Hello people, I'm still here incease someone of you are wondering. The reason why haven't been updating 'Blood and Fur' so much is because of my newest Hellsing project that i've been working on of late. I believe this is one of my best stories that I have written!

Before we get started, I want to send out a shout out to my partner in crime for this, USWeasilgirl! I want to say thank you to her for being my Beta reader for this story and fixing up any of my boo boos, and that I'm sorry if I was being a little pushy with her about this story. So thanks a bunch Weasil, love ya!

!!!I DON'T OWN HELLSING!!!

The Grafin

Chapter 1

March 13, 1886. London, England.

Spring was coming; I could feel it in the air. I love spring, it's my favorite time of the year where the flowers return and bring the colors of the rainbow to the earth from the sky above. Though it takes a little longer for spring to come here in England, for we are a bit closer to the North Pole so the chill stays longer then it should. But most of all, I love the spring here in England, my home.

How I will miss this place when I leave tomorrow for Erftstadt, Germany. This will be my first trip out of the country, and I must say that I am both a little excited and scared. Excited that I am leaving my home for the very first time, scared that I will never seen my home again, and scared to meet my future husband.

Yes, husband. I am in an arranged marriage that just happened only one year ago today.

But I shouldn't be too upset by this, I did see it coming. It's only proper for young ladies that are well breed to be in arranged marriages with one of noble blood. And since I am the only child who now holds the title of Countess; it should be no surprise. For it's not proper for a lady to hold such a title of a Countess without a husband by their side.

But I just don't understand why my husband to be is in Germany and not England?

I knew very little of him, I don't even know his name! But I do know that he holds the title of Duke! A Duke! And I am to be a Duchess when I marry him! This is all happening so fast that I can't even keep up with everything that is happening. But I must do this for it is not only the proper thing to do but the right thing as well. And as lady of noble blood I will do not only what is right for me but for my country, and my queen.

Countess Seras Victoria.

With a sigh, Seras closed her journal, gently rested her pen back into its holster and pushed away from her beautifully crafted oak wood desk. She stood in the middle of her room, the same room that she has had ever since she was a little girl. The walls were covered in a faded yellow wallpaper, decorated with pink colored flowers over them. The hard wood floors were covered up with a large pink and yellow colored carpet that matched the walls perfectly. Her oak wood dresser had the same design of carvings on it, just like the writing desk, even her large wardrobe held the same design. The designs on the headboard of her bed wasn't exactly the same as the rest of her oak furniture but held a very similar design of the rest. The walls were decorated with both paints of landscapes and portraits of her family, and last, sitting in the shadows in corner of her room, was her large old toy box along with her old rocking horse that she use to ride on for hours.

It just seemed only like yesterday that Seras was eight years old when she was last in her room, playing with her favorite dolls and throwing a tea party that she forced her favorite maid to join in. But then again, that was the last time she was in here…

She shook her head furiously. No, she would not go down that road, not now, not ever.

But it had been a great many years when she returned to her old room, her old home. Just barely eight years old when she left here, now twenty when she returned. She had done a lot of growing over the years. Her once pity form of a child has now matured to that of a full grown woman. Her baby fat on her face, arms, and legs were gone as her face sharpened into perfection as her limps were slim and muscular, while keeping their elegant form. Her boyish figure was gone and replaced by nothing but curves. Her once flat chest was now two plumped bosoms, one that even Aphrodite herself would be jealous of. She wore a simple white day dress, delicate lace lining the scoop neckline and a creamy silk sash tied in a bow just below the bodice, its ribbons falling almost to the knees. Her short blonde hair was pulled back into a small bun and a white headband that pulled back her bangs, keeping them from falling in her face.

She faced the foot of her bed, where her traveling trunk lay open in front of her, empty. Scattered across her bed was most of her belongs she was planning on taking along with a few of her favorite dresses. A grim look crossed her face as she packed the trunk at a painfully slow pace. She was in no real hurry to leave. True that she was excited about seeing Germany; she just wasn't looking toward at what was waiting for her there.

A faint tapping on the glass of her window caught her attention from packing and towards the two large windows in her room. Leaving her trunk, she moved towards the left window of her room in time to see something small and gray hit her window for a split second. Opening her window, Seras leaned out and she where the objects were coming from.

"Hey!" a voice below called, "Mignonette!"

Now below, Seras saw her childhood and best friend, Pip Bernadotte.

There wasn't much to say about Pip, he was fun, loving, kind, goofy, loyal, and quite a pervert at the time. Okay so there was a lot more to say of Pip. She's known him since after the incident of her parents when she had to live with the foster family that took her in for her youthful years. Pip's family was hired mercenaries that led a group called 'The Wild Geese', a group of freelance militia. His parents had died and he was staying with his grandfather who was the current leader of The Wild Geese, but did not partake in the house jobs that Seras was given. At the age of sixteen, Pip's grandfather died and took the role of the leader then.

Pip was French and spoke with a faint French accent, compared to his grandfather who spoke in a heavy French accent. His skin was an olive tone, he stood about a head taller than her, and he had long auburn hair that was tied in a long braid. He wore an eye patch over his left eye; he lost his eye in accident with shooting practice with his grandfather. Something happened with the gun Pip was using and a large spark from it hit his eye, damaging it permanently. Over the bridge of his nose was a small tape of bandage that he's had ever since Seras could remember. She doesn't know why he has it but doesn't question it either. He wore a pair of worn out dark blue pants and pair of black boots that stop below the knee with a matching jacket that was button up with a cream colored neck tie that was hanging out of his jacket then tucked in as it should be.

"Pip! What are you doing here!?" She called down to him.

A grin spread across his face. "What do you zink I'm doing here? I'm here to spend time wit my gal before she leaves what else." He called up to the second story, where she was.

"Pip…"

"I'm coming up!"

"What? No, Pip, you can't climb up here, you could barely climb a tree when we were little, and you always fell down!"

"Shut up!" He started to climb the vine covered wall.

"Stop it Pip! You're going to hurt yourself!"

"Alright zen you climb down here!"

"Are you crazy!? I can't climb down there!"

"So, you use to do zit all zee time! What's zee differenze!?"

"I'm a lady, that's why! I'm also a Countess now and a Countess doesn't climb down from her bedroom window!"

"Yeah, and zay don't yell either!" he replied with a grin.

The blonde woman paused, "I'll be right now…"

He didn't hear her but he knew she was coming to meet him.

Within minutes, Seras appeared before him with a lady like manor and moved with grace over towards her childhood friend.

"Man, I can hardly recognize you anymore Mignonette. You've changed!"

"That's Lady Victoria." She said in a lady like manor.

"Yeah, yeah. Zo, what are you up to?"

"Packing."

He scratched the back of his head, "Zo you really are going."

She lowered her head in sadness, "You know I have to. It's my duty as Countess now. A woman of my age should not hold such a title alone without a husband."

"But you don't even know zis guy!"

"I know, and… I'm surprisingly okay with it."

"But why are you doing zis? What reason do you have?" he demanded.

"To keep a promise…"

"Oh," Pip's face dropped, "Zat."

"I'm sorry, Pip. If I could I would stay here, in England with everyone else, with you."

"I know, Mignonette, I know."

She made a face. "It's Lady Victoria now, you must show some manors."

He grinned, "Maybe zome other time. Now come on, zee boyz are all waiting for you to zrow you a going away party." he then grabbed her arm and ran off towards the private garden.

"P-Pip! I can't! I need to pack and this is certainly not-"

"Lady like, I know, I know. Geez Mignonette you were a lot more fun to be around wit before your family regained zer title." the French man laughed.

Ignoring her protest, they continued to run deeper into the private gardens of the Victorias until they came upon a small clearing that was held for outdoor parties. When they arrived they were greeted by the whole troop of The Wild Geese that cheer at the sight of the two of them. Among The Wild Geese was one or two of Seras friends other then Pip. She was surprised to see them all here but grateful to see that they cared about her so much to come and see her off by throwing a big party for her. Though she was a little sad the family that housed her wasn't here to see her one last time but knew they couldn't come. If she remembered correctly, the new head of house went to Transylvania with her new husband to retrace his roots. Well, she shouldn't say new husband for they have almost been married for a year. But you get the idea.

More than ten minutes since the party began, Seras began to loosen up and join in as the old Seras that Pip knew before she became all lady-like. She was always lady- like but not this much, ever since she and her family regain their title of Count or Countess since the incident, Seras refused to be anything but as a well bred Lady. She was more outgoing and wasn't all up in the whole manors thing that Pip just found annoying. He wasn't even sure where they had to come up with all those fancy manors; they were a waste of time. I mean look at him, he doesn't waste his time on all those manors and he charms every lady he comes across. Of course they reject him or give him a slap in the face because of his lack of manors. You would think he we would understand that by now.

The party went on all half way through the night and would have gone all night if the servants hadn't come out to fetch their Countess. Tomorrow she would leave early and would need her rest for the long trip to Germany. It disappointed Seras that she couldn't stay out any longer with everyone. Pip reassured her that they will all see her off tomorrow no matter what. She smiled at her best friend's words and held them to him that he would be there for her in the morning. With several goodnights from her friends, Seras followed the servants into the manor to prepare for bed.

The next morning, she found that Pip indeed kept his word as he and the rest of The Wild Geese came to see her off. But unlike last night, this was not a joyous event but a grim one. No one was smiling when she came out of her family's manor, with one of the older butlers carrying her trunk with some trouble. But Pip came and quickly took the trunk from him and easily carried it down the steps of the front entrance. The Wild Geese all held grim expressions on their faces as they respectably bowed to Seras, for this was their way of silently saying farewell to her.

The blonde remained silent and respectably nodded to them. Reaching her carriage, the coachman opened the door for Seras but she didn't get in, not yet at least. Instead she watched Pip load her trunk on the back of the carriage for her. Once her trunk was secured in the back of the carriage, Pip hopped down to the ground and stood before Seras.

"Zo… zis iz it." he said.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Are you sure you want to do zis," he asked, "Iz zis what you really want?"

She put on a determined face, "I …yes, this is what I want, I have to do this. I have to do this for my parents."

Pip let out a sigh of defeat, "Alright, if it'z what you really want, I just want to zee you happy iz all and if zis iz what will make you happy zen I'm all up for it."

"Thank you, Pip."

The two embraced each other before they pulled back and Pip grinned down at her.

"You better write to me when you get zere, zo I know you made it alright."

She smiled at him, "I will and when I know when the wedding will be I will invite you to it, I promise."

"You better, I would like to check out zis znot nose Duke before you get hitched to him. If he doezn't live up to my expectations, I'll just have to zlap him around a bit."

She gasped, "Pip!"

"I'm kidding, Mignonette."

She just shook her head up at him before she smiled up at him.

"You take care of yourself, don't do anything stupid." she said, with a quick peek on his cheek.

"You to… Seras."

With one last hug, the two pulled from each other before Seras stepped inside the carriage with Pips help. She let go of his hand and seated herself on the cushion seat with door shut behind her. She slid over to the open window of carriage to see Pip and everyone. Soon the coachman took his seat in the front of the carriage outside and took the reins in his hands. With a shake of them, the carriage moved forward, leaving everyone behind with Seras waving goodbye.

(BREAK)

March 27, 1886. Erftstadt, Germany.

It's been a long and tiring trip for these pass weeks but I have finally arrived here to Erftstandt, or at least outside of Erftstant. From what I am told by my escort it is a small town, but quite a peaceful and happily little place.

I have been informed that I my hosts while will be staying with the Count and Countess Valentine that reside in Erftstandt, Germany before meeting my husband to be. I still don't know much of him yet but I have learned that he is the Duke of Cologne, a city that is past Erftstandt. When what I know it is at least a two or more day journey to the city. I'm curious of Cologne and wonder if it is anything like London, I am going to be leaving their once I marry the Duke.

To think I will soon be the Duchess of Cologne, that is a frightening thought.

I just hope that the Valentines are nice people; I don't know anyone here in Germany and I'm expected to stay with strangers while I meet my fiancé, who is also a stranger. Somehow I'm both thrilled and terrified at the same time at this fact.

I just hope everything will turn out alright, I hope that Pip and The Wild Geese will be fine without me, I already miss them, I'm sure they already miss me to. But I will see them someday soon, I will be sure to invite all of them to the wedding, no matter what anyone says.

Countess, Seras Victoria, and the soon to be Duchess of Cologne.

Just when she finished, the carriage she was in gave a violent jerk, almost causing her to fall from her seat. Sitting up, she fixed herself from the jerk and placed her journal and quill beside her. Looking out the window, she saw nothing but woods and farm land that went on for miles and miles. Germany was much like England, if not a little greener. The sun was shining from above with only a few clouds in the blue sky, not enough to cause a large overcast but enough for their shadows to rest against the earth.

They passed a few farms, each different then the other, but none of them really stood out that would catch her attention.

That is until the next one came.

Coming around the corner from a small patch of trees, a small farm house in the distance came into view that seem to catch anyone's eye. The house was a one story house that sat in center of lands that most of it looked to be plowed or it working of being plowed. The house was a cut little thing, with stone walls with a brown roof on top and a chimney to. Not far from the house was and only looking brown barn that seemed to be slightly rundown but still in good shape. The behind the barn was fenced fields were a herd of cows and three horses were held in, along with a herd of sheep goats, and two lamas in another fenced field from the cows and horses. She could see little specs scattered across the grass between house and barn, chickens she guessed, roaming freely on the farm.

It was the cutest thing that Seras has ever seen. None of the farms she has seen here yet were as cute as this one. While farms she has seen here Or back of in England were large or somehow new looking, none of them looked this simple or small, and that's what she liked about it. She liked the simple things and nothing to overdone.

She stared out her window towards the farm until she could no longer seem the farm that disappeared behind over the hills and trees.

In anhour or so, they had finally arrived at Erftstadt.

It was as they said it would be. It was a small peaceful town that was full of people that carried on with their busy lives. She watched from the shadows inside her carriage, she didn't want to attract attention to herself here, not yet at least. It was a nice place that seemed to have a gentle and calm atmosphere that Seras liked a lot.

The carriage continued down the main road of the town until they arrived at the end of the road and to a large manor. The gates open for Seras carriage and stopped once they came to the front doors of the manor. The coachmen opened the door to carriage and helped Seras down with her journal in her hand, and waited for two servants that came out from the manor, unloading her trunk. Just as they finished unloading her things, the front doors open and two people stepped out.

The first one that came out, Seras had to do a doubt take to be sure that she wasn't see things. It was man that seemed to five years older than her and a good few inches taller than her to. He had dark tan skin, black shaggy hair, and gold colored eyes. But what was really odd about him was the way he looked. He was dressed in more of a butler fashion without the tights or jacket, instead just the red tie, black vest, a dark blue under shirt, and black pants. He wore a strange looking dark blue hat on his head that almost looked to be some sort of cap, it was odd. But what was really odd about him was all the piercings on his face! He was indeed a very odd looking man.

But theother one was much more normal looking, much to Seras relief. It was a woman that seem to be her age, maybe a year or two older then her. She had pale skin, much like Seras's, with some freckles on her cheeks. She had royal blue eyes that hid behind a pair of glasses she wore. Her long, long black hair was pulled up into a fashionable bun with one long curled bang hang free from the bun. She wore a dark purple/blue dress with low neck line with a white fringe on the trims of her dress. Over all the dress was simple but stylish to.

The blonde Countess nervously watched the two approach her, wondering or not if this was the Count and Countess Valentine. And if they were, she just hope they were nice people.

"Guten tag Gräfin Victoria and velcome to our home." the woman spoke in a German accent, with a small bow towards Seras.

Seras hesitantly returned the bow.

The woman continued, "I am Gräfin Rip Valentine, it's a pleasure to finally me you."

"The pleasure is all mine." said Seras.

"This is the Gräfin of London, she's fucking hot!" the man next to Rip exclaimed.

He suddenly got hit over the head, by Rip who was still smiling at Seras, causing the man to fall to the ground painfully.

"Please ignore my brother-in-law, Seras. He doesn't know vhen to keep his mouth shut." Rip explained.

"Oh, so he's your brother-in-law," Seras smiled nervously, "For a minute I thought he, well… you know that-"

"He is my husband." Rip kept her smile, grabbing Seras's hand and leading her inside the manor, "Yes, I can see vhy you vould think that. But thankfully Jan is not my husband. Right now my husband, the Garf, Luke Valentine is away on business and von't return until tomorrow night, just in time for your engagement party."

"Engagement party?" the blonde looked startled at this, "B-But I haven't even met my fiancé yet."

"Oh, you vill. He vill be here tomorrow to meet you, arriving from Cologne just in time. So says in his letter at least."

"I see."

"How about some tea, I'm sure you are famished from your trip here."

"Tea does sound lovely right now."

"Then let us move on to the den, shall ve?"

Tea with Lady Rip was very pleasant, a lot more pleasant than Seras thought it would be. She found that the Countess of Erftstadt was very sweet and kind, just as Seras hopped she would be. They chatted happily among each other, exchanging small stories of their younger years before Jan finally joined them. But instead of having tea like the woman in the den, he had one of the servants fetch him some of Germany's famous beer. This time around he behaved himself, well at least for the first ten minutes that is, Rip would hit him over the head every now and then if he said something inappropriate in front of the British woman.

Once they were finished with their tea, Rip showed Seras to her room, being sure to leave Jan behind this time. The Valentine's home was quite lovely but a tad bit smaller then her home back in London. But then again, Erftstadt was a very small town compared to London. Rip lead Seras up to the second floor of her home and down a grand hall before stopping at the second door on the right.

Rip open the double doors that were beautifully crafted. Seras stepped inside as Rip allowed her in first and slowly followed in. Her room was much larger then her old one back home, unlike her old room that fit for a child, this one was fit for a woman. The walls were paint of a pearl white as the floors were of polish oak wood. There was a four post queen size bed that held white silk drapes that were pull back to the posts. Across from the room from her bed was one of largest wardrobes that she had ever seen that was carved of white wood. In the corner, near her bed, was a large white writing desk with books, papers, and quills pens neatly placed on the desk. On the other side of her bedroom door, near her wardrobe was a white vanity mirror table, decorated with hairbrushes, bottles, make-up, and so other things she couldn't place what they were. And to her slight surprise she found her trunk placed at the foot of her bed, waiting for her.

"I hope your room is to your liking?" Rip ask.

"Oh, yes it's very lovely. Thank you." Seras said in awe.

"Good, good I was afraid it vould not be to your standers."

"Don't worry; I'm not particularly picky about anything."

"Ah, that's good to hear. Now I will leave you to rest, I'm sure that your body's clock is a little off."

"Yes, it is now that you mention It." and to prove it, the blonde let out a large yawn.

Rip laughed, "Vell, I'll get out of your hair then and let you rest. I'll tell the servants to leave you be until you are fully rested. Oh, and I should varn you to keep your door lock at all times, Jan will try to peek or sneak into your room."

"Thank you for the warning." she smiled nervously.

"Of course, and you are allowed to hit him if he does something he shouldn't, the maids are allowed to hit him as vell. Good night then." Rip bid before she left and closed the door behind her, leaving Seras to herself inside her room.

(BREAK)

She didn't want to wake up; it was to early for her, to break from her peaceful slumber. But it would seem that there was someone that was determined to awake her. As her mind came to, she heard a voice calling her while something was gently shaking her shoulder. Fluttering her tired eyes open, Seras looked up to see someone leading over her on her bed. For a moment she panicked because she thought that is was Jan and that she forgot to lock her door. But she quickly relealized that it was just a maid and not the Count's brother.

The maid was a young girl, maybe a year older then Seras herself. She had fair skin, much like Seras, and had long black wave waist hair with the bangs covering her blue eyes a bit that hid behind a pair of glasses. The girl didn't look to be European but Asian, maybe Japanese. She wore the typical maids' uniform, a dark gray long sleeve dress with a white apron that was tied around her waist.

"My lady you need you wake up, or you'll be late." said the maid.

Seras blinked her tried eyes for sec, "Late for what?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"For your engagement party, of course."

Seras eyes widen as she shot up in bed with a panic look across her face. "W-What time is it!? What's today's date!?"

"It is two-thirty in the afternoon, and the date is March twenty-eight. The party is four o'clock sharp."

She couldn't believe it, she slept through the entire day?

"No, no! I have to much to do! Too much to prepare for, I'm not decent or ready!" the British woman jumped from her bed and fling open her trunk as she screech threw it like a mad woman for her things.

"My lady, please be calm, I am here to help you." The maid appeared to Seras's side, "My name is Yumiko Takagi, and I am your personal maid during your stay here at that Valentine's manor."

"Oh, well it's a nice too met you Mrs. Takagi." Seras looked at the maid before her now, a little calmer, knowing that she had help now.

"You may call me Yumiko if you wish, Lady Victoria. I have your bath ready and waiting." Yumiko pulled Seras to her feet and led her to Seras's private wash room.

"Well if I am to call you by your first name then it is only fair that you call me by mine."

"But you are a Countess, it is only proper that I call you by your title."

"Perhaps, but I give you permission to call me by my first name now that you gave me permission." She smiled at the maid.

Yumiko sighed, "If that is your wish…Seras."

Later on, Seras was grateful to have Yumiko here to help prepare herself for the party and to present herself to her… fiancée. It was still a little strange for her to know that she now has a fiancée, especially one that she has never met before.

After her bath and changed into her under clothes, Yumiko tighten her new corset around her small waist, making her body skinner then it was before. She braised herself on one pole of her bed, gasping out loud every time Yumiko tighten her corset. She never really wore a corset that much, not before her family regained their royal title back that is. She was to young back then for girls that were under fourteen couldn't wear them.

"Are you sure this isn't tight enough?" Seras gasped out.

"Just a little more, just hold in your breath." said Yumiko.

Taking a deep breath as Yumiko asked, Seras sucked in her stomach as best as she could as Yumiko gave it one more tug.

"Alright, there we go all done." said the maid.

Seras let out her breath and slightly hunched over to grasp her stomach with one hand.

"Oh good god, I can barely breath in this thing."

"That's a corset for you, stylish but painful."

"Do I really have to wear this thing?" the blonde tried to adjust the corset.

"Of course, how else are you going to wear the dress that the Duke of Cologne sent you?"

" What dress?"

Suddenly, Yumiko pulled out a glorious dress out from the white wardrobe from across from her. A dark green gown made of fabric that shimmered in the day light of the sun with delicately gathered sleeves. It was very lovely dress. Much lovelier than any of the other dresses she possesed and brought with her.

"I am told my Lady Valentine that this is the latest style in France right now. They are known for their fashion sense after all." the Japanese woman commented.

"It is very lovely, maybe a little too lovely for me." Seras murmured the last part with a frown.

"Beg pardon my lady?"

"Oh nothing, nothing at all."

(BREAK)

The gates of the Valentine manor opened before its visitor and allowed them to enter the Valentine grounds. Ignoring the front doors of the manor, the visitor instead went to the back of manor, towards where the kitchen was located.

The visitor's carriage was nothing more than an old wagon, pulled by a large chestnut Hanoverian horse. That looked as though it had come straight off of a farm rather than the Royal stables. When the wagon stopped, a commoner leapt down from the wagon.

The commoner that dismounted from the wagon was a man. He was tall and quite muscular that showed he worked with his body and put his muscles to work. He seemed to be twenty-five or so and had tan colored skin, baby blue eyes, and short silver hair, but long enough to fall over his eyes and hide them. He wore an old fade brown pants with suspenders over his white shirt but under his matching fade jacket.

The man moved around to the back of the wagon and pulled down the back bored before he started to unload the wagon. Just as he began, one of the older male servants came out to greet him, along with a young man following the elder out to meet the silver haired man.

"Ah, Mr. Gunsche it's a pleasure to see you always, and I see you haff brought the Garf Valentine's order like vays." said the elderly man in a German accent.

Hans Gunsche said nothing but just nodded his head respectably at the elder man that he sees from every visit here. The young man hesitantly approached Hans, intimidated at his appearance every time the man came to visit them with their order. He helped Hans unload the crate of fresh laid eggs, a crate of freshly made butter and goat cheese, and two large containers of cow milk. With the food unload, they carried it over to the back door of the kitchen where the cook and one of maids waited to help bring the food inside.

Passing on the food to the cook and the maid, Hans looked out to the private garden of the Valentines and saw that the whole garden was decorated and set up for a grand party. That was right next to the Valentine's private lake.

"Lord and Lady Valentine are throwing a velcome party to the Gräfin of London that arrived here yesterday. It is also the engagement party for Gräfin Victoria and the Herzog of Cologne, for they are to be ved soon." the elderly man explained.

Hans faintly nodded before he snapped his fingers and held out his hand to the elder.

"I'm afraid I do not haff your payment vith me, Mr. Gunsche. You'll just haff to vait for Lord Valentine this evening to pay you or come back vhen he is here." said the elder.

Hans let out a low grunt of annoyance at what he was told. It seems that he'll just have to wait for the Lord so he could pay him.

(BREAK)

Everyone was staring at her.

She hated it.

She wished that Yumiko didn't have to leave her; she didn't want to be here alone. With the finishing touches on her, Yumiko led Seras out of her room and out to the back gardens of the Valentines, seeing that Seras didn't know her way around here yet. Yumiko quickly explained where they were and what room was what in the manor, for Seras to get a better of idea of the place, as they headed for the party. She led the British woman to the back doors that led straight into the gardens, where the party has already begun. With a small curtsey from the maid, she left all too quickly before Seras could protest to stay with her.

So now here Seras stood among the party that was for her as a few of the guest walked pass her, whispering to one another once they were far from her. She felt acquired here and just wanted to find a familiar face among this crowd of strangers. So she sent off to find Rip and see if she could find some comfort from the other woman then feeling out of place here.

She made her way through the crowd, nodded politely to anyone that gave her a small greeting. The garden was much larger then Seras thought it was and was a little surprise how high the number of guests was here. She had to make a quick stop by a large statue and rest against it in order to control her breathing. Her corset was killing her! She could barely breathe in this stupid thing, she wonder how her mother or any other woman at that fact could pull it off. She adjusted her corset as best she could and took better control of her breathing; she set off to find Lady Rip again.

It didn't take long to find her; she wasn't that far from where Seras was. Gathering herself together, Seras walked towards Rip in the best lady-like manor she could muster up, despite the fact that she could barely breathe. Rip looked up from a fellow she was talking to, to see Seras making her way right towards her. Bidding farewell to the man Rip was talking, she turned and met Seras half way.

"Ah, you are finally up, for a vhile I vas starting to vorry about you." said Rip.

"My apologies then, I must have been a bit more tired than I realized." said the blonde.

"Oh, there is no need for your apology, your body has not gotten use to the new time change is all."

Seras smiled, "You look very lovely, if I may say."

Rip gown in violet with thin black stripes making paths for tiny bouquets of purple and blue flowers. With same flowers placed on each side of the bun of her hair.

"Thank you and you look quite lovely yourself. I see that Yumiko had no trouble helping you prepare for this evening."

"Yes, I am very grateful for her help. If she didn't wake me I would have slept through my own party." Seras laughed nervously.

Rip giggled, "Vell I'm happy to hear that, you can say she is a bit of a saint to us," she then grab Seras's hand and led her through the crowd of people, "I'm afraid that the Herzog of Cologne is not here yet, but that gives us time to mingle vith the guests."

With no say in the matter, the German woman pulled Seras to heart of the crowd introducing her right away to the first person she could find.

For more than an hour or so, the sun had hit its twilight hour and the Countess of London was still being introduced to the guests by the Countess of Erftstadt. The minutes that have gone by seem like torture to her. There was so many people that she has met and so many faces and names that she needed to remember, she wasn't sure how she would remember them all.

She now stood at the edge of the lake, within the Valentine's garden, talking to a couple that were the Baron and Baroness from the northeast part of Germany with Rip. They were deep in a conversation with Rip that Seras stopped paying attention to five minutes ago. She stood off to the side from Rip, the Baron, and the Baroness, ignoring them at this point while taking in her surroundings. The garden was beautiful and very well kept compared to her garden back home, which was in a poor state at the moment. She could see that a lot of care and love was put into this place as the flowers prepare to bloom soon now that spring was here. She found herself a little existed to see what this place would look like during the late of April and beginning of May. She looked at the small stone cliff that they stood on that seemed to hover over the lake, with the water's edge under the cliff. You can say is acted like a dock of some sort but made of stone. The lake wasn't that far down, she would saw maybe thirty or lower than that. The water was dark, letting her knew it was quite deep where they stood and probably a lot deeper then it looked.

Seras lead over the edge bit, being careful not to fall in for there was no railing of any kind, to get a better look at her reflection. She saw her image on the surface of the water, still the same image she saw in mirror of her room before she came down to the party.

Suddenly she froze stiff as her lungs were desperately trying to gain oxygen, but she could not inhaul.

'I-I can't breathe!' her mind panicked.

Before she knew it, her vision began to fade as she felt herself fall forward and hit the cold water below.

(BREAK)

This was starting to get ridiculous, why was this so hard to get paid!?

It's been almost two hours, two freaking hours Hans has waited for Lord Valentine to return home. To think, in those pass two hours he would have been home by now and finished up his chores for the day and have arelaxing night to himself. But no, instead he had to wait around for his lord that promised by this visit he would pay him for their order.

And of course it was only his stinking lucky when he was informed by the butler of house that Lord Valentine had already return a half an hour ago and went straight to the party. Since he didn't come in the manor to refresh and get a small bite to eat from the cook like he normal does when he was away, Hans missed him completely.

Biting back a growl of frustration, the butler led him out towards the party where Lord Valentine was currently at. Normally commoners weren't allowed to be more than fifty feet within a noble party as this but right now Hans didn't give a damn, he just wanted his money and to get home before it became to dark for him to see. He will pay for the consequences later for entering a noble party; he had bigger problems to deal with than this.

He tried to keep his temper in check, for the older butler's sake, the poor man looks as if he was going to have a heart attack by the angry expression Hans was wearing. The old butler was nice enough to lead the silver haired man to Lord Valentine, knowing that the commoners weren't allowed in. He knew he intimidated people, that usually how got his way with things, but only if it was necessary, like now. Actually the butler almost wouldn't let him into the party, so he did what he normally did with people to gain what he want. Tower over them and stare them down until they break down in fear from him.

And that did it.

So now he was being taken to Lord Valentine by the terrified butler that he forced in to doing so. They entered the party within seconds and walked along the edge of the lake, Hans received many both dirty and confuse looks from the nobles around him, but he ignored each and every one of them.

Suddenly he heard a loud splash along with many loud gasps of shock ahead of him.

He looked up in time to see Lady Rip looking over the edge of the stone dock they were on, with a horrified look on her with many others around her, looking down at the water. He caught green clothing fading into the water with bubbles floating to the surface.

(BREAK)

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move…

Her body refused to listen to her while sinking to the bottom of the lake. She was losing consciousness; her vision was already begun to leave her. To think she was to die here by the bottom of lake all because her stupid corset was too tight, leaving her unable to breathe.

As the darkness began to take her and slipping into unconsciousness, a large flash on the surface suddenly came as a large body began to swim towards her. The last thing she saw was a glint of silver and a pair of baby blue eyes…

There you have it folks, the first chapter to this babie! I hope you like and the next chapter should be up soon, but not to soon! I like to keep you all hanging for a while for each chapter, tee hee...

Please review!