Two deep red eyes slowly opened, narrowing slightly as the sun's warm rays shone onto them.
Narlou stretched his tired body with a yawn, smiling as he spotted the two young Champions in a bed next to him cuddled together, the steady rise and fall of their chests telling him that they were still asleep.
The barely audible noise of people talking outside on the streets and the rising sun in the sky showed it to be morning, so they should probably start getting out of bed if they wanted to get some of the breakfast that the inn offered in the morning.
Letting out a satisfied sigh as his back cracked silently one last time, Narlou swung his feet over the side of the bed, grabbing his clothes that he had just thrown on the floor yesterday and put them on with some effort.
The tightness of them was becoming a problem. Not because it was uncomfortable -which it was- but because of the city he was in. He had already noticed it yesterday, and a quick glance out of the window onto the streets confirmed it. Everyone dressed like they were a noble or an important person with flowy dresses, fancy hats, and shining shoes, making him feel completely out of place with his plain and undersized clothes. Back in the war obsessed Noxus, nobody would give him a glance even if he were to walk the streets half naked, but the judging stares he got from the Ionians were still freshly burned into his memory.
'Looks like me and the kids will go shopping today.' Narlou decided with an excited smile.
It would be his first time doing something like that, and he was understandably thrilled about a new adventure, not to mention that the kids would also be happy about a fresh batch of clothes.
Talking about the kids, his mission to put on the clothes had seemingly created enough noise for them to wake up as well.
'Or maybe their senses are just that sharp now.'
"Good morning."
"Morning." Yasuo mumbled back and Yone just nodded silently, both of them still half asleep.
"Come on you sleepyheads, let's go eat something."
Narlou ignored Yasuo's complaints about impatient old people and together, they went downstairs to a table that was still free.
After ordering some simple soup for the three of them, Narlou decided that the kids were awake enough to hear his plans.
"I'm going to get some new cloths today."
Both kids immediately perked up.
"Since Lady Karma has been nice enough to give us this little coin, we are free to do and buy whatever we want. You guys want to come with me?"
"Of course!" Yasuo immediately answered, almost jumping from his seat while his older brother simply nodded.
"Alright, it's decided then!"
One tasty soup later showed Narlou and the kids to be wandering the streets of the capital. He failed to notice it yesterday since there were much bigger things occupying his mind at that time, but now that he was relatively free of stress, Narlou could finally appreciate the beauty of the city. It was amazing to see nature so in tune with human architecture, and it made him feel quite comfortable after having spent so much time in Ionia's forests.
A pleased smile tugged at his lips.
'The Capital of Navori is truly lovely. Not only the city itself, but also the people occupying it. Noxus doesn't even hold a candle to it.'
No matter where he looked, he saw one beautiful person after the other, each having brighter eyes, fairer skin, and more attractive bodies than the last. It was something that all the Ionian people seemed to have in common, and Narlou almost felt himself becoming jealous. Beauty was something one had to be born with, kind of like a talent. Sure, one could try everything to change their looks, but they would never be as good looking as someone who was born with natural beauty.
His eyes met a pair of sharp yellow gold ones that gleamed like a pair of gemstones under the cloudless sky. Holding those two stunning jewels in place was a perfectly shaped face with high cheekbones, a sharp jawline, along with a cute nose and full lips. The woman's silky dark blue hair flowed down her back like a waterfall and curled around her face like the dark sky at night curled around the bright stars beyond.
He had to physically force himself to look away, a noticeable blush spreading on his face. That woman was a perfect example of a natural beauty, and it reaffirmed his believe that he himself belonged into the other group.
'How could someone like me ever compare to someone like her.'
He glanced back to where the woman stood just a few seconds ago, but she was already gone, probably having already forgotten him.
'Whatever, let's focus on our current goal, which is finding a tailor.'
Forcing the image of those unforgettable eyes out of his mind with a determined nod, Narlou focused his thoughts back on something that was most definitely not out of his league.
Fresh, good-looking clothes.
Doing something like this was a first for all the young warriors, so none of them really had any idea of what to look for, and the stares that Narlou was receiving didn't really help him concentrate either.
'I know that my clothes are plain and way too tight for me, but something like that shouldn't draw that much attention! These Ionians are definitely overreacting!'
Shaking his head with slight annoyance, Narlou's eyes finally landed on something that might be what they were looking for.
"Let's go over there." He pointed to the small but clean-looking shop that had all kinds of dresses hanging at the front of it, probably to attract customers, causing the kids who had been looking around in wonder to quickly follow his gaze.
"Look how cool they look! Come on Yone, there's no time to waste!"
Smiling at the swordsman's enthusiasm, Narlou followed him and Yone, who was dragged by Yasuo into the store like a lifeless sack of potatoes. He didn't even try to resist and Narlou couldn't fault him at all. Resisting Yasuo's energy was like walking through a solid stone wall.
A small bell chimed as they entered the building, and the atmosphere immediately changed. The outside noises became significantly quieter, and the smell of wool and leather entered his nostrils. The wooden floor was clean, and the well-ordered shelves were full of folded clothes with all kinds of price tags on them.
It was Narlou's first time seeing anything like this, and he had to admit that he felt slightly intimidated. The shop might've looked small from the outside, but now that they were inside it suddenly seemed to have doubled in size. Where should he even start looking? Were there sections that he was not allowed to enter? How should-
"How can I help you?" A modulated voice spoke up from the right, and Narlou turned to see a man dressed in a black suit smiling at them.
His hair was short and orderly, and his face cleanly shaven, causing Narlou to feel quite uncomfortable in front of such a well-dressed man.
"Hello, can we buy some cloths here?"
He knew it was a stupid question, but he didn't really know what else to say. Luckily, the man didn't seem to mind his inexperience.
"Why yes! All the clothes you can see here and many more are for you to try on and buy if you desire. I do of course also accept custom orders so the cloths can fit your body perfectly."
Yasuo, who had been quietly looking around until now, suddenly spoke up.
"Do you also have cloths for swordsmen?"
"For swordsmen?"
The man rubbed his chin in thought.
"I am not sure if this is what you mean young sir, but I can tailor you some cloths that not only look good but also give you freedom with your movement."
"Yes! That sounds perfect!"
"Wonderful! Do you also wish to have some custom-made cloths, sir?" The man said, turning to Narlou with his hands clasped together.
"If I may be so bold, I doubt that any of the cloths in here will fit your body, sir."
Narlou blushed slightly as he was once again reminded of his super tight shirt. Why would there be no clothes that would fit his body? Was it weird? Did he have unusual body proportions?
"M-my body?"
"Please excuse my language! It was not meant to be an insult at all, quite the opposite in fact! You have a very muscular, yet lean form that not many people in Ionia have. Even the brave Ionian warriors usually maintain a slim body to make use of their nimble and swift nature!"
"O-oh, I see. I appreciate the compliment, but I would still like to look around first."
The man nodded with a small smile and turned to the brothers who were waiting with barely hidden excitement. Well, at least in Yasuo's case. Yone looked the same as always, though maybe a tiny bit less stiff.
"Very well, please follow me. I shall take your measures and you can tell me the details about your clothing preferences in the meantime." The man said with a professional tone, and Narlou watched as he led the kids to the back of the shop.
"Remember kids, the money is not a problem, you can ask for anything you want." He yelled after them, to which Yasuo gave a thumbs up and Yone nodded.
Once they entered a room in the back of the shop, Narlou let his gaze wander over all the different garments occupying the shelves. The reason he had not immediately accepted the man's offer of a custom-made outfit was not because he didn't want that, but because he wanted to get an idea for what he wanted first. The only time he had seen proper clothing had been during his current stay in the Capital after all.
The time went by quickly as Narlou looked through the shop with fascination. For a man who had spent most of his time in a mine, this was an entirely new experience. Rows upon rows of all kinds of dresses, shirts, trousers, and other things could be found in every corner of the shop, and nothing was the same either.
"Amazing." He muttered under his breath as he inspected a particularly expensive pair of black gloves with beautiful patterns woven skillfully into them.
He was thrown out of his musing as he heard the door to the backroom open, the man and his two brothers walking out with pleased expressions.
"I'm guessing that you are finished?"
"That's right!"
"Have you finished looking around, sir?" The man asked in the same polite tone as before, and Narlou turned to him with a smile.
"I have."
"Wonderful! Then, follow me please."
A few minutes and some questions later found an impressed Narlou already walking back towards the two chatting kids. The man was skilled without a doubt and Narlou felt pretty satisfied with what outfit they had agreed on.
"So, how long does this usually take?" Narlou asked as he positioned himself next to the kids who stopped talking to listen to the man's answer.
"I Like to think that I'm quite talented, so you may return in a few hours to pick up your orders."
Narlou quirked a curious eyebrow at them man.
"It only takes a few hours?"
"Why indeed! My family's art of tailoring is efficient and precise! You shall put your trust in me when it comes to clothes, and I shall not disappoint!"
"Alright. We will trust you with this then." Narlou said in acceptance, turning towards Yone and Yasuo next to him.
"You guys want to look around the city while we wait?"
Receiving a nod form the older and an excited "Yes!" from the younger brother, Narlou once again faced the patiently waiting tailor.
"We will come back in a few hours."
"Wonderful! I shall hurry!"
With that said, the man quickly but not any less elegantly walked back to where he took their measures, disappearing behind the door.
"So, what did you guys ask for?"
Yasuo wasted no time telling him about his brilliant idea to pick matching cloths but with different colors, pride drenching every word he spoke.
"As for the actual clothing," Yone cut in with an eye role before Yasuo could go on another monologue about his genius, causing Narlou to let out a not-so-quiet laugh, "we went for some loose black pants and a traditional Ionian robe. I picked red and Yasuo blue."
"Huh, that actually sounds pretty cool. I just picked some brown pants with a black shirt."
Both kids send him a misbelieving look as if asking him if he was for real, causing Narlou to scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.
"What? I couldn't think of anything! Plus, it'll get shredded the next time I fight anyways!"
He felt a blush creep up his face as Yasuo shook his head, obviously disappointed. With heavy steps, the young swordsman walked up to him, and Narlou could hear a silent "Oh boy." Coming from the older brother.
"You clearly don't know about the importance of proper clothing, so let me…"
Narlou spent at least an hour listening to Yasuo's lecture, but Yone was eventually kind enough to help him out by distracting Yasuo with some other unimportant thing. Another few hours quickly went by as they went from shop to shop and visited many different places nearby, and after yet another hour passed and the sun was already past it's peak in the sky, Narlou and the brothers decided to go back and see if the tailor had already finished their order.
Entering the doors of the tailor's shop once again, Narlou suddenly found himself face to face with the tailor who was seemingly already waiting for them with an eager smile.
"You have come at the perfect time! I have just finished the final touches of your clothes. Do you want to try them on immediately?"
"Y-yes, that would be great." Narlou answered, still a bit perplexed.
Without another word, the man proceeded to lead them to a table in the back of the shop, on which three separate piles of clothing were placed.
"You may use the changing rooms over there. I will be waiting here."
He pointed at two small rooms cut off from the rest with thick black curtains blocking the eyes of anyone who would be a little too curious.
"Thank you." Narlou quickly said, eager to put on something other than the much too tight shirt.
By the time he reached his changing room, the boys had already disappeared into their own ones, the excitement seemingly overshadowing any patience.
Slipping into the small room, he quickly put on his new clothes while throwing the used ones into his inventory, looking at himself in the big mirror covering one side of the room.
The brown pants were just as he expected, loose and comfortable and surprisingly similar to his hair color, but what surprised him was the shirt. It was tight enough for his toned muscles to shine through but oddly not uncomfortable. The soft fabric was very stretchy, seemingly hugging his skin with the perfect amount of pressure, so even when flexing his muscles, the tightness didn't change.
Only after pulling at the curious fabric for few moments did the young man notice the markings that were engraved into the shirt's shoulders. He didn't specifically request that, but the strong red color was the exact shade of his eyes, making him happy about the unexpected addition.
He was indeed very satisfied with the new outfit.
"Come on Narlou, hurry up!" Yasuo's voice brought Narlou back to reality and he quickly stepped out of the changing room, coming face to face with two freshly dressed brothers.
"You two look like proper swordsmen now." He said with a genuine smile, ruffling through their hair.
"Heh, of course we do!" Yasuo said proudly, though neither he nor Yone could hide the small blush that Narlou's compliment caused.
"Well then, it seems as if everyone is quite pleased with their new attire! I assume there is nothing else you need?"
"No, that's all. But thank you very much!"
He was genuine with his thanks, and the man gave him a happy smile in return.
"Splendid! It will be a total of 2 gold and 7 silver coins."
Narlou paled at the price, silently thanking Karma for the jade coin.
"Err, actually, can I pay with this?"
He held out the small coin carefully, half expecting the man to start laughing at his face. Instead, it was the man's turn to pale.
"O-oh my! To think that I would meet the guests of Lady Karma herself! There has been lots of rumors about a man who was spotted with the Lady just yesterday, but to think that it was you, sir! I deeply apologize for not noticing earlier!" The man said with a deep bow.
Narlou quickly put up his hands in a disarming manner, blushing slightly at the unexpected show of respect.
"Ahh, please don't be sorry, you couldn't have known!"
Letting out a sigh of relieve as the man rightened himself, Narlou tried his best to ignore the kids snickering at his awkwardness and held up the coin again.
"So, this pays for everything, right?"
"Of course! In fact, if there is anything else you need, feel free to take it! As long as Lady Karma endorses you, the city of Navori and all its residents shall do the same!"
"Alright! Thank you again for your help and have a nice day!"
"The pleasure was all mine!"
With the still giggling brothers in tow, Narlou left the shop, feeling like a new person with his new clothes. A gust of fresh air tickled across his face, and he took a deep, refreshing breath.
"So, what do you guys think about exploring the city a bit more?"
It was Yasuo who took the lead with an excited smile, not even waiting for him or his brother to follow him.
"Sometimes I feel ashamed to call this brat my brother."
He snickered into his fist.
"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WAITING FOR, HURRY UP ALREADY!"
Yone's sigh made him giggle even harder.
"Let's not keep him waiting, come on!"
He could swear that Yone had just invented new insults as the young swordsman grumbled under his breath, but he followed him to catch up with Yasuo, nonetheless.
He smiled.
These two were truly worth protecting.
It was late afternoon by the time Irelia stopped searching for Narlou.
She had searched through many places in hopes of coming across the name of the man she was looking for, but not only did she have no clue about what the man looked like, but the city was also simply too big to look through every tavern in one day.
So, she had accepted defeat for the day, and though her prideful side was chewing her out like raw meat, Irelia was currently on her way to Karma's office to acquire more information on said man.
Knock Knock Knock
"Come in."
While she would've loved to just barge in like she had done before, she had to respect Karma's position as the leader of Ionia, and Irelia would rather avoid disrupting an important meeting or something similar.
Said little part of her consciousness that was just telling her to be nice immediately vanished upon seeing a downright devious smirk form on the woman's face as she entered.
"Irelia, what a surprise to see you here."
Surprise was the last thing she heard in the leader's voice.
"Stop being annoying and just tell me where he is."
Karma put down the pen she had been writing with, turning her head to give Irelia her full attention.
"Why don't you sit down first. There is something that I'd like to talk about with you anyways."
Irelia slumped onto the offered chair in front of Karma's desk with a sigh, not finding the energy to keep her body upright after a whole day of searching for someone in her still not fully healed state.
"What do you want."
The warlord knew that she was behaving like a child, but she just couldn't help it after her unsuccessful mission.
"Irelia, please be honest with me. What are you going to do when you find Narlou?"
She shrugged.
"Pay him back."
Karma's brows furrowed ever so slightly.
"And how exactly are you going to do that?"
"I'm going to give him whatever he wants until I've given him as much happiness as he has given me." She said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
Karma sighed, but before she could respond with anything, Irelia was already talking again.
"listen, I know how dumb that sounds and I know that you are worried, but it's how I am and it's how I've always done things. This man has done something for me that is far more precious than all the money in the world, so the least I can do is repay him."
"And this is precisely why I'm so worried. Going by what you have just said, Narlou could essentially make you a slave to his will if he wants to do so, and I don't want that to happen."
A silence settled between them as Irelia silently looked at the ground.
Eventually, she exhaled, leaning back into the chair.
"You're right. But then what should I do?"
Karma's concerned face brightened, and a smile appeared on her face.
"Isn't that obvious? Listen to what he wants first, and then decide whether you do it or not."
Irelia sat up straight again with a sudden burst of energy, leaning forward with a frown directed at Karma.
"And that's exactly where the problem is. What if he wants something from me that I don't wanna do? Just not do it and move on? That goes against everything I just told you! I'm serious about this, so I will give him whatever he wants, even if it's all the money I have."
Her face suddenly gained a red hue, and Karma almost missed the silent words that the other woman mumbled.
"Or if it's s-something else."
The leader of Ionia stared at Irelia for a long minute, conflicted emotions battling inside her head, until she finally sighed in defeat.
"Very well. I will let you do what you want, but if I find out that he asked for something less than acceptable, I will act accordingly, regardless of what you say about this."
A thankful smile blossomed on the younger woman's face.
"Don't worry, I'm sure it will be alright."
She paused for a second.
"Probably."
Karma stifled a laugh.
"If it makes you feel any better, Narlou seemed like a kind man."
Irelia visibly relaxed at that. Karma was very rarely wrong with her impressions about other people, so hearing her say this definitely made this a whole lot easier.
"So now that we've talked about that, you can surely tell me where he is and what he looks like, right?"
Karma let out a small laugh, causing Irelia's brow to twitch.
"Nice try, but I'm still not telling you."
"Come on! At least give me something to work with!"
"Hmm, he has brown hair."
Irelia almost growled out loud.
"Do you know how many people have brown hair in this fucking city?!"
Karma was smiling from ear to ear at this point, and Irelia had to hold herself back from firing a string of very inappropriate insults at her leader.
"Well, whatever. I'm done looking for him for today, and I really feel like paying Duqual a little visit right now."
She had been trying to be patient and find Narlou first, but since it was clear that she wouldn't be finding him anytime soon, she might as well do what she had been wanting to do for such a long time now.
And that was sweet, oh so sweet revenge.
To Karma's credit, she didn't even raise an eyebrow as she stood up from her seat and walked towards the exit with long steps.
"Very well, follow me."
The walk seemed much too long for Irelia, but when they finally reached the cell of Irelia's personal nightmare, Karma turned to the giddy Ionian Champion.
"You can do whatever you want, but please leave him in one piece. We still haven't interrogated him fully yet."
Irelia's grin turned bloodthirsty.
"Finally! You can't even imagine how long I've waited for this day!"
Now, Irelia would like to consider herself a gentle person. Yes, she had a bad temper sometimes, but she had never been one to hurt other people for fun.
But this man?
She couldn't keep her grin from growing as she let her imagination run free.
Karma finally opened the door and Irelia pounced onto her prey like a rabid dog, the savage smile never leaving her face.
By the time Irelia came back to Karma's office a few hours later, her entire body was covered in blood that didn't belong to her. But that was none of Karma's concerns. As long as the healers could keep him alive and ready to speak, she wouldn't complain.
Besides, how could she be mad when Irelia was in such a great mood?
The sun was already high in the sky by the time the capital of Navori came into view. It had taken longer than expected, but she had finally done it. She had reached the city.
It only took a few more minutes for the agile woman to reach the high walls of the city, and a while they were heavily guarded, she had no problems with sneaking past them and entering the city illegally.
She could've of course just gone through the gates like any normal traveler, but she would rather keep her stay here a secret before rumors would spread.
She didn't plan on staying here for long after all.
A quick scan of the taller buildings in the city was all she needed to spot what she was looking for, and she was on the rooftops a few jumps later, running across them to reach her destination as soon as possible.
Luck was on her side, because the window to the room she wanted to enter was already open, so she didn't waste another second and jumped onto the windowsill with one smooth leap.
The inside still looked the same as she remembered, and there, at a big desk sat the person she was looking for, still scribbling something onto a piece of parchment as if nothing was wrong.
She knew better though, because sneaking up on this person was just about as possible as her missing an unmoving target with a knife.
"You don't have to wait for me to talk, you know. You can just come in." Karma eventually announced, putting her pen down to look at the person who had just entered her office through the open window.
"long time no see, Akali. I thought you were still with Shen?"
Akali sighed as she sat down onto a chair in front of Karma's desk, dropping a small bag onto the floor which held all the essentials that she would need for her travels.
"I've decided that it was time for me to go my own way." She answered.
Karma accepted her words without missing a beat.
"I see. So, what brings you here?"
Akali hesitated for a few seconds before answering, a small blush forming on her face.
"I wanted to see Irelia."
The leader allowed a small smile to appear on her face as she regarded the champion in front of her. She always thought that Akali was way too cute for the battlefield, but she knew better than to question her abilities.
"Then I'm afraid that you will have to wait until evening. She is currently somewhere in the city looking for someone."
"She is?" Akali asked with genuine curiosity.
She knew that Irelia spent most of her time at home or training since she didn't really have many friends for obvious reasons, so hearing that she was not only out in the city at midday but also looking for a person was quite surprising.
"I'm sure that she will tell you about that once you see her. But in the meantime, how would you like to give little ol' me some company while we wait for Irelia? There is much I wish to talk about with you."
Akali nodded with a smile, accepting the cup that Karma handed her and savoring the sweet smell of a tea that one could only get from the leader of Ionia herself.
They talked about many different things while they waited, but one question still remained heavy on her mind during the whole conversation.
Just who was Irelia of all people looking for?