Symphony of the Night

-One must die for another to start anew-

Another day, another night, another soul passing away. It was a night where the stars hung in the sky, the full moon shamelessly hiding behind dark clouds. Where there were no sounds but the ragged breathing of a dying woman, the faint slowing beat of a failing heart. It was such a person who laid bed stricken with old age and the illness that had managed to take hold of her. Despite the entire doctor's, ranging from the best all around England, no one could have foreseen this invisible attack that dealt such great damage. There she lay in her bed, not a cripple but a woman most likely only in her early forties. Long blonde hair spilled across the white pillows, her eyes closed tightly as she thought to breathe. It was quite ironic that the cigars she had smoked most of her years to keep her sanity, were now taking her life in repayment.

Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, was fortunate to be surrounded by those she knew. Her faithful butler and friend Walter, who was the son of her most loyal friend, the past Walter C Dolnez. Beside him was the already teary-eyed vampire Seras, she rubbed her crimson eyes as if trying not to show the sadness. Opposite them sat her loving husband Stephen, who had managed to turn her round through the years despite a shaky start, even gaining the respect of her vampire servant, Alucard. He was not present for obvious reasons. At the first twinge of her illness, the Council of Knights had ordered for him to be sealed until he was needed. Seras was allowed the freedom denied to him as she still clung to her humanity.

Gasping for breath, she managed to calm the raging fire in her lungs to speak for a moment.

"Where...is...my...daughter?" she coughed violently shaking her stricken body.

Stephen hushed her gently, "she is safe where no one can touch her."

Integra opened her blue eyes dulled with pain, "keep...her safe..."

"I promise you I will," he held her hand tightly, "we all will."

Her hand gripped his weakly with a smile only he and their daughter had brought to her face before she closed her eyes for the last time.

*I'm sorry Alucard* she thought as all the pain ceased, her hand slipping through Stephens.

In the darkness below in a sealed chamber, a body lay in the darkness, bound by leather and spells. A single crimson tear fell down from closed eyes over a pale, deathly face.

Music played through headphones that resided over the ears of a young girl in her mid teenage years. Her long blonde, almost white, hair trailed down her back like rivers of white gold, the ends curling slightly, glittering blue eyes of innocence casting across the pages of her book, the cover leather bound of darkest black, the word 'Dracula' written in golden letters at the front. She wore a simple pair of blue denim jeans and a white long sleeved shirt, her black and white trainers at the bottom of the bed she resided on. Nodding her head occasionally to the song only she could hear, she saw the door open in the corner of her eye and turned to see a maid walk in.

Pulling off her headphones as she turned to the maid, she frowned worriedly at the sad look the young maid wore.

"I am sorry for the intrusion Miss Hellsing," she didn't meet Hannah's eyes, "but I have a letter here for you...it is from your Father."

"Oh!" Hannah smiled and took the letter from her shaking hands, "is something wrong?"

The girl's eyes widened and shook her head, "erm...I think it is best if you read the letter, it is urgent."

Nodding absentmindedly, Hannah tore the letter open, never one for being delicate with the envelopes, and started to read the small letter inside.

'To my dearest Hannah, it has been a long time since I have seen you and have missed you dearly. I am sure you are aware that your mother was ill and has been for some time; therefore I hope that I can say this to you and you will be strong. Today your mother passed away from her illness, I only wish I could have come to see you to tell you this rather than a letter. Please be strong my darling, your mother will watch over you from now on and we will see you soon at the end of you school, I know your mother would scold me if I didn't keep you going through education. My love, your Father Stephen Hellsing.'

As she finished reading her hands shook gripping the paper tightly. Her eyes burned before the tears fell at first slowly then uncontrollably. She shook with silent sobs and the maid looked helplessly at her wishing to comfort the girl who had just lost her mother who she had loved. Hannah had been looking forward to the end of the year at seeing her parents. The end of the private school she had been kept in had been drawing closer and she could already picture being driven home before diving on her loving mother and father. Instead the dream burned away and she fell back onto the bed, head bowed.

"Y...You can...can go now..." she managed to say through her sobs.

"Is there anyone you want to call?" the maid asked gently.

Hannah shook her head letting long locks of hair hide her face before the girl left. Tossing her stuff aside from her bed, her headphones still playing, she grabbed her pillow to muffle her sobs and crying. She laid down hoping it was just a dream and that her mother would be waiting for her when she got home.

Seras allowed herself to be led out of the room and to her own as tears ran down her cheeks. Walter made sure she was okay before leaving but the vampire girl called him back.

"What....what about Hannah?" she had seen the daughter of Integra and Stephen only briefly but knew that she would be distraught.

Walter looked saddened, "Sir Stephen has already sent her letter which she should have received by now, he knows...Sir Integra would not wish her to end Hannah's education for her."

"Oh..." Seras felt bad for the girl she barely knew. All she knew about her was that she had the beauty of Integra and the attitude of the playful Stephen.

"I hope she will be okay."

"So do we all," Walter sighed before bidding her goodnight and leaving.