Chapter 24: George Meets James
It was Sunday morning, and George was as unhappy as Integra was. Both of them were sitting in the car, in their finest spring dresses, as Walter drove them to the Queen's Spring Social. George had pulled out her pink bows out of her hair for the umpteenth time. This time Integra didn't put them back. George was right. Pink bows in such raven hair as hers, just didn't look right. Integra groaned a deep sigh as she watched the city pass by them. George noticed.
"Domnule?"
"English, George." sited Integra, yet again.
"Where going we?" asked George.
"You mean where ARE we going?" corrected Integra.
"Yes," said George. "Where are we going?"
"We are going to the Queen's spring social. You'll be able to meet other kids your own age." said Integra, as she looked over at George.
"Why?" asked George.
"Her majesty thinks that we spend too much time alone, you and I, and that we should be around other humans." explained Integra.
"Why?" asked George.
"Why what?" countered Integra.
"Why time spend with other humans?" asked George.
"Because we are human," said Integra. "Speaking of which, what have you been learning from Pastor Reeves?"
"One, God is all. Two, no American idols. Three, no swearing. Four, be in church on Sunday..." quoted George.
Integra chuckled at George "abridged" version.
"So he's teaching you the ten commandments. That's good. What else have you learned?"
"Not to bite the man of god." said George.
"What did you bite him for?" groaned Integra.
"He insulted master." said George, folding her arms.
"What did he say about Alucard?" asked Integra.
"That he damned soul go straight to hell." said George, looking down at the shoes on her feet.
Integra sighed heavily. How did one go about explaining Alucard's existence to a child that loved him?
"Well George, it's true." said Integra, as she thought about it.
"Why?" asked George, as she looked up at Integra. "Is he being punished for bad things?"
"Yes, George. That's exactly it," said Integra. "He was a very bad man when he was alive and now he is being punished for it."
George sat in silence.
"What if he repents?" asked George.
Integra smirked. Alucard repenting? That would be the day. And yet, depending on which version of history you followed, it wasn't Alucard's fault he ended up a vampire. Upon his death, he was cursed by a catholic priest to never enter heaven or hell, but to walk the earth for all eternity. But the more popularized version said that he cursed God for the death of his wife and that he completely turned his back on the church and his faith. So...exactly what would happen if Alucard asked for forgiveness?
"I don't know George. But I doubt he would anyway." said Integra.
"Really? Then I will ask for him." said George, lying down in Integra's lap.
"Yes, you do that George." smiled Integra.
"Sir, we have arrived." called Walter.
"Oh, joy." groaned Integra.
George sat up and looked out of the window. She saw a rolling lawn of green dotted with men and women and children. Some were just standing and talking. Others were sitting under trees. Still others seemed to be playing games. Soon the car stopped and Walter opened the door for them.
"Remember Sir, be polite to the knights and their sons." said Walter.
"Yeah, right." growled Integra.
"George." called Walter.
"Yes, uncle Water." answered George.
"No biting." said Walter.
"Yeah, right." smiled George.
Walter just shook his head and went to park the car. George followed close behind Integra as she made her way over to where the queen was sitting. Integra wanted her to know that she did show up, even though she didn't plan to stay long.
"Your majesty." greeted Integra, with a curtsy.
"You majesty." said George, following Integra's example.
"Hm, not bad. But could still use more work," smiled the queen. "A stint in charm school will help her along."
"Charm school?" questioned Integra.
"You do not wish to send her?" asked the queen.
"I don't think they're ready for George." said Integra, looking down at George.
George wasn't listening; she was looking at all the other people and children.
"Nonsense, she'll be fine and she'll grow up a proper young woman." stated the queen.
George looked up at Integra as she pulled on her dress as she pointed to the other kids. Integra looked down at George.
"Yes, George. Those are the other kids." said Integra.
"Introduce George to some of the other children and then we will arrange for you to meet with Sir Kant." said the queen, accepting a cup of tea from one of her attendants.
"Yes, your majesty." said Integra. "Come along, George."
George looked up at Integra and nodded. George followed Integra as she led her to a ring of girls sitting in the grass and making crowns out of flowers. One of the young girls saw them coming and stood up to greet them.
"Hi," she said. "I'm Celica and I'm seven."
"Good morning Celica," greeted Integra politely. "This is George. Say hello George."
"Hallo." said George, staying very close to Integra.
"George, what did I tell you in the car." reminded Integra.
"English, please." said George.
"That's right," said Integra, kneeling to look George in the eye. "Now, I have to meet with someone today and I need you to be good. Alright?"
"Alright." said George.
"Good. Now play with these girls until I get back." said Integra.
"Yes, sir." said George.
Celica extended her hand to George and George cautiously took it. Integra waited until George was seated within their little group and then she reported to the queen.
"So, your name is George," stated another girl. "Well, my name is Audrey."
"Hello." said George, as she sat in the grass.
"Why is your name George?" asked another girl. "That's a boy's name."
"My master named me George." said George.
"Your master? Are you a servant? Did Sir Hellsing bring you instead because she has no children?" commented another.
George didn't understand the question, so she didn't answer it. She just watched as the other girls talked amongst themselves about dresses and boys and the things their parents would buy for them. George was complete bored with them and their ceaseless chatter. So she got up and left. She decided instead to go exploring. She watched some adults who seemed to be standing mighty close together under a red oak tree as they talked to one another. Soon the woman noticed her.
"You know, it's not polite to stare." she remarked.
"Sorry." said George, but she didn't move.
"Are you lost?" she asked.
"No." said George.
"Well, where is your mother? Why aren't you with her?" asked the man, annoyed at the interruption.
"Sir, is speaking to queen." said George.
"Oh, Then why don't you go play hide and seek with the other kids over there." he remarked.
George looked in the direction that he indicated. She bowed to him and left to find the other kids.
"She's sort of weird." said the woman.
George found the other kids and watched them for a while. Then one of the older boys came over to her. His was lean with brown hair and blue eyes.
"Hey you! Do you want to play?" he called to George.
George nodded yes.
"Ok. Do you know how to play hide and seek?" he asked her.
"Hide and Seek?" repeated George. "Oh, you mean seek and destroy."
"Destroy?" laughed the boy. "Nah, we hide and you look for us, ok."
"Ok." agreed George.
"Alright, now look these are the boundaries." he explained.
George listened as the boy laid out the boundaries and the rules. She had to close her eyes, count to fifty, and then see how many other kids she could find. George nodded her understanding. She closed her eyes and began to count.
The other kids all scattered. Some cheated and hid outside the boundaries. Others, being older, climbed high up in the branches of trees and hid among the leaves. When George finished counting, she began searching. Out of the fourteen kids that were playing, George found all fourteen.
"I think she was looking," said one of the older boys, with a band air on his chin. "There's no way she could have found us without looking. I've been hiding in the same spot all day and no one else has found me. Make her do it again."
"Were you peeking?" asked the boy.
"No." said George.
"O.k," he said, not really believing her. "but this time we're going to blind fold you."
"O.k." said George.
The boy blindfolded George and made sure she couldn't see out. Then he turned her away from them and told her to start counting. George stood there facing the opposite direction and counted to fifty. The boy watched her the whole time as he hid, to make sure she wasn't cheating. When George got to fifty, she started searching. Since no one had told her that she could take off the blindfold, George kept it on. She followed her nose and found the girls who wearing perfume. She followed her ears, and found all the kids that were snickering and laughing. She clapped her hands and followed the air disturbance to find the other hidden kids.
"No bloody way!" commented one of the girls. "That's impossible. You mean to tell me she found all of us and she's still blindfolded."
"You could have taken the blindfold off, you know." said the boy, as he took the blindfold off of George.
"But you said do it blind folded. You said I was cheating." said George.
"She's weird." mocked the boy with really curly blonde hair. "Only dogs and ninjas can do that."
"I don't care if she's dog or a ninja. I'm not playing if she's playing." complained the boy with a band aid on his chin.
George just looked at him, turned, and left. The boy watched her go.
"Damn it, Tommy. That wasn't nice." chided the boy with brown hair.
George made her way down to the pond. She sat at the edge of the water and watched people paddle boat by. The boy joined her at the water's edge.
"Don't mind Tommy. He's just a sore loser." said the boy.
George said nothing. She just watched the boats.
"My name is James," he said, sitting down next to her. "And I'm nine. Who are you?"
"I'm George," said George. "And I'm four. I'll be five soon."
"Your only four," he gawked. "And you can play hide and seek blindfolded?"
George said nothing. She just looked at him, and then returned to gazing at the boats.
"Wait a minute. Why do you have a boy's name? Is George short for Georgina or something?" he asked.
"George is for George. My master named me so." said George.
"Your master? So you are a ninja. That's so cool." he laughed.
George looked at him.
"You talk too much." she said.
James looked at her in shock. Then he remembered that she was only four.
"O.k. I'll shut up." he laughed.
And so he did. They just sat there, soaking up the sun and staring at the water.
--
Integra had returned to the queen. When she got there, she saw a young man in his late twenties that had the bearing of an experienced soldier. He and the queen were talking and she guessed that this man was Sir Kant.
"Ah, there you are Sir Integra," remarked the queen, with a warm and greeting smile. "Allow us to introduce to you Sir Jonathan Sedgwick Kant. Sir Kant, this is Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing."
Sir Kant gave Integra a gentlemanly bow, and Integra returned his greeting with a curtsy.
"Now that you two have been properly introduced." said the queen. "Sir Kant, why not show Sir Integra our botanical gardens."
"Yes, your majesty." he acknowledged.
Sir Kant offered Integra his arm and she took it. They sauntered away from her majesty and towards the gardens. Her majesty smiled to herself as she sipped a cup of tea.
"A fine pair we think." she chuckled.
Neither Integra nor Jon spoke to one another until they reached the morning glories.
"Sir Hellsing." addressed Jon.
"Yes, Sir Kant." said Integra.
"I have been informed that I am to be your...husband." he said. "Are you...O.k. with this?"
"One does not disobey an order from the crown," said Integra, looking at him and judging his character. "Does one?"
"No, one does not," he said, trying to match her indifference. "But it is just as I've thought; you have no desire to get married anymore than I do."
"And yet we will," said Integra, coldly. "By the queen's command."
"As a soldier, I will do my duty," he began. "But as a man, I can't...I won't force myself on you."
"Dully noted." said Integra, relieved that she would not be facing a rape on her wedding night.
"I hear you have a daughter," commented Jon with a smile, as they continued walking. "What's she like?"
--
George and James had been sitting in the grass for near two hours now. Suddenly, George looked up and said...
"Boom."
"What?" asked James.
"Come, its going to rain." said George, standing up.
"Really?" questioned James. "It doesn't look like it."
George just looked at him with serious eyes.
"Trust me." she simply said.
"Well, come this way. There's a gazebo over there. We may not make it back to the palace in time." said James, leading her deeper into the gardens.
--
Integra and Jon had talked as they walked and were now down by the pond when it started to rain.
"Oh George," groaned Integra. "Why didn't you say boom this morning?"
"Come on, we can take cover in the gazebo until it stops." said Jon, grabbing Integra's hand.
Needless to say, Integra was surprised when she saw George and another little boy standing there watching it rain.
"George." called Integra.
"Hello, Sir." smiled George, coming over to Integra.
"George, why didn't you tell me it was going to rain today?" asked Integra, as she sat down on one of the benches.
"Not supposed to." said George, standing before Integra.
"So it's a spring shower, is it?" remarked Integra, looking out at the rain.
"Yes, sir. It will stop soon." said George.
"So you're the infamous George," smiled Jon, kneeling to see George better. "Sir Hellsing has been telling me all about you."
George looked at this man who was standing so near her mother. Integra noticed George's eyes growing dark.
"George. This is Jonathan Kant. He's my friend." said Integra.
George said nothing to him, but she bowed to him to be polite.
"Friend?" commented Jon, as he stood back up. "Don't tell me she doesn't know?"
"Not yet," said Integra, sitting down on one of the benches. "It's going to be difficult to explain. So let's just stay friends for now."
James started chuckling.
"She dumped already, huh Cousin?"
"Never mind James, it's none of your business." scolded Jon, leaning against the rail.
"You're related?" questioned Integra, looking between the two of them.
"By marriage, twice removed, something like that." chuckled Jon, shaking his head.
"His mother and my stepfather are family, somehow or other," answered James. "He's also one of the professors at my military academy."
Suddenly, George perked up. She had heard something. She took off running deeper into the gardens.
"Where's she going?" questioned James.
"I don't know, but we'd better follow." said Integra, taking off after George.
George stopped only when she found the source of the crying. She growled in anger as a thirteen year old boy was trying to force himself on a nine year old girl. George didn't hesitate, she tackled him full force and started beating him up. The girl, now free and full of fear, ran away. James called out to her as he saw her pass by him with tears in her eyes.
"Teresa? Teresa, what's wrong?" he asked.
"I'll take her back to the house and see if I can't find out what's going on. You go and find George." said Jon, moving into action.
Integra nodded at his decisive action and continued looking for George.
At first the boy was surprised and covered his face to dodge her blows, but then he shoved her off him and he started punching at her. George knew he was stronger, so she dodged him and tried to get in closer to wrestle him like she had been taught. She ducked under one of his blows and wrestled him to the ground. She bit him in the left side and in his right arm.
"Ow!" he yelled. "Damn little...let me go!"
Finally getting the upper hand, the boy pinned George to the ground and started beating her up. That's when Integra arrived. She grabbed the boy off of George and held him fast by his collar. Distracted by Integra, the boy looked away from George. That's when George got up and kicked him in his nuts. The boy cried out in pain as he grabbed his crotch.
"What do you think you are doing?!" Integra asked him.
"What?! She started it!" he yelled. "She just punched me and started beating me up."
"I wonder why." stated Integra, not letting him go.
"I don't know!" yelled the boy. "I was minding my own business. You can see it's just me here out here."
"George, why were you beating him?" inquired Integra.
"He bad boy. He was touching her girl parts." said George, as she stood there defiantly.
Integra looked at the boy. She could see that he was not looking her in the eye.
"I think we'd better find your father." said Integra, dragging him by his collar, towards the palace.
"Whatever the hell she just said," yelled the boy. "She's lying!"
"George doesn't lie." said Integra. "Come George."
George followed as they walked back towards the house. The House was already in a stir because of the sudden downpour; but when Jon came in carrying Teresa in his arms, her parents became very concerned.
"Is she alright?" asked her mother.
"Where were you?" asked her father.
"I wouldn't drill her with questions." suggested Jon, as he handed Teresa to her parents. "I think she was attacked."
"What? Attacked?" inquired her father. "By who?"
That's when Integra showed up dragging the boy in by his collar.
"Let go of me!" he yelled.
"Sir Hellsing," called Sir Henson. "What do you mean by man handling my son like that?"
"I think you should speak to you son and ask him what he's been doing this afternoon." suggested Integra, strongly.
The queen had seen this display and was able to guess what had happened.
"Sir Henson, Sir Morris, and Sir Hellsing you will join us in the next room and you will bring your children with you." ordered the queen, softly not wishing to alarm the other guests.
The small group followed the queen into the next room, the doors were closed, and her guards made sure they were not disturbed. All stood and waited until the queen sat down. Then she began the inquiry.
"Now," said the queen, as she looked around the room. "Sir Henson, we will begin with your daughter."
"Her name is Teresa, your majesty." he informed her.
"Teresa, come forward." called the queen, gently.
Teresa timidly stepped forward. She curtsied to her majesty. Integra noticed that the girl was shaking with fear.
"What happened, my dear?" asked the queen, softly, not wanting to frighten the girl anymore.
"Nothing, nothing, your majesty." squeaked Teresa.
The queen didn't quite believe her because anyone could see the state of her dress. Not withstanding that it had been raining, her dress was muddy, but only on her back. However, the queen did not press the girl. The boy smirked. She wouldn't talk, if she knew what was good for her. And he shot her a warning glance to make sure she did. Then the queen called for him.
"Boy, come here." she called, a little more forcefully.
He stepped forward and bowed.
"I'm Shelton, your majesty." he said.
"Tell us what happened." demanded the queen.
"It is as she said your majesty, Nothing happened," reported Shelton. "But that girl attacked me for no reason."
Shelton pointed at George. And George looked at him with eyes of hate. Her dress was wet and muddy all over. Her right eye was also bruised and would be black tomorrow.
"George, step forward." ordered the queen.
George did so, but did not take her eyes off Shelton.
"Look at us, child. Why did you attack him?" questioned the queen.
George shifted her eyes from Shelton to the queen as she had been instructed, but she did not relax her demeanor.
"He was hurting her." said George.
"How was he hurting her?" asked the queen.
"He was touching her girl parts." said George, sternly.
"I was not! She's lying!" shouted Shelton.
The parents of the children stood in shock at this revelation. Teresa's parent took her in their arms and hugged her.
"Is this true?" asked her mother. "Please Teresa, don't be afraid."
Afraid at being discovered, Teresa began to cry.
"She is right child." stated the queen, gently. "It is not your fault. Did this boy touch you?"
Teresa said nothing, but hid in the arms of her parents. All waited for her answer, and then she nodded. Sir Henson just stood there, his anger welling up.
"She's lying! I didn't touch her!" swore Shelton.
"Shelton." called his father.
Shelton looked at his father.
"Come here." he ordered.
Shelton stood before his father. His father grabbed his wrist and twisted it.
"Ow." complained Shelton.
"Look at me boy," ordered his father. "Did you touch her?"
Shelton said nothing. Sir Henson twisted his wrist more.
"No." said Shelton.
"Don't lie to me!" demanded his father.
"Not really." whispered Shelton.
"Argh." growled Sir Henson, disgusted with his son's behavior.
"Well," judged the queen. "I shall leave the boy's punishment in your hands, Sir Henson. Sir Morris, your wife and daughter have our deepest apologies."
Shelton looked at George with hate.
"I'll get you for this," he murmured. "You just wait."
George stood there, her demeanor dark and fierce. She stared at Shelton's eyes and never left them.
"How many?" asked George, not taking her eyes off him.
"What?" asked Integra, as she noticed small shadows now dotting and filling the room.
"Ask him, how many?" restated George.
"Answer her boy." insisted his father.
Sir Henson took his son by his shoulders and shook him.
"How many?!" he demanded.
"Five." answered Shelton, ashamed at having been caught.
Sir Henson let go of his son and slapped him hard across his right cheek.
"Your majesty, what is the punishment for serial rapists?" he asked, cold as stone.
"Ten years, depending on the quantity and age of the abused." answered the queen.
"Then throw him in jail," said Sir Henson, tossing his son at her feet. "It's where he belongs."
"DAD!" cried Shelton.
"Don't dad me! How dare you bring this disrespectful shame upon us!" shouted Sir Henson, shaking with rage. "Your mother would weep if she could see you now. This is not how we raised you, a common thug; no doubt using our family name to intimidate and threaten. Well no more, because I have no son!"
"You," he growled at George. "This is all your fault."
"You bad boy. You hurt others. And you don't care." judged George. "Ink."
Ink came to George from out of the shadows of a chair and stood in front of her; his two red eyes staring at Shelton.
"Kill him." ordered George. "Keep him from hurting anyone else."
Ink started growling fiercely as made his way towards Shelton.
"Ink, sit." demanded Integra.
Ink stopped and looked at George. George gave him the signal to stand down.
"George, you and Ink go and sit in the corner," ordered Integra. "We Hellsings don't kill humans. Now George! Sit!"
George and Ink sat in the corner, but neither one took their eyes of Shelton.
"You shouldn't have stopped them." said Sir Henson to Integra.
Shelton looked at his father with deeply hurt eyes.
"You would have let them kill me? asked Shelton.
"You are dead to me anyway." spoke his father, turning his back on his son to face Sir Morris.
"Sir Morris, your family has my deepest apologies and humblest regrets. If there is anything that I have that you need or want, just name it and it is yours." offered Sir Henson, bowing to the Morris family.
"Sir Henson," called the queen. "He is your son. Are you sure..."
"He will learn his lesson from this far more than if I punished him. In ten years, I may forgive him." stated Sir Henson, angrily.
"So be it." said the queen. "Guards!"
"NO!" shouted Shelton, clinging to his father. "You can't do this! I'm sorry! Dad! Dad! I'm sorry!"
The guards entered the room. The queen gave the lead guard an order; he dragged the boy from his father, and left the room. Sir Henson bowed once again to the Morris family, then to the queen, and then he too left the room.
"Your majesty." bowed Sir Morris.
Then he and his family left the room. That only left Sir Hellsing, Jon and George.
"George, calm down," said Integra, kneeling before George. "Shelton will be punished. He will not hurt any one else, so calm down."
Integra waited until she saw George's muscles finally relax and the little shadows recede before she spoke again.
"George, we Hellsings don't use our dogs to kill people. Don't you ever set Ink loose on a human again, do you understand me?" scolded Integra.
"Yes, sir." answered George, meekly.
Then Integra ran her hand through George's hair and pulled her close to her.
"Are you o.k.?" she asked quietly. "He didn't hurt you did he?"
"No," smiled George, enjoying the only hug she had ever gotten from Integra. "Master would be proud, right?"
Integra smiled. "Yes, he would. But Walter is going to be very angry that you ruined your dress."
"Oh." said George, looking down at her torn dress.
"George Hellsing," called the queen. "Come here."
Integra let go of George and George stood before the queen. She bowed to her like a gentleman; like she had seen Alucard do.
"You majesty." addressed George.
The queen just smiled warmly at her. Charm school would definately do her some good.
"Well done George," praised the queen. "You did a very good thing in saving her honor."
"Thank you, majesty." said George.
"As a reward, we will sponsor you for charm school, the academy, and any university you decide to attend." offered the queen.
George just looked over at her mother. Integra quickly thank the queen for George.
"Thank you, your majesty." said Integra. "That is very generous of you."
"One more thing," said the queen. "She will need a proper girl's name when she starts school. Since Victoria is her middle name, it will be her name for the duration of her academy education."
"Yes, your majesty." bowed Integra.
With that all settled, the queen got up and left. Integra looked down at George and found her staring up at her.
"My name is George." said George.
--
Note: Some have remarked that my queen to too mean. So after watching BBC clips on the web, this is my attempt to make her more personable.