Chapter 13: Birthday
It was the 2nd day of the Month of Rain, 1852; Empress Emily Kaldwin's Birthday. Billie Lurk would never call herself a party planner, but she did know some of the best bars and pubs in Dunwall, and between her and Corvo they found the perfect place: The Boiled Mermaid, located in the Old Waterfront near the Estates District. It had music and dances nightly, and boasted a limited, by-invitation-only clientele which oddly enough included the Oracular Sisters, certain sailors, a couple gang members, and all former Whalers.
It was the perfect place to get the Outsider completely shitfaced.
Billie leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her beer. She and Corvo arrived early to ensure the place was secure, and were currently waiting for the rest of the party to join them. The first to arrive was Greta, who was with a tall blonde women with skin the color of baked clay. She eagerly waved at Corvo and Billie, and made a bee-line straight for them.
"Protector Attano, Spymaster Lurk, this is Elanor."
Elanor waved, and offered a gleaming white smile. She wore strange lenses which reflected the room in a distorted orange, and a simple dress.
"Our lovely star," Greta continued. "Is here in case things go pear-shaped."
"I am delighted to be here!" Elanor sat down and placed her hands on the table. Billie noticed that her nails were painted a bright red. "I have never been to a human party before, I am sure it is a lot of fun!"
Corvo raised an eyebrow, but did not seem curious enough to actually enquire what exactly the parties she attended before were.
"Do you want anything to drink?" Greta asked Elanor.
"Ooo, surprise me!" Elanor waved her and laughed.
"Alright, but don't blame me if you do not like it," Greta left with a teasing smile.
"So!" Elanor turned to Corvo. "Where is the guest of honor?"
Corvo hummed and took a glance at the door. Billie glanced around the room. It was reasonably crowded, and musicians were currently playing a simple love song. Most everyone was seated except for a few moving between tables.
"She should be arriving with our houseguest soon," Corvo replied.
A look of surprise took over Elanor's face. She leaned forward, her voice hushed.
"Do you think the Outsider has been to any parties? I would not like to overwhelm the poor lad."
Billie snorted at the woman calling the Outsider a "lad".
Corvo cracked a smile. "I don't think that this will be anywhere close to overwhelming. The energy does pick up when the dancing begins, but it will certainly not be suffocating."
Greta returned from the bar, holding a cider in one hand and a bright red concoction in the other.
"What on earth is that?" Billie asked as Greta placed it down in front of Elanor.
"I asked for something that would knock out a blood ox while also tasting good and the bartender made this," Greta said with a shrug.
Billie made a note not to try it, no matter how good it looked.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Emily walk in with the Outsider. She wore a plain outfit, and the Outsider wore glasses with lenses as dark as his eyes. Emily looked happier now than she had been the past week.
"Hello everyone," Emily greeted with a smile. "Have I introduced you all to Owen?"
Billie quirked a smile as Greta snickered; Corvo politely nodded while the Outsider himself stood with his hands folded behind his back.
"I received the package from your Grandmother, Greta," Emily continued with a smile. "Thank you so much for the perfume."
"Oh wonderful, it arrived to you safely!" Greta replied eagerly. "And it was my pleasure. Happy Birthday!"
Emily darted over to Greta and embraced her, which the Sister returned happily. The Outsider simply watched, looking somewhat uncomfortable.
"Owen, darling!" Elanor turned, holding her red monstrosity aloft. "You must try this, it is quite delightful."
The Outsider tentatively picked up the drink, and took a small sip. Then a longer one, then he began to chug.
"Easy there!" Elanor took it from him. "If you want your own you can order it yourself."
"What is that?" Emily asked with a small laugh.
Greta held up her hand. "I ordered it; I'll ask the bartender for another. Do you want one too Emily?"
Corvo gave Greta quite the displeased look. That seemed to seal Emily's desire to have it.
"Yes, I would like one," she answered while taking a seat. The Outsider sat next to her, looking somewhat uneasy.
"Thank you for organizing this," Emily said with a smile. "It has been awhile since I have been able to relax."
"You deserve it," Billie let the pride and admiration she felt for Emily bleed into her voice. "You have had a difficult few months."
The Outsider snorted. "That is an understatement."
Greta returned with two of the red horrors. "Your Blood Ox Death Potions."
Emily's eyes widened at the name. "How much alcohol is in this?" she asked, a glint in her eyes.
"I saw him pour half a bottle of whiskey in each one of these, as well as a third of that berry liqueur and a shot of Tyvia's Blood. The rest is assorted juices and sugar beet extract." Greta punctuated her explanation with a sip of her cider.
By the time Greta finished talking the Outsider was nearly a third of a way done with his drink. Elanor reached out and put her hand the pint to get him to stop.
"Owen, hon, you need to savor the drink," Elanor soothed. "It is not going anywhere, no one is going to take it from you."
Emily picked up her pint and began to chug it as well. Elanor looked at her, aghast.
"What did I just say!"
The first few bars of a dance song began to play in the air, and Emily set down the pint with a thud. She stood up and turned to the Outsider.
"Care to have a dance?"
"If you do not mind a poor partner," he replied, a playful smile on his face.
She pulled him to the open space in the middle of the pub, joined by other dancers. Elanor looked somewhat concerned.
"I hope those two have a good tolerance for the alcohol," she murmured. "It's not quite late enough for there to be excuses."
"Emily should be fine," Corvo offered grudgingly.
"The Outsider, we are trying to find out," Greta finished.
"I'm a sailor peg
And I've lost my leg
Climbing up the top sails
I've lost my leg!
I'm shipping up to Dunwall, whoa
I'm shipping up to Dunwall, whoa
I'm shipping up to Dunwall, whoa
I'm shipping off to find my wooden leg!"
Emily found herself screaming the simple lyrics at the top of her lungs as she spun around the dance floor with Greta. Every now and then she would catch sight of the Outsider screaming along to the song with a group of sailors, and Elanor dancing in the arms of a tattooed woman.
"Hang on, hang on!" Greta yelled, laughing. "I'm getting dizzy, we gotta stop!"
Emily allowed herself to get pulled out of the dancing, laughing too. "I haven't had this much fun in years!"
"You, me, a dozen of my Sisters, the week after next," Greta all but commanded. "We're going to have stimulating discussions, and dance until there are holes in our shoes."
The two sat down at an abandoned table, in perfect view to see The Outsider drain a pint of beer faster than a bald bearded fellow who had a gut that proclaimed his expertise in the art of drinking. There was a roar of approval from the men surrounding them, and the Outsider's burly competitor offered his hand and the Outsider shook it. He seemed to notice the two of them watching him, and walked over to them with a large smile on his face.
"I have not had such fun since the Saturnalia!" he declared before dropping in a chair next to Emily.
Greta leaned forward. "The what now?"
The Outsider waved his hand, basically ignoring the Sister's question. "I do miss some of the dances we used to do. I do not think the musicians would know the music to them though."
Elanor was passing by them but stopped upon hearing the Outsider's words.
"When were the dances done again?" she asked, standing before them.
The Outsider scoffed at her words. "What does it matter?"
Elanor placed a hand on her hip and leveled a gaze at him. "Part of what I can do is recall all music and song. I just need to know the Holiday."
"It was Saturnalia," he said, sounding a little awed. Elanor offered him a large smile, before leaning down to whisper in Emily's ear.
"When he takes your hand don't hesitate."
Emily looked at her, confused. Behind her strange glasses the Star winked, then made a bee-line for the musicians.
"Ooo, this is going to be good!" Greta said with glee. Emily was somewhat taken aback when a notebook and pencil suddenly appeared in her hands.
"Where on earth was she keeping those?"
The Outsider was quiet, a wistful expression on his face as he watched Elanor talk to the musicians. After a minute, she turned around, standing tall and commanding attention. The dance floor was empty.
Suddenly a strange, energetic music filled the pub. Emily turned to the Outsider, and was surprised to see tears falling down his face. He lifted up his hand and wiped them away. Elanor was singing now, her voice powerful and sweet. The words wore foreign, yet familiar. The beat was infectious.
"Emily, will you dance with me?"
She looked up to see the Outsider standing before her, offering his hand.
She smiled. "Only if you do not mind having a poor partner."
He grinned widely as she took his and he pulled her onto the dance floor.
As soon as they stepped on the floor together she felt a force take over her. Elanor winked at her again as she sang. Before Emily knew what was happening she was pulled into the Outsider's arms.
Their faces were so close. "I wish he did not need to wear those glasses," she thought, biting her lip.
As they danced, Emily realized she knew every step; every complicated, acrobatic step. She felt her smile grow as they spun, stomped, and even flipped around the floor to the wild beat. The Outsider picked her up and tossed her around like she weighed nothing. He sang along, his voice surprisingly captivating. She swayed her hips to the rhythm, not caring how it seemed. It felt like it was only them.
The music stopped suddenly, and so did they. Emily stared into his eyes, breathing heavily. The Outsider stared back. All was still and quiet.
The Outsider leaned forward and kissed her.
The pub roared with a wave of cheers, wolf-whistles, and applause following the kiss. Greta was not one of the approving revealers.
It was not that she disapproved necessarily. If it made Emily happy, Greta would try to help. But a complicated relationship to a deity openly reviled by the state religion was not what the Empress needed right now.
Besides, after a dance that passionate, Greta would not be the least surprise if ending it with a kiss was tradition.
"More!" roared a tall tattooed woman. A cry of agreement rose up. Emily looked unsure. Showing a surprising amount of awareness, the Outsider took her by the hand and led her off the dance floor.
"More of the same sort of music?" Elanor asked, a confident smile on her face.
"Yes!" shouted a group of young couples, their eyes alight.
"You got it!"
The music started up again, with many more couples on the dance floor, eager to try and emulate the moves they had just seen.
The Outsider and Emily came over to her. There was an awkwardness between them that was not there before. Greta practically itched at the feeling.
"I… I will be over there," The Outsider said to practically no one, and fled over to his drinking buddies. Emily sank down in a chair, dazed. Greta turned to face her.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
Emily shook her head, as if trying to clear it. "I… I think so? Do you know what that was about?"
Greta shrugged. "I honestly know nothing of attraction other than what I have read in books, so I fear I cannot be of much help. All I know is that kiss could have been out of feeling, or a tradition of ending that kind of dance."
"A traditional ending?" Emily's voice was hazy.
"I do not know, the only one who knows is Owen over there. For all we know maybe those dances are supposed to end with wild and passionate lovemaking."
Emily barked a laugh. "I bet my father is horrified."
"Oh man," Greta grimaced. "This is going to be an awkward ride home."