The Catholic Princess

Section Nine: Forbidden Emotions Bloom

Friday, November 29th, 2012- London, England

~Anderson~

I got home from Germany two days ago, and every time I see Skye, she's either humming some sort of tune or doodling on important documents and daydreaming, like now, when she is supposed to be helping me fill out the financial report for the orphanage. Why is she so lost on cloud 9?

" Skye, Sunshine, why are you so happy and day dreamy as of late?"

" Oh, shit, sorry! I was just thinking of my visits at Hellsing." 

" Oh? How did they go, by the way?" 

" Wonderful! Integra is such a joy to be around, Walter is a funny old man, and Alucard isn't as bad a man you made him out to be. We all actually clicked, you know, like we had been friends for years." 

" She let him near you?" 

She could hear the concern in my voice, and her eye roll did nothing to calm my mood.

" Dad, it's fine. I asked him if he wanted to help, and so he did. He was an absolute gentleman, being polite and courteous the entire time. I even talked to him about some rather hard topics for him to live with. I saw him close to crying, and he looked so defeated, I felt bad for him. I gave him a hug because of it, and told him he never should've been through what he dealt with. He seemed so happy to hear someone tell him some kind words, to be so genuinely nice to him. I know you're probably mad, but I saw a side of him that put everything into stark contrast." 

She hugged him? Integra let her hug him-" Skye Celeste, he is a monster, an abomination of God-" 

" Only because God turned his back on him in his darkest hour of need! He prayed, begged, and after all that, God still allowed him to suffer the fate that befell him. He didn't ask for this fate, but it was the one God gave him. God abandoned him, just like everyone else had. It's not his fault he is the way he is, he's just making due with the hand dealt to him! God made him into a monster, Dad, and I refuse to be cruel to him!" 

I was shocked into silence at her words. My daughter was defending him, and her words were full of the truth. She knew better than to lie to me, and to see the hard set look in her eyes that I get when I'm arguing. She knew she was right, and she would try to prove it until blue in the face. 

" Skye, darling, I can tell you aren't going to hear any different from me, but I am willing to be proven wrong. How can you be so sure he wasn't just playing you for a fool?" 

" Because, he was almost in tears. I don't know about you, but it's pretty hard to fake traumatic emotions when they have been repressed for as long as he's had them." 

" Ok, I'll give you that. Did he act at all creepy towards you?" 

" No, in fact, he was pretty funny, cracking jokes at Integra's expense, he even told us stories of stunts he had pulled in his human days as a little kid with his siblings. He's not that bad a man when you get to learn who he is as a person. I know you've seen him at his absolute worst, but I think if you personally just talk to him, like you did during the meeting, you might just begin to see what I do." 

" I just might. I am...happy to know you are safe going over there, and that you have fun." 

" Oh, loads. Thanks to Alucard, we were pretty close to done due to his shadows even helping. I got asked by Integra if I could come over tomorrow and help out some more. She has so many, most are from before her time! I said I had to ask you, but I am really looking forward to it." 

" Skye, you are an adult, you don't need to ask me to do anything anymore. I trust your judgement." 

" No, I don't, but I do out of respect." 

I have a small laugh. Even as an adult she acts childish at times, and it reminds me just how innocent and naïve she really is.

" Skye, I have to ask, simply because I am your father. Do you feel any sort of likeness towards Alucard at all?" 

" What, like a friend?" 

" I mean more than that. Something stronger than friends, maybe even starting to love him?" 

It took a moment, but once all the gears were in place, the light went off, and her face grew red, her lilac eyes flickering back and forth to avoid my gaze. 

" No...." 

I raised a brow, a rare teasing smirk already creeping onto my face. Oh, now I have to tease her about it, the curiosity of it really starting to get to me.

" Are you sure about that there, lass? You know better then to lie to me." 

" I mean, I just started to get to know him, and even if I did, which I don't, it would be dangerous and silly and just plain foolish of me to try and get emotionally attached to him. He's a centuries old creature of blood, violence, and darkness, while I'm still a fresh faced maiden of God. It wouldn't ever work, and besides, I got so much work to do-" 

" Skye, are you making excuses because you don't think I'll approve?"

" Oh, look at the time! I have to go help the kids go get ready for bed! Isn't it just amazing how the time flies?!" 

Skye got up in a rush and left the office we shared, and I had a small laugh. So, my daughter was having her first crush. It's adorable, to be honest, but I worried about who it is directed at. I trust Skye, but I'm just learning to trust others with her. I love my daughter more than God himself, and I'd do anything for her, but swallowing down years of bitterness and hatred, that's going to be a nasty pill to deal with. I sit back, and called Hellsing, knowing if I talked to Alucard about this before it got any farther, he might be understanding, and maybe, if I'm lucky, it won't be reciprocated.