157 The Truth About The Past 2

Astrid let herself bask in her pain and welcomed the tears wholeheartedly. There was a lot of what-ifs running through her mind. 

She had not meant to yell at Glacier but she felt the familiar feeling of losing someone. She felt the loss of a being she never knew.

'Perhaps this is what is meant by blood relatives.'

She let out an exasperated sigh and lowered her eyes. "I am sorry for yelling at you, "Astrid apologized calmly.

Glacier closed its eyes for a moment before reopening them. It couldn't blame the child. She had so much yet was never able to enjoy any.

She was born with a fate no one should have. She never did anything wrong but had the whole realm chase after her. Her only wrong was to be born a hybrid and left with so many void and unanswered questions.

It sighed then looked at her with so much care and love. To it, it felt like he was seeing Leia right now.

"I couldn't because up until her death, Leia made sure I couldn't get to her. She severed the contract and bond binding both of us together."

"What!" Astrid asked, looking all shocked. "No, why would she do that?"

"To her, it was the only way to prevent anything from happening to me. You see child, she was preparing to join the war full time and to her, she couldn't risk it. Against my plea, she severed it and set a barrier against me, never to leave the forest to find her."

"I am sorry, I never knew."

"It is all okay. It was not until she died that the barrier disappeared. As soon as I sensed it, I hurried to find her, only to meet her death. I was so hurt by her action that I converted my pain to anger at her. If only I had been with her, then perhaps…"

Before it could finish, Astrid rushed at it and hugged it tightly. "Say no more. I understand. I am very sorry for everything."

After some minutes of hugging, they finally let go.

"She loved you so much to have risked letting you go. I couldn't bear letting White-Fire and little White-Fire get hurt because of me, so I wanted to separate from them too. I do not know why, but I have grown so close to them."

"You still haven't figured out why?"

"Why?"

"Do not worry. You would come to understand in time. It is more than that though. A master and beast companion contract ties both parties together. Your pain is their pain, and your hurt is their hurt. Just as your minds are linked, so is your body. If anything were to happen to the master, the same thing would happen to the beast companion."

"That was why she severed it. She didn't want you hurt because of her."

"True. Now, you have your whole destiny ahead of you. The road ahead wouldn't be easy, young one."

"I know. First, I have to find my mother, then my kingdom."

"Thank you, Glacier."

Astrid flashed the big beast a smile and said, "Your name suits you. She picked the best or you."

"Leave it to Leia."

Just as its name implied, so did its fur and wings. It had shinning sparkle-like frost on its skin, thus earning it the name 'Frost and Glacier'.

"Let us join the others. You need to start journeying soon. The danger is approaching."

*****

After a while of walking around, White Wing, Jareth, White-Fire got to another part of the forest packed with trees in a circular form. They walked in between the trees and came to the clear opening.

The little cubs were busy jumping, playing and flying around. The moment they saw their parents, they rushed forward to meet them.

Little White-Fire ignored the rest and ran up to Jareth. Jareth chuckled and bent down to pick up the little beast in his arms.

"Hey, little White-Fire! Having fun?"

The little cub nodded its head at Jareth. It made some sound at its mother and White-Fire replied with similar sounds.

"Care to translate?" Jareth asked White Wing.

"My cub is asking after Astrid."

"Ohh. She is going to miss it though."

"Yes, she would."

"Jareth, have you told her how you feel about her?" White-Fire's voice sounded in Jareth's mind.

"What?" He was shocked White-ire would even say something like that.

"Don't tell me you do not feel something for her. You can't deny it."

"No, not yet. I…"

"Why? Scared of the uncertainty?"

"Umm, no. There's so much going on and… "

"Just know this, whatsoever fate has decided, we cannot change it."

"Our worlds are too far apart, White-Fire. I doubt fate has anything to do with this."

"There you are!" Astrid's voice interrupted their conversation and also what the White Tiger-Phoenix Beasts were doing with their father.

Immediately all of them rushed up to meet her, with little White-Fire taking the lead.

Before she could react in time, they jumped up on her and fell her on the cold forest ground. "Hehe hehe." She giggled as they licked face and played with her.

"Grandfather."

"It is time. They must leave soon," Glacier said to White-Fire and White Wing.

"I would really miss you all. It was wonderful being here," getting up, Astrid said with a smile.

"I would miss you too," White-Fire replied her. 

It made some noise and communicated with its cub. The little beast moved away from Astrid and ran up to the mother. They communicated for some time and when they were done, it ran back to Astrid's side.

"I would miss you too, but we must part now, little White-Fire."

It shook its head and hit its paws on her leg. "Oh, you don't want to leave me? But you must."

White-Fire, White Wing and Glacier all shook her head at her terrible interpretation. 

"You still haven't figured it out yet?" Glacier asked.

"Figured what out?"

"My cub is coming with you."

"What!"