Training #2
Taking in Abbott’s muscular body, it was hard to picture him as a chubby, unsure kid.
The godlike physique and graceful confidence with his skills in swordsmanship would make any woman—me included—swoon.
I understood his point, though, and I knew I needed to keep pushing myself if I were going to manage all this in a year.
“Seems someone is ready to start the next lesson,” Abbott muttered, looking over my shoulder.
I turned to see Cole walking over to us with a very determined look on his face. Getting to my feet, I dusted off the grass and leaves from my pants and took a deep breath, readying myself for what was coming next.
“Don’t brush yourself off too much. I have a feeling you’ll end up on the ground quite a bit more in our lesson,” Cole sneered once he reached us.
“Wonderful,” I groaned, looking beseechingly at Abbott.
“See you at dinner,” Abbott said, giving me a sympathetic smile as he left.
“First, we’re going to work on strength training. I can only imagine how weak your muscles must be after all that needlepoint,” Cole said, looking me over with a furrowed brow and arms crossed.
“I’ll have you know I’m stronger than I look.” I huffed, irritated he assumed I was some wilting flower, even if I kind of was.
“We’ll see about that. Follow me… we’re heading to the arena.” With that, Cole spun on his heel without looking back.
Dashing after him as he took off, we walked through the barn and into the attached arena. It seemed a shipment of supplies had been brought in and stacked on one end.
“See those bags of horse feed?” Cole pointed to a pile of twenty-five burlap sacks that were half my size.
“I want you to move them to the other end of the arena. When you’re done with that, you’ll climb that rope and ring the bell at the top.
Once those things are complete, we will do some drills for hand-to-hand combat. ”
My mouth fell open. I was already exhausted from the training this morning. How was I going to be able to do all that without dying? And I still had to read the rest of the books Sal gave me so I could go over them with him tomorrow.
“Feel free to start whenever you’re ready,” Cole commented, pulling out a book and making himself comfortable on a haybale. “We won’t be leaving until you complete everything, so take as long as you like.”
I clenched my fists and marched over to the pile of feed sacks, determined to wipe the smugness from his tone.
I bear-hugged the first one and managed to get it off the stack, but it slid out of my arms to the ground when I stood.
I squatted and tried to heave the bag up, but I couldn’t keep my grip on it.
So I grabbed the two top corners and started to drag it.
With this method, I managed to easily get five bags to the other side.
With each sack, I could feel my arms screaming, my hands cramping, and my lower back complaining at the demand.
“Only twenty more to go, little mouse,” Cole called from the sidelines.
“Contrary to your belief, I know how to count. I’m well aware of how many more I have to move,” I snapped.
Cole harrumphed and went back to his book.
I lost track of time as I focused on getting this task done.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me fail miserably as he expected.
I knew it was no longer light outside because Cole went around and lit the lanterns so he could keep reading his book.
Sweat stung my eyes as it rolled off my brow, my sleeves covered in grime from using them to wipe my face.
Only seven more to go before I was finished, and I would be damned if I left this undone. My anger and irritation at Cole fueled my body, keeping it in motion. If not for him sitting there without a care in the world, I would have given up long ago.
Twenty-three done, two more to go. My hands were so cramped I couldn’t hold onto the sack—it just kept slipping out of my grasp.
I bear-hugged it this time and tried to hoist it up on my shoulder.
Doing so, I knocked myself over, falling backward with the grain sack landing on top of me.
I groaned in pain, and my body cried out at the abuse I was putting it through.
I laid there a second, trying to catch my breath and figure out how I was going to get these last two sacks to the other side.
Cole’s face loomed over mine, his brow surprisingly furrowed in worry. “Cassarah, are you okay? Here, let me get this off you.”
“Don’t you lay one damn finger on me or the feed sack,” I growled. “I will finish this without your assistance. Now. Back. Off.”
He really didn’t believe I could do this on my own. At the first sign I was in trouble or hurt, he came running. I bet he wouldn’t have come to my rescue if I’d been any other trainee.
I rolled the feed sack off my chest and managed to sit up.
Cole didn’t try to reach out and help but stepped away, arms crossed over his chest. I heaved myself to my feet, grasped the sack, and pulled with all my strength.
Making it to the other side, I flopped down on top of the stack, taking a few deep breaths.
Dragging myself up, I went back for the final sack, my body screaming at me to stop and rest. I didn’t know if I had any strength left to move that last sack, let alone keep standing.
I would figure out something, though. I was so close to finishing this.
My legs gave out when I reached for the last sack, dropping me to my knees. I placed my head on the sack, searching deep within to find any last ounce of energy. Finding none, I felt a hopelessness crashing down on me.
Suddenly, a warmth flowed through me, easing some of the pain and bringing life back into tired muscles.
“Cass, you still don’t understand… I am always with you. Let me lend you some of my strength, and we will finish this together. Your determination is inspiring, but together we are even more powerful.”