The Gift Of Power | Wattys 2020 (Dance of Power Trilogy: Book 1)

Old Friends And Allies

Hiccup had spent the rest of the night pacing the cove in his sleepless torment. Feeling horribly guilty about what he had done. He couldn't even understand why he had done it. Every part of him knew that he needed to let Astrid go. Yet, for some reason, the moment she had asked, he had taken her. Given into his inappropriate and impossible desires without a moment's hesitation. As if he was completely powerless to stop it. What was it about her that controlled him so?

Eventually growing tired of watching his rider stress and rage, Toothless had simply gone to sleep. Understandable, since the complexities of human emotions were largely unnavigable for the dragon. As a creature of instinct, he couldn't understand why Hiccup was so adverse to being with his chosen mate. She had wanted to be with him too, after all. Still, despite Toothless' calm logic, all Hiccup could feel was disgust at himself.

He had fucked Astrid like they were a couple of savage animals. Had allowed his body to overrule his mind. Leading him to emotionally destroy the only woman he had ever cared about. She had offered, and he had taken. As if he had some sort of gods given right to her body.

By morning though, Hiccup had somewhat come to terms with it. It wasn't like there was anything he could do to take back his actions of the night before anyways. He had made love to Astrid again. Now he would just have to deal with the consequences. Hopefully she hadn't recovered too much of her rage yet. They needed to have a serious talk. Not yell at each other until their passionate anger inevitably led to more hate-sex.

At least he knew that they would have time to come to terms with the painful truth. That being the impossibility of their relationship. The looming battle preparations likely meant that Hiccup would be forced to spend weeks, if not months, living on Berk. If he and Ilweran were to beat the Red Death, they would need the help of the Hooligans and their allies. Shortly before dawn, Ilweran and Tintallë had turned up in the cove to strategize before the meeting. Both Riders grudgingly agreeing that the best option would be to train some of the Vikings to ride dragons as well.

Though they both despised the thought of doing another round of dragon training after they had just escaped it, it was their best hope. Now they just had to convince the villagers to agree to it. Though they would likely be less adverse to the idea now than they would have been before meeting the queen. They had already witnessed the benefit of trained riders first hand, after all. The only problem was convincing them to share the training. They would probably want to keep this new and powerful strategic advantage for themselves. Though the knowledge was not really theirs to withhold. If it was given to them freely, then it should be shared with their Allies equally as freely.

If he was really honest with himself, Hiccup would happily train every single Viking in the Archipelago to ride a dragon. If only because it meant that he would get to spend more time with Astrid. He knew that it was all kinds of wrong. He knew that it was unfair to her on so many levels, but he just couldn't help it. She was an irresistible siren that called to his soul. Luring him in with a dangerous power that he didn't understand. Making him feel as if he needed to be with her for his very survival, no matter how wrong it was.

He wanted to go find her and apologize again. To let her yell and hit him, before pulling him in to press her body against his. Giving into the allure of his own brand of wild magic as it sang to her desire just as irresistibly. He would hate himself for it, but he knew that he would not deny her. His body did not even want to try. She was pretty much the only thing he had been able to think about since dawn.

Unfortunately, even though most of Hiccup's mind was busy reminiscing over the events of last night, his body was trapped here in the Mead Hall with the village council. The meeting was just as dreadfully dull as he knew it would be too. Leaving him to spend hours sitting silently at the end of the long table while the others argued. Leaned back against the cool wood of the pillar behind him with his arms crossed. To anyone else it probably looked like he was angry about something. In truth, Hiccup could just feel Astrid's presence nearby in the village, and it was all he could do to stay in his seat.