Zuretta was about as Shuriman as a city could get.

It was built along a single main street, smaller roads curving outwards like the streams of a river. The stone brick buildings were a dirty brown - weathered after years of sandstorms and bloody conflict. Despite this, the city was alive with activity- customers and merchants arguing over prices as overstuffed carts rattled on the dirt roads. Colorful banners hung across the street, all bearing the crimson cross-shaped sigil of their deity: a Goddess of Conquest, Warfare and Fertility.

It was unremarkable - and that was why they were here.

Both were covered in more than enough robes to hide their appearances from prying eyes, and he loathed every second. Ezreal had assumed he had conquered the Shuriman heat, but that was before he had to wear three layers of clothing in the middle of the day. To make things a tad worse, Kai'Sa was tense as soon as they passed the city gates - her sour mood worsening with every minute within the crowds.

A local Shuriman with a sword the size of his arm passes by, flinging a volley of curses in the local dialect as he shoves past Kai'Sa with a bit too much force. Her plasma coated claw peeks out of her makeshift sleeves.

"Are you ok?" Ezreal is abruptly pushed closer to her by a gaggle of raiders, bearing all sorts of weapons. " You don't seem to be in a good mood."

"I will live."

"You wanna talk about it? I heard that helps."

Silence. Guess that was a no.

"We're almost there." Ezreal tries again. "I know the innkeeper personally - she doesn't ask many questions and gives big discounts to foreigners."

"Are you sure we can trust her?"

"As sure as I am that-"

A loud crash causes both of them to jump. Her armored claw briefly wraps around his own, grip tightening around the gauntlet.

The source of the noise was apparent, a camel-drawn cart had tipped over as it made a sharp turn - spilling dozens of pots and pans onto the dirt. The driver curses, and Kai'Sa quickly lets go of his hand as if hoping he wouldn't notice.

Their route took them further from the main marketplace that dominated what little space there was in the rural town, and more towards the outskirts. Goats and chickens clustered under the shade to avoid the Shuriman heat, occasionally replaced by cracked fields that hadn't gotten any water in years. The smell left a lot to be desired, but after his experiences in the Void tunnels- Ezreal knew to be grateful.

Quickly taking a right at a smaller square, the explorer feels a tinge of nostalgia as he comes upon a place he could actually recognize. The wall; built decades ago when defending Zuretta actually mattered. There were more than a few holes, but he doubted anyone would be bothered to fix them. And within its shadow is a small rectangular building, a battered sign indicating its purpose.

"There it is!" He smiles. "The Palace of Dreams! Best accommodations in all of Shurima!"

Someone screams from inside the ramshackle inn. A window on the second floor flies open, allowing a white bird to fly up and out into the horizon. How did a chicken even get up there?

"Yeah, for Shuriman standards this is about as close to a five star hotel as we can get."

As usual, Kai'Sa didn't seem to respond or care about his attempts at humor. While it did make him a bit infuriated, Ezreal didn't really want to make her irritable mood worse than it already was.

The two of them enter the inn, pushing past the bead curtains draped across the doorway - revealing a small lobby that looked more like a living room. Both make sure one last time they were fully covered, with Kai'Sa adjusting to better hide her living armor.

The only occupant of the lobby was a thin figure reading from a scroll - adorned in dark blue robes and a simple purple shawl. As they pass, the man looks up from his reading: before pulling his hood over his head and leaving. Each of their footsteps caused the wooden planks below to creak loudly, announcing their presence.

"Ola! Remember me Kuvera?"

The innkeeper stood up from her desk, a wrinkled old woman who looked older than the city.

"That accent - Ezreal? The foreigner?"

"Yup! I'm back from my trip!"

He quickly removes the shawls draped across his head as the woman shambles forward, hobbling on her cane. The explorer awkwardly leans in as the innkeeper feels his face, her hands about as soft as sandpaper.

"Ah, my boy, it's been so long, how have you been?" She pinches his cheek, it takes all of his willpower to not pull away. "Your skin is so rough, you need to take better care of it!"

Ezreal notices Kai'Sa watching uneasily, ready to step in on his behalf. He quickly points up at his eyes, and that gets her to calm down.

Kuvera was blind.

"Have you gotten thinner? All I feel is skin and bone - who is feeding you?"

When the woman stops to wheeze a breath, Ezreal interjects.

"Actually I might want to stay here for a bit, sooo can I get my old room back?"

As if to emphasize his point, the prodigy subtly pats at a pouch on his belt. Uncle Lymere may have hated his guts, but the man was rich; and Ezreal had taken more than enough from his bank account to last for a long time.

"You are in luck, it just so happens to be available- Bertram just cleaned it a few days ago actually."

Kuvera disengages, allowing Ezreal to massage his wounded cheek. He glances over towards Kai'Sa, glowing eyes fixed on the old innkeeper as Kuvera shuffles towards her desk- rummaging about for a key.

"Where is he by the way?"

"Bert is out in the market." Kuvera hums. "He'll be back before dinner, if he's not busy drinking himself to death that is."

After grumbling some more, the woman produces a small key - attached to a pendant carved with '015' - slapping it onto the table.

"Pleasure doing business with you mam." Ezreal slides over a few coins, and Kuvera's kind smile grows into one of greed as she tucks them away. "Oh yeah, by the way, I have a friend with me- so maybe we can get two rooms?"

Ezreal nudges her with one elbow. Kai'Sa manages a muttered 'hello'.

"Oh? A friend? Let me see her-"

Before he can get between them, Kuvera is already on her way to the girl- whose mask drops in a panic. The adventurer tries not to laugh as Kai'Sa displays the equivalent of 'frozen in fear' - remaining deathly still.

"Such sharp features-" The old woman laughs, pinching the girl's cheek. "So cold as well, are you sure you're Shuriman? What's your name dear?"

"Kaisa."

"What a wonderful name!"

The girl looks to him desperately for help in escaping Kuvera's grasp, but Ezreal can't really do much except give her emotional support from outside of the innkeeper's grabbing range.

"Uh, Kuvera, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Right, right. Silly me-" The innkeeper finally let go."I must apologize, Kaisa, we do not often receive strangers around these parts- just the same old few people."

Immediately, Kai'Sa retreated without another word: and while her face quickly returned to her usual dead calm- there was a bit of pink embarrassment on her cheeks.

"On a more serious note, I would be glad to have you both here- but most of the rooms are occupied."

If it's a matter of coin I can always pay extra if so long as we can get two rooms-"

"No, no it is not payment." The old woman lowers her voice, stepping close enough that Ezreal could see the healed scars covering her eyes. "You see, I couldn't just kick these people out even if I wanted to."

Kai'Sa is the one who speaks on their behalf, and Ezreal worries if she was going to start fighting for the rooms.

"Who are they?"

"Religious types, pilgrims, preachers, heretics - you know what I mean." Kuvera sighs. "Our Holy Lady wouldn't want them here. But they pay very, very well - and coin is coin right?"

Crap. Looks like he wasn't the only one to have used the Palace to travel discreetly. Ezreal looked to Kai'Sa for ideas, but the girl gave him a look that clearly told him that this was his problem to solve.

"So how many rooms do you actually have available?"

"Just the one." Her fake smile never leaves. "And it only has one bed."