He's twelve.

Garten has always been angry. He knows he shouldn't, but he is. And he's bitter. He blames this on his grandfather, a constant terror, and a monster in his eyes. A monster he can't escape. He doesn't know why it is the way it is. He just knows it isn't fair. And if he's being honest, his dislike of Jupiter stems from jealousy and not much else. Jupiter's never had a day of trouble in his life and Garten doesn't know who dealt the cards but whoever did he has a bone to pick with. He doesn't understand how Wilfred can stand to be around Jupiter and Perkin, annoying and childish as they are. But there's a lot of things he doesn't get about Wilfred, and this is just one of them.

He knows it isn't fair.

He knows he shouldn't take it out on them or anyone else.

But he can't help it, it's just the way things are.

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He's sixteen.

Garten and Whittel have never gotten along. They just haven't. And Garten knows that they're the ones sparking most of the family tension. Wilfred and Lucy are fine-they don't cause problems, but Garten's too angry and Whittel's too quiet and they're the reason their mother worries. Garten knows his behavior is making everything worse. He knows that Whittel didn't ask for their situation any more than he did, but Whittel's always been liked more than him, if only for the fact that he never causes trouble. Garten knows that his dislike of his youngest brother is quickly turning into a bubbling hatred, but he doesn't care enough to stop it. Maybe that's his issue. He doesn't care.

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He's eighteen.

Jupiter, against the better judgement of almost everyone, is selected as heir. Garten balks at the announcement, and is tempted to join Bleston in outright rebellion, but decides against it. He plays the cards he was dealt, and his deck suddenly becomes fuller. Jupiter trusts him for the sheer fact that he's Wilfred's older brother, and Garten can't help but secretly laugh at the young king's foolishness. He's loyal then-and plans on remaining so. He's still jealous and bitter, and still dislikes Jupiter, but the force of tradition and love of his little sister keeps him shackled to the new king.

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He's twenty-one.

Sween's rejection has left him fuming. He openly hates Whittel now, and they don't speak anymore. Now he doesn't care that it's causing family tension, he doesn't care that Wilfred's caught in the middle, and he doesn't care about Lucy's attempts to get them to make up. Wilfred gives up some time after and stays out of the drama, drifting further away, metaphorically, and literally. Lucy gets married to none other than Prince Ian, and Garten is there only to support her. He doesn't like Ian any more than he likes Jupiter. He leaves early upon seeing Whittel.

He knows he's being an idiot.

He just can't seem to stop.

His father dies later that year. After that, he speaks to Whittel again, but only because that's what's expected.

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Garten is thirty-one.

A life of serving the king has hardened him. Mostly, it's just hardened his heart. Wilfred married over the last decade, but his young daughter drowned when she was still a toddler. Garten thinks that might be the last time he felt sympathy for anyone. Something deep in the back of his mind tells him that there's something wrong with him, but whatever it is he can't figure out.

Lucy dies of flu.

It destroys him.

Garten thinks he might have gone mad for a time after that happened, or that he suppressed those memories because he can't remember everything that happened. Wilfred stops him from doing anything foolish, and Whittel retreats. They do what they always do. And Garten hates it. Lucy leaves behind two young children, Edward and Eliza, and Garten and Ian fight over their custody for a time. Garten knows it's a losing battle, but he fights it anyways. His hatred of Ian only solidifies all the more with the event. Jupiter is too busy with another war to pay much attention to anything going on at home.

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.Garten is thirty-five.

He betrays. He doesn't regret it. Over the last four years his absolute hatred of the royal family has only grown. Jupiter has an heir now, a boy barely a toddler named Smalden. Garten is indifferent but knows that the child will have to be disposed of. He leads the wolves in, letting his anger, resentment, and jealousy spill over. Who cares who it burns. Ian resists with the small military force left in the First Warren and Garten has him killed in front of his children. It will harden them, yes, and they will be stronger for it. Someday they will be grateful. Then comes the burning. The burning of everything. Garten watches it, not remorseful or regretful but pitying those who resisted. He is not sorry when Jupiter is killed.

The world burns.

Garten lets it.

He knows it was only because of his jealous hatred.