“Touch me at the expense of your lives!” Reginald howled. Shivering with rage, he stomped after Mouse. One hand fished in a pocket, a task Mouse wouldn’t have completed for all the gold in the world.
Mouse backed away evenly, refusing to let the man get within arm's reach of him. The stink was bad enough this close, he didn't want any on him.
“Reginald?” Sabelyn gasped. Eyes wide, she jumped to her feet and rushed up behind Mouse, gathering her sky-blue skirts in her hands. “Reginald, what happened?”
Reginald bent over his pocket, fully engrossed in searching. At last, he found what he was looking for and lobbed it at Mouse’s head.
Mouse flinched to the side, narrowly avoiding the missile. It whooshed past, trailing excrement, and splattered directly onto Sabelyn’s face.
Sabelyn jolted to a halt. A sopping wet, disgusting glove flopped off her face, rolled down her sky-blue dress, and plopped onto the floor.
Opposite Mouse, Reginald stopped as well. Pale eyes opened wide, made more dramatic by the layer of filth.
Sabelyn shuddered. Fury burned on her face. Her knuckles whitened, clutching her skirt so hard the fabric threatened to tear. A low growl emerged from her throat. “Reginald…”
“I challenge you to a duel!” Reginald shouted, before Sabelyn could finish speaking, and jabbed a shaking finger at Mouse’s face. Whether it shook from anger or fear, Mouse couldn’t tell.
Eyes narrowed, Sabelyn stomped to the door. As she passed Reginald, she leaned in, face distorting from disgust. “If you lose this duel, I’m cutting it off.”
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The door slammed behind her. Reginald flinched, but glared resolutely at Mouse. “Do you have the honor to accept the duel, drow?”
Mouse drew out his handkerchief and delicately handed it to Reginald, careful not to muddy his fingertips. “I accept your challenge.” He took a deep breath of fresh air, then leaned in. Lips twisted in a dangerous smile, he whispered in Reginald’s ear, “Allow me to express preemptive condolences for your it.”
“You bitch!” Reginald screeched. He kicked at Mouse. Excrement flew from his leg.
Mouse lifted his skirts and dodged sideways. “Save it for the dueling ground.”
Reginald lunged after him, grabbing for Mouse with both hands. Mouse neatly sidestepped. As they passed, Reginald leaned for his ear. “I know you did this to me. I will make you pay."
Mouse narrowed his eyes. And I know what you tried to do to me, you bastard. You forget your own crimes so easily. He hesitated, leaning in. “The innocent, chaste Prince Reginald could have done nothing to deserve this, of course.”
"That is within my rights," Reginald snarled back.
He hadn't thought it possible, but Mouse's heart grew colder. His hand shook. Only the awful stench and muck kept him from slapping Reginald in the face right then and there. Voice low and serious, he hissed, "Pledge that you will never touch a woman with those methods again if I win."
Smirking, Reginald shook his head. "I gain nothing from this proposition. I decline."
"Then I will personally execute your sister's promise."
Reginald hesitated half a beat, then laughed. "As if you could. Do you want the drow to get thrown out of the Barrier too, Princess?"
Mouse pressed his lips together, mouth a white line. All the blood rushed to his head. He wanted to punch the man in the face, beat him until he couldn't speak anymore, until he cried for mercy--but none of that was diplomatic, and besides, Reginald was covered in shit. He took a deep breath and backed away. Between clenched teeth, he grit out, "I'll see you on the dueling grounds."
Reginald laughed, arms crossed. Even through the shit, pompousness radiated off him, a smug aura that made his face oh-so-punchable. "I will see you there. I look forward to it."