Yup, so here's the reposting of Conversations. Next chapter to be up as soon as I finish dealing with the draft. (Has anyone else had problems with 's editing?)

DISCLAIMER: Not mine.

Moonlight Sonata

Chapter 2: Conversations With the Devil

By: Ceris Malfoy

March 17, 1989

Hellsing Manor

"Presenting Lady Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, daughter of Sir Arthur Hellsing."

It took every ounce of Integra's control not to snap at the presenter. After 20 years of being addressed as "Sir" or "Master", hearing the term "Lady" nearly made her snarl. Despite how feminine the small army of hairdressers, make-up artists, designers and all the various assistants made her look, she was no 'Lady', and never would be.

Integra detested liars and hypocrites even more than the undead, and did not appreciate being forced to become one.

But still... This was the last party of her first and only season, given 17 years too late, and she had to attract one of these... Her arctic-blue eyes glanced around the room, and she growled out her opinion. 'Pigs!' All the men, so carefully chosen for both pedigree and character, gazed at her with hungry looks. She had not chosen any of them yet, had given no indication that she preferred any one of them, and yet there they were.

Already counting the money they would marry into.

Already anticipating the power they would gain through her family's legacy.

Already considering her theirs.

She felt like a cheap whore on display, and Queen her pimp.

Still, Integra was nothing if not loyal. So, being mindful of her duty, she picked up the voluminous skirts and descended as gracefully as she could manage in 4-inch stiletto heals down the winding staircase and into the crowd of waiting men.

"You are a most remarkable Lady."

The lightly-Germanic voice came from behind her, but gave Integra no start. She had never seen him before -which automatically made him an object of interest. She had watched him from the corner of her eyes as he watched her openly, and she had been wondering if he would approach her. She turned slightly in his direction.

"May I ask who you are?" she drawled quietly, wishing internally that she had been allowed to smoke her cigars. She hated talking to people without it's burning length between them.

His expression of cool amusement did not change, even as he bowed his head slightly. "I am Lucian Von-Vilfred, Lady Hellsing." He snagged two flutes of champaign from a passing waiter and held one out to her.

It said something about her state of mind that she accepted the flute.

She knew of him. In her business, how could she not? Lucian Von-Wilfred, an extremely powerful man said to have murdered his four elder brothers and his father to gain his current position as Head of the family. It was rumored he had dirt on every politician, and the entirety of Germany's law-enforcement in his pocket. While his lineage was less than impressive, his regular acquaintances had blood bluer than the Queen's own. His family owned many businesses, one of which was weapons manufacturing. He was one of the main suppliers of the Hellsing Organization's weapons – all specifically modified for the destruction of the undead.

Despite his deceptively feminine appearance (far more feminine than her own), he was an extremely dangerous man, and Integra suddenly wished she had never agreed to the Queen's order.

"I must say, I never expected to find you here, crashing an invitation-only party." Despite her feelings on the situation, never let it be said that Integra was one to show fear.

"Quite blunt as vell. It seems you are not quite vhat your appearance makes of you."

She gestured disdainfully at the Victorian-inspired gown. "Make-up? Gowns? Carefully styled hair? Artistically maintained illusions only. What one wears and what one is like usually are two completely different things." She sipped at the champaign, grimacing slightly at the taste. She preferred the harder stuff. "Does it really matter?"

His deep blue eyes seemed to shift, and Integra was immediately on alert. The last pair of eyes she had seen do that... "Yes, indeed it does," he murmured softly. He studied her over the rim of his glass.

Integra resisted the urge to grasp for a gun that wasn't there. For some reason, she could only see the crimson eyes of her pet. She had the unreasonable feeling that the vampire would explode out of the flesh of Lucian Von-Wilfred and lay waste to England and herself.

"...vife..."

She refocused on Lucian, deliberately avoiding his eyes. "What did you just say?" she demanded. She couldn't have heard right.

He smiled then, and there was nothing friendly about that smile. "I said, 'I vill not hafe some air-headed tvit content vith the latest gossip of her peers for a vife. I'm glad to see that there is some actual depth beneath that gaudy exterior.'"

She narrowed her eyes at him, and had to count to ten to keep from causing a scene. "You speak as if I had already chosen you, Von-Wilfred."

The danger in that smile reached his shifting eyes. "Didn't you?" His voice, though calm, carried a threat beneath it.

Her anger flared beyond her control. Without concern to the scene she would cause, she raised her hand with the intent to give him one hell of a wallop.

He caught her wrist and sharply pulled her closer.

She snarled at him. "You presume too much," she hissed. "First, you dare show up uninvited, the you dare-"

"I dare much, Integra Hellsing," he cut her off brutally, twisting warningly on her wrist. Her breath caught at the pain. "Because there ist no other alternative. I'fe vatched you this vhole season. There ist not a man amongst these here that can be vhat you need, and not a boy that can be molded as such. There. Ist. No. One. Else."

She opened her mouth to retort, her arctic eyes snapping with her as-yet unvoiced fury, but he shook her sharply before she could speak. "Vould you listen, voman?!" he snapped. "It ist not the end of the vorld. I do not need your money, und hafe little need for your name. I do not vant control of your organization, nor do I vant you to be a trophy-vife."

"Then what do you want?" she hissed.

"To be forgotten."

The answer confused her, and that confusion shook her out of her anger. "I don't understand."

He loosened his hold on her arm. "I am tired, Integra. All my life has been dictated und controlled by the simple fact that I bear the Von-Vilfred name. I'fe been thrust into the roll of my father the tryant und the roll of the father's before as a ruthless man. I vant to loose my name, und loose my reputation, Integra." He looked at her then, really looked at her. "I vill take your name as my own vhen ve ved." He paused, and for just a second, just single moment in time before it was gone again just as fast, Integra saw uncertainty. "If you vill hafe me?"

Every sense she had told her to walk away, that he wasn't on Walter's list for a reason, that he was a wild-card twice as unpredictable as he was dangerous... But something in Integra awoke, and she found herself nodding silently in assent.

He smiled a true smile then, and it struck Integra that he must not smile that way very often. "Dankeschön , Integra."

It was more complicated than that, of course.

Beyond the fact that they were literal strangers who knew nothing about each other except for rumors, there was also the fact that neither were particularly well-suited to each other. Both parties tempers exploded quite frequently, and usually resulted in bruises and ripped clothing. They were both stubborn to a fault, and neither were used to letting their guard down enough to let someone else share their space.

There was also the issue of the various acquaintances' disapproval over their impending nuptials.

Walter was a rather large hurdle to get over. There had been several reasons why he had not included the younger male on his master list, some of which Integra knew she wanted to never find out about.

But as the days slid into weeks and the weeks turned into months, Walter's disapproval receded until he was comfortable leaving her alone in the same room with Lucian. Which, considering Walter's almost fanatic concern with her safety, was all the approval she needed.

The Queen was also a concern. She did not want the Shadow King of Germany in her country, let alone married to one of her most loyal. Lucian Von-Wilfred was summoned to meet her in private 3 months into the 'engagement'. He stayed with the interrogators for two days before the Queen was content.

Integra had not been allowed to be there when they interrogated him, nor would she ever know what he had said, but Lucian passed with flying colors. Integra was a bit worried, because in direct opposition of her previous attitude towards Lucian, the Queen was now practically beaming her approval.

These were by no means the only people to object, but they were the only ones that really mattered as far as Integra was concerned.

And then, even after those issues were resolved, there were still various legalities to be smoothed out.

Who would retain what in the event of separation. If there were children, whom would get sole custody? Etc. Only after everything was worked out were they able to set a sure date for the wedding.

Integra did not love him, but he would make a solid partner and companion. Even if he did have the nasty habit of being right all the time.

For the most part, I just fixed some spelling errors that popped up. Love yas!

~Ceris