Asriel kept Lyra safe for the few days he had her. He had no intentions of taking her away from Marisa, he just wanted to get to know his daughter as he knew Marisa wouldn't allow it.
"I know you'll have a few questions. I'll try and answer them truthfully"
"Well... why... did you and mama decide to send me to Jordan college knowing it wasn't a place for a baby?"
Lyra looks at her father with sad eyes then looks down at her feet.
Asriel places his hand on his daughters face and rubs her cheek with his thumb.
"I don't know what your mother has told you but I wanted to keep you but she said it wouldn't be best for you and then pushed for the idea of sending you to Jordan...
sigh*
"When you were born things were complicated. You were given to me to raise and I loved that idea but then something horrible happened and you were taken away from me. The great flood happened and I knew you were no longer safe so I asked the master to watch you... raise you so you'd be safe. That's all I wanted Lyra.
"How did you mother find you? She was told to stay away from you as she couldn't keep you safe"
"You aren't safe with her Lyra"
"You need to tell me Lyra you could be in danger"
"The master invited her to dinner and then she told me I was her daughter and that the master had agreed that I could go home with her"
Asriel grabs Lyra's by the arms and slightly shakes her. This scared Lyra. Stelmaria was circling Pan and then picked him up by the scruff of his neck.
I... uhh think I should go. You are scaring me"
With great regret he let his only child go as he had no desire to be a father now as his work is more important.
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Once Marisa knew Lyra was missing she rang the guards and the gobblers to go out looking for Lyra. Her one command was that Lyra was not to be hurt.
Marisa couldn't sleep as she feared that her nightmare would become worse and something bad would happen to Lyra. Sitting on her chair in the lounge room, Marisa is just staring at her dæmon, and waiting for the bell to ring on the elevator.
Moments passed and the elevator bell rang.
"Lyra!"
Marisa ran to the elevator almost in tears. When she unlocked the door, she quickly got down on her knees ready to hug her daughter. When the door open a wave off disappointment washed over Marisa's face, it wasn't her daughter the one person she was hoping to have back in her arms. It was one of the guards saying they are giving up for the night.
"You don't stop until my daughter is safe in my arms. Now you get back out there and search for my baby... you hear me?"
The guard looks miffed at Marisa as he's tired, his men are tired and they believe they have better things to do than go searching for a bratty child who ran away from her home.
The elevator door closes and Marisa locks it again. She falls to her knees and starts crying. These emotions are completely new to Marisa and she doesn't know how to react sometimes.
"Oh Lyra, where are you my darling? My heart is breaking not having you here in my arms"
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Lyra has been walking for hours, her poor little legs were getting tired so she went and found a place to sit just so her legs would stop hurting.
"Oh Pan, I wish I didn't leave the apartment, we would be safe and happy. I hope we find the building soon, I don't know how much longer I can walk the streets of Oxford."
Pan transformed into a hawk and flew as high as he could before it would start hurting to be too far away from Lyra.
"I don't know where we are but there are lots of people we could ask for help"
Lyra was strong and brave but she wasn't one to talk to strangers.
"I think we'll stay here for a little bit Pan, I'm too tired to go on right now"
Leaning up against a wall Lyra was slowly falling asleep. Pan flew down and became a tiny brown mouse and hid in her pocket.
Moments pass and Lyra barely asleep felt a pair of arms around her head and knees. Too tired to care what was happening she didn't make a fuss.
Back at the flat Marisa was pacing up and down in the hallway, her golden monkey trying to grab her hand every time it went past him and Marisa would just sway his hand away. He could sense the tension in his human and he just wanted to help her get over it. Moments later the elevator bell rings. Not getting her hopes up again Marisa walks calmly to the door to unlock it. When the door opens it was one of the guards holding Lyra.
"You found her, where was she? Did she put up a fight?"
"No Mrs. Coulter, I found her in a alley asleep. Where do you want me to put her? As I need to get back to my post. I'll put out a telegram notifying the men that your daughter has been found"
"Thank you, here give her to me, you can go now thank you again"
Marisa takes Lyra to her room and places her in her bed.
"Oh Lyra, you gave me such a scare. Where did you go my darling?"
Marisa never left Lyra's side.
The sun has set and the servants were preparing dinner. Marisa requested that they bring her meal into Lyra's room as she wasn't ready to leave her daughter just yet. As Marisa was washing up and moving a chair to be beside Lyra's bed, Lyra wakes up and starts crying.
"Shhhhhh darling it's ok, you're safe with me again. You gave me such a scare, I missed you so much. Please don't do that again Lyra"
Lyra jumps into her mothers arms, warping her arms around Marisa's neck.
"I'm so sorry mama, he came and asked me to come with him and I was so mad I wasn't thinking straight"
"Who... who took you Lyra?
Lyra wipes her tears away
"My father, he did take good care of me, but he only wanted to ask me questions about how you found me"
"What did you tell him Lyra?"
"That you had dinner with the master and that you had told me you were my mother and that the master sent you photos every year on my birthday"
Happy with the answers her daughter told her father, Marisa smiled.
"Does he want to see you again?"
"No"
Shocked thinking she'd have to fight Asriel for Lyra. Marisa couldn't get the grin off her face.
"He said my place was in the care of the master but I said I'd rather live with you"
Marisa cups her child's face and pulls her in for a hug. Patting the back of Lyra's head, playing with her hair Marisa was happy that her child was finally home back in her arms.
"Are you hungry my love? Dinner is being served and we can even eat it in you room"
"Yes please, I'm starving"
Guilt and worry went through Marisa's head. Did he even feed her? I know she was gone for a few days but she's never been this hungry.
"Lyra?"
"Yea"
"Did your father feed you?"
"Yes, not much but I did eat while he was looking after me"
Marisa made sure Lyra had extra food when it was served. After dinner was over, Marisa made a bath and put Lyra to bed. As she was walking out, Lyra grabbed her mothers hand.
"Mama, can you lay with me till I go to sleep?"
"Of course my love"
Marisa crawls into the empty side of Lyra's bed and pulls Lyra into her side and they both fall asleep instantly.
Marisa loves having Lyra back home in her care
