The Real chapter: Legacy: Prologue: For Every Beginning...

[melrose_stormhaven]

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing. or Bram Stroker's Dracula. Suing me will do you no good. I have no money.
Freetalk: I've done some reformatting, so this will be the real chapter of Legacy. Enjoy.

Dedicated to: Nice Guy and of course, this is for Stella and Eden from BI (Blissful Ignorance) as well.

Prologue: For Every Beginning…

"Lord Integral, please stop fidgeting."

Fourteen-year old Integral Wingates Hellsing gave her retainer, Walter Kum Dorne, who was kneeling in front of her, helping her dress, a small smile. "I'm sorry Walter. I'm just a little nervous, I guess."

Walter smiled back at her. "You'll will do fine, Lord Integral," he told her as he adjusted the sleeves of her dress. Then Walter stood up and glanced critically at the young girl. "Well, you look splendid today, Lord Integral. The Queen will be much impressed."

Integral whirled around to face the mirror. The mirror reflected a dark-skinned girl wearing a pale blue ankle-length dress, her ice-blue eyes wide and staring. Her long snow-blonde hair that was styled into a chignon by one of the female servants of Hellsing made her seem a little older than her age. On one sleeve of her dress was the Hellsing family coat-of-arms, a constant reminder of her duty.

Walter smiled fondly at the girl, the daughter of his old friend Arthur. "I will be leaving you now to make other arrangements. Just try to relax. It will be all right."

Integral smiled gratefully at Walter, and watched him leave the room. As soon as the door closed behind him, her smile faded.

It was the day of her knighting, the day she would officially and fully come into her inheritance as the heir to Hellsing. In a few hours, in pomp and ceremony, surrounded by other knights of the order, she would kneel before the Queen and would rise as Sir Integral Wingates Hellsing, Knight of the Round Table, defender of the realm from the undead.

Integra knew she should be proud, should be happy, but a part of her was afraid of what was happening, because she knew that after this, nothing would ever be the same. This was the final step she would take, the step that would permanently take her into adulthood. After this, she would no longer be a child, but a knight.

"Thoughts, my Master?" a deep, mocking voice said from the shadows of her room said.

Integra clenched her hands into tight fists at the sound of that voice. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned to where the voice came from, a look of annoyance on her face. "I told you not to come into my room without my permission," she said.

"Have you, Master? Pity, I must have forgotten," the mocking voice replied as its owner slowly materialized as it slipped away from the shadows. Integra stood still, expressionless, as she watched curling threads of shadows swirl slightly. They first formed shoe-clad feet, then white-gloved hands, followed by a deep red ankle-length, long-sleeved coat that hid the rest of his body in shadows, finally forming a head topped by hair as dark as night and with it a devilish-looking face that had deep red eyes and a mocking, fanged smile.

Vampire.

Integra watched with sick fascination as the corpse licked her blood from the floor, lapping it. "Vampire…."

Alucard.

"I am called Alucard," he said when she asked him for his name in that dark dungeon as she aimed her gun at her treacherous Uncle Richard, using his outstretched arm to steady her injured arm.

"Why are you wearing that?" Integra suddenly asked, noting the vampire's clothes. It reminded her of the clothes a nobleman would wear in a time long ago.

"You do not like what I am wearing, Master?"

Integra frowned. "Why red? It seems inappropriate for a vampire."

"Is it, Master?"

Integral lifted her chin, eyes suddenly as hard and as cold as chips of blue ice. "You will not mock me this way. I will not let you. I asked you a question; I want an answer."

Integra thought she saw a smile on his face when he replied in a serious voice, "I am most comfortable in this garb. I am able to move freely. Moreover, red is a favorite color of mine."

She said nothing. Then, after a moment of silence, she asked, "What are you doing here? Do not tell me you are congratulating me for my imminent knighthood."

"If you want me to, Master."

"I don't want you to. Leave my room. I do not wish for your company, Alucard."

Alucard gave her another mocking smile. "A pity you would not care for my company, Master, for I can assure you, my presence will be something you will deal with until the end of your days. And perhaps," he added, his smile widening, "even beyond the grave."

For a moment, Integra felt a chill rush up her spine. Nevertheless, her pride overrode her fear. "We will see about that, vampire," she replied coolly.

"I will be waiting, Master." Laughing, he left, slipping into the shadows.

He is my true legacy, Integra realized suddenly. My true inheritance. It is not the title of knight, nor the land, or the money…but him–that vampire my father kept in that dungeon.

It had been several days since that day she found Alucard. Her father had died, leaving the Institute to her. She had been running away from her Uncle Richard, who wanted to kill her, to control the Hellsing Institute. Seeking safety, she went to the dungeons of Hellsing, where her father said she should go if she was being threatened, for something will protect her there.

She had expected it to be a knight or some super weapon, but instead found this creature, this vampire. She could not believe it. The thing her father told her to fear and revile the most was the one that would protect and help her. How could her father deal with such a thing? How could her ancestors?

"Lord Integra?" Walter's voice broke into her thoughts. "The limousine is ready. We shall leave for the ceremony now."

She nodded. As she followed Walter out, she felt eyes looking at her, watching her every move. Alucard.

She may find out the answers to her questions in the future, but for now, Alucard was her legacy. She would come to know more of this dangerous and powerful legacy in time, perhaps just like her ancestors did.

And so it begins, my friends
A lengthy journey's first step
May you find what you seek
And be a better person for it

~T.B.C.~

Freetalk, part 2: And that was the prologue of Legacy. Did you like it? Please read and review.
Please excuse the poem. I suck at poetry.
Next chapter: Let's take a trip to the past. What happened after Van Helsing and company 'killed' Dracula?

[Eden]

Awesome, like always.

I really like the way you have this placed earlier on in Integra's life, while she's still unsure of Alucard. It makes it more realistic, because in the series she seems more comfortable, and able to take care of Alucard without fear. Do you know what I mean?

Anyways, . . . I'm eagerly awaiting the next part of this, and I'm sure you won't disapoint.

~Eden

[Stella]

I haven't seen a lot of authors that can write younger Integra and Alucard well, but YOU do! Eden took the words right out of my mouth.

I'm really looking forward to this story, to find out what happened in the time between the end of Dracula and Integra finding Alucard. It's one of the great things about Hellsing, because so much is left up to interpretation, but one of the maddening things, too because we WANT TO KNOW!!!

But if there's anyone that will do a great job with it, I know you will.

Can't wait for more!

Love,
Stella

[melrose_stormhaven]

really like the way you have this placed earlier on in Integra's life, while she's still unsure of Alucard. It makes it more realistic, because in the series she seems more comfortable, and able to take care of Alucard without fear. Do you know what I mean?

I think I do, Eden. Personally, I put that scene there because I wanted to show what Integra felt after she found out about Alucard. I mean, it was such a shock to her. And she must have realized she was going to go through a very tough time....

It's one of the great things about Hellsing, because so much is left up to interpretation, but one of the maddening things, too because we WANT TO KNOW!!!

Hai! Hai! Makes people want to make fanfiction!!! That also makes me want to buy the manga!