Disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing.
Of Hellsing Blood
Chapter Three: Down the Aisle
Alucard watched as Integra lowered the veil on her face with a slight sigh. As usual, he was within the mirror, invisible to all human eyes. It was only when he entered the material plane that she was able to sense him, and so he stayed a shadow. He had never peeked into her room since he had yielded to her as Master, but he did so now. He wanted to see her one last time, before she walked down the aisle and became another person, one who could no longer hold her head up high.
She was dressed in a white satin gown that left her shoulders bare. Her neck was encased in an exquisite diamond choker, a family heirloom, and it glittered in the sunlight. The design of the dress was simple, no frills or anything fancy. Integra had no need for such extravagances. She peered through the white gauze at her reflection, her melancholy expression testament to the fact that she was far from a blushing bride. It was her eyes that expressed it the most. Usually clear and calm, it looked slightly glazed. She continued to brood in silence.
There was a knock at the door, and Walter entered. He stood there for a moment, gazing at her with a bright smile on his face. With a hint of fatherly pride, he commented on her appearance.
"You look beautiful, Integra-sama."
"Thank you, Walter." She smiled slightly, doing so only because she felt he was happy for her.
"We can leave now. The car is waiting. I will join you in a moment"
Integra left the room, escorted by a maid.
The door closed behind them, and Walter stood still for a moment. Everything in the room was in its rightful place, and the curtains by the window were flapping gently in the breeze. Everything was normal, and it was quiet. A little too quiet. Finally, he said to the supposedly empty room.
"Take care of her, Alucard."
As he expected, the mirror darkened as a dozen red eyes blossomed in its depths. Alucard's deep voice floated from it.
"I thought you approved of it, Walter."
"I do not. There is something unsettling about that man," he admitted. The butler recalled his cold manner towards his subordinates and his unflinching gaze. There was something predatory about him.
"Hmph. And what would you have me do, sneak into their bedroom tonight?" His tone was mocking and angry.
"No, Alucard. Protect her, in the only way you can. That is all I ask of you. Do it as a favour for an old friend." Walter's tone remained dignified even as he pleaded with the vampire. His upright posture never changed.
Alucard said nothing, and Walter watched as the eyes closed and the blackness disappeared. He stood for a while in the silence that followed, gazing thoughtfully at his own reflection in the mirror.