Here it is! The last chapter! A few twists... But I'm giving away nothing until you read it. Enjoy!
The past few weeks, a nightly ritual was established. Almost on cue, at about one in the morning, little Isolde would start howling at the top of her immature lungs, waking nearly the whole of the Hellsing establishment. At first, the crying had been very disruptive, but as the staff grew more and more sleep deprived, it became easier for them to slumber through the whole ordeal.
Integra however, had always been a light sleeper, and regardless of how tired she was, would always wake when the child began to wail. But usually Alucard would go in to calm his daughter, and she needn't get out of bed. Alucard had been rather useful as of late. Since he was awake all night, he could usually placate Isolde when she awoke, not forcing Integra or Walter to scoot up out of bed to tend to her. He had even become rather proficient at changing nappies, and after a few failed attempts, he caught on quickly. Usually Isolde would only need to be rocked back to sleep, and Alucard would set her back in her cradle, and go to stalk about the manor in the usual way of his. But tonight was not one of those nights.
"WAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Little Isolde wailed and wailed, her pale cheeks flushed crimson from screaming. Alucard had tried everything to quiet her… he checked her diaper, rocked her back and forth, and dangled toys in front of her, even hummed a little. Isolde was less than pleased with his attempts, and kept on crying. Becoming exasperated, he set her back into her crib, thinking maybe she needed to just cry her unexplained anxiety out. He loomed over her crib, watching her closely as she continued to scream. Maybe he wasn't the most competent father ever. Who knew a baby would be so difficult?
"Bloody hell… not again."
And agitated Integra was roused from her bed as Isolde kept screaming. What was wrong this time? A scowl laced her lips as she slipped her feet into some slippers, and slid her round, silver rimmed glasses over her half closed eyes. She never got much sleep, and now with a baby around, what rest she got had been decimated. Grumbling, Integra shuffled out of her bedroom in a pair of plain flannel pajamas, making her way to the baby's room. Opening the door, there she saw Alucard standing over Isolde's crib, doing what appeared to be absolutely nothing. Integra's frown deepened.
"What the hell? Haven't you been trying to calm her down! You're useless."
"Good evening to you too, Master. I think that maybe she needed to self soothe for once. I've tried everything."
Isolde stopped crying for a moment when she saw her mother walk into the room, and then promptly resumed wailing loud enough to raise the dead.
"Integra, I think she may have inherited your vocal chords." His lips were curled in that uncanny smirk of his as his daughter continued to scream even louder still. Integra merely returned his smirk with a weary frown, ignoring his blatant stab at her.
"You dolt, she's hungry. Give her over."
How she immediately knew this was beyond reason. Mothers are known to have some sort of sixth sense when it comes to children. Integra was no different in this aspect, no matter how cold and detached she was in comparison to other women. She held out her arms expectantly as Alucard lifted his baby gingerly out of her crib and deposited her into her mother's hands. Integra expertly tucked her baby close to her, balancing Isolde on her hip while she cradled her with one hand. With the other, she began to unbutton her top, finding it rather tricky to undo little buttons while holding a screaming baby.
"What are you doing?" Alucard asked, still grinning. Integra stared at him for a moment, deep purple bags under her icy blue eyes.
"Are you toying with me, or are you just daft? I'm feeding her. She's hungry, and I want to get to bed as soon as possible. I don't feel like running down to the kitchen to heat up some formula. And besides…." She said, concentrating on a particularly hard to unfasten button. "It's nothing you haven't seen before."
"Touché." Alucard replied flatly.
Her last remark was nearly venomous, laid on with the delicacy of a sledgehammer. If he wanted to be difficult, two could play at that game. Integra was too tired to put up with nonsense from her subordinate. Still struggling to undo her buttons, Alucard reached out with his cold spindly hands and popped the button out of the loop of her nightshirt for her.
"Let me help you with that."
Integra sighed and let him finish off her top for her. Once completely undone, Integra brought Isolde up to her breast, and she immediately stopped crying as she was allowed to suckle. Alucard looked on with an unreadable expression.
"Going to try to undo my pants next?" Integra added pointedly, obviously not in the best of spirits, or on the best of terms with the father of her child. Too tired to put on a façade of civility, she was going to let out her pent up frustration at a lack of sleep on Alucard. He was obviously treading on thin ice tonight… her words were sharp as needles, and her tired eyes dark with annoyance.
"Stop looking at me, and go do something useful." She snapped.
"What makes you think I'm ogling you? I could be looking at Isolde." Alucard grinned in that infuriatingly unsettling way of his.
"And I could be the queen of Thailand."
"You look a lot different."
It was true. Integra had always had a twiggy figure, even from a young age. She carried the gangly-ness of her youth into her twenties. But after the pregnancy, her body had self-modified. She had hips now, and curvy, feminine thighs. Not to mention the fact her breasts had swollen too. She didn't look like a little girl anymore.
Integra's lips twitched, her frown deepening, along with the wrinkles at the corners of her mouth. She turned her back to him, ignoring his comment. She didn't have time for this. She wasn't going to put up with his shenanigans. He took such pleasure in teasing her… maybe if she dodged his irksome comments he would go away and haunt someone else.
Alucard continued to smile. "Aww… Looks like someone's grumpy."
"Over five centuries old, and you have the maturity complex of a six year old."
"Life… or rather, unlife, cannot be taken too seriously. You'll only end up disappointed. The world is a bitter place, Integra. You think you know… you think your mere twenty two years have been bad… when you've been around as long as I have, you're bound to go a bit mad."
She raised an eyebrow, turning back to him. "A BIT mad?"
He chuckled, the deep noise reverberating in his throat in a languid way, almost like a cat purring.
"All is relative."
Integra sighed. When she sighed like that, something had been taxing her mind. Integra had different sighs for different occasions... a tired sigh, an annoyed sigh, a content sigh, and a contemplative sigh. Something had been troubling her. She pursed her lips for a moment, wondering if it was truly the right time. Sighing again, she decided it was a question best asked in the complete privacy of the twilight hours. Better sooner than later.
"Tell me Alucard… what is the exact reason my father locked you in that dungeon?"
Alucard blinked, almost surprised she had asked this. He showed no emotion however, his wily grin turning into a blank expression.
"I didn't know when you would actually ask me outright. I was locked away because your father was scared."
"Scared?" Integra repeated like a parrot, rocking Isolde back and forth in her arms.
"Yes. Arthur was frightened for himself, for his livelihood. He always feared that I would seek to somehow harm him, or to harm him through the ones he loved. In part, those fears were irrational, but his decision was a rather wise one. Your father… well…" Alucard chuckled, bearing his flashing white teeth.
"He was weak. Stronger than lesser men, yes… But not strong enough to be a Hellsing. He could run the organization proficiently, made decisions well, and was much loved by his staff and his peers. But he was frightened of me… of my power. I could see it in his eyes. And so, I disregarded him, to a point where I potentially could have been a danger to him, and his family. So I was locked away. But in a sense… I guess his fears have been confirmed. I've solicited his only daughter."
Isolde had fallen fast asleep in Integra's arms. She said nothing as she walked her slumbering baby back over to the crib, gently laying her down into the soft, cushioned mattress. Integra began to button up her nightshirt once more.
"And what manner of master am I, Alucard?"
"I remember telling you, about ten years ago, in that dungeon that you were your father's daughter. In a way, what I said was true. When I first saw you, I knew you were stubborn like Arthur was. But you are so much different from your father. You fear nothing… you desire nothing… you are passionate in an unrequited way toward your organization and your men, but you undervalue yourself. You are a woman of steel, who rules with an iron fist. I respect you more than any other human alive."
Integra looked away, Her eyes dark and sad. "I see…" She said, her voice a bare, troubled whisper. She whipped around, avoiding his gaze as she turned to face the doorway. "Follow me…" She said, her face still turned away from him as she exited the room, wandering down the long, dark hallway. She tread down flights and flights of staircases, Alucard obediently at her heels, though only one person's steps resounded in the hallways. She stopped in front of a large, black doorway in the deepest dungeon of the Hellsing Manor, where she had found him… or rather, where they had found each other.
Integra opened the door, finally looking up at Alucard. Her blue eyes were strong, but immeasurably sad.
"I've been thinking Alucard… about the future. All is so uncertain. I didn't know what I was saying when I promised you would be a part of Isolde's life. I was delusional with joy at her birth, and didn't comprehend the gravity of the situation. You…. You just can't be a part of her childhood. If she knew that you were her father…. If she knew who you were, and what you have done…." Integra rubbed her eyes. "I can't let her live like I have. I was pushed into a world of adults too young. And what you told me confirmed it. Isolde cannot grow up… knowing all the evil in this world. You don't know how I have suffered. I am a broken woman, Alucard. The hurts I nurse inside of me have forced me to alienate myself from the world. I may seem a woman of steel, but inside, I am brittle as glass. Isolde does not diserve the same fate as I, the fate of never being truly loved or understood."
Alucard was shocked. He knew what she meant to do. He shook his head. "Don't… Integra, I can prove to you that I can be a good guardian…. I…"
"No. Alucard, you have already proven what manner of man you are." Tears threatened to pour over in her eyes.
"Alucard, I order you into the dungeon. The seals will keep you in place until you will next be released. I entreat you to do as I have said, and you are bound to my word, by the blood that runs through my veins, the noble blood of Hellsing."
Alucard looked down at her, tears threatening to fall from her blue, blue eyes. It wasn't meant to be this way… they were supposed to be happy together. They were supposed to raise their daughter together… But nothing had ever had a truly happy ending for him. The evil he had done had been repaid a thousand fold in all that he had suffered.
"So… you are afraid. But not of me. You fear your daughter may suffer your fate. Fear for another is the most righteous kind there is. You are willing to do what is necessary. You are a stronger woman than you know. You may be as strong as steel, but your actions are governed by the human blood that courses through you."
"Goodbye, Man who was once called count. I fear I may never see you again."
Tears poured over from her eyes. She didn't even know why she was crying… their love had been a bittersweet one. There had always been frustration, misunderstandings and sorrow… but through it all, she had loved Alucard, and he her, as much as either of their broken souls was capable of love. She took a few tentative steps foreword, and wrapped her slender arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. He smelled faintly of blood, dust, and old parchment. It would be a smell she would probably never know again. It was a comforting smell she remembered from her childhood. Alucard had been as much a part of her life ten years ago as he was now... but it was not meant to last forever.
Alucard was slow to reciprocate the hug, but in turn, he put his arms around her, and kissed the top of her head, his pallid, frosty lips like ice on her golden crowned head. His hair, black as the deep tendrils of the midnight sky fell against her sunlit blonde locks. Day and Night. There is not one without the other, and yet they are of two worlds. They cannot inhabit the same sky. Lovers doomed from the very beginning.
"Goodbye, Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, woman of blood and steel. I promise you will never be forgotten. Take good care of my daughter." Alucard's red eyes began to moisten, their lower lids rimming with blood. Integra. He would miss her, the way the sun misses the last summer flower. The sun, a being of immortality, of burning passion, and the flower, unsurpassingly beautiful and pure, but in the end, only ephemeral.
For a long moment they held each other, Integra's face against Alucard's chest, and his nose buried in her soft, flaxen hair. But eventually, the serenity of the embrace faded, and they let go of one another, not having realized how long they had stayed in one another's arms, her fists clutching to his coat desperatly, and his hands running though her hair. They let go. Their most loving, pure, and tender touch would be their last. Integra's was still crying, but Alucard had not yet shed a tear, holding them back with all his might. He couldn't cry… in front of her.
"You will be guardian to your daughter when the time is right. If there was another way, I would have chosen that path instead of this.Goodbye, Alucard."
"Goodbye, Integra."
And with that last farewell, Alucard wandered into the abyssal crypt, and Integra shut the door behind him, the heavy thump of the shutting door resounding like a requiem for the death of a wish. It was done. Alucard was sealed away, for god knows how long. There would be a time when he would return, but Integra feared it would be after her death. But all was for the best. Integra wiped her reddened eyes on the sleeve of her flannel nightshirt, before slipping her glasses back over her nose. She must carry on as she has always done. She couldn't let her sentiments get in the way of what was best for the future of her daughter and of Hellsing.
After all, she was obliged to serve God, King and Country, not herself.
Afterward.
Integra lay in her bed, her eyes tired with pain and sorrow. Twenty years had passed. Twenty years since he had been sealed away. And already… she was dying. At only 42, it was hard to imagine. But all the cigarettes had caught up with her. Severe lung cancer was taking its toll. It was only a matter of time before she passed. Her daughter, Isolde sat at her mother's bedside, tears rolling down her face.
"Mother…" Isolde whispered softly, smoothing Integra's hair.
"It is my time to part with this earth, my daughter. All must die, from King to peasant. It is the way of life. Honor me by carrying on my legacy. There is something you must know… It is all written down in accordance with the plans I have laid for you. When I pass, Miss Victoria will give you some very important documents. You must follow their instructions with all due accuracy. I know you are ready to bear the burden and the honor that is the Hellsing Organization."
Isolde swallowed the lump in her throat, as tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't want her mother to die… the strong woman that now lay helpless before her had always been a guiding light to her. And now that star was fading… and she must make her own path. A journey lay before Isolde Rosalind Wilhelmina Hellsing, a path she was destined to take from her birth.
"I'm so sorry, my daughter. Sorry that I must leave you this way. My time is spent, but yours has only just begun. You are ready to become the leader your birth commanded of you."
Integra's sharp blue eyes were laden with sadness. Even with all the years behind her, her eyes were still bright, like a cold winter frost. She knew her death was nigh. Her head sunk in the pillow, her strength waning.
"I'm so tired, Isolde…." Integra whispered softly, before her blue eyes fluttered shut, and she fell asleep.
She never woke up.
And all that Integra had said would happen did. Seras Victoria gave Isolde the documents that Integra had written. Many of them were about particular protocol of the organization, and how it was to be run, different ceremonies and occasions that would need to be observed. But the last page was something all together different.
"Isolde," It began.
"If you are reading this, I have passed away. This paper is perhaps the most important of all I have left for you. Down in the deepest dungeon, the one I have prohibited you from going near, let alone entering, is a monster. He has been a servant of Hellsing for many generations. To awaken him, you must feed him your blood. This will revive his ties to the ancient blood of Hellsing, and he will be bound to serve you. You may have heard rumors of the vampire Alucard. The monster in the dungeon is he. When he awakens, please inform him I have passed on to the next life, and that the time has come for him to fulfill his duty. It is of the utmost importance that this be done. I made a promise to him that I intend to keep.
With all the love that I possess,
Your mother, Integra."
Isolde wandered down the hallway determinedly. She knew what had to be done. Her mother had been very explicit that it was her express wish that the vampire be awakened. There was no fear in Isolde's ice blue eyes. This was what had to be done. At the bottom level where the dungeon was, she clenched her fist around the handle to the large, dark door, surprised to find it swung open easily, giving way for her to enter.
She entered the dark, dank room, and looked around for a moment, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Suddenly, in the corner of the room, Isolde spotted a corpse, the dead rotted thing leaning against the wall, long white hair spouting from its skull, its face sunken with age and decay.. Approaching it, uncertain of how to carry on further, she pulled a knife from the pocket of her black suit, and made a neat little slit on her wrist. Tentatively holding it out in the direction of the body, some blood seeped from the wound and onto the corpse's face. Slowly, like clockwork, a change took place. Bone gave way to pale, cold flesh, the dead creature slowly becomming whole once more. Bright red eyes leered at Isolde from formerly empty sockets, and the vampire bent over her wrist to lap up the blood from the wound. When no more was yielded, The thing looked up at her.
An eerie, toothy grin appeared on the creature's face. Before him stood a tall, slim girl of about twenty, with long, silvery blonde hair, pale skin, pointed features, a hard expression, and those cold, ice blue eyes. She looked just like her mother... but there was a bit of her father in her as well.
Before she said anything, Alucard bowed before her, his hair, pale with age, falling in his face.
"At last we meet, Isolde Rosalind Wilhelmina Hellsing, My master, and my daughter."
That's all folks! The series has come to a close. I hoped you liked it. I wanted to do something rather tragic for the ending, because we all know that Alucard and Integra could never have a 'happily ever after' type romance. So yeah.
Thanks for all the support throughout this whole project. I'm really glad so many people liked this story. I may write a sequal, but I may not. Who knows?
Much love to you all,
-Kimi-Taco
