Lyra sat on her bed in her dorm room at Saint Sophia's, pondering. Before her adventures with Will, she had never been a pensive or thoughtful person, but she had changed greatly in the past five years, and she liked to spend more of her time brooding than before. "Oh Pan..we're sixteen today.." she whispered, patting her daemon on the head. Sixteen seemed like a turning point for her, for, in her mind, she was no longer a child. Pan nudged Lyra affectionately. "It seems like only yesterday when Will and Kirjava were with us.." he said. Lyra nodded. "That memory will always feel like yesterday, Pan."
Lyra's thoughts were interrupted by the opening of a door. Laramie rushed into the room and hugged Lyra. "Happy birthday, Lyra!!!" she cried, grinning from ear to ear. "I have a present for you!!"
Lyra laughed. "Thanks, Lara!" she shouted in Laramie's ear, causing the auburn-haired maiden to wince before resuming her bright smile. Lyra took the small box that Lara had handed to her. Inside was a silver locket with a photo of the two of them inside it. Lyra bit her lip to keep from crying as she hugged Laramie tightly. "Thank you, Lara," she said, trying to hold back tears of joy.
"Oooh Lyra, we have to have a big celebration for you..." Laramie placed her finger on her chin and made a thoughtful face before snapping her fingers. "I know what we'll do..." Laramie's eyes glimmered with mischief. Her squirrel daemon, Miritel, hopped around excitedly. "We'll sneak out and go out for a drive around the city! It'll be soooo much fun!" Laramie said.
Lyra grinned. "Hmm..breaking the rules does sound real appealing....okay, let's do it!"
So Laramie and Lyra snuck out of St. Sophia's at 10:00 at night and went for a wild ride around the city, having the time of their lives cruising around in Laramie's small car. However, when they returned, they were greeted by an extremely angry Dame Hannah. "Uh-oh.." muttered Laramie.
Dame Hannah was outraged. "HOW DARE YOU GIRLS SNEAK OUT THIS LATE AT NIGHT!! WE'VE ALL BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!" Lyra tried to suppress a giggle, for she was marveling at how much Dame Hannah resembled a warthog when she was angry. However, Lyra Silvertongue lived up to her name by giving Dame Hannah a stunning explanation for why they were out so late. Thanks to her pains, Lyra managed to escape with mere detentions for her and Laramie. As they walked away, Laramie whispered, "It looks like Lyra and Laramie Mischief Enterprises is back up and running." Lyra grinned. "You bet it is!" she responded.
Laramie's 16th birthday happened to fall on Midsummer's Eve. That morning, Lyra had given Laramie her birthday present: a small silver compass. "This belonged to Lee," Lyra explained. Laramie didn't even bother to hold back her tears. She sobbed like a baby, hugging Lyra tightly. "Oh, Lyra..thank you.." she sniffled. Lara looked up at Lyra, her eyes eager. "Lyra..oh Lyra, can't you come to my party that Mary is giving me?" she asked. Lyra shook her head sadly. "Sorry, Lar, but I'm busy. You know that."
Laramie looked at Lyra curiously. "Where do you go every Midsummer, Lyra? You never would tell me." Lyra smiled. "Someday I'll tell you, Lara, I promise."
Lyra walked outside, waiting for her carriage. Standing outside as well was Ryan, a student at a nearby college. Ryan and Lyra had become great friends, due to their mutual liking for mischief. Ryan grinned at Lyra, winking. "Hey, midget!" he shouted. "Midget" was his nickname for the perpetually petite Lyra.
Lyra grinned back. "Nice to see you, too," she replied. "Where ya going, Ry?" she asked. Ryan shrugged. "Home..my dad's not feeling so well, so I gotta go home and run things around the house..ya know." He looked at Lyra curiously. "How 'bout you?" he asked. Lyra shrugged also. "Oxford.." she responded, in a tone that indicated that she didn't wish to reveal anymore. Suddenly, her carriage pulled up, and she climbed in, waving to Ryan. "Bye!" she shouted. Leaning back in her seat, Lyra patted Pantalaimon, letting thoughts of Will come into her mind and overflow it with memories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two years later, Lyra and Laramie were in the dorm, reading a letter that had come for Lyra. "It's from a lawyer..." Lyra muttered. "It's something..something about my..." Her eyes widened. "My father.."
Laramie squeezed Lyra's hand tightly. "It says that you're supposed to go to this lawyer's office...but it doesn't say why..that's odd." Laramie knitted her brows. "I wonder what he needs to talk to you about.." At the sight of Lyra's pale face, Laramie said, "D'ya want me to come with you? Not to go in, but just to sorta sit outside?" Lyra nodded. "Would you, Lara?" she asked eagerly. Laramie nodded. "O'course I will!" she responded.
So Lyra and Laramie set out for Oxford, where the lawyer's office was. Lyra was wearing a business suit, and she had her hair pulled up in a way that made her look older than her eighteen years. Her mind was filled with confusion. What could her father's lawyer want to see her for?
Noticing the look on her friend's face, Laramie squeezed Lyra's hand. "Don't worry, it'll all be okay," said Laramie comfortingly. Lyra nodded. "I know..I know," she responded.
Finally they arrived at the law offices. After hugging Laramie quickly, Lyra walked into the lawyer's office. Sitting at the desk was an older man, who stood when she walked in.
"Miss Belacqua," the man said in a deep voice, "my name is Robert Martin, and I have some business regarding your father that I must take up with you."
Lyra nodded. "All right," she said, sitting down in the chair that Mr. Martin gestured towards. Mr. Martin sat back down, flipping through some papers.
"Recently," began Mr. Martin, "a copy of Lord Asriel Belacqua's will has been discovered."
Lyra frowned. "Will?" she asked, confused. "But my father didn't know that he was going to die..why would he have a will?"
"It is not uncommon," Mr. Martin said, "for a high-ranking person such as Lord Asriel to have a will made up in case of emergency, so that their assets go to the correct people." He pulled out a packet of papers. "Ah, here it is," Mr. Martin said. Clearing his throat, he said, "According to his will, Lord Asriel has bequeathed all of his assets to you, his daughter Lyra Belacqua, as well as his noble title."
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Noble title?"
Mr. Martin nodded. "Yes. As of now, you are the Lady Lyra Belacqua the Second, the first being Lord Asriel's late sister," he said.
Lyra's eyes widened. A Lady? She had a noble title? She, wild, foul-mouthed little Lyra, was the owner of an estate and a fortune? By the time it had thoroughly sunk in, Lyra and Laramie had arrived back at Saint Sophia's. Laramie had stared at Lyra the whole ride back. "A Lady?" she said incredulously. "You're a noblewoman! It's incredible!" Laramie was extremely excited. Lyra, however, wasn't.
"So? What good is money to me?" asked Lyra.
"What good is it?" Laramie exclaimed. "Don't you understand? You can help people with that money, Lyra! I can see it now: you playing the role of Lady Bountiful and helping little street urchins to get homes! It'd be great!"
Lyra listened to Laramie's words intently. "You're right, Lar!" she said, jumping up and down. "You're right! I can help people!"
That night, Lyra and Pan had a talk. "Maybe, just maybe," began Lyra, "if I do good things for people in this life, I will be rewarded by finding Will in the next life." Pan nodded. "Maybe that's what rebuilding the Republic of Heaven is...helping other people, and working harder to create a heaven on earth." Lyra smiled. "You're right, Pan, you're right."
Lyra's thoughts were interrupted by the opening of a door. Laramie rushed into the room and hugged Lyra. "Happy birthday, Lyra!!!" she cried, grinning from ear to ear. "I have a present for you!!"
Lyra laughed. "Thanks, Lara!" she shouted in Laramie's ear, causing the auburn-haired maiden to wince before resuming her bright smile. Lyra took the small box that Lara had handed to her. Inside was a silver locket with a photo of the two of them inside it. Lyra bit her lip to keep from crying as she hugged Laramie tightly. "Thank you, Lara," she said, trying to hold back tears of joy.
"Oooh Lyra, we have to have a big celebration for you..." Laramie placed her finger on her chin and made a thoughtful face before snapping her fingers. "I know what we'll do..." Laramie's eyes glimmered with mischief. Her squirrel daemon, Miritel, hopped around excitedly. "We'll sneak out and go out for a drive around the city! It'll be soooo much fun!" Laramie said.
Lyra grinned. "Hmm..breaking the rules does sound real appealing....okay, let's do it!"
So Laramie and Lyra snuck out of St. Sophia's at 10:00 at night and went for a wild ride around the city, having the time of their lives cruising around in Laramie's small car. However, when they returned, they were greeted by an extremely angry Dame Hannah. "Uh-oh.." muttered Laramie.
Dame Hannah was outraged. "HOW DARE YOU GIRLS SNEAK OUT THIS LATE AT NIGHT!! WE'VE ALL BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!" Lyra tried to suppress a giggle, for she was marveling at how much Dame Hannah resembled a warthog when she was angry. However, Lyra Silvertongue lived up to her name by giving Dame Hannah a stunning explanation for why they were out so late. Thanks to her pains, Lyra managed to escape with mere detentions for her and Laramie. As they walked away, Laramie whispered, "It looks like Lyra and Laramie Mischief Enterprises is back up and running." Lyra grinned. "You bet it is!" she responded.
Laramie's 16th birthday happened to fall on Midsummer's Eve. That morning, Lyra had given Laramie her birthday present: a small silver compass. "This belonged to Lee," Lyra explained. Laramie didn't even bother to hold back her tears. She sobbed like a baby, hugging Lyra tightly. "Oh, Lyra..thank you.." she sniffled. Lara looked up at Lyra, her eyes eager. "Lyra..oh Lyra, can't you come to my party that Mary is giving me?" she asked. Lyra shook her head sadly. "Sorry, Lar, but I'm busy. You know that."
Laramie looked at Lyra curiously. "Where do you go every Midsummer, Lyra? You never would tell me." Lyra smiled. "Someday I'll tell you, Lara, I promise."
Lyra walked outside, waiting for her carriage. Standing outside as well was Ryan, a student at a nearby college. Ryan and Lyra had become great friends, due to their mutual liking for mischief. Ryan grinned at Lyra, winking. "Hey, midget!" he shouted. "Midget" was his nickname for the perpetually petite Lyra.
Lyra grinned back. "Nice to see you, too," she replied. "Where ya going, Ry?" she asked. Ryan shrugged. "Home..my dad's not feeling so well, so I gotta go home and run things around the house..ya know." He looked at Lyra curiously. "How 'bout you?" he asked. Lyra shrugged also. "Oxford.." she responded, in a tone that indicated that she didn't wish to reveal anymore. Suddenly, her carriage pulled up, and she climbed in, waving to Ryan. "Bye!" she shouted. Leaning back in her seat, Lyra patted Pantalaimon, letting thoughts of Will come into her mind and overflow it with memories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two years later, Lyra and Laramie were in the dorm, reading a letter that had come for Lyra. "It's from a lawyer..." Lyra muttered. "It's something..something about my..." Her eyes widened. "My father.."
Laramie squeezed Lyra's hand tightly. "It says that you're supposed to go to this lawyer's office...but it doesn't say why..that's odd." Laramie knitted her brows. "I wonder what he needs to talk to you about.." At the sight of Lyra's pale face, Laramie said, "D'ya want me to come with you? Not to go in, but just to sorta sit outside?" Lyra nodded. "Would you, Lara?" she asked eagerly. Laramie nodded. "O'course I will!" she responded.
So Lyra and Laramie set out for Oxford, where the lawyer's office was. Lyra was wearing a business suit, and she had her hair pulled up in a way that made her look older than her eighteen years. Her mind was filled with confusion. What could her father's lawyer want to see her for?
Noticing the look on her friend's face, Laramie squeezed Lyra's hand. "Don't worry, it'll all be okay," said Laramie comfortingly. Lyra nodded. "I know..I know," she responded.
Finally they arrived at the law offices. After hugging Laramie quickly, Lyra walked into the lawyer's office. Sitting at the desk was an older man, who stood when she walked in.
"Miss Belacqua," the man said in a deep voice, "my name is Robert Martin, and I have some business regarding your father that I must take up with you."
Lyra nodded. "All right," she said, sitting down in the chair that Mr. Martin gestured towards. Mr. Martin sat back down, flipping through some papers.
"Recently," began Mr. Martin, "a copy of Lord Asriel Belacqua's will has been discovered."
Lyra frowned. "Will?" she asked, confused. "But my father didn't know that he was going to die..why would he have a will?"
"It is not uncommon," Mr. Martin said, "for a high-ranking person such as Lord Asriel to have a will made up in case of emergency, so that their assets go to the correct people." He pulled out a packet of papers. "Ah, here it is," Mr. Martin said. Clearing his throat, he said, "According to his will, Lord Asriel has bequeathed all of his assets to you, his daughter Lyra Belacqua, as well as his noble title."
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Noble title?"
Mr. Martin nodded. "Yes. As of now, you are the Lady Lyra Belacqua the Second, the first being Lord Asriel's late sister," he said.
Lyra's eyes widened. A Lady? She had a noble title? She, wild, foul-mouthed little Lyra, was the owner of an estate and a fortune? By the time it had thoroughly sunk in, Lyra and Laramie had arrived back at Saint Sophia's. Laramie had stared at Lyra the whole ride back. "A Lady?" she said incredulously. "You're a noblewoman! It's incredible!" Laramie was extremely excited. Lyra, however, wasn't.
"So? What good is money to me?" asked Lyra.
"What good is it?" Laramie exclaimed. "Don't you understand? You can help people with that money, Lyra! I can see it now: you playing the role of Lady Bountiful and helping little street urchins to get homes! It'd be great!"
Lyra listened to Laramie's words intently. "You're right, Lar!" she said, jumping up and down. "You're right! I can help people!"
That night, Lyra and Pan had a talk. "Maybe, just maybe," began Lyra, "if I do good things for people in this life, I will be rewarded by finding Will in the next life." Pan nodded. "Maybe that's what rebuilding the Republic of Heaven is...helping other people, and working harder to create a heaven on earth." Lyra smiled. "You're right, Pan, you're right."