New TCP - Rough Beginning

Herod: 

...Alexandra is just another mother-in-law scheming to get her daughter back, and like everybody's mother-in-law I so underestimate her; continual communication to Egypt to entreat Cleopatra to kill me and avenge the death of Aristobulus while I pursue my delusional collusions with Anthony in Rome, thinking only I could be clever enough to bend the world's ear. 

Both we parties ended our machinations in requirements to explain ourselves amid the splendor of Cairo, where Rome's whore gets to play the diplomat by being the only party who doesn't want to kill the whole room. 

I'll give it to that faux-Egyptian whore: Cleopatra is venomous in pursuit of her friends; rewarding loyalty with cheer in that way Anthony does only as burden, and because of it I knew I may not return to Judea except in the bodybag they might deny me so they may throw my ashes into a desert I hold in as much contempt as a Jewish Jerusalem.

As I wished to live, I had to present Cleopatra something none else could grant, and all I had was the grand prix; not jewels, and not just essential oils: the deed to Jericho's balsam, in perpetuity, with all that fair city's pwrpetual palm trees that after every destruction grows back faster than balsam can be extracted.   

But knowing it still might not be enough, I put Mariamne under the charge of Uncle Josef. Should word reach him of my death, duty'd leave Josef would no choice but murder Mariamne immediately. I didn't even need give the order so implied it was. Truly it's s a shame. I've grown to love the sweet girl. Would it come to that perhaps I may console myself with the thought she could be mine again in the great sheol to come. 

But even after my offer of good will to Cleopatra, Alexandra refused to rescind her claim to Egypt's legal right for woman's vengeance. Cleopatra called for recess during so she might consult her oracle, a very weird looking eunuch of a Jewish minister named Yanai of Yavneh. 

I did what I could to use that free moment to let Alexandra know of her daughter's vacation at the house of Josef. A series of implication laid perfectly down with no order given. Humiliated in horror, she announced at reassembly her claim on my life was withdrawn. 

My god is great. 

Mariamne: 

I didn't know what I was doing at Josef's house, though I knew it could be nothing benevolent, and I had to be every inch the queen it repulses me to be. Josef always liked me, perhaps he loved me, but if he loved me, his strength could have easily taken me and after years of Herod, what would I have done to fight him off?

There was nothing I had to do to fight him off but Salome is a far greater beast of burden. She is everything of which Jewish women are accused: spoiled, manipulative, shrewish, the one in thirty-seven women who gives Jews a bad name.