Balor of the Baelful Eye smiled at his guest across the dinner table, revealing brilliant white (albeit illusionary) teeth. "That's fascinating, please go on."
For the entire of dinner he had been listening to the girl talk about her homeworld... actually his homeworld too come to think of it, though he had not trod on Earth soil for millenia, her friends, family, school and situation. He had smoothly given her a few answers about himself and his kingdom, many of them at least partially true. He noticed that Robin's reply was slightly slurred and smiled genuinely - the rather excellent Gallic port he had been serving was drugged.
Robin yawned, and looked embarassed. "I'm sorry... I'm feeling a bit sleepy now," another yawn, "just I wanted to talk to Katie and-"
"Oh I've spoken to your friend the Queen, and she'll send someone straight around to pick you up by skyship. They should be here by the morning." His blue eye twinkled. Robin nodded drowsily, her eyes more than half shut. After another 5 minutes she excused herself and departed for her room - asleep almost before she hit the pillows.
After waiting for a suitable time Balor called for the Haruspex who quickly arrived slithering along. Unlike Balor - who's modern 'natural' form was a blue chaotic, demonic tangle of limbs, spines and talons created to carry his essesnce after his second death, the Haruspex was a full blooded formor, and a very old one at that. In appearances he resembled a humanoid torso atop a powerful, 20ft serpentine tail. His head was extrely snake like, a blue forked tounge slipping in and out constantly tasting the air. His age told though, the red-copper coloured scales on his head and tail had a faded quality about them, while the hair on his heavily muscled human torso was white. If the Haruspex had a name no one had used it for at least two thousand years. He was simply the Haruspex, sumpreme divener and link to the gods.
My Sssire, it hissed, the altar isss ready. The omenssss look favourable.
"Excellent. We shall preform the ceremony at dawn," said the Formor king, "soon we shall present a gift to..."
Tue Aug 31 16:57:08 2004