"I've finished reading, Walter...might I go outside for a while..." The young, ebony haired child asked the elder butler. He glanced down at the boy and smiled as he placed the china tea kettle onto a small tray and gently lifted up.
"How many chapters have you read?"
"Four....just like you asked..." answered the child, holding tightly onto his books. "Mum said as soon as I'm finished...I could ask you to go outside..."
Placing the tray back down onto the kitchen counter, Walter took out his pocket watch to check the time. Half past midnight. Sighing, Walter placed his watch back into his pocket. "Go on then...stay on the grounds though...and don't upset the gardens or I'll have you wrist deep in soil replanting..." He said with a small smile.
The young boy's face immediately lit up, and he took off for the front doors of the mansion. Walter stood there and smiled as he watched the shadow of the boy grow longer and longer until it finally disappeared. Growing weary, Walter took hold of the tray once again and began to walk towards the exit of the kitchen. The silver wear rattled down the hallway as Walter slowly made his way to his master's chamber. Approaching the large door, He slowly pushed past it's weight and entered his masters room. "A thousand pardons, my lady...I thought you'd might like some tea while you wait."
Sitting across the room from him, Integra stood at her window with a lit cigar in her mouth watching. She didn't bother turning her head. She simply continued focusing out of the window before her. As soon as she heard the tray being placed on her desk, Integra slightly turned her head.
"It's truly a damn shame, Walter..." She started, looking down below on the Mansion grounds to see the young boy playing with a large black Great Dane.
"What is, my lady?" Walter asked, pouring her a glass.
"The child...he is with out proper up bringing...no instruction...no discipline..." Integra finished.
Holding a cup of tea, Walter slowly walked up to his master, who took it gratefully. "Now...Lady Integra...James is a very intelligent boy...he is growing aware of his capabilities...he is excellent in his studies-
"The only thing he is not aware of, but certainly needs to be is of is his father..." Integra cut in, sipping her tea slowly.
Walter placed his hands behind his back and glanced out into the dark night. "Miss Victoria hasn't exiled Alucard from his mind, my Lady...often during his lessons, James recalls dreams of a man in red..."
"It has been almost eleven years...and he has yet to show himself...but sickly enough....who could blame him...Seras is but a child herself...what he did to Seras was childish as well...Alucard can call himself all sorts of things...but a father...I highly doubt it...."
"Now, now my Lady...Although his absence has taken a tole on both Seras and the child... I truly believe that these visions at night are small comforting way of Alucard's to make himself known to the boy...there for their first meeting will not be quite as shocking..."
Slowly drawing her eyes from the large window, Integra made her way back to her desk and sat down. "He is tall for his age...he must be growing very strong..."
"He is..." Walter replied, walking over so that he where standing across from Integra. "But...it isn't his physical appearance you should fear, Lady Integra..."
Looking up from her paper work, Integra slowly raised her eyebrows in a questioning way. "Oh...then...what should I fear, Walter?" Integra asked, gesturing for him to sit down across from her.
Slowly making his way towards the chair, Walter sat down and crossed his legs. He then placed his index finger to right side of his head. "His intelligence..." He said with a small smile. "He is young...but he is very wise...like his father...there was no loophole when scholars wrote wisdom is power..."
"He is a monster, just like his father...and just like his father...he must be controlled...I haven't the slightest doubt in my mind that he is capable of being just as powerful as Alucard is...Seras will not be able to contain him for much longer..."
There was a long silence between the two. Walter lowered his head and in the shadows of the room, Integra could see a smile.
"Forgive me, Sir Integra...but...I'm going to have to disagree...unlike Alucard...James still has someone that shows him concern and tenderness...but such show of effecting...can be a fragile effort...if, like Alucard, those things where to be taken away from him..."
"Then he will truly become his father..." Integra finished, resting her head in her hands.
"That...goes without saying, my Lady..." The butler sighed.
Sitting on the cool grass of the Mansion grounds, James held closely to the large black dog, staring down the dirt path for signs of marching. The night was clear and warm...perfect for child's play. Sighing, James rested his hands on his knees. The large dog sat beside him and began to lick the child's face continuously.
"Enough of that, Edmon..." James said with a laugh. "I can smell your dinner on your breath..." The dog quickly stopped. Confused, James looked up to where the dog was facing but saw no one. Almost instantaneously, James heard the ground shake from below him. He quickly looked up to see a furry of dark colored jeeps come speeding up outside the gates of the Mansion. Edmon began to bark continuously as James jumped to his feet. With a large smile on his face, James ran faster and faster until he reached the first Jeep where he saw a glimpse of yellow clothing.
"Mum!" James shouted, running onto the dirt road, where Seras stepped out from the vehicle. Before she had a chance to say anything, she nearly fell to the ground as she felt smaller, but still strong arms wrap around her. Shocked, Seras looked down to see her young son hugging her tightly.
"Good heavens, Darling...you nearly knocked me off the road..." She said with a small laugh, placing a kiss on his head.
"So how was it, Mum? Did rip their heads off?" James asked excited. Seras smiled a little. "No...not this time...although I did have to give one a stern talking to..." She said in a sarcastic tone.
"Next time you go, you should take me! I can help you, Mum!" James shouted happily, grabbing hold of Seras' arms. Looking down at her young son, Seras brushed a strand of hair away from his pale face. She knew that someday he would be coming along with her. Her tall aging son, and Seras who will forever remain 18...but for now she wanted to enjoy his youth since hers was eternal.
"I don't know, James...I don't think you'll get much of anything to fight after what I told them about you..."
The child's eyes lit up th excitement. "Wh-what did you tell them about me, Mum?!" Taking hold of James' hand, Seras and him began to walk back towards the mansion.
"Well there I was...face to face with two of the ugliest ghouls you would ever see in your life...they had me cornered...and I was all alone..."
"What did you do?"
"Well...I brushed off my skirt, stood up straight and said "Listen here, you two ugly swine! If you do not let me pass...my son will come for me and then you will see what a true vampire looks like as he rips your eyes from your faces!" Seras exclaimed.
A great feeling of pride and satisfaction came over James after he heard this. He smiled to himself, imagining what it would be like to battle ghouls. "So what did they do then?"
"Well...they sure didn't stick around there after hearing about you!" Seras laughed, knocking on the large front door of the mansion.
"Oh wait, Mum!" James said, pulling away from the young vampire. James then scanned the front yard and then whistled aloud. "EDMON!" He shouted.
Withing seconds, the large black dog came running up the small boy. Seras stared at the dog for a moment. There was something off about that dog...a familiarity that didn't seem to make sense...ever since the day James found him...or better yet...he found James...that dog only seemed to interact with him. On occasion, after Seras would put James to bed for the day, the dog would fallow her into her chamber and just sit there and stare at her...and would even be there when she awoke. Sometimes, she would see the dog walking up from the basement where her master ha-
A sudden feeling of sadness came over Seras as thoughts of her master rushed back into her mind. A piercing feeling of loneliness and confusion engulfed her so painfully, that she felt her knees grow weak.
"We can go inside now, Mum...Edmons' here..." James said in a yawn. It had been along night for both of them. Feeling as though she could fight back her tears, Seras walked through the door as Walter opened it.
"How long until I get to sleep in a coffin like you?" James asked, laying down as Seras pulled the large blanket over him. Seras fluffed his pillows and made sure that a block packet was beside his bed incase he grew thirsty during the day. "I promise, James...as soon as I can arrange it with Walter...I will get you the best coffin in the world to sleep in...but until then...this will have to do..."
James made a pouting face as he turned to his side. Seras rested her hands on her hips. "Oh come now, James...don't give me those crocodile tears...they won't work..." She said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Besides...I like coming in to see your face during the middle of the day...just to make sure your alright..."
"Bloody hell, Mum!" He said as a large blush came across his face, which he covered with his hands. Seras laughed and pushed his hands away and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Alright, to sleep with you now...I'll see you at sundown..." She said standing up and walking towards the door. Seras flipped the switch and slowly closed the door. Sighing, Seras turned around only to be startled at the large black dog that was standing behind her. Catching her breath, Seras sighed aloud. "Ugh...bloody dog...do you find it amusing to sneak up on folks like that?"
The dog just stared at her. It's large reddish eyes just blinked as she stared at it angrily. After several seconds, Seras sighed again. "Oh, crikey look at me..." She said, dragging her feet towards her bedroom. "I'm talking to a bloody dog..."
Sitting in her pajamas on a small soft blanket outside of her coffin, Seras began to cry.
Thoughts of her master returned to her and brought her great sorrow. She wanted him to return so badly...it didn't matter if he talked to her...as long as she knew he was near. It wasn't a big secret...she knew she loved him...she had known it long before she had James or the night he had taken her virginity...it was something that was before she had even grown to know him yet. But it wasn't anything sudden...no...her love for him grew over time...nothing to do with the fact that she was his servant and he her master. It was his being that she loved. His absolute need to being absolute...he hunger for more then he knew he could take...but yet...His master...his Integra...perhaps held the piece of his hear that Seras wished to have..."
Seras shook her head at such thoughts. "Damn...bastard...if not for me...then your son..." She said with tears trailing down her eyes. It was dark and the only source of light in her room was a small candle lit on her dresser. With her head buried him her arms, a cold chill went down Seras' spine as she heard the candle being blown out. The sound of paw prints against stone approached Seras, which made her raise her head to face what was in front of her. It was Edmon.
"Oh!...you retched dog! Can't you remain in one place?!" Seras yelled from where she sat, causing her voice to echo in her room. The dog just sat there...staring....
"Stare! Stare! Stare! Thats all you ever do! Can't you be a real dog and go chase a goose or something! Just let me be!" The blonde shouted, resting her head in her hands, letting her tears fall freely. She could feel the dog move closer to her and was now at her side. It's wet nose pressed against her hands, nudging them away. When she finally did move her hands, it licked her tear stained cheeks. Seras just sat there and smirked at the feeling. "Oh...you foolish dog...you truly don't listen much, do you..." Seras grunted, allowing it to continue. "You'd better put a stop to that...or I might take a liking to you..." Seras warned, petting the dog in return. Finally, Edmon pulled away from Seras' face and sat upright beside Seras. She looked at tall Great Dane and shook her head. "You are truly the strangest animal I have ever met..." She then reached her hand up and placed it on it's head. "But...if my boy likes you...then I guess...I can learn to like you too..."
The great Dane just kept it's eyes facing outward. As quickly as he had entered, Edmon ran and made his way through the opening of her bedroom door, leaving Seras, once again...alone...
Slowly standing, Seras laid down into her coffin where she closed the lid over, hoping for some sort of peaceful sleep. It was a quarter to 4...she was tired...she needed a full days sleep...but she knew...that her master would somehow slip into her dreams...as he always does...
Review Please, Chapter 2 coming.