Chapter Three
The Tower
Emperor Kaldwin's writing was interrupted by a soft knock on the door of his private study. He set the pen and paper aside, composing himself, then beckoned the guest in. His secretary, Arnold poked his head in,
"Pardon, your Majesty." He whispered meekly, "but there is a Corvo Attano here to see the Emperor. He claims to have an appointment, but does not appear on the official schedule."
The Emperor racked his thoughts for a moment. Corvo Attano. Corvo Attano. Ah, the Duke's "personal gift". He put on a smile.
"Yes, Arnold, he does have an appointment. I'll see him at once."
The secretary's head disappeared from the doorframe. Euhorn Kaldwin sighed, rubbing his eyes. Suffering from lack of sleep from last night's event, he had trudged into his office, hoping for a relatively relaxing day, only to be greeted by a mountain of paperwork. And now, this. The Serkonan warrior going by the name of Corvo. Not for the first time, he silently asked himself why he had taken up the role of Emperor of the Isles.
His train of thought was put to an abrupt stop as his unexpected guest entered. Corvo Attano. As he glided into the room, he gave a proper bow, paying full respect to the Emperor's position. Emperor Euhorn took a quick moment to study this mysterious newcomer. This so-called "legendary" fighter was no more than a boy. He couldn't be more than eighteen years of age, if even that. Like most Serkonans, Corvo had a darker skin complexion than the inhabitants of Gristol, the effect of exposure to Serkonos's powerful sun. The boy had a head of dark brown hair, cut short to show off his facial features. His eyes, acute brown circles that noticed and took in every detail. Corvo's face was clean shaven, accentuating his hard, angular features. Yet nothing stood out as anything special. The Emperor noted that he wore the same uniform from the party.
Clearing his throat, the Emperor broke the uncomfortable silence.
"Welcome to Dunwall, Corvo. First time in the capital?" He asked, engaging in polite small talk.
Corvo simply nodded, not uttering a word.
Seeing that this attempt at a conversation would prove fruitless, Emperor Euhorn moved past the simple talk.
"Please, sit." He gestured to the seat in front of him. Corvo hesitated, then hastily lowered himself into the chair, turning to face the Emperor. "It appears that Duke Abele took great pride in you. Enough to believe that you would make for a suitable gift. Yet… the Duke does have a habit of exaggerating certain things. Which makes me wonder, is anything he said true? Are you truly as good as he claims?"
Corvo sat with obvious discomfort, writhing in his seat. He seemed unsure how to respond, opening his mouth, then shutting it when no words came.
"Is something wrong with your tongue? I asked you a question." Emperor Euhorn said, his interest growing.
"No, your Majesty. There is nothing wrong with my tongue." Corvo finally spoke, his voice a quiet whisper.
"So he speaks. Isn't that shocking." The Emperor replied, in an almost mocking tone. Sighing, trying to keep the tiredness out of his voice, said, "If you don't mind me asking Corvo, how old are you? You seem rather young to be such a talented warrior."
Corvo mused over the question before responding.
"I am eighteen years of age, your Majesty."
The boy's answer didn't surprise Euhorn. He had suspected as much. Yet, to be a part of the Grand Serkonan Guard, and praised by the Duke himself at eighteen seemed almost unreal. Emperor Euhorn couldn't help but feel slightly curious. Time to test the waters, he thought.
"Well Corvo, know that I cannot simply accept some stranger into my service without knowing his true abilities. As much as I trust the Duke's assertions, I'd rather judge your skills for myself. I prefer knowing the capabilities of the men who are tasked to ensure my survival." He paused. "And consider my curiosity peaked."
The Emperor turned his back to Corvo for a moment, studying his schedule for the day.
"Now, I have a meeting in about fifteen minutes, and if you're as good as they say, it shouldn't take us long. Follow me." The Emperor commanded Corvo as he exited the study.
Approaching Arnold, he spoke. "Arnold, I am taking Corvo down to the training courtyard. Could you please send for Captain Thaler to meet us there?"
The secretary looked up from his desk, taken by surprise, but only for a moment. He jumped into action, nodding to the Emperor.
"Of course, your Majesty. I'll send a servant for him right away."
As Emperor Euhorn strolled through the main courtyard outside Dunwall Tower, he spoke to Corvo.
"I'm sure you're wondering what exactly I have in mind. Well, I propose a duel. Using training weapons, of course. That's where Captain Thaler comes in the picture. He's an excellent swordsman, and has served me loyally as Captain of the City Watch for many years. And I've yet to see someone best him in a swordfight." He gestured to the weapon rack, displaying row after row of wooden training blades.
Corvo approached them, studying each carefully, before deciding on a simple short sword. He met the Emperor's gaze and nodded.
"Your Majesty." A voice spoke from behind. The Emperor watched as Captain Thaler approached, greeting him with a smile. "You asked for me?"
"Good morning, Captain. I didn't pull you away from any important duties, did I?" The Captain shook his head no. Then he spun to face Corvo. "Captain, allow me to introduce Corvo Attano. He just arrived from Serkonos."
"A new recruit for the City Watch, your Majesty?" The Captain asked.
"Something of the sort." The Emperor shot Corvo a somewhat mischievous smile. "Now, the problem arises that I have never seen him fight. And with the reputation he has, I am more than curious." He faced the Captain. "You wouldn't mind training a bit with Corvo, just to work out his strengths and weaknesses?"
Captain Thaler glanced at Corvo, with obvious discomfort. "Are you sure, your Majesty? But he seems like just a boy." He spoke, confused.
"Which is exactly what interests me. Boy or not, I will see him fight. One way or another."
Pushing his discomfort aside, Thaler gave a sudden bow, hearing the unspoken order in the Emperor's words. He grabbed a wooden sword then joined Corvo on the training field. The Emperor stood to the side, with a shining smile on his face. Captain Thaler faced his opponent. A mere child, yet he stood across from him, completely calm. Corvo's blade hung loosely at his side, his feet in a standard combat position, legs spread out, boots planted firmly on the ground. His analysis of his target was interrupted by the loud clang of the duel bell, signaling the beginning. And made his first mistake.
The Captain, still unsure of his current situation, decided to wait for Corvo to make the first move. But at the sound of the bell, Corvo stepped into motion, crossing the short distance between the two of them in seconds. Shocked, the Captain barely had time to raise his sword to deflect the blow. Thaler staggered back, attempting to keep his balance. Gasping, he looked up to see Corvo pacing back and forth, standing in a defensive position. Gnashing his teeth together, he moved steadfast towards him, swinging his training sword in a set of fast strikes. He waited for the sensation of wood hitting flesh and bone, yet was left disappointed. The Serkonan had completely dodged the blow. Each swing had missed their mark, until the last. As his blade came down, Corvo instantly parried it, knocking the Captain's sword away from his body, and quickly slashed. It wasn't a particularly hard hit, but Thaler felt the tip of the blade make contact with the area right below the chest, a precise and deadly blow. He backed out, wheezing for the air that had been knocked out of him, and staring with a growing sense of awe and fear. The boy was quick. Incredibly quick. Captain Thaler had spent most of his life with a sword in his hands, and yet this…kid was making a fool of him.
Without thinking, he charged once more. Thaler attacked, raining down devastating blows and Corvo, one after the other gracefully danced out of harms way. His awe turning into anger, the Captain suddenly brought up a tightly closed fist and felt it connect with Corvo's surprised face. His concentration disrupted, Thaler moved to the offensive, whacking his stunned opponent with an intense ferocity. As he brought down his wooden sword for a final finishing blow, Corvo struck, lightning quick, hitting the Captain once in the stomach, then swung his sword against Thaler's head with such strength it snapped the wood in half. The unexpectedness and intensity of the blow was enough to completely knock out the Captain of the City Watch.
Corvo stood in the midst of the dust, panting, as the Emperor approached him. His hand clenched the broken hilt, eyeing Euhorn.
He finally spoke up, speaking quietly. "Well Corvo, forgive me for ever doubting your abilities." The Emperor paused, staring at the aftermath left behind. "I've never seen anything quite like that before. Come, let's head back up to my study and conclude this." He said thoughtfully, turning around and walking out the training field and back to Dunwall Tower.
Corvo hesitated for a moment, taking a moment to catch his breath. Feeling the bruise on his cheek where the Captain had hit him, he glanced up, towards the endless windows of Dunwall Tower. Looking down on him was the face of a young girl, her black eyes staring intently. As soon as their gaze met, she immediately moved away from the balcony and out of sight. Looking up at the balcony, then at the doorway, he sighed and dropped the broken blade, following the Emperor back inside.
Once back inside the Emperor's study, Euhorn spoke out. "That was quite a show you put on Corvo, smacking down the Captain like that. You've made some enemies today, I can guarantee you that. But…" The Emperor stopped, deep in thought. "You are talented, there is absolutely no question about that. And the Duke did trust you. I am assigning you to the Royal Guard. It's a small group of soldiers, charged with the protection of the royal family."
"The family?" Corvo asked, puzzled.
"My wife, the Empress Beatrice and daughter, Princess Jessamine." He eyed Corvo. "I am taking a bit of a gamble on you Corvo, entrusting the lives of my family to you. But I am willing to take that risk. I hope I can rely on your loyalty."
At this point, Corvo spoke up, dropping to one knee. "Of course, your Majesty."
Euhorn Kaldwin contemplated the young man's words. So serious, cold. The boy had obviously lived a difficult life, growing up in Serkonos. The Emperor felt a pang of sadness towards young Corvo, thinking of his own little daughter. Corvo was probably taught to fight and kill the same time he was taught to read and write.
"Very well." The Emperor handed Corvo an enveloped, stamped with the sigil of the Kaldwin family. "Hand this envelope to my secretary. He will provide you with all the details of your new arrangements."
Corvo nodded, thumbing the edges of the paper, then stood up straight.
"If that is all, your Majesty?" He began.
"Of course, of course. You're dismissed, Corvo." The new bodyguard opened the door to exit the study. "Welcome to Dunwall." The Emperor added, as he left the room.
Another almost inperceptible nod, and he was gone.
As Corvo walked out the Emperor's chambers, he head a quiet gasp from around the corner, leading to the hallway. Curiously, he poked his head, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious eavesdropper, but was greeted instead with with an empty hallway. Sighing, Corvo dismissed the noise, then began the arduous search for his new living quarters.
Princess Jessamine Kaldwin saw everything. As soon as the strange young foreigner called Corvo appeared in her father's chambers, she curiously positioned herself outside the window, eagerly poking her head out as much as she dared to watch the confrontation. And when her father had lead this mysterious boy down to the training field, she watched with growing fascination from the balcony outside her room. But her sense of marvel quickly vanished as she watched the fight between him and Captain Thaler, and was replaced by fear and anguish at the sight of how violently he put down the Captain, containing a shriek as he had snapped his sword against his head. Then, how he had looked at her afterwards, eyes burning with fury, standing undisturbed over the body of the motionless Captain. Jessamine was sure her father would remove him from Dunwall Tower, banish him from the city. Yet Jessamine listened, with growing fear, as her father granted Corvo a position protecting them. She shivered. Didn't her father see how dangerous this man was? Why couldn't he see?!
"I'll never let him near me." She whispered to herself, huddling alone in the corner of her room.
"He may be a Royal Guard, but I won't let him near me."
Princess Jessamine Kaldwin lay alone, confining herself to her chambers in Dunwall Tower.