Masina settled back onto the bench and sipped at her wine. Her expression softened slightly and she leaned forward conversationally.<br/><br/><strong>"The whore-Queen of Amasya is as much a slut to Mithradates as any Ephesian coin girl."</strong><br/><br/>She plucked a slice of apricot up and held it between two slender fingers.<br/><br/><strong>"Mithradates has violated the lands of my tribe, the Daughters of Fire, since before I was born, and that he now uses your 'sisters' in Amasya as a cat's paw makes no difference to us."</strong><br/><br/>Masina leaned in closer, close enough that her breath painted Mohini's face with the fragrance of wine.<br/><strong><br/>"As far as we're concerned, you sided with the oppressors.  Not us."</strong><br/><br/>Her head spun to spit on the deck inches from the girls bent limbs.<br/><br/>Turning back to put the point of her glare into Mohini, Masina concluded,<strong> "The Daughters will put the man who would be our King underground with Rome's help. Then the Roman's will run for home with our arrows chasing them."</strong>