The Catholic Princess

Section Twelve: Origins Revealed

Saturday, November 30th, 2012- Lady Magdalene's Orphanage, London, England

~Alucard~

As I flew like the wind to Anderson, I could still feel the slight burn of Skye's kiss on my jaw, and it was such a pleasant tingle, I couldn't stop smiling, despite my current worries about her father. I had gotten what was essentially her confirmation of adoration. I get to the orphanage, and found it on fire, Anderson and other Iscariot's were fighting to drive off the rest of the vampire swarm that flocked to the place. I didn't hesitate to start shooting, moving to Anderson as I did so. 

" You made it! Thank God!" 

" Skye and Master are in the basement of Hellsing Manor with Walter. Nothing is going to get to them." 

" I sure as shit hope not!" 

As we spoke, he was throwing blades, and I was firing bullets. 

" What happened?!" 

" A pair of vampires came in to adopt, I didn't notice that they were at first, talked to them about my daughter, and they went mad at her old name, started fighting, calling her the lost princess." 

" Are you sure they were vampires?" 

" They're the ones to set this place ablaze, so yeah, I'm pretty fucking sure! All the kids got out thanks to Iscariot trap doors, but Mother Margaret couldn't move out of the way of a falling beam. I don't know how I'm going to explain it to Skye." 

" We got bigger fish to fry right now than grief. Look!" 

I saw someone I never expected. Countess Elizabeth Balthory, clad in a pair of leather trousers and a dark green blouse, her buckled stiletto boots clicking on the stone of the road, her auburn hair flowing behind her showing off her now trademark sinister smile.

" Vlad? Oh how I have missed you, old friend! Tell me, how's England been treating you?" 

" Beth, call off your coven, now! That is an order from your king!" 

" Oh, alright. Children, back off! Now, all of you, sit back!" 

" And have them put out this fire." 

" You heard your king! Move it!" 

I saw the awe in Anderson's face, and gave him a reassuring grin.

" Now, tell me, where is your bride? Mina, I think was her name, yes?" 

" Mina is long dead, and never truly turned all the way. She perished before I could."

" Oh, my king, I weep for you! Who is this man? Talking to religious sorts now? My my, time did change you a small bit, didn't it?" 

" Beth, why the fuck are you here? Enough of the idle chit chat." 

She came closer, and stood a good 2 feet shorter than me even with the heels. 

" Well, I heard word that Princess Celeste was here, and came to collect her for my dear friend, her grandmother, Camilla. You remember the Baroness, yes?"

" Camilla had a child? When? And I know of no one by the name Celeste." 

" Oh, a few years ago. A son named Maximum, he married a noble woman named Lady Evelyn Bonvert, and had a blonde haired, purple-eyed albino princess. Camilla found out about their unfortunate end, and that her grandchild went to a catholic place of all things. She has been trying to get her home ever since." 

" Wait a bloody fucking second! Are you saying my daughter is the grandchild to an ancient vampire Baroness?" 

" Your daughter?! You are the man that raised her?!" 

" I adopted her four months into her being here, I changed her name to help her start over! She's been glued to me since then! Skye is my daughter long before she's that old hag's grandchild!" 

" Old hag, why I ought to-" 

" Beth, back off! You are to tell Camilla that if she wants Skye, she's going to have to come through me personally. Skye is under the protection of Iscariot and the No-Life King! I dare anyone of you to come at me, see what happens!" 

Beth looked surprised, then smiled coyly, and started to walk off. 

" Of course, your majesty, I'll leave with what's left of my coven. I'll send Camilla your little warning. Viszlát, királyom." (goodbye, my king.)

Once Beth and the rest of the vampires cleared out, we assessed the damage. The orphanage was gone beyond repair, and the kids will be displaced for a small while, but from what Skye has told me, there is a protocol for this kind of thing. 

" I want Skye to stay at Hellsing until further notice. Please keep her within arms reach at all times. I can't trust many with her right now." 

" What about her lineage?" 

" You are more able to know that. Talk to people, figure out if it's true, and if it is, please, for the love of everything, she'll hate me for this, but it would make me feel so much happier knowing she was your fledgling and not Camilla's." 

" Are you certain of this? If she hears it is an order from you to keep her safe, she will follow it. Hell, before I forget, she wants to know if after all of this gets cleaned up, if she could go on a date with me. She refused to answer me until she gets an answer from you." 

" Alucard, if you turn her, she is your responsibility. Please, take care of her, and try to keep her as white of a rose as you can. This is out of my hands. I failed her. I failed myself." 

I watched the elder priest fall to his knees, and defeat coated him. I didn't hesitate to pick him up by the jacket collar, and start to drag him behind me, forcing him to walk with me. Once he was standing with much protest, I faced him with a hard look.

" You are going to quit that bullshit and follow me. We have a woman to go let know that we both are alright, and I am not going back alone. She is going to want her father after an ordeal like this. Besides, she'll believe you long before me about this." 

" Fine. The Iscariot's know what to do. I probably should come along. Skye will not be happy." 

We both walked to an Iscariot car, and drove back to Hellsing manor, wondering just how the hell we were going to break the news to her.