Possible Clues:

• Well-armed number challenged to depose king
• Cook talented with cephalopods, primarily like squid
• A number of volunteers, note, commanded army?
• King escaping, confronted by small number with insidious reach?
• Highly-armed irregular lent cadet
• 'Let act end riotously!' Thus, one with feeling?
• Like squids
• Not delicate, perhaps, leaving one with nothing: yet so capable of grasping!
• Like a medusa