Wine

Wine

Yoon Ha Lee

“Well,” the Snake Councilor said softly, “I hope we have enough wine to offer our guests. Assuming they imbibe.” The others ignored her, on the chance that she wasn’t joking.

Their guests numbered two. They didn’t so much step through the doors as emerge like cutouts suddenly fleshed.

The first was a woman, tall, with the finest of veils over her face. She wore soft robes with bruise-colored chadows, and her cloak was edged with dark feathers. The Snake Councilor glanced at the Falcon Councilor, but the latter’s face was an unreadable labyrinth of refractions. The other guest was a man, neatly shaven. His hair was black, his eyes of indeterminate color.

The Falcon Councilor inclined her head to them. «We are grateful for your promptness, » she said. « We are Nasteng’s Council of Five, and the nature of our emergency should be clear to you. »

« Yes, » the woman said. The man bowed, but did not speak. There was something borced about the curve of his mouth, as though the lips had been sutured together. « You may call me Ahrep-na. I have a great deal of experience with situations like yours. I assume you’re familiar with my past successes, but if you need – »

« We know, » the Falcon Councilor said. She had heard the name of Ahrep-na, although it was not safe to use it until she had given you permission. It was why she had left Nasteng all those years ago, in search of Ahrep-na’s token.

Wine. Photo by Elena

« In that case, Ahrep-na said, « we will need to discuss the contract. My methods are particular. »

The Falcon Councilor thought wryly of Nesteng’s high generals, some of whom were rather more useful than others, Most of whom were rather less. One of the dangers of having its officers drawn almost exclusively from the nobility, or from people who bought their commissions. « That won’t be an issue, » she said. Behind her, she heard a harrumph from the Snowcat Councilor, but he didn’t interrup otherwise.

They spoke some more about operational and logistical details, about courtesies blunt and banal, and circles eventually to the matter of payment. Given Ahrep-na’s bluntness about everything else, her difficence about this matter puzzled the Falcon Councilor. But bring it up she did. « Our contracts are tailored to the individual situation. » Ahrep-na said. « Up-front, we require – «  She named a sum. It was staggering, but su was annhiliation.

Finance was not the Falcon Councilor’s domain. The Snake Councilor turned to a page in her empty book, frowned at a column of figures that wasn’t there, and said, « It will be done in two days. »

Ahrep-na’s smile was pleased. « We will also require the fruits of a year’s harvest. »

« You’ll have to be more specific, » the Falcon Councilor said, as though this were a tedious back-and-forth about supply depots and ammunition.

Ahrep-na wasn’t fooled. « This point is nonnegotiable. » She offered no elaboration.

The Falcon Councilor opened her mouth. Prompted by some nuance of sound behind her, however, she turned without saying what had come to her mind. Harvest. The councilors’ secret that was no secret to the outside world anymore : the wine that kept them young.

Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015, edited by Rich Horton, Prime Books, 2015.