Slowly she made her way to me and stopped when she was but a few inches away.

We both stared at each other for what seemed to be an hour but was only five minutes.

"I'm sorry"

"I'm sorry"

We both said at once, I sighed and looked at her.

This girl really had what it takes to bring out a part of me that I never knew was there. I don't really like it but, I am somewhat free.

"Gosh Jareth, he looks charming when he is angry, making it hard to stay mad at him. I really want to be angry but oh look at him... d.a.m.n it Astrid behave yourself" Astrid thought to herself.

"I really didn't mean what I said just now Astrid" she raised her right hand to stop me from talking.

I stopped midway into my sentence and watched her. "Sorry for shouting at you like that, I shouldn't have."

"I deserved that, I shouldn't have called you a good for nothing without your magic."

"I am the one to blame, I shouldn't have driven you so far. I only wanted to joke and laugh at the tension and tiredness."

"I am sorry" I apologized again.

"Its okay, truce?" She asked bringing her hand for a shake.

"Truce" I shook her and we both smiled.

"Also you were right to some extent though" she said not looking at my face.

"Right about what exactly?"

"Hmm, would you teach me hand to hand combat so I can better defend myself?"

I was shocked, I admit I didn't expect her to ask that all of a sudden, I just looked at her in shock.

After some seconds she waved her hand in front of me. I mean I kind of dazed out there for a minute.

"Ohhhh hmm, why do you want to learn, thought you said you had your magic?"

"Don't make it any difficult Jareth" Astrid thought to herself. "Well for other forms of protection, surprised attack wen I am out energy and can't use magic."

"Have you ever felt that before?" I suddenly found myself interested in this new side.

"No I haven't, but she is right.. I may need it as I am new at sorcery, so I may not be able to last long."

"Why me?"

"Is there anyone else here Jareth?"

"No, but just that, then who is she?"

"Ohhhh, White-Fire" she stated flatly like it wasn't important.

I kind of guessed she meant, the big white tiger-pheonix beast.

"Well, I felt that umm. Ohhhkkk I would teach you" I said resigning my fate to be her teacher.

"Well let's forget this topic" I finally accepted defeat with my incoherent thoughts.

"Now, can we please set up tent? I am tired already" she said with pleading eyes.

I looked around to see if the beasts were still up for some walk, that was when I noticed the small white tiger-pheonix beast sleeping on the ground, with its mother protecting it closely by her side on the ground as her eyes dropped to a close.

"Well I guess that settles it then. Everyone is beat and the big white tiger-pheonix beast hasn't fully recovered."

"Thank you for finally seeing reasons" she thanked and dropped her bag down as she made her way to the beasts.

"Astrid, I think you are forgetting something."

"Huhhh... What?"

"A barrier, we are entering dangerous areas, if you want to have a swell sleep, you need the barrier."

"Thanks for the advice, would do just that" she fully turned, now facing me and said some spells, directing her hands on the air and enclosed us in a barrier, slightly smaller than the first one she made.

"Thanks"

"Go to sleep Jareth, good night" she strode to the beasts side and lay on the ground beside it.

***********

Author's POV

Somewhere off in the distance on a tree, the same figure, a person with a black cloak covering his head and body, stands and gaze at the little group of people and animals.

Another figure suddenly appeared by the first person's side, wearing almost similar outfit, but this one's cloak was dark blue.

"Are we ready to take action sir?" A young masculine voice spoke besides the cloaked person.

"No."

"They didn't fall into any trap set."

"I really had hoped that they would continue walking in their tired state, so that they don't take not of the traps I set."

"Well they decided to rest this time around. So have the plans changed sir? Why not attack now that they are asleeep?"

"No, send news, we attack at dawn. There is a barrier set. It would not be an easy feat to kill them smoothly."

"Yes sir" and he vanished as quickly as he had come, leaving the other man behind to think and plan.

"I would get you... "