Stop it

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A very, very long time later…

When Walter came back a very stirred up Lord Island waited for him at the airport.

“First Richard called me yesterday, telling me that he is taking over Hellsing as Integra really is too young and childish. Really, calling the little ice queen childish. Can you believe it? And then telling me he is worried because she has run away and they can’t find her. When I tell him to look in the graveyard, cause she might be at her fathers grave to mourn, he nearly laughed his head off. Then this morning she called me and told me she would attend the round table meeting this afternoon, taking the place of her father. I told her she can’t, she’s too young and that’s why we would only accept Richard as the head of the Hellsing organisation in her place until she is old enough, and she tells me you can’t entitle a dead man and ends the conversation. I’m so glad you are back! Everyone in that dreadful family has gone mad over his death, it seems…”

All the way from the airport to the mansion Walter listened to his endless renderings of what could have happened, while the butler already was having a very clear impression what might have truly been the case.

So Integra and Richard had fought over Hellsing. Whoever of them had started to make it serious, it seemed to him that the girl had won. Interesting! Tough little lady like her father…. But how? Walter himself had taught her to shoot. She was quite good at it. But he doubted that she had the heart to shoot her uncle in cold blood. He doubted that she had made the first step to violence. She was still a child. Not fascinated by death like he was at her age. Not a born killer. She wielded a sharp tongue though. But Richard was a man of action. Did someone of Hellsings troops interfere and fought for her, defended her? Fargason perhaps?

When they came to the mansion it was 12,30 h already. Walter let them in, remembering another dreadful day entering the house together. He wasn’t sure what to expect. Everything seemed nice and normal. They met one of the maids in the hall. She said, the young mistress had already had lunch and would be busy in her fathers working chamber.

They climbed the stairs, Island muttering something about childish behaviour. The door stood open. Islands entered the room before Walter and stopped dead in his tracks, so that Walter nearly bumped into him.

The young girl sat at her fathers desk, busy signing papers. She looked up and uttered a sigh of deep honest relief, “Walter! Thank god. And Lord Islands, too.”

They stepped further in the room towards the desk and someone closed the door behind them from the inside. He must have been hiding behind it.

A movement behind him, an uncertain situation, a possible attack….. Walter turned, recognized a strange shadow and threw his wires instinctively. He felt he cut something, but could see no one there. The shadow had vanished.

He heard Integra gasp and Island move behind him. And then a familiar laughter answered him.

“Still quite fast… still good at killing, angel of death.” No one had called him this for years.

Walters old heart skipped a beat. Could it be true? He smiled. He knew this voice just too good. “Why is it I never get a proper nice welcome from you?”

Shadows swirled and there he was! Not quite as he remembered him, for his very long hair was white and he wore a strange black outfit with lots of broken straps and buckles. Quite sexy indeed. Grin in place up to his red eyes. Unmistakably…

“Dramatic arrangement, Alucard.”

The vampire twinkled an eye towards him and turned his head to the other figure standing and staring. “Hello Lord Islands, still round here?” Islands looked like he would die from the shock.

Integra said plainly, “So you know each other already? You haven’t told me about it, Alucard.“

“There were more important things to do, Sir Hellsing. We’ll do the chat later, time is fleeting. Hurry up signing the last papers, Integra.” His voice was soft and almost tender, also very slightly commanding. Integra faithfully took up the pen again. Their communication already gave the impression to watch an age-old couple, Walter thought amused.

“Wait a minute,“ Islands interfered loudly, “what are you trying to do? She is merely a child. She cannot take over the organisation!”

Alucard stepped over to the desk smoothly and sided up to the blond girl, who had barely looked up at Islands words. He grinned.

“She can and she will, I assure you.” Despite the bright daylight his eyes shone through the room. “Do you wish to disagree with the plans of my master, Lord Islands?”

“Your master???” Islands was lost, but unusually bravely made another attempt. “So where is Richard then? Why can’t he be your master?”

The vampire snorted disgustedly and Integra looked up again, quite irritated. “I told you he’s dead. He and his men. The corpses are in the cellar. We still have to get rid of them. Will be a quite nasty job though…quite a mess.” She threw an accusing look to the vampire beside her.

Walter could no longer suppress a wide grin. His heart felt like bursting with joy. “I’ll choose someone especially trustworthy from the cleaning unit. Did Alucard kill him?”

“No. He saved me from him. He killed Richards men.” She wrinkled her forehead and looked at the vampire, who was all smiles back at her. “But I shot my uncle. I don’t know if this would count as self-defence. Rather not, I guess. Now here it would be a good moment to state, that I am still a child, wouldn’t it, Lord Islands?” There was a new quality of determination in her voice, Water recognized.

Islands just looked at her astonished. She went on, “Of course this should better not leak out.” She sighed and signed one last paper and Alucard took them from her, quickly scanning through them to check, before he put them into two folders. “We should go then, Integra, my master!” His smooth voice sounded undoubtedly proud of her. He handed one of the folders over to Islands, “Her official statement to the recent events, her acceptation of succeeding her father’s property and knighthood rank, and the corrections about your budget draft, you will want it for the meeting now, plus most of the papers that had been sent to her farther to be signed.”

Island looked at the vampire unbelievingly, “She will not be able to cope with this job, she’s merely a child!”

Alucard looked at him calmly. “Let’s say she has good help and advice from someone who knows about the principles of power.”

Integra got up, “Would you like to come with us in the car, Lord Islands?” The called upon finally had the nerve to get his brain moving and took the folder. “No, thank you, I have my own car still waiting outside.”

Walter followed Intregra and Alucard quickly, taking the other folder with documents from Alucard cautiously with the words “This as a job for a butler, you know.” He wouldn’t want to miss this fun!

Alucard grinned widely, flashing his fangs. Integra turned to them and flinched only slightly by this sight. He grinned even wider. “You will get used to it, master.”

They got in the car. On their way to London Integra let go of her strong behaviour and cuddled to Walter. He comforted her best he could. Alucard watched them silently. Why the vampire was staying in the car instead of vanishing into the shadows till they were there was a mystery to Walter.

They reached the round table meeting just in time. The meeting itself was a piece of cake. They wanted Integra to go in alone and she proved her nerve and stamina to them for the first time, when she indeed did it. However, Walter recognized Alucard vanishing as soon as the door closed. He would surly lend her a hand unseen, Walter grinned.

After a while he heard loud voices coming from the room and, when a waitress went in to bring fresh beverages, he caught Integra’s young voice stating in a very cold, steel like tone, “..and it was indeed my fathers wish for me to take over his work and I am prepared for it. I have been trained to do it. I am the master of his monster, so what do you want to set against this? He has accepted me as head of the Hellsing organisation, so I hope you will, too. If you dare challenge me, do so! If you have a better solution at hand, bring it forward now! But be aware that Hellsing will never…”

The door closed and Walter grinned. She was brilliant! When they came out not much later for a break, Integra looked slightly tired. The other Members looked irritated. Most of them flinched to the sides when Alucard appeared out of nowhere, his old glorious self, bowing low and making a big show of calling her his master. That was the trump card. Most of the members had never seen him before, but everyone got the message of power and danger he radiated by just being there, standing behind her.

One of the members dared to address Integra furiously, “How could you bring that thing here! Your father has never dared this! He promised us to have it destroyed!”

The young girl looked at him coolly, while Alucard grinned. “I doubt it was because he did not dare it, Lord Woodhall, I guess, it was because he did not have to. After having my life attacked by my own uncle I felt the need of the company of Hellsings best weapon. Understandable urge, don’t you agree? And I think I like it. I might bring him to your next garden party.”

Most of the others sniggered. Lord Woodhall’s garden parties were legendary famous for their nice food, famous guests and cultivated boredom. Walter heard someone mutter lowly, “Just the daughter of her father, indeed.”

When the knights returned to the table they asked Integra to wait outside for their decision. She waited beside Walter calmly, showing no emotional reaction at all. Another half an hour later she was an approved member of the round table and was asked to join the rest of the meeting officially. They really hadn’t had much choice…

On the way back in the car she looked exhausted, but lively told them about the meeting. It was already dark outside. Walter noticed that the vampire listened closely to her words, watching every move of hers, especially when she leaned to Walter and cuddled to his arm again shortly.

When they got off the car at home Integra yawned and stretched, much more a child than she had been all day long. The vampire bowed to her. “The house is safe, I checked on that, master. If you would excuse me now.”

While he turned and took a step away, she said in a small voice, “Where are you going, Alucard?”

He went on and didn’t even look back. “Well, obviously I need to feed after my long rest to enable myself to be of further service to you.”

Suddenly wide awake she looked perplexed at his back. “What?? .. Wait!”

Alucard stopped and turned now. He looked frightening indeed. His lips were withdrawn in a horrible version of his trademark grin, showing his fangs deliberately and clearly, looking wild and hungry. Walter freed his hands, just in case.

“But…but you already… I mean, Richards men…you fed from them…and…and…,” she looked at him with disbelief. “Wasn’t that enough?”

Alucard growled low, red eyes shining. “That wasn’t enough by far, my master! Actually it is rarely ever enough. But unless you volunteer to give me more of your precious blood, which I would love dearly indeed, I have to get some other tonight elsewhere to make up for the long time of missing it, so please excuse me for just a moment.” He bowed and made another step backwards.

Integra eyed her retracing servant for a second, then plainly stated, “No!” and turned to the house.

Alucard stared at her back, surprised, almost comical . “What do you mean, ‘no’, master???”

She turned again and looked at him calmly from the distance. “I can not let you run around killing people, can I? I have to defend them against your kind. I am Hellsing! We will find another solution for feeding you. Animals? Or…why… don’t you…yeah, I guess you can live on blood packs. We’ll try! We’ll get them for you tomorrow. Plenty if you wish! I do not want you to starve… But for tonight, I order you to come inside the house with me - now.” She spun around and headed to the stairs without further hesitation.

Walter cast a careful eye to Alucard, who stood there quite baffled on the spot. He narrowed his eyes. Then a huge smile slowly spread over the vampires face.

“She marvellous, isn’t she, Walter? Perfect!” And the grinning vampire slowly followed his master into the house.

Walter frowned and followed. “Never mind: She is still a child.”

“Ohhhh, yes!! Yes, and a virgin, too!”

“ALUCARD!!”

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