I peered into the mirror before me, squinting slightly to get a clearer view. The reflection before me was a confusing sight; Neatly plaited blonde hair pushed behind my shoulders, no longer a nest of bed head from hours of tossing in sleep. My lightly tanned skin glowing in contrast to the pale purple gown, with a low neckline that showed more skin than felt proper. The only thing that remained familiar was the simple crucifix made of pure silver hanging heavily from my neck, a family heirloom passed down from my great grandfather. But the element that completely threw the image out of balance was my own face. Dazed amethyst eyes peering in disbelief and lips slightly open in a quizzical manner does not match the image of a noble bride.
I am brought out of my concentrated state by the fussing of the castle servants as they tug softly at the adjusted gown with feather like touches, smoothing over creases and removing stray pieces of thread.
"I am quite pleased this dress doesn't need anymore altering my lady." Remarks the perfectionist, crone dressmaker as she checks the length of the dress to make sure it does not drag completely along the dusty stone floor.
"It will be a miracle if you don't have another sudden bout of growth before you reach the border." The maids chuckle at the old woman's musings of my constant growth spurts. I caused them all a great deal of pain since I seem to continue getting taller every day. This is already the second, and hopefully, final fitting for this single gown.
My family sought the service of the elderly dress maker instead of the local weaver to create the expensive, violet dress. The dye had to be ordered from the French borders and the soft cotton from the Alps. Nothing was to be spared if I was to fit the appearance of the higher lords and ladies, not a maiden from a devote family of Germanic knights.
I refused to listen to the gossip of the servants for much longer, returning my gaze back to the mirror. The idea of my childhood being left behind in this very room still frightened me, I peered past my own reflection and towards the wardrobe that was being emptied in a mad hurry by two of the older maids. They continued to bicker about whether to throw out an old green summer gown from several years ago, the brunette claiming it was 'too childish' and the pudgy one calling it a 'waste' to throw out a intact dress that miraculous, manages to fit me still. I am truly fed up with the height debate that obsesses the gossip about my appearance, but I cannot simply snap at them even if I am their masters child, it just wouldn't be proper.
The mad hurry to prepare me for my journey is setting the castle wild with the chores of packing my things and supplies needed for travelling. The bakers have made an abundance of breads for the journey, but meats have been left to a minimum much to my dismay. Handmaidens have been busy sewing and packing each outfit with care, the debates and fitting sessions that I am being forced to endure right now have been going on majority of winter, and I have seen multiple dresses and shoes been thrown out for being "too shabby." I am not allowed to bring many trinkets or valuables, apart from jewellery and several books. My old wet nurse Claudia had a fit when I tried to hide wooden swords among a nightgown, she shrieked at the audacity I had to try and continue that wretched dream of being a knight! The stable master has even acquired a pair of purebred Friesians to pull my carriage for the journey. That was the latest reminder of my future as a married woman, those were the beasts that will haul me away from the quaint castle, to a colder, stone fortress.
"My lady." The solemn voice of Claudia draws my attention to the door.
"Yes?" I am ashamed at how fragile my words sound. I haven't been my usual self the last few days. Melancholy and confusion have set in, hopefully it will keep the fear at bay.
"You look lovely my dear, but i suggest you change into the blue silk from Good Friday before we depart. No point in ruining these ladies hard work by travelling in it." Claudia's words are sweet, but her voice replicates my fragile tone as well.
"I shall." I nod in acknowledgment of her words. But she continues, this time turning her attention to the servants.
"The carriage will be ready shortly, so I need you lot to hurry up and get everything packed and into the carts. And someone show the dressmaker to the caretaker, he has her pay ready." They spend no time dawdling at her words, everyone eventually learns to obey Claudia's stern leadership.
As soon as I'm out of the purple gown I slip on the baby blue silk, much more to my comfort in comparison to the unfamiliar, womanly attire from earlier. Just as I adjust the string attacked to my crucifix I hear an inpatient and awkward cough. I realise the servants are quickly hightailing out of the room with the last of my jewellery, leaving Claudia and myself alone in the bare room. No longer the room of a little girl, soon it will simply be another empty tower in a dwindling families hold. I don't dare to meet her face, instead I look sheepishly down at my feet.
"I'm sorry my dear, but..." She knows this conversation is breaking my heart.
"Your father wishes to see you now."
This is it. The final goodbye.
The corridors grow quieter as we reach the main bedchamber. Each footstep is faint on the smooth stone, and the light of midday grows weaker as we enter further into the central corridors. I wish for the walk to never end, I hope to stay in limbo between my present and future, but I am soon met with the large oak doors to my fathers chamber.
It was several days ago now that my family was put at ease about my future. My father, a once prestigious knight of the Holy Roman Empire fell ill from some unknown disease, panic arose throughout the family castle. His greatest worry was not the pain of death or his time of judgement, but he feared he would die without finding a place for me; his youngest and only living daughter. The castle and all his wealth would not fall into my hands. Fathers greedy and ambitious brother Richard would ensure this, leaving only three options: remain a ward of the castle (future potential of becoming a spinster), enter a nunnery (potentially the end of the family legacy), or an arranged marriage that would not benefit my uncle.
I will not deny that I did not wish for any of these scenarios, but a part of me did not want to fight my fathers final wishes. Maybe it was blissful ignorance but I pushed all thoughts of marriage aside, having faith in my fathers devotion and goods deeds to get him through the pain, and his battle to avoid the reapers grasp. But the fantastical world of studying the castles archives, the peaceful prayers in incense filled chapels as I prayed hopefully for my fathers health, or the hunting trips with the local nobles and knights could not hide reality forever. Shortly after my thirteenth birthday I was called to my fathers chambers. Unfortunately I was the only blood relation who had not abandoned father, my mother had died during childbirth when I was still a small girl. His sons had fought for foreign kings as mercenaries, meeting their demise as their blood spilt carelessly and wastefully on battlefields fuelled buy greed and power, their last moments filled with cries of agony and the macabre images of warriors impaled with swords. My Uncle Richard was away on another hunting trip up North so he was absent from the castle.
Father has not improved since he was forced to remain bedridden, but his physician said that the illness isn't growing stronger. I truly want to believe the learned man and trust his skills in medicine. I truly want to trust my heart that I will one day return to see my father. I hope to see him, elderly, yet healthy and energetic as he rides out of the castle gates to greet me, a grown woman returning home with my honourable husband for a long awaited family reunion. Sadly, I have come to trust my fathers faithful investment in my future without him, so for one last time, I will smile and pretend we will someday meet again.
Claudia moves forward to knock on the door and instead is met with a whisper.
"enter." The voice is weak, with strain from attempting to hide vulnerability.
The dim light of a few small candles trickles past the doorway, but merely enough to make the threshold glow.
My heart breaks as I see him lying still, his breathe so shallow. The scale of the grand, four post bed swallows his fragile frame into the covers, like being devoured by a silken monster. I walk towards him slowly, as if any sudden movement would frighten him.
"My darling Integra," he wheezes with every breath and attempts to hold my gaze, his blue eyes are dim with pain. The wheezing soon turns into a sharp cough, in an attempt to comfort him I quickly clutch his hand and kneel at his side, like I used to when I would fear the dark halls after nightfall.
"It's okay I am here." I say in desperate reassurance, while I tug my lips into a smile. Unfortunately it turns into a nervous grin.
I know with all my heart he will want to see me leave with a smile on my face, to have a fond memory for if this is truly goodbye. So, for one last time I will smile like a little girl. And I pray, it will not be my last moment of joy.
"I know.. I know I have been distant lately, and I.." Poor father has to catch his breathe constantly from the strain of speaking.
".. I have not told you, how proud of you I am." He smiles, his face ages from this action, but he is determined to make this moment a fond memory. I struggle to hold back the whimper in my throat that threatens to turn into a cry.
"I regret not telling you this sooner. But I am afraid I will not get this chance, again. Before you depart I must tell you the truth about this.. Arrangement. I feared if the word spread on who you are betrothed to, my... Sometimes difficult brother Richard may have acted against it." He no longer smiled, and his voice grew somewhat serious. This change in conversation made me shift on the spot, the rooms atmosphere shifted with the weakening candles to seemingly match the secretive discussion.
"Forgive me but, I don't quite understand." I said politely, barely above a whisper. Father slowly raised himself from the pillows, until he is just a few inches from my face. He whispers weakly but with caution as to not jumble the words.
"Claudia told you that you are to marry a young lord along the Hungarian border correct?" I nod slowly in agreement.
"That is only partly true, only my most loyal servants know about your true betrothed, and I trust they will get you there safely. You are to marry nobility, and yes you are marrying a man with Hungarian descent. But your new home is rather distant, far away from Richard and his ambitions. During my travels with the Teutonic Knights almost fourteen years ago, we came across another order: The Order of The Dragon. Among them, were many young men from a kingdom called Wallachia, East of the Transylvanian woods and west of the Black Sea. They were strong and devote knights who serve to protect their kingdom from the advancing Ottomans. We camped together to escape a storm that had ravaged their supplies, however we did not hear form them after that day. I had assumed they were met with a from fate." His face softened as he continued to speak.
"During autumn, I received news from one these knights. A dear friend of mine and member of the Teutonic Knights, Roderich, had recently visited Wallachia on a diplomatic mission for the Emproer. And to his surprise, one of the young knights from so many years ago, is now prince of Wallachia. While staying at the castle Roderich became acquainted once again with the prince, and surprisingly this young ruler remembered that day fondly, asking about Roderich and myself by name surprisingly. Roderich told him of my condition, how I have been ill with no diagnosis and of my worries for my remaining child. Upon his return to the Capitol, Roderich sent a letter to the castle, and it carried news from this Wallachian Prince." He took a deep breathe, and his face grew serene.
"This man, this prince... I could not believe his words, but he asked for your hand in marriage."
I froze. I did not know how to reply. What would this man on the other side of Europe want with me? I am descent of knights, not royalty.
"Integra?" My father spoke softly. despite my lack of a reaction he continued to speak, squeezing my hand now to comfort me.
"I may not have seen him in so many years, I trust you will be much safer away from this place... From my brother. I will not be around to protect you forever and I know I will miss you greatly, but I hope you will find some happiness in Wallachia." I was holding back tears now. My vision grew blurry, but I tried to make up for the tears threatening to fall from my eyes by retaining a small smile.
"Father.. I..." It was getting trickier to speak knowing I will be leaving very shortly.
"Do not thank me. If it were possible I would have waited longer to find you a husband, but I worried for your future. But the time has come for you to leave, you will be escorted by Claudia, the new serving girl Helena, and a select few knights who also escorted Roderich last year to Wallachia. Do not stop until you reach the kingdom of Hungary. I wish you the best my dear. And I hope you have a pleasant journey. I will always love you" Father spoke softly and he reached up and gave me a final kiss on the forehead.
"Father... I have one last question.." A single tear fell from my sky blue eye clouded with sadness.
"..What is his name?" I don't know why, but I was fearful to learn my betrothed's name.
"Vladimir. Vladimir Dracula the third."
Authors notes:
Hello everyone! So this is my first Hellsing fan fiction and I hope the first chapter turned out okay, I have been quite busy lately so I have been a little lenient in checking for errors (sorry!). Sorry if integra seemed a little wimpy in this chapter, but I am basing her personality currently on her younger self, before she met Alucard (she will develop to being The Integra we know... Slowly). I have had the idea for this story in my head for a long time and I finally managed to get some of it written and I have a weird fascination with AU fanfiction, so that show this all came about. Throughout the story as it progresses there will be many characters from Hellsing appear, some may have different names (i.e Alucard will be referred to as Vlad in this story) and I can't tell at this point how romantic this is going to turn out to be so bear with me! I also guarantee multiple Bram Stoker's Dracula references since I can't help it, it's my favourite book!
I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter and I would absolutely love and appreciate reviews for this since it's the best way for me to find out on what needs to be improved on. Thanks :)
Also, I do not own hellsing or any of its characters. That right goes to Kouta Hirano.