"Get her before King Regina gets her" he ordered.
"We would" suddenly the room became silent, few seconds passed then Lorelei spoke.
"A message was delivered to me by the people I sent there. They had set traps ahead of them but they rested for the night" she explained.
"Why didn't they just attack her in her sleep?"
"They were to"
"Then?"
"She set up a magic barrier, so they had to wait it out to ambush her on her way this morning."
"So what is the update?"
"They are about to attack her, I await the news."
"They should make sure they don't fail. I need her, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes your majesty" he just made his way pass her and got to the door, then slowly turned his head.
"Good" he said as she turned to now face him by the door.
She slightly bowed her head and he left the room.
------------
Thirty minutes into their journey, the little white tiger-pheonix beast ran ahead of them, jumping happily.
"Hey little White-Fire, slow down okay" Astrid called out to it.
"Leave it be. It's having fun" Jareth cautioned her.
"Oh so you know what fun is now?" She joked.
"Why yes, I do!"
"I doubt that, seeing that you are Mr Grouchy Pants."
"What did you just say?"
"I called you Mr Grouchy Pants. Got a problem with that?"
"Hmm, you are a sharp mouth. I think we should make better use of that mouth of yours" Jareth said as he walked a bit far from where she stood.
"What!" She exclaimed, she stopped walking and just stared at his back.
He stopped walking too and she thought he was waiting for her and she moved closer to him.
When she was about few inches a way she stopped and asked, "What better use do you have for my mou... "
She didn't get to finish her statement as the next moment, Jareth turned and stuffed some blue berries in her mouth, with two hitting her cheeks and falling to the floor.
Instantly, the beasts and Jareth burst into a fit of laughter.
She really did look so funny with her mouth stuffed like that.
She never expected Jareth to do something like that. This cold aloof boy, had started opening up and playing with her.
She didn't know why; she was supposed to be angry, but for some unknown reason she was happy.
Happy that he was free with her, that he was happy and laughing even though she was the center of attraction and they always got into a fight or an argument.
After having her mouth opened and stuffed with grapes, she stood there looking agape before she regained herself and smiled.
Weird outcome, Jareth had expected a feat from her, perhaps she would pull some trick or something, but for some reason, she just smiled.
He didn't know what to say at that moment. He found her charming and her smile loveable. They just stood staring at each other.
Well not for long, because the next moment, Astrid spat out two blue berries on her palm and launched at him.
"Oh no, you don't" he said as he tried to dodge, but he was too late.
She wouldn't have it and she pursued after him. A few feets into their chase, Jareth stepped on a rope on the ground and two arrows shot directly at him.
In his jolly and playful state, he didn't pay attention and it was Astrid that saw it and jumped on him, pushing him to the ground with her as the arrow passed her hair.
They both stopped and look at each other.
"That was too serious to be a joke Astrid, what if it had met me" Jareth said getting angry.
By now she was still on top of him, "What! I didn't do that" she defended.
"You wanted to get back at me, right?"
"No, I did nothing. How could you think that" she felt disgusted and rolled off him.
As she rolled sideways, her hand hit a rope on the ground, she held on to it and raised it up a bit. Instantly two arrows flew in her direction.
Alarmed, she quickly used her powers to stop the arrow in the air.
Jareth saw this and felt bad for not believing her.
"It's a trap, who did this?" He asked as Astrid let the arrows fall on the floor close to her hand.
"Look, up there in that tree" the familiar female voice sounded in Astrid's mind.
She quickly looked up and saw the silhouette of a person.
"Jareth, they are close" she said as she sprang up on her feet.
Jareth gets up too and look around. "They are many, be ready" he replied her.
Before they knew what was happening, they were surrounded on all sides.
Astrid looked around her and counted ten of them. They all wore a black pair of trouser, black top and a black mask.