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

Training And Tea Leaves

The new recruits had begun their training right away. Thinking that they would get to sit back and relax for now, the group from Berk were disappointed to learn that the riders had other plans for them. They had been looking forward to seeing the others suffer through the same gruelling routine that they had. When they arrived at the arena in unusually high spirits, they had been quickly knocked back down. To prove that they had remembered their lessons they were now expected to train the others.

"The best way to learn is to teach your knowledge to another," Ilweran told them. He and Hiccup laughing together quietly as Astrid and her friends contemplated the horrible prospect of putting the new recruits, and therefore themselves, through the same sequence of physical and mental torture all over again. She couldn't help but wonder how the newcomers were going to handle it.

When Hiccup showed up with the weighted packs for the new recruits, Astrid found herself chuckling at the looks on their faces as they realized how heavy the bags were. All of them glaring daggers at him when they saw the rocks inside. Once again, they went through the display of Ilweran shouldering his own pack easily as the recruits shot speculative looks at him and Hiccup. The group from Berk struggled to keep the mirth from their faces as they watched Hiccup offer his own pack out to the new batch of disbelievers. The five of them finally laughing openly as they watched one after another struggle to even move the absurdly heavy thing that he seemed to barely notice.

As Astrid hoisted her own weighted pack onto her back with practiced ease, she noticed the startled faces of the newcomers. To her surprise, they were staring at her with the same shock she had felt when Hiccup had first donned his heavy bag. It was then she realized that he had been right. What had seemed a burden too heavy to fathom before was now simply an accustomed weight. She hadn't even really noticed it happening. There had been too many other things to think about.

Smiling at their expressions, Astrid took it upon herself to lead the group. It seemed to just come naturally to her. Hiccup and Ilweran stepping back to allow her this authority. Simply standing by to ensure that everything was progressing properly.

To her surprise, and no one else's, she was just as tough a task master as the riders had been. Pushing the new recruits as hard as she reasonably could. As she led the first hike up the mountain, it came as a shock just how many times they needed to stop for rest. She was barely even feeling the exertion yet. Surely they had not been this out of shape when they had started.

Almost as if he could read her thoughts, Hiccup chuckled quietly beside her as she sighed impatiently at the exhausted Vikings. She shot him a quick look, and he simply shrugged at her and chuckled again. "Yes, you were exactly as out of shape when you started. Though I will say that you have been the most impressive recruit that we have ever trained. As I knew you would be." He met her gaze and there was a smile in his eyes.

She grinned at him before turning back to the scattered group of trainees. When she felt they had rested long enough, she ordered them all to their feet again. Everyone groaned and grumbled, but stood and began following her. After a few minutes, Hiccup called the group to a stop. Everyone looked at him confused, but he simply walked quietly up to one of the new recruits.

"May I see your pack, please," he asked politely as he held out his hand. The boy was small and nervous looking, with mouse brown hair and a pointed face. Astrid did not recognize him, so she assumed that he had to be quite young. Although she was pretty sure he was from the Slugguts Tribe. The boy blushed bright red and stammered awkwardly for a moment before finally beginning to remove his bag. It looked suspiciously light as he handed it over. She made her way over to them and Hiccup handed it to her. The pack was indeed conspicuously emptier than it had been to start with.