A/N: I thank all of you for the lovely favs/follows/and reviews! I love them all and you all so much!
And Witch-of-hot-Cocoa! Your review made my day! Thank you so much!
I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I welcome all new and returning readers! :D
Hai Luluțu, dormi un picu'
Dragul mamii, puiuț micu'
Oare când oi fii voinicu'
Să n-am grijă, de nimicu
Eight year old Vlad smiled as he rested his head against the foot of his mother's bed, swaying side to side while listening to his lullaby.
Vlad knew he wasn't supposed to be in here and his father would punish him severely for disobeying his orders, but Vlad needed to be near his mother.
Even if he could only hear the sound of her voice.
"This lullaby has been sung to all the children of the royal family." His mother explained, the curtain hanging around her bed obscuring her from vision. "And when you choose your bride, I shall teach her this song so she may sing it to your children."
"Mama, I don't want to get married!" Vlad wrinkled his nose and stuck his tongue out in disgust. "I don't want any of that yucky stuff!"
"Well what do you want, my dove?" She laughed, digging her nails into her arms to fight back a coughing fit. "Just name it and it shall be yours."
"I want you to get better." Vlad drew his knees up to his chest and sighed. "We used to play together every day. But then you started to cough up blood and Father locked you away in here and he forbids me from seeing you." He turned around and stared at his mother's outline in the curtains. "I'm scared, Mommy. I am beginning to forget what you look like and I hear the servants whispering that Father plans to send me away. I don't want to leave, Mommy. I want to stay here with you."
"I know, my dove, I know."
"I wish I was a real dove. Then I could take you and fly away from here." Vlad let his head knock against the bedpost as he watched a flock of birds fly past the window. "If I could fly….maybe I would be worth something…"
"Pray hard enough and maybe God will grant your desires." The bed creaked as his mother crawled to the foot of the bed. "Vlad, my dear son, your pitiful mother would like to give you something. Please hold out your hand."
"Really?!" Vlad beamed, scrambling onto his knees and cupping his hands. "What is it, Mo—?"
A gaunt, pale hand extended from the crack between the curtains and a silver rosary was placed in his hands.
"I want you to wear my rosary, Vlad. When you say your prayers, hold it close so God will hear you loud and clear."
"Mommy…." Vlad stared at the dried blood caked underneath her cracked and yellowed fingernails and how her skin was littered with scabs. "You really have been cursed by the Ottomans, haven't you?"
"…..Is that what your father told you?" The curtains rattled as she fell into a coughing fit.
"….Mommy, I—."
Suddenly the tell-tale sounds of his father's armored footsteps echoed down the cobblestone hallway, and Vlad felt his voice catch in his throat.
"M-Mommy!"
"Fly, my dove!" The hand retreated back between the curtains and she blew out the lantern hanging above her head, submerging the room in complete darkness. "Fly away and don't look back!"
"But Mommy!"
"Go! Now!"
His heart pounding against his chest, Vlad frantically crawled beneath his mother's bed and blindly searched for the trap door latch as his father's footsteps grew louder.
Luckily, he found it and leapt inside, not bothering to shut it behind him as he climbed down the ladder and fumbled through the crawlspace.
And from above him, Vlad could hear the sounds of his mother's bedroom door slamming open and the curtain tearing in half.
"Where is he?!" His father demanded, followed by the sound of his mother screaming and something bringing thrown onto the ground.
"I know he was here! Where are you hiding him?"
Another thump was heard directly above him and Vlad had to bite his lip to keep from sneezing as dust filled the crawlspace.
"I don't know where he is! I honestly don't!"
"Liar! I know—wait, where is it?! Where is the silver rosary?!"
Vlad froze in place, the rosary like ice against his chest as his mother remained silent.
"I SAID, WHERE IS IT?!"
A loud smack echoed throughout the room followed by the sounds of cloth tearing and Vlad's entire body went numb as his mother's anguished screams filled the air.
"GET OFF OF ME! AAHHHH! STOP IT! STOP!"
Suddenly the sounds of a sword piercing flesh repeatedly silenced her screams, and Vlad flinched as warm liquid leaked from the floorboards above him.
"M-Mommy?" Vlad whimpered, licking the liquid off his hand and wincing at the coppery taste. "Mommy, why is the floor crying? A-and why does it take like blood?"
He received no reply and listened as his father sheathed his sword and marched out of the room, kicking whatever was causing the leak on his way out.
"…Mommy? Why aren't you answering?" His voice trembled and his eyes stung as the coppery liquid dripped into his eyes. "Mommy? Mommy? Why aren't you answering me?"
"A nightmare?" Olivia murmured as she wiped Alucard's bloody tears away from his sleeping face. His head was nestled on her lap and he was clinging onto her dress skirt like it was the last lifeline on a sinking ship.
The sigils on his gloves were glowing and no amount of shaking or calling his name would rouse him.
And that fact that Alucard was in his child form just remind Olivia of what his nightmares composed of…and how much it remind her of her own nightmares.
"Nightmares, fears, regrets….they never go away and repressing them will only make them worse. But…." She reached out and grasped his hand in hers, kissing the heart of the glowing sigil. "This time….I won't let go of your hand. So, please, don't let go of mine."
Gradually his tears subsided but he didn't release his death grip on her dress; Olivia didn't mind at all though.
No, she just kissed his hand once more before staring out the window at the passing scenery.
The train was on its way to Portsmouth and from there, the two of them would board a ferry that will take them across the English Channel to Le Havre, France. From there, Olivia and Alucard would slowly make their way to Hungary.
As for what would happen once they got there, Olivia had no clue but she had to get out of London if she wanted to make peace with her life and her demons.
Like Alucard, Olivia had her own hideous, jarring sigil but she wasn't able to embrace it like he had. She was able to display her scars now, hence the dress, but as for the mark on her hand…..perhaps that would come in time.
"How I envy you…" Olivia exhaled as she noticed a flock of birds appearing over the horizon.
Such freedom and carefree lives those birds had, and how Olivia desired to fly freely away from life's tribulations like them.
But humans weren't meant to fly so trains and ships would have to be her wings instead.
Perhaps it was wishful thinking to hope this trip would change anything, but at this point, Olivia didn't have any other choice.
"Anya, Apa, Akos, Mark…" She whispered, her eyes fluttering shut as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm coming home…"
When the train pulled into the station, Olivia scooped up a still sleeping Alucard into her arms and observed the porters as they carried her luggage, along with Alucard's coffin, onto the ferries deck.
There were strange looks and whispers from passersbys, but she ignored them and gave each of the porters a generous tip for their troubles.
"Thank you very much, ma'am." One of the porters tipped his hat. "I hope you and your son will have safe travels ahead."
"Same to you, kind sir." Olivia nodded, adjusting Alucard's head so it rested more comfortably on her shoulder.
"And I am sorry for your loss." The porter gestured to the covered coffin. "It is a shame to lose your husband at such a young age."
"My…husband?"
"Yes, Sir Hellsing informed us of the situation back in London that you and your son were bringing your husband's body back home." The porter rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of the perplexed expression on Olivia's face. "Um, may I ask how he passed?"
"Oh…um…." She glanced down at Alucard quickly before looking back up at the porter. "He was beheaded."
"Oh, I see." He nodded, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I apologize for your—wait did you just say he was beheaded?"
"Looks like the ferry will be departing soon." Olivia sighed, turning on her heel and walking away. "I bid you good day, sir."
"Y-Yes, ma'am. Safe travels." The porter tipped his head again before scurrying away like he had seen a ghost.
"You have given me a daughter, a son, and now a husband." Olivia chuckled under her breath, waltzing up to the railing. "What exactly are you trying to imply, Regele meu?"
The ferry soon pulled away from the dock, and Olivia took a deep breath, feeling the salty air expel the London smog from her lungs.
"Who knew the smell of salt water could be so therapeutic?" She chuckled, staring up at the ever present overcast blanketing the sky. "Even though the sun is not out, I should take him inside. King of Vampires or not, the sun is a vampire's worst enemy."
Smiling down at Alucard's sleeping face, Olivia pressed a kiss to his temple and went to move under the canopy when someone blocked her path.
"Cute kid you got there, young lady." A middle aged man with a sharp blue suit and gray hair remarked, reaching out to pat Alucard on the head. "He looks like a prized china doll."
"Thank you, sir." Olivia caught the man's wrist with her left hand and placed it back at his side. "But my son would not appreciate some stranger touching him, especially while he is sleeping. Please excuse us."
She side stepped around the man and hurried towards the canopy when a hand was placed on her shoulder, and she was yanked back roughly.
"How old are you?" The man leaned in close and Olivia had to surpass the urge to gag.
"And what business is that of yours?" She hissed, nudging his hand off her shoulder and taking a step back. "Where are your manners, sir? No true gentleman would harass a lady when it is obvious his presence is not welcome."
"I am just curious since you are way too young to have a kid that big." The man's eyes scanned her from top to bottom. "Did you get married young? Or were you a war bride?"
"None of your business."
"Ah, widowed then. It must be tough, traveling alone with a child, especially in the state the world is in right now." The man drank in Alucard's sleeping form again before facing Olivia with a lecherous grin. "How much?"
"How much for what?!" Olivia snarled, her grip on Alucard tightening. "If you take another step forward, your teeth will be back in England before you are."
"Really?" The man smirked, making a big show of taking a step forward. "Try me, little girl."
Alucard awoke to the sounds of people screaming and cursed under his breath at the rude awakening.
"What is going on?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes and lifting his head off Olivia's shoulder. "Why is everyone being so damn loud?"
"Good 'morning', sleepyhead." Olivia chuckled, smoothing out his hair as she walked away from the crowd gathering around the portside railing. "Oh, some idiot leaned over the rail and threw himself overboard. Nothing to worry about."
Alucard peered over her shoulder at the crowd and used his third eye to zero in on the man flailing around in the water, his bleeding head bopping up and down with the waves.
"I don't think that man can swim." Alucard chuckled.
"Shame." Olivia shrugged, taking a seat under the canopy next to their luggage. "He should have considered that before leaning too far over the railing."
Alucard stared at Olivia for a moment, combing through her mind, before a cheeky grin grew across his face.
"What?"
"Every day I like you more and more." He laughed, pinching her cheek. "Why didn't you wake me up? I would've loved to have a front row seat to the show."
"Oh hush and go back to sleep." Olivia fired back, a tiny smile present on her lips. "We still have an hour to go before we dock and I need you to be wide awake. I don't speak a word of French and I will need your help."
"Yes, mamă." Alucard saluted, still smiling as she continued gazing up at the sky.
But gradually, his teasing grin began to soften, and before he knew it, something warm was dripping down his cheek.
'Really?' Alucard scowled, wiping the bloody teardrop away with his thumb. 'I shed tears for something as ridiculous as this?'
"This time…" Her soothing voice echoed through his mind. "I won't let go of your hand. So, please, don't let go of mine."
'Has my mentality also regressed to that of a child's too?' He scoffed, rubbing his eyes as tears continued to flow out. 'Utterly ridiculous.'
"Hey, Alucard, I—." Olivia jumped slightly when he suddenly buried his face against her neck and clung to the front of her dress.
"Silence." His breath tickled her skin. "I am trying to sleep."
"….Alright." Olivia rubbed his back and shifted him so he was sitting more comfortably on her lap. "I'll wake you up when we reach Le Havre."
Alucard nodded and nuzzled his face against her warm skin, listening to her pulse and allowing it to lull him to sleep.
Le Havre was a city in France's Normady region, famous for its location along the Channel and its architecture. However, it was one of the many victims of air strikes during the war and a vast majority of the city was in ruins.
"How could I have forgotten?" Olivia muttered, taking in the desolation from her place on the Le Havre pier. "London wasn't the only place that was bombed during the war. How could I have forgotten that?"
"What else did you expect to see?" Alucard interjected, placing a hand on her cheek and turning her face towards his. "War is a plague that continues to devour everything in its path until there is nothing left standing."
"…..Yes….I know."
"Mademoiselle ," Their cab driver called out to her, his English heavily accented but understandable. "You said you need to take the 5:00pm train to Amiens, correct? Your luggage has been loaded into the car already, please follow me."
"Alright. After you then." Olivia spared one final glance at the ruined city before opening the cab door and slipping inside with Alucard perched on her lap.
The Le Havre train station was on the outskirts of town, so Olivia didn't get to see the full extent of the damage done to the city and its people, but she still saw enough.
War veterans missing their limbs, children without parents, families without homes, these were all familiar sights to her by now….yet…..
"So," Alucard's voice pulled Olivia's attention away from the destruction outside. "What is in Amiens?"
"Nothing really." She confessed, visualizing a mental map of their trip thus far. "I just knew we'd reach Le Havre by this evening, and it would take a long time to reach Paris from here, so I thought we'd spend the night in Amiens before heading to Paris."
"And what is in Paris?"
"My parents went on their honeymoon there." Olivia smiled softly, recalling the photo of her parents in front of the Eiffel Tower that her mother kept on her vanity. "I would like to visit the places that were significant to them."
"How sweet." Alucard cooed, patting her on the cheek.
"Don't patronize me."
One 3 hour train ride later, Olivia and Alucard found themselves sitting on top of Alucard's coffin in a park next to Amiens station.
"What, no porters to carry the Princess' luggage this time?" Alucard smirked, his grin growing wider when Olivia glared down at him.
"My luggage is just a suitcase and I was planning on finding a nice hotel for the night." Olivia pointed out, exasperated with Alucard's endless prodding. "But then my 'son' decided to stowaway and bring his possessed house with him, so I now have to rethink my plans."
"At least it is a beautiful night."
"Oh quiet." Olivia groaned, shifting him off her lap and plopping him next to her, still maintaining a firm grip on his hand. "I'm starting to get hungry. How about you? Did you pack extra packets of blood or am I going to have to break into a blood bank?"
"You can feed me if you want." Alucard snickered, his eyes glowing in the moonlight and his voice reverting back to its normally deep tone. "You are supposed to be my mother after all."
Olivia's face flushed a cherry red as she realized what he was implying and she yanked her hat down to cover her face.
"No eight year old boy talks like that to his mother, Alucard." She scolded, her eyes involuntarily glancing down at the puncture wounds on her chest. "And please, use your child voice while in that form. I beg of you."
"Ever as you wish, Olivia." Alucard cackled, playfully tweaking her nose. "Ever as you wish."
Suddenly there was a gust of wind and Olivia's hat flew up into the sky and landed in a bird's nest.
A white dove's, to be exact.
"Honestly!" Olivia groaned, running a hand down her face and standing up. "Where do you think you are going? Come back here!"
Alucard laughed at her threats towards an inanimate object and was about to send her off with a teasing remark when her words triggered another memory.
It was the same cycle every day—from dawn to dusk, Vlad was subjected to torture under the guise of military training and from dusk to dawn, he was the Sultan's plaything.
He never gave the Sultan or any of the Ottoman soldiers the satisfaction of hearing him scream or beg for mercy—no, Vlad just clung to his mother's rosary and took every blow as tears clouded his vision.
After two years as a prisoner, Vlad was surprised he still had tears left to shed at all.
"Get in there!" One of the guards flung Vlad into his cell by his hair and locked the door. "Rest up, 'Your Highness'! Training continues bright and early!"
Vlad just trembled as he curled into a ball on the icy stone floor, listening to the guard's footsteps fade into the distance.
The Sultan had finished 'playing' with him for the night, leaving Vlad with dried blood on his legs and his face riddled with bruises that accompanied the gashes he received from combat practice.
'No matter what,' Vlad winced as he lifted himself up on his knees and crawled towards his rag of a blanket. 'I will never beg for mercy.'
Then, just as he laid down, he heard something coo from the miniscule window in his prison cell and peered up to find a white dove perched on the window still.
"A dove? Is….Is that you, God? Have my prayers finally been answered?" He lifted a gaunt hand outwards, his dull blue eyes lighting up slightly. "Please….come closer."
The dove regarded him for a moment before cooing once more and taking flight, ignoring the cries of the captive prince.
"No! Come back!" Vlad clawed at the wall in an attempt to climb up it, his nails ripping off with every swipe thus staining the walls with blood smears. "Don't leave me! Come back! COME BACK!"
"NO!" Alucard flung his arms around Olivia's waist, sending the both of them crashing to the ground.
"What the—?!" Olivia pushed herself up on her elbows and craned her neck back. "Alucard, what on Earth is—?!" She froze when she recognized the expression on Alucard's face as the same one she saw in the Sultan's bedroom that night. Without hesitating, Olivia gathered Alucard into her arms and began to rock back and forth. "You are here, not there. You are here with me, in my arms. As long as you are in my arms, you are free. You are free, Vlad." Olivia cupped his face in her hands and gently wiped his tears away with her thumbs. "I'm not letting go of you, Vlad. I'm staying right here."
Alucard's eyes fluttered shut as she kissed his forehead and his small, trembling hands curled around her wrists, finding solace in her warmth.
But all too quickly, the vulnerable expression on his face was replaced with a furious one, and Alucard shoved Olivia back and clawed away the damning tears from this face.
"Vla—!"
"Don't look at me!" He slammed his palms over his eyes and turned his back to her. "I don't want your pity! Go! Retrieve your damn hat!"
It was humiliating. He hadn't been that sobbing child in centuries, yet here he was, bawling away in the arms of the human girl who said she loved him.
Even if he was an irredeemable monster.
Olivia jumped when she felt something plop onto her head and discovered the dove had returned her hat to her. Giving the helpful dove a grateful smile, Olivia stood up and walked in front of Alucard.
"It is getting late, and we need to find a place to stay." She held out her right hand and smiled. "Shall we, arany virágszál?"
'Golden flower...' He translated, peeking through his fingers at her gloved right hand before up at her smiling face. 'A silly name…..That is just like you, Olivia.'
With dried blood on his cheeks, Alucard placed his hand in hers and allowed Olivia to hoist him up onto his feet.
"You never change, don't you?"
"I suppose that is a good thing." She laughed, reaching into her dress pocket for her handkerchief and wiping Alucard's face clean. "Now, let's figure out where to go from here. I doubt anyone around here is willing to open their doors at this hour, especially to two foreigners."
"Perhaps I can help you with that." A voice rang out from behind them and Olivia spun around to find a woman with long, silver hair standing about five feet from them.
She looked to be in her late twenties, wore a long blue dress with a cinched waist, had her hair pined back with an emerald pin, and carried a lace parasol even though the sun had long since set.
But…it was her eyes that caught Olivia's attention.
"You're…." Olivia reached for Sic Parvis Magna, which was hidden beneath her dress. "You're a—."
"Well this is a surprise!" Alucard bellowed, strutting forward with his normally arrogant aura as if he hadn't regressed into a feeble child moments prior. "I thought you were killed by a vampire hunter in the late 19th century."
"Disappointed, Your Majesty?" The woman giggled, grasping the edge of her dress and curtsying. "However, like you, I am rather hard to kill."
"So I see." He applauded, his fangs seemingly sharper in the moonlight. "Bravo, indeed."
"Alucard," Olivia cleared her throat, her eyes shifting from him to the mysterious woman. "Who is she? A friend of yours?"
"Hardly." The woman laughed, closing her parasol and stepping forward. "I am Duchess Fay Valentine of Regena, and fifty years ago, I tried to slaughter your companion."
"And why is that?"
"He tore my husband's heart out and ate it while also wrapping him up in a silver chain and throwing him into a pool of holy water."
"Oh." Olivia nodded calmly before gazing down at Alucard. "I guess you should apologize?"
"Why should I?" He shrugged. "I did it under my master's orders."
"It's water under the bridge now. Besides, my husband had it coming with the way he burned that town to the ground and murdered all those children." Fay chuckled, making a 'don't worry about it' gesture. "Now, it would be an honor to provide lodging for you and your pretty companion for a few days, Your Majesty."
"Oh, we only need a roof for tonight." Olivia started to explain but was cut off by Fay pointing the end of her parasol in her face.
"Nonsense. At least stay until the day after tomorrow. Amiens may not be Paris, but it has its own charms. Good? Good!" Fay clapped her hands together, sealing the one sided deal. "Let's hurry along now. I have your room and a meal waiting."
"Are you sure we can trust her?" Olivia whispered, noticing Alucard's coffin sprout legs and scurry after Fay. "What if she tries to kill you? You are not the most likable person in the world, you know."
"My late master, Sir Abraham Van Helsing, never retracted his command to kill Fay Valentine if the situation called for it." Alucard smirked, excitement and bloodlust apparent in his eyes. "So I wouldn't worry about that."
'At least he is back to his normal self.' Olivia smiled wryly, allowing Alucard to lead her after Fay and his sentient coffin. 'That is good. I'd rather have him smiling than crying.'
Fay's house rested along the River Somme near the center of the city. It was a snug, pastel medieval architecture two story house with a tiny garden up front.
"Your room is up there." Fay tossed her parasol on the loveseat and pointed up the narrow, spiraling staircase. "It is rather small but I believe it will suit you just perfectly." Then she gave the coffin a light kick in the rear. "Up you go, mongrel coffin."
"Duchess Valentine, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your head if you leave a single scratch on my coffin." Alucard grinned, his pistol materializing in his hand. "And I would hate to stain your beautiful wallpaper."
"My apologies, Your Majesty." Fay held her hands up in surrender before patting the coffin as it trekked up the stairs. "As a vampire, I do not eat human food," She moved into the kitchenette and opened the cabinet, "But I can offer you a jar of pickles the neighbor boy gave me, Mademoiselle… ..?" Fay turned around and made a swaying motion with her arm. "Mademoiselle….?"
"Oh, Olivia. My name is Olivia Emese Song." Olivia curtsied, glaring daggers at Alucard as he snorted under his breath. "We thank you for your hospitality….and your pickles."
"Think nothing of it." Fay beamed, handing Olivia the jar of pickles and a fork. "But I will require some payment for my services."
"How much would you like, Ms. Valentine?" Olivia inquired, her face pinching up as she bit into a particularly sour pickle. "Will 20 pounds cover the room and board?"
"Human money has no significance to me, Mademoiselle Song." Fay poured herself and Alucard a glass of 'wine' before sitting on the counter and taking a swing. "What I am interested in is your story."
"My…story?" Olivia gulped, her gag reflex at war with another overly sour pickle. After swallowing the blasted thing, she placed the lid back on the jar and slid it across the counter, two pickles more than enough to sedate her hungry. "You mean why I am here? Why on Earth would you want to know that?"
"Something for those ridiculous storybooks of yours?" Alucard muttered into his wine glass, dodging the dart Fay hurled at him.
"They are not storybooks, Your Majesty." Fay growled, several more darts nestled between her fingers. "It is called 'manga'."
"Manga?" Olivia interjected, positioning herself in front of Alucard. "You mean like manhwas?"
"You know the Korean word for manga?" Fay's face lit up like Christmas morning.
"Yes, my father had a small collection of them from his youth." Olivia smiled and shared down at her hands, recalling a far off memory. "He used to read them before his performances at the opera house. He told me it helped him get into character."
"Wait, wait," Fay placed her wine glass down and hopped off the counter. "What did you say your last name was again?"
"Song. It's Song, Ms. Valentine."
"Your last name is Song and your father read manhwas before his performances at the opera house…." Fay repeated those words to herself, tapping her nails against her lips in deep thought. "How interesting…"
"Is something wrong, Ms. Valentine?" Olivia glanced over at Alucard for an explanation, but he just shrugged and poured himself another glass of 'wine'.
"It's nothing." Fay coughed, the smile returning to her face. "Well, it is rather late so I believe you should hurry off to bed, Mademoiselle Song. There is a washroom across the hall from your bedroom for you to use."
"Y…Yes. Thank you." Olivia curtsied and started up the stairway before turning back to Alucard. "Try not to stay up too late. I would like for the both of us to get up early tomorrow."
"As you wish." Alucard blew a kiss in her direction. "Sleep well, Olivia."
Fay watched Alucard intently as Olivia smiled and continued up the stairway, noticing his eyes never left Olivia's form until she was out of sight.
"So, Your Majesty," Fay cleared her throat, pulling his attention back onto her. "Care to explain why you are a child?"
"Why not? The form I take has no significance to me."
"I recall you giving me that same answer fifty years ago when you appeared before me as a wolf." She poured the last of the 'wine' into Alucard's glass before tossing the empty bottle into the trash. "Still loyal to the Hellsing organization I see."
"Of course." Alucard raised his hand up, the sigil glowing momentarily before fading out.
"But why are you with that girl and not with your master? Won't you combust if you're not within three feet of Sir Hellsing?"
"I am here under my master's orders. I am to watch over Olivia until she completes her journey and returns to the Hellsing manor."
"Well, you seem to be enjoying your job from the way you act around her." Fay snorted, picking her wine glass up again and taking a gulp. "Are you in love with Olivia or something?"
"I am." Alucard replied casually, ignoring how Fay nearly choked on her 'wine' and proceeded to finish off his own glass.
"A-Are you serious?!"
"You sound surprised."
"Well I am!" Fay muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. "But….she is very pretty and it is obvious she loves you too. God knows why considering what a mess you are."
"You flatter me." Alucard placed his empty glass in the sink and marched towards the staircase. "I am going to bed now. Feel free to try and kill me tonight, but don't wake up Olivia. She isn't a happy camper when rudely awakened."
"Trust me!" Fay called out after him. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it years ago!"
Alucard's laughter was the only reply Fay got, and she rolled her eyes as she trudged over to her office.
"Remind me again why I bothered to help him out after what he did to you." Fay asked a portrait of her husband, taken from when he was still human. "Oh that's right. I owe him a debt."
In the short few years he'd been married, Vlad learned how to get dressed in the dark quietly and quickly.
Glancing over his shoulder, Vlad could make out Jusztina's curled up form on the bed. Her back was to him and he could tell she was only pretending to be asleep until he left.
Off to fight yet another war.
Vlad didn't want to marry her, and he knew she didn't want to marry him. But Jusztina's cousin, King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, had imprisoned Vlad during the last battle between their kingdoms and would only grant his freedom if he married Jusztina.
'Freedom.' Vlad scoffed, pulling his tunic back on. 'There is no such thing.'
It wasn't much of a marriage, they barely saw each other since Vlad was constantly on the battlefield, defending his homeland and beseeching God's approval. He loved the battlefield in all its gory glory, but it was only when he was alone with Jusztina did he feel wary. They didn't hold hands or do anything vaguely romantic.
No, their marriage life simply consisted of Vlad bedding Jusztina and leaving before the dawn. From all his years under the Ottoman army, Vlad viewed sex as something disgusting but necessary to continue the Dracul bloodline. Yet it didn't help matters that Jusztina wouldn't do anything but lay there both during and after.
Sometimes, during the first two years of their marriage, Jusztina would awkwardly run her fingers through his hair when she thought he was asleep but it never lasted long and eventually she ceased the action entirely; Vlad loathed to admit that a part of him wished she didn't stop.
The stories his mother used to read to him were nothing but lies. Freedom and love were simply fiction meant to entertain children by the fireplace.
Fastening on the final piece of his armor, Vlad snatched his sword from its perch near the closet and marched towards the door.
He couldn't wait to return to the battlefield, to taste his enemies' blood on his tongue, and to cut down anyone who stood between him and God's grace.
"Heavenly Father, may my 'prayers' reach your kingdom." Vlad pressed a kiss to his mother's rosary and slammed the door behind him just as Jusztina sat up and watched her husband leave for God knows how long.
"I'm pregnant." She whispered, placing her hands over her abdomen. "The shaman tells me it's a boy, a Crown Prince…..an heir…"
When Alucard awoke in his coffin, he wasn't crying but his limbs felt like lead.
In the end, he was no different from his father, except he didn't sell his sons to the enemy as child soldiers.
No, he slaughtered them and Jusztina in a fit of madness when they dared to oppose him and his radical ideals.
"I hope you are proud of yourself,….Mad King." Alucard growled, the lid of his coffin sliding off as he sat up and looked around the room.
Much like the rest of the house, the room was snug and consisted only of a bed and a small sliver of carpet where his coffin and Olivia's suitcase were situated.
Speaking of Olivia, she was curled up in the center of the feather bed, buried underneath layers of quilts and pillows.
"Well don't you look cozy?" Alucard chuckled, waltzing over to the side of the bed and falling to his knees, resting his head on his arms and gazing at her sleeping face. "You are making that bed look really comfortable, you know."
Olivia's nose whistled while she slept and her hair was like a mass of black vines sprawled across her face, but Alucard thought she was still very pretty.
Not beautiful…that would come when she was older, but he figured 'pretty' suited her at this moment.
"Enjoy your 'burrow', hercegnő." He whispered, about to get up when Olivia slowly opened her eyes.
"Al..ucard?" She moaned, rubbing her eyes and sitting up on her elbows. "Mmm. What time is it?"
"It is 4 am according to the clock sitting on the stool next to your bed." He answered, resting his cheek on his knuckle and watching her yawn and brush the hair away from her face.
"Ngh. I don't even get up this early back home." Olivia flopped back ungracefully onto the mattress and Alucard began to snicker when his voice suddenly caught in his throat at what Olivia did next.
"And what do you think you are doing?"
"It is too early to get up," Olivia groaned, holding the quilt up and patting the spot next to her. "Lay down here and sleep some more. You are able to sleep in something besides a coffin right?"
Alucard could only blink in surprise and confusion as Olivia continued to pat the spot next to her.
"You realize you are asking a man to lie in bed next to you, right?"
"Stop making it weird and get over here." Olivia leered at him. "C'mon, my arm is getting tired."
"Yes, mamă." He chuckled, feeling a stirring sensation in his empty chest as he crawled onto the bed and laid down next to her.
"Comfortable?"
"Yes."
"Good." She released the quilt and wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers through his hair as she smiling sleepily down at him. "More spacious than your coffin, right?"
"You've been inside it, remember?" Alucard retorted, his fists clinging to the front of her nightgown. "That coffin contains my own true kingdom and isn't just a simple box."
"I know, I know" She kissed his forehead, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "….You're doing it again."
Alucard stiffened as Olivia wiped away a bloody teardrop before it could even flow down his cheek.
"Fuck." He immediately released Olivia and scooted towards the edge of the bed. "I'm going back to my co—."
"Oh no, no." Olivia dragged him back into her arms and held him tight against her chest. "You are staying right here, misty eyed or not. Besides, what kind of mother would I be if I kicked my son out of bed?"
"I'm not really your son, though." He laid limp in her arms. "It's just an act."
"Is that so? Then," She shifted down so she was at eye level with him. "What kind of wife would I be if I kicked my husband out of bed?"
"Your what?!" Alucard did a double take, not believing his ears. "What did you call me?"
Olivia had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at his wide eyed expression, which was especially adorable in his child form.
"Apparently Sir Hellsing told the porters back in England that you were my dead husband and it was my duty to transport your body back home." She giggled at the ridiculous cover-up and cupped his face in her gloved hands. "So what kind of wife would I be if I didn't stand by my arrogant, frightening, emotionally constipated/diuretic husband until the end?"
"You'll pay for that comment when we get back to London." He cackled, despite the tears staining his cheeks, and buried his face against her chest. "…You're a strange woman, you know that?"
"How so?" Olivia rolled onto her back so he could lay on top of her.
"Well you wear gloves to bed and spout out nonsense like a broken water pipe for starters."
"Almost everyone we know wears gloves, so don't place that on me." She countered with a grin. "And secondly, spouting out nonsense is part of what makes me who I am. I've just learned to embrace it instead of ignoring it as of late."
"I never said it was a bad thing." Alucard pointed out, tracing the scar on her neck with a feather-like touch. "It is rather endearing in its own way."
"Glad to know my quirks are attractive." Olivia scoffed, glancing over at the alarm clock to see it was almost 5 am. "I guess we should get up. Ms. Valentine is probably waiting for us to come down and—."
"She can wait for another hour or so." Alucard prevented Olivia from sitting up by clinging to the sheets below them and burrowing his face against her neck. "Please….let me stay like this for a while longer. Let me….pretend… imagine….just for a while longer."
Olivia said nothing and just smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his hair while humming under her breath.
"As you wish, Alucard. Ever as you wish."
When Olivia and Alucard ventured downstairs three hours later, they found Fay holed up in her office, surrounded by mountains of papers and ink.
"Is drawing manga your occupation, Ms. Valentine?" Olivia wondered aloud, glancing at the drafts tacked to a board. "You are rather talented, I must say."
"Aww, you are too sweet, Mademoiselle Song. But it is only a hobby for right now." Fay beamed, placing her inking brush down and patting the seat next to her. "Please take a seat now. I would like to hear your story and—Oh! The neighbor boy dropped off another jar of pickles so you are free to help your—."
"I'll pass, thank you, Ms. Valentine." Olivia shivered at the sour memories and took the offered seat. "Um, where would you like for me to start?"
"From the beginning, of course! And as for you!" Fay pointed towards Alucard and made a shooing motion. "Out of my office! You can entertain yourself in my weapons room down below until we are finished!"
"A weapons room, you say?" Alucard's eyes gleamed in delight. "Don't mind if I do."
He then lowered himself through the floor and out of sight, much to Fay's relief and Olivia's amusement.
"Thank Heavens he is gone." Fay ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I always seem to get a headache whenever he is around."
"I feel your pain." Olivia mumbled, yelping when one of Alucard's shadows flicked her on the nose.
"Alrighty then.." Fay grabbed a pen and a wad of stationary before leaning back in her chair. "Now, let's have your story, Mademoiselle Song."
"Well, as you can probably tell, I wasn't born in England but Hungary, hence the accent. My father was from Korea and was an opera singer, and my mother was a Hungarian native and a ballet dancer. I also had two little brothers named Akos and Mark."
For two hours, Olivia informed Fay of all that had occurred over the past ten years. She cried and screamed at some parts, but didn't cease talking until everything had been said.
And…in a way, it was rather therapeutic.
"Sounds like you have been through Hell and back." Fay remarked, placing her full stationary and pen down. "It's quite a story though. I think I could make a manga based off it, with your consent of course."
"By all means." Olivia nodded, figuring it was a fair payment for all Fay had done for her. "If you think my life is that interesting."
"If you thin—." Fay cut herself off with a smile and shook her head. "You really are your father's daughter."
"Y-Y-You knew my father, Ms. Valentine?!" Oliva shot out of her seat, sending the stool toppling over. "How?! When?! Where?!"
"Calm down, calm down. One question at a time." Fay chuckled, gesturing for her to take a seat again. "I was pretty surprised myself when I figured it out. It really is a small world."
"Please, Ms. Valentine," Olivia picked the stool back up and took a seat, anxious to hear more. "How did you meet my father?"
"It was about twenty years ago, and I had just moved to Amiens, wanting to settle down somewhere nice and where the Vatican couldn't find me. Anyways, during my first month here, there was a huge storm and I heard a knock at my door. Can you guess who was standing there?"
"My father?"
"Correct. He was young, frail looking thing, just barely 19 and didn't speak a word of French. But I had spent a decade in Korea and knew enough to communicate with him. Anyways, Jwa-jin asked for a place to stay until the storm passed and in return, I asked him to tell me his story." A tender smile grew across Fay's face as she leaned back in her chair and reminisced. "Jwa-jin told me he was on a trip across Europe in the hopes of studying music and," Fay's eyes twinkled as she peered over at Olivia, "he told me he had fallen in love with a young ballerina back in Hungary and wanted to become a famous opera singer to win her heart."
"Anya…"Olivia breathed out, placing her hand over her heart.
"That's right. And oh boy, your father was head over heels for your mother. It was 'Zsofia this' and 'Zsofia that' as he wore this enamored expression on his face. It was rather touching to be honest. Reminded me of when I first meet my husband." Her joyful expression fell for a moment and she involuntarily glanced at the photo on her desk before returning to the story. "Anyways, eventually the rain stopped and before he left, Jwa-jin offered to play a song for me."
"A song?!"
"Yes, and it was in French. He couldn't understand a word of it but it still sounded beautiful." And then, to Olivia's shock and delight, Fay pulled out a record from the first drawer of her desk and placed it on her gramophone.
"You actually recorded it?!"
"Indeed I did. Now, hush up and listen."
And Fay placed the needle down on the rotating disk and a guitar's melody filled the room.
Au lendemain de nos déboires
Pourra-t'on parler d'amour
Mon amour
Écoute bien cette histoire
C'est l'histoire de la bête et la belle
Dieu sait que j'ai ramé
Mais j'ai gardé mes sous ma pauvre
Dignité
Car l'argent est la revanche
Que la bête prendra sur la belle
Les drogues étaient trop douces
Mais quelle exquise petite folie
Mon amour
Les drogues sont la seule route
Qui fera de la bête une belle
Non ne me demande pas
Pourquoi j'ai tellement peur de mourir
Alors que la mort verra
La bête s'unir à la belle
Bien qu'il nous ait brûlés
Parlons encore d'amour
Car l'amour est le plus vrai
C'est le cadeau de la bête à la belle
Non ne me demande pas
Pourquoi j'ai tellement peur de mourir
Alors que la mort verra
La bête s'unir à la belle
Alors que la mort verra
La bête s'unir à la belle
Fay lifted the needle as the final notes rang out and turned to face Olivia, only to find her with a heartbroken expression and tear stained cheeks.
"O-Olivia? What is the matter?" Fay panicked. "Aren't you happy to hear your father's voice after so long?"
"I….I….." Olivia stared down at her trembling hands, her heart caught in her throat. "I didn't recognize his voice at all. I wouldn't have known that was my father if you hadn't told me…I've forgotten what he sounded like…." She buried her face in her hands and sobbed openly. "Apa…I'm so sorry….what kind of daughter doesn't remember her own father's voice?!"
Fay stared down at the crying girl for a moment before kneeling in front of her and removing her hands from her face.
"Do you want to know why I helped Alucard, even though he was responsible for my husband's demise?"
Still sobbing, Olivia didn't respond at first but eventually nodded her head.
"It's because he saved my life, kind of like how he saved yours." Fay said, tracing her pointer finger over the scar on her left hand. "After my husband died, I spiraled downwards. I blamed myself for his descent into insanity and considered offering myself to the Vatican as retribution for my sin. However, the Vatican found me first and ambushed me with blessed spears in my sleep. But I still fought, despite my initial pleas for death, because….I remembered promising my husband the day I turned him that we would live out the rest of eternity together and I wanted to honor that promise. Then, just like a fallen, demented angel, Alucard appeared and yanked me to my feet. 'If you want to live then fight!' is what he said to me. Well… he actually said 'I will be the one to kill you, Fay Valentine, not this pathetic mob of Papists' but they basically mean the same thing." Both women laughed and Fay continued on. "So he saved my life while also telling me his master had ordered him to kill me if I stepped out of line. The following day, I departed from Europe and went to Japan. It was also a dream of my husband's to go there, and so, I decided to honor his memory and fulfill his dream of becoming a manga artist. Silly, isn't it?"
"I don't think so." Olivia sniffled. "I think you are a very strong person for keeping his memory alive."
"Then do the same for your family. Keep their memory alive so you don't have to cry about forgetting them." Fay smiled and clasped her on the shoulder. 'After all, isn't that one of the reasons why you are traveling back to Hungary?"
"…Yes. Yes it is!" Olivia beamed, her tears ceasing. "Thank you, Ms. Valentine."
"Not a problem." Fay peered out the corner of her eye to spot Alucard leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching Olivia dry her tears with her sleeves. "Hey, it is a cloudy day and not very hot. How about you two go to the sunflower field on the outskirts of the city? It's a beautiful sight to behold and I would hate for you not to see it before you leave."
"Sounds lovely." Olivia smiled, standing up and bowing to Fay. "Thank you so much, Ms. Valentine. I'll never forget your kindness for as long as I live."
"Don't thank me just yet." Fay chuckled, patting her on her head and gesturing towards the door. "Run along now, your prince awaits you."
"So I see." Olivia giggled and bowed once again before taking Alucard's outstretched hand and leading him out the door.
"I have to thank you as well, Alucard." Olivia shifted onto her side and gazed at him as he laid next to her with his hands clasped together on his chest.
They were lying in the heart of the sunflower field with a light breeze dancing between the stems.
"What for?" He cracked an eye open. "I didn't do anything."
"But you did. By saving Ms. Valentine, she was able to meet my father, thus granting me the chance to learn more about my parents. And…I got to hear my father's voice again after ten years. This….This means a lot to me."
"It was all just happenstance." Alucard brushed her gratitude aside with a shrug.
"And it was just happenstance that you came to Northleach that day and found me." Olivia sat up and rose to her feet. "Because of you, I have suffered greatly but I have also learned a lot and become stronger than I could ever imagine." Olivia twiddled her thumbs before staring down at him with an affectionate grin. "Thank you, Alucard, for giving me the wings to fly that day and somehow balancing out the madness in my life. Now…if you'd let me, I would like to do the same for you."
"What are you—?!"
Suddenly he was plucked off the ground and lifted up into the air as Olivia held him up high above the flowers.
"Humans cannot fly, but if you will let me, I can be your wings like how you are mine."
Then she began to spin around, her white dress fanning around her, and it was like Alucard was flying above a field of gold.
It was nonsense—ridiculous and ingenuous nonsense that only Olivia could conjure up and make into reality.
Yet it was enough to, once again, bring tears to his eyes.
But, unlike before, these weren't tears of anger, fear, anguish, or regret.
These were tears….of happiness.
Pure, unadulterated happiness.
Giggling at the display, Olivia lowered Alucard back down to Earth and kissed his tears away.
"My little husband is such a crybaby! I thought I was supposed to be the emotional one!"
"Silence." He roughly yanked at her cheeks while laughing as the tears continued unceasingly. "You truly are a one-of-a-kind human, Olivia Emese Song."
"You are a one-of-a-kind yourself." She hummed, bumping her forehead against his. "But I still love you all the same, arany virágszál."
"And I love you, porumbelul meu." Alucard breathed out, feeling her heartbeat thud against his chest.
And, standing on a hill overlooking the sunflower field, there stood Fay with her parasol and a smile.
"Alright, now, my debt has been repaid." She giggled, blowing them a kiss before spinning on her heel and waltzing back towards the house with a spring in her step.
Later that night, Alucard laid in bed alongside Olivia, gazing at her sleeping face with a smile of utter endearment.
Then, under the glow of the moonlight shining through the window, he changed back to his normal size and pressed his index and middle fingers to his lips.
"I won't let go of your hand." He recited, pressing his fingers against her lips in an indirect kiss. "So, please, don't let go of mine."
Olivia's nose whistled in response and Alucard chuckled as he reverted back to his child form and snuggled against her, his smile growing when she snuggled against him in return.
And, in the room directly below them, Fay was hard at work with her new manga. On the page in front of her were a woman and man with Olivia and Alucard's likenesses. They were smiling and embracing with these words in the textbox above them:
And she has fallen in love with a man who has no happy stories.
but she makes him smile
without realizing that now,
all of his happy stories are of her.
A/N: FayValentine123, I hope you enjoyed your little cameo and how I basically studied your profile for days to create your Hellsing persona. Lol!
This chapter was alternately called, "Alucard catches emotions and has no idea how to filter them so he cries"
I think that when Alucard is in his child form, the traumas and memories of that time in his life are stronger. It is said that Alucard is at his weakest in his true form. And manga has been around for a long time. By the way, doves are synonymous with olive branches. Guess whose name means 'olive tree' in Latin. By the way, when I chose Olivia's name, I chose it because of Olivia the Pig, my favorite storybook character. I wasn't trying to be poetic. Lol. But it works out in the end! Hahahahaha! And that quote at the end is by witchofflunette on tumblr. You can see this and other corresponding photos on my tumblr blog! And link to the song "La Bete et La Belle' is on my profile! It becomes important later in the story!
Translations:
porumbelul meu: my dove
Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review! I love them so much!
(And feel free to draw fanart for this fic. *winks with both eyes*)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I will see you in the next one!