- authors note - this story is set back in Jordan College before any of the
books began.
Lyra turned to the windowsill and unlatched it gently, careful not to make any noise. It opened without squeaking too loud. Pantalimon climbed through first, on to the roof, Lyra close behind.
"Oh Pan, isn't it beautiful, I truly love this." she said, looking out to the view of Oxford at night. The only sounds came from those of the sprinkler system and the few people who walked the streets at this time. Lyra climbed slowly down the drainpipe, Pantalimon in her top pocket, ermine form. She reached the ground with a slight thud. The grass was moist, and she treaded carefully to avoid the sprinkler or anything that she was likely to trip over.
The steel gates stood high, but were never locked. As she opened them they let out a high squeak and she stopped and looked back at the college, but no sign of awareness yet, so she opened them a tiny bit more, only enough for her and Pantalimon to fit through and off they were into the night.
Pantalimon change to his wildcat form and stood proud beside her, ready to defend her if anyone should confront them. They slipped into the shadows unseen. The dimly lit streets stretched far and wide ahead of them, and she knew them all to well, all the good hiding spots for when you've pinched an apple from the market. She knew where each and every child of the neighbourhood lived. Someone coughed in the distance, so Lyra and Pantalimon ducked into the closest alleyway. An older man with tatty clothes, clutching a bottle of whisky, and a sick looking, duck dæmon waddled on past, coughing and spluttering as he went.
"That was close." Pan whispered to Lyra. "We should be taking the back streets."
"Good idea." She replied.
They kept on down through the small alley, rippled with rubbish and waste, and as the near approach of the next street arrived, Pan changed to bird form and flew up and looked on.
"No one that I can see, but there are a few Gyption boats tied up over at the riverside, and you know that they are very much alive at this time of night." he called down.
"Ok, we will just have to be extra careful then." she replied.
They slipped into the next street, and just as Pantalimon had said three Gyption boats where tied up against the bank. Lyra looked past and into the distance, the river was quiet, and just as she thought she could see, another Gyption boat slowly floated in through the mist.
"Damn it Pan, what if one of them sees us?" she asked worriedly
"Well, that's why we must try and stay away from the namptha lamps, then they won't even get a glimpse" he assured her. They slivered onto the other side of the street, away from the Gyption's view, and carried on up the street.
They had reached the botanical gardens before she expected. Quickly they wandered over to the statue of Sir Darvin, the founder of the city of Oxford, and as she expected, she saw the little brown package sitting neatly in the space between his legs. She didn't want to unwrap it yet, but save it for her and Roger to unwrap together. She tucked it under her arm and fled back through the botanical garden and the streets of oxford with Pantalimon in cheetah form strong ahead of her. The namptha lamps where dimming and a gentle glow came from the distant horizon as the clock tower struck six. Lyra raced through the college gates not caring of the squeak it gave as she thrust them open. The scholars would be up and awake soon, and getting back into bed was all she and Pan thought about.
She didn't have time or the cover of darkness to climb back up the drainpipe especially since the sun was fair rising, the only way in was through the main entrance and fortunately the street kids of Oxford where useful for something. She took a pin from her hair and shoved it in the lock, twisting and turning until she heard that grateful 'click'. She heaved the doors open and rushed inside not caring to close them again. She carried on up the stairs walking as normal, if anyone heard they would just think she was another scholar, early as she was.
She arrived to her bedroom door and retired inside. Roger wasn't due for another fifteen minutes. She sat down with Pan back in his ermine form, curled up on her lap.
"What do you think it could be?" she asked Pantalimon excitedly,
"I'm not sure, but whatever it was, those men sure were trying to keep it a secret." he said, sniffing the package.
The door flew open and there stood Roger and his mouse formed dæmon, tucked in his hand. He walked in careful not to slam the door, and sat down beside Lyra on her bed.
"Sorry that I couldn't come with you, but you know I cant risk getting caught, they'd chuck both mum and I out." he said apologetically.
"No that's ok, I still got it didn't I? Let's open it." Lyra said, tearing off the cheap brown paper.
"That man is going to be pretty annoyed when he can't find his package there, thank god they didn't see us in the tree watching them." Roger laughed. Lyra had got the brown paper off but there was still a protective layer, which she tore into with her curiosity growing by the minute.
An interesting little black bag lay before them, Roger opened it carefully, and what spilled out was of absolute beauty and wonder. Three small but magnificent oval shaped diamonds, each studded with a different jewel. One with a brilliant red ruby, as fierce as any fire had been. One with a pure green emerald, like that of the forest, and one with a sparkling blue sapphire, as tender as the ocean. Lyra and Roger didn't know what to make of them and for a while they just stared in awe.
"Wow." was all Roger managed to say.
"They must be stolen," said Lyra "people don't just trade things like this through the park on a normal daily basis!"
"Shall we keep them?" Roger asked, turning them through the light.
"Don't be silly, of course we will." said Lyra, she looked at him and gave a cheeky grin. "But we will have to keep them hidden."
"Well you should keep them hidden in here somewhere, they are less likely to search your room if anything happens." Roger added, and they looked at each other and smiled. Both Lyra and Rogers dæmon's huddled together on the desk, looking out at the fresh morning ahead. After all it was just another day.
* * *
Lyra turned to the windowsill and unlatched it gently, careful not to make any noise. It opened without squeaking too loud. Pantalimon climbed through first, on to the roof, Lyra close behind.
"Oh Pan, isn't it beautiful, I truly love this." she said, looking out to the view of Oxford at night. The only sounds came from those of the sprinkler system and the few people who walked the streets at this time. Lyra climbed slowly down the drainpipe, Pantalimon in her top pocket, ermine form. She reached the ground with a slight thud. The grass was moist, and she treaded carefully to avoid the sprinkler or anything that she was likely to trip over.
The steel gates stood high, but were never locked. As she opened them they let out a high squeak and she stopped and looked back at the college, but no sign of awareness yet, so she opened them a tiny bit more, only enough for her and Pantalimon to fit through and off they were into the night.
Pantalimon change to his wildcat form and stood proud beside her, ready to defend her if anyone should confront them. They slipped into the shadows unseen. The dimly lit streets stretched far and wide ahead of them, and she knew them all to well, all the good hiding spots for when you've pinched an apple from the market. She knew where each and every child of the neighbourhood lived. Someone coughed in the distance, so Lyra and Pantalimon ducked into the closest alleyway. An older man with tatty clothes, clutching a bottle of whisky, and a sick looking, duck dæmon waddled on past, coughing and spluttering as he went.
"That was close." Pan whispered to Lyra. "We should be taking the back streets."
"Good idea." She replied.
They kept on down through the small alley, rippled with rubbish and waste, and as the near approach of the next street arrived, Pan changed to bird form and flew up and looked on.
"No one that I can see, but there are a few Gyption boats tied up over at the riverside, and you know that they are very much alive at this time of night." he called down.
"Ok, we will just have to be extra careful then." she replied.
They slipped into the next street, and just as Pantalimon had said three Gyption boats where tied up against the bank. Lyra looked past and into the distance, the river was quiet, and just as she thought she could see, another Gyption boat slowly floated in through the mist.
"Damn it Pan, what if one of them sees us?" she asked worriedly
"Well, that's why we must try and stay away from the namptha lamps, then they won't even get a glimpse" he assured her. They slivered onto the other side of the street, away from the Gyption's view, and carried on up the street.
They had reached the botanical gardens before she expected. Quickly they wandered over to the statue of Sir Darvin, the founder of the city of Oxford, and as she expected, she saw the little brown package sitting neatly in the space between his legs. She didn't want to unwrap it yet, but save it for her and Roger to unwrap together. She tucked it under her arm and fled back through the botanical garden and the streets of oxford with Pantalimon in cheetah form strong ahead of her. The namptha lamps where dimming and a gentle glow came from the distant horizon as the clock tower struck six. Lyra raced through the college gates not caring of the squeak it gave as she thrust them open. The scholars would be up and awake soon, and getting back into bed was all she and Pan thought about.
She didn't have time or the cover of darkness to climb back up the drainpipe especially since the sun was fair rising, the only way in was through the main entrance and fortunately the street kids of Oxford where useful for something. She took a pin from her hair and shoved it in the lock, twisting and turning until she heard that grateful 'click'. She heaved the doors open and rushed inside not caring to close them again. She carried on up the stairs walking as normal, if anyone heard they would just think she was another scholar, early as she was.
She arrived to her bedroom door and retired inside. Roger wasn't due for another fifteen minutes. She sat down with Pan back in his ermine form, curled up on her lap.
"What do you think it could be?" she asked Pantalimon excitedly,
"I'm not sure, but whatever it was, those men sure were trying to keep it a secret." he said, sniffing the package.
The door flew open and there stood Roger and his mouse formed dæmon, tucked in his hand. He walked in careful not to slam the door, and sat down beside Lyra on her bed.
"Sorry that I couldn't come with you, but you know I cant risk getting caught, they'd chuck both mum and I out." he said apologetically.
"No that's ok, I still got it didn't I? Let's open it." Lyra said, tearing off the cheap brown paper.
"That man is going to be pretty annoyed when he can't find his package there, thank god they didn't see us in the tree watching them." Roger laughed. Lyra had got the brown paper off but there was still a protective layer, which she tore into with her curiosity growing by the minute.
An interesting little black bag lay before them, Roger opened it carefully, and what spilled out was of absolute beauty and wonder. Three small but magnificent oval shaped diamonds, each studded with a different jewel. One with a brilliant red ruby, as fierce as any fire had been. One with a pure green emerald, like that of the forest, and one with a sparkling blue sapphire, as tender as the ocean. Lyra and Roger didn't know what to make of them and for a while they just stared in awe.
"Wow." was all Roger managed to say.
"They must be stolen," said Lyra "people don't just trade things like this through the park on a normal daily basis!"
"Shall we keep them?" Roger asked, turning them through the light.
"Don't be silly, of course we will." said Lyra, she looked at him and gave a cheeky grin. "But we will have to keep them hidden."
"Well you should keep them hidden in here somewhere, they are less likely to search your room if anything happens." Roger added, and they looked at each other and smiled. Both Lyra and Rogers dæmon's huddled together on the desk, looking out at the fresh morning ahead. After all it was just another day.
* * *