Siegfried fondled the silver pocket watch idly, he didn't always carry it with him, only when not on active calls or when he was attending an event and was required to be dressed up. A pocket watch made one appear more sophisticated, exactly how he needs to present himself when attending Veterinary Presentations, he had an image to uphold and a reputation to maintain. He only hoped nobody asked him to tell the time with it as it was broken so would only tell the time right twice a day.
Truthfully, he wasn't sure why he carried it around with him, only that he felt compelled to. As if it had some kind of sentimental value or was something of great importance. At one point, he was certain it belonged to Tristan, his little brother was always losing things whether they were insignificant or of utmost importance. It's not often he had his head on straight.
"Ready to go, Siegfried?" James asked through the doorway.
"Hmm?" He looked over to James startled, obviously he was more lost in his thoughts than he believed.
"Something on your mind?"
He looked back at the watch, his thumb rubbing over the intrinsic design slowly before pocketing it. "Oh, nothing important, I assure you."
He headed towards the stairs, he had an overwhelming desire to check on Tristan and he knew it would bother him until he'd done it.
Walking towards his younger brothers bedroom, he touched the watch again, thinking back to the day he'd found it.
He'd just taken Tristan away from their family home, the young boy was nursing a terrible black eye from school as Siegfried carried his bag up the stairs and into his new room. He'd heard something rattle and fall out of the bag, it'd rolled down the stairs and landed with a distinct clatter. He winced at the thought of breaking something that belonged to his little brother so soon after completely upheaving him from his regular life. So after depositing the bag in the empty room he went to retrieve it. It was a small little thing with the most unusual circular pattern going across it. He grimaced when he heard it rattle, it was going to be an expensive repair, one he hoped wouldn't require too much time or money if he couldn't fix it himself. Perhaps he could fix it before Tristan noticed it was missing.
But when he looked at it long enough he felt strange. Light yet heavy. He felt like he was floating despite having not moved from where he was standing. It was most unusual. Did this object truly belong to Tristan? He wasn't sure. He couldn't recall seeing it on him in person. Sixteen years of having a little brother and he couldn't even recall his brother mentioning it once, he simply placed it in his pocket with the intent of asking him about it once Tristan had gotten settled and Siegfried had gotten it fixed. It wouldn't do for the two brothers to start off having a spat due to an accident.
Only it didn't work out like that. He found himself being strangely drawn to the watch, he felt like it was calling to him, talking to him, drawing him in. At night when there wasn't a sound he could have sworn it was talking to him.
"Keep me safe. Keep me protected. Don't let them find me."
The few times he opened it, he could have sworn he saw flashes of his little brother but different. Older. Wiser. Sadder. Much sadder. Like the entire universe was resting in his hands.
It was preposterous, of course. Yet he never told anyone about it. He also never got the watch fixed, it was like his mind wandered whenever he opened it and he instantly forgot the task he was doing.
It didn't help that Tristan had dreams, well, nightmares really if the shouting was anything to go by. About things he wouldn't talk about. Things he claimed he couldn't remember, but Siegfried knew better than that, he had found the book. A Journal of Impossible Things, he'd called it, about a man who travelled amongst the stars, exploring planets and helping people. He wouldn't let anyone find it, lest they call his brother a madman and have him taken away. He wouldn't even tell Tristan that he knew of it. Tristan needed an outlet for these dreams and if the book was the outlet then so be it, Siegfried wasn't about to stop him.
Pushing the door open, he peeked inside and saw his brother slumbering away peacefully, with the exception of his rosy cheeks brought on by fever. He didn't like leaving Tristan in this state, especially as fever always seemed to bring out the worst dreams in him, but he needed to attend the lecture, they said it'll be a medical marvel in the veterinary world.
He'd left instructions with Mrs Hall to bring his temperature down, give him some water if he woke, and not to let him leave the house. Tristan was a nightmare when he had a fever, always trying to leave, always repeating the same phrase when he does.
"Need to find the TARDIS. Need to find the TARDIS. They need me."
However he had full faith in Mrs Hall, she had, after all, been dealing with these moments almost as long as he had after bringing him home that fateful day ten years ago.
But of course, nothing was ever simple with Tristan. His little brother would often be crippled by debilitating headaches, at their worst they'd leave Tristan bedridden all day, at their best he'd make an effort to join Siegfried in the sitting room but getting a conversation out of him was tricky as the younger man would spit out nonsensical words and in languages Siegfried didn't understand. Tristan didn't seem aware of it either and when he was questioned upon it, he simply avoided answering. The first time it had happened, Siegfried thought his little brother had nothing more than a hangover and had spent all morning berating him for daring to get so drunk on a school night. Once he'd realised, he felt so guilty that he persuaded Mrs Hall to make Tristan's favourite dessert that weekend.
When they returned from the lecture, the first thing he did was check on Tristan who was still sleeping away, blissfully unaware that they'd been gone. He was about to settle himself for the night, glad nothing had gone wrong until he decided to ask Mrs Hall about what had happened during his absence.
"Not well at all, Mr Farnon." She said hastily, "He kept trying to leave talking about a TARDIS." She shook her head in disapproval, "Kept talking about a friend who betrayed him, somebody named Koschei? I've never heard the name before."
Siegfried sighed and sent Mrs Hall on her way. He didn't know who this person was but they invaded his brothers dreams more than anyone else. From what he'd seen in the book, it was a long time friend turned enemy, not just a regular enemy, but one who'd tried to kill him several times. Almost succeeded one time too. It was a scary thought, one he tried not to dwell on.
Only thing he could do now was to let Tristan sleep it off and hope there would be no more attempts to escape. Tristan would be much better in the morning, he had to be.