HELLSING WITCH HUNTER: 1616
DIANAPRINCE31
Ch 24. Faces of the Past
Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing
After the argument that Sam and Integra had on the way back to the estate, Sam had felt it was time that Integra tell her and Seras about construction on the property and the new hunters- in full detail. And the tale shocked both of them. In the past the Hunter families had their own personal army of trained witch hunters that helped them in the protection of England. These armies were stationed in various parts of England, so that the Hunters did not have to run around the whole country killing witches and the like. These armies were equipped with magical weapons such as the ones used in the recent robberies. They were also equipped with objects such as jewelry or armor that repelled magic of different types and levels. They were led by two commanders and four captains; these are six leaders reported to the Hunter family as often as necessary usually once a month. The construction steambots worked overtime to build new stables, barracks and training grounds. Of course, the matter of training had also come up, the Hunters had specialized training against witches and other dark forces that dared threatened the country, but there was a solution for that as well. Not only would there be the use of magical weapons, but strategy and tactics as well. The army and commanders had to be well versed in witch lore and their weaknesses, even learning seals to contain and neutralize the abominations. But that usually depended on things such as finances and not all the generations of the families had such wealth.
Even though members of Hellsing witch hunting army had been recruited through the newspaper and posted advertisements, most were the Hellsing Inc.'s own Hellraisers. This force would no longer be private security and bodyguards for the rich. The downside was the loss of money, but this paled to the fact that these were experienced fighters and it the training would take less time and money. Schrodinger, Hans, the stable hands and the staff had their hands full preparing for the platoon of Hellraisers that would soon make the Hellsing Estate their home. There would be a lot more horses that needed to be groomed, exercised and fed, so farmland was created for farming and harvesting. New staff members were extensively screened and hired to help and in the to come, the Hellsing Estate made the Palace of Versailles look like a hut. Sam and Seras were shocked at the future plans and while it was beneficial, they were not pleased that they didn't have any say or involvement on it.
"So, when were you going to tell us?" demanded Sam. Integra sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose; "I just did, weren't you paying attention?"
"You know what I mean…"
"No, I don't know what you mean. So please be specific and I sure hope it isn't something as stupid as disagreeing with everything I did because you don't like me."
The assassin didn't say anything, but Seras said; "We would have liked to be asked our opinion on this matter." Integra raised an eyebrow and said; "This is not the same as redecorating a room, Seras." Philip ushered the two women out of the office before their 'chat' turned into a full-blown argument. The butler sighed as he knew that his employer was keeping her fellow Hunters on a need to know basis and they hated every minute of it. And of course, Sam was not one to let a matter drop especially if it was going to interfere with her naps. At the moment the only thing that the butler could do was diffuse the situation whenever the women got into one of their fights. Sam and Integra's relationship could be best described as volatile, like an unstable explosive, amicable one moment and at each other throats the next.
A few weeks later the new members of the Hellsing Estate arrived and to Sam and Seras' surprise they were not a bunch of loud, smelly crude men. They rode their horses in an orderly fashion through the front gates, their professionalism prevented them from gawking with wide eyes and gaping mouths at the impressive territory that they would call home. The Hellraisers wore black shirts and pants of a sturdy blend of wool and cotton. With this was worn thick leather armor that was lined with chain mail. On the knuckles of the black gauntlets and the toes of the boots were metal, to add extra pain behind every punch or kick. Each Hellraiser wore a blade of their choice and a revolver at their hip. On their backs or in custom sheaths on their saddles were a variety of large weapons, some even had motorized swords with rotating blades. They bore the Hellsing coat of arms and a second patch that looked like an angry red horned man with fangs and spewing flames from his mouth, this was the Hellraisers emblem.
As the Hellraisers were unpacking and settling into their new home, Sam and Seras decided to sneak into the barracks and check out the newcomers. The Hellraisers laughed and bantered cheerfully as they unpacked their bags; so, they had been together for some time. They seemed happy with the change of duties and even said so.
"They seem nice enough" said Seras softly.
"And some of them look tasty" said Sam licking her lips.
"Sam! Don't say that!" With that outburst the two had been discovered, but the oddest thing happened; all of the Hellraisers jumped to attention and saluted. This stunned Sam and Seras, who thought were used to admiration and respect by grateful citizens who were from witches, but not hardened soldiers.
"Are they saluting us?" whispered Sam out the corner of her mouth.
"It looks that way" answered Seras.
"Maybe they are saluting Integra, I wouldn't be surprised if she was behind us right now". Both Hunters looked behind them and saw no one. Sam gave a wicked grin; this could be fun, she could probably make them do anything she wanted, but Seras elbowed her and said; "Don't even think about it, Sam". Turning to the still saluting Hellraisers and said; "You don't have to salute us. I think it's kind of weird."
"What are you talking about? Of course, they have to salute."
"Well I don't want to be saluted. We're all here for the same reason".
Sam pulled Seras outside and whispered; "If you haven't noticed, they are here to replace us."
"Sir Integra never said that."
"She hasn't been telling us a lot, so why start now?"
"I think you're being a bit paranoid, besides we need the help. Also they can't 'replace' us, we're the last of the Hunter families."
"We're going to need help looking for new employment."
"Try to see the good in this, Sam. Don't be such a downer."
"If Integra wasn't being such a bitch about everything, I wouldn't be a downer."
"Let's try to make the best of the situation."
"How do you stay positive about everything?"
"It's the best way from making us go crazy, besides a lot of bad stuff happened to me- to all of us-why make more? We are practically all the family we got. I think of you and Sir Integra as sisters."
"I don't know what kind of sis you think Integra is, but I have a feeling that she doesn't see us the same or like us, so that would disqualify her as a sister in my book."
"It's like you're both fighting over a scrap of meat. We are living in her house and it would be nice if we could just get along like civilized human beings."
"I'll act civilized when she does, now can we get back to those guys and some tasty gals saluting us?"
Seras sighed and followed Sam back into the room and introduced herself; "My name is Seras Victoria, but just call me Seras, not Hunter Seras or anything like that. Let's just work together to protect England." The soldiers relaxed visibly when they realized how laid back and kind Seras was, they had thought that all the Hunters were going to be like Integra, seeing as she didn't really mention her fellow Hunters to them.
Despite the paranoia of the Hellraisers replacing her and Seras, Sam actually liked working with them. They were efficient, they were professional, and they were deadly, not that she didn't like working with Seras and Integra, there was just a different feel when you were leading your own witch hunting squad. Integra had not wanted Seras and Sam to be given the responsibility of the Hellraisers but when three strong witches were reported to have attacked three separate locations, the heiress knew that a lot more lives could be saved if they split up and after that they would meet up at a certain rendezvous point.
Rendezvous- Point
Seras and Sam had reached the meeting spot before Integra and were talking, about current events. The two Hunters had sent the Hellraisers back to the estate to rest while they waited for Integra to get back from her battle with a witch. "Since I here first, that clearly means I'm the strongest" Sam smirked. Seras giggled; "Or it could mean that the witch you fought was the weakest."
"Or it could be that the distance here was the shortest."
"Or maybe your horse was fast, though I bet Kitten is faster."
"Maybe we should make a wager."
Just then Sam started waving and Seras turned around to see Integra riding towards them. The Huntress barely dismounted when Sam said; "Sera and I made a bet to see whose horse can run faster, the winner gets 20 gold coins."
"You sound like Schrodinger when he got high on catnip" chuckled Integra.
"Can you tell us that story?" asked Seras excitedly.
"Walter tells it better, I was too busy going out of my mind."
"Don't try and change the subject of our bet, Seras."
"I'm not betting 20 gold coins on a horse race."
"Why afraid you're going to lose?"
"No, that's a waste of good money. That could be used on something else."
"That sounds like someone who is scared would say."
"Did you spend all your money again, Sam?"
Sam looked sheepish; "No... kinda...there was a really amazing knife set."
Integra rolled her eyes; "No one person should own the amount of knives you do, Sam."
"I'm an assassin, I need them. Also, they look cool."
"You really need to learn the benefits of saving money."
"Says the Hunter with the big ass house. Let's go to a bar, I wanna beat some chumps at cards."
"I'd rather not." Seras did not forget the last time she went into a tavern, she hadn't gone back since. Integra did not try to tell Sam that she couldn't go, so that was where Sam went whenever she needed, but by now many bar goers tend to leave whenever she entered.
"Don't worry Seras, Sir Sweet Cheeks will protect you from all the gropey men."
"Two things, Sam; I do not play the bodyguard and do not call me 'Sweet Cheeks'. I have no idea what that means and probably don't want to."
The Huntresses mounted their horses with Sam leading the way; mostly likely to a bar, with Seras and Integra in tow wearing exasperated expressions on their faces, someone had to babysit Sam.
"Nothing good is going to come from this" sighed Integra.
"Don't be such a downer, Hot Lips."
Streets of London
It had been nearly three years since the four of them fled England to Ireland, since the Hunters and the King began searching for those responsible for the Hunter family massacre. Duncan Ambrose, Charlie Davies, Johnny Kenmore and Dennis Wood were part of the group who had killed the Victoria family. Now they blended in with the London crowd as they dodged horses and carriages to get their destination, the Drinking Ox tavern. Duncan looked over his shoulder for the fifth time, he had a feeling he was being watched.
"You're being paranoid, Dunc" said Johnny. "No one knows we're here."
"You don' know that."
They were meeting up with a man who wanted to hire a group of men as security guards for his trading caravan. When the men entered the bar, they sat at a table in the back to avoid anyone seeing them; maybe Duncan wasn't the only paranoid one. Even though there were no signs that demanded their capture but it best to stay on the safe side. Dennis looked around and grinned; "There's a lot of pretty birds in here boys, we can have some pleasure with our business, can't we?"
"As long as there are some sexy blondes" laughed Charlie. Sometimes one should be careful what they wish for. At that moment the door of the tavern was torn off its hinges and the angriest blond young woman stormed in.
A Little While Back
Why she was allowing Sam to take her to a bar was beyond her. Seras swore she would never go in one after the incident a year ago. For one, how did those idiots not see that she was not part of the 'entertainment'? And even if she was, they had no right to grab her and try and have their way with her. She glanced over at Integra who had a very somber look on her face; well at least she wasn't the only one not happy with the dinner plans. Seras looked around at the people in the crowd and nearly fell off her horse. In the throng of people, there were four faces that she would never forget, could never forget. Even though they now looked older and scruffier, Seras recognized the four men who had burst into her home, raped her mother, slaughtered her father and stabbed her, leaving her for dead. The Huntress had been drawing the faces of the despicable men ever since that day so that she would not forget their faces and when they had run off before they could be tried, she felt a bit cheated. Seras figured that they had fled the country and now they were back-big mistake. It was a couple of minutes until either Sam or Integra noticed that Seras was missing.
"She couldn't have gotten too far, she left her horse" stated Sam. Kitten decided to stick close to Baskerville since her rider had dismounted and walked off. It was evening, and many people were rushing to get home or to the nearest tavern, so Seras could get lost in the crowd and Sam hoped that they found her soon. "Maybe she decided to look for the cleanest and least crowded bar."
"I don't believe there is such a thing as a clean tavern" Integra replied.
Just then a loud commotion could be heard as a large wooden door was sent flying and people ran screaming "demon!" Integra and Sam looked at each other and sprinted towards the confusion, the door had come from the tavern called the Drinking Ox and when the two Huntresses stepped into the building they saw overturned furniture and several patrons huddled together frightened out of their wits. But what really concerned them was the petite woman in the middle of the room with the 'freaky arm'. The appendage was mostly black with streaks of crimson and was split into four tendrils, in which each held a man. Also, the giant fire dragon demon in the room, did nothing to alleviate anyone's anxieties.
"H... help...us…." whimpered one man through a throat that was being crushed.
"Seras, put those men down" said Integra sternly.
"Only after they are dead" came the reply, the voice sounding nothing like the cheerful and chipper young Hunter they knew.
"Damn it, it's that demon Charybdis controlling her. I thought you two had learned to keep her in check."
"Well sort of. And Seras is not being controlled by Charybdis, more like tempted" said Sam.
"What could Seras want from that sneaky water newt to kill four men …." Then it suddenly dawned on Integra; "Those four have something to do with the death of her family."
"Not just something, they were the ones who did it!"
Meanwhile inside of Seras' mind was another battle; the sea serpent demon was determined to get Seras kill the men and damn the consequences. But Seras was not so sure that she wanted the men dead; sure, what they did to her family was beyond heinous, but killing them wouldn't bring her family back and she wouldn't feel better anyway.
They kill your family and you meant to let them live?
"It's no use getting revenge, killing them would ruin everything I worked for."
Integra got her revenge, she even killed that sniveling coward George Whitehall. You should also be able to avenge your family
"I... Father Anderson said it was best to forgive…"
FORGIVE!? Foolish girl, you are to slaughter your enemies, to make them fear you, to have them kneel before you, not forgive them!
"I can't move on with my life if I am obsessed with getting revenge…"
Simple child, if you cannot do it, then I will!
Seras could feel as Charybdis tried to gain control of her body and she could see how the men struggle even more as the grasp tightened.
"Damn it! You do NOT get to control my body, demon!"
Don't worry their deaths will be…
"I said NO! I am the only one who gets to make decisions about my body, you on the other hand will sit there and be quiet!" There was a bright flash and yellow frowning face appeared on Charybdis' forehead.
You think this pathetic little thing will keep me from becoming in control?
As if to answer her question, the four men were released from the tendrils and it formed back into a normal arm.
NOOOOOO! YOU FOOL! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!
"SHUT UP! You are not to try and control my body, nor are you to speak." Another frowny face appeared over the sea serpent demon's mouth preventing her from opening her mouth. That would keep Charybdis quiet for a time; despite her mouth being clamped shut, the demon to smirk, these Hunters were not weak-willed women, they were so much more.
Meanwhile back the Drinking Ox
"Hey Seras, yoo-hoo, Seras you in there?" asked Sam waving a hand in front of the petite blonde's face.
"Wha…? Oh, hey Sam, what happened? I saw these four guys and I don't know what came over me…"
"You tore off the door…"
"I did?"
"And nearly killed four men...with one arm…."
"But they…"
"We know who they are" interrupted Integra pointing to the four men now hogtied on the barroom floor. "They will definitely hang for their crimes."
"No!"
Sam and Integra gave Seras confused looks. "Why not?" asked Integra.
"There has already been enough death around our families and I'm tired of it. Just let them rot in jail for the rest of their miserable days."
"That's very forgiving of you, Seras" said Sam. "I would have liked to see them drawn and quartered."
Seras shook her head, she had seen enough death and at the moment she just wanted to go home and snuggle with the feisty colt, Night Sky. As Seras slumped down in one of the surviving chairs, Sam whispered to Integra; "I'm surprised you weren't yelling at her to not kill those fools, Hot Lips."
"I'm sure she had one bitchy voice in her head, I don't think she needed another."
"So, what's going to happen now?"
"The Royal Guards will be here to pick them up, the Metropolitan Police force will pretend to do something because they want the credit, I have to pay for this mess and then we go home for some tea."
"Sounds good to me, poor girl looks like she needs it."
The Hunters left the Royal Guard to deal with the four murderers while they rode home, Seras looking drained and miserable and Bahamut looking very concerned. When they reached the estate, Walter had tea and lunch waiting for them, which Seras took in her room. Integra told the butler all about what had happened to which Walter nodded and said; "She probably didn't think she'd ever see those men again. It would have been better off if they had stayed away. But how did she recognize them after all these years?"
"She would draw their faces every day, so if she ever saw them, she'd deal with them" answered Sam.
Integra and Walter looked astounded at the new revelation. "So, she's been suffering all this time" said Walter softly. "Poor Seras".
"Seras is a strong woman, she'll be back to her old self in no time" said Sam. "And I know a way to cheer her up."
"I don't think I want to know what that is" sighed Integra.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, woman" laughed Sam. "I'm saving those 'techniques' for you."
Integra sighed as she left, she had decided to inform the King of the events that had happen and Seras' request of not executing the four murderers. A couple days the Hunters learned that the King honored Seras' wishes and sentenced the men to spend the rest of their days in a deep dark dungeon without a chance of seeing the sun ever again. This news lifted Seras out of her funk and she decided to spend time watching Night Sky and his mother in one of the pastures. She was surprised to see Integra there, with Sam who was sitting against the fence sleeping. "Sir, I didn't know that you...you know…"
"Blame Walter, he kept nagging that I needed to get fresh air and he hid all my cigars." Seras giggled as she fed some sugar cubes to the colt.
"I wanted to thank you for not ...umm how do I put this…."
"I think this is less of a 'thank you' and more of a 'glad you weren't a screaming like a bitch with a stick up her ass'."
"It's not that, it's just that I needed to get through that on my own and you let me, so thanks."
Integra nodded as Baskerville nosed her jacket pocket hoping for a pear or an apple and neighed with joy when she finally gave him an apple.
"I'd like to think of you and Sam as a family, like sisters."
"Hmm, sisters."
"Quit dreaming Seras" said Sam. "Sisters don't charge each other rent to live with them."
"What are you talking about?" Integra asked as she gave Baskerville a final pat and headed back to the house. "I stopped charging Seras rent months ago."
"WHAT?!"
Seras had to laugh as Sam ran after the heiress protesting the unfairness of her living situation.
Chapter End
Author's Note: Yes Seras' seals are smiley or it this case frowny faces I figured that would be definitely be like her.