Tiberius was not particularly enthused by the rules of this game, as she'd laid them out. Why ought he to take demands from his wife, particularly when she'd stormed in like a harpy to deliver them? The first question she put to him was relatively mild, however, and he saw no harm in answering it. Besides, he did want her to take the poison. That was the whole reason he'd gone through the trouble of procuring it and delivering it. At this point he didn't think he could poison her surreptitiously. Well, he could, but she would know something was amiss when she lost the baby, and blame him. Besides, the last time he'd tried to poison his way out of an unwanted pregnancy, it hadn't exactly gone to plan. Although he'd researched this potion well and was confident it was safe, he still wanted her to be fully apprised of the situation so that she could alert him to any ill side effects — just in case.

"Because it could kill you," he said coolly, after considering her for a moment in silence. "And there's no reason to risk that when I already have other avenues of obtaining an heir. The wheels are in motion as we speak."

(Well, hopefully. Cassius.)