Anastasius lifted an eyebrow and shook his head.  "I gave her some wine," he answered softly, "Which is all you need to know, but since you've bought it at the price of Masina's punishment I will share a secret with you as well."  He leaned close to her and brought his lips to her ear.  "I can do things that few mortals would dare to, because the blood of the god-touched runs through my veins.  Upon the high and holy solstice, my mother offered herself to be ridden as a vessel of Dionysus but found instead that he chose to ride her in an entirely different manner..."<br/><br/>Then he moved back and gave her a strange smile, as if his confession was in jest or perhaps simply amused him muchly.  "Quintus," he called in Latin, "Seeing as you've got that the tigress well in hand, I'm taking this one with me to fetch some water to clean the both of them with."<br/><br/>He cast his eyes about and shrugged at the lack of a bucket or tub.  There would most likely be something suitable at the well.  Of course, he hadn't seen a well on his way in, but it was no doubt just outside somewhere.  Perhaps around behind the watchpost.<br/><br/>"Come along then," he said as he walked to the door, "You surely don't think I intend to haul the water back myself when I've got a perfectly good slave to do it after all."<br/><br/>==> To the Mooring at Gulsehir