INTEGRA'S IN TROUBLE
"NO!!" Integra bellowed, at the other knights, as they all looked at her suspiciously.
George looked sheepish. She didn't know what was going on; but she had the overwhelming sense that this was her fault.
"Gentleman, we can no longer ignore this. It is obvious that our comrade is well beyond her capacity, but how can we blame her. She was tossed into her position as a child and I doubt this little girl can handle the stress of her job and her family."
George seethed at the man yelling at her mother.
"This little girl can kick your ass!" George snarled, as her eyes flashed a brilliant burning red again.
"No George, I'll handle this." Integra ordered the young half-breed.
After the events of this afternoon, having George handle this situation could be worse than letting Alucard handle it. At least he could be reasoned with. Integra looked down at George. She still had not taken her eyes of Sir Edwards and they were a dangerous color of red.
"George." called Integra firmly.
George looked up at her mother and blue eyes met red.
"Stand down, George."
"Yes, sir." George reluctantly complied, but she continued to glare at Sir Edwards, wishing for some horrible monster would come and eat him.
Luckily, her wish was granted.
"I'm afraid I will have to take that honor from you, Master." Alucard's baritone rumbled, before he bled into the room, in the exact same manner as George had moments before him. "You dare speak to my master that way, you wretched little worm."
Alucard's deep voice set Edwards spine to vibrating, but he held his ground.
"You would do well to know to whom you speak monster." Sir Edwards boldly hissed, before sweeping his hand at the vampire towering a foot over him "This monster is supposed to be completely subdued by you, and yet here he is obviously acting of his own accord."
Integra stood frozen and her insides sank. She had forgotten that while his freedom was public knowledge, especially as George's father; his servant's contract was well known to the Round Table. George could feel her mother's dread, as the meeting continued to go downhill.
"Trust me," Alucard hissed, smoothly his grin displaying his madness "She is the only reason that I have not ended your pathetic life. I am higher up the food chain than you are."
"That is quite enough, servant. Return to your cell." Integra ordered Alucard.
She avoiding using his name, trying to salvage what was left of the perceived Master, servant relationship that they had. Besides, his presence here was not making this situation any better.
"Yes, Master." Alucard grinned, wickedly, showing off his fangs for added emphasis.
He bowed before her, reiterating his servant's posture, before leaking out of the room fading away into nothing.
'I should have let you eat that self-righteous ass." Integra snarled, mentally speaking to Alucard.
'You can still change your mind. I would enjoy killing him. All he wants is for you to be broken and come running to him for a savior." Alucard sneered in the cellar, again unhappily watching the meeting through Integra's eyes.
Integra could still feel Alucard, quietly observing everything from the back of her mind. Integra took a calming breath and then once again addressed her "fellow" Knights.
"Gentlemen,
listen to reason, this can all be explained. George called him here.
She too is protected by the seals that hold down my servant vampire;
however she is not yet fully capable of holding him without help."
"Why has she not been taught then? Why does she have those
bruises on her arms? Why is she no longer human, judging by the red
that is in her eyes? You have no way to answer these questions do you
Sir Integra?" inquired Sir Edwards with religious fervor, as he
pummeled her with questions. Then he proudly and presumptuously
turned to his fellow Knights and ordered a verdict. "You have only
two choices Gentlemen, either we relieve the extra stress of this
situation by 'temporarily' retiring Sir Hellsing or…we remove
George from this household, as that she is now unfit to be the next
leader of the Hellsing Organization."
"Like hell you
will!!" Integra snarled, with all the viciousness of any angry
mother badger. "Take my chair if you want; but you will never touch
George, so long as I breathe!"
"I'm afraid I must agree." sighed Sir Elmwood, as he exhaled his in held breath. "This new evidence that you have been hiding Sir Hellsing is overwhelming. We have no choice, but to expel you. Her Majesty will be notified and Sir Edwards will take your seat. I'm sorry Sir Integra, but until further notice you are hereby retired."
"Fine," Integra stated, lifting a frightened George into her arms. "Just be warned, you do not have access to my men or my monsters."
Sir Edwards grinned triumphantly as Integra stalked out of the boardroom. She let go a heavy sigh as she walked towards the stairs and back to George's room.
"….Sir, did I do something bad?" asked George, in a very meek and sheepish tone.
Integra looked down at George. She had never sounded so "small" in all her short life.
"No George, you didn't. You just didn't know what was going on and that is my fault. I've been negligent in my duty to you. I should have told you who you are and why you're here. I should have told you about the Knights of the Round Table. There is so much that I should have done, but haven't; however, all that is about to change. You go to bed and tomorrow I'll tell you everything, okay." expounded Integra, as she put George back to bed.
"Yes, Sir." George muttered; obviously still feeling guilty, as Integra tucked her into her bed again.
As Integra closed the door to George's room, her eyes turned steely. She hated being railroaded and overthrown, but maybe…right now…it was for the best. She took a deep breath and determined her next course of action. It appeared that she had a lot of free time now to do that research. So she headed down to the library. The seals on the library door glowed as they allowed her entry. After her father died and she killed her uncle, she often hid in there. Since no one else could enter, it was the one place she could cry and forget everything.
"This is long overdue," Integra muttered quietly, as she scanned the tall shelves. "Where to start?" She eyed the ancient alchemic text she had acquired after first learning of her own powers. "Later," instead she plucked a large encyclopedia from the shelf and a bible.
First, she would find out exactly what George was. The hours ticked by slowly as she meticulously read the text in the big reading chair. With a snap of her fingers, a notebook winked into existence. She had forsaken her own abilities for years, but that was over now. Integra jotted down several interesting facts on the little notepad. After another hour of intense study and note taking, a knock came on the door. Stretching her stiff muscles as she stood, she left the library carrying her notebook. She had learned enough for one night.
"What is it Alucard?" she asked, as she exited the library.
"I was just trying to make sure you get some sleep. Just because you're unemployed and get to be lazy all day tomorrow, that's no reason not to keep 'human' hours."
"Fine, I'm going to bed; but I must say I learned some interesting things about our little monster."
"Do tell, my Master." Alucard suggested, leering, as he wrapped his arm around Integra.
It was nearly three in the morning and it looked like she was going to drop on the spot. He steadied her as they walked through the house and back to her room.
"Do you know the scripture about the giants that guarded the walled city and the spies that went in?"
"Yes, however, my favorite part of that particular story is Rahab."
"Focus you letch. The giants were the sons of women and what are called the children of heaven or angels. And according to the story, the mixed children were Nephilim giants and they had extraordinary powers including strength and near immortality."
Alucard continued to let Integra lean on him as he led her upstairs to her bedroom. She actually ignored him as she got dressed in her light blue pajamas, in a wink of blackness, and got into bed.
"Just like when you were little, you work yourself to hard, My Master." Alucard grinned, before he joined her in the bed. "At least, I gave you pajamas this time."
HELLSING HELLSING
It was your typical grey Saturday morning in England and Integra was sleeping right through it. Snoring softly, Integra snuggled into her warm pillow and faded back to dreamland without realizing that she was not alone. Alucard grinned as he watched her sleep. She really was a beautiful woman, especially without all the hard edges her job demanded of her. Alucard just smirked with delight, as he slyly kissed her shoulder while she slept. Walter was well aware of the fact that he was not to disturb Sir Hellsing until 11 O' clock at the earliest.
Hellsing
George sat in the kitchen eating breakfast. Today it was grits and eggs with biscuits and bacon.
"So George dear, what would you like to do this morning?" asked Walter, as he finished up his breakfast. "Your mother is still asleep and will be for another hour or two."
"Uhm, I'm going to go outside and practice."
"Very well, Little Miss, but will you help me with the washing up first?"
George nodded, carrying her plate and cup to the sink. Walter handed her a dishcloth and they began working on the small pile from breakfast. George dried them quietly and then they were placed in the drain for later use.
"My George, you are certainly quiet this morning is something wrong?" asked Walter, a bit astonished that George could be so quiet.
"Yeah, I got Sir in trouble, with the old guys that were here last night."
"WHAT?! You were there? I thought you were asleep." exclaimed Walter, dreading the coming reprisal.
"I woke up." George muttered, as she put away the last plate.
She jumped down from the little step ladder and headed outside. Walter simply prayed that it was not as bad as he feared it was. George stretched outside in the big back yard loosening up. First, she did forty toe-touches and next came the squats. Then she leaned back and grabbed her calves popping her back into place. Finally, she did a split and twist. First, she determined to try to phase again. She decided to try for the chair only a few feet away.
"I wish I was in that chair. I wish I was in that chair." George chanted, wishing to move to the chair.
Everything swirled, and got fuzzy, and she felt the strange vertigo of moving without using her body. She ended up just where she wanted to be…in the chair. However, it was not in the seated position. George groaned in frustration as she stood there, her skinny hips actually in the chair.
"AH crap," George moaned, as the situation came to her attention. "Come on, let's go back."
George focused her thoughts; willing herself back to where she had been. Unfortunately, the chair went with her. George sighed before melting through the chair.
"Alright, getting stuck in the furniture equals a very bad idea." George noted, before deciding to do a little shadow boxing.
Picking out a sturdy tree, she stepped back and put her fists up in her favorite position. She lashed out with quick jabs and a short kick. She stopped inches from slamming into the tree. Her practice continued into her very high kick routine. Somehow, her balance was always off. Soon, after hour and a half had passed, George heard her mother yell.
"GET YOUR BLOODSUCKING ARSE OUT OF MY BED, YOU LETCHEROUS BASTARD!!"
"Ahh, Sir is awake." George noted, as she returned to the house. George quietly walked through the house and cautiously opened the door to her mother's office and walked in. That in and of itself was unusual, George hadn't used a door at home in years. It was too much fun scaring Sir and Seras every time she came out of nowhere. George sat in the soft little sofa across from her mother's desk and waited, just like in the headmistress office, where she was sent almost daily.
"George, you're already here good. It's time you learned the truth okay. I have a lot to tell you." Integra said solemnly, as she entered her office and saw George waiting, like a normal little girl quiet and slightly bored.
"Okay, I'm sorry though, yesterday was my fault." confessed George.
Integra shook her head before laying a book on her desk.
"No it wasn't. It was mine. You should have been warned and instructed on who you really are, and who the Hellsings really are."
George looked confused for a moment, before the explanation started.
"Here is the simple truth, George. You are supposed to be the next Sir Hellsing and the next master for Alucard." began Integra, as she leaned against her desk and explained to George her destiny.
"I
am going to be Master's master?"
"Please don't
interrupt, let me finish okay." George nodded and Integra started
again. "You know that every now and then Alucard and Seras go out
on missions, right? Well, they go out, hunt, and kill freak vampires
that are killing humans. It is my responsibility to keep them under
control and monitor freak activity as the head of the Hellsing
Organization. That means I take orders for her majesty, and I am a
junior member of the Round Table. You were meant to take my place
when you grew up. Unfortunately, because I haven't trained you
properly, I have lost my seat on the table until further notice. I
have a chance to appeal it though and I mean to do so."
"So
you fight bad vampires and ghouls right, master told me that."
"He's right, George. We chose you to be the next Hellsing
leader, but you may not get the chance if I don't get my seat back,
do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir," George said, a new respect for her mother in her eyes. Integra opened the big book on her desk and sighed.
"There is something else you need to know George something about me," Integra said quietly, as her hands glowed slightly. "I am …. an alchemist. I can use magic of the oldest kind."
"You're like me, Sir!" George piped excitedly, as she watched Integra toss the glowing ball between her hands.
"No George, you are something completely different than me. You get your powers from Alucard. I was given mine by my mother."
"My grandmother?" wondered George.
Integra never spoke of her mother. George had always wanted to ask, but she always felt that her mother didn't wish to talk about her. And Alucard was even worse. "If you want to know, then ask your mother." That's what he always said. Maybe he didn't know, and maybe she swore him to secrecy.
"Yes, but that is a story for later George. For now, go and get lunch. I need to make a very important phone call."
"Yes sir, thank you." George replied, once again frighteningly normal, as she walked out of the room, and once again using the door. Integra took a deep breath and picked up her phone. She dialed one number and was connected to her majesty's personal line.
"Sir Integra, I know what happened," the queen stated solemnly, as her greeting to the currently retired knight.
"I'm sure you do. Sir Edwards took my chair and he wants to take George. Is there anything you can do your majesty?"
"There
is only one thing I can do, but it would require something drastic.
In order for me to restore your seat, I would have to claim you did
something that no one else on the table was capable of to
re-establish your capability."
"Okay, what do you have in
mind your highness?"
"A truce with the Vatican. In all of Round Table history, no other table member has able to handle making peace with them. If you can successfully establish some sort of cease-fire with the Vatican, you can be reinstated."
"What else could I do your majesty? Maybe part the Red Sea or turn water into wine. I'm sure those tasks would be much easier to perform."
"Be serious, Integra. Do you want to keep George and regain your seat or not?"
Integra shook her head and sighed. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she didn't think I would be near impossible.
"What would you have me do, your majesty?"
"I was thinking of a play date. You can establish a future truce between George and the wards of the church. That would work. It is suitable plan and it would be a lot easier than getting you and Anderson to kiss and make up so to speak."
"True, I'll see if I can get George to go though with it. Thank you your majesty." commented Integra, as she thought about the possibilities…and the problems.
"Well done master, you have found a way back to your rightful seat." Alucard teased from Integra's chair in the corner. He even added in some light applause.
"Thank You, Alucard. I should have just let you eat him, but I would have gotten into even more trouble for that."
"No thank you, that Edwards is far too slimy for my taste. I like richer food." Integra snorted amusedly, as she looked back down in the book.
"Picking up your studies again, master?"
"I'm considering teaching George actually. If I can get the Knights off my back, she'll be the next head of Hellsing and she'll need to know this."
"Very true, at least her mother will really be there to teach her."
"Yeah, I'm still having trouble believing my father was so coldhearted." Integra sighed; flipping a page to look at the low level spells.
"He had his reasons, just like you do. It was really to make sure you could handle yourself. He was afraid a normal child wouldn't be able to handle the job."
"He was still a right bastard about it." judged Integra, still unsure how to separate her mixed feelings. "I still loved him though."
"Of course you do, he is your family." noted Alucard, as he crossed his long legs and sat back into Integra's chair. "Now, what did her majesty say we have to do?"
"We have to obtain a treaty with the Vatican."
"Great, so I can't eat Anderson can I?" he chuckled deeply.
"Actually, yes you can. She has it in mind to arrange a play date between George and the wards of the church. She hopes they can be friends and when they get older they will end this senseless war."
"As long as George doesn't end up dating a Catholic boy I'm okay with it. However, don't blame me if I eat a few of the other parents."
"Be my guest, I would love to have less of them to deal with."
END
--
Sorry, kind of a slow chapter. It was mostly for explanation. Next time, a play date Hellsing style. Will Integra get her seat back by getting George to get along with the Vatican? Will the little monster be nice and not cause trouble? Oh and George brings Olivia a present in her own way.
