"Dustan please wake up!" I heard Alianora plead. I slowly opened my eyes to see her standing on my chest like she had done before in her cat form.

"Oh Dustan! I was afraid you would never wake up!" Alianora cried.

"What are you talking about?" I scoffed, sitting up. I held my head in my hand because I was light-headed.

"Dustan, you've been asleep for three days." Alianora scoffed.

"Ali, don't mess with me." I hissed.

"I'm not messing with you Dustan! I've been trying to wake you! You really had me scared, I thought you would never wake up. Don't scare me like that again." Alianora cried, she nuzzled my cheek softly.

"I can't be believe I've been asleep for three days. Are you sure it's been three days?" I asked.

"Yes! I wouldn't lie to you Dustan, you know that." Alianora scoffed.

"Of course I know that. But are you sure it's been three days? If you've been up all night it could seem like three days." My voice trailed off.

"Dustan, it has been three days! We're practically in the north!" Alianora scoffed. I got out of bed immediately. I picked the book up from the dresser. Slowly, I opened the cabin door. I felt a cold chill down my spine as I stepped onto the deck.

"Dustan, we're in the north. You should dress properly, you'll catch a cold!" Billy scoffed. He handed me a warm coat and a pair of boots.

"Thank you." I smiled. I put the book safely on the inside of my coat. It was big enough to fit in one of the inside pockets.

"You're going to need them, we have a walk ahead of us until we reach the kingdom of Iorek Burnison." Billy said. I nodded, and followed him to a group of gyptians.

"These are the men who will come with us, we shall have to walk." Billy said.

"How do you think it will take, to get to the kingdom?" I asked.

"Half a days walk if we leave now." Billy said.

"Then let's get going. We can't waste any time." I said.

"You are completely right." Billy smiled. I traveled behind Billy as we left the boat.

"It's going to be a long walk, Dustan." Alianora sighed.

"It could be longer." I shrugged. All I could see was large amounts of snow everywhere. My feet soon got tired and Alianora got heavy on my shoulder. She would switch every now and then, she would become a bird and fly beside me, or a wolf and trot along at my side. Or a cricket and sit on my shoulder.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I heard someone growl. I pushed through the group of men to the front. In front of me was an armored bear.

"We are looking for Iorek Burnison." Billy told him.

"Who is looking for him?" the bear asked.

"Dustan Belacqua." I answered before Billy could reply.

"Are you, Dustan Belacqua?" the bear asked me.

"Yes. Do you know where we can find Iorek Burnison?" I asked.

"I am Iorek Burnison." the bear replied.

"Iorek Burnison, do you know of a woman named Lyra Belacqua?" I asked.

"Yes. Are you her son?" Iorek asked.

"No." I replied.

"Why are you looking Lyra?" he asked.

"She has defeated the gobblers before. We need her help to defeat them again." I answered.

"She came by here today. She left no long before you showed. She had to go pick up something." Iorek said.

"Could we still catch up to her?" I asked.

"Walking, no. But you could ride me to find her. I'll carry the boy and his daemon." said Iorek.

"I'm not sure about this." Billy said cautiously.

"We're wasting time." I hissed.

"The boy will be safe with me." Iorek insisted.

"Alright Dustan, go quick." Billy said. He helped me onto Iorek's back.

"Hold on tight boy." Iorek said, he began to run.

"Ali, be a mouse. You can stay in my pocket." I told her. She nodded reluctantly, climbing into my coat pocket. I saw a small speck in the distance.

"Is that her?" I asked hopefully.

"I'm positive that it is." Iorek replied. As we got near the speck got bigger until it was clear that is was a person. Iorek Burnison let out a loud roar that made the person turn around. It was indeed a girl. Her daemon was at her side.

"Iorek." she smiled.

"Lyra, this boy here would like to speak with you." Iorek said.

"Boy?" Lyra frowned. I climbed off Iorek's back and stood to face her.

"I've come this way to find you." I told her.

"Why are you looking for me? I've somewhere I need to be. I'm already late." she narrowed her eyes.

"Because I heard you once took down the gobblers." I replied.

"Yeah. That still doesn't explain why you're looking for me." Lyra scoffed.

"My friends and some other kids were taken by the gobblers." I told her.

"What do you mean? I destroyed all their equipment!" she hissed.

"Well, it's been awhile since then. They must have continued their work somewhere else. I came looking for you because I was told you took them down once. I was hoping you could help me take them down again. Please! They took my best friend, Riley Costa." I pleaded.

"Costa?" she asked.

"Yes. Riley Costa. The daughter of Billy Costa." I told her.

"I know Billy Costa." she mumbled.

"He's the one who told me about you. He says that you saved him from the gobblers once, and if anyone could help my save his daughter it is you." I told her.

"I'll help you." she sighed.

"Thank you. You don't know how grateful I am." I sighed in relief.

"Where's your daemon?" Lyra's daemon frowned.

"What? Oh! Ali's right here." I told him. Alianora poked her head out of my coat pocket.

"This is my daemon, Pantalaimon. What did you say yours was called?" Lyra asked.

"Ali. Her name's Alianora but I just call her Ali." I smiled.

"Alianora?" Lyra asked in disbelief.

"Yes. That is her name." I nodded.

"Excuse me but, what is your name?" she asked.

"My name is Dustan Belacqua." I told her.

"Lyra, he's one of them!" Pantalaimon gasped.

"One of what?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Do you have any siblings?" Pantalaimon asked. Lyra seemed to be speechless.

"Yes. I have a twin brother. His name is,"

"Gavin. Your brother's name is Gavin." Pantalaimon interrupted.

"Yes, that is his name. How could you know that?" I frowned.

"His daemon's name is Luka, am I correct?" Pantalaimon asked, ignoring my question.

"Yes. How do you know that?" I asked again.

"It's him, Lyra. You didn't need to go and find him, he's found you." Pantalaimon laughed.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Dustan! The dream!" Alianora whispered.

"Ali, what day is it?" I asked her.

"April Nineteenth, Dustan. It's your fifteenth birthday." Alianora's eyes widened.

"You were going to Oxford, weren't you? That's where you were going." I told Lyra.

"Yes." she replied.

"You coming for me and Gavin. It's our fifteenth birthday, the day you swore you would return for us." I said.

"Yes. I suppose you were told about it." Lyra sighed.

"No. I had a dream. You gave me and Gavin away to a married couple. They were to raise us, and you promised them on mine and Gavin's fifteenth birthday you would return and take us back." I told her.

"Some dream." Pantalaimon retorted

"Pan, be nice." Lyra scoffed.

"That is what happened, isn't it?" I asked her.

"Yes." she sighed.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" she asked.

"Why did you leave me and Gavin behind?" I asked.

"Because I wanted you to grow up where I did." Lyra explained.

"But why couldn't you stay with us? couldn't you have waited till we were old enough?" I asked.

"I had to be with your father." Lyra sighed.

"My father? Where is my father?" I asked her.

"He's dead, Dustan." I swung my head around to see Gavin and our uncle.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Can't I wish my brother a happy fifteenth birthday?" Gavin said innocently.

"To make sure you don't shut down the General Oblation Board." our uncle growled. Luka was sitting at Gavin's side. By the looks of it, he didn't look to happy with what they were doing.

"Gavin, you aren't the true ruler." I told him. Gavin looked at our uncle.

"You are the true ruler, Gavin. Don't listen to Dustan, he's just jealous that it is you and not him." he told him. Gavin nodded reluctantly.

"No Gavin, you aren't. Listen to me please! I'm your twin brother." I pleaded.

"You're jealous, Dustan. You've always been jealous of me." Gavin growled.

"No! I'm not jealous of you! Uncle, who was Annabelle?" I asked him. Gavin raised his eyebrows curiously at him.

"Annabelle? She was no one. Absolutely no one. What did this woman tell you, Dustan? She isn't your mother." Our uncle spat, pulling me closer to him. Iorek Burnison growled, warning him not to make another move.

"He never said anything about being our mother, where did that come from?" Gavin asked.

"Annabelle was no one." he hissed, ignoring Gavin's question.

"She was his niece. She died from an accident when she was three, you boys weren't even one yet so you wouldn't remember her." Lyra said.

"So, our sister? We were never told we had an older sister. Why is that Uncle?" Gavin asked.

"We didn't. They weren't our real parents, he isn't our uncle. He's just Darrius." I told him.

"Don't listen to Dustan, he's only jealous of you. He's always been jealous of you, Gavin." Darrius told him.

"You're just jealous that I'm ruler and you aren't." Gavin hissed.

"Dustan, you're coming with us." Darrius said.

"No, I'm not." I scoffed.

"You will come with us, Dustan!" Darrius growled. He leaped forward and snatched Alianora from my shoulder.

"Please! Let my daemon go!" I pleaded.

"You're coming with us Dustan." Darrius spat, I winced in pain as he squeezed Alianora tightly.

"Let his daemon go." Lyra hissed.

"No." Darrius smirked, squeezing Alianora harder. I fell to my knees in pain. I couldn't breath, he was slowly crushing my lungs.

"Please! Just let her go!" I coughed. I could see Alianora squirming in his hand in the corner of my eye. Luka leaped at Darrius, loosening his grip on Alianora. She fell to the ground and raced to me.

"Ali!" I cried, holding her close to me.

"Gavin, control your daemon!" Darrius spat, kicking Luka hard in the stomach. I watched my brother fall over in pain.

"Luka! You shouldn't have interfered!" Gavin hissed, getting to his feet. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and I know he is fighting tears.

"I don't care what you say, Gavin. How can you just stand by and watch while he is choking Dustan? He's your brother!" Luka spat.

"Luka, we just need to stay out of it." Gavin sighed.

"Dustan, you are coming with us." Darrius said, grabbing my arm. I held Alianora away from him, clutching her tightly as he dragged be to my feet.

"Leave the boy alone." Iorek Burnison growled. Darrius released me and slowly walked backwards. I felt Lyra's arms wrap around me protectively.

"Gavin, come along." Darrius hissed. Gavin quickly began walked behind him. He glanced back one final time. I walked forward until I was face-to-face with him.

"Happy Birthday, Dustan. I didn't know it was going to happen like that, he told me we were only going to get you and leave. Uncle Darrius said nothing about torturing Ali to get to you. I swear, Dustan. I didn't know. I'm glad Luka did what he did, I'm sorry brother." Gavin placed a piece of paper in my hand before turning around and following Darrius. I watched him disappear in the distance.

"Are you alright?" Lyra asked, her voice quivering in worry.

"I'm fine." I told her. I opened the piece op paper and read the words out loud.

"You'll find Riley and the others west of Oxford." I read.

"That isn't far from my old home." Lyra said.

"Good. Then let's go. We can't waste any more time." Iorek said. I nodded and glanced back in the direction Gavin had disappeared. You aren't so heartless after all.