"Snotlout!" Gobber called, hobbling down to the training academy. Snotlout was just outside the academy entrance, looking at himself in his spit-polished helmet. He stopped when he heard Gobber call him.
"Yeah, what?" He shouted back. Gobber closed the distance between them in about thirty seconds.
"Listen up, boy. Hiccup's not back yet, and we're all still a little unsure when he will be. For now, someone needs ta keep the lessons and drills going while the boy's away. Unfortunately it wasn't up to me ta place someone in charge. It was the chief's idea for you to lead the rest of yehr friends in all the drills and things you need to get done. But tha's only because Astrid's gotta be with th'rest of the shieldmaids and other fighters to prepare a battle plan. We still don't know when a real attack's coming. You need to be working double-time to get everyone else ready for when the fight begins. You got it, lad?"
Snotlout pumped his fist in the air.
"Yes! Haha, finally! I'm the leader I'm the-"
"Ah ah ah! Only until Hiccup's back, ya meathead. I've gotta go. More weapons to make, more metal to find. Make sure ye train hard."
Gobber waved his hook behind him as he made his way back to the mead hall. Snotlout smirked, looking at himself in his helmet again, completely in his element.
"I'll be ten times the leader Hiccup ever was."
The chief stood in the middle of the room next to a long table. On the table was his map of Berk, spread out like it had been for the past couple weeks now. A few men and women were crowded around the table, whispering and muttering amongst themselves. One Viking man and one woman stood on either side of the hall doors, just in case someone tried to get in. This was not a meeting for the entire village to overhear.
"Everyone, you know why you're here." Stoick boomed, quieting everyone down. "This is the eighth day since word of the Askr Gotar's plan has been revealed to you by both Gobber and myself. I've heard many excellent defense plans so far, but we need to decide on just one. We can't all go into battle doing our own thing, we need to be united in the decision. So, as soon as Gobber arrives, we will discuss each plan and-"
Squeak!
Something flew from outside into the mead hall. A few villagers tried to catch it. It wasn't a bird, but it looked like it could have been. Spitelout, standing off to the side from where the chief was, jumped up and managed to grab the thing by its tail. It was a dragon. In particular, it was a Terrible Terror, and attached to its leg was a letter.
"I think this is for you, Stoick."
Spitelout handed the piece of parchent to the chief. Stoick snatched it out of his hand and unfolded it. His eyes scanned the letter. Everyone else in the room was dead silent.
A minute later the chief folded the letter back up.
"Everyone listen up!" he thundered. As if he needed to, everyone was so silent you could have heard a feather drop.
"Hiccup is in Normandy. From what I've just read, the chances look good. He says that he's asked the duke of Normandy for assistance and he may just say yes. Once Hiccup's done there, he'll make his way back, take a rest stop in Scotland, and be back as soon as he can. If the duke does send troops, they will probably arrive not too long after. I would give their ships a good week longer than Hiccup and Toothless, maybe more. Everyone... I'd say we've got about as good a shot as the Askr Gotar have at winning this. If, of course, my son is successful. Which I'm sure he will be!" Masking his uncertainty, he held up a fist. Men and women cheered on all sides. Stoick had a sick feeling deep in his gut.
It might work. But it might not. The last thing the chief of Berk needed right now was an overly worried village. He had to keep his people focused and alert, not to have a ridiculous amount of stress forced upon them.
Out of sight from the Berkians posted at the doors, Sjenna Bani tapped her fingers lightly against her side. In a delighted fog, she waltzed quietly from her hiding place and snuck back towards the docks. No one had been assigned to watch the other ship today. Everyone assumed she was taking care of her sister back in her cabin. Idiots.
Wait until father hears about this.
Astrid and the other shieldmaids stood in a cluster off to one side in the mead hall, awaiting further instruction. They had all been called in just briefly after the chief's meeting with his own strategists. Neither Astrid nor the other young women knew what was going on, aside from the fact that they were going to war. And Hiccup was still gone, which was just a bit worrying to Astrid.
"So, which plan did you think was best?" she whispered to Ruffnut, who stood shoulder to shoulder with her in the cluster.
"None of 'em. Personally, I think we should all just get a bunch of maces and torches and wait on the beach, then light the Askr Gotar ships on fire when the soldiers arrive and bash their heads in." She flashed Astrid a smug grin.
"Uhh, wouldn't the Askr Gotar see the torches if we brought them on the beach?"
"Yeah, I guess. And?"
Astrid crossed her arms and looked at Ruffnut with annoyance.
"Ohhh. Got it, got it" Ruffnut said, nodding in realization.
"In my opinion," added Astrid, "I think we should go with the second strategy they mentioned, where the Berkians split up into two groups, one hiding out on north beach and the other holding the defense just up past the coast, about a mile outside the village."
Ruffnut nodded again, this time pretending to understand. "Yeah, yeah, interesting. So um, how come?"
Astrid flicked her bangs out of her eyes and continued.
"Well that way, we would have a good offensive line and still have plenty of people to fall back on if the enemy got past the front lines. I say we also keep a few master archers positioned on the cliffs near the beach to have a good view of the scene if we need information, and have an extra offensive line ready to take out more enemy warriors from afar."
"Hmm... I like it. Good plan."
Astrid put a hand on her hip.
"You didn't get any of that, did you?"
"No... wait, yes! I get what you're saying about the archers. More people to shoot other people and not get hit themselves. I like that part."
Astrid sighed. Ruffnut was her friend, she was going to stick with her no matter how much she had to explain everything.
"Great. Wait, listen! I think the chief's about to announce the plans."
She was right. At that moment Stoick had finished speaking in hushed tones with Spitelout, Gobber, and a few other men, and was now making his way to the center of the hall. When he was sure everyone was quiet, he spoke.
"My fellow Vikings. After reviewing each idea carefully and discussing the plans with my most trusted war strategists, I have decided to choose..."
a tension filled the air as the chief paused,
"... plan two!"
Astrid said a "yes!" under her breath. Stoick carried on.
"This means that our ranks will be split up. The groups will be decided as soon as possible, and I already have our archers chosen and informed of their planned positions. Tomorrow morning exactly one hour after daybreak, I would like everyone, and I mean everyone, on Berk to meet here in the hall so they can be split up and given directions. We need to prepare troops immediately. Thank you all, you are dismissed until tomorrow morning."
The crowd of villagers in the mead hall dispersed. Many people had already begun preparations, putting aside their regular jobs to oversee necessary things like helping Gobber stock up on weapons and training teenagers (and even some of the younger children in some cases) in combat. Everyone on Berk was part of a tight ship now, and the chief was captaining as he had never captained before. But his one wish? To have his son there to help. Hiccup would be learning so much right now, if he was there.
But he's working on his own. He's learning, just not here. Hopefully the boy knows his French if he's still in Francium. As much as I wish he could be learning how to command an army firsthand here, maybe it's not so bad for him to be learning some diplomacy in another land. Yes, this will be good for him... Hopefully we both survive to learn even more.
The chief said there was someone watching the ship, right?
Astrid swung her axe casually by her side, walking past the docks on her way home. She was eyeing a certain ship in the harbor, the one with a certain someone she both knew and loathed lurking around just below-deck. Had someone been positioned near the ship to keep watch on that certain someone? There wasn't a Berkian in sight anywhere near the ships. That gave her a nasty feeling. After a moment's thought Astrid decided she had better go back to the mead hall and try to find the chief if she could. Something had to be done about Sjenna. Had that girl left the ship at any time that day? Thor only knew what she would be up to.
Probably keeping to herself and plotting. I'd like to see her stabbed with shards from her own mirror. Keep it together Astrid. You're better than that. You wouldn't sink to her level... Where has she been lately? I haven't seen her out in days...
She gave the ship a last look before she turned back around and jogged up to the mead hall for the second time that day. She was not about to let a steerage rat from Askr Ey ruin everything for Berk. Everyone else might be convinced that their chances were good, but Astrid knew better. They were very, very slim.
