Legendary
Legend goes about how Lyra Belaqua Silvertongue saved the world. From Svalbard in north where the panserbjørne dwell to Africa far south the story they tell.
And not just in Lyra's own world; everywhere the story they tell, everyone tells it; from Gallivespians to Mulefa and everything in between.
Her name was Kaytiya Shinaria and she hated it; of course she couldn't get rid of her surname but couldn't her parents have given her a normal name? She knew that was impossible to even think about for her parents, for them the more pompous and rare a name was the prettier, they didn't knew that all she wished for was a normal name. To be a normal girl.
"Kay. You're grumbling again?" Her dæmon Æirhatzero brought her out of her gloomy state. Well, not completely.
"Yeah Zero. I'm grumbling! It's just… the dinner party tonight. It's ridiculous. Why do my parents hold a dinner party celebrate that I've been admitted to that stupid boarding school in Oxford when I've told my parents I'll much rather stay here with my friends?"
Zero didn't answer to that because they both knew the answer; her parents couldn't care less whether she wanted or not. For them the thought of not going, to stay in London, was downright horrible.
The dress was stiff and impossible to move in. her hair was tied up on her head so tight that the skin on her brow and in her neck was stretched unnaturally. Zero had been ordered to change from his shabby jackal shape to 'something more appropriate' as Kay's mother had put it, and was now curled up on Kay's lap in the shape of a silver fox. Still, if anyone else at the dinner party than the girl and her dæmon knew what thoughts and wishes there flew through their shared minds they would all look at her in horror for what she wished for, what both she and Zero wished for and longed for was the day when he would settle. They were both sure that his shape would be extremely shabby and rough. And that might show her parents, she was nothing like them. That a snobby boarding school was no place for her.
Okay. The school wasn't as bad as she'd expected and the others weren't as snobby. She'd only arrived the yesterday and she already had a feeling she might even get to like this place.
"Hello. I'm Sarah Costa. That's Chio. What's your name?"
A girl with dark hair in a braid down her back came in and sat down on Kay's bed. Smiling Kay went over and sat beside the girl she was sure would be her first friend at St. Sophia's girl's school in Oxford.
"I'm Kaytiya Shinaria and that Æirhatzero. Just call us Kay and Zero. But… Costa? I'm sure I've heard that name before."
"Ma Costa. Tony Costa. Billy Costa."
"Oh yeah. Of course. They where some of the heroes in the legend of Lyra. But… if you're Gyptian how come you've been taken up here?"
"Things have changed. It's hundred of years since Lyra saved the world. She was a headmistress here you know."
"No… I didn't… but now I do."
Suddenly Sarah jumped to her feet and pulled Kay up too.
"Come. I can show you her coffin. They're burying the headmistresses down the dungeon. Just as with the masters of Jordan."
The two girls ran as fast as they could down to the dungeon and stopped in front of a coffin.
Lyra Belaqua Silvertongue. Then the date was all but erased. Pantalaimon.
Studying the plaque closer Kay could she a picture of a pine marten engraved beside the name.
"Hey Kay. Look what I found." Sarah whispered and kneeled besides Kay, handing her something. It was a book, a fairly old yet not ancient book. But neither of the girls nor their dæmons could read in the darkness.
"Let's take it to my room. I'm sure no one will miss it." Kay said and together they ran back to her room.
"Let's read." They were all eager to find out what the little book was about. Carefully Kay opened the book, still fearing that it might turn to dust, which it, quite luckily, didn't. And read.
"Metaphysical travels by Lyra Belaqua Silvertongue."
"Whew… we've actually found a book written by Lyra herself. Read it. I'm sure no one would mind if we learn about the legendary Lyra from her own words."
Of course Sarah was right. So Kay started reading the story.
I know how everyone thinks I'm a hero or something but the truth is all which happened came to be because of one event when I was still a half wild girl living at Jordan college in Oxford. One day Pan and I decided to sneak into the Retiring room where only males were allowed. No, wait, Pan tells me to write that I alone decided to sneak into the retiring room. He tried to talk me from it. Sorry pan. Anyway, while we were inside the retiring room we suddenly heard someone coming and had to hide in a wardrobe, from there I watched the Master do something weird; attempting to poison Lord Asriel, my father whom I at that point still believed to be my uncle. Unable to just look at him drinking poisonous wine I sprang out of the wardrobe thus revealing myself to him. At first he was very mad at me but then he did something strange, something I still this day don't know why, he ordered me back into the wardrobe instead of telling me to leave. Hidden among the coats I for the first time heard the word which would play an essential part in the adventure I would soon embark on. Dust.
From that day Kay and Sarah would spend all their free time in either of the girl's room, reading the story. Well, not all, they did go outside sometimes but they dared not take the book with them. One day the book was done.
"We better get it back into the dungeons right?" Sarah said and even though Kay just wanted to keep the book she knew her friend was right so once again they sneaked into the dungeons. But they weren't expecting to find someone down there. No one less than the headmistress Maria O'Connor herself.
"Kaytiya. Sarah. What are you doing here?"
"Erm Miss we… the first day see… we… went down here… because we wanted to see Lyra's coffin… and…" Kay began.
"I found this book… and we decided to find out what it was… and then we took it to Kay's room… and found out it was written by Lyra herself… and then we thought; why not read it? And we did… but now we're done and are going to put it back."
For a moment Miss O'Connor looked at the two girls then she to both them and their dæmons surprise started laughing.
"Oh you two. It's not a sin to be curious. And you have given some of the teachers something to think about."
"What?"
"Well, some of the stuff Lyra mentions in her book, oh yes, of course I've read it, just like you did, just like many people have done. Lyra had it placed there while she was headmistress. Anyway, some of that stuff is far about your level."
"But…" Sarah began "Surely that must've happened before. If… many students before have found the book like we did."
"Oh no dear Sarah. Most people wait some years instead of finding it on their first day, well, second if we count the evening when you arrived. But back to bed with you. Tomorrow is a brand new day."