User blog:Masterforger/City Watch Blues

'And that's another patron dead. What do we do now?' asked James, nonchalant at the death of his ex-principal Lord Shaw.

'It's lucky we're in demand. I hear the Estermonts pay top coin,' replied Bryon, ignoring the man dressed in black and wearing a skull mask who was lifting a coin pouch from Shaw's corpse, the same man who had won their duel. Bryon got up and walked towards his partner. 'No use trying them tonight. Let's go inside and see if we can find a little brandy. Let the Boyles clean up the mess.'

They walked inside the beautiful mansion. As the night wore on, they drank fine alcohol, danced with shapely ladies, conversed with other City Watch officers about current events. Officer Norris spoke to them about the man who had killed Shaw, who was now in the party crowd. Bryon and James watched as he went from crouching to conversation, from drinking cider to brandishing weapons.

'He's an odd bird,' said James, flicking up the ends of his moustache. 'Think he's here for money?'

'I doubt it.' said Norris, warning another guest about the danger of being fried alive by the Wall of Light. 'But he looks like he's up to no good. Not my problem, though.'

James and Bryon mingled some more. One of the Boyle women disappeared from the party, but James heard from a certain Miss White that Esma was known for going on debaucheries with men from her parties. 'That wanton thing,' remarked Miss White. 'And I heard Lady Brimsley is getting to be just like her!'

After a couple more hours of dancing, eating, drinking, talking, and being drunk, Bryon and James stumbled out of the Boyle's front door, tipsy but quite happy. They shambled out of the Boyle grounds. 'Ishn't your housh not far from 'ere?' asked Bryon, blinking and swaying by the canal.

'Yea-hic-yeah. What, you need a plaesh to stay again?' joked James.

'No, I'll head home. G'night, James. Mind them Weepersh. They got no respect for our uniforms!' shouted Bryon as he ambled slowly to his own home, laughing maniacally.

As they both walked home, their drunken state prevented them from noticing the other City Watch officers who were snoring at their posts, splayed around in odd places. Bryon lived in a small apartment near the Estate district, looking towards the Clock Tower, while James lived right across from the Boyle Estate. They both slept heavily, but the news two days later shocked them.

'Attention Dunwall Citizens. Lord Regent Hiram Burrows has been found guilty of bringing the Rat Plague to Dunwall. He has been sentanced to execution. Former Lord Protector Corvo Attano still remains at large, and newly appointed Lord Regent Farley Havelock continues the search for this dangerous felon.'

Only a couple more days later, Havelock was found guilty of treason and sentanced to death, and Empress Emily was finally put on the throne. Corvo Attano came out of the shadows as her saviour, and Sokolov and Piero announced an alliance for fighting the plague.

'What did we drink at that party?' laughed James when they met at a City Watch address. 'And what do we do now?'

'You asked me that when Shaw was killed.' chuckled Bryon. 'For my equal in rank, you ask for a lot of directions. Either way, the Estermonts are still open, but I think parts of the Watch are going to be disbanded.'

'Outsider's Eyes, I hope we don't get kicked out. This job is all I know, I'm not like the lower guys who have been to sea.'

'We might be able to join up with the Tower guard, maybe even with Corvo himself. I think Captain Curnow still knows me, and he's friends with Corvo. Mark my words, James, we're going to be great men, one way or another.'