Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Here is a chapter to keep you busy. Wahoo. I hope you like this one... it has some important stuff. Enjoy! Read and Review!
March. It was March already. Three months had passed since Christmas, and now the full affects of pregnancy were beginning to show. Integra felt positively swollen. Like a balloon growing ever bigger, until she would eventually pop. At seven months pregnant, there was no mistaking that she was with child. Along with her new, more curvy (At least, around the stomach) form, came the inevitable purchase of the dreaded maternity clothes. It wasn't nearly as bad as Integra had expected… but still. Most of the things she wore these days were of soft, stretchy material in pale pinks, blues, purples and greens. Bright colors. Gentle colors. Motherly colors. Her black and navy and olive hued suits had to be abandoned until she could get her stomach back to herself. But for now, she was forced to lounge around in yoga pants and tee shirts.
These days, Integra kept to her room more and more. She didn't feel the need to go out into public. A camera had even been set up in her room so that she didn't need to attend the Protestant knight's conferences in person. Via web cam, she was able to view and take part in the meetings from her own comfy chair. The only time when she really left the manor was when the inevitable check up came about, but all the news had been good. The baby was fine. The mother was fine. All would be well.
'Growwwwwwwwwwwwwllll…' Integra's tummy gave a sickly moan.
"Shit… not again." She groaned groggily, her stomach doing summersaults within her. Food. She needed food. Her nightly raids of the kitchen were becoming more and more frequent. After all, she was eating for two. She swung her swollen feet over the side of the bed, rubbing her eyes and slipping on her glasses, half awake as she shuffled down to the kitchen. Why? Why did she have to get hungry in the middle of the night? She may as well just have a pantry permanently installed into her closet. She could do with having crumpets and biscuits at hand all the time.
Shuffle shuffle shuffle… Integra traipsed warily down the stairs. Stairs became harder and harder. As it grew more difficult to see over her tummy, it was hard to know where exactly she was stepping. Shuffle shuffle… WHAM! Integra overstepped a stair, and her foot gave way beneath her, she tumbled backwards, her foot twisting in a way that human anatomy should not be bent. She was sent sprawling onto the floor, a low, pained moan escaping her lips, along with a few words that would have made a sailor blush.
"SHIT!" She swore through gritted teeth, her ankle throbbing in pain, as she lay helpless on her back. "FUCKING SHIT! GODDAMN STAIR!" Reaching down, she felt her ankle. No broken bones. Thank god. But there was definitely something wrong with it. Most likely a sprain or strain or something of that nature. She squirmed a bit, trying to prop herself up, but the bulge of her stomach and the pain in her leg would not allow her. She moaned loudly, as she tried to get to her feet again.
A dark shadow phased through the wall. Alucard. He was here. He loomed tall over her like a vulture, staring down with his blood red eyes at Integra. She returned a defiant gaze, her expression mixing agony with utter loathing.
"How dare you be here! Against my orders… oww… you come to me so brazenly! You… owww… go now!"
Alucard stared down at her. It was almost poetic, really. His master, lying on the floor, helpless. His eyes were locked onto hers, his gaze much kinder than his usual leer.
"I cannot leave. I am bound to your family by the bonds of deep magic. Though you gave me an order to never speak to you again, you are in immediate danger. As a servant of the great Hellsing bloodline, I must protect you. The black magic that binds me to you is a higher power than an order you may give me. I must therefore be here to aid you."
Alucard stared at her, his eyes fixed on the woman situated on the floor in front of him. Integra. He hadn't been in her presence for…. For many months. Sure, he could watch her, but only from a distance. Watching her was nothing like standing next to her, like being in the same room as her. She emanated power like a furnace radiates heat. Her strength was glorious to bask in. He had missed that strength… he had missed her.
Integra stopped her squirming, staring up at her servant. This was such a compromising position. A large part of her wanted to snarl and refuse his help. But part of her, part of her was happy to see him again. He was such a bastard… but she had lived with him for so long, Alucard had become a part of her life that she was used to. She was used to his insidious laugh, used to his smirking and teasing, used to his vampiric tendencies, the smell of stale blood that lingered about him, and the smear of red that sometimes stained his cheek after a fight. He was in no way forgiven for practically raping her, but she would allow him to assist her. Her better judgement outweighed her fury. She may have been there till morning had he not intervened. She sighed in a defeated way. She was too tired, too pregnant, and in too much pain to fight with him.
"Very well then. You may help me up."
Alucard knelt down, his arms gently snaking beneath her knees and beneath her back. He scooped her up as if she were a featherweight heavy, cradling Integra gently in his capable arms. It was almost strange. Arms that ripped through flesh and tore away sinew and bone were now so tenderly lifting up his injured master and her unborn child. She rested her head against his shoulder, her blonde, uncombed hair spilling over his black suit jacket, because he was minus his large red coat. He smelled just the way she remembered. Faintly metallic, like blood. It was a comforting smell. A smell she had been familiar with since she was eleven years old. It was so strange, feeling neither breath nor heartbeat in his chest.
Alucard wore a stoic look as he carried Integra back to her room. He seemed to have misplaced his usual grin, and in its stead was left a morose sort of look. Almost a frown, but not quite. They said nothing in the uncomfortable lapse in conversation as he carried her back to her bedroom, opening the door and laying her gently down on the bed. Integra sighed as she was set down. Her ankle still throbbed like anything, but at least she was comfortable. Alucard fell to his knees in a most unexpected gesture. He piously knelt before her bed, his hair hanging in his face.
"Master… I'm sorry. I can't express what I feel better than that. Forgive me, Integra. Forgive me."
She stared at him for a long moment. Her eyes hardened and her lips tugged downward in a frown.
"You know I can never fully forgive you. The damage you have done is permanent. You took my virginity, and left me with a child. This heir will be a constant reminder of the pain I have suffered by you. You don't know how much you hurt me. You have gone too far, and overstepped your boundary as my protector, and have become something else entirely. You were supposed to keep me safe, but you have wounded me more grievously than any sword or gun could have." A sigh escaped her lips, her eyes angry and sad at the same time.
"You are, however, released from your punishment. You are allowed to come and go in my presence as you please, as you once did. You can read my thoughts, so I will not say that I didn't miss your company. You are not forgiven, but I will not dwell on what has passed. I only wish for things to go back to normal… or as normal as it can be in this hell hole." She rubbed her temples irritably, a wave of pain passing over her, her ankle twinging in agony.
He looked up, his eyes surprisingly gentle. Their red depths glimmered with a grateful expression. Integra was almost shocked. Had he pined more than she expected? It would certainly seem so. He was not wont to show this much emotion.
A weight felt lifted when she had said that his punishment was terminated. He knew she would never truly get over what he had done. Integra was stubborn, proud, and could hold a terrible grudge. But at least she was merciful enough to allow him back into her life, in whatever small way he could be.
"Thank you, master."
He said softly, true gratefulness reverberating in his deep, quiet voice. Alucard turned to leave the room without another word.
Integra stared at him as he stood and turned his back to go. But suddenly, her eyes flew wide open as she felt a hard thumping against her lower abdomen. "The baby! It's… kicking!" Before Alucard had drawn himself too far away, she reached out and instinctively grabbed his gloved hand, placing it against her stomach.
A soft thumping could be felt against the wall of her bloated tummy. The baby was alive and strong. It was the first time she had felt it actually kick. She had gotten used to the child twisting in her womb as unborn babies are wont to do, but kicking was a new sensation for her. All ankle pain forgotten, she lay there, with her and Alucard's hand against her stomach, feeling the rhythmic thumping of their child's feet against her uterus wall. Her stoic face gave way to a gentle, motherly grin. She couldn't help it. She was only human, after all. No matter how icy she may be, she was only mortal, and not above mortal sentimentality.
Alucard marveled silently at the little life that stirred within her. The baby… his baby was moving. He silently promised himself that somehow, he would make up for how he had wronged Integra. He promised he would be as good a protector… as good a father as he could be to this child. He would prove he was capable of love, and worthy of forgiveness. Maybe one day his feelings would not go unrequieted.
"She's going to be just like her mother. She feels so strong."
Integra's head turned to him, a puzzled look glittering in her blue eyes. She raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner.
"She?" She asked quizzically.
Alucard loomed over the heavily pregnant Integra, a smile crossing over his features. It was a gentle sort of smile, laced with a hint of fey teasing. Bravely, he reached out and tucked her soft blonde hair behind her ear, his other hand still on her night gown clad stomach. She didn't swat him away, allowing him the simple pleasure of fixing her hair for her. She smiled back, in a tired, woebegone way, waiting for an explanation.
"It's going to be a girl."
There. I decided they are going to have a little baby girl. So there!
I really need name suggestions. Do you people have any good ones? Here are some I have found. I want a name with a meaning behind it. Tell me if any of these are good.
Avariella: Means strong woman
Bree: Strong, virtuous, honorable
Jerica: A strong, gifted ruler
Isolde: Fair ruler
Aceline: Noble at birth
Armina: Noble
Keaira: Dark one
This is all I have now, but I am open to any suggestions and comments.
I need imput. Thanks a bunch!
As always,
-Kimi-Taco
