Their walk was thankfully uneventful and the only thing to bother them were a few mudcrabs and a small frostbite spider that apparently had no clue who it was messing with.
Reaching Morthal was admittedly a relief because Lavi was starving by then, since they hadn't eaten since just before Kanda found and eliminated his target aside the Jarl's party. Plus, there was nothing like the warm contrast of the stoked hearth within the in after having walked all day through the cold.
The redhead couldn't be happier to sit down with a plate of piping hot food and drink, inhaling the scent deeply.
"Warmth and food at last!"
Kanda hummed in agreement and digged into his own food. After they finished, Kanda ordered another round of ale and both he and Lavi sat back, fully content.
The peaceful while was, however, disturbed by an inhuman growl.
The two men shared a look and glanced around the hall to find out what could possibly make such noise. Kanda cocked an eyebrow at Lavi, slamming his bottle on the table but just before he could start blaming the redhead, the noise echoed again and they both noticed that the source of it is their little white-headed protégé.
"Sorry," Allen murmured with his head bowed and cheeks red. Kanda could only gape.
Lavi laughed.
"Never think I've heard a stomach make that sound before!" And the look on Kanda's face was priceless to boot. "What do you hide in there? A bemoaning snow bear?"
Allen only blushed deeper at the teasing. Kanda gave Lavi another questioning look and sighed. He could see that the brat was genuinely embarrased about it.
He heaved another deep sigh and stood up, marching to the counter. A short while later he came back with a plate of cooked beef and an apple pie, which he slammed in front of Allen before a further comment and sat down, taking a swing of his ale.
"Are you trying to break the table?" Lavi joked with brows raised, with how Kanda slammed the plates down before taking a seat, taking full advantage of having - strategically - placed himself on the other side of the man when they first sat down.
If he was going to say any more, he forgot it as he watched Allen dig and start scarfing down his food, blinking.
"H-hey, that's probably a bad idea y'know... wolfing down your food like that," he cautioned. "You're s'posed to chew it first properly and all that..."
But Allen wasn´t listening anymore. He was too engrossed in inhaling the food to which Kanda answered with a frown and an annoyed growl. He sat a bit further away, visibly disgussed with Allen´s eating manners.
"If you´re gonna choke on it, I´m not gonna help you." He warned.
The plates were licked clean within minutes but when Allen sat up properly again he still looked rather nervous.
Kanda was about to drink from his bottle when the noise of the brat´s stomach echoed thoughout the room again.
"You´re kidding right?"
The embarrased look on Allen´s face gave a clear message.
Lavi was staring at Allen in bewilderment as well, his brows rising.
"Where did it all go if not your stomach?" After a moment, he held up his hand. "Y'know what... maybe it's better I don't ask that question." The last day had already been strange enough without asking more questions that might give him weird answers.
Allen shifted in his seat and Kanda had the dreading feeling that his pockets are going to get very lighter this evening. He was right.
The white-head wistfully stared towards the counter where the food was but kept silent. After his third unhappy sigh, Kanda stood up again and ordered two more plates of beef and one roasted salmon which he slammed in front of the lad again.
However, he didn´t sit down this time. Instead of that, he finished his drink and gestured to the innkeeper for another and he drank that one right away.
"Did they just never feed you at the Blue Palace or something?" Lavi couldn't help but question, slowly sipping a tankard of mead with his eyebrows in his hairline. He noticed Kanda searching the room and his own eye wandered about the few other occupants within.
Allen shook his head and swallowed hardly. "They did. But I have a big apetite." He offered with a shrug and an innocent blink of his stupidly big eyes.
"You eat like a pig." Kanda commented but he kept his eyes forward. He didn´t see how Allen smiled his way and dug in his food again. "Stay put." He said and walked forwards, shoving the empty ale bottle into Lavi´s chest.
Allen gave Lavi a quizzical look and stopped eating. "What is he-?"
"We´ve got a challenger!" A man suddenly yelled, making the other occupants of the hall raise their pints and cheer. "Houndred gold that I´ll kick this pup´s pretty ass!"
"What is going on?" Allen asked with a hint of panic in his voice.
"Shhh." Lavi raised a finger to his lips to indicate. "Don't worry, Snowy. Yuu is just winning some coin back into his pocket. Eating costs money, after all."
He smiled reassurance and rested his chin on palm casually as he set the empty bottle Kanda had shoved at him onto the table, watching interestedly. He already knew how this was going to turn out, but it was still fun to watch.
"Just sit back and watch. You are about to see the art of the Bar-Brawl-Wager that's been passed down through all taverns in Tamriel since the dawn of alcohol and ego."
"But..." Allen snapped his mouth close as he watched one man walk around the room and gather some money while another one stripped from his tunic and threw it away. Kanda then walked over to their table and threw his sword and daggers at the redhead. "Keep an eye on that, rabbit." He said and undid the belts around his torso and pulled off his gear as well.
There was a loud cheering and when the two brawlers took an offensive stance in the middle of the hall.
Allen watched with mild shock and confusion as Kanda and the bearded man started beating each other with their fists, sending drops of blood and sweat flying around them with every successful hit.
The brawl turned out to be longer than usual because both of them seemed to have a little too much stamina and neither of the two was willing to back down.
After good fifteen minutes, Kanda, all sweaty and bloody, managed to deliver a decisive uppercut which sent the other brawler fying backwards and down onto the wooden floor.
The hall errupted into loud cheers and whistles as Kanda thrust his fist upwards as a sign of victory. He collected the money and made a stop at the bar where he picked up a bottle of wine and another plate of apple pie.
"Here," he said with a bloody grin, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "A little gift."
Allen stared at him with eyes wide opened and mouth gaping.
"If you leave your mouth hanging open too long, flies might settle in it," he teased Allen, before swiveling back in his seat properly and smiling at Kanda, who was beaming with victory and didn't seem to even notice his own damages.
"Nice goin', Yuu. Too bad it wasn't a sword-fight, huh? Probably would have finished in more than half the time then," he chuckled. Kanda wasn't the best hand-to-hand fighter, but he was one of the deadliest people alive with a sword. He was a tenacious bastard that could take hits as well as he gave though, so he was still a decent enough opponent in a fist-fight. "An' now we don't have to worry about money for a while. How much did ya make?"
"Two houdred and something." He grinned and drank the wine from the bottle, offering it to Lavi after he chugged down a few hefty gulps.
"Are you alright?" Allen asked uncertainly as he watched the bruises and blood on the swordsman´s body. Before Kanda could reply, someone else interrupted.
"Good fight man!" It was the other brawler. "Benor," he offered his name and his hand. "I don´t often meet people like you around here. Got a nice company, too." He grinned and petted Allen´s snow-white head. His hand, however, lingered longer than neccessary.
"You're not a half-bad fighter yourself. He can hit pretty hard," Lavi said.
He, of all people, would definitely know as much, from the few times he wasn't quite fast enough to avoid it when he antagonized the man for kicks. It was a miracle he'd always managed to be fast enough to avoid Kanda's blade when he brandished it.
He smiled and offered up a mock toast. "And here I was thinking no one could come even close to matching his stubbornness!"
The man returned the toast with a dramatial bow after he shook hands with Kanda.
"Thank you," he said as he sat down a little bit too close to Allen who couldn´t shuffle away from the man if he didn´t want to sit on the floor. Kanda slowly walked over to Lavi and began to dress again, frowing at the man. Benor´s smile was pleasant but for some reason Kanda found himself wanting to wipe it off his face.
"Stubborness is in a fighter´s blood," he nudged Allen and winked at him mischeivously. "Would you want to find out if you´re stubborn enough, too?" He looked at Lavi again, cocking his head. "I am willing to go another round. Maybe you could also bet... something else." He added as he slipped his hand onto Allen´s thigh.
Allen scrunched his face as the man´s stinky and alcohol filled breath gosted over his face while he tried to claw the offending limb off his leg.
Lavi pursed his lips unpleasantly as he caught the not-so-subtle suggestions and advances the man was making, his single eye thoughtful for a moment before he smiled seemingly oblivious innocence.
"Me? Oh no, I'm not nearly so brutish. Fist-fights really aren't my cup of ale, but maybe we could wager over something a little more sporting. I'm quite fast if I do say so myself. Maybe a race instead?"
"A race?" Benor repeated. Allen was thankful for the distraction because he could finally pry the hand away and bolt behind Kanda who was putting finishing touches on his outfit and strapping his sword on his hip. "You´re on then! It has been a while since anyone challenged me in anything else than a fist fight!" He clapped his hands together and stood up.
"What is your bet then?" He asked and his eyes flickered towards the white-head hiding behind Kanda. He averted his eyes only when he noticed the glare Kanda pinned him with.
"Oh, I think you already know what you want, good sir! Or rather, whom you want," Lavi piped, smiling too broadly as he stood and smacked his hands together. "But do tell me, if I win, what will I be getting? A wager is only as fair as its prizes, and it would be a shame if you were to have nothing to offer."
"Good, good. Very good actually." The man laughed and Allen growled in betrayal as he bore his nails into Kanda´s arm.
"Rabbit." The swordsman mildly warned but otherwise stayed silent.
"Well, I happen to be on the good side when it comes to money, if you´re interested in some more. I´ve also looted some interesting books recently and a wand or two that could be in some value. You chose. If you don´t have a better idea, that is." He said, wiggling his brows in Allen´s direction who only dodged behind Kanda´s broad back.
Oh, choices, choices... but he was going to have to prioritize and for now that meant coin.
"Another round of coin it is then! Let's say we race to..." he paused and pondered. "The old burial mound just past the mill?" he suggested.
"Done! Another houndred then!" He stood up then, shaking hands with Lavi. "Give me a second to put down my gear. I´ll meet you outside." He said, "I do look forward how this turns out." He announced as he walked past Kanda and winked at Allen again.
"You - you...!" Allen raged, scowling at Lavi from behind Kanda. "How could you! I am not something you own!"
Kanda hummed noncommittaly, crossing his arms on his chest. "What´s the big idea?"
"You worry too much," Lavi grinned, tousling Allen's hair in a manner that might be called affectionate. "Don't worry, Snowy," he lowered his voice slightly at this point, offering the lad an awkward one-eyed wink. "A thief never walks away with anything less than more than he walked in with."
With that, he sauntered after the man to outside, where he was standing just outside the inn.
"I'm ready, good sir!" he offered up, stopping near him. "And may the best man win!"
"Ready when you are." Benor chirped in enthusiasm, positioning himself in the middle of the road.
Kanda meanwhile walked to the side and raised his hand.
"What are you doing?" Allen asked, still fidgeting behind him.
"I´m going to start their race. Ready?" He called when Lavi took his place.
"I can´t wait to get my hands on him." Benor whispered next to the redhead. "Good luck, laddie!"
Lavi only smiled self-assurance, and when Kanda signaled for them to start, he sprung up and they both sprinted through town, across the bridge, past the mill, and into the rough-grassed moor.
Lavi let the other guy stay just ahead and pretended to be winded as he came to the top of the moss-covered ruin where the man was cheering his victory and doing a little drunken dance.
"Well, looks like the best man won," Lavi heaved, patting a hand on the man's shoulder.
"Maybe better luck next time," Benor grinned, looking far too eager. Lavi grinned slyly now as well, lighting up a fireball and flinging it past the man, making him duck with wide eyes. "By Thorig's beard! What was that for?"
Lavi tapped him on the shoulder and pointed behind him, a troll quickly making up the distance toward them and frothing rage.
"You're right," Lavi hummed, swiping the man's pouch of gold and tripping his leg right as he pushed the man into the center of the half-submerged mound with an audible splash. "Better luck next time!"
With that, he seemed to vanish into invisibility just as the troll reached the top, leaving the beast confused just long enough to forget him and snarl at Benor instead.
He sprinted back to town now that his pockets were lined, and in more than the man was probably planning on giving up going by the weight of the bag, and came up behind Allen to wrap his arms around the young man's shoulders as he went visible again, laughing.
"Boo!"
Allen yelped and slapped his hand away. "Get off me!" He looked around the room but before he could ask where the other man was, Kanda beat him to it.
"Seems like our good man couldn´t finish the race." He commented nonchallantly. "What did you do this time?"
"I didn't do anything," Lavi stated innocently, taking a seat and a swig of ale, though he could see Kanda didn't believe him. "I just found him another opponent to play race with, that's all. Even trolls need to have a little fun now and again." He smiled shamelessly.
Allen looked between the men in confusion but stayed silent. He didn´t really feel pity for that lecher. He spent the rest of the evening in Lavi´s and Kanda´s company but he only observed as the two men chugged down bottles after bottles of ale. He could never understand how men could indulge themselves by weakening their senses like that.
He hugged his legs and rested his chin on his knees until he dozed off.
"Look at brat." Kanda said cocking his head at the sleeping white-head. "We should retire for the evening, too. We have a long journey ahead of us."
"You won't hear any complaints from me," Lavi agreed, yawning and feeling more than a little buzzed at this point as he stood and stretched, almost managing to tumble back over his seat in the meantime. "And likely we won't have to share this time" he chuckled. "Cuz I don't fancy being kicked onto the floor."
"Likewise." Kanda slurred slightly, also standing up. He paused then and grabbed the redhead´s arm. "Wait, wait! Who´s taking him?" He jerked his head towards Allen.
"I guess I will," Lavi shrugged. "This time, anyway. You look like you're gonna need the sleep more than I will."
He smiled jovially and scooped the white-haired male up, managing to keep steady despite being drunk.
"Besides, you might not get another chance for a few days to not have to worry about a hoof in your face! Better rest up with both eyes closed while you can," he added with a small laugh, staggering off to the counter to pay for a room and then disappear inside of the one that the innkeeper escorted him to.
Kanda nodded silently and stalked into his own room, mentally thanking the divinities for small mercies.
Allen wiggled in Lavi´s arms muttering something incomprehensible in his gibberish talk and sighed deeply. Only when Lavi laid him on the bed he woke up.
"What´s going on?" He murmured, half-asleep.
"Bed time," Lavi announced, stretching his arms above his head and wriggling onto the other half to get comfortable with his back to the other male. "You should make sure to get some sleep too. It's a long way to Markarth in the morning."
When Lavi woke up the next morning he found Allen sitting by his head, hugging his knees and staring at nothing with a mildly sulkish expression.
"You sleep like a whore." He commented and his tone carried a little outrage.
Lavi blinked at him in gaping surprise, his brows almost disappearing into his hairline.
"I what now...?"
Allen stayed silent and stepped over him and Lavi was sure that the kick that seemed to very accidental was everything but.
He exited the room a little bit too quickly and sat down on the bench at the table they occupied yesterday, awkwardly looking around.
Lavi only grumbled incoherencies under his breath and rubbed his side.
"Just what was that about?" Ah, but whatever. He stood and stretched skyward, soon joining the white-haired male in the main room and sitting down next to him, propping his chin on palm, his single eye surveying the room.
"No Yuu, yet?"
Allen shook his head mutely and kept watching the counter with food with a wistful look.
"Morning," they heard Kanda say as he passed the table and stopped by the counter to order their breakfast and some ale.
He came back carrying two pints of ale and a cup of something that looked like herbal tea. He gave one pint to Lavi and the tea to Allen when he sat down and yawned.
Allen murmured his thanks and silently sipped his tea.
" 'morning, Yuu!" Lavi returned jovially, happily taking the drink and an immediate, satisfying swig. "Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in a long time." He said and he really did sound very pleased. "Ready for the journey?" He asked, scannin the room with his eyes.
"When are we leaving?" Allen asked jumping in his seat slightly when the innkeeper placed a plate full of food in front of him.
"After breakfast. What rout are we taking then?" Kanda asked, directing the question at Lavi.
"Well, no use roughing it through the moor since we're already next to the main road," Lavi shrugged. "We'll head out onto the road past Fort Snowhawk and go across to Dragon's Bridge, then follow the river past the mill, follow it south with it forks, and then climb over the hill to Karthwasten just before the falls. At its very worst, it might take us two days, taking into account stops for rest."
"Sounds like a plan." Kanda commented and after they finished their breakfast they restocked their bags with extra food and water and headed out.
