Dishonored

“What shall we do with a drunken whaler early in the morning…”

Blood spilled by the gallon. The rats continue to plague these streets, and those who fall victim to the plague… well, they’re unsaveable. Under Empress Twilight’s reign, hopefully we can being to rebuild this city of Canterlot from it’s ashes, become the shining beacon of the empire again.

Personally, I could care less. My life ended six months ago, on that fateful day. My one task in life… terribly failed. The day that Empress Celestia, ruler of the empire and the one who had placed her trust in me, had died in my hooves. It was a sunny day in the city of Canterlot...

March 6, 1243

Under the orders of High Empress Celestia, the Lord Protector Dawn Wings is sent on the HMS Galliston to find a cure for a new plague transmitted by rats that plagues the underbelly of Canterlot.

November 19, 1243

Lord Protector Dawn Wings returns to no avail, bearing a message from his royal governor Solaris Quintus who commands the nearby city-state of Appleloosa.

“Welcome back, Lord Protector.” Hooves automatically go up in salute as I make my way up the docks connecting to Canterlot Harbor. Around me, the city’s activities are coming to a slow as the sun reaches its zenith, the only sounds in the form of slowly dying engines and the keening moan of a skywhale as it is transported to a slaughterhouse. Ever since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, whale hunters go out in earnest to bring in the tons of whale oil required to run this city. Even now as my hooves trod down the wooden gangway, pulleys tend to the cargo the HMS Galliston had returned with.

I gave the soldier a curt nod before swiftly exiting the docking area, marching straight towards the nearest guard station. The regalia of my rank glimmered in the sun’s rays, giving me easy access to the harbor garrison’s commander.

“What is it that you require of me, my Lord Protector?” Head bowed low, as he should. One does not become Lord Protector without having the necessary deadliness to back it up. A quick glint of greed is quickly extinguished as I stare coldly into his eyes.

“What I require, sir, is my transportation to Canterlot Castle.” I snapped, causing the captain to step back in alarm instinctively. “Or was it your intent that the business of the Lord Protector, and by extension the Empress Celestia, be obstructed?”

The captain stammered out a quick apology before quickly exiting the office to arrange for the Lord Protector’s carriage. “Incompetent bastards,” I mutter darkly under my breath. Before the plague, the only guards to be hired were judged and tested by the rigorous standards of the Solar Guard, soldiers of her Empress Celestia. But with the city in a state of emergency, the Royal Spymaster Luna has seized emergency powers and enacted a security measure that allows for the additional hiring of militant forces to combat the rat plague.

Meaning, the majority of the city’s new “security forces” are at the beck and call of the Royal Spymaster. I really do not like the woman; but as the Empress’ sister, she must be trusted regardless.

The city is a blurr as my mechanical carriage whirrs towards Canterlot Castle and towards Empress Celestia. I try to force down my irritability, and found it supremely hard to do so. After seven months abroad appealing to self-serving governors and snivelling state officials to send aid to our dying city, I long to be back by the Empress’ side where I can firmly keep watch of her. I had been loathe to leave her to begin with, with none for her to confide in or trust and surrounded by troops in the Spymaster’s pocket.

The carriage finally arrives. I hear gravel being crunched underhoof as an all too familiar figure approaches. The Royal Spymaster tilts her head slightly in greeting.“Ahh, Lord Protector, we didst not expect thee to show up now. How curious that thou should arrivest at this time.”

I wipe my face into a neutral stare. While technically we are equals in rank, she is connected to the Empress by blood and thus holds the weight of royalty. “The winds were truly favorable towards her Empress’ servant. They did not want the urgency of my message to be wasted.”

Luna raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Indeed, Lord Protector. If thou willst excuse us, we must attend to more… pressing matters. Good day.” Holding her head high, the Spymaster exited swiftly towards the main garrison a slight distance away from the main castle of Canterlot. With her back turned towards me, my eyes shoot daggers into her backside until the guard escorting me clears his throat uncomfortably. “My Lord Protector, if you will,” he said cautiously, opening the carriage door to let me out.

Glamorous hallways with floors of polished marble. Visions of past glory films over the palace in a glimmering haze as I make my way towards the royal gardens. “The Empress is having her tea,” a maid had said, gesturing a hoof towards the recently constructed royal pavilion. Still in the midst of my mild fury, only one sight manages to bring a smile to my face.

“Dawn Wing!” called out a young voice excitedly. My vision is immediately filled by a violet-coated mare as she bounds towards me, book in hoof. The scent of lilting lavenders fills my nose, a slight reprieve when so much of the city smells of death and plague.

“Princess Twilight,” I murmured, managing to tone my smile down to a small grin. It would be unseemly for me to show too much affection towards the Princess Royal, especially when on duty. I certainly could not hate the girl, however. Her earnestness towards her studies made her a favorite amongst the palace staff, even if it also attracted the unsavory attention of the Spymaster and that of Head Overseer Dark Blade, the head of a fanatical church that tolerates nothing but absolute adherence to their strictures.

“How did your travels go? Did you get to see many new places? I’ve missed you, Dawn!” Twilight chattered on excitedly. Reaching downward for a hug, I soon had the Princess Royal in my embrace as she rubbed her cheek affectionately against the rough fur of my chest.

“Thank Celestia you’re back, Dawn… Mother has been meeting with the Spymaster and the Head Overseer in tandem over the past several days, and she always looks so tired after meeting with them… will you go to see her now?” She asked, looking up at me pleadingly.

Gently setting the young mare down, I gave her a nod before passing under the arches leading towards the royal gardens. In the distance, I can see the silhouettes of Celestia and the Head Overseer, and I quicken my stride towards the pavilion. After all, if given the chance to interrupt or delay whatever the Spymaster seems to be cooking up, it would be a shame not to take it, no?

“My Empress,” I said firmly, coming to a bow as Celestia and Dark Blade turned to me during a halt in their conversation. Celestia looked haggard and seemingly worse for wear, but she brightened as she recognized the stallion beneath the uniform in front of her.

“Dawn Wing! So it is true that you had returned,” Celestia beamed at me, her worries melting away from her shoulders as her energy returned.

“Perhaps we shall discuss my proposal another time, Empress.” The Head Overseer glared coldly at me, to which I deign not to respond to. “If you will excuse me. Lord Protector, Empress.” Giving me the curt nod that was due my rank, he stiffly walked back towards the castle, no doubt planning on returning to the Spymaster’s tower to rearrange their plans.

Celestia let out a sigh of relief before gesturing to the two chairs before her. “Please, Dawn, sit. I won’t make you stand on ceremony when we are alone.” Gratefully, I take a seat at the table. There is all manner of goods arranged before us - toffees, small iced cakes, and of course a warm pot of mint tea. Overall, a very refreshing yet simple spread, befitting of the empress I served.

“It’s gotten worse here, hasn’t it Dawn?” Celestia whispered, her expression pained as she looked out towards the city. I follow her gaze over the battlements, my eyes resting on the Flooded District. Of course, I say nothing. There is no need. Anyone could see that our city was dying.
Grimly, I pull out a tattered letter from my saddlebags. It shows sign of wear and age, the results of several months in the sky sea. I watch as my empress wordlessly takes the letter. How her face creases in disgust before burning the letter in a fit of anger. “They plan on placing the city in quarantine,” she said miserably, stalking in agitation as her eyes continued to stare towards Canterlot. “With no hope for cure, they want to contain our situation before it destroys the empire...oh Dawn, what shall I have to do to save my little ponies?”

“Whatever we can, my Empress.” I try to soothe her frayed nerves, calmingly placing a hoof on her back. “I am yours and yours only, your knife and your strength.”

“Thank you, Dawn.” Celestia granted me a teary smile. “I know you will be there to protect me always.”

If only she were to know how false those words could truly be.

The world warped around us as unicorns swathed in black appeared into existence around the pavilion. “Behind me, my Empress!” Immediately, I pull out my half-sword and pistol and shoot one of the bastards between the eyes.

“Dawn!” Celestia cried out helplessly as she became surrounded by more of the assailants.

“Guards, to me! Guards!” I roared, mercilessly driving my blade into another pony’s throat. Hearing the squelch of blood fill his lungs, I extract my sword only to cut open another pony’s stomach in to. The smell of innards hits the air, something foreign to the royal palace gardens. The assailant only stares at me, gaping as his intestines hit the floor. I ignore him, cutting a path through the ponies until I had found myself in front of the Empress. Quickly whirling around, I am startled to see that there were no ponies left. Seven mutilated bodies surrounded me, my hooves in their pooling blood. I open my mouth to ask if my empress is unharmed, when my vision went black and I passed out.

It could not have been more than an instant, yet as my vision cleared I saw a unicorn plunge my sword into Celestia’s chest, twisting it cruelly as she screamed. After ensuring that she would live no longer, he quietly passed into the shadows leaving not a trace but a single bloody hoof print on the edge of the pavilion floor.

Though my body ached, I crawled my way over to my dying empress, cradling her head in my hooves as I saw the light fade from her eyes. “D-dawn Wing… protect my daughter… protect… Twilight…”

“Celestia!” I yelled out, banging my hoof uselessly against the marble floor as the last breath left her lungs. I became dully aware of several presences rushing up from behind me.

“What is this…?” Luna surveyed the scene and gasped when she noticed her sister, dead upon the floor in a pool of blood that was not entirely her own. The bodies of those I had slain have disappeared by some sorcery, and my blade was buried in my empress’ chest. “Guards! Arrest Dawn Wing, the Lord Protector, for crimes of the highest treason against the state! He has murdered the Empress Celestia!”

As I was taken away from Celestia’s body, I could almost see the faintest smile on the Spymaster’s face as she ordered more guards to investigate the area as well as search for the Princess Royal.