They call it mercy. Piero had even named it Poetic Justice alongside Sokolov, but he knew better than that wasn't truth. Corvo knew that he hadn't been merciful to his targets as he had been getting rid of them. But the people of Dunwall had seemed him as a merciful avenger that had only taken down those that had cause great damage to the frail Empire. As the days had gone by after the coronation of the Empress Emily Kaldwin the first, people in Dunwall had begun spreading stories of Corvo's rightful ways and how he had never take revenge on his enemies, but spare them and let them live. But if they knew the truth, would they still praise him as a hero or just label him as what Lord Burrows had? Would Emily still look after him? He wondered more than once. As he wondered all these things he laid restless on his bed. He looked around and saw the old and familiar room, the one he had used for more less than sixteen years on Dunwall Tower. He finally found a comfortable position to sleep but couldn't, he lay wide awake, thinking in all those that he had taken down. He had been thinking about them more as Hiram Burrows execution draw near. How each of them had found their demise.
First had came Campbell, High Overseer, a man that surround himself with luxuries beyond nobles and any man of faith, as he had claimed to be. Corvo remembered how he had taken him down, disgrace him not only in the sight of the Overseers but on the eyes of all the city. Corvo had secure Geoff Curnow, Callista's uncle, before taking out the High Overseer. He followed Campbell to his safe room, a room in which he seemed to have nice time with the ladies and other excess. He had taken him down and carried his unconscious body to the interrogation room. Corvo had to accept that if he hadn't heard the two Overseers talking about the heretic mark he wouldn't had know how to disgrace Campbell, especially since he didn't want to claim his life. No he wanted the man to suffer the same way that he had suffer, so learning of the mark had been something that had Corvo craving for the moment.
He had put the man on the chair and then proceeded to warm the brand, he looked at it as it started turning into a bright yellow and orange color. Then he had turned to the man on the chair whom seemed to start awakening. Corvo turned the face of the man to his left side, raised the brand and pressed it against Campbell's face. The man had screamed and probably if any Overseer had been around there they might had heard him but all the Overseers were unconscious in the room next door. Corvo had to admit to himself he had enjoyed beyond anything so far the branding of the High Overseer. Still a part of him had wanted to burn the brand through the skull of the screaming man. But as he had put the brand away and looked at his work, the bright red of the tissue, the thin but dark line around it, and the whiteness of the rest of the face, not to mention the slight smell of burning meat, make him smiled in a evil way that he didn't thought he could. He had relish and savor every second of it, knowing that the High Overseer would soon be on the streets where he really belongs.
Later on Corvo had found Campbell again as a weeper, in the Flooded district, and he could had been merciful enough and take down the poor bastard. But he didn't do it, he wanted him to die, to die the worst way possible, killing him would had been showing mercy to someone that didn't deserve it and so he left him being a weeper, let him be a victim of what he created alongside Hiram. Corvo didn't care, he had enjoy branding the man and exiling him, and he was sure of one thing he would do it again if given the chance.
Then had come the turn of the Pendleton twins, Morgan and Custis, both brothers of Treavor, he had requested to talk to Corvo in person, regarding his brothers. Treavor had asked him if he had any siblings but without waiting for an answer and Corvo wasn't going to provide one, the man had asked that both of his older brothers would be killed. Of course, Corvo could have done that, it would have been so simple, but he didn't have anything against them, not a real reason to actually want to see them both death. As he knew that if it wouldn't had been the Pendleton twins, Burrows would had found other nobles to do his dirty on the parliament.
But as he made his way with Samuel toward the Golden Cat, he had asked the boatman what exactly was the place where he was heading. Corvo had never imagined seeing the boatman laugh so much. Samuel had even made a couple of jokes saying that probably the Empress had Corvo way to 'busy' to attend such places, to what Corvo didn't answer. When he had found out that the Golden Cat was a "bathing" house, he was glad that he had the mask on, he could easily said that his face wouldn't had been a pleasant one. As they approach the river bank closest to the Golden Cat Corvo could only think in which way he would get rid of both Pendleton twins, those bastards. How dare they put Emily in a… in a brothel, the future Empress, they were supposed to treat her with respect and yet they had left her under the charge of a Madame. But what had made Corvo's blood boil wasn't exactly that the heir of the throne was in that establishment; as Jessamine had told him once that an Empress or Emperor should know all the business of her or his city. But the fact that his daughter was on a whorehouse, surround with people that couldn't care less about her. That was what make Corvo desire the downfall of both Pendletons so when Slackjaw had propose an exchange of services Corvo had gladly agreed, he would get the safe combination and Slackjaw would get rid of the Pendletons.
Corvo had been in and out of the Golden Cat in less than twenty minutes, though he had to admit that a part of him had wanted to cut down both men or at least their manly parts to see if they still enjoy the brothels later on. Once, Emily and he had reached the street where the Street Bottle Gang locate he saw how she made a run for Samuel's boat and then made the exchange with Slackjaw. Knowing that both men would be send to their silver mines was something that Corvo didn't think so terrible at the beginning. Later on that night remembering how the miners lived on south of Saggunto, Serkono's mining city, have him thought that the deaths of the noblemen would fall on him. Not that he really regret it, but the possibilities weren't really nice. Either that they would die of exhaustion, on a tunnel collapse or of poisoning gases that were in the mine, what would happen to them would be his doing only, no one else.
He wondered if any of them would be alive at that moment, and if they were alive had they heard of their brother's death? Would they be glad with it? Angry? Would they blame Corvo for his death, like the Boyles did? Or would be happy believing that their younger brother had been the master mind behind their downfall, without knowing that if they haven't take Emily to a whorehouse they might had been spare. Yet he didn't really regret sending them to the mines, after all, they like the silver for their whores let them dig it out themselves.
Lady Boyle had come after, as Sokolov had been simply retrieve without harm done to him. He remember the party well enough, he remembered being there more than once as the Boyles like to make some feasts for the Fugue Feast, and as the Empress Royal Protector, he had assist with her more than once. But that time had been different, there won't be anyone to try to stop Esma Boyle from stripping him of his clothes or to talk to Lydia and make her play the piano or simply talking to Waverly Boyle out of courtesy. No, that time he had to find which one of the sisters was the one that was bedding the Lord Regent and take her out. He really didn't want to kill the woman, he didn't felt good in killing a woman with a little sense of whom she bedded. Probably he would be able to think of something in the party, and to his good luck Lord Brisby had appeared, giving him a solution that wouldn't imply a death by Corvo's blade.
It wasn't really that difficult to take Lydia Boyle to the cellar there he took her out and carried her unconscious body to Lord Brisby, who had been more than eager to leave with her. As soon as the small boat disappeared Corvo regretted his decision, as he wondered if the man would actually rape the woman that same instant. As Lord Brisby said, she will have all her life to learn to love me, would that mean he would abuse her? Will he rape her as many times as he wanted? Or would he not touch her until she wanted him to? Would she be able to love the man that would keep her captive for the rest of her life? Corvo's stomach had twisted and he had decided to push that matter to the back of his head.
After Emily's coronation was made and the party had nearly end and most of the nobles that had attend it had departure, the remaining Boyle sisters had asked to speak to him in private. He had gone with them to a small study that was not so far from the main event. As soon as they were alone, Waverly Boyle had slapped him hard enough and Esma had demand to know where their older sister was. Corvo told them that he didn't know, he only know that she was with Lord Brisby to what both sister stared at him with a dark look making Corvo's fears resurface again. The younger sister, had asked him what had Lydia done to him, to what Corvo had simply said, that she was the bank of Hiram Burrows and that probably their money had paid for Jessamine killer and so she had blood on her hands. Neither of the sisters replied anything, they remain silence, to what Corvo added that he neither wanted to cross path with them again, he gave half turned and said that he hoped that their sister would be happy and safe with Lord Brisby as he seem to love her and that he didn't wish anyone to send a killer after her, to what neither of the sister respond. Yet Corvo wasn't sure if delivering Lydia Boyle to Brisby, had been corrected.
After the Lady had come the assassin, not that Daud shouldn't be considered the assassin of Jessamine, but if Hiram had never paid him, she would be alive. For Corvo the real assassin had been the Lord Regent not the knife of Dunwall. He have to admit, it had been way too difficult to decide what to do with Burrows, as a part of him had crave for a personal vendetta against the man that had destroyed his life and another part of him wanted to take revenge for what the former Spymaster did to Emily. Corvo remember the afternoon that Emily arrived to the Hounds Pits, he had gone to see her before supper and heard her asking Callista if Jessamine had been able to survive Daud's attack, just to know that she didn't, then Emily had asked if her mother had a nice funeral. After that Corvo had known that Emily was broken, just as much as he had been. A night after that Emily had gone to his room and asked if she could sleep with him, of course he had let her, though he had wished he had a bigger bed, since being an individual bed, make it a bit uncomfortable for both of them to sleep in comfortable positions. But as soon as Emily had been in Corvo's arms, she had begun crying softly. Corvo had comfort her the best that he could, he would had wanted to tell her that her mother was in Dunwall tower waiting for both of them to return, that this was just a bad dream but he knew that was a lie, and that was when he decided that Burrows most died for what he make his little girl suffer. That snake, that vile man, he had made his little girl know the meaning of desolation and for that the man had to pay the price.
So as Samuel had taken him to Dunwall tower, just across the river, Corvo had been debating himself over, to either bring Burrows to a miserable ending or ending his life in the cruelest way possible. He had needed to make his decision quickly as they had arrived to the tower in less than fifteen minutes. He looked at Samuel and then asked him what he would do in his position, to what the boatman had simple said that he didn't knew and that he somehow gave thanks for that. Then he told Corvo about the broadcasting station, thing that make Corvo understand that Samuel wouldn't kill Burrows, but of course he didn't have the motivation that Corvo have to want to hurt that man. He didn't saw Emily broken, no he didn't.
Sneaking into Dunwall tower was something that came easy for Corvo as he had sneak in and out hundreds of times, most of them with Jessamine. As she had liked to go out of the tower sometimes without all the guards, both of them dress as simple civilians, to enjoy a nice evening by themselves, so passing the guards and sneaking through the ventilation hadn't really been a challenge for Corvo. He had entered the main lobby and spotted a couple of guards having a conversation with Hiram over a screen, he didn't knew who was the City Watch Officer but he did identify General Tobias, he has always been loyal to Burrows, yet Corvo wonder how fateful will the man be once his master fall. Corvo thought in waiting for Burrows to arrive to the Emperors chamber, but then he heard a broadcast and he knew what he was going to do. As he retrieved the recording after talking to the broadcasting officer he apologized silently to Emily, and continued with his personal vendetta. He was going to dishonored Burrows in front of all the men that were loyal to him and all the city of Dunwall, he was going to fall of the grace of the entire city. Although Corvo had to accept that he had already been destroying the life of the former Royal Spymaster, driving him into a more paranoid state, not to mention the fact that Burrows didn't had anymore the control of his own life. No, now it was on Corvo's hands.
So as he played the message he just hoped that the men would had enough honor to set him to prison. Corvo had followed the officers that had taken Burrows to Coldrigde prison in the distance, but before they lower the bridge that join both places, the tower and the prison, he had stood in top of one of the watching platforms and even removed his masked as he had stared at the man. Burrows had turned and stared at where Corvo was standing and then he turned quickly to face the prison. Corvo wasn't sure if Burrows had really saw him, but it didn't matter, he had fall, and he had nothing left but despair ahead of him.
Daud had been very different than the rest, he didn't seem to feel untouchable, nor believe that hiding in a whorehouse would keep him safe. Neither that his connections with the Lord Regent would keep him safe, and even less that if he retreat to his personal fortress he would be safe. He knew that sooner or later Corvo would have gone for him. Of course, a bitter twist of events had Corvo arrived to Daud in a sliver plate, yet things change after what was probably a day. And Daud had waited, waited for Corvo to arrive; he knew that the other Serkonian had escaped his prison. Corvo wonder if Daud had really thought that simple wooden bars would have kept him there, till he was able to collect the ransom, or was that he had intended for Corvo to escape from the beginning.
Corvo had sneak into Daud's quarters without any problem and had even got upstairs, wanting to see if the key he needed would be there, but of course with his bloody luck, the key was in a desk in the lower area where Daud was. As Corvo had searched for the key he had heard the man, complaining and regretting what he had done to Jessamine. Yet every time that Daud mention Jessamine, the Heart that the Outsider had gave Corvo had beat rapidly, Corvo knew pretty well why, since that last time that the heart had beat in a human body, its life had ended by the hand of Daud. A part of Corvo had wanted to go down and cut the man for what he had done to her, to get revenge, blood for blood. Though he knew pretty well that, killing Daud wouldn't bring Jessamine back to life, if it would had been as simple as that, he would had gone down and killed the Serkonian to get back the love of his life. But he heard him and pitied him. Maybe Daud didn't deserve to live, but Corvo was better than him.
He decided to leave a simple message, if the man remembered well enough the traditions of Serkonos he would understand. Corvo had sneak behind him take the key and sneak back to Daud upper quarters, where his bed was. Then he left his message, a blade wrapped in a white sheet, a simple and direct Serkonian threat. Cross again my path and next time the blade won't be clean on a white sheet; it will have your blood on it. If the assassin remembered that, he would stay away from Corvo and Emily, unless of course he didn't value his life or decided to ignore all complete the message. Corvo left Daud's hideout, without turning once.
When the brigaded to start curing the plague had begun most of the City Watch was dispatch to the Flooded district to try to find victims plague to started treating them. Corvo had decided to go and search Daud's old hideout, just to find it empty, as if it had never been used, he went to Daud's quarter and found the blade that had been uncover, Corvo knew in that moment that he would never see the assassin again, and for that he was glad.
After the knife, had come those that he had called friends that he had trusted, he had been a fool and it had almost cost his life. Corvo had got inside King Sparrow Island without any problem at all, he had even been able to get to the top of the lighthouse in less than an hour. He had thought that the three of them would had been waiting for him, maybe even tried to reason with him, and Corvo knew he wouldn't had listen to them. He had been so furious, so angry at them, he had wanted to cut their throats with his blade, just as they assume he had been doing, without knowing that he had never take a life in all this time, not even those that deserved it, he had spared them. Since he knew that there were more terrible fates than death itself. So when he had walked inside the main room to find Martin and Pendleton death bodies and Havelock just talking to himself about how things went so wrong and messier, Corvo knew that the man, the last one that remain, had killed his allied in a lousy try to clean the mess he had made.
Corvo pitied him and past him by, he took the key while the man tried to explain to no one in particular why he did what he did. Corvo knew that Havelock execution would come shortly after Burrows, and he had to admit to himself that he did felt a bit sorry that the Admiral had to be executed, but how could anyone trust him, if he had betrayed the same man that had helped him set the Empire free? Corvo would have wanted for things to go different, but he knew that a man that betrayed another one for power, was a man that wasn't worth having around. So when Havelock was sentenced to execution after Burrows, Corvo didn't pity the man at all.
Still after thinking of his targets and the fact that they deserve what happen to them was keeping him from sleeping was annoying, maybe it was because he knew that his actions weren't merciful, quite the contrary, and that he had even savored and enjoy some of them. He knew that his decision to spare them and make them face another fate that wasn't death, had been worse than a clean death. Killing them with a simple stab on the neck or even cutting off their heads would had been more merciful than what he did to them, for he knew that what he did wasn't mercy at all.