The Aeronaut's Daughter

Sharing Stories

(Lyra P.O.V) 

(Y/N)'s arms were quite tight around my waist but I didn't care that much. I didn't care that she laid her head on my back either. As a matter of fact I liked it, she reminded me of Roger a lot. Boy I couldn't wait to find him and explain to him how far both (Y/N) and I had come together. 

After what felt like forever, Iorek stopped off at a nearby forest. We slipped off. 

"I need to hunt. I will need you two to stay here," 

(Y/n) slipped off Iorek and helped me down. 

"I won't be long," he said. He galloped off into the forest for food leaving (Y/N) and I alone. (Y/N) turned around and she glimpsed at the magnificent sight of the snowy wastelands all around us. The sun made the cold layers of white glittered like silver. (Y/N) went to sit on a nearby rock and I sat with her, glimpsing at the remarkable blue sky hanging over the endless of white. 

"It's beautiful isn't it,' she said. 

"It sure is,"

"I've always wanted to come here. When I was old enough, I planned on coming here...in my own balloon, with nothing but Aster and the wind blowing in my hair," 

"Yeah. I've always dreamed of going north too. I really thought for a moment I would get to go with...my father. But instead he just hauled me off the ship the day he took off," I bowed my head down thinking about how he would react when we would see each other again after I rescued him. 

"Are you going to rescue him?" (Y/N) beside me. 

I wanted to say 'yes' but instead I nodded.

"If Lord Asriel is your father, then...do you know who your mother is?" (Y/N) asked. 

The mere memory of a horrible woman with a cruel golden monkey daemon emerged in my head again. My face turned dark. 

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that," she apologised.

"It's okay," I said. I sighed. "You know that woman Mrs. Coulter who I told you about?" 

She leaned in closer at me, a dark look forming her eyes, as if she already knew the answer. 

"She's my mother," 

"What?!" she screamed flabbergasted. "You're related to that woman who kidnapped your friend and all those children?"

"Yes. And I'm ashamed of it?"

(Y/N) P.O.V

I didn't know what to be. Shocked, or surprised? It was horrifying more for her than it was for me. I couldn't ask her why she didn't tell me before...the answer was pail clear on her face. Ultimately another question came into my head. "Why didn't she tell you she was your mother the moment you met her?"

"I don't know. Probably because she was ashamed to have a child out of wedlock. She hadn't seen me for over twelve years. She never even thought of coming to get me. She cared more about her job than she did for me,"

"Than she's more trouble than she's worth. How exactly did you came to be in Jordan College?"

She turned me with an emotionless expression. I apologised but she said not to. She decided to answer. Seeing as how it would make her feel better, I stayed sat down and listened. She told me about being born of an affair between Asriel and Coulter, how Coulter's husband tried to kill her, how Asriel was stripped of his wealth, how she came to be in the care of the college. 

I felt so sorry for everything she had been though. 

"I'm so sorry Lyra," I apologised. I couldn't imagine how much of a shock it had been for her when she learnt the truth from Maggie Costa who had been her nurse.