A Mirror...A Mouse

His feet flip-flopped, his belly danced side to side, his fat hands hung at his sides, his great neck supported a big head with big eyes and a big mustache that covered a big upper lip. He had buck teeth. An attendant walked on his left and another on his right, he paid no attention to either.
"Everything must be ready on time! Everything," he said.
"Where is His Highness," he asked.
"In his room, Your Grace," replied both attendants.
"Yes," said His Grace, "Yes. I will check on him at once."
The attendants followed His Grace.

A knock against the door warned His Highness that he had a visitor. He ignored it and again a knock. He ignored it. Again a knock followed the first and second to be the third against the door. Again His Highness ignored it.
"Your Highness," said His Grace from the door's other side.
"Your Highness," said his attendants.
His Highness stood in front of a mirror that rippled like water does after a stone has been thrown in. He wore a green uniform with tiny acorn buttons. He ran his hands over the uniform's front.

A key labored in the door's lock, before it opened. His Highness didn't turn but looked at the rippling mirror.
"They're nearly ready for your arrival, Your Highness."
"I imagine that they are, Duke Oaklorne."
"Will you not accompany me to the ballroom?"
"No."
"I beg your pardon, Your Highness?"
"Are you deaf, Oaklorne?"
The prince, for he was a prince, turned. The attendants turned away, the Duke withdrew a little in the door frame pushing the attendants into the hall, for the door frame had room for his frame only.
The Duke blubbered for a response. His heavy chin rippled like the mirror.
"Are you mute also?"
"No," said the Duke.
"Are you stupid then? I said that I will not go."
"I must insist that your mother insists that you-"
"I know well what my mother wants, Duke. I don't need you to be her puppet. How deep has she your hand up your-"
"Your Highness! While I never! Not in a thousand years would I expect such depravity from royalty."
"You can expect decapitation once I'm king if you do not leave me."