#continuing azem's quest for delicious grapes

[tea-and-conspiracy]

Prompt 11: Ultracrepidarian

[5.3 spoiler warning!]

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All three of them leaned in, watching as Lahabrea swirled the wine in his glass. He made a show of sniffing it, taking a taste, swishing it about on his tongue.

“Ah yes, I see,” he said at last. “It’s…fruity. With a…floral…bouquet and…rich notes of, uh…plum.”

Azem’s face fell flat. “…Stop inventing things, you ultracrepidarian.”

Elidibus started to giggle, then caught himself and resumed his stoic expression; Emet-Selch was far more practiced at keeping his cards close when he had to, but Azem didn’t miss the tug at the corner of his mouth.

Lahabrea responded with an indignant huff. “I’ll have you know I am plenty well versed on botanicals—“

“In your greenhouse! That’s my point,” Azem interjected. “These grapes don’t grow anywhere else on this Star. To lose them would be a painful blow to floral biodiversity.”

Lahabrea squinted behind his mask. “You just want your wine.”

“Yes, but am I wrong?” Azem folded her arms across her chest. “These people make their living cultivating this crop. They’ve already been robbed of their homes – shall we rob them of their livelihood as well?”

The Speaker pinched the bridge of his mask with a suffering sigh. “…Nature is cruel, Azem. Protest all you wish, but there’s naught that can change that fact. I’m not going to loan you Ifrita just so you can save a crop. It is folly to meddle in the natural order of things.”

“Not to be that person,” Emet-Selch drawled, “But is that not Elidibus’ decision?”

They all found themselves staring at the boy, who abruptly straightened and puffed up his chest when he realized he’d had their attention. His pale eyes shot from one elder to another, before he confidently replied,

“The Seat of Sacrifice sides with the Seat of the Traveler in this matter.”

Lahabrea flipped his notebooks. “You just want to see her do it, boy!”

“Careful, Speaker,” Emet-Selch warned. “Boy he may be but he is still your Emissary.”

Lahabrea threw up his arms and swiveled about in his chair, such that his back was facing them. “Fine. I’ll sign off on it.”

“Oh, I already got the memory crystal.” Azem couldn’t help a grin. “I simply came to inform you that I would be using it.”

“You--!” Lahabrea spun around again, then frowned. “…Hythlodaeus.” His eyes lifted to Emet-Selch accusingly. The Architect simply gave a non-committal shrug. “…Are you three done? May I resume my research?”

Azem threw a wink at Elidibus and turned to lead him out. The boy secreted her a grin.

“You’re welcome for the wine~!” Emet-Selch called, departing with a trademark wave.