The Month of Rain, 12th Day, 1850, it had been days after Empress Emily Kaldwin thwarted the threat against her, with the assistance of Frank who had been lucky and wasn't gravely injured during the riot. After a small window of recovery, he felt it was time to go and would leave first thing in the morning. It was late at night, Emily stood over her mothers memorial at the gazebo overlooking the sea, it was the same spot her mother was cut down, the spot where Emily was taken shortly after.

Frank stood by Emily's side, her expression hadn't changed since they set foot on the gazebo.

"I visit here often. Sometimes when I am conflicted with what to do, I come here and ask myself what my mother would have done"

"Can I ask you something, Your Majesty?"

"Frank, it's okay, you may call me Emily; in private of course"

Emily had grown somewhat close to Frank. Not deeply, but enough to the point where he no longer needed to identify her by her position of power when they were away from public eyes and ears.

"Emily, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"No, go ahead"

"Do you miss her?"

"Everyday, although I try to repress it throughout my daily tasks. Dunwall requires a focused Empress. My father used to be able to communicate with her, in spirit. He told me the Outsider blessed him with a mystical object; a beating heart only he could see"

Frank would have found the idea of a dead woman speaking to someone through a beating heart to be strange years ago, but the concept of strange no longer applied to him.

"He used it to guide himself, to find and learn secrets so he could conquer his enemies. He would have talked with her but, my father was rather quiet in those days. Since then he has been more outspoken, probably because he wishes to guide me"

"He sounds like a good father"

"He is, although he will inevitably raise security protocols after he finds out what I have been up to these past few weeks. He is my father, but he is still Royal Protector and must uphold that position first, in public. For years, in private, he has been training me in the art of combat and stealth. It's been challenging, grueling, but I must be prepared in the event that something should unfold"

"Like what?"

"Something big. It could be someone or something that will try to tear down Dunwall. Should it come to fruition, I will be put in a situation where I won't have an army to stand behind. My father has been in that position before, there may come a time where I stand in his shoes. So, if that day comes; I must be ready"

Frank went quiet as he thought hard about what Emily said, it gave him an idea.

"I could use Todd to look into the future if you want"

"You have done your part. While I do appreciate your offer, I feel you are needed elsewhere. After all; you are the World Traveler"

Emily knew she could use someone like Frank, but she felt that keeping him around was not the right thing to do.

"I understand"

Frank understood that Emily wished to fight her own battles from here on out, she was still the Empress.

"May I ask you something, Frank?"

"Sure"

"You went to great lengths to ensure blood would not be spilled. You even put your own body on the line. Then there was that woman, she had you at gunpoint, the guards could have dealt with her swiftly but you chose to stand up for her even though she posed a threat. I understand you have good intentions; but how were you able to carry them out in the face of death?"

Frank already knew the answer to Emily's question.

"Honestly; I was terrified. But I also knew that no one deserved to be thrown in prison or executed for acting on mislead confusion or anger. That woman lost her husband, she has to look out for two children all on her own while working labor. She, she didn't deserve a cell or a bullet, she needed compassion and empathy. But I mean, you have done so much for your people, everything I say should make sense. Does it not make sense?"

"No, it does. It's good you stood by what you believe in; most people wouldn't die for their cause. I think it's time we head inside, would you agree?"

"Sure, I uh, I need some rest before I leave tomorrow"

Frank and Emily returned to Dunwall Tower and walked its corridors. Frank wanted to get one last look at everything before he left, he really did admire everything this world had to offer, from both the working class and the higher-ups. They made their way to the throne room, Frank had never officially been in this room, it was truly a sight to take in. Blue carpeting and banners matched the blue flowers strung up on trellis connected to the support beams, all stood out by the candle lights placed about, along with the ceiling lights strung around. Then there was the throne itself, diamond shaped and made of pure silver with leather seating. He wasn't sure if it was comfortable, but it did look imposing.

As Frank continued to become absorbed in his surroundings, he stopped paying attention to things close by and knocked over an unlit candle stand sitting on a podium, knocking it to the ground as it shattered. Both Frank and Emily went slack-jawed and bugged eyed in shock.

"Empress, is everything alright?"

The guard opened the door, Emily grabbed Frank and pulled him in front of the mangled candle stand as they both tried to hide it.

"Yes, everything is okay. Please continue to leave us be"

When the guard made his way out, Emily turned around and began picking up the pieces. Frank knelt down and helped her clean up, apologizing as he did.

"I am so sorry"

"You're fortunate, these guards would have had your head if I wasn't around. I'll tell them I knocked it over and that you're not to blame"

"Emily you don't need to do that"

"It's okay"

"Emily please…"

Emily cut Frank off.

"Frank, listen to me. Things can be replaced; you can't be"

Emily appreciated how Frank was being modest, but the last thing she wanted was for him to get in trouble the night before he was supposed to leave. Emily looked down at Frank's hand and touched the top of it, slipping her fingers under his palm and running her thumb across his knuckles delicately as her breathing grew slightly heavier. Emily's eyes eventually met with Frank's once more, something was on her mind.

"May I ask you something, Frank?"

"Sure"

"Many believe that I must represent Dunwall both politically and as a figure. While I have done my best to compensate for both since my inauguration from when I was young, sometimes I wanted and acted on the simple pleasures in life. Would you agree that one must sometimes act on impulse in order to provide balance?"

"Um, I mean, if what you want doesn't interfere with anything, I don't see anything wrong with it"

Emily took hold of Frank's hand. She had grown self-conscious of her hands, having aristocrats and sociopaths constantly holding them and kissing them, but she didn't mind holding hands with Frank. However, she was interested in more than just hand-holding.

"I've recently met someone I am pursuing as a love interest, a noble named Wyman. But I think I deserve one more night of freedom before I choose to be tied down"

"Um, I'm sorry what are we talking about?"

Frank was confused. Emily hoped he would catch on, but it was clear she was going to have to be blunt about what she wanted. She decided to just come out and tell Frank what she desired.

"Casual sex"

"Oh…"

Frank's eyes wandered, before widening as he caught on.

"OH! Oh, you mean…oh…um…oh…I…"

Emily smiled at Frank's timidness.

"So, would you be interested?"

"I…re…really?"

Frank gave Emily a perplexed look as he made eye contact, he thought he was hearing things.

"Yes"

Frank thought to himself for a minute, he wasn't sure what to make of Emily's advancements, maybe it was a trick.

"Uh…is this some kind of test?"

Emily giggled as she reached over and took hold of Frank's other hand.

"Frank, I may have started off as Empress at a young age, constantly surrounded by powerful and influential people who believe I have a moral obligation to fulfill; but that does not mean I have not, dallied, with men, and women, over the years. Even an Empress feels the need to sleep with someone, occasionally"

Frank cleared his throat before continuing to speak.

"I…I mean…is…isn't there anyone else?"

"Of course. But I have to admit, I find the idea of being intimate with someone from another world to be, fascinating; I also happen to think you're quite handsome"

Emily's feelings leaned towards experimental and physical, but they were feelings none the less.

"Is this a thing where if I say no I'll be thrown back in prison?"

Frank was afraid of what would happen if he said no. Emily giggled once more, taking a hand to Frank's cheek as she gently caressed it.

"No, no. You have every right to decline; although I hope you say yes"

Frank couldn't believe this was happening, but he weighed his options. He had never made love before, and as the years went by he found the idea of waiting for marriage to be mundane. There was also the idea that maybe this was something he needed to do to move forward from his previous relationship. And of course, there was Emily herself. She was a powerful, strong, smart and inspirational leader, Frank found that to be incredibly attractive, as well as her appearance, Emily Kaldwin was a very pretty woman. He sat on Emily's offer for a minute, before finally coming to a decision.

"…Screw it"

Frank cupped Emily's face as he leaned in and kissed her, her eyes widened from being caught off guard. After he broke the kiss, Emily's slack-jawed mouth formed into a smile as she pulled Frank in and kissed him further. It wasn't long until both parties consented and continued kissing one another, their lips parted and connected as they expressed their physical infatuation for each other.

Frank had bought contraceptive protection for such an occasion, but before his journey, he felt like he wouldn't need it; he guessed he was wrong.

The Month of Rain, 13th Day, 1850, Frank awoke the next morning in the royal chamber, it was storming heavily. Emily was still fast asleep, her arm lazily wrapped around him. Frank gently pulled himself from Emily's grip and sat up, the motion of him in bed woke her up. He ran his fingers through her dark brown hair, as they smiled at one another, still feeling the afterglow from the night before.

"Good morning"

Frank reached over and gently rubbed Emily's shoulder.

"Good morning"

After Emily wished Frank a good morning as well, she got out of bed and stretched, she showed no shame in being naked in front of Frank long after last night, not like he would complain. Her body was toned, athletic, like an Olympic gymnast, a result of her intense training over the years. Emily looked over her shoulder at Frank, who couldn't hide that he had just been staring at her. She smiled and took a seat on the bed, turning around and taking a hand to Frank's shoulder, caressing him all the way down to his arm.

"How are you feeling?"

Emily was curious how Frank was doing after their time together from the night before.

"Good, last night was really good. I'm sorry I couldn't do more, I had no experience before last night"

Emily brought her hand to Frank's cheek, before reaching up and running her fingers through his scalp.

"It's okay, I found last night to be very enjoyable"

"Thanks, I have to say that, well, I knew you were strong, tough. But last night, I don't know I guess I wasn't expecting you to be so; gentle"

Emily got back into bed as she crawled up to Frank, she put her arms around the back of his neck as she sat next to him.

"Well, if you desired for me to be more rough, you should have spoken up"

"No no, I'm not complaining it was, more of an observation; last night was wonderful"

As Frank smiled, Emily smiled once more as she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead.

Frank and Emily both got out of bed and started getting dressed. When Frank was fully dressed, he took a seat once more on the bed. He reached over and felt the spot where Emily laid, he had a lot on his mind.

"Is everything okay?"

Emily was fixing herself up while looking at herself in the reflection of a glass cupboard across from where Frank was sitting on her bed, while occasionally looking back at him, she was concerned about his behavior.

"Yeah, no, I don't know"

"What's wrong?"

Frank paused for a second, trying to find the right words, before eventually speaking up again.

"I guess I was hoping maybe, what we did, I was hoping maybe would be a step in the right direction. What I mean is, I haven't been in a relationship in almost three years, and the reason is that…"

Frank went quiet once more, so Emily spoke up.

"You still love Elizabeth, don't you?"

Frank went quiet, but he didn't need to say anything for Emily to pick up on how he felt. As Frank reflected on his time in Dunwall, he found himself feeling conflicted. He wasn't sure if he was ready to depart, in fact, he felt like he didn't want to leave at all.

"I think, I think I, I don't wanna go back. I mean I don't wanna leave, I think I wanna stay here"

Emily turned to look at Frank, she understood what he was going through emotionally.

"I know it's hard for you, from what my father has told me it's not easy to mend a broken heart. He hasn't been able to move forward from losing my mother for thirteen years. Love is complicated, but, I hope I am able to share my heart with Wyman. Don't look at this as another rejection, it's nothing personal. Last night was, it was just for fun; I hope you understand"

Frank looked down, fiddling with his hands as he nodded in disappointment before speaking up.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course"

"The people who killed your mother, did you ever confront them?"

Frank watched Emily stop adjusting her hair and clothes as she stared at her own reflection, her warm expression shifted into a somewhat somber one.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't…"

Frank hesitated but Emily continued.

"No, I never got the opportunity. After my father clashed with Daud, the Whalers collapsed and disbanded over the years"

"Did you ever, think about what you would do if you confronted them? Do you think it would give you closure?"

Emily had always thought about it, but she wasn't sure what she would do or how she would react if she found Daud or anyone associated with him who was responsible for that day.

"I'm not sure. If I may ask, does this have something to do with Elizabeth?"

"Yes, well, I feel like, maybe if I find the man who killed her, maybe it will help me understand why she left"

Emily thought about what Frank said, and turned to face him once more.

"Frank, there is a reason I never pursued my mother's killers long after my father sparred them. Somethings are more important than seeking answers to questions one should stop asking themselves. If you think finding the culprit responsible for Elizabeth's death will bring you closure; then you will set yourself on a path of self-destruction. If you truly desire to get answers from him, I cannot stop you, all I ask of you is that you be careful"

Emily wasn't sure what she would do if able to confront those responsible for the death of her mother, but that doesn't mean she had a desire to confront them, she hoped Frank would understand that. Frank and Emily exited the room and stood face to face in the hallway as they bid each other farewell.

"I have important business to attend to, feel free to see yourself out. I hope you find time to visit again, you have been a tremendous help; thank you for what you have done for Dunwall"

"Goodbye, Your Majesty, Empress Emily Kaldwin"

Frank managed to smile, although he still felt disappointed.

"Goodbye, Frank Williams, World Traveler"

Emily held her hand out for Frank to kiss. Normally this would have made Emily uncomfortable, but Frank was not some rich snob or self-absorbed zealot; he earned this opportunity, even if he felt otherwise.

Frank knew that if he took Emily's hand, if he kissed it, that he would be saying goodbye, but what could he do. He wanted to stay, but he knew he couldn't, he knew it was time to go, and he knew that he had no choice in the matter. Frank wistfully took hold of Emily's hand and kissed it, and soon after she nodded farewell, she walked away. There was no celebration, no speeches, no fan fair; just the empty quiet hallway that Frank stood in all by himself, all alone, as his journey came to a lackluster and disappointing end.

As Emily left, Frank slowly paced up and down the hallway, contemplating his future after getting a start with his supposed dream. He felt torn, conflicted, he knew what he did was right, but was this really all he had to look forward to. His conflict began to turn into frustration, which slowly progressed into anger as his pacing got faster and his feet got heavier.

He'd had enough, he knew what he wanted, and he knew there might be consequences if he took action. But he didn't care anymore, a destiny where he was forced to traverse worlds alone was something he never wanted. But now he was stuck on this path; he at least deserved to have a better understanding of why he was alone. Frank took Todd out of his backpack and put it on his wrist, demanding to be taken to a place no man or woman should go willingly.

"Todd, take me to Rapture. Find me a point long after…after Elizabeth died"

"Frank, your heart rate is elevated and there is a massive increase in testosterone. I also sense that the amygdala part of your brain is overriding your cortex. I suggest you wait until your mood has subsided before making any rash decisions"

"Todd; take me to Rapture now"

"Frank, Rapture is dangerous, it is strongly recommended that…"

Frank screamed as he interrupted Todd.

"NOW TODD!"

Todd was quiet for a few seconds, before eventually speaking up.

"…very well, please stand by"

In a flash, Frank was gone. He was determined to get answers, he needed answers, he needed to mend his broken heart and his broken mind. He was willing to do it, even if there was a possibility that Rapture would become his final destination; even if it meant that the man who murdered Elizabeth, could also end his life.