Tip, Liir, Jack and Yero reached the City just before the Army did. Luckily Tip managed to give Yero the command to stop just before he crashed into the City's walls.

However, the stop was sudden, and the saw-horse had been going so fast, that had it not been for his post Jack would have been pitched off head foremost, and his beautiful face ruined.

"That was a fast ride, dear fathers!" Jack exclaimed.

"Indeed." Tip said.

"And not a moment too soon." Liir replied, "Look, they're almost here."

"Indeed they are." Tip concurred, "So how are we gonna get in?"

"I know a way, follow me." Liir said, then he lead his boyfriend and sons through a secret entrence that his parents had made sure he knew by heart.

Once they were safely inside the City, Liir lead them to the Palace where the Scarecrow sat playing quoits with a noble.

"Tally one for me." The Scarecrow said calmly.

"Your Majesty!" Came a voice that the King recognized, he turned his head and gasped.

The noble, simply looked surprised. Two boys, and a pumpkinhead ridding a sawhorse came rushing into the Courtyard as if they owned the place.

"Halt!" A guard cried and pointed a large spear in their faces. The group immediately halted. "State your business and how you got here!"

"We wish to see His Majesty the Scarecrow." Liir answered, "It's an emergency!"

"Emergency?" The guard asked.

"It's fine." The Scarecrow told the Guard, "Let them see me."

"But Your Majesty." The guard tried to reason.

"I said, let me see them." The Scarecrow firmly and sternly commanded.

"Yes Your Majesty." The Guard replied, and let the group pass. They quickly ran to His Majesty and kneeled before him.

"State your business." The Scarecrow said while glaring at Liir.

The group quickly told their tale, although made sure not to mention their knowledge of the secret passageways.

Just as the group finished, the Head of Royal Army of Oz came flying in without his hat or gun, his clothes in sad disarray and his long beard floating a yard behind him as he ran.

"Oh! your Majesty—your Majesty! The City is conquered!" gasped the Head of the Royal Army, who was all out of breath.

"This is quite sudden." The Scarecrow said, then he turned to the boys and said, "Thank you for warning me."

"We came as quickly as we could." Liir defended.

The Scarecrow sighed. "I know." Then he turned to the Guards, "Please go and bar all the doors and windows of the palace, while I inquire about this."

The Guards hastened to do this, while the noble quickly put their game away.

"Where was my Standing Army at the time?" inquired his Majesty, looking at the Head of Royal Army, gravely.

"Your Standing Army was running," answered the fellow, honestly; "for no man could face the terrible weapons of the invaders."

"Well," said the Scarecrow, after a moment's thought, "I don't mind much the loss of my throne, for it's a tiresome job to rule over the Emerald City. But, the job can't be done by just anyone. I do hope that they intend to rule justly, and that the Conquerors have no intention of injuring me, just because I happen to be the King."

"I heard them, say" remarked Tip, with some hesitation, "that they intend to make a rag carpet of your outside and stuff their sofa-cushions with your inside."

"Then I must escape." declared his Majesty, "And plan a way to get the City back for Her Goodness."

"The palace is surrounded by the enemy," said the noble, who was looking out a window. "It is too late to escape. They would soon tear you to pieces."

The Scarecrow sighed. "I doubt they know the secret passages." he announced. He then turned to Liir and said, "We shall all escape through them and get to the Tinman. Do you remember the expansion spell?"

Liir took on a sheepish grin, "No."

The Scarecrow groaned and facepalmed. His son was too much like him.

"I'll look it up." Liir answered, then he reached into his pockets.

"Not here!" The Scarecrow ordered.

"Sorry!" Liir quickly said as he stopped his search.

"Why not here?" The noble asked.

"Long story." The Scarecrow curtly replied, then after gathering his things, he and his family were off.

While in the passage ways, the Scarecrow looked at Tip and said to him, "So you're this Tip my son keeps going on about."

"Yes sir." Tip answered.

Fiyero nodded. "And, you're now dating each other?"

"Yes." Tip and Liir answered.

"I, I hope you don't mind sir." Tip added.

"Mind? I couldn't be happier!" Fiyero answered, "I just want my family safe and happy. And from what I heard, you'll make a great son-in-law."

"Father." Liir groaned, "I'm too young for marriage!"

"Oh I know." Fiyero replied with a laugh, "I'm just saying."

"I didn't know His Majesty was your father, Papa." Jack said.

"It's a secret." Liir answered. "Only the five of us, my mom, Uncle Burr and Uncle Boq knows."

"Why not Her Goodness?" Jack asked.

"Complicated." Fiyero answered.