"The queen awaits you both. Remove your glasses," Integra ordered her servant.
Ilona took in the sight of the grand room inside the palace. It's high ceilings and marble flooring reminding her of all the castles she had seen in her time and for a moment she felt nostalgic. By her side, Alucard obeyed his master's request, slipping the spectacles down from his nose. She followed him as he moved past the long table, ignoring the seated men who gawked at the both of them.
Two security guards stepped forward apprehensively. She noticed Alucard tense slightly, watching as the two men moved with an imaginary force, headbutting each other and falling to the ground at either side of him. She kept her head high, trying not to look down at their unconscious faces as she passed. She followed him as he moved up the steps, stopping a few feet behind him where the Queen was seated at her throne. Although her face was obscured by shadow, Ilona could see her clearly, noting the deep lines in that indicated her age. She couldn't help herself from wondering what she would have looked like if she had aged naturally. Would her hair have become the same shade of grey? Would she have lived to the same age?
"It's been a long time, vampire. Come closer so I can see you," she insisted. Alucard bent down on one knee. The Queen's hands reached out to cup his face. Ilona watched with interest.
"All these years and you haven't aged a day, Alucard. Unfortunately, time's march has not been as kind to me." She let her go his face and indicated to her own. "Can you believe how quickly I became an old woman?"
"I still see the same spirited woman I met fifty years ago, your majesty. In fact, to my eyes, time has made you even more beautiful, your highness." The queen chuckled quietly at his words.
The Queen's gaze moved to her. "And this must be Ilona."
Ilona bowed her head respectfully. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance".
"The Queen of England meets The Queen of Vampires," she responded with a smile, which Ilona returned.
"Proceed with your report, vampire," she addressed Alucard once more.
He rose from his kneeled position and stood tall, turning to the table of humans.
"Fifty-five years ago a deranged Nazi major attempted to breed a vampire army. Walter and I laid waste to their operation. However, it seems they simply refuse to die. They've returned, replenished their numbers and are ready to complete their original mission. That's what Millennium truly is, the last battalion."
She heard the men exclaim in fear as his words.
"I guess Mr Tubalcain's fearsome blood must have given us away. The Major sure blew that one!"
She knew that voice. Her stomach flipped as she looked up and saw the boy with the cat ears, the only who had taught her how to read minds when she was a hostage at Millennium. She stepped forward, her teeth clenching as she glared at him.
Pip Bernadotte, the French man she had met the night before, raised his gun, as did another man who was standing on the other side of the table who was dressed in what appeared to be Priest's robes. She understood that he must be from The Vatican.
"Wow there, I'm just the messenger. I'm not here to fight anyone," he admitted, taking a few steps forward with his hands casually in his shorts.
"Explain this," Integra commanded.
"My deepest apologies ma'am, I don't know how he got past security," Walter apologised.
"They are useless against me. I'm everywhere, and nowhere," the boy told them as he placed a screen down on the table. Ilona noticed it looked just the same as the one The Major had gifted her in her cell. She moved down the stairs so that she was closer to the table. The boy winked at her, his cat ears twitching.
"Guten tag" he smiled.
All eyes were on her as he addressed her as if speaking to a friend. She said nothing, scowling at him quietly. Alucard stood close behind her, noticing her hostility towards the newcomer which was coming off her in waves.
"To the gathered representatives of The Vatican and Great Britain, my commanding officer, the glorious Major has a message for all of you, please attend carefully."
After a few moments of technical difficulties, the Major's familiar face appeared on the screen. She seethed in her spot at the sight of him.
"Major! Looks like you've really got your hands full!" The boy beamed as the screen changed to show footage of the piles of mutilated corpses.
"Hello, Major," Alucard sang, moving closer to the screen.
"Alucard! I'm so happy to see you again. It's been really far too long! And where is our Princess Ilona?"
She stepped closer, standing next to Alucard so that she was in view.
"Ah, there she is! My Eve of vampires," he greeted her. She felt Alucard place a hand on the base of her back protectively.
"How absolutely dazzling you both look together! You really are the true No-Life Queen, Ilona. Your participation with Millennium is much appreciated, as you can see from these charming ghouls we created with your contribution. They're really much better than the ones we made from that poor Harker woman. If only you had stayed a little longer, we would have really been able to create something glorious!"
A chorus of noise followed from the men seated at the table, confused and angered by what he had said. Ilona clenched her fists so tight that her nails bit into her palms. She bared her teeth, hissing at him.
"What is your purpose?" Integra shouted, rising from her seat.
"Our purpose, fraulein, is a total absence of purpose. You should be aware, that there are some people in this world, for the means does not require an end." He snapped his fingers and the screen showed a man being eaten alive by the ghouls. His screams were murmured by the tie around his mouth.
"My true enemy is Britain, the Hellsings. Well, really, it's the man laughing in the corner there," The Major proclaimed.
All was silent. And then Alucard began to laugh loudly, manically.
"A declaration of war," he raised his hand, "Excellent! I can't wait to destroy you again!" He clenched his fist, the alchemic symbol on his glove glowing red.
"No matter what you do, we will never give up."
Ilona reached and felt the cool silver of her gun. She raised it at the cat-eared boy swiftly.
"Wha-?"
She pulled the trigger, watching as the bullet hit him in right between his purple eyes. A violent explosion of blood stained the pristine marble floor. Her nostrils flared in anger as she breathed deeply, her eyes glowing red. She felt Alucard observing her, looking pleased with her furious outburst.
"Fine, shoot the messenger. Auf wiedersehen, I look forward to meeting you across the battlefield!" She turned her aim towards the screen now, hitting it with one clean shot.
"Good shooting, regina mea" (my queen) Alucard congratulated her telepathically.
"Alucard, Sir Hellsing, destroy them. You have your orders," The Queen declared.
He bowed deeply before his hand once again came to her back as he led her out of the room. She paid no attention to where they went, too angry to focus. It was only later after they had walked for some time that she noticed they were in an park. It was late now, and she saw no humans in sight. She felt instantly calmer, breathing in the fresh air. He stopped, moving in front of her to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear affectionately.
"You are truly stunning when you're angry, Ilona. Remind me not to cross you," he snickered.
"Vlad-," she sighed, tiredly.
"No, I mean it. I'm proud of you," he grinned at her in the darkness, his teeth white and gleaming.
"I was so furious. Angrier than I've ever felt in my life. I don't know what happened. I snapped," she admitted, looking down at her hands as if she would find answers in the smooth silk fabric of the gloves she wore. She saw his large hands come to hers, clasping around her fingers. She looked into his eyes.
"You are a vampire now, Ilona. You will react to things differently than you did as a human," he explained softly.
"Then what my vampiric nature tells me is that I want to destroy Millennium. Every last man and ghoul," she declared.
He looked at her in approval. "Yes, regina mea, we will. Together."
She realised then that they were living another version of their former lives. War had plagued them repeatedly. What would she do if something happened to him again?
She felt his hand on her chin, lifting her face towards his. "I will never let anything happen to you ever again, Ilona. I swear to you," he promised her fiercely.
She was reminded of all the vows he had made to her in their mortal life together, Of all the promises he had kept. She moved closer to him, breathing in his scent, and replied just the same as she always had.
"I know," she sighed, right before his lips had touched hers.