HEARTHOLME Chapter 19: Newest Oldest Retainers

Sigwald sits in his study with a tapping of his finger against the sturdy wooden desk. Fabian is late. Fabian is rarely late, is ever. He stands, pushing his chair out from the desk. Violet eyes stare at the door. His patience fades as he opens the door. He does not need to go far to find out where his elvish counsel is. The answers are right in front of him in the form of two armed men.
One of them is an older human. Despite his age he appears full of vigor and well capable of the longsword on his belt. The other is younger with a gruff woodsman beard. "Where is Ty," the younger one asks as he holds his hands out to keep the towering dragonborn calm. Calm is a difficult state to be in when your house is broken into by strangers. Neither of these people belong to the town. It argues to deduce that they are part of the prisoner's gang.
"Why in the Hells should I tell you," Sigwald says, reaching over to a wall mounted axe and taking it off. He shoulders it with a cold menacing aura. "And what are you doing in my home?"
"Calm Lord Targarius," the older man says, "We mean you no harm. We need only speak with your son."
"I know you two," Sigwald says as he paces towards the pair. Normally people cower at this point, but the two do not. He takes note of this. Soldiers, perhaps? They haven't lashed out in zeal and have enough civility to rule out fanatics. "You were at the Dragon Heart with your third," he points the axe at them. "We have been looking for you."
"Apologizes, Lord Targarius, but we do not have the time to be slapped in irons. We are running out of time. You are running out of time," the younger man says.
"Is that a threat?" Sigwald swings at the man with his axe, the blade missing and connecting with the wood panels of his estate wall. Splinters crumble out as he begins to return the axe to a neutral stance. Both hands of the younger man reach out to disarm Sigwald. His strength is surprising and it takes the Lord off guard. The dragonborn releases his grip on the weapon to punch the young man in the face. Instead of staggering back, he lunges forward like a hunter grappling a brown bear. The two collide several articles of furniture before crashing against an opposing wall.
"Calm, Sigwald Targarius!" the older man shouts, not participating in the fisticuffs, but barking at them like an angry uncle.
"I'll be calm when you are both in a cell and we find your third," Sigwald says, trading blows with the young fighter. "And it is Targryn. The Targarius dragonborns long since left us for the Heart. Not only are you bold, but you are misinformed."
The two fighters crash down to the ground. The young man shields his face as Sigwald begins to wail on him. A fist is stopped by being grabbed by the wrist. The hand is large but stocky. "Sigwald," a different voice says. Dwarvish. Old man Ryan. Several other hands come on as Jarvis joins the fray along with the eldest human. "Stop this. They are here to help."
Looking down at the bloody face of the human beneath him, Sigwald grunts. "You vouch for these raiders?" he asks the dwarf without looking away from his foe. "You know what they attempted and only days ago."
Jarvis speaks, "And I told you then as I tell you now. You must free yourself and your people from this place immediately. The Heart will see to it you cannot. You are bound like chains to its will."
The man on the ground reels from the bludgeoning, "He speaks true. Fool as he is to try to convince Sigwald or any of his line. You are incapable of seeing any reality beyond your own." He is punched again.
Walking around in front of the two fighting men, the old human looks Sigwald in the eyes. He can't deny the fact that the old man looks familiar. "Sigwald," the old man says, "I have served you and your father faithfully as this old soul can. You have always believed that you can tell the measure of a man by looking into their eyes. What do you see?"
Sigwald looks deeply. He sees that the man is telling the truth. Jarvis was telling him the truth before, too, and it only grated him that everything he said was unbelievable. With a heaving breath, the dragonborn stands and releases his grip on the fallen man. Introductions are in order.
On the ground is Talion Greene, elder son of the Greene family. Jarvis Greene is someone that Sigwald is already familiar with as he was in the dungeon not too long ago. The old man is Jarvis Greene Senior. There have been a long line of unoriginal Jarvis Greenes in the family tree by tradition. Old man Ryan points out each of them in turn as he suggests, "We should take this to the dinning room."
Without Fabian around, things move about slower. The elf was not a butler, but he was thoughtful during these times. The small details like pouring wine or quickly fetching for a meal to be delivered came as easy as drawing breath. "Ryan, have you seen Fabian," Sigwald asks, grabbing his dragon sized seat and sitting down.
"Thats the problem," the bloodied Talion replies as he wipes his face clean of his injuries, "your son just dumped his corpse in the woods."
Hands slam down onto the table as Sigwald's cold temper flares. "Its true," Ryan says, "I saw the body myself. People saw him with Fabian last. It checks out."
"Any number of explanations as to why," Sigwald addresses Ryan. Even when the obvious truth of what happened is in front of Sigwald, he defends his son's honor.
"Such is why we needed to talk to him," Jarvis Greene Senior says, "and find out what he knows."
Sigwald turns his gaze to the old human. "You mean, if he killed Fabian."
Old man Ryan shakes his head, "While an important fact, and Faelor will have to forgive me for saying this, it is not the most important thing we need to get from Ty."
"Tywin," Sigwald corrects Ryan.
"Ty," Ryan replies back, "there are some things I think you should know."
The group settles in for perspective that Ryan has known for some time now. He was removed from his post for trying to bring it to light. Sigwald remembers the crazy antics. As of late they do not seem as crazy. People are coming in from outside of the misty borders. Fabian has been murdered. William is gone even though the Day of Hearts looked entirely successful and it was unnecessary to lose a dragonborn. The people here seem familiar.
"I am ready to listen," Sigwald takes a deep breath. He acknowledges the thing keeping him from the truth is himself.
"You are not Sigwald Targryn. You are Sigwald Targarius," old man Ryan begins, "or rather you were before you came here. It argues that you are Sigwald Targryn now, as you have assumed this identity for so long that the two are irreconcilable."
Sigwald folds his hands together and leans in on the table, "Speak plainly. Theoretic can come after."
Old man Ryan nods his head once, "You are Sigwald Targarius. You died at the battle of Targarius Estate in the Great Game while defending the tower from invaders. After you died your soul came here, along with the souls of everyone who fought for Targe in the Great War, to live a happy life."
There is silence in the room. It takes some time before Sigwald breaks it, "Okay. What is the Great Game?"
"The Great Game was a means for the Devil Gigareth and the Silver Dragon Targe to resolve a constant war of dominance with a handful of champions. The contest was done over generations and determined who held influence over Arhor'ha," Ryan answers.
"Arhor'ha," Sigwald taps the table, "this lawless land? We are the only settlement on this continent. Our forefathers settled it as a frontier town, at great cost."
"That isn't true," Ryan says with the shaking of his head, "Arhor'ha has multiple city-states, Alliances, townships, and more. That narrative was placed in your head by a Wish so that you could live here happily. You have been enthralled."
"And the history?" Sigwald asks, "Did my forefathers not die to make the Dragon Heart?"
"Your forefathers fought and died in the Great Game against Gigareth across as many generations as you can recall. They were affected by the wish and came here. That said," the dwarf looks to the Greene family at the table, "souls that old made the wish complicated. I don't understand it in full, only how it impacts continuity. To restore continuity they returned to where their souls belonged after their original death. By doing so the Dragon Heart was created or it was the artifact to make sense of it all. Only one person knows for sure and it isn't me."
"Gig," Jarvis Senior says, "knows. He manufactured this dreamland for you." A deep breath and an exhale, "Half of Gigareth's soul, he is unpredictably predictable. He builds things. He built this."
"Hmm," Sigwald rumbles and eyes Ryan. The dwarf, who has his trust, says, "All those times I reported 'crazy' things? They were true."
"So why are you not effected?" Sigwald asks as he motions a hand.
"Champions that fight for Targe have their own gifts to help the Targarius family fight the Great Game. Mine, as confusing as it is, is something called Continuity. It isn't something you understand. It would drive you mad," Ryan says, "so I don't rightly blame you for seeing me or this that way. The important thing to understand is that when things deviate from what they 'are' then I know. Even when I came here a part of me knew and as the protections on this place began to fade then so did its grip on my mind."
"The protections are failing," Sigwald asks in a simple militant way, "so your memory returns. And these men?"
Talion speaks up for the group, "We were your loyal retainers and served the Targarius line for as long as they fought the Great Game. We know your family well, from Lyssa to Iolanthe to Ty, William, and Alberta."
Sigwald squints his eyes, "Do not carry the name of the dead so lightly." The gaze relaxes, "Wait. They are not here. If we few are dead, then?"
"Iolanthe yet lives," Ryan confirms, "as does Alberta and Lyssa. Wyllis and Ty are a more complicated matter."
The father of those children asks impatiently, "What does that mean, exactly? If I died, then they died is what you are trying to say?"
"They both died, in a fashion. Their case is less clear. Wyllis should be in a statue where the souls of all the heart bearers go to rest after their fight. But a part of him was taken into Gig during an assault. Ty, I don't know for sure if he ever died. He was banished to a shadowy realm during our quests." There is a pause, "My real name out there is Orion, by the way, and I did die right at the end."
"This is a lot," Sigwald places his head into his hands. It is not often he conveys such frustrations in open settings. It is not normal times. "A lot to assume is true."
"I know. I couldnt figure out how to explain it without proof," Orion-Ryan says as he motions to the Greene family. "This is as close as I got. I was hoping the tabletop gaming might jar the memories of the kids, but it didn't."
"I think it did," Sigwald says through his hands, "Both William and Tywin have been acting strange since they have been playing that game with you. I assumed it was flights of creativity making their way out. Some of the things Tywin said when he was sick, though, sounded prophetic in nature."
"Not prophecy, but history," Orion states. Sigwald nods as he removes his hand from his face.
"If you believe us," Jarvis says, the younger of the two brothers looking to his former Lord, "then believe that the gods are not happy with this arrangement. It stole away souls, memories, and fates. Wishes of this magnitude, regardless of the pure intent, have a cost. They are looking to collect. "
The senior Jarvis continues, "Or a host of celestials could be on their way to cleanse it, possibly as part of their divine host. We do threaten your way of life here, but that way is ending with or without our intervention."
Orion looks to Sigwald, "Faelor hid an artifact in Heartholme. It is a sword that cleverly can sunder the veil or the heart stone. With the power reduced, many can escape this fate."
Jarvis looks to Orion, "Also Poppy is here. She was aware of the dagger, which is a safer, precise choice to leave the veil."
Orion shakes his head as there is enough exposition being thrown around, "Poppy is Paulina," he explains to Sigwald, "Who is Faelor, or Fabian's, sister. She has a dagger that Jarvis was looking for, but it turns out she is also aware that this is a Wish."
"Wonderful," Sigwald says sarcastically.
"That sounds about right," Orion says, "if the dagger isn't an option, then all we have left is the sword. Not everyone can easily wield that thing, but we think Ty can."
"And we think you can," Jarvis senior says, "its going to be a matter of who gets to it first."