He raised his glass in turn.<strong>"And to the shadows, where what passes between the darkness and the light dwells. May the Goddess and Consort look with favour on all."</strong>He sipped from the glass, licking the last of the liquid from his lips as he lowered it.<em>No Princess, I would have no wish to poison you, though I'd not think the less of you for considering the thought. I have offered you my hospitality, so now you can be assured you are safe .. at least til you leave my realm once more. Out there, you are probably in far more danger than I present.</em><br/><br/>He made a languid gesture, and the shadows around the room seemed to shift.<strong>"I hope that the menu will meet with your tastes Dawn." he said. "To start, chilled strawberry Soup. A soup of strawberries, red wine, sour cream and heavy cream, chilled, and a selection of cheeses to the side. To follow, salmon and chicken. Salmon steaks marinated in a maple syrup, mint and lime marinade. The chicken is stuffed, with red onion, rosemary and lemon stuffing, roasted, and served with a creamy sauce. There will be various side dishes of vegetables, mostly cooked. Lastly, pears baked with cinnamon and sugar. Something sweet to round out the evening, as it were."</strong><br/><br/>He gave a small smile.<strong>"My own tastes tend to be reasonably easy to satisfy, but I suppose some might think me sitting in the dark, tearing raw meat off the bone."</strong>He chuckled at the thought.