Luth had exhausted his coins while his stay with Armon, he had little left at this point and was in dire need of desperate rest due to his early waking this morning by that commander. The sun had began to rise, and the snow resounded with no sound, for now; and in his sight no shop or tavern open where he could sit and get a hold of his current situation.
He clutched the center of his cloak, keeping it firmly resting upon his shoulders while ambulating round to find some place. As he walked the snow sunk in the ground, and his steps felt pleasant and soft to his senses but inside his mind was a complete juggle; there was a great feeling of being lost to the boy not knowing what he was to do next.
A sudden shuffle caused he diverging of attention from the thoughts towards a corner of the road where there he saw a figure in front of what seemed an old inn, opening the door and entering, it was beyond a small alley of houses and there it stood.
It was a bright wooden structure, built of imposing light-brown oak; its entrance upheld by two great, cylindrical pillars with visible cracks on their surface, and the wooden door creaked slightly as he stepped near the door. Inside resonated with sounds of soft steps and nimble movement. From beneath the door gap came a warm wind and an ample odor of heating stew, which made him feeling surprisingly amiable. And for that reason he stepped inside.
There were a few people in sight—two men and a young waitress—as he walked in, and seeing Luth the waitress quickly nodded towards the two men and took her leave, approaching Luth.
Her eyes seemed to observe his cloak for a few moments before she spoke to the boy. "Good morning, sir." she said to him in a moderate tone, "Can I help you with anything?"
"I want," said Luth, pausing to consider what he could afford and with not much he settled his mind, "A bowl of chicken stew and an accompany of bread."
She nodded in affirmation, "Rather early in the morning, you would have to wait a while if you must eat, do you mind?"
"Not at all. Time is all I seem to have."
The waitress gave a final bow; departing back to the kitchen and along with her went the elder of the two men and the other man stood by, near the table as he busied himself with cleaning the glasses, and other tasks. Sometimes his gaze wandered towards him but quickly got back to its previous positions subtly. Luth expected the reason, it was likely because he thought he belonged to the Order of Notis since he had Armon's cloak, that is why not to draw any unwanted attention he continued to stare at the table instead of joining eyes with the man and starting a conversation.
He waited for a couple of minutes before there was another creaking at the door; signaling the arrival of new company and Luth did not bother look at the arrived, too concerned about his own thoughts to do so, but that changed when he heard a familiar groan, quickly casing his gaze towards the entrance, pupils widening in equal fear and panic. And he quickly turned back, drawing the hood of his cloak over his head.
He leaned his elbow over the counter, straightening his back; leaning his head over the backside of his hand and listened quietly as a group of men came inside, chatting frivolously between each other, passing insults causally and took seats near the larger of the tables near to the center of the inn; the previously quite place filled with scrambles of chair and chats.
"Where is the old man?", Troust asked, inquiring with the younger man at the near counter, who after hearing the question halted his work to look up from the washed glasses to answer him;
"In the kitchen," he said, "what are you here for?"
"Nothing much, nothin' much at all, unfortunately."
The young man stood up with 5 large glasses of beer which he held by the handles in hands, placing them on the table for a moment, not saying much, before he could speak again,
"Where is Wisker?" he asked as he placed the full glass of bear on the table of the four men, Troust hissed at the question but calmed down, answering in a very hushed voice, light but enough for Luth to hear within the proximity and also it did not seem that they, the bandits, acknowledged him yet,
"Got... killed."
"Killed?", the young man repeated, half astonished and half amused, "And pray tell me who did such a thing?" the young man asked, in a little dramatic tone with clear sarcasm in his voice.
Troust was annoyed a bit with his tone but did not pass any offensive answer to him and opened his mouth to answer the original question, "Armon, the damned commander. I don't understand what his business was in the forest."
The young man with a raised eyebrow, did not obviously believe them, so told his looks, "Would Armon kill Wisker just because he knew you were bandits or somethin'? He is the better one out the the other three commanders."
A this the bandit leader scrunched his nose, "True enough, he only hurt him, he could have be'n saved if we took him to a village nearby perhaps." he answered honestly, while taking a large sip from the beer glass, "I finished the job that's why, couldn't take that baggage with us." he concluded and stared at the young man who gave a look of disapprovement the excuse, he took another large sip, "Do not dare yo' give me that look, besides, you act like that man did not disgust you as well."
"Disgusted me more than yo' but didn't mean you kill yo' own member.", the man answered, gripping at the handle of the last beer glass; lifting it up to his mouth.
The elder man who Luth previously saw made he appearance out of the kitchen, he walked closer stopping beside the other man, Troust smirked at his wrinkled face when Troust reached in his pocket as he searched while he spoke,
"Got yo' a really valuable thing, must go for a lot in th'—"
The old man silenced him by lifting up his finger over his own mouth, then quietly motioning towards the direction of Luth. At this Troust did immediately removed his hand off his pocket while leaning back on the chair, his tone converting into much of a quieter tone,
"Ne'er imagined a knight would visit your shack of a' inn."
The elder man stared him down, obviously quite mad at the comment but made no reply, and then the waitress finally emerged out of the kitchen as well with Luth's order in her tray. She delicately placed the bowl of stew and a plate of bread down on his table before she bowed,
"Enjoy your meal, sir." and saying that she went away.
Luth intended to leave as soon as possible when he caught the sight of Troust but in his famished state there was not much of a place to leave and felt obliged by his heart to fill his stomach with some food before he was prepared for another endevor.
The conversation of the bandits had transformed into much more of a causal one while they enjoyed their own drinks and Luth completely turned his mind on eating the meal as it was finished in a quick pace.
He felt his stomach was full, and then the young man asked to his suddenly,
"Good sir, do not mind my question, but it is quite early for a member of any Order to be up and you are yourself inside here, such a small in for a knight, or a caster perhaps. Do you come from business r anything of that sort?"
"No." said Luth, almost instantly, then providing further of an excuse that his mind could come up with, "I have come for some personal affairs around."
"Have you?" he asked, and turned his head lower to get a view of his features "May I see your face? if that does not concern you, good sir, for you seem young to be of an order."
"Do you doubt me?"
"Perhaps."
Troust also seemed to lean closer after hearing the conversation that took place between them, and Luth had seen no way of escape, either than to leave unconventionally, which likely won't take place and succeed at the same time, or else he would reveal his identity, drawing danger upon himself along with the bandits.
It appeared that he did not have to make a choice though, for he was taken astounded when the young man slipped off his hood swiftly and he turned frantically, suddenly meeting his eyes with Troust who stared him down, eyes whitening, flowing with blood, and now extremely red as he smiled with somewhat of a sadistic glee.
"If it is not our little timid frog." he said as he reached for his shoulder, pressing his finger-nails roughly within his deltoids, ensuring that there was no way to escape his grip, for Luth. "Why, you did not even do us the pleasure of telling your name. If only you were not so stubborn."
"Know the man?" the young man asked.
"Known him well," Troust stood up and placed his heel on top of Luth's shoes, almost crushing him with his strength. "A part of Wisker's death. Though I wish to kill him right now, as every one of my organ pleads, I should make do with the fact that it will be a loss; so I'm takin' this one to the Catacombs to sell."
The elder man shook his head, "And why do you think you wan to do that?"
"Old man," he answered, while grabbing his jaw with the other hand turning it to face the elder, and Luth stayed cautiously silent, not daring to make a move yet, seeking for a chance to find a proper way out, "he does have a fine face. Won't that go for a lot?"
"He does have a fine face." the old man muttered. "Well do what you wish, it is not my job, not my job."
He said as he turned to go back to his counter and handle other things that do concern him.
Troust tugged him by the hair and dragged him out, out to the ally where there was an astute lack of people darkness engulfing them—despite the bright sun—casted upon by the tall buildings on both side of the alley.
He pulled him away, deeper inside the alley while the other bandits followed, all equally amazed that they had caught the hold of him. Luth as he was being dragged, saw a small pot, and an opportunity, near the window of another house, he reached for it, in a moment, smashed it against Troust's tough skull, which caused him to release his grip slightly upon his hairs. With that he gave a harsh kick in this center of his gut, the bandit leader feel on his knee due to the sudden force.
Seeing his chance, he quickly got up and ran deeper within the alley, within the darkness as footsteps chased him.