A/N: Hellsing belongs to Kouta Hirano-sama. This fiction is made by a deranged mind that has no intention of making any profit out of this, whatsoever.
This chapter is dedicated to my orgmate and co-anime fan that passed away recently. Kim, I hope you are happy, wherever you may be now.
More notes: I'm sorry if I'll be chopping chapter 4 into smaller parts. I'm not sure yet with how I'll handle the cuts but might integrate it as soon as I had already sorted the ideas in my head. I am currently stumped with work and issues with personal matters, not to mention the mess my country is experiencing. Please bear with me, I will do my best to get my thoughts into order. And news—I have 2 brainchild of a fic coming up! Both are AxI, of course. (yay!) Will upload them as soon as I get my muses working.
I would like to thank all who had reviewed my work—thank you for your kind words. They keep me going.
As usual, this fic is for to Hieiko, Sioms, Siops, Momo and Tetet.
Chapter IV
1. The Ordeal
Integra instantly detested the man before her.
He was taller than her, his build athletic. His dark brown hair slicked back which reminded her of her Uncle Richard. His face looked freshly scrubbed but there was nothing clean about this man. Not to mention the way his hazel eyes raked her body. It was as if she was being stripped naked.
She almost shuddered with revulsion as he took her nerveless fingers and squeezed it before he lifted it to his lips and placed a possessive kiss on his gloved hand. She almost jerked back her hand away from his grasp if it weren't for her well-practiced control.
Michael Barrington, the Duke of Lancashire, was stunned. The Hellsing knight, according to gossips, purported her to be an ugly, haughty and prim, old maid who considered all men below her touch. However, the lovely woman in front of her may be cold and hard as diamond but nothing in her features said she was plain! He recovered his wits as he greeted her charmingly, "A good evening to you, Lady Hellsing." He remained smiling even the woman ignored him and his greeting. She merely stared at him impassively and nodded. His smile became a scowl as she jerked her gaze pointedly to the two silent men beside him. "I suppose they are to stay here, your grace?" Her voice was deliciously husky. He wondered how she sounds when she is sated? A wicked leer slashed his handsome features and that did not escape the sharp eyes of Walter, who was watching him carefully.
Integra's attention was still on the messengers who had fidgeted under the steady gaze the Knight of the Round Table gave them. "Well?"
The thinner man spoke up, "We are here as escorts of His Grace, Sir Integral. We are commanded to see that no harm—" he broke off as the ice-blue eyes narrowed with mocking disdain.
"Are you implying that my household and I are to be considered as a threat to his grace's safety?"
The thinner man paled. "No, my lady but—"
"Let us cut through the chase, my good man. This is supposed to be a courtship, political as it is, but this is as I am aware of, a personal visit of the Duke of Lancashire for my hand in marriage. If I consent. Now, I know exactly why you wish to stay but I would like to be left in private as we discuss this. I would appreciate if you stay out of this room and let Walter lead you to another salon where you can wait."
The thinner man spluttered, "B-but my lady, we have precise orders that—"
Integra glowered at them dangerously. "Do you think me as a fool, then?"
The thinner man gulped and nervously turned to his companion. The stocky one in the pair nodded at his partner and arose quietly. He doffed his hat and bowed politely to her. "As you wish, Sir Integral." He nodded to the duke who curtly gave them the permission to leave. Following Walter, the pair went out of the room, leaving them alone.
Making sure no one was listening, she now turned to him. "You might as well spare me the runabouts, your grace," she said curtly. He nodded curtly as he handed her a missive from the Queen.
She was relieved to see them all go. Walter had come up behind her, watching them leave by her study window. "Is there anything you wish before I retire?" he inquired.
She leaned against the cool glass pane while she watched the duke's limousine drive away. "I think not, Walter. Thank you." Absently, she began to unbutton her lady kid gloves. She walked towards her oak study table and tossed them on her desk. "On second thought, I would like a cigar."
Walter politely handed his young mistress her cigarillo and pulled out a lighter from his waistcoat pocket. "It is highly unusual that Alucard had decided to stay away from the meeting tonight," he commented casually, eyeing her carefully. Usually, after the visits of the annoying "admirers", Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing would demand for paper work to release her irritation, frustration and agitation. But this time around, she stared at the nightscape; her usual agitation was masked but an unnatural serenity.
"We talked."
"Ah. The count baited you that much?"
She gave him an ironic glance. "Since when did he not?"
After a moment of thoughtful silence, she bit into the cigarillo, somewhat in a trance. What is now going on? Walter was apprehensive with the lack of reaction from her since they left. He cautiously chose a way to be in her confidence. "Light?" At her absent-minded nod, he lit the tip of her cigar. Smoke began to curl from the smoldering tip but she had not drawn in the smoke. She merely let it burn. Walter was feeling uneasy. "And how was the interview with the Duke of Lancashire?" The musky scent of cigar filled the room, mixing with the lemons.
"I refused him tonight, Walter." But there was no sense of conviction in her voice.
"I thought it was the case. He seems to be a highly vile man, the duke." He coughed apologetically. "Your pardon, Miss Integra. I mean not to criticize but the man was a beast. In my opinion."
A tired smile lightened her features. "He is. But he is also Her Majesty's kin. A distant but favored cousin."
"Still, you have others to consider."
"The Queen grows impatient."
"You have still the time to make your decision, my lord."
"Not anymore."
With this, the old retainer's brows furrowed. Integra slanted him a sideways glance. "I am now engaged." She stated it flatly. She turned back to the pane, her arms folded across her chest.
There was a muffled thud as the lighter in Walter's hand fell on the carpeted floor. His mouth opened but no words came out. He quickly recovered his composure. Silently, he left the room.
Integra looked out at the moonlit night. The distant trees swayed gently to the dance of the spring night breeze.
Seras squeaked, "Sir Integra is engaged?" They were at the dungeon rooms where Seras cornered Walter after the ordeal.
Walter sighed heavily. "So it seems, Miss Seras. Their betrothal would be announced within the sennight."
"How could he permit this!" Seras was beside herself with outrage. The astonished butler watched the young police girl march to the deeper dungeons. She threw the door crashing it open and yelled, "HOW CAN YOU!" Her master was leaning on his throne, eyes half-closed as he sipped the last contents of the medical blood bags.
Alucard's crimson eyes opened lazily as he regarded the already crimson eyes of his fledgling burning with righteous indignation and fury. "What?"
It took all Seras' power not to drag out his indolent master and shake him, angry as she was. "How DARE you sit there while you are just about to LOSE her with your idiocy, MASTER! She is ENGAGED and you didn't even do ANYTHING!" Her shoulders shook with emotion.
"I told you to leave these matters alone--." Before Alucard could continue, he saw the pain in the police girl's face matched her contempt for him. Blood tears fell on her cheeks. "I lost the man I love BUT I fought for him. You, my Master, are despicable. Because you are disgusting, filthy, monstrous excuse for a COWARD!" As if she could not trust herself to stand before him, she whirled away, running and slammed the door behind her. He sat perfectly still, at first furious with her tirade and stunned with her temerity. Then the import of her words finally set in.
She is about to get married.
Marriage means nothing. It is merely a political alliance. Nothing more.
You will lose her. Forever.
There can be another human like her. I would still be around; even it takes me another thousand of years.
But she is the only woman you wanted this way.
I wanted Mina that way, too. It brought me nothing but sorrow.
You will regret this for as long as you exist. You do not just want her, you l—
He didn't allow that thought to complete. He lost that right the night he embraced the Undead. Anything as pure as that is beyond his reach. But his conscience seemed to be unwilling to remain silent.
Even the Devil can love, Count Dracula…
His lips curled into a mocking, maniacal smile. The Devil does not love; He merely obsess too much. And she happens to be the one I crave