18. The Rescue of the High Ki
After several days of siege Prince Marvel began to feel less confidentof the safety of his little party. The frantic Ki-Ki had built doublebattering-rams and were trying to batter down the high wall; and theyhad built several pairs of long ladders with which to climb over thewall; and their soldiers were digging two tunnels in the ground inorder to crawl under the wall.
Not at once could they succeed, for the wall was strong and it wouldtake long to batter it down; and Nerle stood on top of the wall andkicked over the ladders as fast as the soldiers of Twi set them up; andthe gray-bearded Ki stood in the garden holding two big flat boardswith which to whack the heads of any who might come through the tunnels.
But Prince Marvel realized that the perseverance of his foes might winin the end, unless he took measures to defeat them effectually. So hesummoned swift messengers from among the Sound Elves, who areaccustomed to travel quickly, and they carried messages from him toWul-Takim, the King of the Reformed Thieves, and to King Terribus ofSpor, who had both promised him their assistance in case he needed it.The prince did not tell his friends of this action, but after themessengers had been dispatched he felt easier in his mind.
The little High Ki remained as sweet and brave and lovable as ever,striving constantly to cheer and encourage her little band ofdefenders. But none of them was very much worried, and Nerle confidedto the maiden in yellow the fact that he expected to suffer quiteagreeably when the Ki-Ki at last got him in their clutches.
Finally a day came when two big holes were battered through the wall,and then the twin soldiers of Twi poured through the holes and began topound on the doors of the palace itself, in which Prince Marvel andNerle, the Ki and the yellow High Ki had locked themselves as securelyas possible.
The prince now decided it was high time for his friends to come totheir rescue; but they did not appear, and before long the doors of thepalace gave way and the soldiers rushed upon them in a vast throng.
Nerle wanted to fight, and to slay as many of the Twi people aspossible; but the prince would not let him.
"These poor soldiers are but doing what they consider their duty," hesaid, "and it would be cruel to cut them down with our swords. Havepatience, I pray you. Our triumph will come in good time."
The Ki-Ki, who came into the palace accompanied by the green High Ki,ordered the twin soldiers to bind all the prisoners with cords. So onepair of soldiers bound the Ki and another pair Nerle and the prince,using exactly the same motions in the operation. But when it came tobinding the yellow High Ki the scene was very funny. For twin soldierstried to do the binding, and there was only one to bind; so that onesoldier went through the same motions as his twin on empty air, andwhen his other half had firmly bound the girl, his own rope fellharmless to the ground. But it seemed impossible for one of the twinsto do anything different from the other, so that was the only way theact could be accomplished.
Then the green-robed High Ki walked up to the one in yellow and laughedin her face, saying:
"You now see which of us is the most powerful, and therefore the mostworthy to rule. Had you remained faithful to our handsome Ki-Ki, as Idid, you would not now be defeated and disgraced."
"There is no disgrace in losing one battle," returned the other girl,proudly. "You are mistaken if you think you have conquered me, and youare wrong to insult one who is, for the time being, your captive."
The maiden in green looked for an instant confused and ashamed; thenshe tossed her pretty head and walked away.
They led all the prisoners out into the garden and then through thebroken wall, and up and down the silver steps, into the great square ofthe cities of Twi. And here all the population crowded around them,for this was the first time any of them had seen their High Ki, or evenknown that they were girls; and the news of their quarrel andseparation had aroused a great deal of excitement.
"Let the executioners come forward!" cried the Ki-Ki, gleefully, and inanswer to the command the twin executioners stepped up to the prisoners.
They were big men, these executioners, each having a squint in one eyeand a scar on the left cheek. They polished their axes a moment ontheir coat-sleeves, and then said to Prince Marvel and Nerle, who wereto be the first victims:
"Don't dodge, please, or our axes may not strike the right place. Anddo not be afraid, for the blows will only hurt you an instant. In theLand of Twi it is usually considered a pleasure to be executed by us,we are so exceedingly skillful."
"I can well believe that," replied Nerle, although his teeth werechattering.
But at this instant a loud shout was heard, and the twin people of Twiall turned their heads to find themselves surrounded by throngs offierce enemies.
Prince Marvel smiled, for he saw among the new-comers the giants anddwarfs and the stern Gray Men of King Terribus, with their monarchcalmly directing their movements; and on the other side of the circlewere the jolly faces and bushy whiskers of the fifty-nine reformedthieves, with burly Wul-Takim at their head.