A ghost of a smile danced over Alexi's lips at the sight of Katherine's own grin, vanishing swiftly as she turned her attention back towards him. He took the opportunity to pull one of the remaining pieces of bread from between them, fingers tapping idly upon it's sides as he took a moment to ponder the proper response to her question.

"Security would be one reason, I suppose." He managed to keep himself from shrugging along with the statement. Confidence was necessary, not indifference. "I'm heading to Avantshire to complete a commission, and while caravans stress security and safety for all who travel with them... many people mean many more ways for things to go wrong. That's also one reason why I didn't hire a courier."

He also wasn't quite finished with the translation of the documents, but Alexi didn't feel like he should start talking about the papers in question here. Public locations -no matter how upstanding- were rife with wandering ears, and only Katherine was the one who needed to know the details of his trip. The documents weren't the same as spices or gold, but could still be valuable if one knew how to pawn it off. It's loss or destruction would also mean the loss of trust Alexi had managed to build up over the years, effectively destroying any possibility of continuing his work as a scribe.

And the loss of that shelter was not one he could easily overcome.

"The other reason is that, after my business in Avantshire is completed, I hope to continue travelling." The smell of the bread in his hands was enticing, but he resisted taking a bite for now. Katherine's question still needed to be answered in full. "There are a number of small villages between there and the southern sands that caravans almost never reach. I hope to travel among them for as long as I am able, after my commission."

The smell was too much. Having felt he had said enough to answer her question, Alexi chose to finally allow himself the bread held in his hands. It proved a balm to his otherwise-empty stomach, richer than his recent fare and leaving his mouth watering for more. He polished off the piece he had taken with quick, neat bites, resisting for now the urge to take another, but eyeing it about as often as he matched Katherine's gaze. 

The stomach was a terrible thing to try and compete against, despite current importance. But their meals should not be too long off... and if they were, then the bread would still be there to help.