A/N: no, of course I do not own Hellsing or any characters there in. I am the mistress of odd pairings for a reason and this entire fic is based on a single page in the manga in which Walter refers to Integra as Princess. I'm going to stick this under AU because I have changed a few things, and speculated on others. The title comes from Walters *in this fic* regret that he became a member of Millennium because of his love/lust for Integra.

Regretfully I am the Servant

At fifteen, Integra Windgates Hellings was quite the spitfire. She commanded respect and perfection from everyone who worked for her. This day, she had just gotten off the phone with Alucard who was out on a job. Walter was left to care for his mistress again, though that task got easier and easier as the years flew by.
"Sir Hellsing."
Walter spoke as he bowed to her once the phone had been hung up.
"If you're here to advise me of lunch, I'm not hungry."
Walter eyed her silently for a moment before speaking.
"Do you think it wise not to eat sir?"
There were hidden words in his tone and she was silent for a long while.
"Alucard will be gone for at least two more days. I'll be fine."
More unspoken words could be heard in her own voice and Walter frowned.
"Yes sir. I will begin preparing dinner than. What would Sir Hellsing desire this evening?"
She sat back behind her desk and picked up a stack of papers, thinking to make it a difficult task just to get on his last nerve.
"Steak..."
And that's all that would come from her mouth. She wasn't truly in the mood for anything, but she knew Walter would fuss over her until she answered, and that was the first thing that came to her mind. He bowed and began to leave, but he only made it three steps before he heard her voice again.
"Walter..."
He stopped and turned to her.
"Yes sir?"
She looked up.
"Don't concern yourself with my activities with Alucard. He was the one to save me...when you were nowhere to be found."
Walter bit back a response he knew she wouldn't like.
"It isn't your activities that worry me Sir. But I will do as you ask."
She went back to her papers and Walter left.

~~

After dinner, Integra went through the daily rituals associated with going to bed. Brush her teeth, hair, washer her face. When at last she was finished, she grabbed a book from the shelf in the study and crawled into her bed.

After some time of reading, her eyes slid closed slowly and the book fell to the floor with a soft thud. The lights were still on and she hadn't yet pulled the covers over herself. When the clock chimed midnight, Walter entered the room. He sighed softly and headed over to the bed. He picked up the book and laid it on the night stand.

As he reached to turn out the lamp, he heard a soft sound from the bed. Looking over, he frowned as he saw her, features so frail in the dim lamp light. Maybe it was his imagination. Maybe it was the look of sadness on her face even as she looked so angelic. Maybe it was just that Walter was tired of being lonely. Whatever it was, before he could stop the thought from entering his mind, he was suddenly struck by her.

Gently he lifted her legs with one arm, and pulled down the comforter with the other before placing her back down and covering her to the waist. He again went to turn out the lamp, but his body seemed to move of its own accord and he sat beside the soundly sleeping girl, brushing her hair away from her eyes. He sighed softly as he stared into her face for a long moment.

She had grown into much more than he'd expected of her. When she was small, he wanted to protect her. When she killed her uncle, he admired her, and now as he stared at her, praying that she wouldn't wake to find him there, he realized that he loved her.

Again, before he knew what he was doing, he suddenly found his face so close to hers that he could feel her gentle rhythmic breathing. He closed his eyes for a breathless moment and pressed his lips to hers. All too quickly it was over and he stood silently, heart racing at the thoughts running through his mind.

Finally resolving to leave her side, he turned out the lamp and left in such a hurry that he nearly tripped over his own feet on his way out. Once he was gone, Integra opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Had Walter really just kissed her? She pulled the comforter up over her shoulder as she turned to her side, curling up. Something she hadn't done in many years, and drifted back to sleep in heavy thought.