"Why?" Helmer's voice came out in a bitter growl, tugging against the chains that pinned his arm down.

Garten did not dignify a response, continuing to look out on the plain with a bored expression. His sword was at his side, covered in Helmer's comrades' blood, red and brilliant and shining against the rising sun.

'Why?" Helmer repeated, rattling his chains. His sword was just within arm's reach. He'd dropped it after hacking at the chains proved to be useless. He did not want to think of the other way to get out of Garten's conniving trap, he would not.

"It's a cruel world, Lord Captain," Garten said coldly.

"And you're making it crueler," Helmer shot back harshly.

"Am I?"

"Do you well and truly believe that Morbin Blackhawk will better Natalia?" Helmer demanded, sinking back slowly at Garten's clipped responses. They were the answers of a madman, driven to insanity by something.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Garten responded, glancing back at Helmer. "Peace cannot last forever."

"We would have had a long peace without you and your kinsmen getting in the way!"

Garten laughed harshly. "Wilfred and Whittle have nothing to do with this," he spat out, eyes hardening in anger at the mention of his family. "Peace is temporary. Perhaps it eases the burdens of our future folk, to already be under a rule considered to be cruel."

Helmer hissed out a curse. "You want a revolution in the future?" he finally asked, desperately trying to figure out Garten's justifications.

Garten shrugged, leaning against a tree. "Maybe," he said cryptically. "After all, a sleeping hawk is easier to kill."

"You–"

"Don't mistake me, Lord Captain," Garten interrupted, raising a hand. Behind him, Morbin was leering over Jupiter's prone figure. "I do not care for the cause."

"You're not making any sense," Helmer finally said, his mind a motley of emotions. "Make your motives clear, you traitor!"

"I want us to survive," Garten finally said flatly. "And if it means lulling Morbin into a sense of ease, then so be it. If it means betraying everyone I've held dear, so be it. Sacrifices are essential and necessary."

Helmer simply stared at Garten. The Longtreader was truly gone, then. His motives were hypocritical and unclear. Would they not have survived if they won this battle, striking down Morbin and his fell brood?

(No, a small part of Helmer whispered. The hawks would regroup again and again, and we would never be at peace.)

"Oh," Garten interrupted his thoughts. "It appears it's getting interesting." He gestured towards the valley, Morbin and his lieutenants surrounding Jupiter.

Helmer's heart pounded. He could cut off his arm, like Garten had originally suggested in some sadistic, vindictive pleasure. He could rush down in a mad glory charge, no doubt dying in an instant. At least it would be an honorable death, but it would only be witnessed by traitors like Garten Longtreader.

"Curse you," Helmer said, tearing his gaze away from the scene. "You're doing this for Sween, aren't you?'

(Helmer didn't care for the romantic happenings of the king and his friends, but he had heard whispers of Garten being turned down in favor of Whittle. Good, it'll take him down a notch, Helmer remembered thinking. Now, now it seemed awful. But it was cruel to pin the blame on Sween's decisions.)

Garten's eyes flashed briefly with anger and fear and doubt. Helmer knew he'd hit a nerve.

"Sween has no concern in all of this," Garten finally deigned to respond, an obvious lie, turning away from Helmer and eyeing one of the corpses.

Helmer did not answer, a sickening feeling in his stomach.

Garten was insane. The Longtreader thought he was doing good, lulling Morbin into a false sense of safety, but no. Helmer did not see why it needed this much carnage, this much death. He stared at the bodies of his fellow King's Arms, dying in a brave stand against the traitor. In truth, there was no reason that Garten could offer that would make Helmer appeased.

(He swore an oath to kill the traitor. It didn't matter how many years, how many decades it would take him. He would pay for the deaths of Helmer's soldiers.)

There was a scream shattering the silence, a shout that sounded like Jupiter's, and then absolute, utter silence.

"Oh," Garten muttered, a slow smile creeping up on his face. "Jupiter wasn't supposed to die."


Prompt: Explanation why Garten betrayed Jupiter

Word Count: 776 words

ANGST ANGST ANGST

did i try to make Garten a littleeee more of a villain here? yeah i did lol, i dont think it worked out much