A Game of Chi Book I: A Crown of Blood

Chapter 22: Cragger IV

CRAGGER

It had been a day since the executions. Cragger could remember everything about that day; the cheering people, the beating sun, and his sister's smug and calm voice as she ordered the deaths of three people they had known almost their entire lives. Leonidas moved here with Laval, he mused. Laval and I used to watch him lead the Lion Guard in the training yard every day. And now he's gone. Then Cruz. My own blood. How could he have even thought to betray us? And Lagravis... Cragger shook his head. My father's best friend. And he betrayed him. Cragger looked up the open sky; he was standing atop the battlements of the Citadel's castle. The sun was shining and the sky was a cloudless blue. I still can't find Laval, he thought ruefully. He has to know that I don't hate him. I wish he were still here. Cragger kicked himself inwardly. He wouldn't want to be here, he realized. We just killed his father. He's probably long gone. Sighing, Cragger strode down the battlements and returned into the actual castle, nodding at the guards as he passed through. "Sir," said Crumb, the commander of the Crocodile Tribe's army. That's right. I'm the Queensguard. "At ease," Cragger replied. He walked into the throne room to find Crooler seated on the great chair, deep in a conversation with Reegull. Crooler saw him and straightened up, and Reegull stepped back. "Sir," he said, bowing his head. "Brother," Crooler said. "Have you located Laval?" Cragger shook his head. "He was nowhere to be found, Your Grace," he replied. "Were you truly looking?"

"Of course," Cragger replied, not entirely lying. "Very well," Crooler said, waving him away. "Are the troops prepared?" Cragger nodded. "Do we have word when Crokenburg will attack?" he asked. Reegull stepped forward to answer. "I've received intelligence that he has allied himself with the Raven Tribe," he said. "And, they seem to be on the move. They'll be here in a week's time."

"A week? We need to prepare the city for siege!"

"Relax, Brother. Crokenburg still needs to sail from Firestone. The ravens alone can't lay siege to the Citadel. They'll wait for him to arrive before striking, and by then, we'll have suitable defenses." Cragger nodded apprehensively. "If you say so, Your Grace," he conceded. As he turned to leave, Crooler called out to him. "Brother! Get the soldiers ready anyway. You never know." Cragger smiled and walked out of the room, turning towards the training yard.

Ever since the deaths of the Lion Guard, Crug and Crawley were in charge of the Crocodile Guard, the Citadel's new enforcers. They were running drills in the yard; the crocodiles were practicing with their spears. As Cragger walked in, the crocodiles quickly stood at attention. "Sir," said Crug and Crawley in unison. "Men! Form up!" The crocodiles filed into compact lines. "We've received intelligence that the traitor Crokenburg plans to lay siege to this city in a week! He has allied himself with the Raven Tribe, and no doubt plans to besiege us from the north and the eastern coast. It is our job to make sure that doesn't happen!" Cragger began walking through the troop lines, briefly eyeing each soldier. "When he comes, I want you all to be ready. Be extra vigilant. Understood?"

"Understood!" the crocodiles said back. Nodding, Cragger walked away, back to his quarters. The day had come and gone; Cragger had to return to his sister's side. He walked back to the throne room, only to find Reegull, Razcal and Rukus standing there instead. "Where is the queen?" Cragger asked. "In her chambers," replied Rukus, holding a paper which Razcal was studying. "Preparations," the rhinoceros explained, looking at the page. "We need to fortify our defenses for when Crokenburg comes." Cragger nodded. "I'll be with the queen if you need me," he said. Cragger began walking through the stony corridors alone. Usually, he had the company of his father or his sister, but now, in isolation, he could admire the artwork. Lining the sides of the rocky halls were outcroppings of rock, where past phoenix emperors were laid to rest. Each had a nameplate and a painted portrait on the wall above their resting place, and Cragger looked at them all during his journey. There was even a lion. Logas, First Advisor to Emperor Fluminox III, he read. That's pretty recent. Fluminox was the one that father and Lagravis overthrew. He continued until he reached his father's. Crominus, King of the Seven Animal Kingdoms. He shook his head sadly. He didn't deserve to be buried like this, he thought. While noble crocodiles had tombstones in the Crocfort's crypt, their bodies were normally set adrift on one of their rivers and would float out onto the open ocean, where Croctus could find them and bring them to Cavora. Here, in a dank, rocky, subterranean crypt, Croctus would never be able to find his father's soul.