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Psalms for the Fallen	By : anyasy Category: Hellsing > General Views: 3357 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Psalms
for the Fallen

Chapter
5

I

They
were met on the runway by a group of silent priests who had instantly hustled
them via sleek black cars to another section of the airport, cordoned off,
supposedly for cleaning. Within it was a small jet, unmarked, and before
it, a rather familiar looking person dressed in Iscariot�s uniform, next to a
silent, plump priest.

Heinkel
smiled thinly at them, and it was a twisted, unfriendly expression; half of the
female priest�s face did not move, obviously reconstructed, taut and too
perfect, plastic. She had suffered the disfiguring injury in the
war, Integral recalled, but had been one of the lucky ones: most of Iscariot
had been annihilated.

�Sir
Hellsing.� Heinkel�s eyes flicked behind her, to Seras, who, despite the hood
drawn over her head, looked tired. �And you took the vampire, despite our
protests.�

Integral
nodded, meeting her stare steadily and refusing to give an inch. �I did
offer to meet somewhere more neutral.�

�Unfortunately,�
Heinkel said coldly, suggesting that, as much as she hated the very notion, she
agreed with Integral on that point, �His Holiness the Pope has
insisted.�

�So
you lapdogs will leap to obey. I hope that craft of yours has some decent
tea.� Integral sauntered past Heinkel, who ground her teeth in irritation.

�Speaking
of lapdogs,� Heinkel snarled, �I hear you lost control of yours.�

�Temporarily.�
Integral�s tone was nonchalant as she boarded. �I would suggest that the
Vatican sends no sweepers on his tail. Iscariot is destroyed, and Alucard
is back to the height of his powers.�

�That
is not for me to decide.� Heinkel followed Integral and Seras into the plane,
seating herself opposite the aisle to the Hellsing leader, with the plump priest
beside her. With some hesitation, Seras sat behind Integral, her eyes red
and watchful, as priests took their luggage to the back of the plane for
storage, including the bulky coffin that contained her Harkonnen.

Other
priests and nuns, all in traditional collars or habits, sat at the back of the
plane, and it was only when the aircraft began to take off that the silent
priest turned to regard Integral. He had watery gray eyes, and wispy
silver hair that clung only to the sides of his domed head, his jowls fat and
heavy like a bulldog�s over his cheeks, fat compressing the features of his
face to tiny sanctuaries. When he spoke, however, his tone was cool,
inflectionless, spidery and precise.

�Sir
Integral Hellsing.�

�Father
Gregory Aglione.� Integral replied, inclining her head, and the watery eyes
widened a fraction. �Leader of the Ninth. I did not think you would
meet me in Rome.�

�You
are an honored guest,� Aglione said dispassionately, �As His Holiness
decreed. You will meet the Pope within the hour upon landing in Vatican
City, after which He has requested that you be given access to all documents in
the library of the Ninth pertaining to the Lamiae.�

Integral
blinked. That wasn�t what she had expected. �Cooperation,
from the Vatican?�

�Non.�
Aglione shook his head slightly. �An exchange. In return for
overlooking certain� excesses committed by Hellsing in the Millennium War,
Hellsing is� aheh� requested to provide aid in containing the evil it
itself has released, due to its long history of expertise in vampire hunting.�

Integral
felt rage boil within her and stifled it with some effort. �Excesses?
Your Archbishop Enrico Maxwell slaughtered innocent civilians!�

�Excesses.�
Aglione held her eyes, for a moment, then glanced at Heinkel, then back again,
and Integral understood. Anderson. Which, it seemed, by the way
Heinkel�s expression didn�t change, was not an open subject in the
Vatican. �On the issue of the Archbishop, he has been excommunicated
posthumously, and his Holiness will overlook the fact that the Lamiae
was released through Hellsing�s device.�

�It
was a bloody accident and you people know it.�

�Indeed.�
Cold. �It seems many� accidents have occurred of late, regarding the
release of evil. But his Holiness the Pope has only that request, and
will not listen to any other� matters. Despite my advice, Sir Hellsing.�

�Hn.
I will consider it.� Integral had to content herself with a glower, refusing to
rise to the bait, as tea was served.

�Do
consider it very carefully.�

Integral
heard Seras take in a soft, sharp breath, as though at an implied insult, but
hoped the female vampire would not actually take offense on her behalf.
The small aircraft likely couldn�t cope with a midair fight between a member of
Iscariot and a vampire, and Integral�s plans for the immediate future did not
include crash-landing.

�How
would I even be able to help? No doubt between Section Nine and Thirteen you
have far more information than Hellsing, particularly handling vampires older
than Alucard.�

�To
a certain degree,� Aglione said coolly, and now Integral was sure that
there was something else. �His Holiness the Pope will explain matters to
you to your satisfaction, when you meet him.�

�Very
well.� Integral now had a number of possibilities added to the scenarios in her
mind, and none of them pleasant. The only true trump card the Hellsing
family had, other than Alucard, in the battle against vampires was the Hellsing
blood itself, which was resistant to vampiric attacks when �pure� and which had
therefore allowed Van Hellsing to defeat Alucard centuries ago. Perhaps
that was the �help� the Vatican required: Alucard himself had ascertained the
purity of her blood, and she was still virgin, which seemed to strengthen its
potency.

If
they intended to bleed her, now that her guardian was gone, Integral was grimly
certain that she would not be so willing a participant.

II

Anderson
was so absorbed in the scholarly wealth that was Alucard�s underground library
that he didn�t notice the monster leave. He was afraid to even handle the
pages, for some of the books, so ravaged by time were they, turning their
crackling pages as carefully as he could with gloved fingers. After the
initial jibes, Alucard had sat on the other end of the marble desk, reading his
own books, and true to his word, had utterly ignored what Anderson himself was
doing.

Now,
however, after finishing his perusal of a musty treatise on the use of the
rosary, Anderson put down the book with care, and looked over to Alucard to
make comment, blinking when he realized the vampire wasn�t there, or, in fact,
as he self-consciously felt along the blood-link, anywhere near the castle at
all.

Worried
about me, my sweet? The vampire�s amused, lazy tone whispered in his mind,
and Anderson bared his teeth.

Ah
hope some hunter gets lucky. Damn his curiosity. Anderson got up from
his seat, and opened a random book from Alucard�s side of the table, perusing
the Latin with a little effort, and after a moment, turned to Alucard�s page,
marked with a small slip of red silk. Strange, it seemed that the
creature was actually doing research.

How
insulting. Alucard�s malicious, playful laughter was cold and sinuous,
curling around his thoughts, and Anderson shook his head irritably. I
am not above work, I will have you know.

Get
out o� my mind, bastard. Alucard, to his surprise, receded, as Anderson
translated Latin in his mind, a little laboriously, and now somewhat
confused. If Alucard intended to cut ties with Hellsing, why would he
care about Lamia? After all, in all of Iscariot�s files about the monster,
Alucard had never shown any inclination to hunt outside of Europe.

Unless
he wished to battle her, simply for the sake of battle. No� if he did so,
he would have already fought with her, in the Museum. Precaution was not
in Alucard�s nature� or was it? Anderson was sure Alucard had never faced any
creature which was even near his zero release level of power, and therefore,
had no real reason to be cautious. Perhaps this older vampire� was.
The thought was somewhat disturbing.

No,
if he recalled, Alucard had been playfully curious throughout the conversation,
almost like a child listening to a favored tutor, even with the interruption,
up until Lamia had mentioned �Dominion�. A faint memory about the word
nagged at his consciousness, and Anderson knew better than to dig for it; knew
the best way was to wait until it occurred to him. Damn his curiosity �
now he really wanted to know.

Somewhat
irritably, he sat down at Alucard�s side of the table, and began to read.

Two
interesting but unhelpful books later, it occurred again to him that it did
seem rather strange that Alucard had simply wandered off by himself without
making some comment, as though on secret business, and tentatively, grudgingly,
he felt down the blood-link again.

This
time, Alucard�s laughter was louder, cruel and lascivious. Careful,
Alex. I might read deeper into this than you wish.

Anderson
scowled, but bit down on the instinctive insults. Wha� are ye doin�?

Assuring
the commonfolk that I am not about to devour them. Alucard replied,
sounding bored. But that I would certainly do so, were they to come up
with any truly idiotic ideas, such as setting fire to my beloved castle.

Terrorizing
the innocent. Anderson�s mood soured further. He supposed he should
have known.

Don�t
think of it so. I haven�t killed anyone. Yet.
Alucard paused. Though, this fat, annoying mayor is beginning to push
his luck. A brief flare of bloodlust, faint through the link, then a
smug, Ah well, so much for that.

Monster�
Anderson growled, incensed at Alucard�s cavalier bloodlust towards humans,
starting to his feet and casting his eyes to the exit.

You
won�t be able to leave the castle, I�m afraid, fledgling. Don�t worry,
the infuriating human is still alive. More or less. Alucard
sounded bored again. But negotiations are proceeding more smoothly.

Negotiations?
What in the world was the monster doing?

I
do so like my privacy, and I would appreciate it if the locals kept any curious
tourists out of my grounds. Alucard sounded amused. Any humans I
find in the castle after this, without invite, I will treat as food.

As
if he didn�t already have enough on his mind.

Speaking
of supplies, do you want for anything? Alucard inquired, Now that the
villagers are all so very helpful. It�s almost touching.

For
ye t�die, mayhap. Anderson growled, in his mind and out aloud, wondering
when exactly it was that he had lost enough of his mind to speak so comfortably
with it to a goddamned monster.

You�ll
hurt my feelings, Alucard noted, and burst out laughing, too loud and harsh
and manic in his mind, and Anderson curled his hands tight into his palms,
trying ineffectively to shake out the sound. Wine? Food? Books? Blood,
perhaps?

Simply
the word blood caused a pang of hunger in him, in a stomach that no
longer functioned, and the Judas Priest hissed, squeezing his eyes shut, taking
in strangled breaths, trying to control it. No. He would not take
blood. He was � he would admit this much � afraid of what it would do to
him, what he knew it would do to him. What it had done to Seras.

You�ll
never be strong enough to kill me without embracing what you are, Alex,
Alucard said, his voice insidious, seductive. The voice of the
devil.

His
conviction merely strengthened. Tempter. Serpent. It is in
the moment that Ah become ae full monster that Ah�ll lose all chance o� endin�
yer foul existence. So Ah believe. So Ah have said.

Another
wild, discordant, painful laugh. True! Perhaps what you say is true!
But you will take blood, someday, my fledgling. You speak of �chance�,
but you have already destroyed your chance. You are dead now, and neither
human nor truly vampire. It is now your nature. It is now your
birthright.

Anderson
was disconcerted to feel part of him begin to give, to believe.
Nature. His birthright. A No Life King, his potential for power
potentially as unlimited as Alucard�s, due to the fact of who had sired
him, due to his own will. Perhaps what Alucard said was true.
Perhaps to have enough power to defeat him, he needed to drink, to use
the darkness that seemed to come so easily to Alucard and Seras, where he
needed to concentrate. If he became stronger, at the very least, he would
no longer need to fear Alucard�s attentions; the monster would no longer be
able to force himself on Anderson�s body whenever he felt the urge to do
so. And what harm would it be? After he destroyed the monster, he would
simply give himself up to the Vatican. Likely, they had a way to destroy
him; if not they, surely Sir Hellsing would oblige.

As
he bowed his head, he blinked at a clatter, and looked down. The silver
cross he wore had swung against the table, next to his limiter gloves, and he
sucked in a deep breath, his mind abruptly clear. Damn ye, monster.

A
wicked laugh told him that his suspicions were right. Alucard was
becoming subtler and subtler, the mastery of his manipulation honed with the
experience of centuries. Quickly, jerkily, Anderson all but lunged back
to the other side of the table, opening one of the gorgeous, ancient tomes to a
page he had already memorized, could already recite, but of which reading he
could still derive strength, faith, comfort.

�But
my eyes are fixed on ye, o Sovereign Lord; in ye Ah take refuge.�

Your
God does not listen to monsters, priest, Alucard said, his tone
contemptuous, playful, but the monster, to Anderson�s relief, finally
withdrew. Alone now with his thoughts, in the underground library,
Anderson sucked in a few, needless, panicky breaths, deeply disturbed of how close
he had come to giving in.

III

The
papal study was richly decorated, with a view of St. Peter�s Square, the heart
of the Vatican City, where the faithful would gather to hear speeches from the
balcony, from which he would speak the Angelus on Sundays. His Holiness
the Pope rose to greet them, but did not make any further overtures of welcome,
likely due to the symbolism, however unwanted, in their visit and
presence. A frail-looking, old bald man, Integral concluded, palsy in his
hands and his face too pale, too sallow; not long at the end of his life.
She had heard that the Pope was ill, but had not given much thought to it �
papal succession had meant little to her. Eventually, another old man
would fill the Catholic throne of spiritual leader.

The
Pope�s eyes slid behind her, and he inclined his head. �I wish to speak
with Sir Integral alone.�

�But,
Your Holiness-� Father Aglione instantly objected sharply.

�Alone.�
The Pope stressed. Beside him, his silent, tall secretary, an ascetically
handsome man with pale gold wire trim glasses and graying hair, turned
steel-blue eyes to Integral, then circled around her quietly, to usher the
others out of the room. From his fluid, controlled grace, and the sharp
intake of breath behind her from Father Aglione and Heinkel, Integral surmised
that whatever the Pope wished to speak about, it was clear that even his most
trusted� bodyguard was not to hear of it.

�Seras.
Leave with them.� She could make that concession.

�Sir.
Yes, sir.� Seras said, if doubtfully.

When
they were alone, Integral narrowed her eyes. �Are you so sure there are
none listening?�

�My�
guard will ensure it,� the Pope said, sounding weary now, as he sat at his desk
and waved her to a chair. �I apologize for calling you all the way to
Rome, Sir Hellsing, but as you can no doubt see � I am no longer fit to travel,
and what I will say now is a matter meant only for your ears.�

�So�
what your Father Aglione told me in the plane was a ruse?�

�Yes.
But it is what he � and most � believe you are here for. And it is a ruse
that you will have to carry out, I am afraid.�

�Why
am I here?� Integral asked bluntly. �England and Hellsing owe you
nothing. Your Holiness.� She kept her tone just faintly on the edge of
insolence.

�You
are here� because of the matter of succession, Sir Hellsing. Are you
aware of how the Pope is� selected?�

Her
lip curled faintly. �By God, speaking to the College of Cardinals, but
likely actually by mere human vote.�

�Your
cynicism does you credit,� the Pope said dryly, and for a moment, there was a
twinkle of humor in his pale blue eyes. �Yes. There are two
candidates for the papacy, Sir Hellsing, both of which are still secret and of
little matter to what I will tell you. But of late there has been
pressure from a certain� section of the Vatican, since the disaster in London�
since Maxwell�s atrocities, and the collapse of the Iscariot. And especially
now, since two old evils have been loosed on this earth.�

�Section
Nine. Aglione aspires to the papal throne?�

�He
does that and more, Sir Hellsing. Can you imagine� an Inquisitor on the
papal throne? London would become a norm. That is what I
fear. Section Nine has its purposes and its function, but what it is
cannot become the focus of our faith. What we seek out and destroy are
monsters, aberrations, evil. For humanity, however, the focus of the
Catholic Faith is forgiveness. The precepts held by Ninth and
Thirteenth are often essential for their function, but are not held by any
other Sections. Iscariot, at least, is aware, as the �traitor� section,
that the necessary work they do will not leave them with a seat in Heaven.
I cannot say the same of the current Ninth.�

�You
authorized a crusade on London.�

�Which
I now deeply regret.� The Pope held her eyes firmly, unwavering. �Which I
have spent every day since asking forgiveness from God. And which
stricture I had placed on the deceased Maxwell was that he was to leave the
human citizens of London alone. But the fault of murder lies not
in the make of the gun, but in the wielder, and I do not doubt I will hear from
God of this sin, when it comes my time for Judgment.�

Despite
herself, Integral was somewhat surprised. The Pope could easily have
invoked papal infallibility: the Catholic dogma that through the action of the
Holy Spirit, the Pope was protected from the possibility of error in divine
revelation. In admitting, before a Protestant, that he was human, that he
had erred, was a great concession.

But
still, she could not forgive. �And you would ask me to solve both
problems of the loosed evils. Retrieve Alucard. Destroy or seal
Lamia.�

�You
need not do the latter alone,� the Pope nodded slowly. �Section Nine and
what is left of Section Thirteen would be ordered to aid you. But your
presence and aid might� allow the matter to be resolved, while I yet
live. With those matters past, it is my hope that the papal candidacy
will shift away from Aglione.�

�I
will certainly retrieve Alucard, but Lamia is not my concern. Even to
avoid an ascension as you have said.�

�We
have� offers, of course. The matter of the late Father Alexander
Anderson.� The Pope smiled faintly, wryly. �What has happened to Father
Anderson is a tragedy. And it is within our right to end his suffering.�

�You
would trade his soul on matters as this?� Integral asked, showing her distaste
in the curl of her lip for the first time.

�It
is our belief that the soul ascends to await Judgment upon death. Father
Alexander Anderson is dead. What I bargain with now is his animated
shell.�

�And
what makes you believe that we would� treasure his presence enough to exert
ourselves on his behalf? The priest has been of much trouble and hindrance.�

�Your
pet monster seems fair attached to him. And forgive me if I find this
ironic, Sir Hellsing, but your vampire-hunting organization relies heavily on
that vampire listening to your orders without question.�

Touch�.
Integral found herself out-bargained, for the moment. �I will have other
requests.�

The
Pope nodded. The old man could afford now to be generous, that he had what
he wanted. �And, naturally, we will owe you a favor, Sir Hellsing.�

�Of
course.� She paused. �I do not think Aglione would welcome my aid.�

�Naturally,
he will not. It is in his interests to prolong matters, after all.
Do not expect much substantial help from Section Nine or Thirteen, despite what
I have said. Feel free to use the libraries, Sir Hellsing, but � as you
have no doubt surmised � your best move now would be to take Alucard and set
him on Lamia�s tail. If you make the first move, out of pride, at the
very least, Section Nine and Thirteen will follow.�

�You
drive a difficult, swift bargain, Your Holiness.�

�Ah,
Sir Hellsing,� And again, there was that twinkle of humor, �It is what old men
do best.�

-tbc-
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Psalms for the Fallen