So the whole party set off, with Septimus prancing to and fro around them.
“Do you think I look better with my horn like this or . . . like this, Penelope?” he asked.
“If you don’t be quiet,” said Parrot irritably, “I shall borrow Penelope’s scissors and cut off your mane and tail.”
This dire threat had the desired effect. Septimus became very subdued.
As they were making their way through a clearing in the great, blue bushes, there was a sudden rumbling noise like thunder, and the earth shook beneath their feet. A host of lavender and white Unicorns came crashing through the bushes, their hooves thrumming on the turf, and came to a snorting halt a few feet away from the party, so that the children found themselves encircled by a hedge of sharp golden horns, all pointing at them menacingly.
“Hey up!” shouted Parrot. “Hey up! No need for all that nonsense—it’s only us.”
The solid circle of Unicorns parted, and through their ranks came a very large Unicorn of a deep and beautiful lavender color. His mane and tail were pale honey amber, and his twisted horn glittered like newly minted golden sovereigns. It was obvious that this was the King of the Unicorns and obvious also that the slender white Unicorn with the golden mane and tail, following him, was the Queen.
“Why, Parrot, it’s you,” said the King in surprise.
“Of course it’s I, whom did you expect?” asked Parrot.
“We were told that since the Cockatrices had taken over, you had fled the country,” said the Unicorn.
“What?” said Parrot indignantly. “Me? Flee the country, me?
“Well, we thought it was unlike you,” said the Unicorn, “but H.H. said you’d disappeared without even leaving a note, and the Cockatrices said you had fled.”
“I’ll give them ‘fled’ when I get back,” said Parrot grimly.
“Yes,” said Peter. “Fled, indeed. We’ll show them, don’t you worry, Parrot.”
“It’ll be the Cockatrices that will be doing the fleeing when we’ve finished with them,” said Simon.
“Penelope saved me from a Cockatrice,” said Septimus. He went on to tell his father and mother (with a certain amount of exaggeration) how Penelope had fooled the Cockatrice.
“The whole of the Unicorn herd is in your debt,” said the King, his eyes flashing. “From now on every Unicorn in Mythologia is your servant. You’ve only to make a request and we’ll do our best to grant your wish. In the meantime, I’ll put four of my subjects at your disposal—one for each of you to ride, one to carry Parrot and your belongings.”
“I’m most grateful to Your Majesty,” said Penelope. “It’s very generous of you. I wonder if I could make a small request.”
“Speak,” said the Unicorn. “If it lies within my power, your wish will be granted.”
"Then, will you and your subjects join forces with Parrot, my cousins, and myself in our efforts to overthrow these ill- mannered and dangerous Cockatrices?” she asked.
“We Unicorns generally keep ourselves to ourselves,” said the King. “We do not meddle in other people’s affairs. But, as this is your wish, and as a Cockatrice had the audacity to try to steal my son, I hereby declare that all the Unicorns in Mythologia, including myself, will serve under you until such time as the Cockatrices are vanquished.”
“Thank you,” said Penelope. “Thank you very much.” “That’s the stuff!” exclaimed Parrot. “Together we can defeat and destroy those truly flamboyant, futile Cockatrices.”
So the children piled their belongings and Parrot’s cage onto the broad back of one Unicorn and climbed onto the backs of three others.
“Remember,” said the King, “when you want us, send us a message and we will come instantly. There are a hundred and fifty sharp horns at your disposal.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Penelope.
“We’ll be in touch as soon as we’ve worked out a plan of campaign with H.H.,” said Parrot. “Now, be a good chap and tell your people not to breathe a word about having seen us, will you? Surprise is half the battle, you know.”
“None of my subjects will say anything,” the King assured him.
“Well, we’ll be off, then,” said Parrot, climbing onto Penelope’s shoulder. “Sooner we get to the Crystal Caves, the better.”
So the little cavalcade of Unicorns, carrying Parrot, the children, and their belongings, set off toward the forested hills that lay about half a mile away.
“That was clever of you to enlist the aid of the Unicorns,” Parrot whispered in Penelope’s ear. “But even with their help, it’s going to be a struggle to defeat the Cockatrices. They must be very sure of their position to risk annoying the Unicorns by trying to take Septimus.”
“Well, aren’t there other creatures in Mythologia whose help we can get?” asked Peter.
“Well, yes,” said Parrot, “but none of them is a lot of use. I mean, the Mooncalves, for example. Useful creatures but not cut out for this sort of thing. The Griffons will probably join us—that would be a help. The Dragons would have been of some help to us if Tabitha hadn’t behaved so stupidly.”
“Yes, what did Tabitha actually do?” asked Simon.
“You’ll find out when we get there,” said Parrot. “It’s just through these trees.”
They wound their way through a thicket of cork trees. There ahead stretched a high terra cotta red cliff, and they could see the arched entrance to a cave in it. As they came nearer they could see that all the grass round the cave entrance was charred and the bushes blackened and burnt.
“It’s those Cockatrices again," exploded Parrot angrily.
“They’ve been up here, trying to get at H.H. Just look how they’ve burnt the undergrowth.”
“I hope they haven’t hurt Mr. Junketberry,” Penelope said, remembering, with a shiver, the way the Cockatrice had snarled when it was chasing Septimus.
“Shouldn’t think so,” said Parrot. “The Crystal Caves are a special design. If you’re outside, you can’t get in, and if you’re inside, you can’t get out.”
Like many things in Mythologia, this was confusing, and the children said so.
“Well,” said Parrot, “when we discovered the Caves, they were just ordinary caves, but H.H. invented a sort of liquid crystal that could be produced like foam, and then it would harden. He was so proud of it that he filled the caves with it. The result is that once you get inside it’s like walking through giant soap bubbles. It’s transparent, so you can see in any direction, but it’s jolly difficult to get there unless you know your way about. It’s like being in a transparent maze. H.H. and I are the only ones who really knowhow to get in and out.”
They dismounted at the mouth of the huge cave. The cave did, in fact, look as if it were full of huge soap bubbles, transparent and delicate, with a rainbow tinge to them.
“Now,” said Parrot to the Unicorns, “you chaps had better graze quietly out here until we want you again.”
The Unicorns nodded their heads amiably and wandered off into the cork forest.
Parrot delved into his cupboard and produced a compass. “Follow me,” he said. The children picked up their belongings and Parrot’s cage and followed him into the Crystal Caves.
Penelope felt it was rather like walking through a transparent cloud. On every side they could see branch tunnels stretching away, it seemed, forever, yet each way they turned they were met, as in a maze, by a wall of shimmering crystal.
“Third right, second left, fifth right, fourth left,” Parrot muttered to himself as he trotted along, keeping a sharp eye on his compass.
The crystal corridors were lit by pale green light, and Simon asked Parrot where it came from.