Astrid The Hybrid Princess - Chapter 302 Want To Be Punished

CHAPTER 302

“What have I told you about biting your lips?”

Astrid saw the desire etched deep in his eyes as his green orbs darkened but he quickly tried to mask it and shove his feelings away.

“Sorry, I…” he could feel the slight disappointment in her voice.

Once again he had made her feel sad but he knew it was better that way for both them.

She just experienced a close tape situation. Her mind needed to heal.

Even though she felt like her body had, he knew better than anyone that she had not.

That fear and irritation may very much still be there and he did not want to cause the same thing that happened back then at the elven forest to happen again.

Personally, he knew it was not just for her but also himself.

He did not want to go through that pain again.

The pain of her withdrawal. The pain of watching as her fear grew anytime he was close by.

The pain of being hurt by him. No, he never wanted that again. Never wanted to see her that way because of him or anyone else.

She deserved better and more.

So rather than bring it all back, it was better he kept his feelings hidden to prevent any psychological trauma for both of them.

“Be a good girl and go to sleep okay or I would…”

“Do not dare think of punishing me. You were at fault as well.” Jareth’s eyes widened at her mild outburst.

‘Is she angry? If I recall correctly, when I threatened her at the forest peak, she was bold enough to tell me to do it. Now, she is… Oh, Astrid!’ He let out a soft sigh from just looking at her.

He sure was going to get a headache because of her.

Astrid kept on talking and refused to keep shut. Not having any option left, as he would have stuffed her mouth filled with something by now if he had any fruits or food on him, he had to make do of what he had, ON HIM!

At that moment, Jareth brought his face closer to hers and as soon as she saw the threatening move, she immediately shut her mouth up and instinctively withdrew from him.

“I thought so too. You do not want to be punished.”

“Huh! Who said anything about… ”

“Oh, I see. You do want to be punished.”

“Don’t get any funny ideas, Jareth.” A smirk appeared on his face at her words.

Of course, he was getting funny ideas in his head and his blood was rushing towards the wrong direction from the crazy thoughts that filled his mind.

“Goodnight, Astrid.”

He got back up and made his way to where he sat prior to now.

Astrid mumbled a few words to herself, careful enough so that his super-sensitive ears would not catch it and then smiled to herself.

The next moment, Jareth yawned and her smile deepened.

“Go get some sleep and stop fighting it, Jareth.”

With those words, she drifted off to sleep beside Snow, leaving him alone.

She did not have to bother though, as she knew he would soon be asleep as well.

‘Naughty girl, she cast a spell didn’t she?’ With whatever bit of strength he had left, Jareth got himself prepped up quickly and ready to sleep opposite of where she slept.

—————

~Outlaws Village~

It was already morning the next day before Clive’s guards returned to the village.

They had searched for a while and just like Cari, they got no useful lead and decided to return to the village.

As soon as they arrived, they met Brad waiting at the entrance for them.

His stoic expression seemed somehow but no one questioned it and instead greeted him.

“Where is she?”

Like seriously, he just did not need to ask, considering that if she was with them, he would have seen her but he dis nonetheless.

“We lost her. There was no trace anywhere.” one of the guards was the first to speak as he filled him in on what had occurred. “The last trail ended inside a mini forest and from there, there was nothing.”

Brad kept silent for a while and said nothing. The next thing he did leave everyone shocked. The spear he was holding, he threw it far and hard against the wall as his chest rose and fell with every breath he took.

“Arrgghh!! What do you want me to tell the leader!” Brad hollered at them.

It was like a kind of war for him to tell Clive they had escaped and he recalled all the shouts, anger, yelling he received.

What had calmed the leader down was that Brad told him the guards had chased after them and they should be catching up to them as they speak.

That was when he regained his composure and said he would wait for their news.

He did not need a retelling of what would happen when he informed him of this.

He did not like to be a bearer of bad news but as the second in command, he had to be the one to deliver all news to him.

“Guard a simple village, you can’t. Find a simple girl, you can’t. Instead, it was the opposite they did. Always returning with a sorry tale.

For the first time since he could remember, he wished he was bringing better news. He knew just how much his master liked or more like lusted after Astrid.

He could not blame him as all the men lusted after her as well. The only reason they stopped and did not go after her was that he had his eyes set on her as well and there was the case of the elf boy, Jareth.

In skills, none of them could even compare to him, so he was another problem they were at a disadvantaged of.

Besides, the young girl was very much in love with him and he too. Everyone and anyone who had eyes could see that they loved each other.

Pff, how could he also forget the exiled merman who succeeded in driving a wedge in between the two love birds?

In fact, everything and anything surrounding Astrid spoke volumes and danger. She had so many men vying for her and a lot ready to protect her.

Even their village women had warned him and some of the guards to take their lustful eyes away from Astrid as they all loved the girl and cared for her happiness so much.

He knew the endless query he got from Katrina, Sabrina and Elena when they discovered Astrid had escaped.

Honestly, it was not a wonder that she did, considering what Clive had done and almost done to her. No one in their right mind would wait for another encounter before they flee.

So it was surprising to Katrina that the guards were not more at alert that they would flee.

If they had stayed there longer, it was simply knocking at death’s door. This was so for Astrid and Snow, especially the two boys from different races.

Clive would have stopped at nothing to get Astrid and plotting Jareth and Cari’s death would not have been a difficult or a new thing.

Calming himself down, he sent for the leader of the guards so they could go and deliver the news to Clive.

Right now he was not willing to go and see Clive alone considering it was not his squad that caused the problem in the first place but their lack of discipline that four-person, four beings and not one, escaped from the village.

Before long, Damion arrived and greeted Brad.

“No need for pleasantries. We must go and see our leader now and explain to him how she escaped.” Brad briefed Damion on the situation and turned towards the path leading to Clive’s house and began walking there with Damion at his side.

Both of them had a serious expression on their face, one that was void of any form of laughter or joy as they matched onwards to meet him.

Immediately they got to the front door, Brad knocked twice before pushing it open, slowly. He turned to look at Damion first before he entered and the latter followed behind him inside.

When they got in, they met Clive sitting down on his big chair meant for only the leader with his hand on his chin and his gazed fixed in the direction opposite him.

Instantly, both of them bowed to him and stayed in that position till he told them otherwise.

“I presume you brought good news to me.” His voice echoes sharply in the big room and an eerie silence ensued as no one dared to say anything or even lift their head to look at him.

“Or did you fail miserably again with nothing to show for the days they were away?”