A Game of Chi Book I: A Crown of Blood

Chapter 6: Cragger I

CRAGGER

Being the Crown Prince of the Crocodile Tribe wasn't easy. It seemed like a conceited thing to say, but it was true. So much was constantly expected of him, and to be honest, Cragger didn't want that kind of life for himself. Being a ruler seemed boring to him. It was all speaking and making laws, instead of fighting and going off to battle.

Laval knows what I'm talking about, he thought. He had the courage to ask my father to be trained as a Kingsguard in front of the entire court.

It was a few hours after the birthday feast which saw him celebrate his Age of Becoming alongside his twin sister Crooler and best friend Laval. Now, Cragger was in the central common area which he and his family shared. His father was off in a council meeting, so he was in the space with only Crooler. It was a large, square space, constantly dark due to the colour of the walls and lit only by torchlight. This room, along with the adjoining rooms for the prince, princess and king, had been built after the phoenixes had been overthrown, so it had been made in the style of the Swamplands. The walls had the impression of being wooden, and various dark greens and browns dotted the space.

"I still can't believe you did that," Cragger remarked. He was sharpening his new dual Vengious blade, the one he had received for his birthday. Crooler, meanwhile, was reading a book and sitting across from him. Cragger could barely make out the title, The Great Game: A History of the Greatest Rulers of Chima.

"Did what?" asked Crooler, her tone even and her eyes never leaving the page.

"You cut Father off in front of everyone," Cragger replied. "It's already disrespectful to interrupt your father. It's unheard of to interrupt the king."

Crooler scoffed. "So? It's not like those sheep we call people will remember this in a week or two. They never remember anything except for who feeds them."

"You shouldn't talk about them like that," Cragger said. "I'll rule them one day, and you'll be by my side, advising me. We need to respect our future citizens."

Crooler tore her eyes away from the pages of her book, closed it up, and faced her brother. "By Cavora, you really are naive, aren't you, Craggy-wag?"

Cragger bristled at his childhood nickname. "Stop using that nickname, Crooler. I'm only a few hours younger than you," he reminded her.

"And yet you're the one who will get to rule," she muttered quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing. As I was saying," she continued, "any ruler who thinks that everyone loves them is an idiot. No ruler that ever lived had the support of everyone, and no ruler ever will."

"Then how am I supposed to get people to follow me, if not through love?"

"Respect will sway them somewhat. But the most important thing is fear."

"Fear?"

"Yes. Someone who loves you can feel betrayed if you do something they disagree with. Someone who respects you can still kill you; they'll just do it more respectfully. But someone who fears you won't touch you, out of concern for themselves and for their family. And when the people no longer fear the one in power," Crooler said, getting up and walking over to Cragger, "it's the end of a dynasty."

Crooler sat down next to her brother and twined her tail with his in the customary crocodilian sign of affection.

"Is that what happened with Father and Lagravis? Is that why they overthrew the phoenixes?" Cragger asked.

Crooler nodded. "To a degree. They found out that the Phoenix Tribe had been lying to us for centuries, ever since their conquest. They were said to have the power of prophecy."