"Come in." She called.
The door opened timidly, and revealed the young boy standing behind.
"You wanted to see me, Mother?" Arthur asked as he entered the room.
Integra paused in her work to look over at him. "Happy birthday." She greeted with a warm smile.
He smiled as well. "Thank you, Mother."
She gestured to the chairs before her. "Shut the door and come sit down. I'll be done in a moment."
Arthur did as he was told. He shut the door and made his way to one of the chairs before her desk and sat within it. He sat silently and watched her work. His eyes then wondered around the room. He looked out the window behind the desk and saw the weather damp and grey. It held no interest, so he looked away to another spot in the room.
His eyes landed on the portrait on the far wall beside him. He looked into the eyes of the ragged, yet proud man in the painting. The eyes were a deep blue, the same as his were, yet, different.
Integra finished her work and set the papers aside. She looked up and saw Arthur gazing at the portrait and smiled. "He was a brave man, your grandfather." She said proudly.
Arthur was jolted from his thoughts by the sound of her thoughts. He looked away and over at Integra. "Yes, you've told me. You even named me after him. I wish I could have met him."
A sad look crossed Integra's face. "I wish he were still here for you to meet." She said in a low, absent tone. She then shook her head and the sadness away from it. "But that is not what I called you here for." She stood then and walked towards the door. "Follow me." She commanded softly as she walked through the door without looking back at him.
Arthur leapt from his seat and rushed to follow. He caught up with her, and walked behind her as they walked down the lengthy halls. They walked for a while, occasionally rounding a corner and once or twice going up a staircase. She stopped before a plain, wooden door and reached into her pocket. Arthur watched as she pulled a key from her pocket, and opened the door with it. She walked into the room, and he obediently followed.
The room appeared to be a library. There were books along all of the walls, even the one the door rested on. The shelves were barely apparent through the cluttered books. The only furniture in the room was a small desk on the far wall with one chair behind it and another before it. Integra was at said desk, clearing away the few books that were strew across it.
"Where are we?" Arthur asked as he continued to observe the room.
Integra walked over to one of the shelves behind the desk and removed a small, leather-bound notebook. "This is the family library." She answered as she walked back to the desk and sat behind it.
Arthur walked up to her and took the seat behind the desk. "What's that?" He asked curiously.
A sly grin crossed her lips. "This is the journal of our ancestor Abraham Hellsing, whom you are also named after I might add, Arthur Abraham Hellsing." She spoke his name proudly, obviously the creator of it.
His eyes lit with fascination as he looked at the book.
Integra placed the book onto the desk. She then placed her elbows on either side of it and interlaced her fingers before her lips. Her face grew unreadable, and her complete expression was hidden. "Arthur, today you are thirteen years old. You are no longer a boy, but a young man."
Arthur straightened in his chair and sat proudly.
"At your age, I became the head of this Organization. Hopefully, the consequences I had to endure to obtain it will not occur to you." She spoke gravely, and Arthur looked a bit confused. She then held up the journal. "This, Arthur, I am giving to you as your gift for becoming a young man."
His eyes widened with excitement.
"This is only the first of his journals. When you are older, I shall give you the rest." She said, and then held the book out towards him. He looked hesitant, and she smiled at that. "Go on, take it."
He looked up at her, then at the journal. He reached out a weary hand, and then took the book from her. He looked it over carefully. "Thank you, Mother." He said, truly grateful.
She smiled again and stood to walk over to him. Softly, she brushed her hand over his hair. She looked at him, and seemed lost for a moment.
"Why do you do that?" He asked after a moment.
She shook her head slightly as she was brought out of her thoughts. "What do you mean?"
"Sometimes, when you look at me, you look as if your looking at someone else. Then you look sad." He looked straight at her, and didn't blink.
She was caught by his eyes, but she turned before he could read more. "It's nothing. Go get dressed now. Dinner will be ready in a couple of hours."
He nodded his head, still looking at the book. He stood absently, and walked out of the room. Integra smiled as she watched him leave.
xXxXxXxXx
Integra, Arthur, and William all sat at the large dining room table. Walter walked in carrying a large, overly iced cake with thirteen lit candles atop of it. Arthur's eyes widened with joyful surprise at the treat. Walter smiled as he placed it before the young boy.
Walter placed a warm hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Make a wish lad." He said gently.
Arthur looked at him, then over at Integra who smiled and nodded for him to continue. He nodded in reply, then turned to the cake. He paused a moment, then blew out all the candles.
William clapped loudly. "Good job, boy." He said proudly.
Arthur looked over at him and smiled oddly. William caught it, but paid it no mind. Walter then reached forward, and began slicing the cake.
The dining room door opened suddenly, and all looked over at it. A Hellsing soldier stepped inside, and saluted. "Forgive my intrusion, Sir." He stated.
Integra raised a dismissive hand. "At ease. What's the problem?" She asked him.
The soldier stood at ease as told. "Sir, there has been a reported disturbance on the outskirts of London." He reported.
Integra sighed, then looked sorrowfully over at Arthur. "Forgive me Arthur, but it appears we will have to cut the celebrations short."
Arthur looked saddened, and lowered his head. "It's alright, Mother. I understand."
She went to speak to him again, but paused when William stood abruptly from the table. "That's a good boy. I'm proud of you." William said. He looked over, and saw Integra glaring at him. He brushed it off and walked towards the door.
Integra sighed again. She then walked over to Arthur and placed a kiss upon the top of his head. "Finish eating, and then go to bed. I will come see you after we are finished if it is not too late." She said warmly.
Arthur nodded, his sad look turning somewhat peaceful. Integra turned and walked away. Arthur lowered his head once more.
Walter saw this, and patted the boy on his shoulder. "Cheer up lad. This just means there's more cake for you."
Arthur smiled weakly. "Thanks Walter, but I'm not that hungry anymore."
Walter smiled knowingly. "Very well then, Sir. I'll just put this away until you do get hungry."
Arthur nodded. "Thank you, Walter." He said as he rose from his chair and walked to the doorway.
He entered the main door entrance, and headed towards the stairwell that led up to the balcony and second floor. He made it to the stairs, but just as he raised his foot to step on it, a cool breeze came from no where and brushed over him. However, what made him pause mid-stride was the whisper amongst the breeze.
"Arthur…"
He turned around, but saw nothing. Unsatisfied, he walked away from the staircase, and towards the middle of the area.
"Arthur…" The breeze whispered again.
He spun around, but still nothing. But this time, he could tell where it was coming from. He walked up to the staircase that led to the dungeons of Hellsing.
His mind remembered his mother's warning.
He was sitting in front of her desk in the study, and she was looking at him with the sternest look he had ever seen on her.
"Arthur, listen to me carefully." She began in a warning tone. "The dungeons here are not the proper place for a young boy. You are not to go into them. Is that understood?"
Though he was just beginning to understand the world at that time, he was able to understand her tone. However, she had said young boy, and didn't she say today he was a young man?
He took a step down the stairwell and swallowed thickly. After another moment of hesitation, he began to descend the steps down into the bowels of the manor. When he came to the bottom, he was blocked by a heavy iron door. He tried to open it, but it was locked. He looked disappointed, but then his eyes lit. He turned and made his way back up the stairs.
He walked down the halls for a moment, until he came to a secluded storage room. He looked around, then went into the room and shut the door securely behind him. He turned and focused on the room. He looked up at the ceiling and spotted what he was looking for. The air duct.
He went to a container in the room, and used it to boast himself up onto on of the shelves. He carefully made his way up with a fluid grace that seemed easy to him. He came to the top, and pushed the small grated cover open, and pushed himself up and through it.
He had to kneel to fit into the small airway. He pulled his legs up as he replaced the cover back into place. He then got on his hands and knees, and began crawling through the small paths.
xXxXxXxXx
TBC…