The Aeronaut's Daughter

Bonding

(Will Parry P.O.V) 

I woke up, hearing my father' voice in my head. It took me a long while to take in the fact that he was live, that he had been alive all these years. Reaching under my pillow I pulled out the photo that (Y/N) had given me yesterday, the picture that she had kept since she first met my father four years ago. 

For a strange way, she seemed to remind me of my mother. Compassionate and kind. She also seemed to hold a strong influence over me for an uncanny reason. It was like she was trying to find a way to bring me and my dad back together. I believe she owed him that after how he saved her life. 

Read his letters Will. Her words from yesterday night rung in my head. Learn about much you and your mother mean to him. 

I pulled out the letters from under my pillow and began to read them. Father's words sounded so romantic, so devotional. He missed my mother so much. He was desperate to learn more news about me. The more I read, the more ambitious I became to find him. 

"(Y/N)! Lyra! Wake up!" I called up. "We have to check the Alethiometer again! It said my dad was alive! We can find him!" There was no answer. I scrambled out of my bed and rushed up the stairs. To my shock, the girls weren't in their beds. 

"(M/C)!" I rushed over to the room where his bed should be. It was empty too. "Guys?!" I cried out, sprinting everything. "Anyone!" I stumbled down the steps, slowing down so I wouldn't trip. Right when I reached the bottom step, the sounds of sniffling rung my eardrums. They were coming from the dining room. 

Twisting my head, I saw (Y/N) slouched on a chair, her back turned. Even though I couldn't see her face, I heard...crying?

Stepping quietly onto the floor, I saw Aster in the form of a weasel trying to comfort her. She stroked him tenderly and he nuzzled his furry face against hers. 

What was wrong with her? I thought. I decided I would cheer her up. She's been so kind to me since we met even though we've had small arguments. And she came to save me the other day and told me my father was alive and she along with her best friend were going to help me find him. I owed it to her. 

"(Y/N)..." I spoke up. 

Instantly she jumped with scream and a bowl of fruit was accidentally knocked off the table. It crashed onto the floor and Aster jumped. 

I stood still, her eyes glued at me. 

(Y/N) Scoresby P.O.V

I fumed. "What's the big idea sneaking up on me like that?" I shoved a silver ring into my pocket and wiped away my tears. I bent forward to the floor to pick up the broken pieces of bowl.

"I'm sorry I scared you," Will apologised quickly, stumbling a bit towards me to try and help. He picked up some of the fruit that had fallen. He placed the fruit onto the table whilst I tossed the pieces of broken bowl into a bin. I turned around to look at him. 

"I didn't mean to spook you. I was looking for you and Lyra and (M/C). Where are they?" he asked.

I let my arms drop down my sides and I shoved them into my pocket. "They've gone to Oxford to see the scholar,"

"What?" he answered back flabbergasted.

"Lyra promised the scholar she would come back and she wanted her to bring (M/C) along. Lyra thinks seeing her could help (M/C) understand his connection to Dust,"

"Don't they..."

"They know it's not safe for you to return. That's why they decided to go by themselves and leave both me and you here since it's not safe for us,"