"you will never taste the wine of these vines, my lord," the servant had said long ago, a statement that had vexed ancaeus greatly at the time. the king had been patient, allowing the vines to flourish under his watch, and now, at last, the day had come to prove the servant wrong. ancaeus laughed heartily as he raised a finely carved cup to his lips, filled with the first pour of his wine. the liquid shimmered like rubies in the fading sunlight, its aroma rich and intoxicating. he could feel the weight of the cup in his hand, the coolness of the metal against his lips. victory was within reachhe would taste the sweet fruit of his efforts, both the wine and the triumph over the servants ominous words.  behold, ancaeus said with a grin, turning his gaze to the servant, whose eyes were lowered. you see how i drink from my own vineyard? how foolish your prophecy seems now! but as the cup hovered close, only a breath away from his lips, a figure appeared on the horizon, running frantically toward the king. ancaeus's arm paused mid-motion, the wine sloshing gently in the cup as he watched the figure grow closer. it was a messenger, his robes stained with dirt, his face wild with panic. my lord! a boar! the messenger cried out, nearly breathless as he collapsed before ancaeus. a wild boar is ravaging the vineyard! your vines are being destroyed! a cold gust of wind seemed to pass through the warm evening air. ancaeuss hand froze, and for a long moment, he stared at the messenger, the cup still poised just before his lips. the kings proud smile faded, and without a word, he set the cup down on a nearby table. his mind turned from the wine to the urgent matter at hand. the vineyardhis vineyardwas under attack, and the thought of losing even a portion of it filled him with a sudden fury.
United States