He heard the rumours. Of course he did. It was his job to listen. Many thought it was merely his skill with blade and pistol that made him the longest lived Lord Protector of the Kaldwin Dynasty, but many a time a plan was foiled due to an innocuous rumour, or otherwise errant rumour or gesture.
The informality in which Corvo and Jessamine had acted with one another only fuelled the rumours; the banter and the small, private jokes. But it was necessary to for two people who must spend so much time together to enjoy one another's company. Corvo's unrestricted access to the young Empress was seen as further proof; the only other to have such unrestricted access to Jessamine was, in later years, her daughter, Emily. And, if rumours were to be believed, his daughter too. Her darker skin and somewhat Serkonan facial features certainly seemed to lend credence to the rumours.
Few remembered the Fugue Feast before Emily's birth, in particular the visit from a certain Serkonan Lord. Fewer still remembered how taken the impressionable young Empress had been with him. Only Corvo remembers Jessamine's tears after she realised she had been taken advantage of. Only Jessamine remembered the emotionless mask on her Lord Protector's face when she learned of the sudden death of a certain Serkonan Lord, which just happened to coincide with her Lord Protector's annual visit home.
Jessamine's quiet anger that stayed night stayed with Corvo and resolved that Emily's true father would remain the last and only life he would take in vengeance. He will fail in that resolve.
Even though he stayed his blade from those City Watch who were just doing their jobs, Corvo's blade didn't stay dry during his time as the Masked Felon. He made sure that those responsible for his Jessamine's death all saw the same thing in their final moments in life; the steel and wire skull that became his face six months after his entire world collapsed around him.
Many years after his vengeance was completed, Corvo lay on his death bed and finally divulged a secret to Emily that he had kept for decades. That despite a child's drawing, left for him in an abandoned pub's attic, hanging in his private study, despite the rumours that persisted for decades, and no matter how much he loved Jessamine and wished it were true; he was not Emily's father. To which Emily replied that she knew. She had known since she had received a letter from her mother, that Jessamine had written in the case that something should happen to her.
Emily the Wise told the dying man that although he may not be her father by blood, he was her father in every way that mattered. He was there, helping her throughout her life. He helped teach her about her Empire, supported her during the Loyalist Conspiracy, and has all-but given his life for her multiple times during her reign. With that, Corvo Attano, former Masked Felon and silent Lord Protector of the greatest Empresses the Empire of Isles has ever witnessed breathed his last and was put to rest beside his greatest love, Jessamine, in a spire of Dunwall Tower.
Thus ends the story of Corvo Attano; one of the few people who piqued the interest of The Outsider and a man who changed the course of history by both blood and steel, and words and intrigue.
Author's Note:
Despite the ending, which I personally think is rather weak, I am somewhat surprised with how much I like this story. If any of the few people who like my writing has any better ideas, please feel free to message me and I will change the ending if I like your suggestions.
Many thanks,
Tahyldras
