Okay... chappie five is up! Read and enjoy, baby!
I plan to make this a long piece. I don't want to rush anything, so bear with me on the unfolding of the plot. :D
"Lady Integra… you know we are perfectly serious when we say that you need to procure for yourself a husband very soon. May I point out that you aren't getting any younger, and that failure to produce an heir will result in the downfall of your organization, an organization which is a key asset in the protection of our country?"
The queen sat at one end of the table in the great meeting hall, councilmen lining the sides. Integra sat at the end opposite her highness. Though there was civility in their address of one another, the air was tense, the two woman staring one another down like hawks in a territorial battle. There was no air of friendly formality here, as had been at the ball. This meeting was laid down strictly for business.
"I assure you, your Majesty, that I know the severity of this situation."
The queen frowned; her age wizened face wrinkling in displeasure.
"You do not act like you are aware of the real gravity of these circumstances. Were you really trying to make amends to the problem at hand, you would have tried harder at the ball to mingle. We had invited many young noble men that you might find one of them favorable to consider him for your suitor. "
It was Integra's turn to frown. It had come to this. Even the Queen was trying to marry her off. The pressure by the knights and parliament had been rather concealed… but this definitely was not a masked attempt at prodding her into matrimony. She had to get married.
She may as well sit in a corner and whine for a husband. She would probably get as good a husband that way as if parliament had a marriage fixed. He was probably going to be rich… the stinking son of some wealthy parents from which he had inherited all his money. The only man who would, in his right mind marry her would be one looking for power, marrying for power. Integra was indeed a powerful woman, with much influence on the crown. Only a man grubbing for good graces with the Queen would want a position as the leader of Hellsing's husband. Damn it all. Marriage was an inconvenience to be sure, and so would children be. How was she to run an organization, be a wife, and rear a child properly? The Queen was obviously over confident in Integra's abilities, or unaware of the workload that being a leader, a wife and a mother would carry along with it.
"Well, I did not have much time to mingle, at the ball. I had an unexpected situation to deal with…"
"That situation would not have arisen if you could keep your vampire pet in check."
One of the councilmen said in a very rash way. Integra glared coldly at him for a moment, before regaining her composure. She could not loose her temper here, not in front of the only people she really needed to show respect to.
"Integra, we all have been rather patient with you. We have asked you… now I need to command you. If you do not marry within the month, I will hereby claim you irresponsible to your duties, and unfit to be in such a position of power. You will be stripped of your title as leader of Hellsing."
Stripped of her title? Was she being threatened? Oh, the prospect was a terrible one… stay in power, but on the arm of some snobby pig, or give it all up for the sake of keeping some blasted wedding band off of her left ring finger. Once more, between a rock and a hard place, with no wiggle room. There was no leeway for escape. She couldn't fight… only consent. The usual resolve that burned in her eyes was now suppressed to a small flickering light, a ghost of what her determination usually was. She hated feeling so… helpless.
"It will be done, Your Majesty."
"I know this is hard for you, Integra. It is just that you MUST produce an heir. I fear that if this is the only way we will get you to bear a child, than so be it. You are dismissed."
Hateful woman. The queen had said her last little spiel as if she actually understood Integra. Like anyone could understand what she underwent daily, and with this on top, an added burden to her already taxed mind and emotions. There is no rest for the weary. A husband must be found. And fast.
Alucard, had finished cleaning the bathroom with a toothbrush, a task that proved long, tedious and vapid. It was a most demeaning experience for the ultimate king of the undead… to scrub the bases of toilets until all the layers of grime, scum, and whatever else lurks in a soldier's bath room, was off. At Integra's bidding, Walter had taken a particularly embarrassing photograph of him with his hand stuck in a urinal, trying to scrub out all the stains. Damn it all. When she had implied that he would pay dearly… she had obviously not been joking.
Seras Victoria sat on the edge of her closed coffin, her head in her hands. There hadn't been much to do, as of late, and so the young Draculina found herself often sitting around lazily. Every once in a while she would spirit away to the firing range… but shooting bullets at targets grew old quickly. No freaks to annihilate no low class vampires to put into place, or nazi organizations to destroy… nothing. She found herself itching for battle. A very odd feeling, especially for her. Her nature as a vampire was beginning to encroach on her human side. Looking up, she suddenly found herself staring into a pair of large, crimson eyes.
"AIIIIE!"
She wailed loudly, jolting from her seat on the coffin. How like her master it was, to sneak up on her. Her senses, though heightened, were not honed enough for her to be able to detect his presence. He was very stealthy indeed.
A chuckle emitted from Alucard's thin lips as he leaned back on the wall, satisfied with a job well done. It was a good feeling to be able to shock someone now and again… he couldn't do it to Integra any more. When she was young, she used to jump nearly three feet into the air at his apparition, but now she was not surprised at all by any of his sneak 'attacks'. And Walter... well, they had known each other too long for him to suprise Walter. Seras was the only one left in this institution who he could really creep up on.
"You startled me, Master."
Said Seras, looking up at him though her big, glassy red eyes. She had such an innocent way about her, aside from her provocative clothes and her red eyes and pearly white fangs.
"Hence you jumping."
"I didn't jump… I… er…."
Time to change the conversation.
"… What are you doing down here, anyway?"
"I came for some advice."
If possible, Seras' eyes widened. Advice? What the hell would he want to know from her? She was at first, flabbergasted, and then a little suspicious, her eyes going from round and doe like, to a pointed squint.
"What do you need to know?"
"I want to buy someone a gift I know will be appreciated."
"Who?"
"A girl."
Said he in a very offhand manner. Seras nearly had a heart attack… and she probably would have, if her heart actually beat. A girl? Who was her master trying to impress? She eyed him carefully; trying to peek into his mind though telepathy… but he was much more experienced a nosferatu than she was. He could easily barrier himself from her trying to dip into his thoughts.
"Come on… tell me. You're a girl. What do your… kind… like this day in age?"
Alucard said, growing impatient. For a second, Seras thought he was joking, but when she stared at him for a moment longer, she realised he was dead serious.
"Well… chocolates, flowers, shoes, long walks on the beach…"
Alucard rolled his eyes.
"Oh, come on. Those are all so cliché. Flowers have been given as gifts for hundreds of years. They don't mean anything. What do women really like?"
"I just told you!"
He frowned.
"She isn't that type of woman."
"Who are we talking about?"
Asked Seras in a suspicious way, hoping he would let something slip.
"Well… she's… complicated."
He said, unwilling to give away any more than that. However small and useless that piece of information may seem, Seras was no fool. It took her a moment for the thought to register, but once it did, a big, knowing smile crept over her face.
"You are getting something for Miss Integra… aren't you?"
His eyes widened slightly, but he was very good at concealing his shock. How the hell did she know? She wasn't as stupid as he had thought
"No… I…"
"Don't deny it. I see the way you look at her."
"If you breathe so much as a single implication to anyone, I swear…"
"My lips are sealed."
Her sneaky little smile remained on her face, her rosy lips curling to reveal her flashing white fangs.
"They had better be. Back to the point… help me think of something good."
"Well… how about a new desk? I heard her other one got trashed…"
"Not… er… romantic enough. Women don't want desks."
"No… they want flowers. But you are hell bent on not getting her any, so why bother coming to me for advice?"
"Shut up."
"How about a gun?"
That wasn't a bad idea. She was definitely on the right track here. But Integra had a million guns. A gun wasn't quite as personal a gift as he should like to give her anyway.
"No… not a gun. Pretty good… but not quite."
"A suit?"
"No."
"Pens? She does enough writing…"
"No."
Seras put her head back into her hands, a thoughtful look upon her face. After a long moment of silent calculating. As if a little light bulb had gone off in her head, her features suddenly illuminated with the iridescence that a good idea can bestow.
"I'VE GOT IT!"
She exclaimed, her face glowing with the thrill bestowed by the brilliance of her idea. She was a genius!
"Get her a…."
Integra got back late from her council with the Queen. That was it. No more beating around the bush. She had to get married. There was no question of it. All for the sake of this damnable organization. As if she hadn't sacrificed enough. Integra veered into her office to finish off her paperwork… only to find a large pile of miscellaneous gifts and notes on her desk.
"Walter… what is the meaning of all this?"
She called into the hallway, thoroughly confused and miffed. Great. More work.
"A number of suitors came to call, Sir Integra, and left a bunch of presents and such. Apparently your position as parliament's most eligible bachelorette has been made known to every nobleman in England."
Walter's reply was not one she had been expecting, but when she took a more critical look at the pile, it was not only comprised of notes, but of bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates as well.
Sitting down at her desk, she began to file through all the notes.
Most of them were pompous and self-glorifying, from men who lacked wit, but more than made up for it in how well they liked themselves. There were a number of silly little sonnets meant to be romantic, but only managed to make her a little nauseated. And then there were the chocolates and the flowers, gifts that screamed 'I am an unoriginal lout who takes no time to think of a practical present'. The pile was large, and tedious to go through, but when she had looked though every last stupid little letter that contained mushy implications or not so subtle hints at a proposition of marriage, Integra found something she had not seen before.
It was a long, slender rectangular black case, with silver buckles holding the thing shut. Curious after the slew of traditional gifts she had gotten, she opened the little silver buckles, and looked upon her new possession in a rather astonished way. It was a beautiful, long rapier in its scabbard. She picked it up, cradling it in her hands as if it were a new child as she drew the long blade from its protective case. It was gorgeous, A perfectly balanced weapon with a slender enough handle that her little woman's hand could keep a firm grip on it. Holding the long blade by the grip, she swung it around a few times, the lithe piece metal making a swishing sound as it cleaved the air.
The blade itself was immaculate… with gold filigree in the handle, cross guard, and pommel. The blade was limpid, polished, and undoubtedly sharp. Sheathing the sword to put it back in its case, she noticed something else that she had failed to see before. It was a little piece of parchment, folded neatly and laid into the inside of the case. Setting the blade down, she grabbed the paper and unfolded it. Inside was a simple note, written in a neat, practiced, hand.
'A beautiful blade for an even lovelier woman, who has a tongue just as sharp as this rapier's edge.'
A nice note, short and sweet, and anonymous. A smile crept across her lips, as she folded up the note and put it in the breast pocket of her coat. A pair of red eyes loomed ominously in the corner before disappearing.
Alucard smiled as he retreated to his chambers where he would slumber when dawn came. Integra had seemed to recieve this gift most pleasantly... Alucard had revised his opinion of his spawn Seras Victoria. A sword for his master. Sheer brilliance. Maybe Seras wasn't such a waste of un-life after all.
Done!
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It is a bit fluffier than usual, but I figured I had included enough fights.
Cheers!
-Kimi-Taco
