This is the story of Lyra Belaqua and her trust-worthy dæmon, Pantailaimon. In this story, they have a dangerous adventure with the Gold Compass, also known as the Alethiometer. Meanwhile, in the North, Lord Asriel finds out something about his past that will haunt him forever.
The sun had risen and Pan awoke. His ermine paws wiped over his small face. He licked his pads, washing his face, for he hadn't the night before. Lyra woke as soon as Pan did, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Her lips smacked, trying to lick away her bad breath. She hugged Pan, holding him tightly in her arms. She was wearing her favorite white night-gown, given to her by her father when she brought him the compass. However, he had given her the compass back, saying that she was still in need of it. The gown was kept clean. She didn't dare ruin something so important. Pan smiled and said lightly, his voice still high-pitched from just awaking.
"Morning, Lyra. Did you sleep well?" he asked, looked at her chin from below. She turned her head down to look at him.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked, her eyes searching his. Pan nodded.
"Then yes, I did. Because I slept well, you did too," she reminded him.
Pan had not yet settled on his dæmon form yet. Though he was getting closer and closer every day, as Lyra was aging every day. Pan smiled at her as she put him down gently.
"Well then, what'll we do today, Pan?" she asked, hooking her lips. Pan shrugged, his little pink nose twitched.
"We should go visit Roger, I would love to see Salcilia."
"You're right…. Roger will be surprised to see me, we haven't seen each other since I came back with the compass from my father," said Lyra.
"I wonder if they know that we have the compass…?" Pan asked.
"Hush Pan, let's get dressed and go see them. There'll be no words 'bout the compass, got it?" she ordered.
Pan nodded, no other words escaped his tiny mouth. Lyra pushed away the covers and slid her feet out of the bed. Her white sheets were soft and for a split second she wished to stay in bed without going to see her dear friend Roger. Of course, that would be terribly rude to her friend. Lyra was never very polite to others and often forgot her manners. However, she was only nice and polite to her friend, Roger. Sometimes she was also polite to her father, but not so much before she realized who he was.
Once she had her rugged clothes on, she put the Compass in her pocket and opened the door, slamming it on her way out. She was living back at Jordan College, where she belonged. Roger became a kitchen boy again, just like he was before he and Lyra began their adventure. The new maid, Ms. Everett growled under her breath, the sound of the slamming door echoed throughout the building. Lyra walked straight past Everett without taking a second glance at her. Pan walked next to her, though he submitted to Everett before Lyra scolded him. She hopped down the stairs, Pan following her. She opened the front doors of the building and took in the fresh air and beautiful scenery. The scenery didn't matter for long because Lyra spotted Roger walking towards her. Pan smiled and scratched at her ankle.
"Quit it, Pan!" she scolded him. Pan whimpered.
Roger smiled when he noticed Lyra and Pan. Salcilia was in beagle form, as usual. She barked at Pan, wagging her tail incessantly. Pan hopped happily. Lyra smiled down at him. Roger walked up to them, hugging Lyra and waving at Pan, for it was bad luck to touch someone's dæmon with their bare hands.
"Roger!" Lyra hugged him again.
"'Ello Lyra! Doing alright I see?" he asked, tilting his head in curiosity.
"Yup, Pan and I were just coming to see you."
"Nice to hear, haven't seen you in a while, Lyra Belaqua," he chuckled, eyes bright.
She smiled at him, holding his hand in a friendly gesture.
"Haven't seen you in a while, Roger Parslow," she also chuckled. Pan smiled at Salcilia, she smiled back. Lyra smiled and hugged him again, she was so happy to see her friend again, after so long. The sun was crisp and the air was cold, Lyra's nose was red.
"Roger, come on," she said, pulling Roger into the building. They snuck into the kitchen and opened the pantry. Pan climbed into the pantry onto the top shelf. He pulled the Hot Cocoa mix to the edge of the pantry and pushed it over the edge into Lyra's hands. Pan scurried to the back of the pantry and pushed the marshmallows over the edge as well. Lyra and Roger giggled, heating up the hot chocolate on the stove. They got cups from the cabinet and poured the brown liquid into the white porcelain cups, adding several marshmallows onto the top. They giggled in the darkness of the room, sipping to hot cocoa, and letting their dæmons have some as well. They talked about Jordan and about the North, and about Lord Asriel. The thought of letting Roger see the compass came into Lyra's mind a few times, but Pan recommended that she not mention it, yet. Of course, why would Lyra listen to Pan? However, she felt the need to listen to him. Roger had always seemed a bit different since he left the General Oblation Board in the North when Lyra rescued him and the rest of the children.
"How is Iorek Byrnison?" Roger asked.
"He doing alright, he stopped drinkin' whiskey," she smiled.
"Well, that's good. No one likes to see a drunken armored bear, right?" Roger asked, chuckling.
Lyra smiled and ate a marshmallow from his cup. He smiled playfully and whacked her hand away. Lyra giggled loudly, the sound of her laughs echoed throughout the empty kitchen. She gasped and covered her mouth. She could hear the cook running through the halls. Once the cook came into view, Lyra noticed that she was carrying her rolling pin. She was pounding it against her hand furiously. Lyra and Roger gasped. They dropped their cups, the porcelain frames shattered on the tile ground into several little pieces. The hot chocolate liquid poured out onto the floor, it splattered here and there. Pan and Salcilia scrambled to their paws and burst out of the room in the other direction, following Lyra and Roger. They ran down the halls with the cook on their tails. They laughed; excitement built-up in them. They were getting an easy escape before they stood toe-to-toe with The Master….