Summary: She may succeed in rescuing her sister, her father, her life, but along the way, she will fall―and he will be there, lifting her up, saving her. [Slight AU, Emily Twinfic]

"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

Invictus, William Ernest Henley

Disclaimer: I don't own Dishonored, only any original characters and plots.

Invictus
01:A Long Day in Dunwall

Sometimes, Maeve envies her sister.

Not because Emily is the Empress or because she has found a partner, but because she has the love of their father. Maeve does know that their father loves her wholeheartedly, but if she were to compare that love with her sister...she knows she has lost. There is something special about the bond between Corvo and Emily, through their long nights together during meetings or the time they spent years ago at the Hound Pits Pub. She is always second, whether it be from the moment she was brought into this world twenty-five years ago or now, she is – and always will be – second to her twin.

But...Maeve is used to it and does not hate her sister for it. Sometimes, she gives herself the luxury of thinking of what if – what if she had been born first, becoming Empress – but one glance at the tired face of her twin, she knows that being a ruler of a struggling country is not something she would want.

No, she is better off being a protector in the darkness.

"Maeve, are you listening?"

She rids herself of these treacherous thoughts and meets the eyes of the person who calls out to her. "Sorry Father, just thinking about tomorrow," she says, a pang of pain at the date on the calendar. It has been fifteen long years since the death of her mother, and even with time, there is an emptiness within her that her mother once filled all those years ago.

"It will be hard." Corvo places a hand on her cheek and gives her a reassuring smile. "But I need you to focus. Tomorrow will be my last day as Royal Protector and it will be your job afterward – "

She pushes his hands away with annoyance and looks out the window to her right. "I know Father, I've heard this spiel over a thousand times."

There is a tired sigh to her left. "Maeve, it's not just some job – you are protecting an Empress, not just your sister."

"I've protected her once, Father; I'm pretty sure I can do it again." From the corner of her eye, she sees him wince. A feeling of guilt rises but she immediately pushes it down to the farthest corners of her mind. She knows it is not her father's fault all those years ago and lets out a sigh, letting go of the frustration she feels. With the anniversary of her mother's death, her emotions are everywhere, and it is a struggle for her to maintain the quiet calm that her father seems to exhibit on a daily basis. Besides, he does not know of what she did – of her darkest secret, and it is better that way. "Don't worry, I understand how much this job will ask of me," she says with a gentler tone a second later, turning back around.

She is greeted with a smile that Corvo reserves only for his daughters. "I'm proud of you, you know that right?" Corvo pulls her into a hug that she gladly returns. "I am glad that you will be taking my place."

"Thank you." Maeve smiles. "You will be taking the position as Spymaster after the ceremony tomorrow, right? Or is it the following day?" she asks, pulling away.

She sees a grimace on his face, one that she can't help snickering at as Corvo glares at her in response. "I'll be doing it the day after the ceremony."

"Have you told Emily of this?" She loops her arm with her father's as she leads them down the hall towards Emily's study. "I know she's nervous about the change."

"I originally told her that I'd be leaving today but...I realized that your mother would want me to watch over you two for at least one more day."

Maeve smiles as at the memory of her family when she was younger – when Jessamine was still alive and Corvo returning from his trips with gifts that she and Emily couldn't wait to open. "Yes...she probably would."

A Long Day in Dunwall

Maeve stands next to Emily as they both arrive at the front doors of the Throne Room, the officers of the City Watch milling all around them. The day itself was hectic, as several people from all across the Isles are here today to celebrate their mother's death.

Emily grabs her hand. "I..." Maeve squeezes it, knowing that Emily is saddened by the fact that they have to publicly honor their mother's assassination.

"It's okay, you just need to get through today," she whispers into her sister's ear, hoping these words will comfort her. "Mother would be proud of you," she adds, fixing the stray hair that had escaped from Emily's bun.

At this, she hears a scoff and turning to look at her, she sees Emily roll her eyes. "Us, Maeve, not just me." With a final squeeze, she lets go and faces Alexi. "I'm just not looking forward to today."

"Your Highness, just like what Lady Maeve said, you just need to face today." The Captain pulls out a ring from her breast pocket, which Emily looks shocked to see. Maeve immediately reaches for her neck, an identical ring hanging on a stainless steel chain that is hidden under layers of protective leathers – it is the signet ring that their mother had made for the four of them: the Royal Protector, the Empress, Emily, and herself.

"Where did you – "

"I found it underneath your desk." Alexi places it in Emily's palm. "Try not to lose it again," she says with an amused tone.

"...Thank you." Maeve takes a step back and watches as the doors open, revealing her sister's entire court. The chatter immediately quiets down, and as Emily begins speaking, she turns towards Alexi, motioning her to follow as the Empress proceeds towards the Throne. "Is everyone accounted for?" she asks as she observes the people around her.

Alexi shakes her head, much to her disappointment. "No, the Duke of Serkonos hasn't passed through any of the identification gates yet. What do you think happened?"

"I don't know. We invited the man but…" Maeve thinks for a second before making up her mind. "Maybe he mentioned something about being late in his letter." She hands Alexi a key. "Will you go up to my study and get it? It...should be in there."

"Should?"

With a wince, Maeve guiltily scratches the back of her neck. "There may be a chance that it's hidden under paperwork."

Alexis groans, but the amusement behind it is not lost on Maeve, as the ease and flow of their conversation come with years and years of unbreakable friendships.

Glaring at her, the red-haired woman takes the key. "You owe me." But with a knowing smile, she quickly says her goodbyes and leaves.

"Maeve, come here!" Turning back around, she rushes to where her father is as Emily takes a seat in her Throne. "Is everything okay?" her father murmured, looking worryingly at Alexi's retreating figure.

With a sigh, she answers. "Hopefully, yes – it just seems that the Duke of Serkonos is a little...late. I'm having Alexi run up to my study to retrieve the letter that he sent to us a week prior."

After half an hour of forced smiles and false happiness, Maeve can hear commotions at the front doors. There is a member of the watch running up to them, panic in his eyes despite trying to hide his nervousness.

This immediately puts her on edge, and knowing Corvo, he is too.

"Your Imperial Majesty, the Duke of Serkonos apologizes for his tardiness but he has reached the doors."

Emily nods her head and waves a hand. "Let him in."

The moment the doors are thrown open and Maeve lays her eyes on the mechanical soldiers, she whirls around to Corvo. "What is this?" she asks her father, never taking her eyes off of the machines. "Did you authorize these things?"

Corvo glances at her before turning to the man next to her, an Officer of the City Watch. "I didn't authorize any of these machines, Ramsey." Her father growls out to him while also answering her question.

Feeling the danger in the air, Maeve slowly moves to stand closer to her sister, a hand now on her sword. "Maeve, what is this?" Emily quietly asks from next to her. She remains silent and only shakes her head.

"Your Imperial Majesty, Royal Protector Corvo Attano, and Your Highness Maeve Kaldwin – Serkonos offers their condolences on this sad day and to lift spirits, I bring gifts to remind you of the rising sun of the nation!" The Duke shouts in his disgustingly nasally voice.

"...Thank you."

"Please, save your thanks. For now, let me give you the greatest gift of all...family." Maeve's grip on the hilt of her sword tightens as she hears the next words that leave the Duke's mouth. "I give you the long lost sister of Jessamine Kaldwin, Delilah Kaldwin!"

"What?!" She is the first to speak as a tall woman steps down from the carriage. "That is impossible, Mother did not have a sister!" she hisses out to the older man, her body now tense. As she watches the tall, slim woman walk towards them, her instincts scream at her to run, to grab her sister and hide. They tell her that this woman is dangerous, far more than she seems.

And her instincts are never wrong.

"My dearest nieces, it is finally...nice to meet you." Delilah looks at the hand she has on her sword and sneers. "I see my sister had kept my existence a secret from even the two of you."

"Jessamine had no sister," Corvo interrupts, his voice hard as he takes a step forward.

Delilah places a hand on her chest as she scoffs. "My father was the late Emperor Jacob Kaldwin, dearest Royal Protector. I had planned to reveal my true identity after my sister's sorrowful death but...things had happened and I was not ready."

"And you are now? On the day our mother was killed?" Maeve asks, ending her question with a scoff. "All I see is a power hungry fool trying to take advantage of the Empress' hospitality."

Delilah's eyes turn to her with rage as her voice deepens with anger. "Foolish niece, I am home and you will not say another word of it – "

With a simple raise of a hand, though, Emily silences the room. Maeve looks at her sister and sees a slight head shake, signaling to her to fall back – an order she begrudgingly follows. "If you are truly who you say you are, then you are welcomed to stay as long as you like," she says with the grace and patience Maeve knows her sister does not truly have. "We welcome you."

"Little sparrow, I am not here to just...stay – no, I am here to take back what is rightfully mine, what my father had promised to me when I was a child."

There is a shocked silence as Maeve tenses. Quickly moving in front of her sister, the grip she has on her sword tightens. "You will do no such thing," Maeve says at the same time her father warns Delilah to watch her tongue.

"Foolish protectors, you have been hiding from the world, using the Crown Killer's murders to your liking, but all that will end today." She turns to the crowd and raises her arms. "Hear me all! Your rightful Empress has returned!"

"All hail Delilah Kaldwin, the first of her name!" The Duke announces before smiling at the three of them. "Arrest Emily and Maeve Kaldwin, and Corvo Attano for the Crown Killer's murders!"

The moment he says these words, the machines that had been standing idly move to face them with their elongated swords. The royal protectors immediately spring into action to protect Emily. "You need to get Emily out of here Maeve, now!" Corvo announces in the chaos that ensues around them.

With no hesitation, she pulls Emily's arm to get her to move, but her sister stays rooted in her spot. "What about you, Father?" she asks.

"I will be fine, now go!" There is a painful look in his eyes that the sisters haven't seen in years before...disappearing.

Maeve, in all her years of training with her father, has never seen him do something so...unnatural, almost as if he were using magic. Her training and the last orders he gives her are forgotten as she stands there, dumbfounded, as he teleports behind the two soldiers in front of them. He then proceeds to teleport to Delilah before stabbing her –

"Father!" Emily's scream brings Maeve out of whatever trance she was in. Quickly grabbing her sister, she has to hold back Emily as they both watch Delilah capture Corvo in some...twisted plant-like creature. A sword sticks out of the witch's stomach but there is no blood and no pain on her face.

"Emily, we have to go – "

"Oh, you're not going anywhere," There is suddenly only pain as she feels the Officer hit her in the back of the head with the butt of his gun. Everything is disorientated and she cannot stand up without falling again, and can only helplessly watch as he punches Emily – but she fights, she fights exactly as father taught them to – before he drags her next to their father. "N-No…"

"Maeve!" Emily reaches for her at the same time Corvo tries reaching for Delilah, only for the both of them to turn to stone before her very eyes. Through the pain, she can feel the anger and fear rushing through her, as the adrenaline pumping through her veins prevents her from passing out. Placing her hands in front of her, she tries to stand, but with a kick to the back of her knees, she is back down on the ground.

"Sweet, sweet, Maeve." Delilah takes her chin and lifts her head to face her. "You may one day come to love me, perhaps even see me for the mother you lost…" A sickly sweet smile spreads across the witch's face before she lets go, letting Maeve's face fall back against the wooden floor. "But until then, you will be kept out of trouble."

"What should I do with her, your Highness?" a voice from behind her asks, but all she can think about is the pain in the back of her head and the failure she is to her family.

"Take her to Emily's room and lock her there until she's sent to Coldridge Prison." The last thing she sees is the terrified stone face of her Emily, and the fear on it is forever imprinted in her memory.

Maeve struggles to keep conscious, and as Ramsey carries her through the castle she knows like the back of her hand, she sees faithful servants and the loyal members of the Watch get killed simply for working with them. With every bump, she groans, and with every turn, she feels a burning pain in the back of her head that prevents her from fully falling under the lulls of unconscious darkness.

"You know, my father lost everything when I was just a boy. Now, I wear this uniform and send out twenty-year-olds to patrol the Rose Gardens instead of drinking with the men from the Shooting Club." Ramsey drops her and she can only groan in pain as the pounding in her head worsens.

"I heard shouting – by the Void, Lady Maeve." Forcing her eyes open, she lets out a faint cry as she can only watch as Alexi whirls towards Ramsey, demanding to know what happened, only to get stabbed with her father's sword. The Captain falls to the ground with a thud, Ramsey simply standing in front of her, inspecting Corvo's folding sword.

"So this is Corvo's fancy sword…" He scoffs and throws it aside as if it were a piece of garbage. "Not much, if you ask me. Swords aren't supposed to fold."

Maeve ignores him and continues crawling, trying her best to reach one of her closest friends, but is powerless as he grabs her and continues dragging her to Emily's room.

She has to escape...but how? She can't...think clearly, not with the constant pain. A few minutes of darkness pass over her before she is conscious once more, only this time she is in a different room with Ramsey now watching her.

"You know...there's a legend in the Tower Guard about a secret safe room, the Empress' last resort. It's rumored to be located in your sister's bedroom while containing enough gold to buy an entire island." He lifts his hand up, revealing the Signet Ring. Maeve reaches for her neck to find it bare.

"Y-You...bastard." Not once has she taken off the ring the moment it was returned to her fifteen years ago – how dare he.

However, Ramsey is simply amused at the anger she displays and smirks as he continues inspecting the ring. "And they say that this ring is one of only three keys that exist. Sadly, the other two are...turned to stone at the moment."

"G-Give it back –" She tries grabbing the traitor but he jumps back, causing her to fall back onto to the ground with her arms splayed out. With one last smile, he closes the door, locking her in the room.

Maeve likes to think of herself as smart, resourceful even, but weak is not one of the things she will ever associate herself with. Yet, here she is, sprawled out across the floor as a massive head injury prevents her from doing anything remotely good.

"I need...to get up," she mutters to no one in particular. Remembering what her father instructed to her during training, she pushes away the pain to the best of her ability and crawls towards the cabinet next to the door. She needs to find an elixir, it will help with the head wound. Emily's bound to have kept one in this room. After a few seconds of searching and wincing at the noises she would normally never make, she finally finds what she is looking for – a Sokolov's Elixir, created by the famous Anton Sokolov. She remembers distant memories of smiles, paints, and books as the old man flashes in her memories.

Sokolov...she has not seen her old teacher in quite some time.

Wrenching the cap open, she downs the entire drink in a few seconds and immediately, the pain that rendered her useless disappears. Her thoughts finally begin making sense, not a muddled mess they were a minute earlier.

It helps that she is not seeing everything in double, too.

Now, first thing first. She needs to get out of this room. Not bothering to try the door, Maeve immediately heads to the window behind her and throws it open, revealing the city that she grew up in. The tall towers, the oceans all around...she has a feeling that she won't be seeing Dunwall for a long, long time after today. With one last look, she carefully climbs escapes into the next room, landing softly onto the carpet, only to hear Alexi still alive. With no hesitation, she rushes to Alexi's side with hushed whispers of, you're okay, but she knows that with her wound her dear friend will not survive for much longer.

"Alexi," she whispers quietly, grabbing the outstretched hand. "I'm here."

"Lady Maeve...where is the Royal Protector and her Highness?" Alexi asks, her eyes not quite focusing on her own.

With a grimace, she answers. "There's a coup underway right now. They are...imprisoned, for a lack of a better word."

Her friend groans in pain before grabbing her arm with a grip that surprises her. "You must...get out of here. Through...Emily's safe room."

"Alexi–"

She shakes her head, her eyes finally looking at her with clarity. There is no point in trying to mutter false hope – Alexi knows she is dying, and it is in her character to fight to the very end. She is not someone who will fall into despair in her last moments – if she is going to die, she will die with dignity and honor, helping her Royal Family – her friends. "Someone may...help you." Peeling her fingers away from Maeve's hand, she reaches next to her and grabs the letter. "I received this...earlier today. A captain was...looking for the Royal Protector." Placing the scroll in Maeve's open hand, she smiles. "Take your father's...sword and...get out of Dunwall." And with an exhale, Alexi mutters her last words – words that Maeve will forever hold in her heart. "You will be...our country's savior."

Maeve lets a tear slip as her voice shakes with grief at the passing of her friend. "Thank you for...everything," she whispers, closing Alexi's eyes. Ignoring the lump in her throat, she turns to the sword lying next to her body and picks it up.

How long has it been since her father last let her use his famed sword? How long has it been since she dreamed of using it, calling it her own?

With these questions, the tears in her eyes dry as an answer is given to her in the form of her determination. There is a fire that rages within her, fueled by anger, with betrayal, with revenge.

Maeve's grip on the sword tightens as she vows to bring her only family back, even if it costs her life in the process.

It does not take long for her to find Ramsey and to knock him unconscious. As much as her hand twitches to finish him, to kill the man, she knows her father would do no such thing, no matter the crime. So instead, she locks him within the Safe Room – she hopes he enjoys the fucking gold in there – and heads to the docks by ground. It was hard, much harder than it should have been, but being weakened like she is, traveling on rooftops is too dangerous to do.

So takes her time as she sneaks out of Dunwall, both because of her wound and because she is curious to see what the citizens that live nearby are doing during the coup. Maeve is not shocked to see members of both the City Watch and the Grand Guard the Duke brought along to Dunwall – those fucking traitors – are already deployed in the streets, looking for her.

She hides and, as much as it pains her, she steals. She needs the money if she is to save Emily and her father.

Yet, not all is lost, she realizes. She finds a civilian who risks hiding her in a trash dumpster as a patrol passes by, despite the threats and warnings of helping her, and she saves a journalist who, in return, vows to publish the truth to the public when the time is right and hands her bars of silver to use in her journey of reclaiming the throne for both Emily and the country.

By the time she reaches the docks, her wound is bleeding once more and she feels lightheaded, barely stable on her feet. But with one last spurt of energy, she swims to the Dreadful Wale and climbs aboard, shocking the woman who Alexi mentioned earlier.

"Lady Emily?" Maeve let out a small giggle before it escalated to a full, blown out laugh at the mistake – a result of her head wound, no doubt. The lady narrows her eye before asking more carefully, "Lady Maeve?"

"Who else could I be?"

This is her final answer before she is no more.

A Long Day in Dunwall

Maeve groans as she finally comes to.

"W...Where am I?" she wonders aloud, looking around. Placing her feet against the metal, the shock of cold help her root her tumulous thoughts down, but as she stands, her legs are unsteady beneath her as the walls all around her shake –

A ship, she is on a ship – the Dreadful Wale to be exact. As this realization hits her, the events of the past twenty-four hours hit her hard, leaving her gasping for breath. She falls back onto the bed as Emily, her father, Alexi, the coup crash into her with the force of a tidal wave.

What does this mean for her, or her life, or her people?

"By the Void..." Maeve laments to herself. Forcing her head up, she takes in what she sees – her room is small, with large boxes and suitcases all around her, the sharp tang of metal and salt all around her. She takes a second to herself to try to come up with some sort of plan, but if she is to even try to save everyone, she will first have to know the location of where this ship is and the planned course it is taking. And in order to do that, she needs to talk to the Captain aboard this ship.

With a deep breath, she stands and walks over to the door, only for it remains shut and...locked?

"What the..." But before Maeve could try again, there is a sudden change in the air around her, causing her to freeze in place. She doesn't know how, but the charge in the air, it is one that is familiar – she just can't place her finger on why. Luckily, there is onething that she can deduce from what she knows – she sure as hell isn't on a boat anymore.

Slowly turning around, where there once was a metal wall, is now a large hole that leads to a strange platform of stones. Against her better judgment, she finds herself entranced and walking towards this opening, following the path in front of her. She feels eyes watching her, a presence of sorts taking steps alongside her, yet what should be fear she feels, is instead simple curiosity. The fact is that she has an overwhelming sense of déjà vu that seems to grow with every second.

It furthers her confusion.

"Lady Maeve Kaldwin, twin to her Imperial Majesty, Emily Kaldwin." She whirls around at the sudden voice once she reaches the pillars. Standing in front of her is a plain looking man, quite attractive – yet, the detail that stands out, telling her that something isn't quite right, are the eyes that he watches her with. "I'm a friend of your father's from the bad old days." She remains vigilant as he disappears one second, reappearing somewhere new the next. "I never expected for us to meet, of all people. I was expecting someone else...yet here you are, in your full assassin glory. Strange, isn't it? The possibilities of the future, the simple changes one additional life makes."

"I watched your mother die by the hand of those who wished to use the empire for their own personal gain." He gives her an eerie smile, one that makes her think that he knows more than he is letting on. "And during those cold, cold months in the Golden Cat, you did your best to protect Emily, despite being only a young child yourself." He disappears, only to appear once more to her left. "And then you were rescued by a stranger in a mask, who in fact was no stranger at all."

"Yet, no one knows of what you did to protect dear little Emily, do they? How you somehow foresaw her being taken and took matters into your own hands." Maeve's eyes widen at what this man is telling her. It is impossible, there is no way he should know any of these things. "You took Emily's place in the end when Havelock was supposed to kidnap her because you were willing to do anything to protect her." There is a twisted smile that adorns the strange man's face as he says the words she dreads. "How you killed a man in cold blood, feeding his body to the hounds, as you tried to justify his death with protecting your sister."

"...Y-You shouldn't know any of this." Her voice is small, almost as if she is scared of the man...but the truth is that...she is. She is terrified because this man in front of her is no man at all – he is something different. Some call him a God, and the Abbey call him the Devil.

He is the Outsider.

He lifts his head the moment she realizes who he is and he moves closer to her. His hand barely touches her cheek as he says, "So old for someone so young…" He turns around and teleports himself behind her. "I thought that was the end of the excitement," he whispers into her ear. She remains rooted in place but if it is because of fear or shock, she does not know – perhaps it is with both. "But Delilah managed to get the jump on both you and Corvo, causing you to lose your only family and the only life you've known. I promise you, she won't give them back to you easily," he breathes into her other ear, causing a shiver to run up her spine.

"So, what will you do? Will you spill a river of blood, both innocent and corrupt, to fight your way back to them, to return the throne to whom it truly deserves? Or will you manage to do this with without killing a single person, giving those responsible a fate worse than death?" Maeve narrows her eyes as the man now stands still in front of her, an unreadable look on his face. "I asked your father these questions fifteen years ago and this was the moment that changed him. Now, it is your turn. I ask you the same questions."

She does not even spare a second before she answers, her mind made up the moment she saw her father and sister turn to stone before her very eyes. "I will do whatever it takes to save them."

She cannot fail.

She will not fail.

"That is your answer?"

Maeve stands straighter as she stares into those black, unsettling eyes with her dull, brown ones. "Yes."

"Then so be it." He reaches for her left hand and kisses the back of it, his eyes never leaving her own. Where his cold lips meet her warm skin, a black mark burns, causing her to flinch from the pain. He lingers a few seconds longer, his hand still holding her own, before disappearing once more. She then looks down, inspecting the new mark that is now imprinted on the back of her hand.

Maeve feels...different – powerful? No, that's not quite it – she feels strange, somewhat alive.

Taking a deep breath through her nose and making a fist, Maeve knows exactly what to do despite not having any prior knowledge of what this mark is or what it means. Lifting her hand, she summons the powers that she has been gifted with and disappears, along with the old Maeve she was.

No, starting today, she will have to become ruthless, to protect all she has known. To take vengeance against those who wronged her – she will serve them a fate worse than death.

That, she vows on her life.

01 – A Long Day in Dunwall
End