The sky was a rich blue, brightly displayed by the sunlight. One might call it a picturesque afternoon, but to the white-suited observer it was anything but.

Lips peeling back from his fangs with a light snarl; Alucard detested wandering around in the daylight. It was so tiring, so troubling to move around when the light harshly blinded his senses. But he would have to put up with it for Walter's sake. While the youthful butler had pronounced night vision for a human, he was still at a disadvantage groping around the Romanian countryside at midnight.

He watched as the distant figure of his companion drew closer from the horizon, finding his way back across the dully colored vegetation. It signified that not only was winter drawing close, but that these lands had been ravaged by war, genocide and famine.

Walter met at the vampire's side. His expression was not nearly as amused as Alucard's own. "I thought you would be following after…" He extracted a small box from his coat pocket and placed a fresh cigarette between his lips. "I was gone for more than 20 minutes until I realized I was by myself…" A large gust of wind molded the grayish trench coat around the butler's form, reminding him to button it properly. "It's gotten a lot colder," he idly commented.

He chuckled. "Seems your senses are not as fine-tuned as you thought, Angel."

Walter ignored the comment, realizing than any reply he could offer would only delay his defeat. He shrugged, disregarding any concern he held for being left to search on his own. "Anyways…" He lit the cigarette, enjoying the heat it provided. "I don't believe there is anything for us here. There are countless victims over there." Walter pointed to his left, towards the west. "….about 20 or 30 I would say. But it's hard to say if that's a trail from our target or not."

Alucard nodded.

"So, what are your thoughts on this?"

"You seem to think I hold more information on our target than you do. Honestly, I cannot offer anything more."

…and yet you always act like you hold all the cards. Snorting once out of annoyance, Walter switched his weight to his right foot. "So it seems we're at a total loss."

"Seems so," he chuckled. Alucard relaxed his arms and turned away from the edge of the cliff the two of them occupied, turning about on his white leather shoes. "Then what will we do now I wonder?"

Walter said nothing in response. Watching Alucard mosey around like a school girl only jumbled his disorganized thoughts further. "I'm not too sure, really…" he admitted, clearing his throat. "Remind me, Alucard. What ties do you have to this particular city?"

Those lazy, childish movements ceased and turned his back to the butler. "This place…" Alucard's voice began quietly until he turned to Walter with a half-hearted grin. "Sighișoara…the place of my birth."

Expressions such as that sad grin were hardly befitting one as regal and proud as Alucard. But Walter was finding that during this particular mission faces such as that were common place. When Alucard expressed regret, or more specifically human feelings, wrinkles would form under his eyelids. While he didn't want to press such ancient matters, Walter felt he should be educated on his partner's history, at the very least for the sake of this mission.

The enemy, whoever they were, had been travelling to important sites that held significance to Vlad Dracula. Their target's identity was currently unknown, save for their little experiments: genetically created vampires who moved about the middle of Romania, drinking what seemed more than their fill of human blood.

Walter snorted at such a thought, uncertain how in this day and age one could technologically create any sort of being, much less one considered mythological. But as seen in Warsaw, Poland, only a year ago, such creatures could be produced.

"Well, it makes perfect sense why they have come and gone then."

The fuzzy pillbox hat dipped with a nod of Alucard's head.

"But, why? That is what we still need to figure out…" Cobalt blue eyes looked towards the sky that was similarly colored. "At least we can tell they were hungry."

"No, Walter. That is not the case." The girlish vampire barked out these words, tone dangerous, leaving no room for argument of his accusations. Walter nodded, allowing him to continue. "To eat so many, that is not out of hunger, but out of spite. Gorging on human blood in this manner is either for tactical means or tomfoolery."

Walter could hear Alucard's steps approach which quieted when he was at his side. For a vampire usually light on his feet, such sloppy foot work spoke volumes. It showed but a fraction of the vampire's anger who was partially blinded by his darker emotions enough to forget such graceful maneuvers.

"Might I suggest we continue to talk about your past?"

"Changing the subject already? Was my anger that frightening to you, Angel?" Alucard snorted gently, showing that his anger had lessened considerably.

Walter relaxed his shoulders which, until then, hadn't notice they had stiffened. "I thought it best we address the matter at hand. And the only way I can help is if I know everything you know. Or at least, a portion of what you know."

"But Walter, I'm growing bored of talking about myself so much." Icy gloved fingers moved to grasp Walter's chin, as if admiring a fine jewel. "On a proper date, I believe the suitor isn't supposed to ask too many invasive questions. You'll never amount to anything if you're such a demanding man."

Alucard received a bored, irritated stare in response. Since when are you the girl…since when is this a date? Walter quickly looked up at his captor which answered at least one of these questions. …well I still don't understand how this is a date.

"How about we make a game of this," Alucard suggested with a giddy smirk. "I recently answered a question of yours. For every question you ask I will answer, but in return I will ask one of you. Seem fair?" He removed his hold on Walter, and placed both hands at his sides.

Walter nodded. "I assume you have a question ready to ask?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. How did you become a butler?"

Walter's eyes were wide a moment as he processed the inquiry. "My father was appointed to Sir Hellsing…oh…when I was about five I believe? Or it was earlier…I honestly can't remember now. But I was trained by him to be a butler when I was older, but when he passed the responsibility fell on me."

"Interesting, indeed. How old were you when your father passed?"

Walter grinned, wagging a finger at Alucard. "I believe it's my turn to ask a question."

Seems I was found out… "Yes, you are correct."

"But…I don't have one right now."

A large, confident smile curled into the vampire's lips. The details of his partner's past were far more interesting that his own. "Then do continue."

"Very well…" Walter looked to Alucard, motioning for him to sit. The two looked out at the barren fields as the story continued. "10…" he replied finally. "I was 10 years old. It was during the London Blitz back in 1940."

"And here I thought you were an orphan," Alucard chuckled darkly.

"No, not at all…" There was a small silence before Walter continued. "My father went out of the manor on business, I don't remember why. But he was headed to Westminster that afternoon, the day of the Krieg."

He could remember it clear as if it were taking place right in front of him.

Everyone in Hellsing manor had been moved into the lowermost corridor of the household. This hallway leads to the dungeons and storage cellars. Chaos reigned as the servants ran for the safest levels of the manor. In times such as this, the head butler would round up the servants and relay their appointed tasks. But Henry, Walter's father, wasn't present to pacify their worries. One or two arguments broke out before everyone agreed it best to proceed to the cellars and remain quiet. For all they knew, someone was coming to kill them.

Walter was crying, he could remember, and screaming, begging to know his father's whereabouts. A maid by the name of Anna held tight to the young Walter, petting his hair to quiet him as the servants filed into a wine cellar. "I'm sure Henry is fine," she whispered in his ear. "Your father is fine. I know it."

"You're far more interesting than I give you credit," Alucard said finally, releasing Walter from scenes of the past.

That day had been etched perfectly into his memory, no matter how much he wanted to forget. In reality, Alucard was right; he was an orphan.

"So what about your mother?"

Walter's eyes formed suspicious slits. Alucard's timing was too spot-on to be coincidence. But he ignored such matters and decided to continue. Walking down Memory Lane, though painful, was enjoyable all the same. "She died a while after I was born. My father told me it was from Typhoid."

Alucard looked up at the sky, as if contemplating a mathematical equation. "…A butler who is skilled in the use of cutting garrote, and nicknamed the Angel of Death. Explain how you acquired that name?"

The vampire was met with a sinful expression from the angel. "That story is for another time."

"Ha!" Alucard exclaimed. "Then how about the wire you use. Why is that your particular weapon?"

As if looking for a reason to release the invisible string, Walter flicked the wrist on his dominant hand. Three distinctive threads of neon blue flew from his fingertips, looping and twirling before the pair's eyes. "That's actually part of the Dollneaz family history."

"Do tell." The Nosfertaru purred, enthused by these educational tales.

The wire slinked back into non-existence before Walter began. "My family used to be doll makers, hence the name. But their specialty was marionettes. Now…" Scrounging through his mental folders of memories, he found the correct one and spoke. "If I remember correctly…my Father told me that our family eventually used the strings from their puppets as a weapon. And somewhere along the lines we became employed by the British crown as butlers."

"Fighters and butlers?" A chuckle escaped Alucard's lips.

Walter shook his head several times. The words he spoke hardly made sense, even to him. "I don't understand it myself, but that's what I was told. The Dollneaz's became personal butlers and bodyguards to the monarchs of Britain."

"Disguising warriors as servants…I enjoy the idea of that." White gloves clapped twice, to which Walter grinned.

"Indeed. My Father was trained in the use of garrote and trained me himself."

"Fascinating." He nodded, signaling the butler to proceed.

"Oh, ha." Erupting in a fit of laughter, Walter said, "You'll get a laugh out of this. I'm sure you're wondering why such prestigious servants of the King would be appointed to Hellsing."

"The thought did cross my mind."

"I had overheard this from my Father once; though Sir Hellsing will say otherwise as it was what he was told. When Sir Hellsing took over the family business, he was bestowed a gift from the King himself along with being knighted. It was use of his personal butler, my Father."

An eyebrow quirked questionably at the young servant. "So what is so funny about that?"

"That is what Sir Hellsing was told. In actuality, my Father was appointed to work here in order to watch over Hellsing and make sure the newest head didn't make a mess of things." Walter resumed laughing, though it wasn't as loud as previously.

The white-clad vampire cackled, throwing his head back until the two longer sections of hair near his ears fell behind his shoulders. "The King was right to worry. The Old Man is as frisky as a cat. I'm sure those in power know of his debauchery and thought he was a fool to be head of the Protestant Knights."

The laughter subsided in both as Walter spoke again. "Though I must admit…while our Master has an insatiable appetite for the fairer sex, he seems to keep personal and professional matters separate."

Alucard flashed an expression that silently questioned Arthur's actions, but nodded just the same. He stood then, pocketing both gloved hands. "The Old Man is not so bad, I must agree."

Walter smiled. Speaking gently of unfavorable individuals meant that Alucard was in a good mood.

"So, where to now?" Alucard inquired, quickly changing the subject.

"I'm not sure…" Walter stood, adjusting his clothing until it was comfortable again. "But I'm surprised you have no other questions for me."

Molten crimson and amber eyes batted their eyelashes affectionately at the Hellsing butler, shaking his head once. "Well, if there is anything else I want to know about you, I know you will answer it for me. Besides…" He moved close to Walter, whispering against the shell of his ear. "…if you don't feel like answering, I'll just read through your thoughts myself." With that he moved away before the microfilament wires could attach to his form.

"Bloody vampire!" Walter cursed, running after his companion.

Shadows grew longer against the ground in wake of the setting sun. For now the pair would venture south back to their base of operation in Târgoviște. Until they had a lead, it seemed like leisurely days such as these would be plentiful.