Hiccup sat down on his bed and leaned backwards. He was exshausted. He knew being a chief was hard work, but he never thought it would be this hard or this complicated. And it was only his second week.
"What I wouldn't do for some of your advice Dad," Hiccup muttered.
"What's the matter?" Valka asked as she walked up the stairs.
Ever since Valka decided to stay on Berk, she had moved in with her son.
Hiccup sat up and rubbed his forehead. "Snotlout and Fishlegs are driving me insane."
"What are they doing?" Valka questioned as she sat beside her son.
"They are competing with each other to become my second-in-comand," Hiccup answered. "Whenever I ask one of them to do something, the other follows right behind and does the same thing. It always ends up in the two fighting. At least their dragons stay out of it. What am I going to do?"
"You could just tell them to stop fighting and that'll you'll pick someone when you're ready," Valka suggested as she ran her hand through her son's hair.
"How would I know who to choose then?" Hiccup asked. "I know the obvious choice is Snotlout, because he's my cousin, but he can be reckless at times. Fishlegs is smart and knows a lot about dragons, but he's not a warrior."
"Tough decision," Valka agreed as she stood up. "I'm sure a great leader like you will figure out what to do. Just follow your heart, but make sure your mind agrees with it. Until then separate the two, give them each different tasks."
The next day when, Hiccup stepped outside his home he was greeted by his cousin and best friend.
"Good morning, Hiccup," both greeted in unsion and sharing similiar smiles.
Hiccup inwardly groaned and pushed past them.
The two of them were quick to follow behind him.
"What do you need done today?" Fishlegs asked.
"Whatever it is I know that I can do a better job," Snotlout bragged.
Hiccup stopped in his tracks and turned to face the two, who were pushing him to insanity. "Fishlegs, go help Gobber in the forge. He's going to need an extra set of hands today. Snotlout, I want you to join your father and Sven on patrol."
"I'll be better at the forge," Snotlout suggested.
The newly appointed chief stared at his cousin. "No, I need you on patrol. Drago is still out there and Hookfang is one of Berk's faster dragons we have right now."
Snotout sighed and walked away to find his father. Hiccup rubbed his forehead as he headed for the ice-covered Great Hall, he could already feel a two-block headache coming on.
"Have you decided on your second-in-comand, yet?" Fishlegs asked as he followed closely behind.
"No, Fishlegs. And if you and Snotlout don't stop bugging about it, I'll choose Tuffnut," Hiccup stated. "Now go help Gobber."
Fishlegs said nothing as he ran off to help blacksmith.
Snotlout rode next to his father as they flew through the maze of seastacks.
"You seem awfully quiet today, son. Something bothering you?" Spitelout asked as he looked over at his son.
"Hiccup hasn't choosen a second-in-comand yet," Snotlout answered. "I've done everything I can to prove I'm worthy the position, but he just pushes all my hard work aside."
"You'll be his second-in-comand, don't you worry," Spitelout encouraged. "It's viking tradition to choose a family member."
"This Hiccup we're talking about. He's broken tradition more times than I can count," Snotlout pointed.
"Like I said, don't worry," Spitlout said, ending the discussion.
Fishlegs pulled the lever that started the saw. "He has to choose me right? I'm his best friend."
"And Snotlout is his cousin," Gobber stated. "Family before friends. That's how it's been for three hundred years."
"This is Hiccup, we're talking about," Fishlegs argued. "The one who brought peace between our tribe and dragons. The one who questioned everything Viking. So tell me Gobber, what's to stop him from choosing me over his cousin?"
Gobber stopped sharpening the tooth he was making and stared at the young man. "What makes you think he has to choose you?"
"I'm smart. My dragon knowledge is unrivaled. I can fight fairly well," Fishlegs listed.
"Hiccup's not looking for someone who's smart and has the minimum fighting skills. And Valka knows more about dragons then you. She's lived with them for twenty years," Gobber explained. "Hiccup is probably looking for someone who will be at his side no matter what and will be his voice of reason."
"I will stand by him no matter what and can stop him from doing stupid stuff," Fishlegs said proudly.
"I remember how convincing you were when he flew off two years ago and didn't come back for a month. You really stopped him from going after that rogue Typhoomerang," Gobber replied sarcastically.
Hiccup sat on the steps of the Great Hall taking a break with everyone else. He knew that if his father saw him at that very moment, the man would say something along the lines of, "A great chief never stops to take a break. He will continue working."
Well his father wasn't twenty years old with a prosthetic leg when he first became chief.
Hiccup looked over at Toothless, who was gathering some more Gronkles to help melt the ice, while a baby dragon chomped on his tail. Since it was to dangrous to blast the ice around the Great Hall without damaging it even more, Hiccup had decided it was best to melt it.
"At this rate, the Great Hall should be thawed out by tomorrow," Astrid stated as she sat down next to her boyfriend.
"After that we can assess the damage and start repairing it," Hiccup agreed. "Maybe even change a few things."
"Like what?" Astrid asked.
Hiccup shrugged. "We'll see how bad the damage is first."
"Okay," Astrid sighed. "What's going on inside that head of yours."
"I need a second-in-command. Snotlout and Fishlegs are competing for the position," Hiccup replied.
"I'll be your second-in-command," Astrid offered.
Hiccup looked up at his girlfriend like she was crazy. "Are you nuts?!"
"No I'm serious," Astrid stated.
The young chief stood up. "N-no offense Astrid but there has never been a female second-in-command in all of Viking history."
Astrid shrugged. "Why not now. I am the only possible choice for you. I'm smart. That means I'll be able to give you great advise. I can fight. So I'll be by your side in any and every battle."
Hiccup just stared at her as the gears in his brain turned. She wasn't wrong. Astrid was his best choice for a second-in-command.
"Okay Astrid," Hiccup nodded. "I'll make an announcement tonight."
As promised Hiccup made an announcement to the village. At first there was some shouting about his choice. But then they rememebered that this was Hiccup they were yelling at. Of course he would pick Astrid, who was not only a family member, but a women. There was no changing his mind.