Why...so...surprised?

I did promise you to get the next chapter out faster than the previous and by God, I kept my word (this time)!

Thank you for the wonderful reviewers of the previous chapter: FuryanDemoness19, LimeKiwiEye, Lonewolf 102, SimplyChristine, LovelyWickedDescet (sorry I can't please all, I do seem to remember mentioning he was married twice and had three sons. And I didn't use really movie references in my mind), Kars, JIN-HayTeR, Tsuki no Rekuen, .snow0 and Irena! Thank you, all!

Disclaimers: as before.

CHAPTER 30: ARTHUR

Hellsing manor, England 1906

The 20'Th century had arrived. Queen Victoria had passed away and her son Edward VII had become the King. The Hellsing Organization had established its place permanently in the Round Table Council and Abraham Hellsing had even been knighted, much to his own surprise.

The vampire hunting in England had been pretty unpredictable. Every once in a while a vampire would appear somewhere, either having been hiding for a long time or just coming from abroad. And then there would be people to save, ghouls to kill and Alucard would do which had quickly become his new favorite hobby. But there would also be times when there would be no sightings of vampires be made and then Alucard would quickly get bored.

During one of those times he had actually asked Abraham's permission to go and investigate if there was a monster in Loch Ness. Just in case it was eating people, he had reasoned.

Despite certain... incidences now and then, the former vampire lord seemed to have adapted to his new role rather nicely. Though Abraham would never let his guard down around him. Ever.

"You wanted to see me, Master?"

Abraham, who had been sitting in his office, turned to see Alucard who had materialised through the walls.

"I don't remember calling you" Abraham said.

"But I can feel that you have something you want to discuss with me and I simply grew tired of waiting" the vampire answered.

Abraham sighed. He wasn't sure was it because of Alucard's superhuman senses or because of their connection as Master and Servant, but Alucard was good what he was up to. Abraham chose very carefully how to break the news for him.

"Is it nice, Alucard, that you do not age?" he finally asked.

Alucard raised his eyebrow. "I do age. I just don't let it show".

"I never see you with an aching back or counting your gray hairs. Those things have become everyday occurrences for me".

"Didn't you read Stoker's book? I can look old. Besides what is this really about, Professor? Are you having... what is it you human call it... a midlife crisis? Regret not giving up your humanity?"

"Certainly not, monster. I am proud to be human as you well know. But my aging has been on my mind a lot lately. I am growing old. I will die" Abraham said with a serious tone.

"I see now. You must plan on what happens to me after you're gone" Alucard stated.

"Exactly. I need an heir to continue my work and lead this organisation after my death. Someone to be your next Master" Abraham added.

"Do not forget, Master, no matter even if you have an heir, if he proves to be unworthy to command me..." Alucard said but stopped. He didn't have to finish that.

"Leave the child's upbringing for me, Alucard. What you need to busy yourself with is to keep out of the house".

Now Alucard blinked. "Sir?"

Abraham turned to fully look at his vampire servant. "I am too old for courting, and I don't think a man in this line of work should even marry. I, of all people, know that" he said and Alucard knew well what he was referring to. "However, the idea that I would just pay for some woman to have my child never appealed to me. It seems only right that mother should know to what purpose would await the child. But who could ever understand?"

Alucard thought for a moment. Who indeed? Would have to be someone who comprehends the full situation and can think rationally... He stopped in his musings as he suddenly knew where this was going.

"Did Madame Mina need lots of persuasion, Master?"

"No, Alucard, when I explained my dilemma to her, she volunteered".

#####

The orders were in the end very simple. During Mina Murray's stay in the Hellsing manor, Alucard was to stay out of sight. He could only go to basement, where his coffin was placed, or to barracks practise shooting which had become his new hobby, but to the living quarters he was not allowed. Any reports he had to give during vampire hunting missions would be given outside of house.

Alucard was a bit torn by this. On one hand, he completely understood the orders and even respected them. After all, Mina was, along with the Professor, one of the few humans he respected. She was a woman who had succumbed to his power and yet managed to free herself and strike him down. He truly admired her and had no wish to be on her bad side, anymore than he already was.

Yet, for the same admiring reasons, he was tempted to see her again, to see how much she had changed. From what he had learned from the Professor, Mina had apparently joined some extraordinary league that served the British empire in matters too delicate for public to know.

Since he was denied access to house, he decided to blend into the shadows of the yard and watched as she arrived to the manor. She wore very simple clothes and had her hair combed up. There was hardness in her eyes that hadn't been there before, a hardness brought by the facing of a cruel world.

She was still beautiful. In fact...she didn't look any different than she had in 1893. Interesting, Alucard thought.

She turned around suddenly and looked into his general direction. She couldn't see him but she knew he was there. She turned back to the house and went inside.

#####

1914

Alucard lived the next few years avoiding the house. If he wasn't investigating and/or hunting vampires, he was most usually sleeping in his coffin, or finding some other way to past time, like pulling pranks on soldiers which he had learned to like.

He did see his Master often, mostly because he was making sure Alucard stayed in line. Mina he had only occasionally glimpsed from windows or walking around the yards.

It was a late night in May, when Alucard was at the shooting barracks, testing the latest machine gun. While he did enjoy human guns, he always had to very careful not to break them. The professor had tried contacting different weapon makers to design a gun for Alucard, but none had yet been totally satisfying.

Alucard was most usually alone, for soldiers grew nervous and agitated around him. Therefore he was a bit surprised when he sensed a completely unknown presence approaching. Ceasing his firing and turning around, Alucard saw a little boy, who couldn't be more than five years old, standing at the barracks door and watching him. Boy had brown hair and clear blue eyes. Eyes he had seen before.

For a moment Alucard simply eyed the surprise visitor. The boy was watching him curiously.

"Who are you?" the boy finally said.

"Hasn't your father thought you that you shouldn't speak to strangers?"

"My father has told me that all who I meet here work for him" the boy said, crossing his small hands before him.

Touché.

"Do you work for my father?" boy asked.

"Yes. I do".

"Then how come I've never seen you before?"

"You ask a lot for a five year old".

"My mother says I must ask if I want to know something. And I'm four".

Alucard was surprised by this. Are children really getting smarter than before?

"Are you a vampire?"

For a moment Alucard wondered how much trouble he could get into for all this. "What makes you say that?"

"You have red eyes and sharp teeth. My father says vampires have red eyes. Are you?"

"Yes. I am".

"Why is a vampire working for my father?"

The situation was getting more and more bizarre for Alucard. "Maybe you should ask your father? Why are you out here anyways? You should be in the house".

Now child looked away, a dark cloud passing his face. "I don't want to go there. I don't want to say goodbye to mother".

Before Alucard could ask further he sensed two people arriving. Not bothering to disappear he stood there with the little boy and watched as Mina Murray appeared with a maid. For a moment all four just stood there in silence.

"Marie, take Arthur inside to his bed" Mina said.

The main nodded, obviously uncomfortable and scared in Alucard's presence, and took little Arthur Hellsing's hand to hers. Before they left Arthur turned to look the vampire.

"Are you going to work for me one day?" he asked.

"Most probably" Alucard answered and watched as he was taken away.

He then turned to look, really look, Mina. "You haven't aged at all" he said.

"I'm not immortal" she said "I have enough of scars to prove that. But since you were not destroyed I wasn't completely freed from your blood either".

Alucard was silent for a moment, feeling little awkward. "The boy said something about you leaving".

Mina nodded. "The Europe is like a huge case of gunpowder ready to explode. The League is needed to prevent a massive war from starting. Though I'm not sure if we can do more than delay it from happening" she said.

She was quiet for a moment before she continued. "Alucard, I have a... a request".

"Yes?"

"Take care of my son for me. He is going to need guidance and protection that neither I nor Abraham can offer him".

"I can protect him while he is my Master's son. But time will come when he will have to prove himself as my Master".

Mina turned to look at him sharply, her eyes hard and blazing. Alucard stared into to them and realized he would have loved to have fought her 400 years ago then on some battlefield.

"When that time comes, Count" she said "he will prove himself and you will bow to him. Mark my words".

Alucard couldn't help but grin. "I can't wait". He then bowed and left.

Mina stood there for a moment, letting out a shaking breath and then left to the house.

She left the Hellsing manor the next day and never returned.

To be continued...

I hate these interlude chapters, the whole last conversation was very much improvised so I'm not sure if I really like it or not.

Mina not aging and being part of a world saving league is of course reference to Alan Moore's fantastic graphic novel "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", and by that I mean the graphic novel, not the freaking bad movie.

I'm not the first one to come up with idea that Mina is Arthur's mother. I don't know who came up with that theory but I always liked it and that's why I killed Jonathan earlier. Heh heh.

And because she doesn't age I thought Arthur would in turn age very slowly. That's why I had him born already now and still be a vigorous old man when he has Integra.

Okay, enough of me chatting. Do leave a review before leaving. Thank you!