2. Symbols and New Friends
Candle, Angel, Owl, Candle again, Owl again, Lute.
What did it mean? Candle… Faith, someone faithful… the owl? Fear?
'Hi- it's Lyra isn't it?'
Lyra jumped, then looked around. 'Oh-' said the voice, which belonged to a girl who'd appeared next to her, 'I didn't break you're concentration did I?'
'Uh? Oh, no- I wasn't getting anywhere anyway…'
'That's a nice reader… Where'd you get it? Oh, and it's Katie by the way.'
Her dæmon, a miniature snow lion, jumped into her arms and looked playfully at Pantalaimon.
'Long story.' she said shortly, then remembering her almost lost ability to talk to strangers, she said: 'Yeah, I was given it, I used to be able to read fluently, but I lost the ability a couple of months ago…'
'Fluently?! Wow, you'll have to come and have lunch with me and me friends- Julie and Sarah. C'mon,'
This was all happening fast, thought Lyra, as she allowed herself to be lead to the dining room and they started talking about how they'd all got in to the Alethiometer. Lyra kept the conversation away from her own story.
This was Dame Hanna's Collage for Girls, it was Thursday lunchtime, and the group of six girls were sat about a table chatting. Lyra had kept herself to herself until now, but making new friends was something she'd have to do eventually.
These first few months had been spent on the basics of the Alethiometer, what each hand does, learn the top meanings of the symbols etc…
Lyra knew this of course, but they were learning in far more detail than she had picked up, and Dame Hanna just seemed so interesting that boredom was not an issue.
Lyra and Pan were still debating over who they should say their father/mother was. It was safe to say that she was related to Lord Asriel of course, but she didn't know weather to say 'father' or 'uncle'.
They had not been asked this fatal question yet, but it was inevitable that it would happen eventually.
'My dad used to have a bit of skill with a reader,' said Julie, 'but he died a couple of months ago. He left his Alethiometer to me, so I thought in memory I'd learn how to do it.'
'Oh- I'm sorry… He owned an Alethiometer?' said Lyra
'Yeah, the Court of Discipline knew he had it, and raided our house for it, but my dad had this secret spot that only he knew about. He hid it there and the church never got it.'
'Neither did they get mine,' said Dame Hanna, suddenly looking up from her lunch, 'but even after the err, current events, the church has numerous ears and I suggest you keep that to yourself Julie.'
'Yes Hanna.' she said humbly.
They were silent for the rest of the meal.
For the evening class, Dame Hanna produced some A2 posters with complicated, but colourful patterns on them. Some had shells and sand, or grass printed at the bottom.
'This is called a Magic Eye picture,' she said, 'is anyone here familiar with these artful creations?'
'Yea!' cried Sarah, thrusting her hand into the air, 'You stare real hard at them and you can see 3D dinosaurs and stuff.'
'Good. To see the image within requires use of the basic negative capability. I'm afraid there's only 3 so you'll have to work in pairs, take in tern to practice the concentration needed to see past the pattern.'
Lyra and Pan sank at the word 'partner'. Who were they going to go with?
She looked around dully but then saw the girl, Katie beckoning her to join her.
'Come on- I'm sure we'll get this before anyone else!'
Lyra smiled and they sat down with their Magic Eye poster leaning against the wall.
It was undoubtedly the best afternoon she'd had for sometime. Of course she used to have her ragamuffin friends down in Jericho, but this was different friendship. She was equal to these girls. Not a queen to them.
Champagne bubbles. This was new found happiness, such as she'd never found since Will had closed the window. Maybe life would continue for her.
The next day Lyra began to learn about her new friends. Katie, had light brown hair and blue eyes. Her outgoing and cheerful personality seemed to have lit up Lyra again. Sarah was short, but seemed to make up for it by being loud, daring and having a parrot for a dæmon. She had long dark hair and deep brown eyes.
Julie also had dark hair, but it was curly instead of straight. She was as Katie described her, 'the wet blanket of our trio'. She spoke little, but Pan thought she had a lot to say. Her dæmon had not yet settled, but was apparently going to settle as a blue tit or a rabbit. Lyra had asked why, but Katie simply said: 'Cos she scares easy.'.
After dinner Katie invited Lyra and Pan back to her house in Jericho.
'Me Dad's gone to the pub, he won't be back until about ten.'
'What about your Mum?' Will she mind us being here?'
'Um, she doesn't live here. Don't worry-' she said seeing Lyra curse herself, 'it was a long time ago.'
To cover up the tatty purple and white striped wallpaper, Katie had plastered her room with posters of the desert and hot beaches on one side, then gradually changing to pictures of the arctic on the other. Right in the middle was a huge poster of the Aurora. Seeing Lyra and Pan's admiration for this picture, she said: 'Nice isn't it? My dad ses he'll take us to Lapland or Canada to see the Northern Lights one day.'
'I'd almost forgotten how beautiful they were…'
'You've seen them?!'
'Oh- erm, well… Yeah. I have.'
'When?' she persisted
''bout a year ago… Went to Lapland with some friends.'
She's trying to close the conversation, thought Katie. Her dæmon sat up, gazing intently at Lyra.
'This have something to do with your Alethiometer?'
She's good, thought Lyra to Pan. Think we should tell her?
'No.' said Pan aloud,
Katie raised her eyebrows.
'He didn't mean that-' said Lyra, 'It does.' she said with a sigh.
'Don't worry- you don't have to tell me,'
'No, I want to, but I don't know how to start…'
'You're the girl the Magesterium was looking for ages ago aren't you?' said Coreopsis, Katie's dæmon, suddenly. Katie shot a sharp look at him and bit her lip.
Lyra looked up and said:
'Yes. It was me and Pan.'
Katie waited, and Lyra continued. 'You know they're all running around like the world's about to end? That's me and Will's fault.'
Pantalaimon moved to Lyra's arms, successfully hiding his tremble.
'How much do you know about the Northern Lights?'
'Well,' she said, shrugging, 'I dunno. Lots, I read books and I heard stories from people who've seen them… They say there's another world beyond them- y'know, the many worlds thing?'
'Exactly. There are millions of worlds. Me an' Pan travelled through some of them with our boyfriend; Will and his dæmon Kirjava.'
She stared.
'Wow…' she said, then she added: 'You are telling the truth aren't you?'
Pantalaimon bared his teeth, but Lyra said,
'Seriously. You ask Dame Hanna. She'll tell you.'
'Sorry, but this is just, like, Wow.
'And Will is from one of the other worlds?'
'Yeh.' sighed Lyra. 'He had to return to his world, and me an' pan had to come home too.'
'Sorry to hear that.' she said softly. Lyra was silent for a second or so, but then rose and said:
'It's getting late- I'd better go or someone will start worrying about me.'
'Yeah OK. Thanks for coming round.'
'Thanks for listening.'
'S'all right. By the way, where d'you live?'
'Jordan Collage.' concluded Lyra, then she turned and added, 'Top of Staircase 12.'
Candle, Angel, Owl, Candle again, Owl again, Lute.
What did it mean? Candle… Faith, someone faithful… the owl? Fear?
'Hi- it's Lyra isn't it?'
Lyra jumped, then looked around. 'Oh-' said the voice, which belonged to a girl who'd appeared next to her, 'I didn't break you're concentration did I?'
'Uh? Oh, no- I wasn't getting anywhere anyway…'
'That's a nice reader… Where'd you get it? Oh, and it's Katie by the way.'
Her dæmon, a miniature snow lion, jumped into her arms and looked playfully at Pantalaimon.
'Long story.' she said shortly, then remembering her almost lost ability to talk to strangers, she said: 'Yeah, I was given it, I used to be able to read fluently, but I lost the ability a couple of months ago…'
'Fluently?! Wow, you'll have to come and have lunch with me and me friends- Julie and Sarah. C'mon,'
This was all happening fast, thought Lyra, as she allowed herself to be lead to the dining room and they started talking about how they'd all got in to the Alethiometer. Lyra kept the conversation away from her own story.
This was Dame Hanna's Collage for Girls, it was Thursday lunchtime, and the group of six girls were sat about a table chatting. Lyra had kept herself to herself until now, but making new friends was something she'd have to do eventually.
These first few months had been spent on the basics of the Alethiometer, what each hand does, learn the top meanings of the symbols etc…
Lyra knew this of course, but they were learning in far more detail than she had picked up, and Dame Hanna just seemed so interesting that boredom was not an issue.
Lyra and Pan were still debating over who they should say their father/mother was. It was safe to say that she was related to Lord Asriel of course, but she didn't know weather to say 'father' or 'uncle'.
They had not been asked this fatal question yet, but it was inevitable that it would happen eventually.
'My dad used to have a bit of skill with a reader,' said Julie, 'but he died a couple of months ago. He left his Alethiometer to me, so I thought in memory I'd learn how to do it.'
'Oh- I'm sorry… He owned an Alethiometer?' said Lyra
'Yeah, the Court of Discipline knew he had it, and raided our house for it, but my dad had this secret spot that only he knew about. He hid it there and the church never got it.'
'Neither did they get mine,' said Dame Hanna, suddenly looking up from her lunch, 'but even after the err, current events, the church has numerous ears and I suggest you keep that to yourself Julie.'
'Yes Hanna.' she said humbly.
They were silent for the rest of the meal.
For the evening class, Dame Hanna produced some A2 posters with complicated, but colourful patterns on them. Some had shells and sand, or grass printed at the bottom.
'This is called a Magic Eye picture,' she said, 'is anyone here familiar with these artful creations?'
'Yea!' cried Sarah, thrusting her hand into the air, 'You stare real hard at them and you can see 3D dinosaurs and stuff.'
'Good. To see the image within requires use of the basic negative capability. I'm afraid there's only 3 so you'll have to work in pairs, take in tern to practice the concentration needed to see past the pattern.'
Lyra and Pan sank at the word 'partner'. Who were they going to go with?
She looked around dully but then saw the girl, Katie beckoning her to join her.
'Come on- I'm sure we'll get this before anyone else!'
Lyra smiled and they sat down with their Magic Eye poster leaning against the wall.
It was undoubtedly the best afternoon she'd had for sometime. Of course she used to have her ragamuffin friends down in Jericho, but this was different friendship. She was equal to these girls. Not a queen to them.
Champagne bubbles. This was new found happiness, such as she'd never found since Will had closed the window. Maybe life would continue for her.
The next day Lyra began to learn about her new friends. Katie, had light brown hair and blue eyes. Her outgoing and cheerful personality seemed to have lit up Lyra again. Sarah was short, but seemed to make up for it by being loud, daring and having a parrot for a dæmon. She had long dark hair and deep brown eyes.
Julie also had dark hair, but it was curly instead of straight. She was as Katie described her, 'the wet blanket of our trio'. She spoke little, but Pan thought she had a lot to say. Her dæmon had not yet settled, but was apparently going to settle as a blue tit or a rabbit. Lyra had asked why, but Katie simply said: 'Cos she scares easy.'.
After dinner Katie invited Lyra and Pan back to her house in Jericho.
'Me Dad's gone to the pub, he won't be back until about ten.'
'What about your Mum?' Will she mind us being here?'
'Um, she doesn't live here. Don't worry-' she said seeing Lyra curse herself, 'it was a long time ago.'
To cover up the tatty purple and white striped wallpaper, Katie had plastered her room with posters of the desert and hot beaches on one side, then gradually changing to pictures of the arctic on the other. Right in the middle was a huge poster of the Aurora. Seeing Lyra and Pan's admiration for this picture, she said: 'Nice isn't it? My dad ses he'll take us to Lapland or Canada to see the Northern Lights one day.'
'I'd almost forgotten how beautiful they were…'
'You've seen them?!'
'Oh- erm, well… Yeah. I have.'
'When?' she persisted
''bout a year ago… Went to Lapland with some friends.'
She's trying to close the conversation, thought Katie. Her dæmon sat up, gazing intently at Lyra.
'This have something to do with your Alethiometer?'
She's good, thought Lyra to Pan. Think we should tell her?
'No.' said Pan aloud,
Katie raised her eyebrows.
'He didn't mean that-' said Lyra, 'It does.' she said with a sigh.
'Don't worry- you don't have to tell me,'
'No, I want to, but I don't know how to start…'
'You're the girl the Magesterium was looking for ages ago aren't you?' said Coreopsis, Katie's dæmon, suddenly. Katie shot a sharp look at him and bit her lip.
Lyra looked up and said:
'Yes. It was me and Pan.'
Katie waited, and Lyra continued. 'You know they're all running around like the world's about to end? That's me and Will's fault.'
Pantalaimon moved to Lyra's arms, successfully hiding his tremble.
'How much do you know about the Northern Lights?'
'Well,' she said, shrugging, 'I dunno. Lots, I read books and I heard stories from people who've seen them… They say there's another world beyond them- y'know, the many worlds thing?'
'Exactly. There are millions of worlds. Me an' Pan travelled through some of them with our boyfriend; Will and his dæmon Kirjava.'
She stared.
'Wow…' she said, then she added: 'You are telling the truth aren't you?'
Pantalaimon bared his teeth, but Lyra said,
'Seriously. You ask Dame Hanna. She'll tell you.'
'Sorry, but this is just, like, Wow.
'And Will is from one of the other worlds?'
'Yeh.' sighed Lyra. 'He had to return to his world, and me an' pan had to come home too.'
'Sorry to hear that.' she said softly. Lyra was silent for a second or so, but then rose and said:
'It's getting late- I'd better go or someone will start worrying about me.'
'Yeah OK. Thanks for coming round.'
'Thanks for listening.'
'S'all right. By the way, where d'you live?'
'Jordan Collage.' concluded Lyra, then she turned and added, 'Top of Staircase 12.'
