"It is not," Reepicheep exclaimed, springing forwards a swift slash of his sword every couple of words, "even remotely appropriate," again, another slash, "to address a Queen of Narnia in such terms!"

"My apologies!" the pirate called out, cheerfully attempting to drop buckets, fruit, and coils of rope on the Mouse, in lieu of an actual weapon. "In my defense, I was not aware the blasted rats could hear me! And," he added, waving accusatory fingers at the Mouse, the ship, and the entire Eastern Sea, "all this might just be the result of particularly good rum on a particularly hot island for a particularly long time. In which case," he dodged a masterful maneuver of Reepicheep's sword, "if you're actually a bonny lass, luv, let's make up and make do, savvy?"

With a cry of rage, the Mouse sprang forward again.