"Judgment": A Dishonored Fanfic

Chapter 16

Elaine awoke first, feeling incredibly warm, and then saw why. She'd been in the middle of the bed when they'd gotten into it last night, and she had two dozing men flanking her. Daud had turned over onto his left side, pressing his back into her, and Corvo had also turned but had done so towards her, one arm draped across her furthest shoulder.
No wonder she felt so warm. She lay there, looking up at the ceiling and its cast-iron chandelier, and smiled.
That definitely hadn't been a dream.
Her head felt slightly woolly but thankfully, with no headache, and she currently had no need to move so she lay there, staring at everything and nothing at the same time, deep in thought.
Roughly thirty minutes later, she felt the fingers of Corvo's hand moving on her skin, and he started to wake up. It was unclear as to whether Daud was as yet- he'd stirred a couple of times, moving his legs slightly, but nothing more than that.
She turned her head to look at Corvo, and he smiled at her.
   "Morning." He said quietly, stroking her shoulder.
   "Hey. Sleep well?"
   "Possibly too well. What time is it?" He lifted his hand off her briefly to stare at his watch, then replaced it with a sigh. "I don't think I'm ready to move just yet." He sighed.
She'd seen the watch too; it had said just after eleven.
   "I'm surprised that someone's not banging the door down."
   "They'd better fucking not." Daud said then, proving that actually, he was decently awake.
   "Oh, you're alive, then?" Elaine said.
   "Just about. That was quite a party. And...quite a party, too."
She laughed at that. "Yeah."
He turned around and lay on the opposite side instead, moving his arm to place it on her belly under the covers. "I'm not fully awake yet," he said, "this is an illusion. I'm still half-asleep."
   "Don't worry, I've no intention of moving just yet."
   "Oh good."
   "Do you have anything back in Tyvia?" Corvo asked then. "You know, like a house or children or something."
She paused. "I've got a small house, but nothing else. I live alone, was divorced a few years ago. Not even a pet canary."
   "How the hell had someone got the mind to divorce you?" Daud said with a tone of disbelief. "They want shootin'."
Elaine smiled. "I wasn't too sure of that either. But, their loss."
   "Too fucking right. We'll have you."
Her eyebrow arched. "Oh, you will, ei?"
   "Oh yes." He grinned cheekily.
   "Would you give it some thought?" Corvo asked.
   "Yeah." She replied with a nod. "I sure will."
   "Let's burn all the boats so that she can't escape." Daud said.
Corvo tutted. "Do you know how daft that sounds?"
   "I don't care, I don't want her to go now."
   "Give me a little time." She told him. "It's a lot to consider."
   "Spose I can manage that. And I also guess that it's about time that we started looking for food."
   "I've got to look for a cure, too."
   "It'll be there." Corvo told her. "You can do it."
   "Only one way to find out." She pushed gently on Daud's arm. "Are you planning on getting up now, then?"
   "I'm going, I'm going." Daud briefly stroked his hand over her right breast, then folded the covers back and got up, trying to locate where his clothes were.
   "Throw ours over, while you're at it." Corvo asked.
   "Not likely. Find 'em yourself, lazy."
Elaine smiled. "I'll find them. Got to be here somewhere."
   "Hang on a second." Corvo moved to take her face and he kissed her for a few moments, then released her. "There." He said.
She gave him one as well, then swung her feet over to the vacant side of the bed and began to get up.

Seeing as breakfast had been completely missed, they instead opted to go for an early lunch and headed to the dining room.
There was always someone present in the kitchens, so after a short wait they were presented with hot beef sandwiches as well as vegetable soup and an assortment of drinks.
Not long after they'd sat down to eat, Martin walked into the area and also took up a chair.
   "...you didn't go home, then." Corvo observed.
   "I was hammered." Martin grinned. "I'd have probably fallen into the sea had I tried that."
   "That makes sense." Daud nodded. "Scarin' those poor whales benefits nobody."
   "Shut up." Martin laughed. "I'll just make sure that I'm fully awake, then I'll be on my way. We'll have to meet again soon."
   "Might be sooner than you think, if what a certain green-wearin' assassin said was true, hmm?"
Martin paused. "...the idea's got merit, ill say that."
   "You're actually considering it?" Corvo sounded surprised.
   "I'll admit that I am, yeah. Someone would go for me sooner or later, then it just ends up a case of same old, same old, with whoever takes over after. There's roughly two dozen who'd try it that I can think of right now. If it were made to look like I'd drafted some sort of personal guard, they'd never dare."
   "We wouldn't just put on a show and leave yer." Daud told him after putting down his glass. "We'd actually do it for a time. Follow you round and such. Crack a few heads. Then after a while, they'd think we were always there. Can then drop by once in a while, as well as whenever you need us."
Martin nodded. "I feel sold on it, really. It'd work."
   "When will you step up?" Corvo asked. "Is it official?"
   "It will be, in a few more days. I'm due to give the official speech on...Friday, I believe. Already spoken to Emily to let her know that I'm not withdrawing anymore."
Daud grinned. "I'd say you need to start plannin', then."
   "Not on an empty stomach, I'm not. Or while nursing a slight hangover. I'll wake up first, catch up with things, then start."
   "Sounds like we might need another party."
   "...not gotten over the last one yet, thank you."
   "If you need any help with things of a theatrical nature," Corvo said, "Daud would be your best bet there, too."
Daud stared at him. "...you're actually recommending me for something? Holy shit."
   "Don't let it go to your head too much." Corvo smiled. "You're rather clever with words on a near-constant basis, so it's something you're definitely cut out for." He then looked at Elaine. "We might also need your services, too."
   "What, again?" Martin joked.
   "Mister Overseer!" Daud exclaimed as they all laughed. "You should know better, I'm shocked at you. Shocked."
Elaine giggled. "I think I'll be up for a bit of playwriting. I'll have a look at it later, though, cos' it's about time that I got back into my research stuff."
   "Guess we'll get started with helping this one, then." Daud said as he pointed at Martin's grinning face.
She smiled at them all, then picked up a couple more sandwiches and headed out of the room. The last thing she heard was Martin's suggestion about getting a telephone installed at the Hound Pits before she moved out of range of the conversation.