The Aeronaut's Daughter

The Long Journey to Trollesund

(Y/N) Point of View

I found my way back to my father. He sighed with relief seeng I was unharmed. We both boarded the balloon and immediately we took off into the sky.

I sighed as the land disappeared under the clouds again. I missed being on the land so much. I  hadn't got quite used to being in the air too much from time to time.

"So how was the market?" dad asked.

"It was interesting,"

"But..." Lee drifted off.

"Nothing," I quickly uttered.I was given 'the look'.I huffed. "Fine. I got into a bit of trouble with some bullies. They tried to steal my necklace. I would have gotten into a lot more trouble had those two children not shown up,"

"Two children?"

"Her name was Lyra, and her friend was called Roger. They were really nice. They showed me around the market, and we had a great talk about travelling. And you know that Asriel chap you've always wanted to meet? She's his niece?"

"What? Never knew that man had a niece,"

"She said her parents died in an airship accident,"

"And her uncle never thought to take her in?"

"Nope. Instead, she was placed in the care of Jordan College,"

"A kid raised in a college?"

"Under scholastic sanctuary. Her uncle barely visits her. He goes to the north and doesn't even take her with him,"

"Well, he's just not like you. He never takes relatives with him,"

"Probably because she needs education,"

"Compared to me? You know for four years I've been traveling learning. As much as I enjoy it, I wish I was in regular school,"

"Travel learning is good for you. You get to learn everything you need to know in a much more exciting way,"

"But it gets quite lonely. Just us and Hester and Aster. We really should stop in Oxford after Trollesund. You'd find Lyra and Roger very interesting. You know Lyra wishes that her daemon wouldn't settle like mine. What do you think Astar will settle as?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that it will reflect the kind of person you are,"

"What did you want Hester to settle as when you were young?"

Lee looked at Hester. "I was never thinking about what she might settle as...at first,"

"When did you start thinking?"

"You know your grandfather...when he abused me a lot. It was Hester who pulled me through. We grew closer. Like you I never wanted her to stop changing. But there came a time when I wished she was just one form. I didn't care what it was. All I cared about was that it reflected what kind of person we were together. At first when she settled, I thought she was a rabbit. But then after meeting Iorek for the first time, I realised all along it was an artic hare,"

"It is possible that your daemon may settled in a form that has the same equivalent as hers. A fox or a weasel or a badger. Whatever he'll settle as, he will be great, and he will reflect the type of great person that I know you are,"

"You think I'm great? Nobody back in Texas thinks I'm great. At school, they always said horrible things...about mum...about you...about me," 

Lee leaned closer to you. "Who cares what they say? You know before we started travelling together, I was always scorned by other people. But did I let that get me down? No I didn't. One day you and Aster are going to do great things. And when everyone finds out...they'll wish they were as special as you,"