Final Examinations were scheduled to begin the next day at The Academy, but tonight, four of its students were scattered through Buckingham Palace at the yearly Court Appearance of the Twelve- one of the few functions where entire families of the Royal Protestant Knights were allowed to attend. It was strange to see the wives and children alongside their counterparts, but to Aiden, who was alone this year, it was upsetting for reasons even he did not understand.
Early in the evening, he had found great conversation in the form of Princess Stephanie, the nineteen year old heir to the throne. It was no surprise to see the two together at a Royal function, for it was through the King's insistence that Aiden was always invited to Court since he was six years old, just to keep the princess company.
The familiarity between the two was usually interpreted incorrectly by passersby, and the other young noblemen spoke of how tragic it would be for the Princess to lower her standards to be with one such as Aiden. Neither cared about the rumors; being together made social functions bearable.
They had been sharing drinks and speaking of her American experience at Harvard when another of the Knights asked her to dance, taking her away from the bar where Aiden now sat alone; a half-empty glass of chardonnay in his hand.
He was not to be alone for long. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sir Elwood moving across the room toward where he sat.
"Sir Hellsing! Wonderful to see you again! We all missed you at Sir Aislan's ball- it is truly a shame that your mother's health kept you from attending." Sir Elwood smiled as he wrapped his arm around the boy, leading him away from the bar and toward his wife and two children, Peter and Katherine. "Katie has been just dying to meet you- did you know she has just completed Law School?"
"Why, no. I was far too concerned with my own exams that I have not been able to lead as active of a social life as I would prefer. I need to pass the level ten final before I can do anything else with my education."
He loved the disgust that flickered on the sandy blond haired girl's face as he took her hand in his own to kiss it. Apparently she had expected the leader of Hellsing to be at least near her age.
"Which school do you attend, Sir?"
"Oh, The Academy of St. Sebastian. Quite a few of the Round Table are currently sending their children there- is that your alma mater?"
"I'll leave you two. Come." He smiled at his wife, taking her hand to lead her to the dance floor.
Peter Elwood, the heir to the Round Table position for MI-5 was older than his sister, and to Aiden, the short, balding man looked every bit like the stereotypical Royal Protestant Knight. He too seemed to be akin of his father's attempt to couple his sister with the leader of Hellsing, and quickly dismissed himself to speak with one of his college friends.
Together, they stood in silence for a few moments, observing the other's mannerisms and dress. If she had to dance with the child as her father wished, he needed to be at least vaguely worthy of her attention.
She did not like his excessive height, nor did she approve of the hook to his nose. His crystal eyes seemed in stark contrast to his olive skin and black hair, which unsettled her slightly. He was too exotic for her tastes.
Unfortunately, she was forced to pretend that she enjoyed his company, if only for her father's sake.
"Look," Katie sighed as she glanced from the dance floor to Aiden, both walking out with the other couples to at least give her parents something to speculate. "I'm sure you're sweet, and I know you look older than you are, but I really don't want to end up with a boy- especially a boy that runs an organization such as yours."
What a relief! Aiden laughed heartily for the first time in weeks, leading her in a slow waltz, in perfect time with the string quartet's song. "Thank you. I'm not ready for all the damned marriage proposals every single one of the Knights is offering. But at least you seem intelligent- you know the risks involved with Hellsing."
"Only because Father tells stories of the damned Ballymacarrett vampire incessantly!" It was her turn to chuckle as he spun her slowly, the original discomfort of being in his presence now faded, and Katherine was finally enjoying the event. "I swear, you would think England is on the verge of being a ruled by the undead with the way he speaks! And there has yet to be another attack from this fool, but we still have thousands of men searching with garlic and wooden stakes for the culprit! Mark my words; this vampire is probably a mad teenager with a flare for the dramatic and knowledge of old literature."
"No, it is a vampire that committed those atrocities, but I believe it has been destroyed."
"Did that monster you employ kill it?"
He smirked as the music stopped, leaning to kiss her cheek. "I'd have to kill you if I revealed such classified information. Thank you for the dance."
Once his back was turned, Aiden chided himself for being so damned open and sweet to the woman. Court appearances, especially with the entire of the Protestant Knights, brought out his best behavior even in the presence of those Knights that still believed him to be a waiter or palace servant.
If luck would be with him tonight, he would sneak out to his car and hurry home before Argetni returned with her prize, but only after the King spoke with him about the current affairs of Hellsing.
Aiden assured himself it was a good plan. As long as he could remain inconspicuous for the next hour, it would work.
He was headed back to the bar when he felt another heavy hand upon his shoulder, stopping him just steps from where he wished to be.
"She's awake."
Aiden did not turn to face Sir Radclyffe, yet shivered as he heard those words. Was Madelen mentally sound? Had she told her father the truth of the incident?
"I am both delighted and relieved to hear such wonderful news, but as we are at a Court function, I cannot run to her bedside this instant, Sir."
The red haired knight pulled the boy around so he could glare at the child, his face a mixture of both outrage and joy. "Do you know what her first words were, boy? 'Aiden did it'. Not a smile and my name, or her mother's name, or any mad nonsense that even the doctors would be unable to decipher. No. 'Aiden did it'. And immediately after, she was sleeping again."
"I didn't do anything!" He was rapidly backing away from his mentor. A scandal such as this would be enough to have him removed from the Knights. Never mind that he could buy his way out of prison, he harmed a fellow noble and such crimes were remembered even if they were not punished.
"I don't think a horse harmed her, child. To tell the truth, I never did. It was you. You hit my daughter! Something about you isn't right, and I will learn what that is, boy. You watch your back, for I will do what so many others have failed. Hellsing will be destroyed. There will be no redemption from the Crown this time, that much I can assure you. But beware Aiden, Hellsing's days are numbered."
He had almost backed out of the great ballroom of Buckingham Palace when he felt a cold, hard hand against his back, stopping him from moving any farther.
Argetni had defied a direct order from her master.
"I told you to remain in your chambers."
The clink of her ebony cane on the tile as she stepped to his left allowed him a moment to slightly relax. At least she appeared as Dame Hellsing, not as the vampire.
"I had to contact you immediately, and I knew that you would not bring your mobile to Court. It would be quite improper." Her hand was still upon his back as she shuffled to his side, her floor-length black dress hanging loose on her slender body. "Our agents have caught the Ballymacarrett NHB, and it is exactly the creature you had speculated. I have used much of my strength containing him, so please, come home soon."
She had not spoken louder than a whisper, but almost instantly Sir Elwood appeared next to Radclyffe, bowing to the former knight.
"Dame Hellsing, I am glad to see you in good health, and I am quite pleased that you come bearing such news! My men will be overjoyed to leave Northern Ireland."
"As are mine. I ordered Hellsing's withdrawal, if that is acceptable."
Aiden nodded his approval, stepping closer to Elwood and his mother, leaving at least a meter's distance between the three and Radclyffe.
"This is quite the glorious day for both our Organizations!" Elwood was all smiles as he snatched four glasses of champagne from a passing server's tray, handing one to the three whose conversation he had interrupted. "To Hellsing and MI-5, keeping the nation safe from all internal threats, no matter how unbelievable."
The four raised their glasses before sipping the champagne, only to immediately bow to the King, that if not for the red sash across his chest, would have blended in to the crowd.
William was average middle aged man, his grey eyes much like his mother's before him. Unfortunately, he did not have his namesake's looks, but the king was the king, and he deserved their respect because of his benevolent actions, not his appearance.
"Quite a lovely evening, is it not?"
"It is even more lovely now, your Majesty." Elwood smiled as he stepped in front of the rest. "Dame Hellsing has just informed us that the threat in Ballymacarrett has been captured."
"Excellent! I would assume that Dame and Sir Hellsing would like to retire to their Organization for the remainder of the evening, am I correct?"
As the adults conversed, Aiden was handed a glass of cabernet from another passing waiter, and in turn, he handed it to his king with a slight smile. The elder gently grasped the glass, swirling its contents before drinking, whispering a comment to the boy that he was surprised that the staff was serving such poor wine at a function such as this.
Integral Devries, who had not been fully focused upon the King's actions, but instead watched Radclyffe's smirk fade to terror then return to a smirk once again as Aiden offered the glass to William, bowed slightly to the Royal, taking her son's hand in the process. "You are correct, Your Majesty. We have many matters to attend before the, culprit, can be tried."
"Carry on then. Hellsing will be rewarded for this, if you have captured the correct man."
Aiden knew what his mother had done- manipulated the very King of England with her mind. Yet he kept one arm around her waist and her hand in his free hand as they moved from the palace to the black Rolls Royce with Stephen inside, obviously waiting for their arrival.
The retainer knew not to ask questions when the lady of the house was in the car, so he raised the screen between the seats, giving Aiden and his mother privacy.
No sooner than the screen completely covered the space between the front and back that the elderly woman next to Aiden had changed her appearance to her usual younger form. "I know you did not wish for me to appear tonight, but Radclyffe was trying to trap you. I had to save the Organization's reputation."
"Oh, is that all." His words were muffled as he pressed in to the leather seat, arms folded across his chest. "So you lied to Sir Elwood and the King in order to save me from Charlie? What a joke!"
"No, Alucard is awaiting us. He was quite simple to capture."
For the next few minutes, Aiden remained silent, his mind reviewing every possible scenario that he could devise for his meeting with the original Hellsing vampire. Should he order Alucard destroyed? Should he enslave him once again? Or should he release Alucard with a warning to leave the island?
With each idea his fear increased. What would Alucard do when he saw the new leader of Hellsing? Would he mock Aiden because of his mixed blood? Would he refuse to listen to his rightful master because he did not believe that an Arab should be the leader of any organization, no matter what it was? He chided himself mentally; the supposed jests of his fellow Knights and classmates were manifesting themselves subconsciously.
"Calm yourself." With a jolt, Aiden woke from his thoughts to stare down at the gloved hand upon his knee. "Alucard feeds upon fear. He will torment you incessantly if you give him the slightest opportunity to find any of your faults. You are the rightful Master of Hellsing, and you will behave as such."
The car stopped at the foot of the entrance staircase, and just as quickly as she changed to her vampiric form, Argetni became Integral Devries just moments before Stephen opened the door for her to exit the vehicle.
But it was not the retainer and his mother that held Aiden's attention- it was the tall, black haired vampire leaning against the door. A cigarette perched between his lips barely illuminated his alabaster features, which held no trace of the creases caused by everyday life like younger immortals.
He smiled before laughing, amused with his fledgling's appearance, yet he did not speak as he watched Stephen lead her in to the manor before dismissing himself for the evening.
"You have yet to give up your mortality, Argetni? How pathetic to see one so strong as a plaything of the humans." His eyes traveled to Aiden, who had just closed the door behind himself, and was now untying his ascot. "Especially to a mongrel such as that. Why, if Abraham could see this abomination, he would surely dissolve all connections with the child. He is no Hellsing."
"A child cannot choose his parents." Aiden smirked, sitting on one of the plush couches that lined the entrance hall. "Argetni has strange fetishes, you do know this, and it is obvious that her want for a new experience that coupled her with one of her troops, is it not?"
Alucard only tossed the cigarette to the ground, not acknowledging the question.
Argetni, who had reverted back to her vampiric form, glowered at Alucard, arms folded across her chest. It was obvious that she was restraining her emotions; trying to remain diplomatic. "Alucard, he is Hellsing. I am certain that you understand what that entails."
Her words were met with mad laughter. It was obvious that this vampire had not been captured, as Argetni stated earlier, but was here of his own will. This Alucard was frightening, a true monster among monsters. He had read the files when the suggestion that the Ballymacarrett vampire was indeed the creature standing just meters away, and they had described the creature perfectly.
"Yes, I was in Ballymacarrett, but not the killer you seek." Alucard sobered immediately, a smirk upon his lips as he lowered his glasses to stare at the boy. "The vermin that killed the Protestant clergy was a contingent of fanatical Catholics supported by Section XIII."
"Come off it." Aiden snapped, bringing one knee to his chest in order to rest his gloved hands upon it. "Cardinal Anderson would be the last person in the world to allow the creation of a new band of FREAK vampires."
"Oh, he would create a bunch of FREAKs in the vain hope of destroying me. It obviously didn't work as well as my dear Judas believed."
The boy sighed, in desperate need of sleep after the Court appearance, and before the start of his school exams. "I expect both of you to meet me here at eight tomorrow. We will discuss the Ballymacarrett incident in detail at that time."
Alucard laughed again, the peals growing more intense as Argetni's eyes flickered with some strange understanding as she peered in to his own, immediately running for the nearest exit.
"What upset her?" Aiden's brows furrowed in confusion as he stood from his seat on the couch, heading toward the stairs. "It's not like her to leave in such a rush."
Alucard's smirk never faltered as the boy passed him. "She was a fool not to allow me the pleasure of destroying the Radclyffe family when she was mortal."