Chapter 21:
Alucard awoke from his slumber. It was the twilight time before the actual turn of night, the red glow of the sun had faded into a dull blue. Besides him was Wilhemina, still resting peacefully, curled up with her head resting on a mound of dirt. Not the most pleasant thing to sleep on, but it seemed to work all right as she did not stir often.
Alucard watched the coming of the darkness, and glanced at Wilhemina side ways. For an instant, he could have sworn that it was Seras laying there a sleep. Hmm…something they both have in common…heavy sleepers. He mused at his own thought, but knew better than to try and wake her up.
Alucard stretched his hands out, checking to see if they were working properly. As if on some kind of cue, Wilhemina's eye opened to a slit and glanced at her surroundings. She rolled over to try and go back to sleep, but with that one eye, saw Alucard fully awake and staring at her.
Both Wilhemina's eyes opened in shock. Seeing Alucard staring at you is not the way to wake up. "Do you mind, I am trying to sleep." She said bitterly, forcing her eyes to close.
Alucard grinned a bit to himself, it was the same response. He was used to it, so tactics were needed to wake her up. Leaning over Wilhemina, he hooked his right hand under her chin and gently lifted it up. His red hat he placed besides him and his red tinged glasses slid to the crook of his nose. "Time to get up, Wilhemina. It is no longer daylight, and the night calls to me." He half grinned as he spoke to her.
Knowing that she could no longer sleep, Wilhemina opened her eyes and looked into Alucards. A memory flashed in her mind and she froze for a minuet, as if truly seeing Alucard for the first time.
Alucard looked at her a little confused, but not showing it, as his eyes still gazed into hers. "Hmm..anything the matter?" He asked, truly bewildered at her expression.
Looking away from his piercing gaze, she replied slowly, but still firmly. "I knew I knew you. My husband, Jonathan Harker, he used to wake me up the same way." She stated and looked back up at Alucard. "He tried to protect me from you…I know who you are now…but…how?"
Alucard removed his hand from her chin, and backed away slowly, her eyes followed his every move. He shook his head a little and tried to remember things. He squinted his eyes closed and images started to flash before him, but nothing he recognized, nothing he knew. It was something that almost seemed like a past life, one that he once knew, but did no longer.
Alucard looked back down at her gaze, and another smaller image flashed in his mind, but it was of her in a different time it seemed. "I don't know what you mean, Wilhemina. I have spent many years asleep or in hiding, and than captured by Hellsing."
Wilhemina was taken a back, but still looking at him. "No, I remember that face all to well." She pushed herself up from her resting position, and tugged at her own neck collar. "This is your bite…Dracula…" She said sternly.
Alucard looked at the old bite marks, they looked familiar to him, but he was not sure how. He could not remember biting her, or letting any other human live after his bite, besides for Seras. He pushed his glasses back to their normal position, covering his eyes from her gaze. "I know who you refer to, but that is not me anymore…" He said with a sigh and a turn to look at the stars.
"Anymore…What do you mean anymore? You are still a vampire, yes, and you still have the same memories?" Wilhemina asked wildly, not really understanding what he meant, but trying to stay calm.
Alucard looked down at the ground, trying not to meet her gaze. That was a part of his undead life that he did not like to explore. He sat silent for a moment and finally turned his gaze to her, with a little half grin. "That does not matter at the moment, Wilhemina. Whatever I remember, or do not…I still have a mission." He mused to himself a little, trying to remember what she had said the previous day about their location. "Aren't we close to the end of the forest?"
Wilhemina was a little upset about not having her question answered and said back to him huskily, "Maybe it is that way, but how should I remember when you can't even remember what you do?" Pulling her collar back up and getting up herself, she walked a little further down the path.
Alucard watched her go, and mused to himself about everything that happened. It was amusing, but not exactly the way he expected things to go. He got up, droned his red wide brimmed mushroom hat, and followed her in suit.
They walked in silence for a good hour until she turned to him, and motioned for him to see that in the distance the forest end was swiftly approaching. "Hump. It ends just over that horizon. I don't think you need my help anymore, you made that quiet clear. I will just be going…" Wilhemina started to turn as if to leave, but Alucard grabbed her arm.
Alucard turned to her and spoke truthfully, "I may not remember everything that happened between us…when I sired you. I do know that I learned more of what I was and still can be in the last couple hours than I have in years... I could use help with this area as you seem to be more adapt to it than me…" He trailed off, his thoughts not really working the best he would hope they would have.
Wilhemina looked at him and gave a small grin, but said levelly. "Normally, I would refuse such a request…however; I find your lack of knowledge saddening considering your age. I feel that if I do not come along, you will find yourself being chased down again, and I would not like that to happen to the one who made me all those years ago…even if he only partially exists."
Alucard nodded, understanding a little better, but it was as good as a compliment to him. "Good, then…which way should we go?" Talking as if to himself, and he let go of her hand. He started to sniff the air, as if looking for a hint of Seras. "Ah, there she is….but it seems far." He pointed his finger to the direction of a town, but further to another forest, and beyond that still.
Wilhemina looked on normally, and estimated the distance by sight. "It will take until tomorrow to reach the town…and another two days just to get to the forest from there. It is do able."
Alucard grinned a little at the thought of being so close to Seras so soon on his journey. "Hmm…we have a nice walk a head of us, and a bright half moon to light our way. It is a nice night." He looked to the road a head and let go of her arm. Wilhemina glanced at him, and saw that he was already on the move. He is one determined old vampire, but how can he not know what he has done…She questioned, running to follow his quick pace.
Just as predicted, the twilight of dawn started to rise as they reached the out shirks of the village. There was a little grove of trees outlining the edge of the village, it looked like a perfect place to sleep away the day. "Wilhemina, this looks like a good enough spot to sleep. The tree canopy is wide and the underbrush will serve well as extra coverings."
Staying silent, Wilhemina nodded in the affirmative. The town being so close, blood could be gotten readily, and there really was not time to debate it. Dawn was approaching quickly.
Both vampires turned sideways into the little grove, pulling some of the extra brush branches over the hole. Alucard stared at Wilhemina, they lay with one head facing the other. Alucard knew that the branches and canopy still may not be enough, so he took off his big red coat, and placing it over both of them, as it seemed to extend pretty far. It was not big enough to cover them fully, but it got the parts that mattered, and Wilhemina did not have to ask to understand his reasoning.
Staring at each other, and the weird light that seemed to drift through the red tinge of Alucard's coat, they fell asleep. Peacefully, the night had turned into day, and both were out cold.