A Game of Chi Book III: A Sword of Dust

Chapter 6: Crooler I

CROOLER

Crooler reeled back in pain, blood spurting from her nose. "Never speak to me like that again, do you understand?" Crooler was standing in the Crocfort's hall, her father sitting on a wooden throne in front of her. His wooden crown was sitting atop his head, and his long, red cape was spilling onto the ground beside him. All around her were her father's advisors; Crokenburg, the Steeljaw, was the one she instantly recognized. Her brother, Cragger, was standing next to her, and she could see that he had tensed up, but had done nothing. "Do you understand?" Crominus roared at her. Despite seething with anger, Crooler did not betray her emotions. "Yes, Father," she replied flatly. "I shall keep my counsel to myself next time." Before Crominus could rise out of his seat in anger, one of his advisors cut in. "My lord, I'm sure your daughter has learned her lesson. If I may, we have other matters to attend to. The persuader plant epidemic is..." Crooler had already tuned out the crocodile's words, as her thoughts were nothing but rage. Through the torrent of hate, Cragger's voice cut through like a sword. "Father? May we go?"

"Hm?" Crominus replied, looking over at his two children. "Oh, very well," he replied, waving them away. "Go back to your rooms and play, or whatever it is you do." Nodding, Cragger took Crooler's hand and led her back to their shared room. Once they were around the corner and out of their father's earshot, Cragger embraced his sister and twined his tail around hers. "Are you alright?" he whispered. "I'm fine," Crooler replied. Despite not showing it, she appreciated her little brother's affections. Cavora knows I need someone to love me, she thought to herself. "You're not fine," Cragger said, looking at her snout. "Father must have hit your nose ring. You're bleeding."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Crooler muttered. "I guess not," Cragger agreed. "But it's not right! Why is Father hitting you? You're his daughter! And plus, you were right about what you said! If we want to stop the persuader plants from getting into our kingdom, we should be inspecting the traders' Speedorz more thoroughly. Why did he hit you for saying that?"

"Because, Craggy-wag," she began, "I'm a girl. I'm never going to inherit his title, or even become your advisor. I'm nothing to him. Less than nothing." Cragger shook his head. "No, that's not true," he said stubbornly. "It can't be. How could a father not love his children?"

"Then why did he hit me?" Crooler shot back. "Was that out of love?" Cragger's mouth opened as if to say something, but ultimately kept quiet. "So," Crooler started, "are we going back to our room?" Cragger shook his head. "Not yet," he replied. "Let's go pay Mother a visit first."

The Crocfort's crypt was below the water, in a tunnel carved out by Crank the Croc himself. According to the legends, he had the strength of one thousand rhinoceroses, but Crooler found the many Chi legends hard to believe. Of course, Cragger doesn't doubt it, she thought ruefully. Despite the crypt being filled with air, the only way to access it was through an underwater tunnel; that way, no attacker could ever desecrate the resting place of the former heads of the Crocodile Tribe. As Crooler and Cragger walked through the scale-lined halls, they reached the circular hatch which would lead to the crypt. "Hold it," said Crug, a burly brown crocodile. He was one of Crominus' most trusted guards, and was renowned for having an excellent singing voice. Beside him was Crawley, his friend and Crominus' other trusted protector. Unlike Crug, Crawley was much thinner and nervous-looking, with large eyes and blotches of dark green on his olive-coloured scales. "Where are you two headed?" Crawley asked. While the two guards had spears, they knew that the young crocodiles were no threat. "We're just visiting the crypt," Cragger answered. "We want to pay our respects to our mother." The guards nodded and Crug twisted the hatch open. "Say words for us too," he said. Cragger nodded and slipped into the hatch, and Crooler did the same after her brother had slid into the water. Mother truly was great, she thought. Nothing unites the Crocodile Tribe like the words "Lady Crunket". Everyone loved her. Even Uncle, and he doesn't like anyone. It's a wonder he even has a son! After swimming in the dark for a few minutes, she could just make out Cragger stopping to open the hatch on the other side. Once it was open, he clambered out onto land, and Crooler climbed out as well and looked around. The cavern was lit with torches, and stone coffins lined the walls as far as Crooler could see. She had been taught that the Crocodile Tribe had buried their leaders, warriors and other important people here ever since the phoenixes had arrived, and she didn't doubt it. Her bare feet squelched in the mud as she followed Cragger to their mother's resting place, not too far from the hatch.