set before the king

I was in the garden, minding my own business, hanging out the clothes to dry on the washline.  I could hear the king and queen squabbling.  They squabbled better than they ever ruled.  If Their Majesties spent half as much governing as they did fighting, the kingdom would have been the most fortunate of all kingdoms.  But, no.  The just kept fighting.

I stood there, listening to them jabber on as usual.  He was screaming about money, she was screeching about something she ate.

“Oh, give it a rest,” I muttered. 

That’s when that great ugly bird bit my nose.