To Asriel's Laboratory

Roger and Mia still waited patiently inside the cave. They were becoming more worried by the minute for both Lyra and Iorek. Mia was more frightened as well for her father and Iera. She feared that everyone would be in trouble.

She was about to fall asleep when there was the calling of "Roger! Mia!"

Her heart lit up. She twisted her head and saw Lyra waving to them outside the cave. Roger saw her too. They staggered out, elated to see that she and Pan were save. And Iorek too. He was standing nearby, unharmed.

"Iorek left us here while he came to save you!" Roger expressed. "We don't know what happened to Lee and Iera but they were airborne when Iorek last saw them!"

Lyra laughed as she pulled Roger into her arms. Then she pulled Mia into her arms and she hugged her tight back.

"Thank goodness you're safe," Mia breathed.

Lyra gave her a gaped cheesy smile but when she cast her smile down, it faltered. "Your leg," she felt sick seeing all the red blood stains.

"I scrapped my leg during the fall. But I'm alright. Lyra...can you check your Alethiometer about my father please?"

"Of course," Lyra sat down, fishing out her symbol-reader. She set out the question and the needle began to turn. Mia sat next to her. Roger was on her other side.

"Please tell me my father is safe," she begged.

"And my Iera too," Iorek implored. He sounded broken.

"They crashed with Lee's balloon but they're safe. I'm afraid they're too far away for us to reach though,"

Mia held a sad look. They were alive, but they will still so far away. She was so desperate to be in her father's arms again.

"And the Magisterium. Iofur was their puppet," Iorek said. She looked up at him, befuddled.

Lyra activated another question. "They're trying to come here. My mother's with them," she stood up and began walking about in circles figuring out what to do. "Once she finds out Iofur's dead, who knows what she might do,"

"What do we do then?" she asked.

"We have to take the Alethiometer to my father. He will need it. We'll need the truth to defeat her,"

"Then after that we can go and find my dad right? And Iera?"

Lyra turned back and clasped her shoulders with her hands. "I promise you Mia we will get you back to your father once this is done. We won't stop until you two are back together again,"

"Thank you,"

Lyra gave her another hug to consul her nerves. Roger joined in too. Somehow their hugs made Mia feel more braver, they made her feel braver. Between their heads she saw Aster receiving nuzzles from Pan and Sacillia as they comforted him.

Lyra let me go and turned to our bear friend. "Iorek, can you help me get to Asriel?" she asked.

"Yes. Climb on my back children,"

"You sure you can carry all three of us?" Roger asked.

"Never underestimate a bear's strength," was his answer. The three children all mounted the great bear and he started charging towards the mountains to find Lord Asriel's laboratory where he still remained under house arrest. As the trio rode on their mighty steed with Lyra in front, she told Roger and Mia the story of how Iorek had managed to defeat Iofur Raknison thanks to her clever deception. Now Iorek was the new king of the bears, the true king.

"So you actually tricked Iofur into thinking you were Iorek's daemon?" Mia questioned. "And that he had to fight Iorek in order to claim you?"

Lyra held a smug as she twisted her head around.

"Seems you were right. A part of you is bear," she smiled proudly.

"I never thought I'd see the day when a girl like you, a smug one, could trick a bear," Iorek joked.

"I am not smug!" she snapped.

"Yes you are," Roger answered back, twisting his head at bit, holding up a smug himself.

"Says the boy who's holding up a smug now," Mia joked pointing a finger at him.

They all just exploded into peals of laughter. This was such an adventure that Mia would be writing in her journal once we were someplace warm. As the sun was setting, she looked far out into the sky, thinking about her dad.

Don't worry dad. We'll find you. And Iera. Once this is over.

The only thing echoing in Lee's ears were the screams of his daughter and Lyra and Roger. He jolted up, gasping for breath. What had seemed like an nightmare was actually really his head messing with him. He took a moment to stare around. He found himself inside his damaged balloon and he was resting against Iera's soft fur.

"You alright?" Iera's voice made him jump. Hester jumped onto his lap to sooth my nerves.

"You're lucky I had you in my paws as we crashed," Iera spoke again.

"Where are we?" Lee scampered out of the balloon and found himself in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by some high peaks and snow. Iera stepped out with Hester.

"The wind carried us quite a far distance from Svalbard," she said sadly. "We must make haste to find the others,"

"And how are we going to get to them?" she stomped towards my poor baby. "Without our only means of travel?! And how can you possibly know if they're alive?!" he kicked the balloon and sank on his knees. "It's over Iera. I failed them! And I've lost Mia...again,"

Iera's slow steps approached him from behind. He felt her nose nuzzle his shoulder...but he couldn't respond.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," a new voice spoke. Lee turned around and saw Serafina Pekala. He stood up and walked to her.

"My sister's managed to track your movements," she stepped forward. "Thank goodness you three are safe,"

"Thanks," Hester said.

"You are still important to us Mr. Scoresby," she said.

"But I failed you," he felt like he was going to cry. "And them. I lost Mia and Lyra,"

"You have not failed me. Or them. You fought valiantly Lee. Their fate lies in another hands,"

Lee's heart began to soar again.

"They are alive?" Iera stole the question right from his lips.

"Yes. And Iorek Bynison, with Lyra's help, has reclaimed his throne,"

Iera roared, cheering for her beloved's victory whilst he screamed out "Whoo hoo!" Once again Lyra had done another great act.

"Here. I believe this is yours," Serafina held up Lee's revolver. It had fallen out of the ballon last night. He took it. "The fights are just beginning,"

"So I'm still needed?"

"We are all needed. A Great War is coming and the journey that your daughter and Lyra will take together is just beginning too,"

"I don't think I'm strong enough," he said, doubtful of myself.

"You are strong enough Lee Scoresby," Serafina's kind voice continued.

"But I wasn't strong to save them. Or Roger and Iorek,"

"Queen Serafina Pekala is right," Iera said beside him. "And you will not walk this path alone. Your daughter saved my life. And so I shall return that favour by helping you. Until I am reunited with my beloved Iorek again and you with your child, you are now under my protection,"

Lee didn't know what words to say to his old friend's love. All he managed to say was "Thank you,"

Once again, he felt determination. He was going to fight for both his child and for Lyra, who had become a surrogate sister to her, a part of their family.

"Then I believe there is something else you will need," Serafina spoke up again. He turned around again. "I believe you will recognise this," From the folds of her green dress, she lifted out a brown journal with silver entrails around the edges. Lee's heart was lifting once again. He took it gently, tracing it. He hadn't seen this for many, many months. He looked up at the witch queen, a wave shock overcoming his body. "Where did you get this?"

The sky had now turned dark by the time Iorek and the children had arrived at where Asriel's laboratory was located. We came to the edge of a mountain. In the distance, they saw a giant metal building with lights and bears patrolling around it. This was it.

Lyra wondered out loud what her father was doing there. All Iorek could say she would have to ask him. Mia was quite curious myself too. What kind of father was he to turn his back on his own child and focus on work? Somehow Mia felt quite nervous at the idea of meeting him. They arrived at the laboratory and they were approached by some bears. Iorek, who was now the new bear king, roared ordering his new guards to back down. Once they were told that he had defeated Iofur Raknison, they were forced to comply and obey his commands. They allowed us nearer to the gate.

The trio dismounted Iorek.

"I'm not sure that you should come Mia," Lyra said. "Asriel...he's quite scary,"

"I can handle scary. I don't think he can more terrifying than your mother," the image of that woman made Mia quiver more.

"Be safe, all of you," Iorek said.

"We will," she touched his face to give him a stroke. Mia took Lyra's hand and Roger took her other and they walked towards the door.

"I'm so sorry Mia," Lyra said as they were trodding. "You were just reunited with your dad..."

"Lyra..." she stopped her. "You can't blame yourself every time something goes wrong. It was my dad's choice to help you or not. And it was my choice to come along. Once we're finished here, we'll find him and we can take you guys home. That's a promise,"

"Thank you," Roger said. "Lyra…Please know that we're here for you,"

"I know," Lyra said, her face bright with gratefulness. They stood in front of a giant door of steel and Lyra released Mia's hand to knock it. A metal slab in front of a window was moved revealing two old eyes. It closed again and the door slid open, revealing an old man.

"Little Lyra?" his voice sounded shocked.

"Hello Thorald," she greeted.

"What are you doing here? Come inside," the man welcomed them inside and led Roger and Mia away, but Lyra stood where she was, waiting to meet her father. Mia prepared to warm up near a fire when she heard the bellows of a man screaming "No! I did not send for you! I did not send or you". He was ranting at Lyra. As he kept shouting at her, she heard Lyra's low words that were almost like pleads. After that soft growling emitted behind us calling out "Asriel".

Roger and Mia turned her backs to see giant snow leopard, a daemon near a scary man who feared a clear resemblance to Lyra.

"I see you didn't come alone. Who are you?" his question was aimed at Roger.

"Roger Parslow...sir. I work in the kitchens. At Jordan,"

Asriel looked at him like he was a wolf. He turned his attention towards Mia. She felt frozen from the sight of his cold eyes.

"And who are you?"

"Mia Scoresby," she said awkwardly, feeling Aster shivering around her neck in his ferret form.

"Such an unexpected surprise as well. Thorald, run a bath for them. They smell of bear and they are probably cold. And prepare some food as well,"

He walked off again up the stairs to his workspace, leaving the three of them alone with his manservant. Mia shared a glance with Lyra. She looked hurt and emotionless. Her father was really the unfatherly type.

Another chapter done. What do you think of Iera deciding to protect Lee? Feel free to offer any ideas for what she could do. And what do you think of Lee receiving that journal which he recognised from Serafina? Was it his his wife's? We'll have to wait for the next book to find out. Please will send reviews and let me know what you all think. Happy reading.