War of Hearts

Chapter 8: Seeds of a New Feeling

(Quick Author's Note: I have added some important details regarding the trap door in Chapter 6. Please reread it first before reading this chapter so that there won't be any confusion with the events that happen. Thank you!)

Ingrid had fallen asleep with thoughts of Isaac's childhood, but when she woke up and realized what day it was, panic stirred in her. It had been more than a week now since she arrived in Adehane, and she still has no new information regarding the passageway. Her father was waiting for an update, and time had passed so quickly she didn't realize she hadn't sent one yet til then. She quickly got up and had dressed, making sure to dress in her usual shirt and pants, her red hair tied in a ponytail. 

She quickly went to the south wing, where the room with the hidden trapdoor was. Using her dagger, she opened the lock and saw the passageway. She put in the code and the door opened. A cold draft greeted her, along with pitch darkness. The lamp that had been hanging on the wall the day they first visited it had no more light, and the hole in the wall was too small to let any more natural light in. Ingrid then went towards the library, easily finding Isaac once again reading a book. 

"Isaac! Where are the candles?" she asked hurriedly, searching nearby drawers. "Candles in the middle of the day? What do you need it for?" Isaac asked, looking up from his book. Ingrid grinned at him mischievously, a twinkle in her eye. 

"Let's go exploring. You must show me more about the passageway. That's why I need candles, so we could use them down there," she explained excitedly, still searching behind books as if candles would ever be placed there.

"No thanks," Isaac replied in a bored tone, looking back at his book. Mentally, he made a note: Change the locks.

"Oh, come on!" Ingrid retorted, sounding very much like a spoiled child. She walked towards him, sat down on a nearby chair, and tried to catch his eye. She began to poke his shoulder, saying "hey, hey, hey," with every poke. She didn't care if she came off as childish or annoying. She needed more information, and she was going to get it no matter what.

"No is no, Ingrid. That passage is for emergency purposes only" he explained to Ingrid while sounding irritated about her poking him. What is she, a four year old? God, how could anyone willingly marry her? he thought to himself. 

"But you showed it to me, you teased how exciting it is, and you don't show me more? You're cruel, you know that?" Ingrid pouted, still poking him. "I won't stop until you show me. I can do this all day, you know? You won't believe all the things my father let me do just because I poked him long enough."

"Well I'm not uncle, so you can just quit it," Isaac replied back, moving away from her to avoid her constant poking. Ingrid rolled her eyes. "You're really going to make me do this?" she asked testingly.  When he didn't respond, she stood up and snatched his book.

"Hey! Put that down!" Isaac stood up, trying to reach the book that Ingrid now held above her head. Every time Isaac reached for it their hands touched, but both were too focused on beating the other to notice. "Come and get it!" Ingrid called out, standing on her tip toes and waving the book in the air.

 "I'll return this if and only if you get me through the passage. Once we're there, I'll give it back. We won't be long, just until dinner," she said teasingly.

"Ugh, why do you love annoying me so much?" Isaac groaned out. With an annoyed look he went over to a cabinet in the corner of the room and took out two brown cloaks, throwing one at Ingrid's direction. "Make sure you don't go too far, if we end up being late for dinner father will be furious. Understand?" Isaac ordered.