Sigrid The Relentless - How to Train your Dragon

70. A New Chief Rises

Oswald was hiding.

Now, you must be thinking, what does an adult man have to hide from on his own island? Well, I'd tell you... but I'd better show you...

"It's been a good thirty years for me, but I think it's time for our tribe to be led by someone new. It's a big responsibility, I know that. But, Oswald, I'm asking you to take over my place as the next Chief of Berserkers."

That's what his father said... before Oswald absolutely ran out of there. Dagur hadn't even finished his sentence before his son disappeared towards the other end of the island.

He couldn't exactly run further than that. But he was very tempted to borrow a fishing boat.

What was he even supposed to say to that? Yes. No. I don't know. Maybe later?

"I'm only twenty five." Oswald mumbled to himself, leaning his head against the wall he was sitting against. "I don't know how to be a Chief."

It's not like he was the only option, I mean, he had four other siblings to choose from. He was sure Tyra or Tove would jump at the chance to be Chief, so why him? Why would he do any better than his other siblings, was it because he's the eldest?

"What are you doing?" Sylvie questioned her brother, before slumping against the wall.

"Avoiding responsibility." Oswald sighed. "You?"

"Well, I'm here to read, but you're kind of in my spot..." Sylvie raised her brow, before sitting down next to him. "What's up?"

Oswald picked at his fingers, swallowing the lump in his throat before deciding if he was going to tell her or not.

"Dad... he, uh- he wants me to take over as Chief." He confessed. "But... I don't know if I can."

"Oh, that?" Sylvie seemed unsurprised.

Oswald raised his brow. "Why are you not surprised by this?"

"Oh come on, Oz." Sylvie rolled her eyes. "It's dad. He's been trying to ask you for the past two weeks, but you keep running away! Are you really surprised right now?"

Oswald mumbled something that weren't coherent words. He knew his sister was right, but he liked pretending that wasn't the case. He wished he was Feyris' age again, fifteen with no other sense of responsibility. Or perhaps, he just wished he wasn't the eldest child.

"If you don't want to, you can just say no." Sylvie shrugged.

Oswald raised his brow. "And then you'll take it?"

"Absolutely not." Sylvie laughed. "I don't care for politics, so I'll pass, thanks."

"I can't give it to Tyra or Tove, they'd burn the whole village down." Oswald contemplated. "You think Feyris would take it?"

Sylvie snorted. "At fifteen? Yeah, sure."

"I don't appreciate your sarcasm, in this trifling moment."

Sylvie rolled her eyes at her brother's dramatics. She didn't understand why he was making such a big deal out of this. It's not like mom and dad were forcing him to do this, so what is he so scared of?

"Did you talk to mom-" She went to ask, but when she turned back to face her brother, he'd disappeared. "Typical..."

Running from your problems seemed to be an inherited trait.

---

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong, H." Dagur sighed, hands pulling at his hair in frustration. "Is Oswald avoiding me? Did I scare him away? Was I too pushy?"