Natura Noctis short stories

Hidden Treasures: Discoveries in the Night

It was a dark and stormy night when Lilly first saw the old mansion. She had heard that the estate had been empty for decades and that no one had entered it, but that had not deterred her. On the contrary, the stories of hidden treasures and secret passages had aroused her curiosity.

So Lilly, a daring girl of only 16, crept into the eerie walls. It wasn't long before she found a hidden door leading to a staircase that led into the depths of the mansion. With trembling fingers, she lit a candle and made her way down.

The steps were steep and uneven and the smell of mustiness and dampness was in the air. But Lilly was not deterred. She was confident that she would discover something extraordinary.

When she finally reached the end of the stairs, she found herself in a large room. The walls were covered with old paintings and there were a number of cupboards and chests hiding in the dark. Lilly's heart beat faster as she set out to find the hidden treasure.

She opened the first chest and found a collection of old books inside. She flipped through the pages and realised that they were ancient writings that no one had read for centuries.

In the next chest she found a collection of precious stones and pearls packed in silk bags. Lilly's eyes widened in amazement as she looked at the sparkling stones.

But that was only the beginning. In another chest she found a golden casket set with diamonds. When she opened it, she found inside a letter written by a certain Lord Sutherland. In the letter he wrote of a secret room somewhere in the depths of the mansion and of a treasure hidden there.

Lilly's pulse quickened as she read the letter. She knew she had to find the secret room. So she searched the room thoroughly and finally found a loose floor panel. Pushing it aside, she discovered a narrow staircase leading into the darkness.

Lilly hesitated for a moment before descending the stairs. She didn't know what would await her at the bottom. But her urge to explore outweighed her fear.

When she finally reached the secret room, her heart almost stopped. In front of her lay a treasure made of gold, silver and diamonds. It was the biggest treasure she had ever seen.

Lilly could hardly believe her luck. She had found the treasure Lord Sutherland had written about. She looked at the treasure with shining eyes and knew that from that moment on her life would never be the same again. But then suddenly she heard a noise. It sounded as if someone was descending the stairs. Lilly's heart beat faster as she turned around and looked into the darkness.

But it was too late. The door to the secret room opened and Lilly was caught by a man looking at her questioningly. It was Lord Sutherland himself.

"What are you doing here?" he asked sternly.

Lilly stammered an explanation, but Lord Sutherland quickly interrupted her.

"You are too curious, my child. You have no idea what you have done here."

He drew a knife and rushed at Lilly. But she was quick and deft. She ducked and hit him on the head with an object she found nearby.

Lord Sutherland fell to the floor and Lilly took the opportunity to flee. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could and disappeared through the secret door.

Outside, the night was still dark and stormy. But Lilly was no longer trembling with fear. She knew she had achieved something great. She had found the hidden treasure and lived to tell the tale.

Over the next few weeks, Lilly travelled the country selling the treasure she had found. She lived a life of luxury and wealth and was admired and envied by all.

But in her heart she knew that she had found something much more important than just wealth and treasure. She had discovered her own strength and determination. She had learned that sometimes you have to take a risk and face your fears to get what you really want.

And so Lilly went on, in search of new adventures and hidden treasures. Because she knew that there was still so much to discover, even in the darkness of the night.