A/N: I'm Baa-aack! Yay! Welcome to Chapter 9, "Agreement." Here we begin to wind down with the climax: The dreaded Council meeting! Yep, and just when you think the story's going to end soon, it takes a new twist! Read and find out!

Disclaimer: I no own de Hellsink.

Riding in a car is a singular experience, when one cannot see. The feeling of motion without any solid visual evidence is sickening. I sat in the back of the Rolls as Walter drove us toward my judgment. By "us" I mean Seras and me. She sat next to me, close but not touching. "So, are you nervous, Sir?" Seras inquired.

The corners of my mouth curled. "No. I have faith in our preparations. There is nothing to fear."

"Oh, good. I guess I'll be nervous for the both of us then!" Her tone was bright but forced. I turned and gave her a full-fledged smile, for her sake.

Why aren't I nervous? Should I be? No… We've done enough. The three of us had been practicing furiously for the last week, turning the ballroom into a makeshift arena. Well, at least, Alucard and I did. Seras hovered somewhere in the background making loud noises of sympathy and excitement. An "ooh" here, a "look out!" there…

I had been studying Braille like a madwoman, with my instructor to guide me and Alucard there as a silent support. I had more than a basic command of the system, and it would be adequate for anything they might ask me to read.

Walter, Alucard, Seras and I also had a plan. We had sat down to arrange it, the four of us. We had decided that the best defense would be to show a united front. So we had choreographed a performance, of sorts. We had mapped out down to each step the way I would be helped out of the car, the way we would progress through the corridors, and finally, how I would be seated and stand. The first part of this game should begin soon.

"Here we are. The Knight's Hall. Seras?" Walter stopped the car as he spoke, and the feeling of movement left the pit of my stomach. A hand enveloped mine and squeezed, then a car door opened and shut. A brief moment later the door on my side opened, exposing my body to the cool night air. I turned and drew my feet outside of the Rolls Royce. A hand took mine, and I carefully ducked out of the car. The door was shut behind me and a heavy cloth was laid over my shoulders. My coat. Perfect. Seras and Walter played their parts beautifully. And why, you ask, did we go to such lengths? Because they are watching. There are cameras all over the building. They can see us.

Now all there was to do was to hold our collective breath and wait for Alucard's appearance.

I heard the screeching of bats first.

It came closer and closer, until it swarmed all around me. Leathery wings brushed my sleeves, my hair, my face, until they all collected on my left. An arm slipped through mine, and he whispered in my ear: "My lady."

"Good show, Monster." I smiled again, and we walked towards the door.

The hallway lasted forever. I walked in a stately manner as possible with Alucard's arm locked in my left. My coat hung from my shoulders, a medal-covered mantle. It clanked as I walked, billowing on the right. We were a solemn procession, Walter in front, Seras in back, just as we had planned. I heard the creak as Walter swung the double doors to the Knight's Hall wide. Finally.

It was warmer in the Hall. I felt it hit my face, a different kind of heat than Alucard's on my left. We walked into the chamber, feet clicking over the tile. I remembered how ornate the room was, all dark wood and gold accents. I mentally shook myself from the memory, and took a breath. This was it. The final part of our performance begins. Alucard led me to a chair, which was pulled back by Seras, just as we had discussed. Walter swept the coat off my shoulders, and I sat down in the seat. Flawless. I had been worried that this particular bit of choreography might be too obvious, or that I would seem helpless. They had assured me that they would play their parts with the utmost subtlety. Seras had also chimed in that I could never seem helpless, even if I was in a wheelchair. That had made me smile.

There was silence in the Hall. Then, I heard the whisper of paper on wood. "This Braille contract carries our decision. Simply read it and sign at the bottom." I felt myself blanch. That's it? They aren't even going to test me? This is a mockery. I refuse to even attempt to read this nonsense. A pen was slipped into my fingers, presumably by Walter.

I growled, and slammed the pen down on the table. "I will not sign this." Murmurs sprouted up around the table, growing louder with each new leaf. Finally, Sir Islands spoke.

"And why not, Sir Hellsing? The council has made its judgment. You will relinquish your position. Now sign the paper." Silence descended on those gathered. "Come now, Integra, you know this is best for the country." I set my mouth in a grim line. So this is what the "contract" contains… I felt the heat rise in my soul.

"Don't you DARE call me by my first name like we remain old friends, Sir Islands. You have done my father, our ancestors and me an injustice by presenting me with such a contract. Do not expect to be forgiven." I stood, and leaned over my hands on the table. "I will NOT sign this. I will not reduce the honor of my family to that of a common workman's by signing an agreement. Have you all no respect for the achievements of my family? Have you forgotten that it is my line and I who have ensured the safety of England? Yes, you must have. You must not realize that after you have made this proclamation that you will never sleep easy again, knowing that an amateur will be battling the monsters of the night. You poor, poor desk-ridden fools!"

"That is QUITE enough, Sir Hellsing!" Sir Islands shouted. "You have no right to abuse us so!"

"Yet, you have the right to abuse me so. How typically male of you. I thought you had more in you, Islands." I pointed out.

"SIR INTEGRAL FAIRBROOK WINGATES HELLSING, I-" Sir Islands was cut off by the slamming of a door.

"Announcing Her Majesty, the Queen." It was an unfamiliar voice, but Her heralds were not acquaintances of mine. I shot to my feet, and heard a soft "oof" as my chair slammed into Seras, who was standing behind me as planned. The others stood as well, scraping their chairs against the tile.

"Your Majesty, this is an unexpected surprise!" Sir Islands was still the spokesman for the group.

I heard the rich tones of our Queen. "No, I do believe THIS is the surprise. What is this all about, and why are you berating Sir Hellsing? Most of all, why was I not informed that the Twelve would be meeting? This is a severe breach of royal protocol."

Sir Corde, one of the older Knights, spoke up next. "We apologize, Your Majesty. We never should have convened without your knowledge. That was our mistake."

I heard the jarring screech of chair on tile, and soon it was followed by many more. I heard Alucard's voice in my ear as a hand pushed me down. "The Queen has seated herself."

"What was so urgent that you would convene with such suddenness? I can't imagine why it should be so fast that I was informed so late." The Queen sounded perplexed, and not very angry at all. My God, she really believes that this was a last minute meeting. Such faith in us… I am almost ashamed to be one of the Twelve.

A piece of paper was pressed into my hands, and Walter whispered in my ear, "The letter." Good old Walter. Prepared for anything. I focused my attention on Sir Corde, who was busy avoiding the question. I then threw the paper on the table in the general direction of Her Majesty's voice.

"This was no spur of the moment council, Your Majesty. They prepared two weeks for this." There was silence once more, until she spoke again.

"Sir Hellsing, Can you still wage war against the undead, and hold up the honor of England and your house?" The room burst into objection, each man shouting his own protests. Then the noise died as if she had lifted a silent hand to quiet them.

I took a deep breath, and turned my head towards her general direction. "Yes, Your Majesty, I can."

"Will you do so?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will." I said it as solemnly as I had sworn my oath when I first was knighted.

"Well then, I don't see what all this fuss is about… However,…." The room exploded with noise once more, Sir Islands' the loudest amongst them.

"Your Majesty, you have made a grave mistake!"

"You believe I have made a mistake, Sir Islands? Well, would you PLEASE allow me to pass the second half of my judgment?" She then addressed me gravely, and I sat up straighter in my chair. "Sir Hellsing."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"You will retain your position as the head of Hellsing, under one condition: you must produce an heir within the next five years. During this five-year period, you may not, under any circumstances, participate in field missions of any kind. Do you agree to these terms?"

I heard Seras gasp, and I could almost imagine Alucard's face. Bloody idiots, they'll give it all away. I folded my hands, and began to think. This is a small price to pay, and I knew it was going to come about eventually. I should count my blessings.

"I accept."