New Generation
Chapter III
There's a lady who's sure
all that glitters is gold
and she's buying a stairway to Heaven-
"Stairway to Heaven"-Led Zeppelin
"How can the two of you do something like that?" a surprised Jessica asked Lysander and Alcander following another eventful day of school.
"Because we're trained to fight, that's how," Lysander told her.
"Surely you know the history behind our father and our uncle, right Jessica?" asked Alcander.
"You mean of Adrian Tepes and Father Richter Belmont slaying Vlad Tepes? Of course! Everybody in town knows that story," Jessica told the two brothers; "but is it naturally in your blood that you can fight off six strong men?"
Jessica was referring to an incident that happened during school with the Tepes brothers. In another attempt to redeem himself, Brian Falkner told the players on his rugby team that Lysander and Alcander attacked him once they found out that Jessica was dating him. Despite the fact that five young men came to Brian's behalf (some of whom were older than Lysander) they were unable to take down either one of the Tepes brothers.
"I wouldn't call it 'naturally in our blood,'" Lysander began; "my brother and I have been training to fight in combat since we were kids. Our dad told us it was simply our family history. He said that his father, whom we never met, did the same thing to him."
"You…are related to Dracula, are you not?"
"Yes," Lysander and Alcander replied unanimously.
"How so?"
"We're not exactly sure," Alcander told her. "Dad has always told us that it's a very distant relation."
"Oh…I see."
"It doesn't really matter much, does it?" replied Lysander. "You can't choose who you're parents are. Only God can do that. Vlad Tepes was a monster, and we are both normal."
"Or so you say," Jessica replied with a smile.
Lysander returned the smile. "Yeah, or so we say."
When the three finally arrived to Jessica's residence she said to them, "would the two of you like to come inside?" Alcander's heart was pounding at Jessica's words. Lysander's was too, but not as much as his younger brother.
"We'd love to, but we can't right now," Lysander told her.
"Why not?" That 'why not' question really struck a raw nerve with the brothers. The two of them really wanted to go inside.
"We have to work out for one hour to keep our skills strong," Alcander said. "It's one of the things that Dad makes us do."
"Well, would you be able to come back after you finish working out?"
The brothers' faces illuminated like a giant Christmas tree. "Absolutely!" they told her at the same time.
"Wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait to see both of you later!"
"Neither can I!" replied Lysander.
"Same here!" added Alcander.
Jessica let out a giggle before gesturing goodbye to the two brothers and entering her home.
*
One hour after Lysander and Alcander did their usual strength and defense workout the two brothers charged to their rooms to freshen-up, and to hurry out the front door first, because whomever left the house first would see Jessica Sage first. Unfortunately for Lysander and Alcander the only woman who they met first was their mother.
"Aren't you two in a hurry," she said. "We're you off to?"
"We're off to see a girl a few houses down," Alcander told her.
Maria smiled. "Well, I hope that my two boys don't end up fighting over the same girl."
"We won't," replied Lysander with a wicked grin.
Maria shot her eldest son a look. "I hope not. It's not worth your time fighting over the same woman."
"Yes, Mom," replied Lysander.
"Alcander?" Maria looked at him, expecting a similar response.
"Yes, Mom," added her youngest son.
"Good. Well, your supper will be ready in a couple of hours. Don't be late, or it will get cold."
"Yes, Mom," the two boys added before exiting their home. The two brothers arrived at Jessica Sage's house about fifteen minutes later. Her mother welcomed Lysander and Alcander in without question. Probably due more to their father's reputation than their own. Jessica led the brothers to the woodland area outside her house, where Jessica told them she often visited to escape her parents. While they continued to walk Alcander would absentmindedly hum a particular tune he was familiar with. Jessica giggled at him, and Lysander absentmindedly smacked his brother on the back to make him stop.
"What was that you were humming, Alcander?" she asked him with a smile.
"Oh…" he started, slightly embarrassed that Jessica had caught one of his bad habits. "Just this tune I have stuck in my head. It's nothing really. I just sometimes start humming."
"He's odd like that," Lysander added, placing his younger brother in a headlock. "He's been like that since he was little."
Jessica giggled at both of them before her tone turned serious. "I want to ask the two of you a question. What do you plan on doing when you get older?"
Alcander and Lysander gasped at the question. This was not a question they were familiar with people asking them. "I don't know," replied Alcander, while gazing his eyes on the countryside of his ancestors. "I never really think too much about those things. But, I've thought about becoming a historian. I've always had a love for history, so maybe I'll go into that field. Perhaps I'll teach at a university one day, or maybe I'll stay around here and teach."
Jessica smiled, and turned to Lysander to ask him, "What about you Lysander?"
Lysander shrugged. "Unlike what my brother said I want something that doesn't involve this place."
"What do you mean?" she asked him.
Lysander shrugged again and gestured to the fields and the houses, literally the entire town. "I'm tired of this village. My mom and dad tell me all the time about how some of the people who live here have family that's lived here for centuries. The same holds true for Mom's family, but I'm not sure about Dad's. I just want to visit some other places in the world. Maybe I'll find another area I'd like to call home."
"Where would you like to go?"
"I don't know. Maybe Russia; perhaps Vienna in Austria. Our father went to Vienna years ago when he had to fight Dracula. I can remember him going, but Cander's too young to remember."
"Yeah," Alcander added. "I don't remember Dad going, but I heard him talk about Vienna and how beautiful it was. After he and Uncle Richter defeated Dracula he wanted to take Mom on vacation to Vienna, but it never happened because I was too little at the time and Mom didn't want to go, and even as we got older I guess Mom and Dad just lost interest in going to Vienna."
"Well Lysander," Jessica began, "if you ever decide to go to Vienna, can I go with you?"
"Of course! You'd be the prettiest girl in Austria."
Jessica blushed, beet all the way to her shinning hair; and Alcander gently punched his older brother on the shoulder and said, "kiss ass."
"Hey," Lysander replied, "it made her blush, didn't it?"
