The Aeronaut's Daughter

A Shocking Revelation

(M/C) Point of View: 

"(M/C)?" It was Lyra's voice. I opened my eyes and I saw Pan in the form of a red panda gazing at me with his beady eyes. He stood back as I sat up. I was on my bed with Lyra sitting beside me. Roger was poking my face with his trunk. I gently brushed him away. "It's okay. We're back," she promised. Will and (Y/N) weren't with her. "The others are downstairs making dinner,"

"What happened?"

"You looked scared. And you fainted. I saw...what happened back there,"

Fear consumed my body and I felt the oxygen being sucked from my lips. "(M/C)" Lyra ushered. "It's okay,"

"It's not okay Lyra! I killed that man! I killed him!"

"You didn't know what you were doing. You looked like you were in a trance. I checked the Alethiometer. It's not your fault,". I remained frozen but she kept on speaking. "And we don't care, I don't care what happened. You saved Will and (Y/N)," she reached forward and hugged me. "Thank you (M/C),". I felt the urge to push her away but the way she held onto me like that, was warm and comforting. I hugged her back, feeling as if I was hugging Lia again. 

As she let go, I felt a question trying to push its way up from my voice box. "Was that woman really your mother?"

Her eyelids dropped and she nodded. I felt ashamed for asking. But she talked before I could get a chance. "She may seem good on the outside but on the inside, she's a monster. A horrible woman,"

I glance quite hard at her. "Is she really that horrible?"

"Horrible enough to kidnap children, take them from their homes, cut away their daemons...she tried to do the same to (Y/C) ...and then she tried to kill her,"

I held a grim face. "She thinks it's okay to hurt other children? But not you?"

"She hurt me as well. Once she used her daemon to hurt Pan, to hurt me," Lyra sounded broken. "I trusted her once, but it was an act just to get me to like her,"

I swallowed the lump of shock in my throat. "If she's as horrible as you say she is, you deserve so much more than her,"

"It didn't feel good acting like she did. I hope I'm nothing like her. Or my father," Roger lifted her hand onto his head so his furry would sooth her anxiety. "I hope I'm like my childhood nurse Ma Costa...or (F/C)'s dad Lee Scoresby. They're the closest I have to real parents. And (Y/N)'s the closest thing I will ever have to a sister,"

I twisted my head again to her. "Lyra..." I clasped her shoulder. "You're amazing just the way you are. You don't need to change. I don't believe you should change. You are possibly the bravest most determined person I've ever met. Just be who you are,"

Her sorrow turned to a warm smile that matched mine. We blinked at each other. It felt strange but...whatever it was...I thought her talking to me had lifted her spirits. "What was your birth name?" I asked curiously. "You wouldn't have been born with the name Silvertongue if you hate your father,"

"It was Belacqua," she said with disappointment. "But Silvertongue feels like my name. It was given to me by a bear king who loves me more than my own father,"

"What's his name?"

"Iorek Byrnison,"

"If he and that aeronaut love you more than your real father, then they're more human. And more worthy of your love. I wish I had that kind of love from someone,"

"I'm sure you do," she encouraged. "With this...she held up the Alethiometer...we'll find your real family and you can finally feel loved by people who can about you as much as we do. Now come on. Food should be ready," she stood up but I wouldn't stand up. "Please," she offered her hand. I took it. I followed her downstairs where Will and (Y/N) were just setting out bread, soup and vegetables.