"Next!" Integra mustered all of her considerable self-control to avoid throwing her teacup at the door as the last applicant retreated. The teacups, after all, were Chinese, and had belonged to her mother. The applicant wasn't worth the cost of replacing them.
Choosing to bang her fist on the table instead, Integra cursed the Queen's orders (though never the Queen's judgement, or the Queen herself) in mandating that Integra produce an heir to the Hellsing line.
Walter appeared through the door a moment later, pushing a cart laid out with a fresh pot of Earl Grey tea and Integra's favorite tea snacks. "I thought you could use something to calm you down."
"You bring sugar to calm me down, Walter?"
"No, I bring tea to calm you down. You've been through two pots already today. I bring the sugar and the sandwiches to keep you from smoking." Walter smiled a little. He'd served the Hellsing family since before her birth, and the only thing he could trace better than a renegade vampire was Sir Integra's mood.
Integra only glared at him. "Where's the next one?"
"I, er," Walter hesitated, "thought I should warn you about this next one, Sir. It's a previous aquaintence of yours."
"Oh?" Integra's eyebrow reached over the top of her glasses.
"From the Vatican." It quickly furrowed again.
"You must be kidding me." Walter could only shrug slightly. She knew he wouldn't kid.
"Let's get this over with." Integra poured herself a fresh cup of tea and downed it as one might a shot of gin. Walter returned to the door with the now-empty cart, and as he left, a man with long, light-colored hair and priestly vestments passed him to enter the room.
"Enrico Maxwell. Do tell me what you're doing here." Integra pointedly did not offer him a seat. Enrico helped himself to one of the antique upholstered chairs anyway, handing Integra a letter as he made himself comfortable.
"From the Pope. It's a special dispensation to offer my services to the Hellsing Organization in time of need."
"Your... services...?"
"Of course." The cheshire cat couldn't have produced a more smug grin.
"As a sperm donor?"
"Donor?" Enrico couldn't hide the disappointment on his face, but he tried. "The Church doesn't believe in such... cold means of begetting children, but I'm sure alternate arrangements could be made..."
"OUT!" The teacup was flying before Integra could stop herself.
"Dammit!" Enrico heard as he pulled the heavy door closed behind him. "The Vatican will be getting a bill for that!"
Choosing to bang her fist on the table instead, Integra cursed the Queen's orders (though never the Queen's judgement, or the Queen herself) in mandating that Integra produce an heir to the Hellsing line.
Walter appeared through the door a moment later, pushing a cart laid out with a fresh pot of Earl Grey tea and Integra's favorite tea snacks. "I thought you could use something to calm you down."
"You bring sugar to calm me down, Walter?"
"No, I bring tea to calm you down. You've been through two pots already today. I bring the sugar and the sandwiches to keep you from smoking." Walter smiled a little. He'd served the Hellsing family since before her birth, and the only thing he could trace better than a renegade vampire was Sir Integra's mood.
Integra only glared at him. "Where's the next one?"
"I, er," Walter hesitated, "thought I should warn you about this next one, Sir. It's a previous aquaintence of yours."
"Oh?" Integra's eyebrow reached over the top of her glasses.
"From the Vatican." It quickly furrowed again.
"You must be kidding me." Walter could only shrug slightly. She knew he wouldn't kid.
"Let's get this over with." Integra poured herself a fresh cup of tea and downed it as one might a shot of gin. Walter returned to the door with the now-empty cart, and as he left, a man with long, light-colored hair and priestly vestments passed him to enter the room.
"Enrico Maxwell. Do tell me what you're doing here." Integra pointedly did not offer him a seat. Enrico helped himself to one of the antique upholstered chairs anyway, handing Integra a letter as he made himself comfortable.
"From the Pope. It's a special dispensation to offer my services to the Hellsing Organization in time of need."
"Your... services...?"
"Of course." The cheshire cat couldn't have produced a more smug grin.
"As a sperm donor?"
"Donor?" Enrico couldn't hide the disappointment on his face, but he tried. "The Church doesn't believe in such... cold means of begetting children, but I'm sure alternate arrangements could be made..."
"OUT!" The teacup was flying before Integra could stop herself.
"Dammit!" Enrico heard as he pulled the heavy door closed behind him. "The Vatican will be getting a bill for that!"