#i miss my man bernadotte

[seonghrtz]

i think i have a thing for french guys who smoke ...

[manor-tea-time]

@ask-the-identity-5-senses

[ At the door of Miss Ivy Nettle, the sound of eager knocks could be heard. Behind it stood three individuals, only one of them being familiar to her. The beaming woman in the middle.]

"Hi! Happy Halloween!" Chirped Therese, holding out a small candy bag to the woman, she seemed to be the most excited out of the curious trio. A man dressed in blue who looked like he'd rather be anyone else, be anywhere else and a woman with exquisite jewels adorning her ears, fingers, neck and wrists.

"I hope you don't mind the sudden intrusion but I felt like it was only fair to repay your kindness from when we first met! Also, I mentioned that I'd introduce you to a few of my match members. Unfortunately our fourth and fifth at unavailable. Lux Faromont here," she paused, gesturing to the man next to her who didn't spare Ivy a single glance, worth less than the grime he was working out from under his nails. "wasn't supposed to be, but much like a rescue dog, he needs to be socialised."

He only looked up briefly to scowl silently at the chipper princess next to him, before glancing at Ivy and visibly rolling his eyes.

"And I made the time when Miss Bernadotte here informed me that you are an artist of fabric as well." Spoke the third member, before she held out a gloved hand, a peculiar accent which was most assuredly Scottish could be deciphered from her words.

"Bonnie Blythe of Blythe jewelry. I'm sure you've heard of us." Her confidence was unmatched. Whether or not Ivy had indeed heard of her, it would probably not damage her pride one bit. THAT'S how strongly she came off.

As the costume maker peeked through the door, there was an air of tiredness to her, an already prepared speech tumbling out of her mouth before she could even register the three at the door. "If you'd like a last minate costume I'm afraid you're out of luck, I ran out of fabric hours ago-"

"Ah Therese! What a lovely suprise!" Ivy perked up with a speed rivaling that of a seasoned actress snapping into her role. Brushing of all the various stuck pieces of scrap fabric and thread from her dress as she widened the opening of the door to allow the three to see a full view of the woman.

In suprisingly casual attire, the costume maker stood. While her attire was similar to what she'd worn her first meeting with Therese, this time, it seemed she'd dawned a costume of a hunter for the spirit of the evening. "Bah! You're not intruding if I invited you to visit when you wished." Ivy waved a hand. Honestly, if anything it would be easier to find half of her teammates in case they wanted to introduce themselves now anyways.

"Ah yes, Lux. I do remember you mentioning him. Mapmaker, yes?" She asked, her question drifting to the man as she watched him with an unreadable expression. Her eye didn't leave him for a good while, if anything, looking for some sort of meaningful reaction out of the man she could note.

"Its quite alright to be shy, my dear," a hit of mock sympathy leaked into her voice. "This place can be quite overwhelming. You don't need to pretend indifferance." A smile crossed her face as she redirected her attention to Bonnie spoke up.

"Ah, yes I am! I am known as the Costume Maker here. Although, I did work under Hemmingway Boutique for a good while making attire as well." Ivy answered, extending her own gloved hand to shake Bonnie's. It had a cotton esque texture to it. "Its truely a pleasure. I'm unsure if Therese already told you my name, but I am Ivy Nettle."

Ivy thought for a moment, debating her options in answering the other. Tapping her mask for a moment. On one end, she absolutely was certain she had never sold their brand before - let alone seen it up close. However, on the other, she was sure it would ruffle the feathers of the rescue mutt with poor manners if she said she might recall such a thing. Ah what a dilema indeed!

"I can't say I'd fully know. Our partners for items such as jewlery usually sent over their own consultants to sell said items at dress fittings or fashion showings." She shrugged, struggling to recall any long interactions she'd had with said jewlers. From her memory, they usually kept to themselves. "I'd have to see if I wrote anything down in my old diary to be sure."

"Ah! Here I am rambling. Do please come in and make yourselves comforatable." She stepped back, gesturing to some chairs within her room. "There ought to be plenty of chairs - Plus I have some lovely cider I can pour for you all huhuhu!"

- ξ(❁) ⊕) ξ

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

[manor-tea-time]

“Oh dear… that is unfortunate.” Ivy tutted, her face scrunching in a slight distaste at the news of Lux’s shenanigans. It truly only took one person not using proper teamwork to sully a match up. “Perhaps he will snap out of it when he interacts with some others, hm? If not that, I’m sure being smacked upside the head by a few hunters ought to do a similar trick.”

Well, of course that was if the lesion itself kicked in or was acknowledged by the Cartographer in the first place. Ivy let her voice return to a hushed whisper. “Don’t worry Miss. Bernadotte, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for him in matches. It’s good to be prepared if there’s possible,” She cleared her throat “Deadweight so to speak.”

Ivy listened intently to the descriptions of Therese’s other teammates. Both from a strategic standpoint and one of pure curiosity of the new faces gracing the manor. “Ah a housewife I see.” She said. She faintly knew the connotations of the phrase from the top of her mind. “It takes a lot of work to keep a household running smoothly. I wonder if any of that are habits from before her time here?”

It was, of course, possible not. But Ivy did like trying to give Therese some hope for her teammates. If anything it seemed like the poor girl needed it after her initial reactions to simply mentioning them. “It seems like you have a,” She waved hee hand in a circle, looking for a right word. “More favourable impression of each other? That’s quite nice all things considering.”

Ivy was tempted to ask if there was more to it, especially after the beautiful comment. However, decided against it. It was quite rude to jump to such conclusions without anything to stand on after all. “Yes, indeed. I’m afraid our flaws are what make us human. As for my teammates..”

“Mr. Strickland, The Lamp Smith, is quite a skittish man. He’s a decoder so, I often have to save him from whatever being we’re running from. Sometimes even pry him out of panicked states unfortunately enough.” Ivy waved a nonchalant hand. “I’d say he’s a fairly decent man, just very odd if that makes sense. If you do meet him you probably walk out of it with a new desk lamp.”

“As for Mr. Smith, The “Key-Master” I’d say he’s very much the opposite. He can often handle his own in matches fairly well, and sometimes even helps me!” She laughed. “He’s full of his own quirks though. I mean, what on earth could one man do in the woods for multiple hours? Study wildlife? I’d get too dreadfully bored I fear.”

She shook her head, she’d never fully understood the people she was teamed with, but perhaps that was for the best. She wasn’t sure she’d like to know the answers to all the questions she had.

“Miss. Fowler, The Glass Artist is our most recent teammate. I at first believed she was a mother or older sister as she brought another younger survivor, The “Hero” with her, but apparently that was a misunderstanding.” She shrugged, obviously not too concerned about the assumption. “She’s fairly outgoing and passionate for her craft. A lovely support to our team honestly. I do quite wish she’d allow me to make some outfits for her more often though. I think she’d look so lovely in some of my older designs I saved!”

The costume maker was about to ramble on about her opinions of the Glass Artist, but cut herself off. It was most likely not the best to ramble like that to someone she’d just met. “Ah yes! We must plan a tea party in that case. Perhaps you could bring one of the teammates your closer with as well? We can get so many people aquatinted at once.”

While she was quite fine socializing, she’d be lying if she said she didn’t slightly worry for the others. Humans were social beings, it was never good to keep one from doing so for too long.

“Ah, well I do believe it depends on the year.” Ivy said trying to think back to any patterns of the previous years. The only one she could think of were hunters being the hosts. “I believe there was a gala one year, but I can’t say I know the plans for this year. Perhaps with the request, they will make one again!” Yes, she’d most definitely pen a request now! Who on earth could pass on a Halloween Masquerade? It would be far too good to be true - even if the Baron threw in some hiccups along the way.

“It’s quite alright. I’ve also had more than my fair share of unpleasant impressions getting creative of me when I’d been perhaps much more blunt than I should have.” She shook her head in a small attempt not to dwell on it for too long. Book talk was a perfect distraction luckily. “You’ll really keep an eye out for me? Oh! You’re such a sweetheart. Perhaps we should host a small book club when you catch up.”

“I’m quite confident in that as well. I can only imagine how we will fare if we’re clicking so well now!”

-ξ(❁) ⊕) ξ

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- ((sorry this took a bit! I was a tad busy irl :sob:

Also did the cut off cause I got a *lil* carried away on this one haha

The faint clicking of heeled boots echo down the manor halls as a survivor carrying a small cookie tin approaches Therese. "Good afternoon! I don't believe I've gotten the chance to formally make your aqquatiance yet." She paused, eyeing the extravagant detailing on the other's gown. A silent confirmation to her of sorts. "Are you perhaps one of the manor's newer residents?"

-ξ(❁) ⊕) ξ

(( @manor-tea-time AAAAA you have so many cool skrunkles!! I hope its chill for me to throw Ivy at your gal -w-

Therese who hadn't expected a visitor was momentarily gazing out of a window, only noticing the other woman once she spoke up. Her eyes lit up at the opportunity to converse, something that she hadn't really gotten the chance to do yet.

She clasped her gloved hands together, holding them close to her chest as she nodded.

"Yes! I am one of the new residents of Oletus." She cleared her throat, hoping she didn't appear too excited or forward. That would be the fastest way to embarrass herself in front of a new acquaintance.

Out of instinct, she did a small curtsy.

"My name is Therese, Therese Beatrice Bernadotte. My apologies for not introducing myself sooner to you and other residents, I have been quite busy getting situated..." She smiled, before folding her arms politely over her body and clasping her hands together once again.

"And you are?"

// YOUR OCS ARE ALL SO COOL AAAA SO EXCITED TO SEE THEM INTERACT WITH MINE RWGHHHH HI!!

[josefavomjaaga]

The real marshals, according to Thiébault

General Thiébault in his memoirs is quite outspoken about those whom he considers worthy of the title »marshal«, and of those he does not. It’s an interesting list.

Yes, to make such a dignity worthy of envy, it was necessary to award it at all times to the most deserving, that is to say, to Masséna first, to Saint-Cyr, as great tactician; to Kellermann, as the victor of Valmy; Jourdan, as the victor of Wattignies and Fleurus; Lannes, as man of inspiration; Bernadotte and Suchet, as men of capacity; Ney, as a man of vigour; Murat, as a man of valour; this is the honour of our marshal's baton, an honour to which Dumouriez, Pichegru, Moreau, as soldiers, not as Frenchmen, Hoche, Marceau, Championnet, Dugommier, Kléber, Desaix, Joubert, if they were not already dead, and Vandamme, if he had been appointed, would have been added but, under the Empire, Soult, a man of cabinet, not of battle, Berthier, Pérignon, Sérurier, Augereau, Lefebvre, Bessières, Mortier, in spite of his coup de collier at Krems, Brune, whose success in Switzerland cannot be described by the word victory, and who in Holland only defeated the English thanks only to the vigour of Vandamme, as Davout defeated the Prussians at Auerstædt thanks only to the generals Legrand, Morand and Gudin who commanded his divisions, Marmont, Macdonald, Oudinot, despite his chivalrous valour, Grouchy, and, under the Restoration, Clarke, Beurnonville, Vioménil, Maison; such choices scandalize instead of enlighten; they tarnish the lustre which the great dignity of the marshalate would have had without them, and, to return to the first promotion, when he received this dignity, which thirty-six years later Sébastiani was to complete to bring it down, I remember the tone, half of anger, half of disdain, with which General Masséna replied to my congratulations with this quip: "We are fourteen!"

So, according to Thiébault the only real marshals were

Masséna

Lannes

Ney

Murat

Bernadotte

Suchet

Saint-Cyr

Kellermann

Jourdan

I guess there’s little discussion about the first four. The others I find at least somewhat surprising. As to those missing, I’m not surprised about Berthier and Soult, he hated both. His hatred of Brune astonishes me, but the real shock of course is Davout.

[writefandoms]

Wild Puppy

Alucard x Female!Reader

Request: “heya! I know you're in the mood to write for levi but i’m so sorry, I am an alucard (hellsing) simp, so maybe some alucard headcanons again where him and the reader are playfully fighting? If it's possible of course. I think I'm the only one that requests him haha. I hope you're well though.”

Word Count: 1k

The task seemed easy enough.

A simple sparring exercise between the Hellsing soldiers. Oddly enough, even though your job required you to fight undead monsters, Seras still deemed it necessary to learn hand-to-hand combat.

You didn’t mind, in fact it gave you a chance to show these boys what you’re made of. Some of the soldiers were freshly hired mercenaries, they leader was a bit of a flirt but seemed nice enough.

They didn’t seem all too keen of Seras’ training schedule, arguing if they ever got that close to a vampire they’d be dead in a second.

Which admittedly isn’t wrong, but it’s important to be ready for anything. He was even more annoying when he explained that he didn’t want to be partnered with you specifically.

“What’s wrong Bernadotte? Scared you’re going to get beat by a girl.” Your elementary school teasing was targeted at his fragile ego, and he took the bait without a seconds hesitation.

“Quoi?! I was going to go easy on you, but forget it!” He always slips into French whenever he was upset, it was kind of cute.

But anytime you feel a slight attraction towards Pip he has to go and ruin it. He lunges at you catching you off guard, and slams you on you back.

He stands above you looking smug, “Sorry, ma chérie. I tried to warn-ah!”

You cut him off by sweeping his feet, making him land hard on his back.

“What was that, ma chérie?”

He huffs and gets back to his feet. Without another word he lunges at you once again. This time your ready for him.

Grabbing his wrist, you twist it behind his back and sweep his feet once again. He falls forward, your body weight pushing him down faster.

With him successfully pinned beneath you, his squad laughed and points at their esteemed captain.

After struggling for a few seconds he finally gives up and taps out. Jumping up you hold your hand out for him to take, helping him sit up.

“Very impressive, for a human.” A deep voice echoed behind you, you don’t need to look to know who it is.

“Isn’t it past your bedtime, vampire?” Alucard chuckles, you turn to see him phase throw the wall.

“Why don’t you try fighting a real enemy.”

Pip mutters something in french but didn’t stand up to the vampire.

“You’re hardly an enemy, Alucard.” He grin widens as you take a step closer. “More like a wild puppy.”

His grin falters, red eyes glaring holes into your soul. No matter how long you’ve known Alucard, that stare always shakes you to the core.

Putting your hands up defensively, you tried to calm him down. “I’m kidding! You know I’m just playing with you.”

“Then show me what you got.” He extends hand as if asking you to dance.

Never one to turn down a challenge, you bend your knees slightly getting into stance. “You’re on.”

He grins once again, and you run towards him. Fist clenched you go straight for his face, you land the hit. His nose cracks and blood flows from his nostrils. There’s no hint of pain on his face, he just laughs obnoxiously.

“Good. Very good!” His praise is a rarity to receive, so you can’t help the swell of pride that fills your chest.

“Now it’s my turn.” His nose cracks back into place and the room is shrouded in darkness.

Hundreds of eyes open across the blackness, all bloody and looking straight at you. Tendrils emerge from beneath you, wrapping around your ankles, throwing you off balance.

Falling backwards, you’re surprised when the ground softens your fall. Darkness beneath you acting as a cushion.

The tendril pulls you forward, towards the direction where Alucard once stood. A mass forms from the darkness of the wall, you can make out the outline of Alucard’s hair. Once you were close enough one of his real eyes open, staring at you. Even without a mouth you could tell by the squint in his eye that he was grinning.

Panic sets in once his arm manifest, near his half formed head, and reach out to you.

Kicking at the tendril around your ankle, you attempt to escape. His eyes only squint harder and laughter fills the void around you.

More arms form around you and soon you’re pulled within grabbing range. Immediately you knew what he was planning.

His gloved fingers attack your sides, pulling cries of laughter from your chest. He is relentless as you struggle to curl up into a ball, his grasp on your ankle prevents you from running.

The torture is too much to bear, laughing so hard that you’re on the verge of tears.

“Fine!” You yell throw your laughter, “You win!”

Immediately he releases you, arms falling back into the darkness. You groan and fall flat on your back, arms folded across your chest.

The tendril releases your ankle and you sit up, still struggling to catch your breath while glaring at him.

Alucard’s forms his top half from the wall, smirking down at you. Soon the darkness falls away, sucked back into the bastard himself.

Everyone looks at you two, both confused and scared.

“What the hell just happened.” One of the mercenaries asked, “Everything was dark, and these voices and-“ He trailed off muttering to himself.

“Great job, Alucard. You scared the poor man.” You scold the bloodsucker, not surprised when you only got a chuckle in response.

“Alright, uh...good practice everyone! See you all tomorrow!” Seras claps her hand trying to maintain any positive energy. They all make a noise of acknowledgment and practically run out of the room, most likely to get as far from the red giant as possible.

“You’re awful, you know that?”

“Oh? Am I?” He teased, leaning down to meet your eye level.

You reach out and cup his cheeks in both hands, noticing the soft look in his eyes as he melts into your touch.

“Aw Alucard,” you coo, thumb stroking his cheek. “I’m telling Integra you ruined training!”

Before he could react you were running out the room. The warmth of your skin greatly missed, a nice contrast to his cold dead skin.

But he’d rather not be scolded tonight, he decides as he phases through the wall, racing you to his masters study.

[duhragonball]

Hellsing Liveblog Ch. 51-56

This is the “Seras Coming of Age” part of Hellsing, but the chapters are all one-off titles: “Last Mission”, “Get Away”, “Yaksa”, “The Man I Love”, “Ogre Battle”, and “Angelous,”

Last time, Zorin Blitz’s company invaded the Hellsing HQ, and Seras managed to kill them all except for Zorin herself, and then she used her psychic whammy, forcing Seras to relive some traumatic moment.   We saw one of the Wild Geese get this same treatment, and he briefly saw his dead daughter before Zorin killed him.  As for Seras, she relives the deaths of her parents.   Years ago, two guys barged into their home and shot them.   The circumstances aren’t entirely clear, but they must have had some forewarning, since Seras’ mom hid her in a closet and told her not to come out no matter what.   But when she saw what they did to them, Seras became so enraged that she attackedthe men and stabbed one in the eye with a fork.  

The other guy shot Seras, and while she must have survived, she remembers laying on the floor as the guy she stabbed decides to rape her mother.   I’m not even sure “rape” is the right word, since she was already dead, but the guy doesn’t care because the body is “still warm.”   You’d think he’d be too upset about losing an eye, but maybe he’s high on cocaine or something.

I don’t think you need me to tell you this, gentle reader, but hol-ee shit this dark.   We knew Seras’ parents died when she was young, and it wouldn’t be hard to speculate that they died in some violent crime, but Seras watched it happen, and she stabbed a dude in the face, only to get shot herself, and she watched her mother’s body getting molested before she passed out.  

And this gives us some insight into what Alucard saw in her that night in Cheddar.  There, Seras was surrounded by ghouls, many of them her comrades in the police department, and a vampire who promised to rape her before drinking her blood.   Alucard found it remarkable how she persevered in this horror, but now we see that may not even be the worst thing that ever happened to her.  It’s not even the first time she got shot!  

And from the earlier flashback we saw, Seras was hellbound to become a police officer like her father.  After a trauma like this, it’s amazing that she’d want anything to do with the police, since those men killed her father for digging “too deep” into whatever they were involved in.  But Seras quietly, defiantly chose to follow in her father’s footsteps, only to suffer a similar fate. 

Because, let’s not forget, Seras is dead.   She died in Cheddar, because Alucard had to shoot through her to kill the vampire who had taken her hostage.   Then she agreed to become a vampire like him, and join the Hellsing Organization.   Once more, she has quietly, defiantly, chosen to carry on in this life of public service.  

But none of that matters to Zorin Blitz.   She just wanted to dredge up all this trauma to keep Seras preoccupied long enough for Zorin to do this...

Oh, also she lopped off Seras’ left arm, but I liked this impalement panel better. 

On top of that, Zorin slashes Seras’ eyes, which was pretty gruesome and shocking.   When I started watching the Hellsing Ultimate OVA, I couldn’t wait to see what happened next, so I trawled YouTube for clips of Seras, so I had a pretty good idea where the character was headed, and noticed that late-story Seras was missing a left arm.   So Zorin cutting it off didn’t surprise me much, but everything else she did to her was a surprise.

Then, just as Zorin seems to be ready to finish Seras off, Pip Bernadotte gets the drop on her and whacks her with the butt of his rifle.    Machine gun?   Semiautomatic?   I don’t know from guns.    He hits her with it, is my point.   Then he shoots her with a different gun to put the exclamation point on it.

There’s two other guys left in the Wild Geese, and they toss smoke grenades to cover Pip as he tries to carry Seras to safety, but he’s wounded, and then a Millennium soldier wakes up and shoots him in the thighs.   Was that guy playing possum?  The Geese take him out, and Pip even makes it back to them, but I’m not sure what good that does anybody.   Then Zorin gets back up and cuts him down with her scythe.    I don’t think she chops him in half or anything, but he’s not getting back up again, that’s for sure. 

Seras calls out to him, and he steals another kiss.   I guess he forgot about the last time, because he acts like he “finally” managed to do this.   Then he asks Seras to drink his blood, which will allow her to win.   I guess someone must have explained enough vampire lore to Pip for him to have figured this out.    Maybe Seras herself told him how it worked, which makes it doubly-meaningful for him to say this to her now.  

And Seras starts wailing with grief, before Zorin finally mocks her for it, calling Pip an insect.   I’ve seen a few people poke fun at this scene, because it’s kind of weird for Zorin to just stand by while Pip and Seras have this final moment together, but Zorin’s a sadist.   Much of what she’s done in these past several chapters has been about reveling in her enemies’ suffering.    She took her sweet time with Seras earlier, which was the only reason Pip managed to help her, and now she’s taking her sweet time again, like she’s enjoying this drama. 

So Zorin uses her psychic whammy again, but this time it doesn’t work on Seras.   Maybe because Seras is already in the middle of a terrible trauma in the here and now.   She couldn’t do anything to avenge her parents back then, and she was powerless against the Cheddar Priest, but this time?   This time she knows exactly what to do.

VENIT AEVUS ILLE, O MESSIAH, O MESSIAH

YUDULIYA-VELE YUDULIYA-VELE

EN ESE MOMENTO ZORIN BLITZ SINTIO EL VERDADERO TERROR.

So yeah, this rocks.    The anime version does this cool thing where all the blood soaks up into her clothes and stains them red.   Maybe the manga was going for the same thing, but it’s harder to tell in black and white.   I find it kind of strange how Seras’ eyes grow back, but her left arm does not.    I’m pretty sure she could reform her arm, but chooses not to.   Instead, she’s got this black ectoplasm-y thing, like the same black stuff that Alucard uses when he’s not holding back as much.

Then Seras starts slaughtering Zorin’s men.   Didn’t she already kill them all?  Yeah, but there’s more.   The anime tries to cover for this by having Zorin explain that some “late arrivals” showed up.  Well, they did have to enter the building single file to get past the mines, so it makes sense that Zorin would keep some in reserve in case there were more traps inside. 

Seras is my favorite character in this whole thing, and since these pages of her kickin’ ass speak for themselves, I guess I’ll talk about why I like her so much.    I’m pretty sure I saw a cosplay photo of her on tumblr, and I found the design intriguing.   She’s a vampire, but dressed in something like a military uniform, kind of like the “Bridge Bunnies” in Macross. I looked up Seras to find out what she was from, and I was like “Oh, Hellsing was the show Team Four Star has been abridging, I guess I need to watch that anyway so I can watch the Abridged version and get the jokes.”

Mostly, I just like the idea of a vampire with a very professional mentality, as opposed to the whole Lost Boys/What We Do in the Shadows/Buffy kind of aesthetic.    Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but we see that sort of thing all the time.   I’ve also seen a lot of “reluctant” vampires in my time.    Vampires who try to avoid doing any vampire stuff, or going about their business like the vampirism is just this inconvenient obstacle.   Hellsing presents this other option, where vampires like Alucard are used for the purpose of anti-vampire countermeasures.   He’s been turned into a weapon, but he’s basically just Dracula with a fresh coat of paint.   Seras is more firmly rooted in the concept.  Alucard was a vampire who became a sort of cop, and Seras is a cop who became a vampire. 

And while I liked the idea of Seras being like “Oh, well I didn’t want to be a vampire but I’ll try to make the best of it”, I quickly found out that she wasn’t just a cop with pointy teeth.   There’s moments where she can be scary and creepy too.   “Sir, yes sir, my Master.”  It sums her up very neatly.   This is a vampire who can be polite and respectful and professional, but she can also get very deep into the more horrific aspects of this thing.   She’s got layers.  Zorin Blitz tried to peel them back, and look how that’s working out for her.

Once the rank and file goons are dealt with, Seras goes after Blitz, and just wrecks her shit.   Blitz tries to punch Seras in the face and it does nothing.   Seras just bites all her fingers off and spits ‘em out.   Then she announces that she refuses to drink Zorin’s blood, not a single drop. This is important, because Seras was always reluctant to drink blood.  She said she feared that drinking blood would mean the end of something inside of her, but now she’s crossed that Rubicon.   One might suspect that she’d suddenly want to drink more blood, but no.  She drank Pip’s as a means to an end.   Zorin’s blood would serve no higher purpose, and I think there’s an implication that she doesn’t want to dishonor Pip’s sacrifice.  Desperate, Zorin tries to use her power on Seras a third time, and then this happens:

  Okay, so at first Zorin sees Seras’ memories, like before, but now there’s all this stuff from Pip’s memories, and then Warrant Officer Shrodinger, of all people, shows up.   Zorin is confused by this, but he explains that he’s “everywhere and nowhere,” which means he can appear in this psychic vision just as easily as he can teleport between Brazil and England.

Schrodinger is here to pass along a message from the Major.  See, Zorin disobeyed his orders, and he would normally punish her for this, but he and the Doctor are busy with a “most interesting toy”, so they’ll just leave it to Seras to take care of punishing Zorin.  

Yesterday, I think I figured out what Zorin’s disobedience was.    Before I was confused because she didn’t start attacking until Seras opened fire on her blimp, and that only happened because Seras was shooting at the rockets fired by the Major.   Everything that Zorin did afterwards could be considered a matter of self-defense, but therein lies the problem.    Namely, what was Zorin’s blimp doing in the line of fire to begin with?  

Because once Seras shot her down, everything Zorin did next was sort of her only option.   She pretty much had to attack the mansion, and brave its defenses, whatever those happened to be.   And the Major knew that this was a big unknown.   He warned Zorin about Seras Victoria and while he didn’t seem to know exactly what her abilities were, he regarded her as an “arch-enemy” on the same level as Alucard.  That’s why he wanted Zorin to hold off and wait for the rocket attack.   It was intended to probe the mansion’s defenses, and once it became clear that they had anti-aircraft guns, and that Seras was eagle-eyed enough to shoot down their rockets, then the Major could have ordered Zorin to find a different way.   

But instead she was too close and gave Seras a target, which precipitated everything else, up to and including this:

Yeah, Seras just drags Zorin across the walls until her whole head smears apart.   Cool!

With Zorin dead, Seras delcares her intention to take the fight to the enemy, and the last three Wild Geese salute her before she leaves.   One way or another, they realize that Pip has become a part of Seras now, and they pay their last respects to him through her. 

Then Seras flies toward London, using her left arm-thing to make cool bat wings.    And this is a good illustration of what Seras is all about.  Once, she might have been horrified at the thought of doing something like this, but now she sees it as a way to carry on with her duty.    This was what Alucard had been trying to get her to understand, but sometimes you just have to work these things out in your own way.   Seras is about utility, and now that she has a use for these vampiric powers, she’s finally prepared to embrace them as her own.

In London, Schrodinger reports back to the Major and informs him of Zorin Blitz’s death.  He’s not surprised, and even declares “our ruin has begun”.   Schrodinger points out that he’s leading everyone, friend and foe alike, into destruction, and the Major simply observes that this is war.   Millennium didn’t come to London to win, they came to London to fight.

Then the Ninth Crusade shows up.  Recall that, earlier, Enrico Maxwell organized a military response to deal with the Millennium invasion of London, but he hasn’t come here to save the civilian population.   Instead, he’s treating them as enemies, just like the Nazi vampires.    Somehow, there’s still living people in the city, and as dawn approaches, they see Maxwell’s helicopters putting off some sort of light show.  I don’t know what you call this, but the people on the ground think it’s angels, and then Maxwell orders his men to open fire.

I want to point out that the newly promoted Archbishop Maxwell is riding into this battle in a special truck with a glass box for him to sit in.   He’s surrounded by microphones so he can address his troops and the people below.   Also the truck is hanging from a helicopter.   It’s stupid and pointless and over-the-top, so naturally the Major is highly impressed with Maxwell’s style. 

[histoireettralala]

So @microcosme11 asked me why I liked Napoleon’s marshals, or what I liked about them.

First of all, yes, I do like them. I think it’s very hard to look at those larger than life, colorful characters, who seem to spring right out of an epic legend, and stay completely indifferent. The rags to riches trope combined with epic battles, brilliant outfits, and incredible strokes of luck/bad luck, would be quite enough to catch the eye.

So they did catch my eye. Who were those men who stormed in History, bedecked with blood and glory, with battlefields joined to their birth names ? Lannes de Montebello, Ney d’Elchingen, Berthier de Wagram, Davout d’Auerstaedt.. It sounds almost like a cosmogony - and Napoleon intended it to be so. Fate decided otherwise, obviously, and if anything the final tragedy only ensured these men a fantastic place in History.

You can’t explain them without their background, and the earthquake that was the French Revolution. This is the why and how they wrote their names in History.

They were just human beings though, with quirks and flaws, irritating habits and disarming qualities. Of course they’re far from perfect - I could do without the looting habits of some, for example, or lament the lack of solidarity they often showed toward their colleagues. But they’re only humans, and if they failed, and fell, and missed- well, don’t we all ? They weren’t courtiers or politicians - though some of them managed that part well enough. They were soldiers and leaders, and they did rather well, I think. And if they’re not all absolute masters of warfare in every respect in any situation ? I don’t care. I don’t care.

Why would I want stone cold, marble carved perfection when I can have imperfect, flawed, quirky, heartrending humanity with its ups and downs ? I can have Soult masterfully taking the Pratzen Heights and Ney sheperding the exhausted, half dead Grande Armée through the Russian Winter. I can have Suchet’s good manners and Augereau’s rudeness. I can have everything about the human experience, summed up in these guys.

I get surprises, too. I didn’t expect Augereau, for example. I still can’t say I love him, exactly. But I respect how he insisted on being unashamedly, rudely, himself. It didn’t leave him blameless. But I’m not surprised in the end that when asked to try Ney, he just said fuck off. Moncey, true to himself, wrote eloquently and acted nobly. Augereau ? Said fuck you, no.

(I expected to dislike Marmont and, God help me, I’m finding myself kind of moved - just a little- by the guy.)

((Bernadotte is still a little bitch, though.))

I like them for the way they led their men, putting themselves on the line, at least most of them. Murat riding into hails of bullets all bedecked with gold and shiny feathers and having zero care for his personal safety. Old Lefebvre still sleeping out in the open with his men. Lannes and his life long efforts to master his temper and not take it out on others.

Little anecdotes that show the private man behind the prestigious, decorated leader, are a sure fire way to my heart. Murat crying over his children’s letters. Lannes always expanding his knowledge. Ney and his flute. Augereau accommodating his men in his own house, free to do what they wanted of their free time. Moncey having to deal with his father. And the funny or ridiculous moments (Berthier and the rabbits).

So, you have it... I like them not because they’re shining beacons of everything heroic and pure (even if they do have some beautiful moments), but for being so very human in such an extraordinary upheaval. With their flaws and their rough edges, their pride and their generosity. For their warmth and color.

They’re exhausting. They’re hilarious. They’re exasperating. They’re fascinating. They’re deeply moving sometimes.

In a word, I love the marshals because they are endearing.

[fandomlife-giver]

Toxic Veins (Alucard x OC): Ch. 10

Warnings: Language, talk of violence, blood

Pairings: Alucard x OC

@redryderdesigns

Word Count: 3920

"Captain Bernadotte, what the hell is this?"

The mercenary leader only pulled up a chair from the side of the room and sat on it with its back to his stomach. "What does it look like?"

One of his men stepped forward. "So, what, are we going to be fighting in London? Since when do we work security jobs?"

Another man from within the group shouted out. "I didn't sign up to be shadowing some rich asshole!"

Their words made the leader laugh. "My God, you people. I can't think of any other way to put this, so, here it is. According to Brazer, what I am about to say next is legitimate. They are going to be paying us to kill monsters."

The man that had been standing next to him looked down in surprise. "They're going to be paying us to do what?"

"It's true."

All heads turned to the woman who was leaning against the frame of the opened door.

PHYRE

It was a little tiring to hear people fight without me being involved. So, I looked up at the men who turned all of their attention to me and I crossed my arms as I let out a sigh.

"The enemies are immortal creatures who sustain themselves by drinking human blood. Sorry, couldn't help but overhear."

Pushing off the door, I stepped further into the room, and when I did, the leader stood from his seat. "You must be the mademoiselle Brazer told me about."

I offered him a smile. "Oh, I didn't know I was talked about. I feel so special now." I outstretched a hand and he gladly shook it. "Phyre Laurifer, I'm one of the agents here at Hellsing. Thank you for coming out to the queen's land, Captain."

He smirked in return. "Pleasures all mine. Never thought I'd get to meet the legendary Phyre Laurifer. You know, I thought we'd be conversing with the head of the organization."

Didn't we all. I sighed. "Apparently not. Guess she's too busy to greet you, so here I am."

"Hold on a second."

I looked over at one of his men. "What the hell kind of a job is this?"

I rose an eyebrow. "Oh, I guess you don't know the basics of monster killing. Just watch any horror movie ever and you'll be fine. Fight these monsters with bullets, garlic, and holy water. Put a stake through its heart, cut off its head, burn the corpse, scatter the ashes at a crossroads."

I smiled widely. "And if you can't figure that much out, then please consult Chet Brazer, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to oblige in a teaching lesson."

One of the other men let out a chuckle that sounded very obnoxious and almost insulting. "That's ridiculous. Everybody knows that vampires don't exist."

I scoffed at that. "Yeah, well they are just dumb bastards who don't know the truth and live in ignorant bliss. Guess you're just a lucky idiot to know now, then. Listen closely, for over a century, the Hellsing organization has served the British empire and has been fighting a secret war with various forces of darkness. Vampires in particular."

A guy that stood close by stepped forward and into my personal space. "Ha, that's a load of crap! Do we look like the kind of idiots who would believe your bullshit?"

Bernadotte looked to his man. "Caverly, if you value your life, you might wanna watch how you talk to Phyre here."

Caverly snickered. Oh, this is gonna be great.

I looked up at Bernadotte and smiled. "It's all right."

Turning my head, I smirked at the man, then let it fall. "Men, I'm gonna say this once because quite frankly, I don't care about any of you enough to repeat it twice."

Placing my hands on my hips, I looked at all of them.

"From what I can tell already, you clearly have not been burdened by an overabundance of education. And starting right now, you dickless bastards are my responsibility."

I turned and looked directly at Caverly. "Meaning you report to me. And basically..."

I stepped closer to him and purposely stepped on his feet. He winced as my heels dug into his flesh through the boots he wore, with me not breaking eye contact whatsoever.

"I own you."

He gasped when I unexpectedly grabbed his collar and pulled his face down to me. I stared through him, then leaned over by his ear.

"You think killing people for money is hard? You think it's easy? You think I would waste my time lecturing you and even bothering to tell you what you're up against if it wasn't a horror show out there?"

I could hear his teeth clench.

"I suppose you've seen a comrade fall, a friend, a family member, a lover. Well, imagine this: You're fast asleep in bed dreaming soundly when you hear a blood curdling scream that wakes you up. You run downstairs and see the image of the person you care for most being devoured alive. A monster is sinking its teeth into their neck, draining every ounce of life they ever had, and they're enjoying it. Then, when it's finished work, it looks at you, drops their body and grins, before disappearing into nothing."

Pulling away, I stared back into his eyes, seeing fear now in them, and I scoffed. "You see it, don't You? Believe me...that is nothing compared to watching your comrades being slaughtered in front of you. So I suggest you nut up or shut up."

As I stepped back from him, I noticed that I must've been speaking louder than I thought because every man close to us was staring with fear and skepticism. And knowing this, I decided it was time for Plan B and I smiled at them.

"Fine, if there are those that choose to not believe me...see for yourself."

Outstretching a hand to the other side of the room, all heads, including Bernadette's, turned to where I was gesturing.

"I present a genuine vampire."

Stepping forward from the dark shadows of the room, said vampire rose up a hand and waved a greeting at them.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Seras Victoria."

The center of the room rang out a laugh and by glancing over, you were a bit surprised to see it was Bernadotte who was laughing. He crossed his arms as he stared at her, then looked at me. "Ha! You must be joking, Phyre."

I shrugged. "Well Bernadotte, why don't you go over there and see for yourself?"

Standing from his chair, he kept his eyes locked on her as he approached her, and when he was close enough, he pointed at her in disbelief.

"Hold on, so you're telling me that you are a vampire?"

She smiled widely. "Yes. I am. Hello."

There were several seconds of silence, before a giggle escaped Bernadotte, then every man in the room was full on laughing their ass off. I had to roll my eyes at them as I placed a match between my lips.

Seras continued to smile, but then looked to me in nervousness. "Um, I get the feeling they're laughing at me, Phyre."

I tilted my head at her. "Then you should probably show them something to make them stop, Seras."

She straightened up as she actually saluted me. "Right! You got it!"

She then looked back to Bernadotte and snapped her fingers. "All right. Come on."

It was at this point that he pointed at her and began bellying out a laugh that triggered another round of laughter all around.

I was sighing at this point. "Oi, vay."

He began clutching his chest due to laughing so hard. "If this girl is a vampire, then I am Frankenstein's monster!"

As he leaned closer to her, narrowing her eyes, Seras bent her fingers and flicked him in the center of the forehead. The force was so hard it left blood coming out of his nose and even his eyes. He was actually gasping for breath when she flicked him again, again, and...one more time after that. The last one sent him flying in a twirl across the room until he landed on his men.

He sat up, staring at her with wide eyes all while she was smiling and twirling her finger around in a circle. And pointing an accusing finger at her, he screamed. 

"She's some kind of monster!"

I grinned at his response. "Really?" He, and all of his men looked to me. I shrugged my shoulders. "Who would've guessed?"

His eyes moved between her and I, before they landed on me. "You're serious? You're telling me this girl really is a vampire?"

"Of course she is."

A small gasp escaped you at the deep voice that rang out and all men in the room turned their heads to the subject as he materialized through the wall.

"She may be the lowest of the low, but a vampire is still a vampire."

I turned my head when Walter came running up and stopped beside me. He did a quick bow. "I'm sorry, miss Laurifer. I tried to keep him at bay-"

"It's fine, Walter."

He went quiet when I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry. It's fine."

His brows furrowed and his eyes followed me as I stepped back into the room and gestured at the newcomer.

"Men, this here is probably the most amazing thing you'll ever see. The best agent Hellsing has to offer. The vampire, Alucard."

Slowly, their eyes wandered up the tall figure until they saw his smile. His very unsettling smile.

"Go on, Alucard," I coaxed the count with another match twirling around in my mouth by my tongue. "Don't be rude."

I couldn't actually tell, but I assumed he glanced at me beneath his goggles, then his smile got impossibly wider and even more stomach twisting.

"Hi."

By seeing them lean back once he spoke, I couldn't help the amused giggle escape from me. At the sound, the intimidating figure turned to me, and although they were unseen, I knew his eyes were staring at me.

"Phyre..."

My attention went to Bernadotte as he managed to stand, and while using one hand to wipe the blood from his head, he looked at me.

"Why exactly did you call us here?"

My eyebrows rose in curiosity, as I silently asked him to elaborate. "These are vampires. Why the hell do you need us, when you have them?"

My lips pulled back into a small smile as I moved over to him, crossing my arms behind my back as I halted in front of him, making sure I was inches away from his face.

"Because we have no choice."

I slowly turned a 360 to stare at every man in the room, including Seras and Alucard. “Here's the thing. We are on the verge of war with a threat we don't know much about. And while they will be fighting the real monsters...you men will be guarding this mansion with your lives, which requires cracking a few skulls. A good number of them will quite possibly be yours."

So, to put it more bluntly for these idiots…”

You spun around one more time, before stopping and looking directly at the creatures of darkness that stood only a few feet from you.

"We need all the help we can get. Whether you're human or not. As long as you can kill without a second thought, you're useful."

"Hey, uh, Miss Laurifer? I got a question."

I peered over my shoulder at Caverly, who seemed like he dropped the doubt, but still had the attitude. "So, while we are all dropping like flies, and these things are ripping the monsters apart, exactly what role will you be playing?"

The sass was obvious in his voice, along with his implement that I was staying out of the action and only sending them to their death.

I sighed and spun around on my heel to the point where my side was facing him. "It's sweet that you're concerned. So sweet that I will ignore what you were implying just now. Here's the thing, what I'm doing has nothing to do with you, so you have no need to know. You should worry more about yourself, so shut your mouth and do as you're told. Soldier."

His jaw ticked, along with the tips of his ears burning red with rage. "You know what, you snarky, heartless bitch-"

"Caverly!"

He began advancing steps towards me, until Bernadotte grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him back, his tone sharp and strict. "You heard her. Show some respect and shut your mouth, you smartass."

He grinded his teeth together, stepping back and muttered something under his breath. I turned away as Seras scooted over to whisper in my ear. "Um, Phyre, where is Sir Integra? Shouldn't she be here for this?"

I breathed in through my nose as I craned my neck to whisper back. "We had a small argument. She's making me in charge of everyone here. So, no, she's not coming."

She was surprised at that, and as I glanced at the men one last time, my eyes moved on Alucard once again. I swallowed back my emotions and darted towards the door, throwing one last sentence over my shoulder.

"Walter will take you to Chet, he'll give you the proper training for the job."

Walter bowed his head as you passed by him. "Of course, Miss Laurifer."

The doors slammed shut behind me. And once they did, Alucard narrowed his eyes since he had kept them on me the entire time since he entered the room.

°°°

"He was born a slave, raised a slave, and lived as a slave. Until he turned 21, when he escaped from his slave master and became a common thief. He was captured by the townspeople and they sentenced him to death because in their eyes, he was just like any other criminal."

I gulped as I listened. A slave? Sounds familiar…

"But when it came time for his execution, a local commoner girl known by all by as the reverend's daughter stood up for him and threw herself in front of the blade that dared to strike him. Her bravery saved his life and the town looked down on her for it. Her name was Nica Manchester."

Of course. I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall as he continued.

"She brought him home that day. Her family disowned her for her actions and she left her home with him. They took shelter in an abandoned mansion far away from the town. Nica helped nurse him to full strength. But eventually, she had to go back to town for food. When she returned, she was ignored by everyone. Except for one person. Abraham Van Hellsing. He gave her everything she needed and she returned to the mansion."

I rose my eyebrows. "Why would she give up everything for a criminal, someone she didn't even know?"

I caught the sigh he gave as he turned back to me. "No comments. Just pay attention."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Anyways. Over time, he began to develop feelings for her, falling for her beauty and charitable heart. It wasn't long before he had captured her heart and her, his. Unfortunately, in the middle of the night, the villagers stumbled upon them both. Vlad was put up for another death sentence, and this time, she was to be killed after and watch it happen. That didn't happen. Instead, Vlad had killed the king as he had stood by him on his death. In return, the people were forced to name Vlad their new ruler. You already know how that ended."

I gave a small nod. Became a ruthless tyrant, slaughtering everyone in his path, even making his own people fear him.

"Yet throughout it all, Nica stayed by his side, never doubting him because he killed all those who inflicted pain onto others. If anything, it made their love grow stronger. Even when he abandoned God and did turn into a vampire, instead of fearing him, she accepted him and they became married the night after."

"Walter, you know I love a happy ending, but when will you get to the point that really matters?"

He groaned and narrow his eyes at me. I held my hands up defensively.

"As I was saying. Over time, Nica actually began seeing the true nature of him. How he began raging war on nothing, slaughtering the innocent, letting his greed consume him. She was scared, so she went to Abraham. After telling him everything, he tried convincing her that he had to die, but she refused. When she returned, feeling helpless, Vlad had actually become mad with jealousy, believing her to have been with Abraham because she loved him. Blinded by it, he had hurt her and kicked her out of the mansion."

My grip on my arms tightened. "Walter. How did Nica die?"

°°°

Opening my eyes, I exhaled and opened my door. As the door closed behind me, I tried my best to shake that feeling of dread that overcame me from the information Walter had told me. And although he was very good at hiding, I could feel his very presence in the chair occupying the dark corner of the room.

"You shouldn't enter a girl's room without permission."

I expected some kind of chuckle of amusement or a snarky comment. I got the exact opposite.

"We need to talk, Phyre."

I softly laughed as I turned my head to him. "Yeah, we do."

As I slid my coat off my shoulders, he stood from the chair. And after dropping it on the bed, I fell back onto it.

"I had Walter tell me--"

"Yeah, I know. He told me about you, too."

He went fully silent and I had to turn my head and stare right at him. "And by the way, kicking her out? Major dick move, chocula."

"I was a fool then. A stupid monster who--"

"She wasn't a hero."

And now, the air got super tense.

"...What?"

I actually started smiling and laughed a bit. "Ever since that day, everyone told the story of Nica, calling her a hero who destroyed the monster, Count Dracula. They didn't have a clue. You know what she was? Scared. I'll say this, though, she sure was brave. But the story I knew not only was a lie, but it wasn't the entire thing either."

I sat up and placed a hand on my stomach. "See, what the townspeople didn't know was that when she got, well, got, she was actually protecting her stomach. You know why?"

I could make out the sound of teeth grinding coming from where he stood.

"Because after everything had happened and they went to bury her...they found a child."

When I took the dramatic pause to look at him, he appeared angry, but also as if he was holding back tears.

I smiled wider. "A child that somehow...was still alive."

His head shot up and his eyes went directly through mine. "What? Alive?"

I slid off the bed and stepped towards him. "The child was a creation of a vampire and a human. The monster's blood ran through its veins. But instead of killing it, they only said it was dead and kept it hidden by giving it to a random family who had no idea what it truly was."

Another step closer.

"And from what I've learned, one thing was left behind of the tragic death. A wedding ring on her finger that was given to her by the monster himself. It was kept in a museum until about...12 years ago, I believe. When someone broke in and stole it, moving faster than any human possibly could. Some say it was the count's spirit itself, claiming back what was rightfully his."

I had to stop right in front of him to gaze up at his face. "But you already knew that, didn't you, Vlad?"

His eyes were blazing with a variety of emotions. "Phyre..."

I reached into my pants pocket and held up the glimmering piece of jewelry in between us.

"You had it on your little table by that nice chair of yours downstairs. When you're kissing someone, you can become really distracted."

He snatched the ring so fast I didn't even realize it at first.

"Look, Alucard. I'm not telling you this to be a bitch. You know all about me, I thought it would only be fair."

He was having all his attention on the ring, as if I wasn't even there.

I sighed. "Fine."

He had to glance up as I pulled the bottom of my shirt and crossed my arms to pull it up, over my head. I had a feeling his eyes widened behind those goggles as I just became half naked in my bra.

"Maybe this will help."

I slowly turned around and lifted the back of my hair, putting it to the side on my shoulder. A few seconds after, the tingling sensation of his gloved hand touching my shoulder blade made me shake a bit.

"Is this..."

"Yep. A nice little present left behind by my brother. What you're seeing there is the carving of a flower done by a knife. And I'm sure Walter already told you that. But here's the thing, I was actually born with a flower birthmark right there. He just decided to add a bit more red to it."

I jumped a bit when a felt something warm and...soft being placed on the wound. What the...? Is he...kissing it?

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you, flower."

A chill ran up my spine because he just frickin' whispered that on my skin, it does make you feel tingly.

I let out a breath to calm my fast heart beat. "I don't think that this is a coincidence." I turned back around but found myself unable to look him in the eye. "It's very hard for me to accept this, but I know that I am Nica. And just please don't make a big deal out of this okay?"

He tilted his head. "Out of wha--"

He was cut off by me, because I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close. Super close, because I really didn't want to let him go. Blame that on Nica.

He was surprised and caught off guard to say the least, but he still put his arms around me in a very tight embrace. I squeezed my eyes shut.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Phyre, we need to tal--"

My eyes shot open and I turned my head to see the surprised face of Integra. And the subtle sly smile of Walter.

I tried to move out of the hug, but he had me in an iron grip. Dammit.

"Uh, Alucard."

"Hmm?"

"Can you let go, please?"

He only groaned and actually held me tighter. Okay, now it's getting hard to breathe. I pounded on his back. "A-A-Alu-card."

He eventually pulled away but in a way where he refused to let his hands off of me. It took me a moment to breathe again, but when I could, I looked over at Integra.

"You know, it's rude to enter someone's room without permission."

[xthebirdofhermesx]

Hellsing: The Return

Y’all ready for some FanFiction? ^_^ This is my take on Continuing Hellsing Ultimate that I’ve recently gotten posted, and thought I’d share here too. MATURE CONTENT FOLKS. There’s violence, strong language, smut, and gore cause... well Hellsing. No warnings beyond that currently (no sexual violence or anything like that), so have at thee if ya like. All Chapters compiled here, but I’ll be posting inline for anyone who just tumblrz.

You must make Water of the Earth, and Earth of the Air, and Air of the Fire, and Fire of the Earth. The Black Sea. The Black Luna. The Black Sol. Here is the last of the White Stone and the beginning of the Red.  ~Opening of The Ripley Scroll

30 years after the Millennium incident in London, Hellsing Organization is asked to investigate a sensitive matter by an unexpected source. What is uncovered forever changes the course of the future and the Legacy of the Hellsing family.

Chapter 1 - The White Stone

In the sea without lees Standeth the bird of Hermes Eating his wings variable And maketh himself yet full stable When all his feathers be from him gone He standeth still here as a stone Here is now both white and red And all so the stone to quicken the dead All and some without fable Both hard and soft and malleable Understand now well and right And thank you God of this sight The bird of Hermes is my name eating my wings to make me tame.

It was as if no time had passed.

Sitting on the same side of the bed he always had, watching the rise and fall of her breathing as she slept, the vampire king smiled to himself. Her hair was lighter, peppered with white, and she abhorred the wrinkles and lines of age on her face, but to him she was more beautiful than ever. She was human, and had aged - a natural magic he would never see.

It had taken thirty years for him to regain himself. Thirty long years for him to kill all the lives within him, save one. One that now allowed him to be everywhere and nowhere at once, one life that granted him omnipresence and would ensure his survival… and that of his little coven.

Of course he would never call them that aloud. Not that he thought Seras would mind much - it was hard enough keeping her at bay right now. He could feel her excitement and joy at having him back vibrating at the edge of his attention even now. That Captain Bernadotte was still around so actively surprised him little, but not as much as he’d have predicted. Of course he’d become Seras’s shadow. The man had been amusing at best in life, but had transcended the limitations of his mortal form into something far more interesting and entertaining. A security barrier for the entire manor. It was impressive.

And yet it was Integra that intrigued him the most. She was still herself - that core of ice, steel, and pride she’d had since she was a girl had not dulled in his absence. To his dismay and perhaps a touch of guilt, there was a light that had gone from her eyes. She was sad… Seras claimed constantly, though she clarified Integra hid it until she thought no one was looking.

It just made the No Life King smile. It was not out of cruelty, he had not meant to make her wait so very long. But even before, when he had desired her for his queen, and shared intimacy with her, selfishly spoiling her expectations in the hopes of keeping her for himself and hoping she would never find the touch of another man… he had wanted to die. He knew what it was like to be tired. The press of lives inside him, the cacophony of bitter and angry, scared voices never letting him escape his past. He relived the horrors that had made him what he was in his dreams most nights.

But no more. Now, there was an eerie calm, a peace to his mind. Gone with the turmoil and dinn had gone his self annihilation impulses. Yes, he was a monster. Yes, if he were to be removed from this world it would be at the hands of a human, as it should be. Humans killed monsters, it was the way of things. But he longed for that death no more.

Now, he longed for her.

Still, he longed for her.

And she for him. That was what drew a smile from him.

Reaching out to run fingers through her impossibly long hair, Alucard's smile broadened. He’d said to his Countess he was home, and he felt the truth of that statement. He also felt Seras trying to eavesdrop down the hall. Without untangling his fingers from Integra’s hair, he reached out his other hand through his new power - is wasn’t even really bending space. His hand was merely both in Integra’s room, and suddenly directly in front of Seras’s face.

Flipping one finger out, Seras yelped like a squeaky toy as she went flying backwards off the chair she was sitting on, and immediately started yelling at him.

“That was so mean, Master! Why would you do that I was sitting here minding my own business and you just-”

You were eavesdropping, Police Girl, he said to her mind, smirking as the nickname caused her to fuzz like an upset cat. Do better.

With a sigh and a non-verbal grumble as he reclaimed his hand, he heard her say dejectedly to his mind, Yes, Master.

Seeing Integra had not stirred, the vampire smiled to himself. So she thought herself old and undesirable, that he was too late. And yet she’d bested every man, every day of training for the last thirty years. She remained the respected head of her family organization, made Hellsing better, stronger than before. This all revealed to him when he had tasted her blood this night, a sweet ambrosia after starving for so long… and there was one little last, precious detail that made his hair curl to think about; she was still a virgin. She had waited on him in more ways than one.

She had missed him.

She was mad, he could feel that. Perhaps not enough to empty a second clip of blessed bullets into him after realizing who her nighttime interloper had been, but… he had some time to make up for before he would get her to agree.

But she would, eventually. Just as he had known she had thirty-two years ago.

She would agree to be his queen. It was time.

***

In the morning, Integra woke alone and wondered if the night before had been a very vivid dream. She looked around her room as she sat up, and felt a chill run down her spine. Surely it had been real…? Looking to her hand, her wound from where she’d fed Alucard was present. And yet it wasn’t enough to assure her.

She rose to dress after a short shower, glancing disapprovingly at herself in the mirror. Refined, mature, distinguished? Feh. Try old. Not to mention the eye patch from where the damned Major of Millennium had shot her. Fist clenched at her side she was still angry about it to this day. Less the vanity and more the lack of depth perception. She’d had to relearn how to shoot, to fence, to write… to do everything. That little gremlin had continued to make life hard for her for years after his death.

These thoughts carried her downstairs and into the kitchen for breakfast. She missed the days of Walter’s flapjacks and jam, but Walter had made his choice. Traitor. It had been more than ten years before Seras finally convinced Integra to entertain the notion of hiring another assistant. They’d been through four maids, two butlers and three personal assistants since then, none of which had worked out. The last had been a kind, elderly woman who’d done everything just right, and whose background check had been spotless. Poppy McCarthy had been ex-military and unbothered by the supernatural aspects of the job. She had been with them for six years. She’d taken to Seras and Pip quickly, pinching the walls to make the Captain jump, and told him she’d find his behind one day (much to Seras’s great amusement). McCarthy had intuitively picked up on Integra’s needs as well, keeping distant most days, but always knowing just the right times to say something insightful and uplifting. Come to find out, Poppy had also left a clean set of clothes next to the door of Alucard’s sealed chamber every few days.

She’d been perfect, and Integra had finally started to accept her... when she died. Seemed an unknown heart condition coupled with a vampire attack on the manor had been too much for the elderly woman. Though to her credit, she’d taken out more than a dozen ghouls in the process, and they didn’t get to her at all. She had died a human warrior against the darkness.

That had been two years ago now, and Integra had not had the heart to go through it all again. It wasn’t that they didn’t need the help, it’s that she was tired of coming to care for people she would inevitably loose. It was part of the job, yes. She was a knight and a soldier who understood this, yes. Years of experience and training had prepared her for difficult decisions and loss. But after Alucard… she felt defeated.

Toast and a boiled egg was for breakfast, and Integra knew she was procrastinating. She wanted to go tearing downstairs, throw open Alucard’s door and see if he was there. She was equally terrified he wouldn’t be. But, she was English Nobility. She didn’t go haring off into a dungeon for anyone. She had dignity and manners, dammit.

Perhaps I can save you the trouble, my master , came the satin touch of a familiar baritone to her mind.

Still reading my mind unbidden, I see , she retorted flatly, trying her best to think of sunny days and toast, rather than the thrill of relief and other strong emotions his voice wrung from her.

I have missed years of eavesdropping your thoughts, he chuckled. I plan to make up for lost time for that, and many other things .

With a sigh, she was going to give herself a headache trying to keep her thoughts from him. She’d gotten fairly good at it over the years with help from Seras. But Seras was not as powerful as Alucard yet. Integra had every confidence that she would likely never be able to hide her thoughts from him entirely. So, she tossed the crust of her toast in the bin, and with head held high made her way to the sub-basement. It would be easier to talk to him in person.

***

“Don’t think that you can waltz right back in here, appearing like the villain the Irishman wrote you as, over my bed and that tra-la-la everything will go back to how it once was, servant,” she snapped.

Alucard sat in his throne (he’d missed it! It was so much more comfortable than he’d remembered!), legs crossed and trying with all his might not to smile at the platinum haired fury across from him. She was very angry, and he understood why. She was also armed. While it wouldn’t do any lasting damage, Alucard did not care to be shot for a second time in twelve hours.

She was railing on, having perhaps been a touch provoked at his smug suggestion that she sit on his lap. Ranting about the years gone by, what Hellsing had endured, what she had endured, how dare he suggest that nothing had changed, and so on. It all faded in his ears as he watched her. He heard her words, and paid attention, but there was something captivating about her now that had not been before. She was comfortable in her skin, or had been more recently than not. She was no longer the young, angry, tight fisted young woman who’d clung tooth and nail to her inheritance. Her blouse was gathered at the sleeves, not a tailored man’s shirt. Her belt was a woman’s belt. There was a small edge of lace at the end of her tie. This anger was earned, and not an affronted outburst of sensitive pride...

The storm had passed, and left in its wake a goddess where once a young woman had stood.

“Well?!” she demanded, arms crossed expectantly. “Where do you expect this to go now?”

She meant as the weapon of the organization, as her servant having fully and quickly grasped the extent of his new power. Both her words and her very purposeful thoughts were focused on that.

But in her subconscious mind, he felt the young woman he’d left to go save himself, buried deep in a dark room not unlike the one in which they stood. She was hurt, weeping and very angry, and she wanted to know where they stood.

Integra slowed, as she was the only other thing capable of independent movement in the room, when he began moving in supernatural speed. As he stood and took a step forward, he watched her one blue eye widen- she’d seen him move. She’d not see him now, nor would she again until he stopped in front of her, but it made him smile that she was faster than ever, his lovely, deadly master.

Time resumed it’s proper course when he halted, nearly nose to now with Integra, hand on her gun and having every intent of shooting him again. Alucard could no longer refrain from smiling, holding her wrist to prevent her from unholstering the weapon. “I expect to be your servant in service to the Hellsing Organization until the day you decide that you’re no longer mad at me, that I have paid my penance for the thirty year absence, and that you are ready to join me as my No Life Queen, Intergal Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing.”

Her eye widened, despite the rest of her face remaining stoic. “That… cannot be now. I could not be old for eternity.”

“No?” he asked, leaning down a touch and pulling her closer by the wrist he held. He noted, she did not try and struggle away. “Have you not seen me appear as a child? A girl-child even. I was no Seras Victoria when I became a monster, Countess. My blood, when it courses your veins,” he said as if speaking elicit poetry, “Will wash many years away, and one day, what form you take will be entirely up to you and untouchable by what time once thought to render.”

At that, her blue eye watered a little, and much of her anger fled. “And you?” she asked, refusing to give into the desire to lean against him. “You would still have me?”

Loosing her wrist and wrapping both arms around her, Alucard leaned in to kiss her neck, breathing over her skill and reveling in the shudder that took her body.

“You are my Countess, and have no idea what it took to return to you. The thought of your blood, your body, your kiss… were the desires that created cornerstones within me. When I lost myself, you, my master, were the foundations on which I was able to reclaim who I am. And be here.”

Reaching up to turn her face to him with a gentle finger, one arms still holding her against his chest, he grinned to see the spark of fire back in her one remaining eye. “I would have you here and now, if you gave the word, Countess.”

She damn near said yes. He saw it in her thoughts, felt it in the beat of her heart…

But, the walls cleared their throat?

“Pardonne moi, mes amis ,” Bernadotte’s voice echoed around them. “Seras wished for me to let Sir Hellsing know that apparently the Vatican is back?”

“I can kill them, and we can continue,” Alucard purred, feeling his temper flare a bit.

But Integra sighed and rest her forehead on Alucard’s shoulder. “They’ll find the family jewels if we leave them be too long, nosy bastards.”

Alucard frowned. “There was no family treasure Arthur or Abraham ever mentioned.”

“That’s because there isn’t any,” Integra chuckled. “That’s the joke. Pip?”

“Mademoiselle ?”

“Tell Seras I will be there in a few minutes. And politely fuck off for a moment, if you would?” The disembodied voice of the French mercenary chuckled, but turned his attention elsewhere noticeably, leaving them alone.

“Where were we,” Alucard rumbled, but was surprised when Integra took his face in her hands and kissed him. Chaste at first, her lips parted and he groaned, arms tightening around her waist as he tasted her mouth for the first time in what felt like much longer than thirty years.

It was more than a few minutes. No clothes were shed, nor anything more than a kiss. But it was a scandalous, toe curling affair from which Alucard did not wish to part. Unfortunately, it seemed the Jesus Freaks were starting to give his child a hard time upstairs.

“To be continued,” he purred, lips brushing hers before they parted, and together went to greet the enemy.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Tuesday 17 September 1833

6 35

..

fine morning and F64° at 6 35 -  paid all to the master himself and breakfast over at 9 20 - had my valet de place of yesterday and out at 9 40 - to the streamer office paid all and gave passports - then in 18 minutes at Lachrewehre [Lachswerhallee] (went some distance along the road by which we arrived from Oldseloe [Bad Oldesloe]) a pretty little public tea garden with formal avenues of lime and cut hornbeam hedges in the old style - called Lachrewehre [Lachswerhallee] because here, 3 or 4 centuries ago, when salmon used to come upon the Trave in such shoals as to impede navigation, and it was publically read in the church that no one should give their servants Salmon more than twice a week - there was a wehre or high fence or barrier erected across the river that the salmon could not get over so that their [progress] was stopt - no Jews allowed to live in Lubeck -so after having done their business in the day go to the good village of Meisseling (spelt from sound) 1 ½ lieue (2 lieues= 1 meilen or French poste) from and belonging to Lubeck, and where the Steckenitz canal (that communicates with the Elbe at Lauenburg) joins the Trave – the duties on passing the Sund (sound as we English call it) are so high, the Baltic timber is landed at Lubeck, and floated down to Hamburg by the Steckeintz canal, cut above a hundred years ago – From Lachrewehre [Lachswerhallee] back to the Holstein gate, and then left to the end of the ramparts that way – saw in the distance the church steeple of the village of Radkow7 lieues from [?], belongs to the duke of Oldenburg (O- near Bremen) (spelt from sound) 2 lieues (1 meile) from Lubeck, and to where blucher retreated from Lubeck in 1806, and capitulated to the French general Bernadotte prince of Ponte Corvo, now K. of Sweden, and who, as such, came to Lubeck against the French in 1813 after the battle of Leipzig (in October) – Had Napoleon had Lubeck one year longer, the road straight from the Hamburg gate to Hamburg 12 lieues or 6 meilen (instead of 16 lieues as now by Schönberg that is 8 meilen and 18 lieues or 9 meilen by Arensberg [Ahrensburg]) would have been done – it was tire a cordon, and preparations made – but all was stopt with the misfortunes of Napoleon – the king of Denmark would do nothing even to the road by Schönberg – he wanted it by Arensberg [Ahrensburg] – the Lubeckois and Hamburgois would pay for the road by Sconberg [Schönberg], but he would not let them – but he had already made a new chaussée (a good road) from Kiel to Hamburg – clear enough, thought I, he wants the Hamburg trade to a place of his own – returned along the

Miss F- and I should have eaten the famous Eel soup at Hamburg and if I had not seen the Institution for crooked persons at Lubeck had not seen the best-worth seeing thing there - said Lubeck was famous for baskets.

river and ferried over it – then to the Radthaus hotel de ville, to see the Senate room – no old paintings there – a good room 33 by 14 of my usual steps (take them at 2ft. each) – a very handsome dark carved oak entrance door – ends and 1 side (of which last 8 pannels and the stove in the middle opposite to 9 window) painted in fresco by an Italian whose name the man who shewed the room could not tell – home at 12 20 – changed my dress and all ready to be off at 1 Miss Ferrall arrived from Arensburg [Ahrensburg] at 12 ¾ - somehow or other this detained me till 1 ½ at which hour off from the Stadt Hamburg at Lubeck - had been very comfortable and well satisfied with everything a very good reasonable hotel - the good road lime shaded road I went yesterday as far as the turn (left) to Israeldorf [Israelsdorf]  then not so good but very fair sometimes mere sand till 2 35 when we came to the Trave – making the road anew paving and covering with gravel then with sand just on this side the river – waited ¼ hour for the ferry boar and then over in ¼ hour – pretty view along here the broad river, up and down – should have come by the little steamer at 11 or after this morning, at 1 mark per person but it was too small to take the carriage: but finding afterwards it did not arrive at Travemunde [Travemünde] till after 5 (5 ½ or later) I did not regret having come a quicker way – a neat gasthaus just on the other side the river – bits of roughish pavé here and there but chiefly, and better,  sand – at 3 ½ 1st sight of Travemunde [Travemünde]  its phare, and the low white sandy shores of the Baltic – nicely farmed country all hereabouts and I believe all thro’ Holstein – smallish enclosures here just like England – green hedges chiefly hornbeam and hazel – sandy land – nicely wooded - alighted at the Stadt Hamburg  Travemunde [Travemünde] (comfortable had a good mutton chop at 5 ¼) at 3 ¼ - nice little town - long goodish street along the river of small but neat looking brick houses - saw the carriage on board the ‘Frederick Den Siette i.e. Fred VI streamer’ 80 horse power, built at Copenhagen fine vessel Captain ...... then went to the top of the house - 60 bricks steps and about 5 ladders of 15 steps each - fine view of the river - the Baltic, the town, and very pretty baths and boarding-house with its pretty straw-thatched additional boarding house and stabling and nice little grounds in front - walked up to these buildings and to the baths which are nearer to the water - very pretty- went back to the Inn - enjoyed my mutton chop and went on board the streamer exactly at 6pm - Miss F- met immediately an old acquaintance lucky thought I I shall get comfortably rid of her  I had said to myself several times in the carriage  I thought her the most disagreeable girl I ever saw and how heartily glad I should be to get rid of her Miss F- met with her friend a Madame Hage - introduced - she had just been in Switzerland and was delighted to talk it over with me - she and Miss F- retired at 8 ½ I walked about till 9 ¼ and then went to my carriage for the night - lay across it with my feet upon my travelling bag pretty comfortably till perhaps between 12 and one or an hour later dozing or slumbering - then sick about every ¼ hour till 8 or 9 in the morning

[dxscovxry-a]

@cani-della-notte liked this for a starter.

  The college dropout sidled out from between the old brick and stone buildings he’d grown accustomed to seeing over the years. He always found himself returning time after time for... a wide variety of reasons. Friends, research for school, and simple desire travel the Italian peninsula due to Discovery making it basically free being the top three, although others certainly existed. There was always a reason to come back.

  Now came the hard part; trying to figure out where he was in the city, if he was even in the right city at all. The chance of the latter was low, but never zero.

  Bernadotte moved to stand out front of the building with the closer entrance. The old ‘lost tourist’ routine often worked out. Fortunately for him, a man that looked local rounded the corner not long after, and so began the charade.

  “Pardon, but could you tell me which city this is? I fell asleep on a bus ride to Florence, and I believe that I might have missed my destination.”