A/N: Something you might find funny, I'd basically planned this whole section out as the first place Sona and Mordekaiser would travel to, when I had the sudden idea that I should check a map of Runeterra to make sure the order of regions they travelled to made at least a little sense. Luckily, Demacia and Freljord are right next to each other, so everything worked out, but could have had a small disaster on my hands :)
Please enjoy!
The morning after the concert, Ahri had called Sona and informed her that she'd already arranged a place to stay for her and Mordekaiser in the Freljord, and that apparently they'd be expected there tomorrow. Since the only way to travel there was by taking a very long train ride that would run overnight, that meant Sona would have to pack today. This realisation had spurred a very sudden bout of panic and excitement, and Sona couldn't tell which was bigger.
Although she'd be leaving a lot sooner than expected, Sona was partially glad. When she had said her goodbyes to everyone and last of all was approached by Mordekaiser, he hadn't exactly seemed thrilled at the idea of staying overnight in Demacia. It would probably be better for him if they got going as soon as possible, since just from what she'd seen that evening, Mordekaiser didn't exactly get a warm welcome. While she understood her friend's apprehensions, Sona couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in them.
Since she wasn't sure when she would be back, Sona had made sure to give a proper goodbye to her friends, all three of whom had come to see her that morning. Quinn had sent her off with a short hug that was more akin to a pat on the back. She'd asked Sona to promise to call her to catch up at some point, which she agreed to. Jarvan had looked like he wanted to ask her something, but ended up telling Sona to just forget it and sent her off with a half hearted wave. Garen had been keen on sticking around as long as possible and made the very kind offer to help her pack, and despite not really seeing how it was a two person job, Sona had gladly accepted his assistance. As it had turned out though, 'helping' in this case translated to just standing around and watching Sona do all the work.
"So you're really going through with this, then." Garen said, sounding like he couldn't quite believe what he was saying. He stood still against the wall, arms crossed, watching as Sona wrapped up the last of her belongings laid out on the bed.
Other than clothes, a few books for the journey this evening, and a rather adorable stuffed poro donning a small knight's helmet that she thought would make a nice memento from home, Sona couldn't really think of much else she needed to take. What exactly did one pack for a journey around the world?
"Of course I am." Sona said, giving a final once over of her room to check that she hadn't left anything in her house turned on. "I told you that this was important to me, didn't I? I hoped you would have understood that by now."
"Yes, no, I realise that." Garen hurriedly clarified. He shifted on the spot.
"Did you come here alone to say how much you'd miss me?" Sona winked, feeling a little playful as she turned to face Garen, hands held behind her back. Unexpectedly, Garen turned a deep shade of red, only managing to splutter a reply back.
"Wha- What's that supposed to mean?" He blurted out.
"It was just a joke." Sona frowned, wondering what on earth could have provoked such a flustered reaction. He'd been acting very strangely since yesterday. "You don't have to act like wanting me to stay is such a crazy idea."
"It isn't! Of course it isn't." Garen defended himself, shaking his head, trying to calm down from his agitated state. He breathed out deeply, moving slowly to set himself down on the bed, turning his body towards Sona.
"Actually… I wanted to ask you something." He said.
"Oh. Well, ask away." Sona replied as she pretended to suddenly need to rummage through a box full of junk on the opposite end of the room, trying to quell the sudden worry she was feeling at such a vague proposition. Sona hated moments like these, her mind running in overdrive to try and guess what was coming as Garen still refused to elaborate for a little longer. Important questions should just be asked by ripping the bandaid off, not letting the recipient stew in their own thoughts.
"I want you to say that you'll stay." Garen confessed.
"What?" Sona felt a sudden weight in her chest.
"Or maybe just leave Demacia alone, even. I know that this is very important to you, so if you really want to go, then I'll respect that." Garen was trying to smile at her, but it was very obviously forced, the corners of his lips threatening to pull down at any moment.
"But you were the one who said I would need protection in the first place." Sona pointed out, now more confused than anything.
"I know I said that, and I meant it at the time. But in all honesty, being alone would be a hundred times safer than being with him." Garen spat the last word. It was quite obvious as to who 'him' was referring to.
"It would be incredibly rude to ask Mordekaiser to leave after he came all the way here to hear my request." Sona stressed, feeling a small amount of tension in her shoulders begin to rise. "Besides, he seemed civil enough yesterday, and he actually showed some interest in my music. I don't think he's really all that bad."
"How could you know that?" Garen replied, moving to stand from the bed. "You've known him less than a day."
"And you've known him for even less than that, but it certainly didn't stop you from forming a negative opinion. If you were so concerned about my safety, then why didn't you stay with me when we first met him? Or better yet, why didn't you actually talk to him at least once the whole evening?"
"Because you don't need to talk to people like that to know they're bad news!" Garen shouted, his mood changing so suddenly that Sona recoiled a little in shock. But Garen either didn't seem to notice, or didn't care, as he continued to raise his voice. "I don't know what you possibly could have seen yesterday to make you think otherwise, but the Shadow Isles champions are dangerous, selfish, violent creatures, and if you would stop acting like a naive child for two seconds you would come to realise that!"
Sona didn't say anything at first, honestly shocked that Garen, someone she considered a dear friend and a kind person, could say such horrible things. Even with her hands balled into fists, shaking at her sides, Sona still managed to keep her voice somewhat even.
"Every time I disagree with you about something, you always say it's because I'm a child, or too naive, or too trusting." She said, looking him directly in the eye. She noticed Garen looked a little regretful about his outburst, but she didn't really care. Sona was feeling so much disappointment, surprise, and even anger towards him, that she needed to say something.
"Why is it so hard for you to believe that I can have my own outlook on things, that my opinion actually matters? I know that I'm no government official like you, and that yes I'm younger and lacking in experience, but I can still think for myself. The Demacian values I know tell us to give everyone a chance. No matter where someone is from, what kind of person they are, I want to be able to judge them by their actions and not a stereotype of any sort. That's not how I see people, and if that's really what you think, then I'm honestly disappointed in you."
Sona moved to pick up what few belongings she had prepared, ignoring the look of surprise on Garen's face as she stepped outside, one foot already out the door.
"Goodbye, Garen." She said, feeling too angry to even see his face right now. "You can let yourself out."
"Wait, Sona!" Garen moved quickly to follow her, calling out to her as he quickly rose to his feet. "I'm being serious, he's much too dangerous, who knows what that monster will do to you if he-" He stopped dead in his tracks, feeling himself turn to stone when he discovered that the target of his insults was standing just ahead, looking very, very angrily at him.
"Have something you want to tell me, Crownguard?" Mordekaiser sneered, marching forward to exaggerate the already considerable height difference between them. Garen retreated immediately, releasing a short gasp when his back connected with the door of Sona's house, blocking his only escape route. Garen felt his life flash before his eyes as the metal giant before him looked like he was about to raise a fist, before something dashed to stand in-between the two of them.
"Please don't!" Sona pleaded, positioning herself in front of Mordekaiser, arms splayed out as wide as they would go in a lame attempt to shield Garen. It was almost laughable the way Mordekaiser could have very easily reached over her pitiful defence, moved her out the way or just straight up ignored Sona, but still he stopped himself.
"I know what he's said was bad, but this will only make things worse." Sona mumbled, staring dejectedly at the floor. "Let's… We should just go."
Mordekaiser still kept his hand raised for a few moments, looking like he might still try to exact his revenge on Garen in some way, but eventually lowered it. He settled instead for a displeased grunt, glaring at Garen as Sona lightly pulled him away.
"As if a wimp like you would be any protection at all." Mordekaiser snorted, uncaring of how Sona seemed to shrink into herself a little at the remark as the two of them left Garen standing there, sagging against the doorframe.
Garen watched the two of them go hopelessly, desperately wanting to be able to stop what was happening in front of him. But as Sona gradually got further and further away, eventually disappearing round a street corner, Garen realised there was nothing more he could do.
The walk to the train station was completely silent. As was the boarding process, right up until Sona and Mordekaiser reached their room.
The train ran through a long, long tunnel straight through the Ridgeback Mountains, leaving Demacia in the afternoon, and then conveniently the carriages would be enveloped in the darkness of the tunnels during the night, allowing its passengers to hopefully get a good night's sleep. The rooms they provided were small but sufficient. Two small beds lay on either side of the room, standing on a worn red carpet that had certainly seen better days. A small desk and chair was included in the corner, as well as an en suite bathroom right next to it. The only real point of interest was the large window at the far end, overlooking the slowly fading view of the familiar Demacian architecture that bobbed up and down along with the steady bounce of the carriage.
The place Sona called home.
Sona hated how her time in Demacia had ended. She had thought herself to be one of the last people to succumb to a bad temper, but maybe she had been a little harsher than necessary. Sona knew that Garen had mostly good intentions of keeping her safe. But it was so frustrating to be treated like she couldn't take care of herself, when she'd lived independently before and worked at the Institute of War just like everyone else. She was more than capable of making decisions for herself, including being the judge of someone's character.
Sona wasn't blind to the fact that a lot of her friends, being part of the Demacian military in some way, had hurt and maybe even killed others in the international conflict that occured before the League of Legends had been formed. But she justified it by reasoning that in war, sometimes you just had to do things that were morally wrong in order to protect what was most important to you. She was sure that Mordekaiser was the same, that really he wasn't such a bad person. Or, she had been sure of that until today.
No one had gotten hurt, and what Garen had said was wrong, but Sona couldn't help but think about if she hadn't been there to break the two of them apart, how far would Mordekaiser have actually gone? The intent to harm Garen had felt very real. It was terrifying standing in front of him, his huge frame and flaring green eyes bearing down on her making Sona just want to curl into a ball and cry. She knew that as long as she wasn't deliberately provocative that he'd have enough sense not to hurt her, but he still had this intensity to him, like he was always ready to do something terrible at a moment's notice. Maybe she really should have taken Garen's advice and travelled alone.
Sona sneaked a peek over at Mordekaiser, releasing a sigh of relief upon realising he wasn't glaring at her right now like she had imagined. He was lying down flat on his back on the bed that looked far too small for him, legs dangling over the edge. He had his hands behind his head, and the usual angry green eyes weren't visible in his helmet, so he might have been asleep. She doubted he would be able to sleep while it was this bright, though. Sona hoped he wasn't sleeping, because she wanted to at least try and make up for the events that transpired this morning.
"Um, listen. I'm sorry for what happened today." Sona said, trying not to think about how his presence was starting to make her a little nervous again. Mordekaiser didn't move or make any indication that he had heard her at first, and Sona second guessed herself, thinking he might have really fallen asleep.
"Why are you apologising?" He grumbled, startling Sona a little as he still laid completely still while he was talking. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"Yes, but one of my friends said some pretty hurtful things about you, so I feel like you should get an apology from someone at least." She knew that it probably wouldn't make him feel better, but Sona wanted to be able to move past this awkwardness while it was just the two of them. They'd be spending a lot of time together from now on after all, whether she still liked the idea or not. "You know, Garen was probably just looking out for me, in his own strange way. I think he means well."
"I doubt that." Mordekaiser snorted in response.
"I'm not lying to you, I really think that!" Sona assured him, sitting up and attempting to make eye contact so that Mordekaiser would maybe change his mind after seeing the sincerity in her expression. He did eventually open his eyes, but just settled for staring at the ceiling.
"I'm sure that you genuinely think so." Mordekaiser began, sounding a little tired, like this conversation was some small nuisance he had to deal with. "But I know the type of person Crownguard is. Most people I meet act one of two ways. Either they are scared of me and try to avoid interacting as much as possible, much like you when we had just met. Or, they have this look and general attitude of disgust. Their eyes crinkle and they turn up their nose, regarding me like some gross animal that needs putting down. Your friend would be the latter. I've seen it enough to be able to recognise it pretty well. You are probably just too naive to see it."
Sona wanted to reply, but she didn't trust her voice not to waver. It really stung to hear the person she had just put her trust into calling her that word, especially after the conversation she'd just had with Garen. She felt a small tear roll down her cheek, and then Mordekaiser did turn to look at her at the worst possible time. She tried to hide it by quickly turning herself away and flopping down on the opposite bed, but he had almost definitely seen her crying. Over something so trivial, as well. They were probably both right, she really was still just a child. She pulled a spare pillow towards herself, hugging it quietly while trying to subtly wipe away a few tears with it.
"But, I suppose I appreciate your apology." Mordekaiser rumbled, causing Sona to perk up a bit from her rather pathetic position on the bed. "Though I assure you your concern is unnecessary. I have no reason to care what others think of me."
Sona sat up, feeling some of the sadness start to ebb away. Mordekaiser had made it very clear that she didn't need to apologise. He didn't really feel the need to fill awkward silences between the two of them either. Had he said that just to make her feel better? Still, even if that was true, there was still something that was worrying her slightly.
"If it doesn't bother you, then why did you look like you were going to hurt Garen?" She asked.
"Just because it doesn't affect me, doesn't mean I don't still dislike Crownguard. I thought it'd be funny if I could get him to wet himself or something."
A small laugh escaped Sona despite the insanity of the whole situation, and whether it was from relief or from Mordekaiser's crude joke, she wasn't sure. Mordekaiser, satisfied that their conversation was now over, went back to closing his eyes and pretending to sleep. The sunlight in their room suddenly vanished, as the train began to make its way through the tunnels, leaving Sona to slowly drift off to sleep.
The Freljord reminded Mordekaiser a little of the Shadow Isles, the way that the terrain blended into one big blur of a landscape that was near impossible to navigate. A thick, sparkling blanket of snow covered everything around them, save for the well trodden path that another one of the Institute of War's 'little helpers' was leading them across. Even though he hadn't seen any of them in the Shadow Isles, presumably because of the ominous rumours of outsiders going missing there and never being found, Mordekaiser imagined that the Institute must have been keeping a watchful eye on the other regions by scattering their people around like this. He thought it wholly unnecessary, however, since it wasn't like there was anyone stupid enough to break the peace treaty right now anyway.
"Are… we there… yet?" Sona panted, releasing a staggered breath with every heavy step she took as it became more and more difficult to lift her legs from the inches of snow at her feet. Mordekaiser was impressed at how despite being adequately dressed for the cold, wrapped up in four layers of clothing and wearing boots so large they almost made her feet look like a clowns, he could still very clearly hear Sona's teeth chattering like mad, her face and ears lit up a bright shade of pink. He felt a tinge of sympathy for her, but not enough to actually do anything about it.
"Our destination is just a little beyond this hill, Miss Buvelle." Their escort spoke clearly and with utmost professionalism despite the cold. "Perhaps the gentleman would be willing to lend her his cape for some warmth?" He suggested.
"She can handle it." Mordekaiser answered for Sona without hesitation. It wasn't like he was feeling warm and toasty either. And it would be annoying to have to shed Sona's bags, that he very generously offered to carry mind you, to be able to remove it properly.
"I'll be fine… really!" Sona tried to sound strong, but a sudden gust of wind took the breath out of her. She struggled on the last few steps, until they reached the apex of the hill and her mouth opened in awe when they finally got a good look at the view below.
Dozens of small wooden houses and fur-lined tents lay scattered across the ashen horizon, some of the bigger houses glowing with the warmth of fire that faintly lit up the dark sky. Towering fir trees caught the gently swaying snowflakes as they fell, sheltering the village inhabitants that were brave enough to leave their homes and embrace the winter's cold sting. Most of the people below were riding on Elnuks, huge fluffy bull-like creatures that were well adapted to the harsh conditions, carrying heavy loads of cargo and a person or two on their strong backs. There were a few children playing in the snow, taking turns at thumping each other in the face with dense snowballs. They barely flinched when hit though, already stooping down to prepare another to hurl in revenge.
"I trust you will be able to find your way from here, yes?" The Institute assistant asked them, glancing at Sona, who had been entranced by the scene in front of them.
"Yes, of course, thank you." Sona confirmed, already spotting a familiar large figure in the distance enthusiastically waving in their direction. Their guide nodded and left without another word, leaving Sona and Mordekaiser to trudge the rest of the way themselves.
"Isn't it beautiful here?" Sona marvelled, having regained some of her energy now they were finally moving downhill and shelter was in sight.
"Hardly makes up for the weather, though." Mordekaiser rumbled, shuddering as a particularly large piece of snow snuck under his helmet and chilled his skin. He then looked up, groaning as he, too, recognised the cheerful man who had come halfway up the hill to meet them, Mordekaiser now realising he would have to endure his company for the majority of their stay here.
"Sona, it is so good to see you again!" Braum boomed as he walked towards them, his broad smile clearly visible even behind his trademark thick moustache. He quickly pulled Sona into a strong hug, his thick tree trunk arms holding her just firmly enough against his bared chest for it to be comforting.
"You too! Thanks for inviting us." Sona's voice was muffled by the warm embrace she was held captive in.
"Of course, it is no trouble. It is like Braum always says, the more the merrier!" He laughed again, finally releasing Sona and letting her breathe. He then turned to Mordekaiser, still with that wide grin on his face. "And who is this with you? Braum feels we have met before, but perhaps not talked very much."
"This is Mordekaiser. He's offered to be my bodyguard for the near future. He was in the League of Legends just like us." Sona answered for him as Mordekaiser just continued to stare at Braum, silently wondering if there was anything he could do that would get him to stop laughing like an idiot.
"Ah, Braum thought you looked familiar. Well no matter, a friend of Sona is a friend of Braum's!" He chuckled, holding his arms outstretched like he was expecting Mordekaiser to accept the hug. Mordekaiser almost choked in disbelief. He wouldn't be caught dead showing any sentiment of friendship to this buffoon.
"My apologies, perhaps you are not the hugging type." Braum said, instead settling for reaching down and thoroughly shaking Mordekaiser's hand, earning an unamused glare from the iron giant as he attempted to pull himself free. Predictably, Braum took no notice of this hostility as he carried on talking.
"But that is not important. Come, come! You both must be cold, tired and hungry, yes? Why not come and rest inside by the fire while we eat? We can catch up over a steaming bowl of druvask stew!"
Sona felt her whole body shudder with delight as the warmth of the indoors rushed over her from head to toe when Braum eventually led them inside. The place itself looked to be a tavern of some sort, chocked full of tables of rowdy guests that probably had more than a couple drinks in them. Everyone was either drinking, singing or shouting merrily about something, it was like Sona was watching about thirty or so copies of Braum all riling each other up and enjoying themselves. A large, roaring fire burned to one side and lit the whole place up, feasting on a few thick logs of wood. Everything from the smell of burning wood and good food, to the bustling atmosphere and cosy wooden interior made it just feel like home.
"Here, come, take a seat!" Braum gestured eagerly towards an empty table, taking Sona's chair out for her as she politely thanked him. "Wait just a moment, Braum has brought a friend along as well!" He said cheerfully, before disappearing momentarily. Meanwhile Sona could finally let herself relax, letting her tired joints unwind as she soaked in the welcoming atmosphere.
"So, you two know each other." Mordekaiser stated more than asked, folding his arms as he scowled straight ahead. Sona stared at him unblinkingly, surprised that Mordekaiser was actually initiating conversation for once rather than answering with the bare minimum.
"Yes, he used to come by and just start chatting with a lot of the old champions after their matches, myself included." Sona answered, staring at Braum's back with a little fondness. "He would strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone, I'm surprised you two didn't talk at all."
"I must have been lucky." Mordekaiser grimaced. Sona smiled understandingly, she could imagine that despite Braum's popularity among the other champions, that Mordekaiser wouldn't have been the biggest fan of his energetic personality. He was beginning to look like his patience was wearing thin already, though Sona thought she saw him perk up a little as Braum slammed four large tankards of beer down onto their table.
"Here we are!" Braum boomed, before he wrapped one of his large arms around the 'friend' he'd brought with him, a lean yet beautiful woman with hair as white as the snow that surrounded them. "Since we have all fought alongside and against each other before, you must know my dear friend here, Ashe, the leader of the Avarosan tribe."
"Don't worry, me and Sona are well acquainted." She smiled, gently untangling herself from the burly arm around her shoulder as she placed the fur coat she was wearing on the back of her seat, but then paused as her eyes fell on Mordekaiser. "And Mordekaiser as well, what a… welcome surprise. What might you be doing here?" Ashe's features were still friendly in appearance, but her voice held a tone of suspicion.
"Working." Mordekaiser grunted, wasting no time in reaching for his drink and taking a few big gulps.
"He's kindly offered to accompany me wherever I go to perform, like a security guard, I guess." Sona filled in for him, sensing that Mordekaiser probably wouldn't want to go into too much detail about the circumstances surrounding his unexpected change in career.
"Oh, really?" Ashe sounded surprised, though she did seem to relax a bit as she finally sat down to join them. "I didn't know you were on anyone's wanted list Sona. Maybe you lead a much more exciting life behind the scenes then you'd have me believe."
"It's not really like that, just… You can never be too careful, I suppose. My friends in Demacia just thought it would be a good idea." Sona clarified.
"They are right, travelling with friends is always better!" Braum chuckled warmly. He stretched back in his seat, looking utterly content. "After all, travelling leads to adventures, and adventures become great stories when they are experienced together!"
Braum looked like he might say something more, until he caught the sight and smell of four huge, steaming bowls of stew being set down on their table by a young looking waitress. Without hesitation Braum took a generous mouthful of the closest one, swallowed after barely chewing a few times and belched in delight, laughing at himself as he did so.
"Delicious as always, Iffi!" He praised, giving the waitress an enthusiastic thumbs up with his free hand. "Please give Braum's compliments to the chef."
"You said the same yesterday." Iffi sighed as she took back the tray the food had just been on, but she didn't look annoyed in the slightest.
"Well, what's the harm in complimenting another day's good work?" Braum called after her cheerily as she left to go and tend to another table. He then turned back to the others, looking slightly confused. "What are you waiting for, friends? Dig in, it is best eaten hot after all!"
"It looks delicious." Sona commended as she brought her own bowl towards her. She could feel her mouth start to water as she carefully dug out a spoonful, watching the thick broth slowly drip back down while she blew gently to cool it down a little. Taking a bite, she felt the rich flavours dance playfully on her tongue, accompanied by meat so tender it almost melted in the mouth. Readying up another mouthful, she watched Mordekaiser cautiously poke his stew around with a spoon a few times, like a picky child trying to decide whether it was edible or not. Eventually, probably because he was too hungry to be fussy about what he ate, Mordekaiser took a bite, thought for a few moments, and then took a second, third, and fourth, shovelling it all down in disregard of how hot the stew was still.
The four of them merely sat and ate for a while, the sounds of slurping and chewing replacing any conversation. Sona found rather quickly that the portion sizes weren't exactly designed for a woman of her slight stature as she began to feel a little full, and decided to take a small break from eating.
"I feel like I haven't seen either of you since when the Institute was still around." She started, smiling sheepishly as Braum gave her an eager nod of agreement with his mouth full. "What have you both been up to recently?"
"I'd like to say I've been able to spend every day relaxing like this, but unfortunately that's not the case." Ashe said with a sigh, opting to talk first as she noted Braum was still thoroughly focused on enjoying his meal. "The Institute matches were barbaric, yes, but they did help to keep the Freljord united as one. There's a sense of national pride that comes with competing against all the other regions and being seen as strong, and I think that helped the people of the Freljord put their differences aside, if only temporarily. Now, the three tribes, the Winter's Claw, the Frostguard, and of course, the Avarosans that I lead, are back to tearing at each other's throats more or less, so I'm pretty busy trying to keep things afloat. It seems that as long as the peace treaty the Institute drew up isn't affected by a conflict, basically meaning that the violence stays at a national level, then they won't lift a finger to help."
"That's awful." Sona replied softly, suddenly feeling a little less joyful.
"It's not ideal, but that's how it's always been." Ashe continued, propping her head up with one arm that rested on the table. "Things are never exactly calm in the Freljord, but that's what brings its people together, too. The harsh conditions here are too dangerous to tackle alone, so you end up with a pretty tight knit community. I couldn't imagine life anywhere else. And besides, I have this one here to help smooth things over and cut us a few good deals with the other tribes." Ashe smiled, patting Braum on the shoulder.
"Haha, Braum has fans all over the Freljord!" He grinned, puffing out his chest. "It is the least I can do, Ashe has done so much good for the people here, a gift to her is a gift to all Freljordians."
"And in exchange, I get to eat and drink at Braum's tavern here, for free. All in all, a pretty good trade." Ashe and Braum grinned at each other before getting back to their dinner.
"Wait, so you own this place?" Sona asked, looking at Braum with wide eyes.
"Yes, of course!" Braum stated proudly. He smacked his now empty tankard down, cheeks looking slightly rosy as he cleared his throat, no doubt preparing to tell one of his signature long stories.
"Braum believes the best part of his adventures is not the adventures themselves. It is the time afterwards where friends gather around the warm fire, filling themselves with good food and sharing exciting tales with one another while they eat. However, the houses here are not too big, and the weather in Freljord is not exactly hospitable, so Braum had the thought; Why not make a place where people of all sorts can meet together and do just that? Thus, The Winter's Shield was born. It is funny because Braum carries a shield, but also this place shield's its customers from the snow and wind!" Braum chuckled, laughing harder than anyone else at his own joke, though Sona did give a polite giggle. Ashe just smiled wryly, most likely having heard the same joke a dozen times before.
"Of course, Braum cannot be here all the time as there is always another adventure to be had. So the people in this village take over when Braum is gone. Braum is very lucky to have such good friends." He gestured to the surrounding crowd, before then levelling his usual beaming expression at Sona. "But speaking of adventures, you are also on one, yes? What is it you are looking for?"
"Um, well, I suppose this adventure doesn't really have a goal in mind." Sona conceded. "I just thought I would like to travel and play my music somewhere different. I love Demacia, of course, but a change of scenery is always nice."
"Well, that is good too. Some of the most exciting things happen when nothing is planned." Braum said to himself. "But now you mention music, we could do with a little change in atmosphere. In fact, Braum has been looking forward to your playing since inviting you here. You are ready to play something for us, yes?"
"O-on such short notice? But I'd normally have a little time to prepare..." Sona stammered, freezing up a little in spite of the warmth of the fire. She suddenly became aware of how large and boisterous the tavern was, seeing that some of its customers were not so traditionally friendly looking as her audiences back home. She wondered what a bad reception here might look like if the performance went wrong.
"Nonsense, what are you talking about? Your music has always been wonderful, whatever and whenever you've played." Braum cooed, clasping his hands together so that he was almost pleading her to agree. "You think so too, don't you?" Braum asked Mordekaiser, who was interrupted from drinking the rest of his stew-like soup as he held the bowl up and tipped it towards his helmet. Mordekaiser considered Sona before he answered. She looked just as nervous as when she had first performed, and he had assumed back then that she would mess up at least once, perhaps even crash off the stage in comical fashion. But then he'd heard her play flawlessly, and then seen her afterwards where she'd looked pretty happy, proud even.
"I agree, she is exceptionally talented." He rumbled, setting down the bowl that had been hiding Sona from view to discover that she looked halfway between appreciative and embarrassed. "Being able to hear her play again was the main reason I took this job in the first place." It was a half truth, but Mordekaiser would still have appreciated hearing Sona's music again to get him through an evening of dealing with Braum's antics.
"You see?" Braum encouraged Sona, nodding his head to Mordekaiser in approval. "How can you not reward such heartfelt praise with at least a song or two? But first, we should eat properly. No point in performing on an empty stomach. And some of us require seconds, no?" He asked happily, eyeing the two empty bowls that belonged to him and Mordekaiser.
"I can't believe there's actually someone that eats as much as you, Braum." Ashe leaned over to see Mordekaiser had indeed polished off his helping in the mere minutes they had been sat there.
"Don't worry, friend. A clean plate is the best compliment a chef can ask for!" Braum stated, then taking their empty tankards as he asked, "More beer too, I assume?"
"Why not?" Mordekaiser said, settling into his seat for the long night that was yet to come. There was no way he was getting through tonight sober.
