Chapter 26: An Opinion Made
As the rail car jerked into motion, the Oracular Sisters within started a debate.
"We cannot let anyone know the Outsider is literally walking among us," Sister Mary declared with force. "It would cause a mass panic and perhaps even another coup."
"Agreed," Eileen chimed in, a determined look on her face. "But we cannot just leave the Outsider alone. Holgar knows what he gets up to."
"Mostly eating to be honest," Greta interjected somewhat sullenly. "Eating, floating around, ragging on MPs, visiting whales, and staring off into the distance."
All eyes turned to him, Marzia looking at her in disbelief. "Eating? The Outsider, source of black magic and all things foul, his main hobby is eating?"
Greta could not stop herself from rolling her eyes. "Calling the Outsider the source of all things foul is quite the stretch Marzia."
The youngest Sister gasped, and a frightened look appeared on her face. "What has happened to you Greta?"
"What has happened to me?" Greta rounded on her with no small amount of anger and revulsion. "I have been given the fucking ability to actively fight the Void, just like you." She jabbed her finger in Marzia's direction. "I met the Outsider on the same day we defeated Delilah, when he was close to dying because of magic that did not come from him or Elanor."
"Then why the fuck did you not let him die?" snarled Hope, slamming her fist onto the seat.
"Alright," Greta snapped back, throwing her hands out. "Let's say I did. Let's say I cut off his fucking head and paraded it from Dunwall to White Cliff. We rejoice, we celebrate, The Outsider is dead!" She brought her hands together and looked around at her sisters. Realization flickered into the eyes of Sister Reilly and Eileen. Sister Mary sat in her corner, a look of tired knowledge in her eyes.
"Where does that leave us?" she was unable to present the question without some mocking in her tone.
"The Abbey is virtually fucked," Bernice said in a deadpan voice. "What do we oppose? The Outsider and his works."
"Yes!" Hope cried, agitated. "That is why Greta should have killed him! How could you think that his death would be a bad thing?"
"That would not put a stop to magic," Sister Mary said, her even voice cutting through the tense air. "The Outsider is not the source of magic, the Void is. But let us say his death puts a halt to magic. What would we as a group have to do? We vanquished the Outsider, put an end to his deeds, both real and imagined. Our end has been achieved, what reason could we have not to disband and return to the lives we once lived?"
There was silence in the car as the Sisters mulled her words over.
"But," Marzia said in a soft voice. "The Void is always still there. We will always have to fight it, right?"
"Are we blaming magic on the Void or the Outsider?" Bernice pointed out. "We're blaming the Outsider, and he does not deserve it. Don't get me wrong, I hate witches and runes and bonecharms. There is so much harm I have seen in the magic practiced in the Isles. But talk at least five minutes with the Outsider and tell me to my face that you think he actively seeks to cause harm."
Hope looked very much taken aback by the words, and seemed to retreat in to a pensive state. Marzia wavered, hesitating before she spoke again.
"But, he has Wandering Hands! He stole Solokov's bird to give it to the Empress!"
"Yes, because he's an idiot in love," Greta replied. "Should he have done that? No, not at all. Emily was not happy to learn her gift was stolen, particularly from her old tutor who paid good coin to get the little thing. But he's not going to do it again."
Sister Reilly cleared her throat, a worried look on her face. "Speaking of Empress Emily, are you truly certain that she is alright?"
"Oh, she is most certainly alright," answered Bernice with certainty.
"How do you know that?" Eileen asked skeptically, crossing her arms and frowning.
Bernice shrugged. "They have quite the chemistry."
Hope snorted. "Brother Marshall and his hound also "have quite the chemistry", as does Sister Delly and her mace."
That pulled quite the laugh from everyone. But worry still covered Sister Reilly.
"Greta, what do you know about this?"
The car turned silent as all waited for her answer. Greta sat up straight, and tried to keep herself from fiddling with her belt.
"The Outsider certainly developed feelings for Emily before Emily did. He even came to me to ask for help in wooing her properly."
Eileen and Bernice promptly began to cackle. "Poor sod, going to you for help!" Eileen declared.
Greta rolled her eyes and waited for the guffaws to calm down. "Anyway, Emily also came to me to talk about her feelings after he basically avoided her for a week after taking my terrible advice and she was certainly interested in a relationship with him. In my opinion at the time I thought they would be better friends than lovers, but tonight has certainly shattered that belief. In any case, they discussed their desire for a relationship, and the Outsider is courting our Empress at her request."
As if on cue the railcar jerked to a stop in front of the Tower. The Sisters looked at each other, then at Sister Mary. The eldest Sister inhaled, and got to her feet.
"Let us at least talk to the Royal Protector and verify that Emily is, in fact, in the Tower and safe."
Greta nodded sternly alongside her Sisters. If Emily wasn't safe, she was more than happy to fight.
Corvo was somewhat startled to see the seven sisters exiting the railcar without Emily. His stomach dropped as he looked at their faces- not a single one was free of worry.
"Where's Emily?" he demanded, unable to keep his voice free of concern.
Greta winced at his words. "We are hoping she is in her rooms."
"What do you mean hoping?"
"We encountered her beau at the Boiled Mermaid and they left together," the older Sister Mary replied calmly.
"Completely plastered and hornier than a brace of hares in the springtime," added short-haired Bernice.
That comment earned her several cries of dismay from her Sisters and a few smacks from Greta and burly Hope.
"You did not stop them from leaving?" his voice was hushed with disbelief and upset.
"Have you tried grabbing something that was dematerializing?" retorted tiny Eileen with a hiss, her eyes darting around.
Corvo sighed. "Are you sure they returned here?"
"Will you accept mostly certain?" offered wispy Sister Reilly.
"Look just lead us to her rooms so we can assess whether or not we need to punch the Outsider's lights out," Hope punctuated that remark with a fist to her palm.
Corvo tried and failed to hide a smile at that sentiment. He turned and beckoned them with a gesture of his head.
Like a gaggle of geese the Sisters followed him up the stairs and down the halls to Emily's rooms. He could not hear anything from the hall, and the women flocked behind him, holding their hands to their chests like frightened old biddies. Corvo reached down and tried the door knob.
It would not budge, it was locked. So he knocked.
"Emily? Are you in there?"
There was a muffled noise of response to his query. It was not a definite, but it was not unlike previous times with Wyman. At least he could tail Wyman.
"Oh she's in there, and so is he."
Corvo looked over at the Sisters, and did a double take when he saw their eyes glowing like candlelight, and light peeking through the clenched fist of their right hand. Very quickly, however, those lights were extinguished.
"Knock again and ask her if she is alright," requested Marzia sweetly, concerned.
More than a little unnerved by the Sisters, Corvo knocked on the door.
"Emily are you alright?"
After a minute, the group outside of the door could hear a faint reply in the same tone as an angry yell.
"I AM BUSY!" Emily replied. "COME BACK LATER!"
Corvo sighed. "Yes, she is fine, you all can stop worrying."
Greta looked relieved, but the rest still appeared to be rather unsettled.
"Will it be alright if we return tomorrow morning to see if she is alright?" Sister Reilly requested gently.
"and so we can assess if we need to introduce the Outsider to our maces," Hope added, her words accompanied by eager nodding from Marzia and Eileen.
"You are certainly welcome to return," Corvo said. "We shall see each other tomorrow morning then."
Sister Mary smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you very much for easing our minds. Now, we shall take our leave."
Corvo nodded, and she ushered her younger Sisters out of the Tower. He sighed as he watched them leave.
Might as well go to his quarters and get some rest. The morning was bound to be very interesting.