Rocky Landing

Dmitri jumped when Buster yelped, sighing in a mixture of relief and annoyance when the dog ran off. When Juliana stood, he did as well, holding out his hand for hers in instinct as he asked, "Are you okay?" He saw the blood on her hand, and hesitated. He didn't have an immense thirst for the crimson substance, but he still found himself wanting to take a drink. Slowly, he took his hand back, forcing himself to look away as he asked, "Is there anything I can get you? Where do you hold the bandages?"

"It certainly seems strange, but I have no explanation. The two of them certainly have a familial resemblance, though they are quite different people."

"Personality should not be a factor to consider. You and your brother are quite different after all, and I would not go claiming you are not related. However, the circumstances are quite strange and somewhat impossible," Perry mused. After a moment to realize his slip up, he admitted, "His entire family is dead. Lord Syme was kind enough to retrieve his school records for me before he left."

---

Ana kept her hand covered with her other hand, pointing to a cabinet near the hall. "Should be some bandages in there. Could you please get me a few?"

"Dead?" Lavinia asked, surprised, "Are you certain?"

"I've sent someone to check the grave. I am most certain," Perry replied in a serious tone. "Unless he stole someone else's identity, which is not out of the range of possibility."

"Of course." He went over to the cabinet, retrieving the bandages. Bringing them back to Juliana, fidgeting slightly when he got to her. "Would you like me to apply them, or would you rather do it yourself?" He swallowed, having not been in this situation very often. If he kept his mind off of her hand, it wasn't quite as bad, but the moment his mind went to her wound, he could smell and taste her blood, and he didn't necessarily like being able to do so.

"The two of them are much too similar for a case of stolen identity. Even their auras share a familial similarity, though the elder of the two is much more simple and honest. Could there have been some mistake? Was Lucas Fairchild in the grave?"

Juliana moved to take the bandages, saying, "I think I can 'andle it myself, though thanks for the offer." She reused when remembering Dmitri's vampireism, looking between the cut and him a few times before stretching the wounded hand toward him. "Care to finish it off?" She asked in an unsure tone.

---

"The name was on the plate, though pardon me if I was not inclined to have one of my men search the thing to see which bodies were and were not there. There is a chance he could have been among the missing."

"Da." He took her hand, moving to finish the bandaging.

"I didn't mean like that, I meant with the bloodsucking," Ana tried to interrupt.

Dmitri paused when Juliana spoke. Clearing his throat, he continued finishing up the wrapping as he said, "I don't drink from women..." He let go of Juliana's hand, going over to the couch again and sitting down.

"I see," Lavinia asked, thinking things over. "I noticed the elder speaks much more colloquially than the younger."

A frown appeared on Ana's face. "That's just silly, especially if you've got a woman shoving blood right in your face and offering it to you. That's pretty much half the world you're ignoring there."

---

"A curious observation. It most likely is a sign of a lack of formal education," Perry replied. "Or perhaps another clever ruse. If one is a fraud it is hardly out of the question to assume the other one is as well."

Dmitri looked at Juliana, a little surprised at her statement. Nonetheless, he replied, "Silly or not, I simply won't do it. My reasons are my own." He paused a little bit, thinking he was finished talking, but asked after a while, "Shouldn't you be afraid that I would drink from you? Most people would be."

"What, most people don't get scrapes? It's just a little blood, it grows back. Or regenerates. Actually, now that I'm thinking on it, not entirely sure just how it gets back but it does. Otherwise we'd be all dried out after our first broken leg." Ana mused, remaining rather nonchalant about her bitten hand.

"I daresay it is likely the former, from what I have observed of them. The younger has slipped into more colloquial expression at times. I think the more formal speech is an affectation," Lavinia answered. "You said you found his school records?"

"They were given to me by Lord Syme, but that is correct. I can't help but notice you've taken an interest to the man beyond academic curiosity. Might I ask why?" Perry responded.

"He was attacked by the same people that tried to recruit Lord Syme," Lavinia answered. "I wished to learn more of his history and relationship to Lord Syme so I may gain a clearer indication of whether he is likely to be further pursued by these people or not. If you were able to discover more about him, no doubt those who pursued Syme would be able to find records just as easily."

"I can offer to bring a copy of the school records if you'd like them. Tracking down information from there should be relatively easy," Perry replied. He was fairly certain the Viscount Morenne had at least some business sensibilities and would have to be a fool not to teach his children how to trace money transactions. It was the modern age after all.

"I would appreciate that."

"Would that be all?" Perry asked.

"Yes," Lavinia answered. "You have my consolation, though. I was sad to hear of your father's passing."

An uneasy silence fell over Perry's end of the conversation. Even though it had been a little over three weeks since the passing, the whole affair still bothered him. So much chaos and so little method behind the madness was torture on a mind that thrived on bringing order and understanding to the chaotic nature of the universe. The recent mysterious death of Lord Syme was not helping the feeling in the least. He could handle the concept of murder. The confirmation that Lord Syme might have been murdered brought some ease to his mind. It was much better than assuming that the laws of probability just happened to put him in the way of a falling piece of trash. That the lift his father was on just happened to break. That all precautions and understanding in the universe were pointless because things just happened.

However, such thought were stupid and pointless. Far too emotionally driven for someone with a keen interest in science. Or the truth. Even if he knew deep in his heart that things never spontaneously happened.

After his quiet contemplation, Perry settled on the answer, "Thank you for your thoughts. Be assured there will be an answer to what happened to Lord Syme and why it happened."

"If you believe so," Lavinia answered quietly, looking down. "It was rather unsettling to me."

"It is unsettling," Perry replied in an unsure tone. "Perhaps we could go for dinner to take your mind off the incident after I've concluded my business with Mr. Fairchild?"