Chapter 6 MORE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE

"I don't get it," said Pip. "Now that he's broken the seal, Alucard's a free man, I mean vampire right? So what would he still want with Sir Integra? If I were him, I would be out of here as fast I could. Why complicate things by taking her along?"

Seras raised an eyebrow as Pip continued his ranting, barely resisting the urge to thump the mercenary on the head.

"For the life of me, I can't think of any good reason he would take her away."

Seras groaned inwardly. Pip could be so dense at times. "And they call me a bimbo," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that Lady Seras?" asked Walter, looking up tiredly. While still remarkably fit for a man of his age, the strain and worry of the last few days was beginning to show on the butler's face.

"Oh nothing really ... as you were saying, Walter before this oaf interrupted?" prodded Seras embarrassedly while Pip scowled.

"As I was saying, my belief is that Sir Integra's disappearance is connected to this engagement arranged by the Queen. We had received her Majesty's envoys at two earlier that day. Sir Harold and Sir Randolph were highly secretive about the whole matter, merely indicating that Sir Integra would be receiving the Queen's summons later in the evening, after which she was to see the Queen immediately. From the state of things, I don't believe Sir Integra knew of this engagement before her disappearance."

Walter's pained expression at the word 'engagement' invoked an involuntary chuckle from Pip. Noticing the look of seriousness on his companions' faces, he immediately tried to hide it as a cough. "I doubt Sir Integra would appreciate being married off just like that."

Walter sighed softly as he got up from his seat. As he slowly opened the windows in the southern end of the room, he said gravely, "Pip, you must understand that archaic as they are, arranged marriages are a way of life for the nobility. None of us have a choice in this matter."

Seras was thoughtful as she noticed the tinge of sadness in Walter's voice and his choice of words. "'Us,' Walter had used us," she mused.

"But why the Duke of Ellington?" Walter muttered, furrowing his brow.

"Is there something we should know?" asked Seras gently.

Walter replied hesitantly, "I doubt either of you know of the old feud between the previous Lord Hellsing, Alucard and the previous Duke."

"The previous Duke? The father of the present Duke of Ellington?" questioned Pip curiously.

"Well suffice to say there is a past between the two families, details of which you need not concern yourself now. The families are related but it is safe to say that Alucard still blames the death of the previous Lady Hellsing on her cousin. He has never quite forgotten that incident and ..."

"Her cousin?" mouthed Pip in disbelief. "The rumour is that the Duke is the next in line for the throne since the Crown Prince's abdication. So if this engagement goes through, our Sir Integra could possibly be the next queen of England?"

Seras gasped, surprised as she recalled the reputation of the present Duke of Ellington. The man was a renowned playboy, his romantic escapades providing constant headlines for the tabloids. How in the world could the Queen have conceived such an incompatible match - even if Integra's mother had been cousin to his father?

"Now wait a minute Walter, I know her Majesty is fond of Sir Integra but this is incredulous. What next? Don't tell me she is actually Alucard's or your daughter ..."

"Pip be serious!"

"Hey, I'm just citing an example ..." said Pip. Even as he threw what he hoped was a suitably contrite look at Seras, Pip could not help but catch sight of the disconcerted look on Walter's face. "It's not possible right, old boy?"

"Pip, stop interrupting and let Walter brief us!" chided Seras, finally losing her temper and giving the mercenary a death glare - not unlike one frequently seen on Integra's face when reprimanding Alucard.

Still gazing out of the windows uneasily, Walter continued. "My theory is that Alucard had intercepted the Queen's letter and has taken matters in his own hands. However, even if he acted in honor of the late Lady, namely to prevent marriage of her only daughter to the man whose father he believes to be Lady Amelia's murderer, I cannot condone his kidnap of Integra ..."

"Seras ... Walter ..."

Pip gave a cry as he noticed Seras suddenly collapsed on the floor. Her face was frightfully pale.

"I'm alright," called out Seras haltingly as the mercenary rushed to her side. "It was just a dizzy spell."

"What happened? Are you alright child?" quizzed Walter as he dashed over, his face full of concern at her pallor. "Vampires don't faint unless," he paused, "have you been refusing your rations again child?"

"No," replied Seras slowly. Pale as vampires were, it was of great concern to Walter and Pip to see her ashen white. "Walter," she said, suddenly clutching his hand excitedly, "I think I saw her Lordship. For a moment, I heard her voice and then I saw it, through her eyes."

"What? Where is she?"

"I think she was in an old castle," said Seras uncertainly as Pip supported her into a seating position. "She was in a very large room. It was full of banners and I think there was a strange insignia on the chair in which she was seated ..."

"Lady Seras, about the insignia, was it one of a dragon entwined around a lion?" pressed Walter urgently, recalling the details in his own nightmare.

She nodded gingerly.

And then it all made sense: the butler shuddered at the sudden realisation that he should have known all along where the castle was – had it not been but 40 years ago that he had visited that accursed castle?

"I think so although I first thought of it as a winged snake fighting with a big cat ..."

"The sign of Dracul," mouthed Walter slowly. "His family insignia."

"Can someone fill me in on this? Are you saying she's in Alucard's castle? In Romania?" asked Pip hesitantly.

"But Walter, if the previous Duke had harmed the late Lady Hellsing ..." stammered Seras.

"A misunderstanding," replied Walter nervously. "Now if you excuse me, I must consult the Hellsing journals for the exact location of the castle. I do believe we are all overdue for a small chat with Alucard. Pip, do prepare yourself for a long journey and brief one or two of the men whom we can trust to take care of matters here at the mansion while we are away. Lady Seras, are you with us on this?"

Seras nodded mutely as Walter turned to leave, unable to shake off the nagging feeling that there was something in the puzzle he was not telling them.

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"Vlad? He is not Dracula, is he? That means he is Alucard?" thought Integra, confused even as her mind quickly made the connections. "No this cannot be, I must still be asleep. This is a dream and no more," said Integra to herself before closing her eyes again.

"Who are you madam?" she heard the child repeat curiously. He was now tugging more urgently at her dress. "I have never seen you in this castle before."

Fearful and somewhat resigned to the fact that she was not merely dreaming as she hoped, Integra rose quickly to curtsey. She prayed she could pass off as an inhabitant of the castle, hoping that perhaps the way of the Romanian nobility was not too unlike her own.

"My name is Integra Hel-," Integra said cautiously, biting back a cry of surprise as the child stared intently at her. It was then she noticed that although the child's eyes were red from crying, his pupils were of a striking shade of ice blue like hers. "Where am I, my little lord?"

"I am not little," replied the child strangely reminiscent of her own usual retort to Alucard. "And you are in the ceremonial banquet hall. Now before I call the guards, you should tell me who you are," said the child, arms akimbo.

Integra pursed her lips nervously as the young child studied her – his expression was one of distrust and yet great curiousity. She had no idea what was happening to it. Had she somehow travelled with time? The notion seemed implausible and yet there was no other rationale explanation for all of this. What was she to do if this was no dream?

"Perchance, are you my new English nurse?" asked young Vlad. "Father mentioned getting me a foreign nurse to ensure that I learn more about other kingdoms. Would you be her?"

"Yes my Lord. Forgive me, it is as you have guessed. My name is Integra Helens and I have just arrived from England to serve your family," she lied uncomfortably. "I'm still not feeling too well from the sea journey and so I beg your pardon for my discourtesy."

Even before the words were out of her mouth, she felt annoyed. The idea of being in servitude to Alucard's family greatly rankled the Hellsing spirit in her but she could think of no better story at the moment.

"What madness is this?" Integra thought. "Have I by some strange spell gone back in time? This is crazy!" she screamed internally. "What do I do now? If this is no dream, I am in deep trouble ..."

"Well then nurse, let us make haste from here," Vlad said, the urgency in his voice breaking her thoughts. "Father has strictly forbidden unauthorised entry to the ceremonial banquet hall. He would punish you if he found you here without permission," the young Vlad said as he walked to the door, motioning for her to follow. "Quickly nurse," he urged. "I have lessons with my tutor in the afternoon and father will be greatly displeased if he learns that I am tardy."

For a moment, she thought to ask the young child what he was doing in the hall himself if no one was to enter, but thought the better of it. Deciding to play along until she could better grasp her circumstances and figure out a solution - having no other options at the moment, Integra obediently followed the child. "I beg my Lord's forgiveness. I was lost and too tired from the journey," said Integra, smarting at the young prince's reprimand.

The child said nothing but walked quickly, forcing Integra to struggle with her skirts, in an effort to keep up with him. Noticing her discomfort, he giggled and walked on faster.

"Until this I was still unsure if he was indeed the arrogant bastard I know," she thought as she raised one eyebrow involuntarily in disbelief.

"Oh please let this be a dream; wake up Integra," she repeated in her mind, part of her still hoping in vain to wake from what she prayed was a dream. She was so focused on her intent that she did not realise how quickly nor how long they had walked along the passageways until they came to a familiar oaken door. Throwing aside the door, the young prince ran eagerly into the room. Integra looked about in surprise as she recognised herself to be in the very chambers Alucard had assigned to her in her own time.

"Read it," cried the young prince eagerly as he pointed to a leather bound book lying on a reading desk in the middle of the room. With detached amusement, Integra noted his childlike excitement. "Read the second chapter to me, nurse. Quickly. My tutor will be here soon and I would like to finish the story first. That is if I may assume you can read. My last nurse could not. I hope you are not like her."

Suppressing her mild annoyance at taking commands from Alucard (to be), Integra noticed the deep scratches on the back of his hand. She had noticed the wounds for the first time when he had lifted his hand to point to the book on the table. Despite herself, she found herself feeling extremely sorry for the child. Instinctively walking up to him and cradling his hand gently in her own, she asked sadly, "Who did this?"

Vlad said nothing but merely stared at the floor. Integra felt her heart ache as she saw the pain and frustration in the child's eyes.

"Shall I dress your hand my Lord?" Integra asked, disbelieving her own sympathy and affection for the child that would grow up to be her kidnapper and whom she must have threatened a hundred times to stake.

The young prince shook his head before answering very quietly, "No, thank you nurse."

"Well, my Lord," she asked, unsure of her next move. "Shall we begin reading?"

Vlad nodded, looking happier.

Walking to the reading table, Integra opened the book quickly. The young child sat down excitedly on one of the stools beside the table. However, even before she had the chance to read the first word, Integra saw a frightful darkness escape from the pages – it quickly enveloped her and then consumed the rest of the room.

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"Wake up Integra, wake up my child," came a long forgotten voice in the darkness. "Sleep no more. Open your eyes and see what you have feared to acknowledge ..."

"Mother?" she cried out, recognising the voice. Opening her eyes slowly, she was somewhat disappointed to find herself alone and seated against a huge apple tree.

"Where did this tree come from?" Integra thought as she began examining the tree carefully. Integra blinked as she noticed a mark carved on its trunk. A queer feeling came over her as she recognised the mark: it was a rough depiction of her family insignia, the Hellsing crest.

"What madness is this?" she said as she held her head, frustrated. "Where am I now? Is this a never-ending dream? Where is this place? When will I wake up?"

As if in response, a deep laugher broke out above her.

Startled, Integra glanced around, eager to discover the source of the sound.

"Who are you? How dare you mock Hellsing? Come down here you knave," she yelled angrily. "Come down now before I make you."

"Foolish woman," mocked a woman's voice. "Are the eyes of Hellsing mere decoration? Do you not recognise who I am and can you truly make me do what I do not wish little girl?"

Looking up, Integra caught sight of a crow perched up on the branches, by which great apples also hung.

"Who are you?" Integra questioned just as she got a terrible shock of watching the crow disappear, leaving in its place ...

"Rip van Winkle," Integra said disgustedly. "I thought Alucard had disposed of you. No, this cannot be real. This is just a dream."

Rip smiled cruelly as she looked down amusedly at Integra. Plucking an apple, she bit into it before replying, "You think this is all but a dream? Foolish humans, how long will you ignore what is so blatantly before you? No matter, I assure you this is no ordinary dream even if you cannot fathom how it is possible we are meeting again Miss Hellsing." The vampire laughed again as if amused by Integra's quizzed look. "Nevertheless, I am glad you remember my name."

"What do you want vampire?" said Integra, fighting the unexplainable horror inside herself at the sight of the stain of the dark juice. It was much too remarkably similar to blood and the manner in which it was staining Rip's mouth, as the vampire deliberately bit into the fruit again, was nauseating.

"Nothing," replied Rip, grinning triumphantly, her fangs glistening with her face deadly white, white as salt. "Nothing but you, nothing but you child," she said as she licked her lips cruelly.

Without further hesitation, Integra took to her heels, running as fast as she could (dream or no dream, dress or no dress she did not like where this conversation was going); Rip after her.

"Foolish woman," snarled Rip viciously, materialising suddenly in front of Integra and cutting off her route of flight. "Do you not know there is no escaping fate?"

"Stay away from me vampire," cried Integra, reaching instinctively for her revolver only to remember that it lay abandoned by her bedside.

Rip grinned cruelly as she grabbed Integra's chin with one hand. Her other hand ran the half eaten apple against Integra's lips. Integra shuddered, Rip's hand and the fruit were deathly cold.

"Have an apple dear?" said Rip speaking sweetly as she allowed some juice to drip into Integra's mouth, her voice sounding strangely and horribly to Integra like her mother's.

"I-I don't think so," gasped Integra. The juice tasted sweet and yet horribly sickening as if mixed with blood. As the juice flowed down her throat, Integra felt as if a knife had been plunged into her stomach. She put her one hand painfully to her abdomen, the other vainly attempting to push Rip away. "No, I-I don't want ..."

Rip laughed cruelly. She ran one hand roughly over Integra's breasts. "You simpleton. Do you know what this is? Don't you want to know what really happened to your mother? Who you really are? This fruit will allow you to know ..."

Integra shook despite her best efforts not to. "Don't," she cried. "I don't want ..."

"Because living with the truth is more fearsome than living in a beautiful lie isn't it? Don't you want to know who your father really is?" Rip tempted. "You know it as well as I do ... it isn't Arthur is it?"

"Look at your wanton body," mocked the vampire as she ran her hands against Integra's stomach. "Exactly like the slut I knew you would grow up to be. But it is no wonder, look at the commoner you had for a father."

Integra stared, ashen faced in horror. "Lies, keep your lies and devilish fruit away from me witch."

"Witch?" repeated Rip with a strange smirk crossing her face. "Integra, where are your manners? Is this any way to greet your mother?"

"Mother?" gasped Integra reviled at the idea. "Damn you monster!" she cursed, struggling once more to push Rip away.

"No it was not possible. It had to be a lie ... Mother was not a vampire. I'm going to kill this bitch!" cursed Integra silently under her breath as she studied her opponent quietly, hoping to find some weakness to her advantage.

"Monster? Bitch?" questioned Rip amusedly as she bit once more into the apple. "Yes, a monster. However, moulded from your mother, Hellsing," she snarled. Integra grimaced in disgust, fighting the impulse to gag at the sight of the dark juice flowing down the vampire's chin as she spoke.

"An unholy alliance between the professor's genius, her body stolen from the grave and /his/ dark blood. Don't you see the resemblance? You and me ... we are perfect sides of the same coin, one striving for the darkness, one striving for the light. But in the end, you know we are the same."

"You lie," Integra winced as Rip's hold on her chin tightened, forcing her to open her mouth a little more. "You ..."

"Lies? No matter," Rip said before suddenly taking Integra's mouth with her own. Integra struggled but it was of no use. Slowly, the vampire forced the remainder of the sickly fluid down her throat.

Integra fought the urge to swallow futilely; the liquid burned horribly, causing her vision to blur and her head to hurt. After what seemed an eternity, Rip finally released her. She was laughing in morbid satisfaction as Integra crumpled at her feet.

"What have you fed me?" demanded Integra, struggling to fight the pounding migraine that was threatening to overwhelm her.

She received no answer, only a malicious laughter. It rang painfully in her ears, even as her surroundings were engulfed in silent darkness again.

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Choking, she spat out the awful, coppery tasting liquid within her mouth.

Integra opened her eyelids slowly. A voice in her head told her that she was back in her time but she knew with a dreadful foreboding that something terrible had happened.

"Voices? Was I hearing voices?" she wondered with uncertainty. "Was it a nightmare or a foreshadowing of the horrors to come?"

As her head cleared and her vision slowly came into focus, Integra recognised with disgust that the sticky liquid she had spat out, and with which her dress was covered, was blood.

"Am I bleeding?" she wondered, inspecting herself for signs of injury but finding none. While the knowledge that she was not wounded was usually welcomed news, the lack of hurt in her body was now, on the contrary, most terrifying and disconcerting. And then she realised what her body had found so amiss - her vision was strangely clear but her glasses were most certainly lying broken underneath her own feet.

She took one look at Alucard who was standing at the other end of the hall before she screamed.