Chapter 3: Angel's Visit
Will lay in bed that night, listening to Emily's heavy breathing beside him and mentally hitting himself in the head. He'd tried throughout the whole reception to escape for an hour, but wherever he turned, someone was always there to congratulate him or want him to make a toast. Emily following him like a lost puppy hadn't helped either. Mary had tried to create a diversion, but it had gone unnoticed, and Will had missed his entire hour. He wondered how Lyra had felt. Probably horrible. And there was no way to make it up to her.
************************************************************************
At the exact same time, in an Oxford very much like Will's, Lyra was also lying awake. Her fury still hadn't cooled down, despite Sarika's attempts to cheer her up. She still couldn't understand where Will had been. She couldn't imagine anything too important that could keep him from coming. She certainly had given up many special things over the years in order to make that noon hour meeting.
Lyra rolled over, shutting her eyes tightly and trying to fall asleep, but sleep wouldn't come. She flipped onto her back again and sighed.
A glow near her window caught her attention. Sitting up, she watched the glow grow and solidify into a female angel. Impossibly tall and beautiful, the angel smiled at Lyra.
"You have grown since I last saw you, Lyra. I have come to give you important news."
Lyra recognized her. This was Xaphania, the angel she had met so long ago. "What is it?"
"You remember that we said we would close all the windows that were made over the years, even those not made by the subtle knife?"
Lyra nodded. How could she forget?
"I and some others of my kind have been searching for and closing windows here in your Oxford. We found one, directly above a clock tower, that was not made by the subtle knife, and therefore does not leak Dust. Although we said we would close all the windows, and that you were not to look for one, I saw this one and thought of how you and Will were forced to part so long ago. You know you cannot live in his world, and he cannot live in yours, but this at least enables you to see him again."
Lyra sat straight up in bed, her earlier anger completely forgotten. "I could.I could see Will again?"
Xaphania nodded. "But I must warn you, Lyra, that things will not be the same for either of you. They cannot be."
Lyra shrugged this off. "Of course not. We've both grown older, haven't we? Things are bound to have changed."
Xaphania shook her head sadly. She wanted to tell Lyra why things had changed more than Lyra could ever dream, but she could not. Lyra must find out for herself. "If you wish to find this window, Lyra, it is atop the clock tower near the Botanic Garden. It is very dangerous to reach."
Lyra shrugged again. "Whatever it takes. I will see Will again."
Xaphania nodded sadly. "As I knew you would. Goodbye, Lyra. Perhaps we will meet again." The angel vanished.
A/N Next chapter up soon.if you R/R!
Will lay in bed that night, listening to Emily's heavy breathing beside him and mentally hitting himself in the head. He'd tried throughout the whole reception to escape for an hour, but wherever he turned, someone was always there to congratulate him or want him to make a toast. Emily following him like a lost puppy hadn't helped either. Mary had tried to create a diversion, but it had gone unnoticed, and Will had missed his entire hour. He wondered how Lyra had felt. Probably horrible. And there was no way to make it up to her.
************************************************************************
At the exact same time, in an Oxford very much like Will's, Lyra was also lying awake. Her fury still hadn't cooled down, despite Sarika's attempts to cheer her up. She still couldn't understand where Will had been. She couldn't imagine anything too important that could keep him from coming. She certainly had given up many special things over the years in order to make that noon hour meeting.
Lyra rolled over, shutting her eyes tightly and trying to fall asleep, but sleep wouldn't come. She flipped onto her back again and sighed.
A glow near her window caught her attention. Sitting up, she watched the glow grow and solidify into a female angel. Impossibly tall and beautiful, the angel smiled at Lyra.
"You have grown since I last saw you, Lyra. I have come to give you important news."
Lyra recognized her. This was Xaphania, the angel she had met so long ago. "What is it?"
"You remember that we said we would close all the windows that were made over the years, even those not made by the subtle knife?"
Lyra nodded. How could she forget?
"I and some others of my kind have been searching for and closing windows here in your Oxford. We found one, directly above a clock tower, that was not made by the subtle knife, and therefore does not leak Dust. Although we said we would close all the windows, and that you were not to look for one, I saw this one and thought of how you and Will were forced to part so long ago. You know you cannot live in his world, and he cannot live in yours, but this at least enables you to see him again."
Lyra sat straight up in bed, her earlier anger completely forgotten. "I could.I could see Will again?"
Xaphania nodded. "But I must warn you, Lyra, that things will not be the same for either of you. They cannot be."
Lyra shrugged this off. "Of course not. We've both grown older, haven't we? Things are bound to have changed."
Xaphania shook her head sadly. She wanted to tell Lyra why things had changed more than Lyra could ever dream, but she could not. Lyra must find out for herself. "If you wish to find this window, Lyra, it is atop the clock tower near the Botanic Garden. It is very dangerous to reach."
Lyra shrugged again. "Whatever it takes. I will see Will again."
Xaphania nodded sadly. "As I knew you would. Goodbye, Lyra. Perhaps we will meet again." The angel vanished.
A/N Next chapter up soon.if you R/R!