A/N: More of a filler chapter for the next. And to Annikainen: yes, the last chapter was beta-read; and no, we can't use the basics of English. We have no idea what they are. Seriously. I myself have yet to figure out what an adjective is, but I'm sure I use them somewhere in these stories.
Slow Descent Into Death
Seras tossed in her sleep, the memories of the building's contents haunted her dreams. She had returned to events earlier in the evening, her mind insisting she relive the unforgettable horrors. The monster from the mysterious structure was chasing her through the woods, her bare feet padding swiftly along the dirt-covered path. Looking to her left and right, she could decipher nothing amidst the gloom surrounding her form.
Suddenly her foot caught on a hidden root, causing her to topple headfirst to the ground and allowing the monster to gain considerable ground. Quickly turning behind, she watched with wide eyes as the corpse shuffled out of the darkness, its mouth agape and the hollowed eyes boring into her own. The monster quickened his pace at seeing the stunned woman lying atop the path, a groan passing his lips as he reached out for her.
Then, as with the episode within reality, a single shot sounded and Seras knew she was safe. The monster disappeared from her view and a darkened figure loomed ahead of her, a soothing voice in her mind telling her the person meant no harm. She eagerly stood and ran into the waiting arms of the shadowed person, her head burying into the cloth covering a familiar chest.
But her dream quickly turned to a nightmare as the figure painfully tightened their grip around her, squeezing the air from her lungs and quickening her pulse. The young woman tried to free herself from the stranger's grasp, placing her hands on his chest and pushing away. Her attempts were found to be useless, her body being pulled flush against her capture's in a crushing embrace.
Seras stiffened as she felt the person bend down, the hands holding her slowly moving in soothing circles across her back and a cool breath sliding across her neck. She shivered as teeth brushed her skin, a low moan escaping her lips and her body relaxing into the comforting motions.
The young woman suddenly jerked her head back as a sharp pain invaded her senses, her vision blurring as her legs buckled beneath her. Seras felt herself lowered gently to the ground, a soft suckling sound vibrating against her throat. The world around her blurred until she could see only two burning bright eyes, a deep scarlet color scorching into her own.
Seras shot up in her bed, clutching her neck and breathing deeply. She looked frantically around the bedroom, her eyes sweeping over the bright room and dark paneled furniture. A soft sigh of relief passed her lips as she slowly closed her eyes, recalling what had awoken her from slumber. The dream had been so vivid, the details clearly replaying themselves within her mind.
Pulling back the covers and swinging her legs over the bed, Seras felt a wave of nausea sweep over her. She steadied herself for a moment before attempting to stand, her feet shaking as they touched the floor but capable of holding her weight. Walking over to her clothing drawers, she pulled forth a thick cotton dress and carefully dressed herself. She was mindful to cover as much of her body as was possible without attracting the attention of her two caretakers, not wishing for their fawning.
After finishing her toilet, Seras turned back to her bed and a gasp escaped her lips. A trail of damp leaves lay around her bed, stretching from where she had slept to the closed windows opposite where she now stood. Moving slowly over to the strange discovery, the young heiress pulled back the covers of her bed and found a small pile of dirt and leaves where her feet had lain. Walking curiously to the large glass, she pulled back the heavy curtains and looked outside to discover a soft rain had fallen during the night.
A puzzled expression crossed Seras' face as she attempted to explain her puzzle. Sitting down on her bed, she slowly removed her shoes and inspected her pads. She could not understand how she had not noticed the state of her feet, the dried dirt flaking off even as she watched. How much of her dream had been real? Holding her hand to her temple she willed away a rising headache from her musings, her own mind rebelling against the attempted recollections.
Leaving the explanations for another time, Seras cleansed her feet and once more donned her shoes. She suddenly jumped when she heard the grandfather clock in the hall strike the hour, signaling to the house's occupants the noon hour had come. Taking one last glance toward the trail of debris, she bustled downstairs to attend to the coming questions from her ever present guests. Integra and Walter awaited her when she traveled down the stairs, one's face set in worry and the other's showing open suspicion. Seras smiled at both, using a small curtsy and preparing herself for the questioning. After exchanging pleasantries, Miss Hellsing quickly came to business.
"Where were you yesterday evening?" she asked, scrutinizing the heiress with a penetrating stare.
"As I said last night, I wished to go for a walk and did" Seras slowly answered, attempting to be patient with the curious doctor. "I did not go on the moors, if you fear I have disobeyed your orders" she added quickly, giving them a proud smile.
"Do you wish for me to prepare you a small breakfast then, Miss Victoria?" Walter asked, standing behind Integra.
"No thank you" she answered, giving him an affectionate smile. "I believe I would prefer to make one myself. I must see what is left in the pantry to know what to buy at my next trip to the village."
Seras inwardly cringed at her half-lies, knowing well she would merely fix herself a very small brunch and she had not only been taking a walk the night before. Another headache was forming on her brow in the continuous conversation, her exhaustion showing Integra's treatment apparently no longer working as well as before. However, she had yet to decide whether to tell the female doctor, truly not wishing to alarm her with unnecessary speculations. Also, the young heiress desperately needed to find the truth about her uncle's unusual business dealings with the person referred to as "the Master."
"If you will excuse me, I wish to prepare my food and walk the grounds" Seras spoke, edging toward the front door to escort them out. "You will, however, be around later this evening?" she asked, turning toward the young doctor.
Integra nodded the affirmative as she noticed the subtle hints from the young heiress, following her to the front door and exiting quickly. Walter followed, after giving Seras a small bow, and she was left alone to herself. Closing the door and leaning on the heavy wood, she breathed a sigh of relief as a dizzy spell caused her to slump to the floor.
Realizing she would possibly fall asleep in her current position, Seras stood and walked into the kitchen. Upon seeing the dismal state of her pantry and cupboards, she decided a trip to the village the following day would be most agreeable. Preparing and eating her small brunch, she slowly climbed the stairs and reentered her room. She had told her two visitors of her plans to explore the lands once more but her exhausted form refused such an exertion. After forcing herself to clean the traces of dirt and leaves from the floor and bed, she happily settled upon the covers and fell into a restful sleep.
When Seras' eyes opened next, the sun had traveled past its peak and now lay on the western hills. Slowly rising to a sitting position, she stretched her stiff limbs and stood to her feet. Walking over to her vanity, she noticed the dress she had worn the night of her horrifying adventure.
Seras lifted her tossed aside dress and immediately noticed a strange weight within one of the pockets. Reaching into the cloth, her hand grasped the metal object and pulled forth a small object. Her eyes lightened with remembrance as she looked upon the broken lock she had found in front of the entrance to the horrid building. Walking to the window and looking out the window, she noticed the gardener working in the same flowerbed as the day before.
Quickly crossing the bedroom and moving down the stairs for fear of losing her prey, Seras walked out the front door and around the side of the mansion. She recalled his name from the receipts of payment she had inspected and was intent on finding the answer to her puzzling piece of metal.
"Excuse me, Mr. Picket?" Seras asked as she came within hearing distance.
The old gentleman looked up from his and gave the young mistress a large smile, rising from his seated position and brushing his hands off on his overalls.
"Good evenin', miss" he answered, bowing slightly toward his employer. "If you wouldn't mind, Ah prefer you call me Charlie" Charlie spoke.
"All right, Charlie" Seras responded with her own smile, looking to flowers he had been tending. "You seem to have quite the talent for growing plants" she said, sweeping her hands over the lush vegetation.
"Aye, miss" he replied, proudly drifting his eyes over the many flowers and small bushes dotting the long flowerbed. "My hands were meant to grow things, or so my mum always used to say." Then he remembered to whom he was speaking and abruptly stiffened his posture. "If the misses would care for a rose, she may have anyone she'd like" he spoke quickly, gesturing toward a large row bordering the back path. "And if Ah can help you with anything, Ah'm at yer service."
"I think the roses are too beautiful to kill" she answered honestly, peering at the perfect buds about to bloom. "Oh, but would you be kind enough to tell me what broke a lock I found among the grounds?" she asked, retrieving the mentioned object from her pockets. She opened her palm, allowing the gardener to take the bent metal and examine the twisted neck. The young woman watched as he inspected the lock for several tense moments, a puzzled expression coming to his wizened face.
"Very strange" he murmured, lifting his eyes to look at his young mistress. "If me eyes weren't so old, I'd say someone 'ad ripped the metal with their bare 'ands" he spoke, handing back the lock.
"Bent by hands?" Seras questioned, looking more closely at the lock. She could not imagine anyone with enough strength to bend the thick piece of metal and did not wish to meet such a person on her property.
"Aye, miss" Charlie answered, nodding his head. "And the lock is made oh the best silver Ah've ever laid eyes on, though some burnt marks 'ave ruined the coverin'."
Seras' eyes widened and she looked to the metal in her hands, noticing for the first time the out covering was indeed made of the specific mineral. On closer inspection she found the scorch marks he had alluded to, traveling between the area bent by unknown cause.
"Oh, Ah haven't had a chance to give you yer uncle's keys" Charlie suddenly said, digging through the pockets of his soiled trousers.
"My uncle's keys?" Seras asked curiously, stepping closer to watch the elderly gentleman.
The gardener rummaged through his pockets for a moment longer before giving an exclamation of discovery. He pulled forth a large chain of keys, each varying in style, size and age.
"Here ya go, miss" he said, holding out the keys with a smile. "To be honest, Ah'm glad to be rid of 'em" he spoke, looking with some fear at the metal in his hands.
"Why do you say such?" Seras questioned, taking the offered metals and placing them in her own pocket. She would have thought the ownership of the ground's keys would have given the caretaker ease with which to do his job, but he seemed most eager to give them to her.
"Well, Ah've had some trouble with a fellow comin' 'round for the last fortnight" he answered, turning fearfully from the young woman. "He was very persistent with gettin' 'em from me."
"He didn't harm you, did he?" Seras asked worriedly, looking over the elderly gentleman. Though the gardener was well passed his prime, she could see the well-built muscles beneath the clothes and the strength in the gait. If someone was willing to harm her employee for the keys, she would not have any hope in fending off their attack.
"No, miss" he answered with a chuckle. "Not many people can take ol' Charlie Picket." Then the gardener slowly turned back to the young mistress, his eyes hard and his tone low. "But somethin' was strange about the gentleman" he slowly added, looking into Seras' eyes. "Ah invited him into me home several times but he never did accept. Said somethin' 'boot the decorations not suited to his fashions. Ah reckon he was one of those city swells who think they're too good for me simple cottage" he told with scorn. "But Ah don't think you need to worry, he hasn't shown 'imself for a few days now."
"Is there anything unusual within your home?" Seras asked curiously, thinking possibly the old gentleman had disgusted the strange and startling guest.
"Nothin' Ah can think of" he answered slowly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But the misses has been pestering me about moving the large cross hanging on one of the walls. My granddad was a churchman through and through and decided to buy the biggest cross he could find to show 'is faith" he remembered with a chuckle. "Mum wasn't too happy aboot that, Ah tell ya."
Seras sighed in frustration, his father's strange affiliation to his church giving her nothing to the refused entrance.
"Can you recall what the gentleman looked like?" she asked.
"Sorry, miss" Charlie answered, shaking his head in the negative. "He always came 'round after sunset and stayed in the shadows. Ah never met him on me way home neither, never being late for supper afore sunset."
"Thank you for warning me" Seras replied with a smile, giving him a respectful curtsy. "I will keep the information well."
With the lowering of the sun their conversation came to an end, signaling the gardener's return to his place of residence. Seras returned to the inside of the mansion, seating herself on the stairs and awaiting her guests who would arrive soon. She thought of the few guests she'd had, suddenly remembering the appointment made for the following evening. After the strange outburst of affection during their last meeting, she was dreading the coming visit with some amount of fear. However, her only explanation for the monster she had seen in the building would come from her strange night guest, and she was willing to forego his oddities for a mere night in exchange for answers.
Jingling the set of keys within her pockets, Seras thought a solid answer would be most agreeable at this time.