As You Wish, Princess

Remembering Your Place

Dominique: 

It was the day after Christmas, and I caught Thorn alone. She was making a thermos of blood, and while it bothered me her and my love drank such things, I understood the need. I carefully knocked on the doorframe, and she looked up, her eyes burning me with scrutiny that honestly I felt like I didn't deserve. 

" Hello, Thorn. How are you doing after your mission last night?" 

" It was easy. Alex put out the fires with his powers and I made sure the vampires were put down quickly. It was over in a matter of 20 minutes." 

" Oh, well color me impressed-" 

" Let's cut the bullshit. I'm not interested in getting to know you, and I definitely don't want you getting to know me or my family. My father has been through hell and deserves someone who can love him for the man and beast he his. So save yourself the effort. I don't like you, I don't like mother's, period. Integra is the only mother I want to even acknowledge, and that's because she deserves it. I know you don't see it, but you are encroaching on her turf, so it be best you back off."

I was flabbergasted! How dare she be this rude to me when I haven't done anything wrong?

" I haven't done anything wrong-" 

" You have, and the fact you don't see my mom suffering in silence at the fact my dad is too blind to see it or refuses to see it is completely your fault! I don't want you here, Puri doesn't want you here, and she doesn't want you here, so just promptly fuck off!" 

Thorn vanished with the thermos through the floor, and I was left hurt, confused, and scared. I walked down to the dungeons where I knew I could find Vlad, and he looked equally as upset, but he wasn't alone. Integra was with him, and it seems she was giving him an earful, so I hid a bit so she couldn't see me. 

" You are so damn selfish, Alucard!" 

" I am doing what's best for my girls!" 

" You are hurting them by bringing in a stranger! Thorn wants her dead, Puri wants to hide, and Alex is busting his ass to keep Thorn placated enough not to kill her!" 

" I deserve to be happy!" 

" And why can't you be happy with me?!" 

It was dead silent for a few moments, and I could hear Vlad walk over to something. 

" Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, when did you start falling in love with me, and why keep so quiet about it?" 

" I was in love with you from the day Thorn came home with us. How you stepped up and took the job of father so happily, but I stayed quiet because I knew the round table wouldn't ever approve of us, of me being with you. I allowed you to be with...her...because it made it easier on everyone, but seeing how it makes the girls so upset, it hurts knowing my girls, yes, my girls, are so in pain from my stupidity." 

" Integra, I want you to take these next few words to heart. I am happy you love the girls like they are your own. I am glad you love them enough to protect them like this. I am, however, going to remind you that there is a boundary between us. You are my master and I am your servant. I am not going to cross that line. I do care about you, but you are not ever going to be able to be my bride or my wife. The round table won't allow it and I won't allow work and pleasure to mix. If this binding were to vanish, then that's an entirely different conversation, but as it currently stands, I am marrying Dominique, I am taking her as my bride, and no one is going to stop me. Not you, not Thorn or Puri. I think it is high time you remember your place, Master."

I stayed back as I watched her storm out, and I carefully walked in. Vlad looked stressed and tired. 

" How long were you there, my bride?" 

" Long enough. I don't think we will work if this keeps up. Thorn chewed me out in the kitchen, and now I hear this. I am not wanted here by anyone but you." 

" I know, but I refuse to take no as an answer from them. One is my boss and the others are my children. They'll understand after a while and grow to accept the situation-" 

" Tata, Thorn isn't leaving the bathroom and she's blocked me out of her mind. I can't get in and she won't talk to me. I don't know what's going on, but she is pissed."

It was Alex, and he looked worried in his pools of scarlet and ebony. Vlad got up and rolled his eyes. 

" Good grief. Lead the way." 

We followed him to their shared room, and sure enough, the door was caked in shadows, not even the knob was seen. 

" I'll be going in. She's not just mad, she's scared. I know these shadows. They function like a safety net, a cocoon of sorts. I'll be back in a minute." 

He walked through it, and you could hear them having a screaming match, but it was muffled, until the door was blown off it's hinges and Vlad was on his back on the door, with Thorn looking borderline demonic. 

" I don't want her here! Get her out of my home!" 

" You don't have the right to do this! I allowed you your rights, now allow me the same!" 

" It's different! She's a stranger! She isn't special like us! She isn't Mom!"

I watched as Vlad's eyes flashed to blue, and a sadness washed over his face, as did one on Thorn's, but her eyes remained the red they were. 

" We were a happy family, and you just had to fuck it up. She will never replace Integra. She will never be my mom. I...I won't let her..." 

Vlad was quick to catch her, and he held her close as she cried. I turn to leave, clearly not wanted here anymore, when Alex stopped me in the hall. 

" Listen, take it from me, I met her real mother. She was a piece of work. I'm sorry she is being like this. I can tell Alucard likes you a lot, but both Puri and Thorn have a bad history with mother's, and Thorn was pretty much raised by Integra as the only woman in her life since she was 17. I remember the first day I met Thorn, and she was a spunky lass then, and she still is now. It takes time for her to warm up to you. Don't go running away just because shit's getting rough. It'll just validate her words and make it more of a point. Try talking to her and showing her you aren't here to ruin anything or rip it apart." 

  " And, pray tell, just how would I do that? It is plain and clear I am not wanted here." 

" I get that, but please, listen to Tata. He knows best, for the most part. Just give it time. She'll come around." 

" You best be right, or I'll make you eat your words." 

" I used to be a priest, trust me, hypocrisy is a song I'm used to singing."