Lyra sighed as she sat down at the desk in her study, recalling Roger's behaviour. She'd heard his tutors call it indifference but it struck her more as shutting out the world because he didn't want to be seen to care. If she were to tell the truth, it worried her. Her friend Roger had never done that, although Will's insistence on being part of the background did bear some resemblance to the attitude her son had developed on life.

How did he cope with the situation? His father had become angrier lately and Roger didn't seem to care, but Lyra suspected he might. Pantalaimon curled up and then looked at her.

"You know there isn't anything to be done about it, Lyra. He'll settle in his own time."

She sighed again.

/

Praskovia skipped ahead as a puppy, looking back with excitement at Roger. He felt happier since the incident with his mother had been yesterday and today was new, full of promise and beautiful happenings, gorgeous possibilities. Although he was still rattled about being called loveless, he was happy to run towards the river in search of his friends.

He saw Cathy run towards him with her daemon flying overhead as a nightingale.

"Roger! You're really leaving in a week?" she wailed, and he hugged her with a chuckle.

"Of course! Praskovia and I are looking forward to it. En't you, Cathy?" He knew she would miss him and teased her because of it – but only in jest, as he would miss her and her brother while he was travelling with his father. She puckered her little face into a frown and he ruffled her hair to let her know he was joking.

"No, I en't! An' you know I en't!" she whined, and hugged him. Praskovia and Cathy's daemon were running about each other with mock growling as the children talked.

"Ah well, you'll have good memories if the witches eat me." He checked her expression and she suddenly burst into giggles. A shout came from the barges and she jumped.

"I'd better go, that's Ma. Did you say good-bye to Alek?"

Roger felt his smile drop. No, he hadn't; and he knew perfectly well he hadn't. The awkwardness of yesterday made it quite impossible, didn't it? He watched as Cathy ran back to her irate mother, and saw Theo waving from the boat. Returning the gesture, he turned on his heel and started to walk slowly back to the hub of the city.

Alek was one of his best friends, but if he thought badly of Roger's parents, Roger did not know that he could be called a friend. Surely it was Roger who should matter to Alek? Certainly, it didn't seem that it should be his mother or father who was Alek's friend.

He saw Praskovia turn into a bird and fly up to his shoulder.

"Alek is your friend, en't he?" she asked in a whisper. Roger sniffed a little in the cold of the morning, and nodded. Praskovia fluffed her feathers and shuffled about before continuing.

"Well, he's not at fault for what other people say. His parents disapprove, and that's what made him look like that."

Roger felt a smile curve his lips. Alek was still his friend, his comrade, first mate to the pirate adventures. He was so lost in the happiness of the thought that he didn't see Alek approach him until the other boy was stood right in front of him.

"Roger?"

The other boy held out his hand and Roger shook it in that familiar gesture. Alek laughed, and cleared his throat.

"So, you leave in a week."

Roger nodded. "I look forward to travelling. My mind does need broadening, although Cathy has warned me against Praskovia being eaten by witches."

Alek snorted. "Cathy Fisco is a notorious fibber, and you know that!" He relaxed a little. It was suddenly clear that Roger had forgiven him and the fiasco of yesterday need not be mentioned. However, he would miss Roger when the younger boy went travelling; he was a good friend even if he was a little distant.

They fell into step, walking towards Banbury Road with a lighter air, and less of the tension that there had been.

…

Lyra was writing to an acquaintance of hers when she looked out of the window. Roger was walking outside with his friend – Alex, or Caleb? – and talking, laughing and smiling in a way he would never do inside the house. Or in her presence. It tugged at her heart rather painfully to see the boy he was with his friends and yet was not for her. As a young child he had adored her but that had passed ever so quickly, and Pan whimpered with sadness as they both remembered.

And he would be further away from her in a week's time physically as well as emotionally.

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I'm pleased with how this is turning out, I really am. I own nothing apart from my own characters.