323 Small Talks: You Like Him

CHAPTER 323

"Aunt Nerissa. It really is you."

Nerissa felt her heart swell hearing Astrid's voice one more time. Her anger was now completely and totally gone. As long as Jareth did not interfere, obviously.

"Astrid. Oh my goodness. I..." Not giving her room to talk, Astrid close breached whatever gap that was left within them and hugged her tight, shutting her eyes close as well.

"I've missed you. I thought you were gone, that you left me." Astrid hugged her tighter than before as she let her tears wash over her, letting it flow down her cheeks and unto Nerissa's cloak.

Recovering from the shock with which Astrid had used to hug her, Nerissa hugged her back, rubbing her hand against the small of her back to ease her worries and help sooth her pain.

"I know. I am sorry dear. It was all my fault."

After about a minute of hugging, Astrid pulled back and look into her eyes. Your fault? It wasn't your fault one bit. I really missed you."

"Do not worry about it. Now that I am here, I would not let us separate again."

'Pff, she is taking over protecting duties huh.' Jareth said to himself while watching them.

Both ladies exchanged some talks about missing each other and when they were done, that was when Astrid and Nerissa had recalled that they had company and not just anyone, an unwelcomed visitor.

She scrunched her nose questioningly at him and waited for him to introduce himself or for Astrid to do some explanations, herself.

"Aunt, this is Jareth, he saved me before, times without number actually and this little baby, is my beast companion, my Mythical beasts." Astrid introduced and pointed to each of them.

"Save you say?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, Okay."

Nerissa shrugged at them and half bent, opening her arms for Snow to come in for hug.

Snow hesitated a bit but after looking at Astrid and watching her nod her head in approval, he finally gave in and moved in to hug Nerissa.

Nerissa lowered herself better so she could hug the beast as she was also a lover of animals back then in the village.

By the time all formalities where done. She only nodded at Jareth to call their fight a truce so they could journey together.

But that was not the only thing going on there or in her mind as she had her plans to seriously drill some sense into Astrid and catch up on lost times about what had happened.

By the time they stopped to rest, it was way into the night and Nerissa finally got the opportunity she was looking for to discuss with Astrid, leaving Jareth and Snow to themselves.

"Now tell me, Astrid. Why and how in the world did you ever meet an elf to journey with him?" Nerissa asked not feeling concerned about anything but just the truth which mattered most to her.

"He saved me."

"From?"

Astrid took her time to briefly explain everything that had happened to her within the past month while skipping some peculiar details of her and Jareth's smooching and intimate moment.

"What about you aunt? How did you survive such a fall from that great height?" Astrid quickly asked to pull her aunt's attention from herself.

"Before I hit rock bottom, I was lucky to have fallen on a lonely tree there. I managed to treat myself before passing out completely and after some time, I got myself back up before I started my little climb out of the mountain."

"Weren't you scared? I mean there could have been some wild animal hidden somewhere."

"Yes, there was that fear, but when you are almost at the point of death, the last thing you bother about is how to survive an attack from a wild beast again."

"Alright, but I thought even a dead person clings for life."

��I was glad to have still being alive and that to me, was more than enough. The nightbane was really strong and if not that I knew some things about herbs, coupled with my powers, I would have been a goner, beast or no beast."

"I am glad you weren't a goner." Both ladies let out a small laughter and smiled back at each other.

"My baby is so grown up now," Nerissa

"I am still your baby, Aunt. I haven't grown."

"No, Astrid. You have improved a whole lot more than you could imagine. Your powers have grown and you can control them. I am really proud of you."

"Thanks, Aunt."

They continued some more before the matter shifted back to Jareth. "You must let him go, Astrid. We are at war with the races and no one can be trusted." Nerissa dropped the bomb on her.

Astrid peeled her gaze from her aunt and trailed it over to where Jareth and Snow sat down together, conversing.

Well it was pretty just him and speaking and muttering some words to the beast with little Snow not being able to say anything but ppurr every now and then to keep him entertained.

Another smile appeared on her lips as she stared at the two males who were the most important in her life now.

Althrough her stare at the, Nerissa was watching her with very stern eyes and from the way Astrid looked at Jareth and Snow, it showed pure love.

But something was different when she gazed up at Jareth, she could see an untold longing in Astrid's eyes. It was as though she wished she could be there with him and in his arms.

After sometime, Astrid sighed, one thing Nerissa noticed she did quite often since she saw her today especially when it looked like she was thinking.

As Astrid shifted her gaze back to her aunt, she was shocked to see the smile on her aunt's face, like a proud mother who was watching her child learn how to walk.

"You like him."