If it wasn't for Edward Coulter I'd still be living in it and so would you. I lost it after you were taken from me"

Lyra got thinking in what her life would be like if she wasn't taken away from her father in the first place and not raised in Jordan college.

"Even though I didn't have a great up bringing, like you pretending to be my uncle and only seeing me whenever you needed money from the college and finding out that my mother is the head of the Oblation bored. I truly wouldn't change it, like I'd still like to imagine what my life would be like if you and mother raised me, but all this happened for a reason and I'm thankful for that"

Asriel looks down at his child and just smiles. He sometimes wonders what his life would be like if Lyra and Marisa stayed and Lyra wasn't taken away. But then he realises he has spent most off Lyra's life being in the north doing experiments and he wouldn't bring her there. He doesn't regret his choice putting Lyra in the Masters care.

"So where to next? I haven't seen much of Oxford nor London as mother never let me out on my own. I wish to see as much as possible"

"Not today Lyra, I need to pack for my next trip to the north"

Lyra got all excited she thought she was going north too.

"Don't get your hopes up Lyra, Ma Costa will be watching you while I'm gone"

So mad at her father, Lyra was told she's be staying with her dad and not just spend a day with him and then be told he's leaving the following day.

"Mother said you'd be watching me. Why be with me for one whole day and then decide your done being a father. Call yourself a father, the Master was a better father figure to me than you"

"That's the whole point Lyra, I've never been a father and I don't think I'll ever be one"

Cut from that comment Lyra ran to the room she was slept in at the tiny little shack Asriel rents when he returns from being north.

"Don't worry Lyra, I'm sure he didn't mean it"

"That's the thing Pan, he did you could tell by the tone of his voice. What am I meant to do now? Mother is somewhere and now Asriel is going back. I think I'll just go back to the flat if the servants are still there, otherwise I'll have to see if the Master will allow me to stay at the college till mother gets back"

A few hours later Asriel left on his airship and Lyra was left alone. This wasn't a new feeling to poor Lyra as she's felt this way most of her life.