Something wakes Rue, jolting her out of a dream. As always, she sits perfectly still, taking deep breaths. And then, just as her disorientation disappears, she hears the noise up once again.
"Honk-BLOOORT!"
It sounds like a duck trying to play the bagpipes.
She looks around, wary, furtive. It's just my imagination, she tries to tell herself. Nothing to worry about. I'm safe here-
"Honk-BLOOORT!"
All of Rue's bravery evaporates, and she crawls frantically towards the other side of the bed. As usual, Mytho's slim figure is barely visible inside a cocoon of blankets.
"Mytho," she whispers, nudging him. "Wake up!"
He twitches, but does not awaken.
"Mytho!"
Her prince will wake up instantly when Rue's dreams start turning into nightmares. But now, with bagpipe-playing ducks possibly having invaded the castle, he sleeps like a log.
"Mytho, darn it, where's your sense of proportion?"
He rolls over so that all she can see is blanket.
"Honk-BLOOORT!"
Rue looks over at him, and a thoughtful expression crosses her face. Could the source of the sound possibly be…
Five seconds later, Rue is lying on the floor with a pillow over her head, trying desperately to muffle her laughter. Because Mytho the elegant, Mytho the kind, Mytho the absolutely perfect, Mytho the funny, Mytho the charming, Mytho the graceful, Mytho the storybook prince…
snores.