There are interesting foods and gorgeous paintings and wonderful mechanical gadgets! Would he like a lantern that can be safely submerged in water without going out? What about a spyglass the size of a man's thumb? Or a music box, aren't they fascinating, there are so many available songs!

He picks the prettiest music box for his parents and buys the tiny spyglass for himself because it seems like a fun thing to have. And tries an interesting food because he is always in favour of interesting foods.

There are many interesting foods! And some merchants are even selling reasonably priced sample sizes, so he can get an idea of what the interesting food is like without buying an entire meal's worth of it.

And then it's time to go back to the Norwood estate. Is their energetic teenage charge tired out enough to not do something inadvisable, like climbing from the balcony to the streets below to explore the city at night? Because everyone would like to avoid that.

...maybe.

He's more interested in exploring their library than Dunwall's nightlife, anyway, at least at the moment.

They'll take it. They just have to keep him from doing anything inadvisable for less than a week. That's probably possible. If they systematically keep him entertained.

The library's nice enough, though not the largest ever. It's mostly taken up by history books, but there's some variety if he does some hunting. Is there anything he'd like to study?

History is fun! Maybe they've got something he hasn't read yet.

Some! He hasn't read this book on the War of the Four Crowns, it has some interesting sociopolitical commentary on how the four islands settled in to the empire that they are today. There was more to it than the island of Gristol beating Tyvia, Morley, and Serkonos in a war. Killing a bunch of people is easy in comparison to building a stable empire.

It's kind of fascinating. And almost makes the phrase 'Empire of the Isles' seem sensible, as a way to emphasize and affirm the unification of the four islands. It's not their fault they hadn't heard of any other islands at the time. Most of them still haven't, as demonstrated by that man who tried to call an Overseer on him today.

Presumably the information will disseminate throughout the entire populace eventually. It just takes some time.

The library's not a bad one, but Raniero is very well read. He can probably read all of the books that interest him within the week. Less, if he skims or marathons reading for a day.

Maybe later. He hears they're invited to Dunwall Tower tomorrow; he's not going to miss that in favour of the Norwoods' library.

Dunwall Tower probably has a better library, anyway.

Tomorrow soon becomes today, and preparations must be made in order to meet with the Emperor. There's specific clothing to wear and traditions to follow and probably also a gift to bring if they'd like to be polite. And getting past the guards at Dunwall Tower will take at least half an hour. The Tower's grounds were recently open to the public, but they've been closed in wake of the Empress's death. Everyone is very on edge; while no foul play is suspected in the Empress Consort's death, her funeral and the crowds it attracts could cover all kinds of nasty people. The Emperor's people would prefer to avoid that.

Still, they have an invitation. It should get them past the front door, even if the guards in front of it look like they're very tired of sending people away. And not like they're going to get a break anytime soon.

"I'm sorry, miss," says the overworked guard, to a woman with a canvas and a paint kit who looks like she's been arguing with them for at least ten minutes. "Emperor's orders. The Tower's grounds are closed to the public until after the -"

"My work cannot wait!" shrieks the woman. "The Tower grounds are where I get my inspiration! The gazebo, the view, the air of royalty! It is the only place where I can think to paint!"

The guard looks like might have a place he'd like to shove this woman's paintbrushes. "Be that as it may, ma'am, they're not public property, and without the Emperor's permission you may not just wander into it without an Imperial invitation."

"My client wants my latest piece next week!"

"Find another place of inspiration. Kaldwin's Bridge, maybe. This one is not open to the public." The guard glances at the Medinas, and sighs. "I repeat, the Dunwall Tower grounds may only be entered with an invitation in hand."

Callisto displays their invitation to the guard.

After a few seconds of inspection, he nods and lets out a breath. It's hard to tell if it's from annoyance, or relief.

"All right," he agrees, "everything seems to be in order." He turns his head and bangs on the door behind him. "Open up, Emperor's guests have arrived -"

"What!" hisses the intrepid painter. "Why do they get in and I don't, I'll have you know that my aunt is -"

"I don't give a flying toss who your aunt is, they can get in because they have an invitation. Simple as that. Take your ruddy paint kit and go bother someone else, before I decide to evict you by throwing you into the Wrenhaven."

This seems to mollify her enough, and she splutters and huffs and inevitably turns and walks off.

"I'm sorry about that," says the guard, sounding very tired. The door opens behind him. "Just follow this woman here and she'll get you inspected and whatnot."

"Thank you," he says, smiling at the guard. The family proceeds in the door.

They and their papers are inspected! No weapons or explosives? All of their papers are in order, and they are who they say they are? Yes? Excellent, off they go.

It soon becomes apparent why the painter was being so insistent about being let in. Or, well, why she'd want to be up here so badly. It wasn't apparent from down in the Wrenhaven, but there's greenery up here. Carefully groomed and beautiful greenery - some gardener must work very hard to keep this all so well tended. Or several sets of gardeners. Combined with the view, of the city of Dunwall below, and the Tower above - yes, this is something a painter would fight to be.

It's quiet. Sad. The black banners are more striking, from up here, and there's a somber aura to this place of beauty.

Anizai keeps her hand on her son's shoulder to discourage unauthorized climbing.

They're lead up several sets of stairs, and to a gazebo with a breathtaking view, several comfortable looking chairs, and, most importantly, the Emperor.

Callisto and Anizai might remember him from when they first met him, years ago - bright, even brilliant, with an unstoppable energy steered by his analytical nature and tempered idealism. It was through his hand that the modern industrial revolution has taken hold of Dunwall and the rest of the Empire of the Isles. Instead of fearing and attempting to stiffle progress, he fanned the flames of it with scholarships and research grants to the Academy of Natural Philosophy, and pushing for interchangable parts and standardization to force industries to compete instead of monopolize. It was by his coin that the expedition to Pandyssia was funded, by his word that Anizai was even accepted as anything resembling nobility at all. 'Well,' he had said, smiling, 'since there are more than just these four isles, let's not go and upset the others by fighting over titles, hm?'

He is not smiling now. The eyes that once sparkled with intellect and mirth are clouded with grief. Where once he was constantly moving, now he sits, emptily staring at the horizon, looking to all the world like a man who has just had his heart cut out.

...yeah, Rani is not in a climbing mood all of a sudden. Is it inappropriate to hug your Emperor. It probably is.

He notices he has visitors quickly enough, and pushes back his fog of grief with a force of will. The Emperor stands, attempts a smile, and - stops doing that, it's not working for him.

"Your highness," he says, bowing slightly to Anizai. "Callisto." Another smile attempt, this one slightly less of a failure. He still stops that quickly enough. "And I see you've brought your son. Hello, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"- you look like you need a hug," he blurts out.

He blinks.

"... I probably do," he agrees, after a pause. Then, after a second of consideration, opens his arms for a hug.

The guard behind the Medinas splutters.

Rani smiles. He hugs the Emperor. He is small but very huggable.

The Emperor is surprisingly huggable, too. He probably did need this hug. The guard is still spluttering. Maybe he'll be able to form a sentence soon enough.

"Thank you, young man," says the Emperor, releasing him. This new attempted smile is even almost sincere.

He glances at the spluttering guard, and raises an eyebrow. "I'm the Emperor of the Isles." A glance to Anizai, then he corrects with, "... The Emperor of a number of Isles, anyway. I am allowed to accept a hug."

".... Y-yes," says the guard, looking like he wants to argue this point more but lacking necessary courage.

The Emperor of a Number of Isles probably should try to be diplomatic at this, but his wife just died and he's not feeling particularly diplomatic. "Thank you for your concern," he says, as his major attempt at diplomacy, and then he sits.

Rani grins.

"It's nice to meet you," he says. "I'm probably not going to get anywhere trying to get you to call it the Far-Beyond, am I."

"I'd have to change all of my stationery," he deadpans.