Chapter 2: Lyra Meets The Barrier
(A/N Don't own anyone but Emily and Sarika. You've heard this before. Sorry for the long absence, I'm working on another fic right now.)
Lyra Silvertongue, graduate of St. Sophia's college and reader of the alethiometer, opened the door to the flat she shared with Sarika, her best friend, and flopped down into a chair, feeling bone-tired. She'd been reading the alethiometer all day as part of the small truth-telling business she had set up, and she was exhausted. Her pine marten daemon, Pantalaimon, flowed up the chair beside her.
"Look on the bright side, Lyra. Tomorrow's Midsummer's Day, and it's when we spend an hour in the Botanic Garden with Will and Kirjava. You have to be happy about that."
Lyra nodded. "I am happy. It's just that, I never thought reading the alethiometer like this would make me so tired. It used to be so easy before!"
"You've said that hundreds of times, and we both knew when we decided to keep doing it that it would be hard. Just think of tomorrow."
As Lyra was about to respond, the door opened again and Sarika and her sparrow daemon, Kylona, came in. Sarika took one look at Lyra's tired face and grinned. "At the books again, Lyra?"
Lyra sighed. "Of course."
Sarika told Lyra pretty much the same thing as Pan had, to lighten up. Unlike Emily, Sarika knew about Lyra's adventures, as Lyra's world had been hit far worse than Will's by the changes.
That night, Lyra lay in bed, with a tired smile on her face. Only a few more hours before her time in the Garden with Will.in a way.
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Will stood at the altar under an arch of flowers. The day of his wedding to Emily had come, and he was a nervous wreck. Not just because he was getting married, but because he was worried he wouldn't make the garden. He planned to slip away from the reception for at least half an hour, so he could be with Lyra for a while, but he wasn't sure if he'd make it.
Emily appeared out of nowhere and started down the long aisle. Will jolted back to reality. He looked at the bridesmaids, surprised that they'd already come down the aisle. The organ was playing, and Will surreptitiously wiped his sweaty hands on his tuxedo.
Emily made it to the altar, a huge smile on her face, and the minister began the vows. The wedding went smoothly, and as Will and Emily started back down the aisle, Will carefully glanced at the watch he'd hid under his sleeve. Eleven-fifteen.
Spying Mary in the front row, he hoped she remembered the plan. Just to be sure, he sent Kirjava, who was trotting calmly at his side, to talk to her daemon, Temiral. The two daemons conversed for a few minutes, and then Kirjava hurried back to him. She informed him that Mary remembered what to do, and Will stepped into the limo that would take them to the reception hall, only a little more content than before.
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Lyra sat on the bench in the garden, eyes closed, feeling the sun on her face. A clock tower nearby tolled the noon hour, and she waited to feel Will's comforting presence. Concentrating hard, she sat in silence, hearing only the faintest rustle of leaves and feet walking along the paths, paying no attention to the woman on the bench.
Lyra waited fifteen minutes, but didn't feel Will. Perhaps he was a little late, she concluded, and sat contently, still searching for his presence. Ten minutes later, he still wasn't there. Twenty minutes after that, no Will. Lyra waited the entire hour, but Will never came.
Finally opening her eyes, Lyra winced at the sun in her eyes, but didn't pay it much attention. Will had forgotten to come! In ten years, neither of them had missed a meeting with the other. Ever. And now he had forgotten. He had snubbed her.
Getting up, Lyra stormed angrily out of the garden, Pan stalking just as furiously on her heels.
(A/N So.the plot thickens. R/R and I'll continue with it. What happened to Will? What will Lyra think of him? Tune in next time!)
(A/N Don't own anyone but Emily and Sarika. You've heard this before. Sorry for the long absence, I'm working on another fic right now.)
Lyra Silvertongue, graduate of St. Sophia's college and reader of the alethiometer, opened the door to the flat she shared with Sarika, her best friend, and flopped down into a chair, feeling bone-tired. She'd been reading the alethiometer all day as part of the small truth-telling business she had set up, and she was exhausted. Her pine marten daemon, Pantalaimon, flowed up the chair beside her.
"Look on the bright side, Lyra. Tomorrow's Midsummer's Day, and it's when we spend an hour in the Botanic Garden with Will and Kirjava. You have to be happy about that."
Lyra nodded. "I am happy. It's just that, I never thought reading the alethiometer like this would make me so tired. It used to be so easy before!"
"You've said that hundreds of times, and we both knew when we decided to keep doing it that it would be hard. Just think of tomorrow."
As Lyra was about to respond, the door opened again and Sarika and her sparrow daemon, Kylona, came in. Sarika took one look at Lyra's tired face and grinned. "At the books again, Lyra?"
Lyra sighed. "Of course."
Sarika told Lyra pretty much the same thing as Pan had, to lighten up. Unlike Emily, Sarika knew about Lyra's adventures, as Lyra's world had been hit far worse than Will's by the changes.
That night, Lyra lay in bed, with a tired smile on her face. Only a few more hours before her time in the Garden with Will.in a way.
************************************************************************
Will stood at the altar under an arch of flowers. The day of his wedding to Emily had come, and he was a nervous wreck. Not just because he was getting married, but because he was worried he wouldn't make the garden. He planned to slip away from the reception for at least half an hour, so he could be with Lyra for a while, but he wasn't sure if he'd make it.
Emily appeared out of nowhere and started down the long aisle. Will jolted back to reality. He looked at the bridesmaids, surprised that they'd already come down the aisle. The organ was playing, and Will surreptitiously wiped his sweaty hands on his tuxedo.
Emily made it to the altar, a huge smile on her face, and the minister began the vows. The wedding went smoothly, and as Will and Emily started back down the aisle, Will carefully glanced at the watch he'd hid under his sleeve. Eleven-fifteen.
Spying Mary in the front row, he hoped she remembered the plan. Just to be sure, he sent Kirjava, who was trotting calmly at his side, to talk to her daemon, Temiral. The two daemons conversed for a few minutes, and then Kirjava hurried back to him. She informed him that Mary remembered what to do, and Will stepped into the limo that would take them to the reception hall, only a little more content than before.
************************************************************************
Lyra sat on the bench in the garden, eyes closed, feeling the sun on her face. A clock tower nearby tolled the noon hour, and she waited to feel Will's comforting presence. Concentrating hard, she sat in silence, hearing only the faintest rustle of leaves and feet walking along the paths, paying no attention to the woman on the bench.
Lyra waited fifteen minutes, but didn't feel Will. Perhaps he was a little late, she concluded, and sat contently, still searching for his presence. Ten minutes later, he still wasn't there. Twenty minutes after that, no Will. Lyra waited the entire hour, but Will never came.
Finally opening her eyes, Lyra winced at the sun in her eyes, but didn't pay it much attention. Will had forgotten to come! In ten years, neither of them had missed a meeting with the other. Ever. And now he had forgotten. He had snubbed her.
Getting up, Lyra stormed angrily out of the garden, Pan stalking just as furiously on her heels.
(A/N So.the plot thickens. R/R and I'll continue with it. What happened to Will? What will Lyra think of him? Tune in next time!)