The Scroll of Terusca

Chapter One

(Dedicated to my lovely editor, thank you for your work.)

Rain pounded against the thin windows. A puddle of freezing cold water had managed to slip under the wooden door, soaking the plush rug Emeline had worked so hard to get. Yet she lay in her bed, unaware of the horrific storm outside, causing trees to be bent over backwards and any poor creature still outside to be whisked away in the wind.

A tap on the floor woke her. She sat up quickly, her hair stuck out in all directions, her eyes barely open. 

"Who's there?" Emeline grumbled. She heard the sound again. It was only small, but not small enough to sneak past the ears of a trained hunter.

Getting out of bed, she climbed down the rope ladder to main room of the small hut.

"Urgh, for goodness' sake!" she muttered, seeing the soaked floor. Forgetting the tapping sound, she went to get a cloth to wipe up the mess.

Behind her, ever so quietly, a man crept out of the shadows. With a small blade in his hand, he sneaked up behind Emeline, an evil smile growing on his face.

"Why hello there, Sleeping Beauty," he said, his voidripping with arrogance.

Emeline jumped up from the floor, dropping her cloth and letting out a small scream. Instantly regaining her composure, she eyed the man suspiciously.

"Glad you finally woke up, I was beginning to feel lonely." the man said still grinning spookily at Emeline.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Emeline said, not missing a beat and not even sounding in the least bit scared. 

"Who I am does not matter. But why I'm here is insanely important." he said, flipping his dagger over in his hand. "I believe you have something that is very important to me."

"What is it?" Emeline demanded.

"It made me quite mad when I realized a girl like you, at least 20 years younger than me, could find it quicker than I could." he replied, ignoring her question. "That you, who does not even know of its power, held it in your hands and took it safely home."

"What is it?" Emeline asked again her anger growing, but also her curiosity.

"The scroll, Emeline. The one with the strange letters, the intricate designs. That's what I'm looking for." Anger and a mixture of desire was growing in his eyes. He held the dagger up, coming closer to Emeline.

Emeline suddenly began to take in this strange man's appearance. He was wearing an old black cloak wrapped tightly around him and buttoned up to his chin. His boots reflected the room around them in a distorted manner. His hair was messy, his face showing he was middle aged. His eyes, though, were what caught Emeline's attention. One shone brightly green, the other blue. As her gaze travelled back down the man's torso she saw the dagger again. Remembering the situation, she spoke up.

"I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't care for it either. Whatever you're looking for, it's not here"

"LIES!" he shouted,lurching forward and putting the blade to Emeline's neck. "You will tell me where this scroll is or I will kill you now and find it myself."

Emeline's eyes darted around the room, trying to find a way to slip out from under the man's blade and find a reasonable weapon. Why didn't she think to bring her knife downstairs? Didn't she remember how her father had died?

Her eyes rested on a pottery vase on the table beside her. Looking back up at the man she breathed out a sentence, "Okay, I know where it is,just let me get it."

"How do I know you won't try to run away?" he grunted, ovbously growing impatient.

"Do I look like someone who'd do that?" she questioned, ignoring the fact that she was in her pyjamas. He knew her enough to know her name, which means he knew her profession, and her reputation. As the stranger realised this fact, he drew back from her. 

"Be quick!" 

Turning around and grabbing the vase she had seen, she raised it above her head, ready to knock him out. But he was ready for this action and pushed her into the table.

"Stupid girl!" he screamed furiously. "Now tell me where the scroll is!"

Pulling her self up, Emeline ran to the other side of the room and opened a large trunk. She knew she had the scroll, she had found it in the market and had planned on showing it to the Wise One, but she was unaware how important it could have been. She knew one thing for sure, she could not give it to this man.

She pulled an old spear out of the trunk and stood up. Running towards the man, she sliced a nasty gash in his stomach shocking him. He cursed her and dropped to his knees. Picking up his fallen dagger, he threw it towards Emeline's leg but missed as she jumped out of the way. Staggering, he stumbled towards the door.

As he turned back and looked at Emeline his voice was filled hatred as he said "You will regret this, Emeline Saunders."