A/N:: Thanks for the reviews. So now I bring you the complete Chapter
One!!!
Chapter 1
A hazy silence lay over St. Sophia's boarding school as the clock struck noon. Lyra Silvertounge frantically ran from her dorm to reach the Botanic Garden. Not far behind Pantalaimon, Lyra's dæmon sprinted toward her.
"I told you not to fall asleep over the alethiometer last night!"
"I know, I know but I think I almost got something!"
"You didn't even know it was Midsummer's Day!"
Lyra ignored Pantalaimon's nagging and continued to sprint toward the Botanic Garden. She removed the chain around her neck that had the key to the Garden as she came closer to the rusted gate. Once in the Botanic Garden Lyra ran to the bench she had come to love. Three years ago Lyra and Will promised each other to always meet at this bench on Midsummers Day. Many people questioned Lyra's absence from the festivals going on in town celebrating the longest day of the year. She always came up with a clever excuse to explain missing presents in town. If Lyra told anyone the truth they wouldn't believe her far-fetched story through the many worlds with her companion Will. They wouldn't understand.
Pantalaimon finally reached the settee and curled into a ball on Lyra's lap. "You were up really late." Pan said while Lyra yawned.
"I was studying the alethiometer. I think it said something about Felicia."
Without opening his eyes pan said, "Well what did it say? Who is she going to hurt next?"
"I don't know what it was telling me." Pan licked Lyra's hand. "I miss Will so much Pan." She said while stroking his fur. Sitting here always brought painful memories back to Lyra and Pantalaimon.
"I'm sure we will see them again some day."
Lyra laid her head down on the bench. "I'm so tired Pan." She closed her eyes. "Will."
It was dark when Lyra awoke. The only light was the glow of a bonfire in the distance. Lyra rubbed her eyes as they came into focus. She glanced at the clock tower.
"Pan! Pan, wake up!"
"What is it?"
"Look its 10:30! We missed curfew!"
"But we just fell asleep." He said yawning.
"C'mon we have to hurry up before anyone finds us."
They ran back to the dormitory house ducking behind bushes and trees so not to be seen.
"We can't go in the front door. The mistress will see us." The mistress of Lyra's house was very sweet, but when you broke a rule especially miss curfew, she knuckled down and made sure the proper punishment was carried through. This was the first time Lyra stayed out passed curfew which was 9:45, but she heard that one girl received two weeks detention and was only allowed out of her dormitory for classes for a month. It was vital for Lyra not to be seen.
"Obviously. Look we can try and climb up the vines and break through the window. It looks like the window is still open."
So they snuck over to the side of the house and started climbing. Lyra started pulling herself up with the vine. She prayed the vine would not snap. It would be worse then getting caught. Pan had already gotten to the window and was working on opening it. The vine Lyra was on gave away and Lyra started plummeting toward the ground. She grabbed a window sill and pulled herself upon it. The room was dark and the girl was asleep. Before the girl woke up Lyra grabbed another vine. Before the vine cracked Lyra held her window ledge.
"To bad Mr. Briggs can't see me now." Lyra joked. Mr. Briggs, the physical education teacher was never impressed with any of his students. If he had seen Lyra just now he may have thought differently.
Lyra tumbled through her bedroom window and lay flat on the floor. "That was close Pan." She said getting up. Looking around the room she noticed everything was the way she had left it earlier that day. On her desk lay the alethiometer with millions of papers scribbled on under neither it. Her vanity had photographs of Jordan College and some of its Professors. The only thing different was that her bed was made. This morning it was untidy but the maids made the bed for her.
On the bed Lyra looked at her hands that were burned from slipping on the vine. After kicking off her shoes she crawled under the covers and wished Pantaliamon goodnight. "C'mon Pan." She yawned. "I'm going back to sleep."
Pan jumped on the bed. "Goodnight Lyra."
Someone knocked impatiently on Lyra's door. It sounded as if they had been there all morning. Lyra rolled over in her bed, still in her uniform, and glared at the clock. It was 6:47 AM. Who would wake her up this early? It came in a response from the person knocking on the door.
"Belacqua! You're in trouble." It wasn't one of the teachers but a nasty student with a foreign accent.
As Lyra got out of her bed and straightened her uniform the student knocked again. "Belacqua I don't have all day."
"I'll be right there!" She said in a hostile voice. When Lyra opened her door she saw Felicia Mason standing against the wall opposite of Lyra with her arms crossed over her chest. Felicia's fox dæmon, Vandorion, lay with his eyes closed at her feet.
"What is it Felicia? I paid you back three days ago." Lyra mumbled.
"You're in trouble." She replied.
"So they sent you to fetch me?"
"Bite me."
"I'll spare myself. Hold on a minute." Lyra slammed the door probably waking up everyone in the dormitory. Pantalianmon was still on her bed yawning when Lyra stormed back into the room.
"Who was at the door?" Pantalianmon said between yawns.
"Felicia."
"You paid her back a couple days ago."
"Not for money. Someone must have seen us sneaking in last night."
"Oh." Pan crawled back into a ball about to fall asleep again. "It was probably Vogel."
Vogel belonged to Mr. Greene, one of the oldest teachers at St. Sophia's. She was a hawk and always kept a close eye on the students to make sure they didn't step out of line. Once Lyra and Pan tried to sneak food from the kitchen into their dorm room and Vogel found out. Lyra had to make breakfast the next day.
"Hurry up Balacqua. There is also someone to see you." Felicia said irritated.
Lyra jumped. The only people that came to see her were the Scholars from Jordan College, but they wouldn't be visiting this early.
"Okay! I'll be right out." She said while pulling a comb through her hair. It was tangled and had branches in it form the night before. Her uniform was dirty and wrinkled so she put on one of her skirts and a white blouse.
"Come on Pan." Pan jumped from the bed and obediently walked at her heals.
"Belacqua if you're not out here in five seconds I'm coming in."
Opening the door Lyra saw Felicia with her eyes narrowed staring at her. "It's about time. It's not my fault that we're late."
The two girls started down the corridor with their dæmon's trotting behind them. The corridor was painted a wine color with maple moldings and a maroon rug. After the servants cleaned the rug Lyra and some of her classmates would have a contest to see who could get their hair to stick up the most from static electricity. Since Lyra almost never washed her hair she usually won.
"What did you do Felicia?"
She didn't answer right away. "I was caught smoking last night. I bought them with money I stole from one of the students. What did you do Belacqua?"
"I snuck in after curfew."
"That it?"
"Yes," She mumbled. "Do you know who is there for me?"
"I only caught a glimpse. He sounded important. I think he is from the Church." She laughed. "You must have done more then sneak in last night."
Lyra stopped walking and looked at Pan wide eyed. Pantalianmon stopped too feeling Lyra's apprehension. What did the Church want with her?
A/N:: That's all for Chapter One. The end was what I gave for the preview and I hope you liked the whole thing. ^.^ I'm wired on Torrone right now so I must be going. I have to find more Torrone heheheheheh =^.^=
Chapter 1
A hazy silence lay over St. Sophia's boarding school as the clock struck noon. Lyra Silvertounge frantically ran from her dorm to reach the Botanic Garden. Not far behind Pantalaimon, Lyra's dæmon sprinted toward her.
"I told you not to fall asleep over the alethiometer last night!"
"I know, I know but I think I almost got something!"
"You didn't even know it was Midsummer's Day!"
Lyra ignored Pantalaimon's nagging and continued to sprint toward the Botanic Garden. She removed the chain around her neck that had the key to the Garden as she came closer to the rusted gate. Once in the Botanic Garden Lyra ran to the bench she had come to love. Three years ago Lyra and Will promised each other to always meet at this bench on Midsummers Day. Many people questioned Lyra's absence from the festivals going on in town celebrating the longest day of the year. She always came up with a clever excuse to explain missing presents in town. If Lyra told anyone the truth they wouldn't believe her far-fetched story through the many worlds with her companion Will. They wouldn't understand.
Pantalaimon finally reached the settee and curled into a ball on Lyra's lap. "You were up really late." Pan said while Lyra yawned.
"I was studying the alethiometer. I think it said something about Felicia."
Without opening his eyes pan said, "Well what did it say? Who is she going to hurt next?"
"I don't know what it was telling me." Pan licked Lyra's hand. "I miss Will so much Pan." She said while stroking his fur. Sitting here always brought painful memories back to Lyra and Pantalaimon.
"I'm sure we will see them again some day."
Lyra laid her head down on the bench. "I'm so tired Pan." She closed her eyes. "Will."
It was dark when Lyra awoke. The only light was the glow of a bonfire in the distance. Lyra rubbed her eyes as they came into focus. She glanced at the clock tower.
"Pan! Pan, wake up!"
"What is it?"
"Look its 10:30! We missed curfew!"
"But we just fell asleep." He said yawning.
"C'mon we have to hurry up before anyone finds us."
They ran back to the dormitory house ducking behind bushes and trees so not to be seen.
"We can't go in the front door. The mistress will see us." The mistress of Lyra's house was very sweet, but when you broke a rule especially miss curfew, she knuckled down and made sure the proper punishment was carried through. This was the first time Lyra stayed out passed curfew which was 9:45, but she heard that one girl received two weeks detention and was only allowed out of her dormitory for classes for a month. It was vital for Lyra not to be seen.
"Obviously. Look we can try and climb up the vines and break through the window. It looks like the window is still open."
So they snuck over to the side of the house and started climbing. Lyra started pulling herself up with the vine. She prayed the vine would not snap. It would be worse then getting caught. Pan had already gotten to the window and was working on opening it. The vine Lyra was on gave away and Lyra started plummeting toward the ground. She grabbed a window sill and pulled herself upon it. The room was dark and the girl was asleep. Before the girl woke up Lyra grabbed another vine. Before the vine cracked Lyra held her window ledge.
"To bad Mr. Briggs can't see me now." Lyra joked. Mr. Briggs, the physical education teacher was never impressed with any of his students. If he had seen Lyra just now he may have thought differently.
Lyra tumbled through her bedroom window and lay flat on the floor. "That was close Pan." She said getting up. Looking around the room she noticed everything was the way she had left it earlier that day. On her desk lay the alethiometer with millions of papers scribbled on under neither it. Her vanity had photographs of Jordan College and some of its Professors. The only thing different was that her bed was made. This morning it was untidy but the maids made the bed for her.
On the bed Lyra looked at her hands that were burned from slipping on the vine. After kicking off her shoes she crawled under the covers and wished Pantaliamon goodnight. "C'mon Pan." She yawned. "I'm going back to sleep."
Pan jumped on the bed. "Goodnight Lyra."
Someone knocked impatiently on Lyra's door. It sounded as if they had been there all morning. Lyra rolled over in her bed, still in her uniform, and glared at the clock. It was 6:47 AM. Who would wake her up this early? It came in a response from the person knocking on the door.
"Belacqua! You're in trouble." It wasn't one of the teachers but a nasty student with a foreign accent.
As Lyra got out of her bed and straightened her uniform the student knocked again. "Belacqua I don't have all day."
"I'll be right there!" She said in a hostile voice. When Lyra opened her door she saw Felicia Mason standing against the wall opposite of Lyra with her arms crossed over her chest. Felicia's fox dæmon, Vandorion, lay with his eyes closed at her feet.
"What is it Felicia? I paid you back three days ago." Lyra mumbled.
"You're in trouble." She replied.
"So they sent you to fetch me?"
"Bite me."
"I'll spare myself. Hold on a minute." Lyra slammed the door probably waking up everyone in the dormitory. Pantalianmon was still on her bed yawning when Lyra stormed back into the room.
"Who was at the door?" Pantalianmon said between yawns.
"Felicia."
"You paid her back a couple days ago."
"Not for money. Someone must have seen us sneaking in last night."
"Oh." Pan crawled back into a ball about to fall asleep again. "It was probably Vogel."
Vogel belonged to Mr. Greene, one of the oldest teachers at St. Sophia's. She was a hawk and always kept a close eye on the students to make sure they didn't step out of line. Once Lyra and Pan tried to sneak food from the kitchen into their dorm room and Vogel found out. Lyra had to make breakfast the next day.
"Hurry up Balacqua. There is also someone to see you." Felicia said irritated.
Lyra jumped. The only people that came to see her were the Scholars from Jordan College, but they wouldn't be visiting this early.
"Okay! I'll be right out." She said while pulling a comb through her hair. It was tangled and had branches in it form the night before. Her uniform was dirty and wrinkled so she put on one of her skirts and a white blouse.
"Come on Pan." Pan jumped from the bed and obediently walked at her heals.
"Belacqua if you're not out here in five seconds I'm coming in."
Opening the door Lyra saw Felicia with her eyes narrowed staring at her. "It's about time. It's not my fault that we're late."
The two girls started down the corridor with their dæmon's trotting behind them. The corridor was painted a wine color with maple moldings and a maroon rug. After the servants cleaned the rug Lyra and some of her classmates would have a contest to see who could get their hair to stick up the most from static electricity. Since Lyra almost never washed her hair she usually won.
"What did you do Felicia?"
She didn't answer right away. "I was caught smoking last night. I bought them with money I stole from one of the students. What did you do Belacqua?"
"I snuck in after curfew."
"That it?"
"Yes," She mumbled. "Do you know who is there for me?"
"I only caught a glimpse. He sounded important. I think he is from the Church." She laughed. "You must have done more then sneak in last night."
Lyra stopped walking and looked at Pan wide eyed. Pantalianmon stopped too feeling Lyra's apprehension. What did the Church want with her?
A/N:: That's all for Chapter One. The end was what I gave for the preview and I hope you liked the whole thing. ^.^ I'm wired on Torrone right now so I must be going. I have to find more Torrone heheheheheh =^.^=