Chapter IX

The soft morning sun pierced through the sky, night making way for day to take its place. Beams of natural light rose from the horizon, illuminating the world eager for its nurturing touch. Soon enough, the thin morning dew would be seen by all, vibrant flowers enjoyed, brought to attention as natures spotlight turned on them. The icy mist brought to guard the unwelcoming darkness conquered by the accepted champion of the day. And order continued, resuming the endless cycle of life, concluded by death, and reignited by life once more.

One particular blade of light landed on a hardened face, bringing forth an immediate frown as it shook its owner from a fitful slumber. A single eye opened, the brown pupil confronting the day. The eye was slowly followed by the rest of its body, as mindless movements brought it out of the bed where it had laid only moments before. Toes met the floor, fingers flexed in their sockets. The body moved as one.

Corvo, still not fully awake, shook the sleep from his eyes, moving through his chamber towards a pan of water in his bathroom. He splashed the rejuvenating water on his face, removing any trace of lethargy from his body and mind. Before him, a mirror allowed him to peer at his own reflection. And see the ray of light that had made its way through his thick blinds. Making his way to the other end of the room, he cast aside the blinds, basking in the warmth as light flooded the empty chamber.

Recent events had spurred a sea of drastic changes. Too drastic for Corvo's liking. Between his selection as Lord Protector for Princess Jessamine Kaldwin, and the unforeseen and grievous death of the beloved Empress, things certainly changed. He could feel it in the air, the tenseness, the anger, the sadness. It was thick, threatening to suffocate them all. And then there were his newfound responsibilities and expectations as Lord Protector. Corvo could still hear them, the shouts of shock and dismay at the thought of a mysterious foreigner being tasked with the protection and safety of the heir to the Empire. Some said nothing, their face revealing all, where others held nothing back, spewing whatever vile thoughts came to mind. In Dunwall, it was a bit more complicated. Masterful politicians and well-trained court-members smiled to his face, greeted him with a welcoming hand, yet were quick to sneer and whisper softly behind his back, thinking themselves safe from his ears. Corvo still heard it all. Not that he minded all that much. He had spent his entire life being scolded and looked down upon by those who believed themselves better than him.

The final news of his choice as Lord Protector also came as a bit of a surprise to the Emperor himself, but His Majesty had approved wholeheartedly, ignoring the "counsel" of his advisors to choose a different candidate. Yet he held firmly to the decision set for by the Princess. Young Princess Jessamine Kaldwin. Heir to the Empire of the Isles, and its entirety. A girl of 12. A girl who would soon be responsible for ruling that Empire.

He found himself at the foot of the door to her chambers, the journey through the endless halls of the Tower now completely known to him. Corvo knocked softly, loud enough to announce his presence, without disturbing the occupants inside. Instead of the Princess, Corvo was greeted by one of her many handmaidens, who since the death of her mother, and implications of her inevitable reign, had begun to swarm her, teaching her the life befit a ruler.

"I'm sorry, Lord Protector, but the Princess is occupied with her studies this morning. The Madame teacher requests no outside disturbances, for the Princess's sake."

The handmaiden spoke these words in a low voice, her face turned towards the ground. It was a strange sight, one he had yet not become accustomed to. He was a Lord now, technically, one to be treated with respect. Corvo waited until she raised her eyes to his before speaking.

"Of course. Tell the Madame that there'll be no more disturbances." Two sentences.

The handmaiden nodded, and quickly stepped back inside the room, leaving a pondering Corvo in the hall. Now what? The Princess's chambers and silky halls were soon left behind, superseded by the dirty and dim-lit streets of the suburbs. Here, Corvo replaced his shining navy coat and polished blade with simple gray garb, and reliable steel sword. For all the beauty that there was to be seen in the capital, Corvo found he enjoyed places like these more. The simplicity to it was a welcoming change, after the sophistication and disillusioned view of the world that was to be found at Dunwall Tower. A nice cup of cold ale, good music, interesting folk. Some more interesting than others.

Free of his protectorate burdens and tasks for the day, Corvo found himself at the Ornery Holger. Mockingly named after the founder of the Abbey, the Ornery Holger was raised out of the ground with the sole purpose of pestering the Abbey and their Overseers. One of the oldest inns in Dunwall, it was a loud and rambunctious setting, but after the eerie quiet and politeness of the capital, a rowdy crowd was just what Corvo was looking for.

"Now, Princess Jessamine, the lesson of today is one of utmost importance for Dunwall and the history of the Empire, so please, at least try to pretend that you're interested."

Jessamine played with a thick strand of her hair, pulling and twirling it around her finger as she sat slumped against her desk, buried in leaflets of paper and ancient books older that looked as if they were older than Dunwall itself. Hundreds of tomes, filled with the all but forgotten knowledge of the Empire of the Isles and its history. Each one its own dull lesson that she was expected to learn and memorize, as heir to the throne.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, she gave her best fake smile, with a tone filled with mock enthusiasm.

"But I am paying attention Madame Yetta. Look."

Jessamine snatched one of the larger books that rested on her desk and opened it to a random page, grinning innocently at her instructor. The Madame shook her head, scolding her.

"Sarcasm does not befit you, young lady. Remember, you are to be…"

"Yes, yes, I am to be Empress after my father, so I must be educated in the history of the empire. But does that mean that these lessons have to be so boring?"

"Boring? Young lady, you are learning about the origins of your family, and your people. If anything, you should be excited to learn about such a topic. Need I remind you have been given a rare opportunity. The number of people who know the full extent of your Empire's history could fit in this very room."

The instructor's little speech did nothing to quell young Jessamine's dismay at the idea of spending the rest of the evening cooped up in the small chamber with nothing but the scraps of history and her aged teacher to keep her company. Not for the first time, she found herself drifting away in daydream, wondering what her Lord Protector was doing.

The sound of yelling and fighting drew Corvo's attention away from his solitary drink, and back to the real world. He brought his hood up just enough to gaze at two rather large, burly men, heaving a much smaller man out through one of the various windows, shattering the stained glass, sending it spewing everywhere, followed by a thump as the body hit the cold, hard pavement of the alley outside. The attendants hardly took notice, condemning the poor man to whatever fate has in store when dealing with the wrong men at the wrong time. The inn keep wouldn't help him either, learning long ago that if one wanted to keep his establishment, and not end up with a knife in their gut in a dark alley, some things were best left alone. Besides, men fought, especially when drunk. For many, indulging on some of the cheapest ale followed with a good clashing of fists was the perfect way to end the day.

But Corvo wasn't one of those men. Taking a final swig of whatever remained in his glass, he slipped out the inn, turning into the alley where the three men had gone. Stepping into the dark corridor, he gazed upon the two larger men threatening the smaller one, one of them holding him tight while the other held a blade to his neck. He couldn't make out their low, guttural voices, but it didn't matter to him. Corvo cleared his throat loudly, drawing their attention. Turning towards him, their eyes narrowed, as the one closest to him shouted out.

"Ey, mind yer own business. Keep walking, stranger."

He gave no response, standing completely still, blocking the exit of the alley. The two men grew impatient, dropping their victim to the ground and instead focusing entirely on Corvo.

"Didn't you hear me, little man? Keep walkin, or you'll end up like this poor fucker here."

To prove his point, the burly man that was holding the smaller one in place delivered a terrible blow to the man's stomach, causing him to collapse to the ground, clutching his stomach and crying in pain. Seeing their threats had no effect on Corvo, one of them whispered.

"I've had enough of this shit. Pound this fool, and let's get going."

Both men charged at the same time, now bearing their blades for all the world to see. But Corvo didn't wait for them to reach him, instead choosing to run at them, bundling up his cloak in his hand. As he neared them, Corvo tossed the cloak at his enemies, catching them off guard for a moment. That was all he needed. The two men were not experienced fighters, at least not against the likes of Corvo. In the matter of a few seconds, both men were disarmed and unconscious.

"And so, after the founding of the Empire, during the reign of Emperor Hurien Morgengaard in the 17th century, our beloved Abbey of the Everyman rose in Dunwall. Now tell me, who was the original founder of the Abbey? Jessamine?"

Once again, the teacher's words fell on deaf ears, as she raised her eyes from her text to see Jessamine with her back turned to her. Almost shocked, at the lack of respect, Madame Yetta slammed her book down on the table, startling the young girl.

"Princess Jessamine, what do you think you're doing?" She called out, trying to keep her patience.

The little princess turned around in her chair with a different book in her hands, with her usual look of complete innocence. The teacher sighed.

"At least you're reading. Which book is that?"

Jessamine flipped the book closed, which revealed nothing but a worn-out, red cover, with markings or title of any kind. Curious, Madame Yetta reached for it, taking it from Jessamine's hands. Flipping to the first page, she let out a gasp.

"This…this is a diary. Of the assassins who killed Empress Olaskir." Her surprised expression quickly turned to scorn. "Where did you find this?"

Jessamine eyed her with a sheepish gaze. "I just found it, lying around. Sooo, what exactly happened? Why'd they want to kill the Empress?"

Madame Yetta was still staring somewhat horror-struck at the idea that this girl had stumbled on part of the Empire's darkest years. An age of insurrection, chaos, and absolute terror. Very few remembered much, if anything from those years, instead, like true politicians, preferring to ignore that period of time in the Empire's history. And now, she had to explain it to this little girl, the Princess, and future Empress.

Clearing her throat, she thought carefully on her next words. "Well, long ago, before your father became Emperor, the Empire was ruled by the Olaskir dynasty." She paused, deep in thought. "In the year 1801, the island of Morley…rebelled against the Empress."

"Morley?" Jessamine whispered, eyes widening.

"Yes, the Isle of Morley." Yetta eyed her young student, trying to get a read on her emotions.

"Why did they rebel?"

She racked her brain for possible answers. "No one truly knows. Power, most likely. Or independence. Since the formation of the Empire, Morley hasn't been exactly thrilled with the notion of being ruled by an Emperor or Empress from a foreign land."

Jessamine nodded, processing all the information with a look of curiosity and fascination.

"And as I was saying, in the year 1801, a small group of Morley assassins infiltrated Gristol through its sewer system, made their way through Dunwall, and killed Empress Larisa Olaskir, thus ending the Olaskir dynasty."

The teacher smiled to see Jessamine's obvious interest. Closing her book, she rose from the desk, returning the sacred journal to its proper place.

"Now, I'm afraid that will conclude today's lesson. But listen to me, Jessamine. You mustn't tell your father what you learned today, ok? The rebellion…is a bit of a sensitive subject here in Dunwall. Got it?"

Jessamine nodded her head, giving her a wide smile, then began exiting the room. Before she reached the door, Madame Yetta called out to her.

"See? Sometimes, history can be interesting."

Corvo stood over the young man who not ten seconds ago had a blade against his throat by the two gangsters now lying unconscious on the floor. Catching his breath, he looked up at his savior, exhaling loudly.

"Ah, thank you. If you hadn't decided to show up, well…"

"What did they want?" Corvo interrupted the man midsentence.

The stranger eyed Corvo wearily. "Not from around here, are you?" When met by silence, he continued. "Ah, fuck it." The man walked over to the two bodies, pointing out their matching colors and tattoos. "See that?"

"Bottlestreet Gang." Corvo whispered.

He nodded. "Exactly. The Bottlestreet Gang's been terrorizing this neighborhood for weeks now. Patrols used to come down here, but ever since the Empress died, most of those soldiers have gone to fortifying and protecting the Tower." He gestured once more to the gang members. "These two fellows, along with maybe a dozen more no-good low lifers began extorting people, making us pay protection money just so that we wouldn't wake up in the morning and find our homes on fire."

Puffing up his chest, he smiled.

"I refused to pay their fee, instead organizing a small group of guys to try and deal with these criminals. Unfortunately, once we got caught, we were scattered to the wind. I was laying low in the bar, until those two assholes found me. And then, well, they found you."

Corvo watched the man carefully. He listened to his tale with growing interest, yet refusing to give away anything, maintaining a blank gaze. Much to his new companion's discomfort.

"So…what do they call you?"

"What?"

"You just saved my life, and I don't even know your name."

"Oh. Corvo."

The man beamed, extending his hand towards him. Corvo shook it, surprised by the man's firm grip.

"Curnow. Geoff Curnow. Thanks again, for saving my life."

Corvo nodded, then turned to leave the stinking alley, but was stopped as Geoff clasped his arm.

"Wait, you saved my skin. Let me at least buy you a drink." Geoff grinned, holding his arms out wide. "Huh? C'mon, waddaya say?"

The sun had almost set when Corvo and Geoff stumbled out of the inn, the effects of the strong alcohol consumed slowly wearing off. They wandered through the streets, exchanging laughs and loud words. But their fun and laughter was interrupted by the communal clock's chime echoing through the streets, signaling the nearing of the end of that day.

"Ah, Corvo, it's been fun. You know, when I first saw you, I thought 'oh boy, this guy's got a stick up his ass', but, you do know how to let loose, my friend."

Corvo laughed, feeling free for the first time in quite a while. After months in Dunwall Tower, with every word being listened to, every movement being recorded, along with all the duties and responsibilities of being the Lord Protector, it was nice to get out and be able to act as a nobody, as just one of the countless drifters that find their way into the city.

"Yeah, it was something. Been a while since I've had a good laugh." Corvo replied.

Yet just like everything in life, the fun had to come to an end. Corvo had duties to return to, a future Empress to protect. He contemplated his next words closely.

"Look, Curnow, there's a reason you recognized my name. I didn't want to tell you earlier, especially with the whole bar watching, but you've earned the truth. I'm actually…"

"You're the Lord Protector, I know." Geoff broke in midsentence, laughing at Corvo's look of astonishment. "What? It was kind of obvious. First off, the way you fight, no one, and I mean no one, moves that fast, unless you're the famed Serkonan Lord Protector. Secondly, most of us know who and what our own Lord Protector looks like. We saw you take the title."

Corvo was still stunned by the sudden outburst. Gathering his words, he spoke.

"Why didn't you say anything before? If you knew who I was, why not just tell everyone?"

"Pshh, come on. You looked like you needed a break from all that publicity. Besides, if you didn't tell anyone that you were the Lord Protector, I don't see how it's any of my business informing them otherwise."

"I…thanks." Corvo muttered, slightly embarrassed.

"Don't mention it. You did save my life. It was the least I could do."

An idea sprung into Corvo's mind. Before reason could silence him, he blurted out.

"How would you like a job?"

Geoff, who up to that moment, had been picking his teeth with his nails, raised his eyebrows.

"Say what now?"

"How would you like a position as part of the City Guard? From what you told me, you seem pretty adamant about keeping some kind of order, and you obviously care about the city's citizens. So, what do you say?"

The sudden proposition silenced Geoff. Leaning against a wall, he slowly stroked his chin, humming to himself. After a few moments, between the approaching after-effects of the consumed drinks from earlier and waiting for an answer, Corvo felt his patience growing thin.

Then, Geoff answered. "I'll take it. At least as part of the City Watch I'd be able to actually do something useful, instead of getting thrown out of bar windows. Thanks, Corvo."

At that point, the two parted ways. Corvo reached the foot of Dunwall Tower, casting aside the disguise he had put on for the day before returning to the comfort of his navy-blue robes. He stepped into Dunwall Tower, returning to the job destined to be his life.