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--4th Day, Month of Darkness 1816--
The wind was cold and harsh as Jessamine walked along the Tower walls. She looked out at the waters of the Wrenhaven. They churned dark and deep, the black void only broken by the chunks of white ice that floated towards the ocean. The sky offered no comfort either, the sun being blocked by grey overcast that spread over the entirety of the city. The atmosphere was gloomy and oppressive and she pulled her jacket tighter around her. No good news could come from a day like today.
She was killing time between lessons. While it was cold outside, sometimes it seemed even colder inside the palace and she needed a change of scenery. She leaned her arms on the guard rail and stared out at the city across the river. The very idea that she was expected to rule not only the capital, but all of Gristol and the whole of the Isles seemed far fetched. If she was being honest with herself she was scared too. Her father didn’t tell her everything, but from what she could gather things were peaceful for the time being. The rule of the Empire wouldn’t be her responsibility for years hopefully. To her that future seemed far away and all too close at the same time.
Jessamine sighed and stepped away from the rail. Sometimes she wished that she was just an average girl and the weight of responsibility didn’t come crashing down on her. But when she expressed this sentiment to her teachers or maids she was told she was being incredibly selfish. On the other side of the wall was Dunwall Tower proper. The looming white fortress that was her home. Inside it was furnished with the most expensive furniture money could buy, she was warm and dry through all the seasons, she had her own tailor to provide a custom wardrobe just for her, and a kitchen full of staff to make whatever she desired. She got near any toy she asked for and never knew poverty beyond the chatter of the maids and palace staff.
When she looked at what she had she had to agree with them, even just a little. There were people willing to kill for what she had. Yet these walls were as much her prison as a sanctuary. She wasn’t allowed outside the walls without guards and not without a good reason. Her father and mother were always busy and she hardly saw them despite living in the same palace they did. She could count the number of children she played with on one hand and the number of friends she had was in the single digits. Was it really selfish of her to wish away the material wealth for a more connected family and a sense of self that wasn’t tied to the crown? She just didn’t know.
She continued her walk around the perimeter wall. Perhaps when she picked a Royal Protector next year she would be allowed some more freedom? Or maybe she would feel even more trapped. There were very few guards out on top of the walls. Most were one level below where the chill of the wind wasn’t as harsh. It wasn’t bothering her, but she also didn’t have to stand out in for hours on end. Soon she would back inside and ready for another lesson on the recent attempt by Morley to leave the Empire.
Jessamine passed by a small guard room on her way to the staircase. The door was slightly open and she heard something that made her pause. There was a quiet, almost gasping sound coming from behind the door. Like someone was trying, and failing, not to cry. She nudged the door open a bit more and peeked inside. She could see someone sitting on the floor in the back of the room. It was a guard, sitting with their back to them, hunched over and definitely crying.
For a moment she thought about closing the door and walking away, but she didn’t. Instead she stepped inside and quietly said, “Hello? Are you ok?”
The guard instantly held his breath in a sharp hiss and turned around with wide eyes. Jessamine recognized him immediately. “Corvo? What’s wrong?” She took a few steps towards him. “Are you hurt? Sick? Should I get help?”
He quickly tried to wipe the tears from his face but more leaked out. He shook his head vigorously and moved to stand. He was clearly unsteady and turned his back to Jessamine. “What’s wrong?” She tried again. Jessamine was aware that the guard was often ruthless in their training and the palace guard even more so. “Did you get hurt?” She repeated.
Corvo just toed a piece of paper in her direction. She bent down to pick it up. It was a letter, written in black ink on faded yellow paper. It was written first in Gristolian, with a Serkonan translation under. Her Serkonan was rough at best so she read the top lines instead. “Dear Corvo Attano,” she read aloud. “We hope that your transfer to Dunwall is going smoothly. Your time with the Royal Palace Guard has just begun and I wish this letter could just be one of congratulation and well wishes. But I regret to inform you that your mother, Paloma Attano, has passed away-” Jessamine looked away from the letter when Corvo choked out another sob. “Oh Corvo…” She placed the letter down on a table and went to his side.
She didn’t know what to say, what do you say to someone who has just lost their mother? “I’m sorry,” was all she managed, “for your loss.” Corvo looked at her, his eyes were red and puffy from crying and tears still poured from them. His breathing was ragged and he took a deep breath and let it out, but it didn’t make it any better. He leaned against the wall then sunk down to the floor where he pressed his face into his knees.
Jessamine wasn’t sure what to do. She didn’t know if she should get someone or leave him alone. Corvo wasn’t from Dunwall, she knew that, everyone knew that. He wasn’t even from Gristol. It dawned on her that he might not have anyone to work through this difficult time with. He was alone here. Instead of leaving she knelt down by his side and put a hand on his back. “Do you want me to go?” She asked. He shook his head and hugged his legs. “I’ll stay then,” she said. Jessamine sat down beside him and kept one hand on his back, she had never comforted someone before and wasn’t sure what to do. She remembered her favorite caretaker would rub tiny circles on her back whenever she was upset, so she did the same to Corvo.
He continued to cry, though not very loudly, it was a raspy sound, almost like he was choking. But his body shook and his shoulders trembled with each bout of sobbing. She couldn’t see his face, his long hair kept it covered. He stayed like that for a long time, Jessamine lost track of how long she was with him. Eventually the crying slowed but he didn’t remove his head from his knees. Jessamine didn’t say anything. He sniffed and reached for her hand. She took off her glove and let him trace letters on the back of her hand. “It’s my fault.”
“No. How?” She asked. “You’ve been here, there’s no way-” She was cut off by more tracing.
“Should not have left her. Should not have come here.”
Jessamine shook her head. “You can’t think like that. You can’t blame yourself, it’s not your fault. Accidents happen they-”
Corvo aggressively shook his head and looked up, his face was a mess. The words on her hand read, “I left her all alone. Left her like Beautrici.”
“Beautrici?”
“Sister.”
“Is she… did she die too?”
Corvo shrugged helplessly. “Mom was all alone.” He brought one hand up and covered his mouth as another sob escaped. “Dad… Sis… Me. We all left her. Her heart… I shouldn’t have.”
Jessamine wanted to argue with him, but she wasn’t sure it was her place. “I’m sorry,” she repeated like it would help. Corvo nodded and took his hand away from hers. “Are you going home?” She asked. Another shrug. “I wouldn’t be mad if you did.”
He looked at her and frowned. “Why mad?”
“You agreed to be my Royal Protector, but I wouldn’t be mad if you went back to Serkonos. To be with family instead.”
Corvo looked away and traced, “No family left. Why go back?” Jessamine opened her mouth to say something but Corvo kept writing. “I chose to come here. This is my life now. It cost me my mother’s. No going back.” If traced words could be bitter she was certain these would be.
“Corvo…” Jessamine was at a loss, but she didn’t have to say anything more because the door burst open.
“Attano! There you are!” Jessamine looked at the doorway and found Captain Rhys standing there, arms folded over his chest. He looked far angrier than she had ever seen him before. “You didn’t report to the morning patrol you were scheduled, nor did you appear for lunch and you were absent from this afternoon’s sword training.”
Corvo stood quickly, though Jessamine could tell his legs were still shaking. He wiped his face with a gloved hand and tried to walk past. “You look like shit Attano. You’ve a good reason for this?” He didn’t answer instead he tried to shoulder past Rhys who stepped aside to let him pass. Only then did he notice Jessamine. “Lady Jessamine what are you… he didn’t do anything to you did he?”
“N-No!” She quickly stood. “He’s not… he’s not going to be in trouble right?”
Corvo was standing just outside, his back to both of them. Rhys said sternly, “You’ll be joining the evening patrol Attano. But before that you can head down and polish the swords. When that’s done the mess hall needs its floor scrubbed, no lunch or dinner for you either. You came well decorated, this is disappointing behavior from you. I don’t know how they ran things in the Serkonan army but you’re in Dunwall Tower now and tardiness will not be tolerated.”
Corvo nodded and started to move quickly to the staircase. Without thinking Jessamine grabbed the letter from the table and pressed it into Captain Rhys’ hand. “What’s this?” He asked her.
“Please, read it.”
His eyes started to scan the letter before they widened. He stepped out into the cold wind and called, “Attano!” Corvo stopped dead in his tracks. “This letter, is it true?” Slowly he turned around and nodded to his superior.
“I’m sorry-” He started to sign.
“Attano,” Rhys said in an almost gentle tone. “Come here.” Corvo approached but didn’t make eye contact with anyone, he stared at his boots like they were most interesting things in the world. “Kid you should have told someone.” He caught Corvo sniff and wipe at his face. “Listen, forget about the punishment. Let's go down and get some warm food in you. Then you’ll shadow me for the rest of the day? How about that?” Corvo looked up and nodded, he tried to smile but his face crumpled up and he pressed it into his arm.
Rhys turned to Jessamine and said, “Thanks for finding him, and giving me the letter. I was about to work a man who had just lost his mother. You should get back inside. I heard they were looking for you.” Jessamine nodded her head and watched Rhys take Corvo away. He was talking to him in a far softer tone. Rhys was a good man, she liked him a lot. “Come on Attano, lets see if they have any of those spicy caviar things you like.” They vanished down the stairs and out of view. Jessamine was left standing in the cold wind once more.
“I was right,” she said softly, “no good news ever could come from a day like today.”
--22nd Day, the Month of Ice 1818--
Corvo watched Jessamine pace back and forth. They were in a guest room in Dunwall Tower. Corvo stood silently as the young future empress continued to walk back and forth along the far wall. Every so often she would glance out the window at the raging snowstorm outside. The air was tense and quiet, only being broken by the occasional scream from down the hall.
Jessamine’s mother had gone into labor a few hours prior and the entire palace was on edge. The Royal Physician was out and the storm caused delays by both horse and carriage. Corvo used to think snow was beautiful and magical, he thought that less now that he had been in Dunwall for nearly three years.
“Something’s not right,” Jessamine said. “It’s been too long.”
“It hasn’t been too long,” Corvo signed. “Labor can take a half a day.” He tried to smile to ease her mind. “Don’t worry.”
“Don’t worry? Corvo that’s my mother how can I not worry?” She resumed her pacing. “You know what I always say about days like these.”
He rolled his eyes. “No good news comes from a day like today,” he parroted.
“Exactly! So you can see why I’m worried.”
“Worry comes from you not the weather.”
Jessamine groaned. “Of course it comes from me, you know if you don’t have anything useful to say don’t say anything at all.”
Corvo’s lip twitched into a smile briefly but it didn’t feel right to tease her when she was clearly worried. He himself had never had to wait on news like this. He was the last born in his family, he did wonder if Beautrici paced like Jessamine did before he was born? Was she just as nervous? Was his father next to his mother like Euhorn was to Beatrix? He should have asked, but as a teen he wasn’t too interested in such matters. A sword was far more interesting than stories of when he was a baby.
But he had waited anxiously for other news, news of his father’s condition from the hospital, where his ship was set to sail around the dangerous islands off of Serkonos, and the news on if he was accepted to go to Dunwall. He remembered pacing just like Jessamine while his commanding officers were in with the Duke talking about his and his squad-mates achievements. Corvo definitely remembered the long nights on the boat where he tried to cure his anxiety by studying books on Gristolian language in the dim candle light. He wasn’t sure if the anxiety in his heart when the boat finally docked at port was the same kind that was going through Jessamine, but it had to be similar.
He checked his wristwatch. Twenty minutes hadn’t even passed. The door beside him opened suddenly. In one fluid motion Corvo pushed off against the wall he was leaning on and drew his sword while placing his body between the intruder and Jessamine. Then as a quickly as he reacted he sheathed the blade and stepped aside.
“The Royal Physician has arrived,” Emperor Euhorn told Jessamine, he ignored Corvo completely. “I’m going back to your mother, but I wanted to let you know.”
Jessamine couldn’t hide the worry in her voice. “Please keep me updated. Send someone for me as soon as possible.”
“Of course,” he replied. “Shouldn’t be much longer now.” Then he slipped out through the door and Corvo closed it behind him.
“Everything will be fine,” Corvo said. “The Royal Physician knows what they’re doing.” He got Jessamine’s attention and signed, “Do you think the baby is a boy or a girl?”
She seemed relieved to have a distraction and replied, “A girl. At least that’s what I hope. I want a little sister.”
“If the baby is a boy?”
“I’ll still love him,” she said. “I’ll play with him and make sure he always has a friend. Hey maybe you could teach him to sword fight.”
“I would love to.”
“I just want to be a big sister,” Jessamine admitted. “I was so happy when mother told me she was going to have another child.” She smiled a bit and said, “The royal family is going to run out of money paying for the all the Royal Protectors!”
Corvo laughed his raspy laugh. “I don’t know if the second in line gets a Royal Protector. I think the Emperor and their direct heir get them.”
“I’ll ask father about it, then we’ll know for sure. If I become Empress would my sibling be next in line?”
Corvo shook his head. “You, then your first child, then the sibling.” He gave her a teasing smile before signing, “Didn’t you pay attention in your studies?”
She smiled back. “Why? If I miss something you’ll pick it up.” Jessamine went back to pacing but not as quickly as she had before. “How are you liking that by the way? My classes. You have to sit through them now too.”
“Learning a lot,” Corvo replied. It wasn’t a lie. His education wasn’t the greatest back in Serkonos. He was sent to learn to read and write and do basic math. But his time in school was divided between learning subjects that most kids learned and learning sign language. For a few years, while his family could afford it, he was sent to a school for the deaf near the Cyria Gardens district. It was taxing to travel that far mostly by foot and Corvo was exhausted by the time he made it home. But his parents deemed it necessary and so he went. Eventually their savings dwindled and he couldn’t afford to go. He spent a few more years at the local school down the street before dropping out and doing dock work to earn extra money for food. Now he was getting professional lessons in geography, history, math, science and even politics. While he wasn’t technically the one being taught, he could observe all of Jessamine’s lessons and read her books.
“At least one of us is enjoying it,” Jessamine said. “I shouldn’t complain, I want to be a good ruler some day and I can’t do that if I’m ignorant of my studies.”
Corvo caught her eye with his hands and said, “I’ll advise you.”
“I’m counting on it. We’ll be partners,” She decided.
“If you fire me?”
“I won’t. Unless you want to be?”
Corvo shook his head. They continued to talk on and off for a few more hours. Jessamine ended up sitting down in one of the arm chairs in the room. Corvo remained standing. He didn’t like sitting while on duty which made for long days, but there was something else, a change in the air he didn’t like. It put him on edge and he knew sitting would make it worse. Something that did disturb Corvo was the silence that had crept into the palace. At first he didn’t notice it because he was listening to Jessamine talk, but when their conversation slowed he picked up on the sudden quiet. He wasn’t sure what it meant, if it was good or bad. Births weren’t something he was used to being around. Corvo was about to suggest he step out and see if there were any updates when the door opened again.
This time Corvo didn’t leap into a defensive stance. Euhorn didn’t step inside the room, he was pale, very pale, and suddenly the dark bags under his eyes became very noticeable. “Jessamine come with me.” His voice did not have the joy you would expect to be present after the successful birth of a child. Corvo began to suspect the worst. “Your mother requested you be there with her.”
Jessamine got up quickly and asked, “Did something happen? Is she alright? Is the baby alright?”
Euhorn didn’t reply, instead he just took her hand and guided her down the hall. Corvo followed behind silently. There was blood on his hands, and shirt. The red easily contrasting on his skin and light colored clothes.
Corvo didn’t follow Jessamine or Euhorn into the room where Beatrix was. He noted that Euhorn’s Royal Protector Alex was standing alert on the left side of the door. Corvo took up position next to her on the right side of the door. He kept glancing towards her, and tried to read her expression.
“It took a turn,” she told him quietly. “Not a good one.”
“Is the baby-”
“I’m sorry Attano I still haven’t learned…”
Corvo nodded stared at the floor. He could hear muffled voices from behind the door and wall. The Royal Physician was giving orders and there was a clear undertone of panic. Never before had he felt more useless. Alex was a statue beside him but he could tell she was struggling to keep her composure neutral.
There was a gut wrenching scream followed by absolute silence. Corvo thought the world had stopped. For a few heartbeats all he could hear was the blood rushing in his ears. Then the crying started, the desperate pleas to open your eyes, the wails of agony that could only come from a husband who had lost his wife and a daughter now without a mother. Corvo clenched his fists and bit his lip.
“You need to be strong, Attano,” he heard Alex say to him. He could her voice was barely controlled. “Now more than ever, you need to be strong.”
Corvo nodded, but he could feel hot tears prick at his eyes. He had to be strong, he kept telling himself that. But he didn’t feel strong at all.
The next few days passed in an agonizingly slow blur. He shadowed Jessamine like normal, but she was quiet, reserved, and her schedule had been halved. There were many moments where he caught her crying, but when he approached she quickly wiped her face and walked away. He could tell she was putting on a brave face, but he wasn’t sure who it was for.
Inside the palace things were quiet, he expected Jessamine to be the one who openly wept for the loss of Beatrix, but the one who cried the loudest, grieved the longest, was the Emperor. Nobody commented on it, but he could tell the servants were biting back remarks. There had been long standing rumors among the servants that Euhorne had cheated on Beatrix and taken a mistress from the palace staff. There were even more rumors that claimed he sired a child with the same mistress. But nobody could deny that he loved Beatrix with his entire soul, and nobody dared question it. Not only because it wouldn’t be appropriate to stab a grieving man, but also out of fear of retaliation.
Corvo held back the same questions. It was rumored to have happened long before he arrived at Dunwall, back when he was just a kid in the streets of Serkonos swinging a wooden sword and pretending he was something great. His job was not to question the Emperor and the affairs of the upper class were none of his concern. His job was to protect the future Empress, and the Emperor if Alex ever fell and he was near. His job was to dress nice, stand silently, and provide the unseen support for Jessamine. When she was weak he would be strong. He was strong for the both of them, for many weeks.
The funeral for Beatrix and Lavender, the daughter that did not survive to take her first breath, was a stunning yet sorrowful event. The palace was decorated in the royal colors with banners of rich cloth hanging from the hallways and foyer. Even though they were in the middle of a harsh winter, Beatrix’s favorite flowers were in great vases all over the palace, their sweet smell made Corvo queasy at times. Hundreds of people came to pay their respects, leaving gifts, flowers, and kind words to the Emperor and surviving daughter. Corvo stood silently, flanked by Alex throughout the entire affair. He held himself together through the ceremony and didn’t cry when her body was lowered and final words said. Like Alex he remained emotionless and on guard, even when their charges broke down into undignified sobbing.
Beatrix was never particularly close to Corvo. She was nice when he had to interact with her. He was awkward and afraid of messing up but she was patient and had a soft face. There was a lot of her in Jessamine, Corvo thought. While she wasn’t ever close to Corvo she was the world to Jessamine. She loved her daughter very much and everyone knew it. So when the crowds dispersed and the palace was theirs alone once more Corvo wasn’t surprised that Jessamine walked back to Royal Tomb where her mother was just laid to rest. They were alone, only one guard was on duty and he stepped aside to let Jessamine and Corvo pass.
Jessamine stopped by her mother’s nameplate, she ran her hand across it then moved to Lavender’s. Corvo stood behind her, quiet and respectful. “Aren’t you going to say anything?” Jessamine asked. Her voice was not kind. “You haven’t said a word this entire time.”
Corvo stepped into her line of sight and started to sign, “You know I can not speak.”
“A joke?” Jessamine turned her eyes to him. “You think this is an appropriate time to joke?”
“I’m sorry,” Corvo said quickly. “I did not mean-”
“Did you even care?” Jessamine asked, her voice raising. “Did you ever care about her? It doesn’t seem like you did.”
“I…” Corvo faltered. “I cared. I had to be strong for you. To do my job.” As soon as his fingers formed the words he knew he made a mistake.
“Your job? My mother is dead and your thoughts are on you precious job?” Corvo moved to say something in reply but Jessamine cut him off, “I don’t want to hear it.” When he stepped closer she backed away and snarled, “It’s not like you could ever understand how I feel.”
Corvo’s eyes widened at the same time Jessamine’s did, but her words had already left her mouth and it was too late to take them back. “Corvo I-”
He didn’t say anything in reply, he just turned his back to her and walked out of the room. The guard at the entrance didn’t say anything to him. They stood in silence until Jessamine came back out. She looked up at him but Corvo refused to meet her eyes. Instead he waited for her to take the lead then followed behind, like a shadow she could never get rid of.
The next few days passed with awkward silence. Corvo knew Jessamine was trying to figure out how to apologize for her outburst, and Corvo understood that he should initiate the conversation instead of her. He knew she didn’t mean what she said, that words said out of anger or sadness weren’t often true of what the person believed. But it still stung. She had been with him the day he learned of his mother’s passing, she saw him grieve and yet accused him of not understanding. He also realized that as the older of the two, he shouldn’t be holding this against her. Corvo realized that perhaps he had more growing up to do than he thought.
Jessamine had a break from her studies which she used to lead Corvo up to the palace walls. She stared out over the frozen river and said, “I just wanted to be a sister. More than anything I’ve wanted before.” Her voice was weaker than Corvo had been expecting. “Do you know how lonely it gets? I haven’t had many friends and my family keeps shrinking.” Corvo put a hand on her shoulder. “I suppose you do, you had the members of the guard while you were here, I’m sure they were some company. But now you’re separated from them, given a room in that big, cold, empty palace. Same as me.”
“I’m sorry,” Corvo said.
Jessamine shook her head and apologized, “No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I was upset and I took it out on you because I could. Because I knew you would take it. I hurt you because I was hurt.”
“You didn’t mean it.”
She shrugged. “Mean it or not I still said it. That’s not a very Empress like thing to do.”
“You’re a long ways off from being an Empress,” Corvo added. Then he said, “I didn’t say anything because I was trying to be strong. Trying to be brave.” He let his hands fall away. Corvo knew he shouldn’t have acted how he did. He should have reached out, he should have done something. “I guess I don’t know what it means to be strong. I have a lot to learn.”
Jessamine nodded and leaned against the railing, it was cold but she didn’t mind. “Do you miss her? Your mother?” She was saddened by the thought that Corvo had never gotten a chance to visit her grave, to even know where she was buried. He never got to pay his respects, she thought should consider herself lucky.
Corvo stepped up beside her. “Of course. No day passes that I don’t think of her.”
“I think I’m going to miss my mother. Forever. This is the kind of hurt that doesn’t leave right? I can see it in dad’s eyes… do you think he’ll be ok?”
“In time.”
“Do you… do you think I’ll be ok?”
“Of course.”
Jessamine closed her eyes against the cold wind and took what Corvo said to heart. They’ll all be ok, she decided. It might take some time, but they will all be ok. They had to be. If she didn’t believe that then she didn’t know if she could continue forward.
It started to snow, and this time Jessamine and Corvo didn’t feel like it was carrying bad news with each falling flake.