Timeless Crusaders Chapter Three/ Part One

A few days passed. My dragons were healed and they waited for me to call for them. I remained in bed today a little longer than usual. I soaked up both sunrises. They were magnificent. It was almost as magnificent as the one I spent with Jasper at Lake Michigan last summer. It had been three days since I was shot, and thanks to my bond, I healed almost as quickly as a dragon. I heard the door open and I watched Jasper stroll into the bedroom with quite the grin. He and Gavin decided to spar this morning for fun. “My dear, did you win?” I laughed.1

“Why yes, I did.” He triumphed. He removed his dirty boots and changed his clothes. He climbed into bed next to me and gently pulled me in for a cuddle. “I love you Nora.”2

“I love you more, Jasper.” We laughed again. I am almost one hundred percent sure we were both thinking about toasters at that moment. 3

“You must be feeling better today than yesterday. I noticed laughing doesn’t make you cringe.”4

“You heal my every sorry and ache, how can I keep from laughing my love? But, I am feeling much better today than yesterday.” I said. 5

“I’m glad. I should probably change that bandage however.” He said. I took the cue and unburied myself from the down blankets. He gently rolled up my camisole and then smiled. I gave him a curious look. “You look adorable.” He smiled and caused me to laugh. 6

“I am adorable even when I’m beaten up?” I asked. He nodded. 7

“The bruising, and battle scars make you highly appealing.” He chortled.8

“Jasper, I think your simple ruggedness is one of the many things that drew my attention to you.” I smirked and caused Jasper to blush and then giggle a little. His fingers gently unwound the bandage but soon his icy fingers reached my skin. “Eek, someone has chilly fingers.” I squeaked. Jasper, then deliberately placed both of this hands on my torso until they nearly consumed it. I wiggled and squirmed beneath his cold hands. He leaned back and inspected my stitches.9

“I think they will be able to come out late tonight or tomorrow.” He reassured. I nodded. 10

“Tomorrow,” I decided. He wrapped a clean linen strip of cloth around my lower ribs and rolled down my shirt. He continued to sit really close to me and he continued to look at me. As if something snapped, Jasper took my face in his hands and welded his lips to mine. The flavors became stirred together as the kisses grew more exploratory. His fingers moved from my face and found my hips. He leaned me back onto the pillows. Our torsos kissed as our lips did when our shirts became displaced on our bodies. I held his softly whiskered face and the kisses grew tender as the waves lap against a shore. Jasper leaned back and had me sit in his butterfly position with my legs over his hips. The deep kisses radiated from our hearts, out our mouths, and into our souls. He then broke for a moment, kissed my forehead and then leaned back on his elbows. He fondly looked at me for a minute before I asked him what was bothering him.11

“My heart is racing so fast. It was just three days ago that you were shot and were catapulted to the ground it. Yesterday, you rested and ate like crazy. Two days ago, I held you all day while you slept. Today, you seem nearly yourself. I am blown away. I mean, damn Nora, you were shot with a crossbow and still have the strength to nearly make me lose it.” He breathed He leaned forward and kissed me lightly on the lips. “I just don’t understand it.” He confessed. 12

“I miss you, I miss being held tight. I miss, to be blunt, being roughly handled. I heal faster than normal humans because of my dragon bond. I am blessed to have a boyfriend who has such devotion, such care, such intimacy all the time. I cannot resist you; the pain cannot hold me back from you. I have been bedridden for nearly four days and I want to be closer to you.” I said a bit hushed. Jasper pulled me to his chest. 13

“I love you.”14

“I love you too,” I said kissing him again. I climbed out of bed and walked into the sitting room and called for Gen. I asked her for some piping hot earl grey tea. She returned before Jasper managed to join me in the room. I think she knew what I was going to ask for. I handed him a mug. He smirked after he took a sip.15

“How many did you kill?” Jasper asked. I thought for a couple minutes.16

“Three hundred plus one-hundred and twenty, plus sixty-five or so on the ground, adding up to be four hundred and eighty-five deaths probably. How many did you get?” I asked. 17

“Four hundred and ninety-six deaths,” he almost boasted.18

“If I counted all that Simon and Blue took out, I would beat you.” I added slyly. He nodded and gave up. “I think it’s strange how easy most of them were to defeat.” I said and Jasper nodded. 19

“How many arrows can you shoot at once?” He wondered aloud. 20

“With extreme accuracy, only three arrows, but I can do okay with four.” I added. “Why do you ask?”21

“I remember you shooting those three vampire things for me. Can I watch you shoot a target with three four, and maybe five arrows at once.” He asked. I nodded. I walked out to where my target was set up and pulled out 6 arrows and started with three arrows notched. I shot the target easily and with precision. I did the same with four and had identical precision. When I did five however, the middle arrow drifted an inch to the left, out of the line. I notched a sixth arrow, but as I was aiming at the target I noticed a flock of black chunky birds flying towards the castle. I thought about the spies that my dad told me about, the harpies. I instantly changed my focus and let fly all six arrows. Accurately, I took the five flying lives and one crashed onto the balcony. “Whoa, I think the king will want to see that.” Jasper said as he picked up the fat, black, dodo-looking harpy. We ran as fast as we could into the king’s court. He was seated at his table with our fathers and his generals. 22

“My king, the queen has sent spies, but I have slain them all.” I said as Jasper held up the harpy carcass. 23

“How many were there?” He asked.24

“Five.” I replied. 25

“We have five hours until she returns. Prepare yourselves. Lady Nora, thank you for destroying those awful wretches.” Jasper and I bowed and left to prepare. As we ate some food, the lovelies let themselves back into our room and sat with us in the sitting room. It was silly to see dragons and tigers sitting like docile cats and iguanas. 26

“Jasper, did you hear me on the fields, in your mind?” I wondered aloud. He nodded. 27

“Yes, I heard you. I looked to you before your plummet to earth. I heard you call my name when you were shot. I heard you say that you loved me before you climbed the cliffs and I replied to you. During your recovery, I heard you call out to me in your sleep, through our bond. I hear your heart when you are distant, unconscious or in need.”28

“I hear your tender heartbeat and breathing when I need you and when I sleep alone. I hear your want when I kiss you deeply, when we are both engrossed in the moment. “29

“How is this possible?” He procured. 30

“According to ancient legend of this type of telepathy, extreme danger can cause connections. However, the sharers if not related by blood, must be devoted to each, and have declared love for each other. Their bond mates must approve of it, because it is through the creatures the thought link is actually created. When and if we have children, they are automatically endowed with it once they have been bonded to a creature.” I finished. I was a bit tired. Jasper and I took a two hour nap together with some kisses at the beginning and at the end. We readied our beasts and efficiently put on our armor. Suddenly, we heard screaming. The warning horn never blew. I was glad we were ready. “Jasper, we don’t have time to run down to the fields. My dragons will have to catch your cats as they jump from the balcony.”31

“What!” He raised his voice, and his eyes grew wide. 32

“Trust me.” I reassured. 33

“Oh, believe me, I do.” He said as he mounted Sargon and made his tigers wait at the balcony.34

“When I signal you, have them jump,” I said. He nodded. I climbed into Blue’s saddle and raced them towards the balcony. I signaled Jasper as my dragons took wing, and the tigers jumped right into their awaiting talons. They soared with great velocity towards the field and my dragons let them go 15 feet above the battle in a clearing. The submerged themselves in the melee immediately. I watched Jasper hack at spider hybrids. He soon figured out that their torsos needed to be severed for them to die. Their lower spider bodies took control if just the heads were decapitated. After the hybrids were destroyed, wave upon wave of large spider darklings attacked the ground troops. My arrows were not prevailing against them. Fire, however, seemed to put them into momentary paralysis. After a few episodes of paralysis, they would fade away and be reborn again at the back of the rank. They were invincible. The Immortal King’s troops were getting wasted. Everyone was overwhelmed. “Get Jasper and his cats out of there!” I yelled. Blue and Simon swooped into their rescue and placed them on the cliff. I knew what needed to be done. I am the only one who can get close enough to the Spider Queen to kill her. She must have planned her original attack this way all along. The first day would give us hope on victory, her second wave; the second battle would crush men in the land of Lornorcra. If need be, I would give my life. I heard tender breathing and a heart beat in the quiet, gentle, and calm part of my mind. Jasper was there.35

“Nora, you need all the help you can get, take me with you.” Jasper yelled. He must have been able to read my thoughts. Simon curled around and flew past Jasper once more, giving him the opportunity to jump on. 36

“Keep your feet in the stirrups and hold on to the saddle front if you need to. Simon won’t let you fall.” I encouraged. I looked at him. “You know what I have to do, don’t you.” Jasper nodded. 37

“You will not be doing it alone.” Jasper promised me. My dragons flew fast and hard straight for the Spider Queen. 38