Lyra smoothed out the wrinkles in her white blouse and brushed a piece of dust off of her plaid kilt. Today was her first day at Saint Sophia's, and she felt extremely nervous, not that she was going to admit it. She patted Pantalaimon on the head. "Pan..d'ya think we're gonna like it there?" she asked, tugging a brush through her thick gold hair and sliding in a headband.
Pan rubbed up to Lyra, smiling. "I think so, it seems like a nice place."
Lyra nodded, trying to will herself to believe Pan's words. "Yeah."
Before her departure, the Master of Jordan called her into his office. He smiled at her, the wrinkles in his face deepening. "Lyra...Lyra, we all shall miss you, child," he said to her, patting her on the shoulder. "You'll be quite fine at Saint Sophia's, I'm sure, the ladies there are all very kind, and you'll get an excellent education."
Lyra smiled weakly. "I shall miss you too, Master," she said, throwing her arms around the old man. "And I'll be all right, don't worry."
After departing from the Master's office, Lyra said her goodbyes to the urchins and the kitchen boys, and then headed to the carriage waiting for her outside. She took a last, wistful look at Jordan, then climbed into the carriage. As she looked out the window, a small tear fell down her face. She was leaving behind her childhood...she felt like she was leaving behind her very essence. Thoughts of Will arose in her mind, but she tried hard to stamp them out. She hugged Pan tightly, whispering to him. "Pan..I miss them all already..."
"I know, Lyra, I know," Pan responded, cuddling up to her. "But don't worry, everything's gonna be fine."
After a short drive, they arrived at Saint Sophia's. Lyra climbed out of the carriage, feelings of apprehension welling up inside of her. What if the girls didn't like her? She hadn't ever had any girlfriends before, unless one could count the girls at Bolvangar. Holding Pan tightly, she walked through the huge doors to the College, where she was welcomed by Dame Hannah. Dame Hannah hugged Lyra tightly, smiling brightly. "Lyra, child, its wonderful to see you!" she said, releasing Lyra from her tight grasp. She looked Lyra over with a discerning eye. "You've grown, Lyra, quite a bit, actually," she said in an approving tone. Lyra nodded, a small smile on her face. "Well, child, we must introduce you to the young ladies," Dame Hannah announced, gesturing for a maid to come over. "Monique will show you to your room," Dame Hannah continued. "You'll be sharing with one other young lady, who should be in the room to welcome you." Dame Hannah hugged Lyra one more time, then walked back down the corridor.
Lyra followed Monique down a long hallway, until she stopped in front of a door. "This is your room, Miss Belacqua," Monique said, curtsying and moving back down the hall. Lyra apprehensively opened the door. Sitting on an armchair was a young girl of about her age, holding a squirrel dæmon. The girl was tall and slim, with an open, friendly, freckled face. Her hair was dark auburn and curly, and her eyes were twinkling green. The girl immediately stood up and smiled at Lyra. "Hi!" she said cheerily, with a thick Texan accent. "You're Lyra, aren't you?" she asked eagerly. Lyra smiled. "Yeah, I'm Lyra Belacqua," she said, extending her hand. The girl shook Lyra's hand. "I'm Laramie Leonard," she said, her grin spreading. "It's so nice to meet you, Lyra, I've been waiting for you to come for the longest time..." Laramie's voice was filled with a longing for friendship that Lyra found endearing.
Before the night was over, Lyra and Laramie had become great friends already. Lyra learned of Laramie's background, and found out that it was almost as awful as her own. Laramie's parents had both died when she was an infant, and Laramie had been sent to live with her aunt, who was an alcoholic. After eleven years of abuse, Laramie's aunt died, and Laramie was left in the care of her twenty-one year old cousin, Mary, who was also a student at Saint Sophia's. As she told Lyra her story, Laramie looked down at her hands sadly. "My father's best friend...he wanted to take me..he was going to adopt me, but then..he died," she said, a tear falling down her face. "He was an explorer..it would've been so great to travel with him."
Lyra's mind was racing. Laramie's dad's best friend was Texan, an explorer, and he died a year ago. "Lar, what was his name?" Lyra asked. Laramie sniffled. "Lee Scoresby," she responded. Lyra jumped out of her chair. "Lee Scoresby???? I knew him!"
Laramie's eyes widened. "Really? You did?"
Lyra nodded. "Yes!! He was a great friend of mine!" Laramie laughed happily. "I'm so glad I met you, Lyra Belacqua," she said. "I can tell that we're gonna be the best of friends."
Lyra smiled. "Me too, Laramie, me too."
Pan rubbed up to Lyra, smiling. "I think so, it seems like a nice place."
Lyra nodded, trying to will herself to believe Pan's words. "Yeah."
Before her departure, the Master of Jordan called her into his office. He smiled at her, the wrinkles in his face deepening. "Lyra...Lyra, we all shall miss you, child," he said to her, patting her on the shoulder. "You'll be quite fine at Saint Sophia's, I'm sure, the ladies there are all very kind, and you'll get an excellent education."
Lyra smiled weakly. "I shall miss you too, Master," she said, throwing her arms around the old man. "And I'll be all right, don't worry."
After departing from the Master's office, Lyra said her goodbyes to the urchins and the kitchen boys, and then headed to the carriage waiting for her outside. She took a last, wistful look at Jordan, then climbed into the carriage. As she looked out the window, a small tear fell down her face. She was leaving behind her childhood...she felt like she was leaving behind her very essence. Thoughts of Will arose in her mind, but she tried hard to stamp them out. She hugged Pan tightly, whispering to him. "Pan..I miss them all already..."
"I know, Lyra, I know," Pan responded, cuddling up to her. "But don't worry, everything's gonna be fine."
After a short drive, they arrived at Saint Sophia's. Lyra climbed out of the carriage, feelings of apprehension welling up inside of her. What if the girls didn't like her? She hadn't ever had any girlfriends before, unless one could count the girls at Bolvangar. Holding Pan tightly, she walked through the huge doors to the College, where she was welcomed by Dame Hannah. Dame Hannah hugged Lyra tightly, smiling brightly. "Lyra, child, its wonderful to see you!" she said, releasing Lyra from her tight grasp. She looked Lyra over with a discerning eye. "You've grown, Lyra, quite a bit, actually," she said in an approving tone. Lyra nodded, a small smile on her face. "Well, child, we must introduce you to the young ladies," Dame Hannah announced, gesturing for a maid to come over. "Monique will show you to your room," Dame Hannah continued. "You'll be sharing with one other young lady, who should be in the room to welcome you." Dame Hannah hugged Lyra one more time, then walked back down the corridor.
Lyra followed Monique down a long hallway, until she stopped in front of a door. "This is your room, Miss Belacqua," Monique said, curtsying and moving back down the hall. Lyra apprehensively opened the door. Sitting on an armchair was a young girl of about her age, holding a squirrel dæmon. The girl was tall and slim, with an open, friendly, freckled face. Her hair was dark auburn and curly, and her eyes were twinkling green. The girl immediately stood up and smiled at Lyra. "Hi!" she said cheerily, with a thick Texan accent. "You're Lyra, aren't you?" she asked eagerly. Lyra smiled. "Yeah, I'm Lyra Belacqua," she said, extending her hand. The girl shook Lyra's hand. "I'm Laramie Leonard," she said, her grin spreading. "It's so nice to meet you, Lyra, I've been waiting for you to come for the longest time..." Laramie's voice was filled with a longing for friendship that Lyra found endearing.
Before the night was over, Lyra and Laramie had become great friends already. Lyra learned of Laramie's background, and found out that it was almost as awful as her own. Laramie's parents had both died when she was an infant, and Laramie had been sent to live with her aunt, who was an alcoholic. After eleven years of abuse, Laramie's aunt died, and Laramie was left in the care of her twenty-one year old cousin, Mary, who was also a student at Saint Sophia's. As she told Lyra her story, Laramie looked down at her hands sadly. "My father's best friend...he wanted to take me..he was going to adopt me, but then..he died," she said, a tear falling down her face. "He was an explorer..it would've been so great to travel with him."
Lyra's mind was racing. Laramie's dad's best friend was Texan, an explorer, and he died a year ago. "Lar, what was his name?" Lyra asked. Laramie sniffled. "Lee Scoresby," she responded. Lyra jumped out of her chair. "Lee Scoresby???? I knew him!"
Laramie's eyes widened. "Really? You did?"
Lyra nodded. "Yes!! He was a great friend of mine!" Laramie laughed happily. "I'm so glad I met you, Lyra Belacqua," she said. "I can tell that we're gonna be the best of friends."
Lyra smiled. "Me too, Laramie, me too."