The Sorcerer and the Sphinx

Chapter 2: The Library

The next morning, Elsa woke quite early in the morning. The sun was barely up, and a light mist covered the castle grounds, with a haze of clouds covering the sun. Elsa looked in the wardrobe and found a multitude of colorful dresses. She put on a light mint green one that looked relatively in style and headed out of her room

She decided to go exploring through the manor, since it seemed quite big, and she had dreamed of doing so since she was a child. She recalled stories that had been told to her by her Aunt Euphenia once more, the stories of the old warlock who haunted Whitewillow Gardens. It excited her to think that perhaps she had actually met the warlock- that she was staying at the manor! It was a childhood dream come true for her.

She went down a tight spiral staircase, ending in a vast library. She was enchanted by the grandeur of the room; the blue walls and pretty murals on the vaulted ceilings. The floor to ceiling bookshelves with mini staircases attached to reach the highest shelves. On some parts, the bookshelves went so high that there was a small railing attached to the second floor of bookshelves in order to reach them. On the ground level was a series of tables with various scrolls and writing utensils scattered about, with the furniture velvet-covered and obviously hand-carved. The actual floor was wooden, though it had several enormous Persian rugs covering most of it. It was the most perfect room Elsa had ever seen.

She immediately started to explore, looking up her favorite titles and researching things that would've never been found in her town library. She found that there was a drawer where, if you asked for a certain book or subject, inside the drawer would appear a card with the exact place you needed to go. More magic, she assumed. It sparked a childlike excitement in her that she hadn't thought to be possible.

Elsa searched for her favorite author, Voltaire, and instantly found manuscripts that surely had never been published nor seen by anyone. She wondered where the warlock had gotten them. She began to read them, picking a chair on the second floor of one of the shelves where she had a perfect view of the entire room.

She was about halfway through one of his rather risque manuscripts when she heard a faint buzzing noise, like the hum of a steamboat. She looked up from her scroll, curios of the cause. She looked to her right and found that one book was different from the rest. It was glowing, a vibrant, brilliant blue. As she got closer to it, she started to hear the faint whispers of ancient magic. She reached out to touch it, mesmerized by the glow and the promise of something-

"What are you doing here!" The noise startled her so much that Elsa physically jumped, backing away from the sudden voice.

"Answer me, girl. How did you get in here? Do you think you have free rein in this manor? You have no right!" he yelled, walking towards her dangerously as she cowered.

"I-I just walked down a staircase, a-and it led me here," she said, close to tears.

"So you think you can just go through my library without permission?" he asked, his voice laced with fury.

"I just thought... that... maybe-"

"No, you didn't think at all!" he yelled. "Stupid farm girl," he muttered to himself. Unfortunately, she heard him.

"I am not a stupid farm girl! How dare you? You don't even know my name and you already make assumptions!" she said, defending herself to the last. Her aunt had always taught her: Never start a fight, but sure as hell finish it. Her outburst seemed to quiet him.

"My name is Elsa Blackwood, for your information," she said primly, brushing her skirts absentmindedly and standing a little taller. Well, as tall as she could, being five-foot-six.

"My name is Xeleus," he replied simply, before leaving the library with a whoosh of his cloak. Elsa immediately ran out of the library, heading back to her room.

When she reached her room, she collapsed on the bed, the door seemingly closing and locking on its own. She started to cry, tears streaming down her face. She missed her Aunt, missed the safety of her own bed, out of the manor. She now realized why dreams were never meant to come true; the reality was far worse. The only thing stopping her from running straight out of the woods and never looking back was the fact that she had no idea where she was nor where to go. She needed the warlock- no, Xeleus- for that. And she hated the idea of asking him for help. She continued crying, eventually falling asleep due to the exhaustion.