Love Isn't A Void

Chapter 1: Somewhere Else

I never met my grandmother, Ismay, but she was beautiful and in a time of so much struggle she was brave, maybe that's why you chose her, the unknown woman.. The year was 1803 when you marked her and only a few months later in the month of High Cold my father, Dunstan, was born. My father never knew his father and in his diary he wrote of the locks my grandmother could pick in order to break into abandoned homes for shelter or into the homes of the rich for food and other resources, because of you my grandmother was able to provide for my father. My mother Aline worked for the royal family like her mother and grandmother before her, she was the personal maid and even midwife of Jessamine, knowing her since she was very young, Jessamine considered my mother her friend. My mother met my father one day while running errands for the queen and they fell in love right away, around the same time Corvo and Jessamine did. My mother and Jessamine would skip down the halls of the castle in love and happy, only they knew of the others secret. For 9 years my parents were happy, and then overseers stormed my father's house, they found his journal which depicted my grandmother's power and his wish to one day also find the void, they publicly executed him and at the execution Jessamine accompanied my mother and was able to retrieve his journal for her and for me who my mother was carrying as she watched my father be publicly killed along with other so called "heretics". Jessamine never told a soul who my real father was, never questioned his execution or the contents of the journal; in return my mother never told anyone about Jessamine and Corvo and how he was the princess's father.

I don't remember much of the day Jessamine was killed and Emily kidnapped I was only 5 I remember only what Isolda told me and what I vaguely remember, Emily loved playing with me but the moment Corvo arrived she excused herself and ran to see him, my mother meanwhile was preparing Jessamine's lunch and Isolda who was another young maid at the castle only 16 at the time held me, while also watching my mother trying to learn the trade. My mother exited the maid quarters to bring Jessamine her lunch, me and Isolda, waited for my mother or Emily's return. Minutes past and my mother runs into the kitchen frantically she closes the door behind her and hands me a book from her apron and all the coins in her pockets she grabs food and wraps it in cloth and gives it to Isolda who was now panicking, screams are heard outside and loud bangs coming closer. My mother begins composing herself as she begins to shove the two of us towards the tiny garbage chute "Isolda listen to me go down the chute head for the sewers and never tell anyone where you're from, never come back here, go now and take care of eachother. I love you." she says kissing my forehead and squeezing us both just before she pushes us into the chute, on our way down Isolda and I hugged each other as we heard someone break the door and a single gunshot go off.

Isolda did as she was told we ran through the sewers avoiding rats and keeping quiet, when Isolda believed we were far enough away from the castle we exited the sewers, Isolda never once letting me or herself look back at the castle. We walked for hours before we snuck on a boat headed back to the distillery district when we arrived Isolda lied about her age to get a job at the golden cat she would leave me in an abandoned apartment next to the cat and like that she fed us. When Emily arrived at the cat, being kept prisoner there, Isolda kept her company and would give up her rations for her, Isolda was the one who contacted the so called loyalist about the princess's whereabouts by spreading the news until someone brought the news all the way back to Corvo. When Corvo came to rescue her he came and left in a blink she didn't even get to say goodbye for the longest time we thought the madam sold her off or moved her after catching wind of the plan, that was until Emily returned back to the throne some months later. Isolda always supported us on her own until I turned 18 and also joined her, but for as long as I could remember she was the one and only one to watch out for me after I lost my mother, she could have easily abandoned me in the sewers but she never gave up.

Present Day

"Isolda, please you do this every year it's not a big deal, I'm turning 19, nothing will change." you said, while trying to discourage Isolda from flipping your shared room apart with her cleaning and redecorating "Not a big deal? Not a big deal? It's a huge deal 18 was a big year but 19 is the year you finally get used to being 18 and it'll be your one year anniversary of you living and working at the cat. We have our own room together with separate beds, no more run down apartment and you're just one of the housemaids of the cat you don't even need to deal with the really horrible customers of the cat, for the most part. So it's a big deal!" Isolda practically yells while finally locating the bag of your special things you both hide so well sometimes you both can't find it. "Here take this money I've saved up extra tips just for tomorrow, so go into town and get yourself something nice and don't think it's because I haven't found you a gift because I have, I'll give it to you at exactly midnight. I hope you'll like it." "You know I'll love it whatever it is, I haven't seen it yet but thank you" you say while pulling Isolda into a tight hug "It's been a blessing to see you grow, I honestly believe you don't need me anymore (YN), and I'm sorry I can't go into town with you but one of my regulars asked to see me personally and you know how it is." Isolda says not wanting to let you go "I know and don't be crazy you're like a sister to me." You say letting her go "But I better get dressed because last year you practically kicked me out for not wanting to celebrate" you say putting on your clothes "And I'll kick you out for sure this time if you don't get out and go spoil yourself!" Isolda jokes pointing out the door and window as you walk out the room laughing.