In the dreaming
In the waking world, she is a woman, but here tonight she is a child again, in her treehouse, looking at the stars.
"That's Lyra, an' that's Vega," she says proudly. When can I go?"
"Not yet, little one," says her mother. "You can't fly that far now."
"I bet I could."
Her mother laughs. "Perhaps you could, but it is not wise. You could get lost, and that would make me very sad."
She hugs her mother tightly. "I don't want to make you sad! I promise I won't. I promise."
"I believe you, little one." Her mother hugs her back. "And in return, I promise that I will take you there some day."
"Hey!" calls out her father as he steps through the portal. "How're my two favorite princesses?"
"Daddy!" she squeals, and flies across the platform to hug him and kiss his face. "Daddy, Mommy's going to take me to Vega some day! Tell me again how you went there?"
"Oh, haven't you heard that story too much?" he teases her.
She plants her hands on her hips. "No."
"All right then. Back when your mommy and I were fighting in the Great Crisis...."
"That's Lyra, an' that's Vega," she says proudly. When can I go?"
"Not yet, little one," says her mother. "You can't fly that far now."
"I bet I could."
Her mother laughs. "Perhaps you could, but it is not wise. You could get lost, and that would make me very sad."
She hugs her mother tightly. "I don't want to make you sad! I promise I won't. I promise."
"I believe you, little one." Her mother hugs her back. "And in return, I promise that I will take you there some day."
"Hey!" calls out her father as he steps through the portal. "How're my two favorite princesses?"
"Daddy!" she squeals, and flies across the platform to hug him and kiss his face. "Daddy, Mommy's going to take me to Vega some day! Tell me again how you went there?"
"Oh, haven't you heard that story too much?" he teases her.
She plants her hands on her hips. "No."
"All right then. Back when your mommy and I were fighting in the Great Crisis...."