Who: Belial and Asmodeus What: Discussing terms of servitude. When: Just after Satan's letter is received. Where: Belial's palace, the Malebolge. Warnings: Standard demon warnings. PG-13.
Belial had set out a certain spread of reasonable hospitality in his palace while he awaited Asmodeus's arrival. Unlike others, he was not violently furious over the letter sent to Ba'al. In fact, at first it had made him smirk if not for the consequences that were going to come swiftly and heavily as a lead weight. Belial would talk to Asmodeus first... and if nothing good could come of it, then he would resort to other measures.
For now he sat in the big, throne-like armchair in his drawing room, sipping a glass of sherry and watching the flames in his fireplace. There was a bowl on the big, twist-legged end table beside him full of the finest chocolate-covered eyeballs Hell had to offer and an empty glass ready for Asmodeus's arrival. Belial was dressed in a long ice blue silk robe that he wore for comfort around his palace and had a book over his knee. Idly, he plucked one of the eyeballs out of the bowl and looked down into it. It was a blue eye, and as it realized what it gazed upon its pupil dilated widely. That was always just a little funny. Smiling, Belial put it to his lips and bit it in half, feeling the juice pop on his tongue and mix with the chocolate.
A silent servant stood on the opposite side of the drawing room, waiting to let Asmodeus in after he was escorted through the palace.