Chapter 4 Responsibility is not my thing

"Uncle, you can not give them access to the lake, we get half of our fish from-"

"Then you should not have left!" He snaps. That icy tone coming from my jolly uncle surprises me. Kari and Jerrik glance back at us nervously. Even Fagr nervously shakes her main, and the cow gives a low moo. 

"In my defense, I have done plenty of missions just as dangerous. I can handle myself just fine."

"And what would you have done if I had not shown up? He had his sword at your throat!"

"Which is not the first time that has happened." I reminded him. 

"Those missions were different, Eira! I gave you my permission to go. Today, you did not just risk your life, you risked starting another battle between the clans." 

I fell silent. Our clan had just settled into a time of peace, giving everyone more time to farm food for the long winter. Another battle would be disastrous, and I would have caused it. 

"Eira," Uncle Bjarni looked over at me sadly. "I wished to break this news to you slowly, but I better get it over with now. I have been considering choosing you as a successor." 

I bite back a laugh. "Me? Hilmir? You can not be serious!" 

But Bjarni locks eyes with me, watching me intently. 

My jaw drops. "You know that is not a good idea! I am a warrior, not a chieftain." 

"As well as my only heir. I have no one else to succeed me."

An even more uneasy feeling settles between us. Bjarni had lost his wife, child, and brother all in one night because of the battle between the clans. I can not blame him for being upset, but I can not help but question his decision. 

"You can choose anyone in the clan. Even Calder would be a better leader than I would." As much as I hated to admit it, it was true. 

Speaking of the devil, we were just passing by him. Calder watched us ride by, with a smug expression on his face. I stuck my tongue out at him. It was childish, I know. But it gave me the satisfaction to see an appealed expression on his usually collected face. Kari and Jerrik glance back at me one last time before riding back to their house. Bjarni dismounts his horse and starts leading it to our house. 

"I know you are young and have been through a lot, but I also know you are one of the strongest warriors I know. I can not think of anyone better to take my place."

"Yet I can think of several," I say, walking beside him. We tie the horses in the front of the cottage, and I lead the cow back to the barn. "'Tis not that I am not honored. But I am not made for this sort of thing."

Bjarni follows me into the barn. "I will not be around forever, I need an heir." I put the cow into her stall and look up at Bjarni. He puts a giant hand on my shoulder. "Eira, I will not force you to do this, but please, think about it." 

I nod at him and turn towards the door connecting to the house. I can hear my mother just behind the door, cleaning the dishes. 

"He wants you to be Hilmir? That is great!" Jerrik smiles brightly. I share none of his enthusiasm as I lift my arm and throw the ax again, hitting the center of the tree knot. 

"Great is not the exact word I had in mind," I mutter, walking over to the tree and yanking the ax from the bark. 

"Eira, only a fool would not be honored by this!" 

"Than I guess I am a fool," I say, marching back and throwing the ax again. It hits the exact same spot. 

"I am sure you would make a great leader," Jerrik says, encouragingly. 

"That is not the point." Wood chips fly explode as I pull the blade from the tree. "The first qualification of Hilmir should be one's own desire for the position. I do not have that desire, therefor-" I sit down on a log and put up my feet, "I should be disqualified."

Kari rolls her eyes at me. "I can not believe you are not happy about this."

"Responsibility and leadership are for me." I run by thumb over the blade of my ax. "Whenever Bjarni asks me to lead an exposition into the woods, or hold the camp, I do that well. But making decisions is not my strong point."

"You were pretty sure about stealing your cow back." Kara raises an eyebrow at me. 

"That is the point! I admit I am impulsive. Whenever I'm not following orders, I am following my own desires. A chieftain must always put their village ahead of themselves." I look away from my friends. "You both know selfishness is a weak spot of mine." 

Kari sits next to me on the log. "Your not that selfish if we have stayed around. Whether you agree to it or not, Bjarni thinks you will make a good Hilmir. Do you really want to deny him his wish?" 

I sigh. Bjarni was a good chieftain and a good uncle. He was getting up there in age as well. What kind of niece would I be if I refused his final wish?

The chirping of the birds around us are interrupted by the low bellow of a horn in the distance. We all go rigid, looking through the clearing of trees at the village below. The horn sounds again, it's echo bounces off the birch trees. The sound awakened another memory, or an eight-year-old me, saying goodbye to my father for the last time.

The sound was the call of the warhorn. The village was under attack.

Reviews

[MightyMouse]

I notice you have no reviews... I think this is pretty good. There's more details than your last story, though I'm not sure about the ages of your characters. Twelve was mentioned, but it sounded like that was when she started training, I wasn't sure. It could use a few more details of course and a good edit, but it was still entertaining and I think that's the point of a book. Well done.

[A.L.Exley]

Thanks. I got the idea for this story out of the blue and wanted to get it down while I still remembered it, but it may take a while to finish. The main character is sixteen.

[MightyMouse]

Alright, so my guess was correct. I would be sure to specify a little clearer. And I understand wanting to get it down. I like it :)

[A.L.Exley]

Thanks. I'll try to write more once I climb Mt. Homework

[MightyMouse]

Oh geeze, home work, lol. I hate homework. Good luck.

[Wølfy]

Homework, the one thing I never did in school and still passed.

[A.L.Exley]

Lol. I have all AP college classes so I can't afford not to do it.

[Wølfy]

Too bad you do not have Rikyu's brain, then you would never have to do any work.

[A.L.Exley]

If she never had to do any work how did so become so smart in the first place?

[Wølfy]

She learned everything starting at age six, by age eight she studied everything that involved
math and science, and by age ten knew everything there was to know. So, she did work, she just did it at a young age and a lot quicker than most people. Plus it helps to have the mind of a quantum computer.

[A.L.Exley]

The one truth in the universe is that human beings will never know everything.

[Wølfy]

Yes, but if you know enough it is better than knowing nothing.

[A.L.Exley]

Defiantly.