He's five.
Jupiter hates school. Not because it's hard, but because of how he's treated. It isn't fair. It's not like he asked to be born royal. Wilfred's the only person who treats him like person. All Jupiter wants is a friend, but are royals even allowed to have friends?
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He's eight.
Jupiter's father is never home. This is life for Jupiter; this is how it's supposed to be, but he sees other kids with their parents and wonders if his father cares. He comes home tired and discouraged, and Jupiter is constantly hearing about 'Hollowers'. He doesn't know what that means. He just knows that it's bad. His mother and father argue but put on a shining show in public, never letting anyone see the true nature of their relationship, or how troubled the palace has become. Jupiter is beginning to understand what an 'arranged marriage' is, and knows enough to not ever want one.
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He's twelve.
Jupiter and Perkin are constantly getting in and out of scrapes, and though Wilfred complains and whines about getting dragged along often, Jupiter can tell that he secretly thinks they're hilarious. School closes and Jupiter and Perkin graduate primary school. Jupiter's father says he could have had better marks if he'd tried harder. Jupiter knows he already gave it his all but feels guilty anyways.
Halfway through the summer, Wilfred's house burns to the ground. After that, Wilfred changes. His whole family does, really. And Jupiter learns a terrible secret about Wilfred's family that burns inside of him, begging to spring out. Sometimes it's all Jupiter can do to keep from blurting it out to Perkin or his mother or somebody who can do something about it. But Wilfred made him promise. And Jupiter's nothing if he can't keep secrets. Later that year, Wilfred's parents get a divorce. Jupiter aches for his friend but can't do anything, and it only grows worse when an argument almost ruins their relationship. They make up later.
Wilfred moves away. Jupiter makes him promise to write, but he goes home and cries anyways. Bleston makes fun of him, and Jupiter loses his temper and throws an atlas at his older brother's head, and then gets in trouble for that. He's just sick and tired of being held at arm's length by everyone.
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He's thirteen.
This is the year that changes everything. On his thirteenth birthday, Jupiter is called to his father's office. There, in the presence of all the Lord-Captains and Jupiter's older brothers, Jupiter is named heir and given the green ember.
Bleston hates him after this.
Jupiter doesn't foster any nice feelings for his older brother either, but there is a silent agreement between the two of them that they'll settle this only after there father is dead. Garten, Wilfred's older brother, comes back to the city to enlist in the army. Jupiter remembers that Garten and Bleston were friends but decides not to hold this against Garten. It isn't his fault if one of his friends turns traitor. Jupiter still holds out hope that Bleston won't, but his doubts grow by the day.
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He's fifteen.
Jupiter and Perkin enter the military. It's a pain and Jupiter isn't fond of it, but he's certainly not bad with a sword so he mostly stays out of trouble. Perkin's the one he worries about. Perkin can't stand anyone badmouthing the royal family and will go to blows to prove his point if he thinks he must. Wilfred-who's already been in the military for a year longer than them-manages to talk some sense into Perkin after the third fight. Everyone knows tensions are building, the north (Jupiter knows what Hollowers are now-they're the natives from Nick Hollow, in the north) is in chaos, raids and riots becoming everyday events as aggression between Half-Wind and Nick Hollow escalates. The Hollower soldiers in the camp make no effort to hide their hatred of Jupiter.
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He's sixteen.
Jupiter is put in charge of one of the northern battles, defending the pass to Half-wind and Nick Hollow. It goes terribly, and Jupiter makes bad choice after bad choice, being the only senior officer on the battlefield. Perkin loses an eye and almost his life. The battalion is slaughtered, a battalion mostly made up of Hollowers and Half-wind soldiers.
Jupiter's father dies in a battle, the news arriving later that day.
Jupiter hates himself for barely feeling a thing at his father's death. But why should he? He was a king, not a father, not a husband. He was a king. That's when Jupiter decides that he'll never rule like his father did, and especially not like his grandfather. 'King Good' they called him, but Jupiter wonders what is meant by that. Because he wasn't a good father, and he wasn't a good husband. Jupiter vows that he'll be better. And it's the worst day of his life.
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He's seventeen.
Jupiter takes the throne after a year-long struggle with Bleston. Just like promised before, they did end up fighting over the chief birthright. Bleston finally leaves, angry and bitter, taking half of Nick Hollow with him and many others. Jupiter can't blame the Hollowers for there dislike of him. He brought it on himself and tries to rectify it.
He marries Glen, a noblebuck's daughter, that he's been in love with for as long as he can remember, and the Hollower representative at his wedding is civil. He hopes that's a sign.
Wilfred takes a place as an Ambassador and Advisor, and Perkin, now called One-Eye, becomes the chief Lord-Captain. Under Wilfred's advisement, he nominates Garten to Chief-Ambassador. Jupiter isn't all that fond of Garten, but he certainly knows how to get things done, and soon comes to agree with Wilfred on the matter.
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He's twenty
Jupiter is in the throes of his first war when the petitions begin to arrive, most from a pair of sisters called Sween and Anika Locklier. He decides not to ignore them and considers the reforms they are requesting. Almost all are perfectly reasonable. Jupiter passes several laws and alters others with his councils' permission.
Wilfred marries and soon has a young daughter, Mercy. Jupiter catches wind of impending drama between Whittel, Garten, and the same Sween Locklier, and stays clear. Close as he is with the family-so close they practically are family-he doesn't want to get tangled in whatever nonsense they're cooking up.
He fights more wars and wins most, but he only feels emptier with each won battle. The birth of his first son helps, but more attacks and more violence ruins the event. He begins to understand his father more, but still refuses to do it the way he did.
He and Wilfred talk of peace. They talk of the mended wood. Jupiter can't imagine it being further away then the day he fights Garlacks. He comes out victorious, but exhausted. He thinks he collapsed upon making it back to the camp but can't remember most of the day clearly. He blames it on too much coffee, which, as Perkin assures him later, made for some hilarious conversations.
What he does remember is questioning the point.
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He's twenty-four
Wilfred's young daughter drowns, and shortly after his wife dies of pneumonia in the deepest part of winter. Jupiter wonders how Wilfred is so strong even after all the terrible, terrible things that have happened. He wonders if he'll ever know how to be that strong himself.
He just tries to be there for Wilfred.
A massacre in the south solidifies the idea in Jupiter's mind; Peace can't be made through war.
He hangs up his sword.
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He's twenty-eight.
There is peace, and Jupiter is grateful. The days of war are over. He and Glen have seven children. Jupiter has achieved what his father never could; a golden age. No one has heard from Bleston in over a decade, and most have forgotten.
That void inside him isn't gone, he doesn't think it ever will be, not completely, but he no longer must carry it with such a weight as he used to have to.
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He's thirty.
Jupiter begins to think about the future. He also begins to think about the past. He researches-himself-Flint and Fay for the first time. What he finds shocks him, and he believes he is closer to the truth than ever before. He enlists Ian-his other older brother-and Whittel, Wilfred's younger, for help, since they're both avid scholars. They manage to churn up even more than he did but are missing the final pieces.
The last place to look is the one place he is only allowed to go once every decade. It is not the time to go.
Jupiter shuts down the project.
It isn't worth the risk.
Later that year, Ian's wife, Lucy, Wilfred's little sister, dies of an unknown illness. She leaves two young children, Edward, and Eliza. Ian and Garten fight for custody, and Jupiter is forced to be the final, deciding factor. He follows the law, and the custody of the children remains with Ian, and Garten's bitterness over the matter reminds Jupiter far too much of Bleston.
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He's thirty-one.
Jupiter names his heir, quietly, and privately. He doesn't let his son's siblings know. He remembers the trouble that caused, and the boy isn't anywhere near old enough to inherit yet.
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Jupiter Goodson is thirty-two.
What does he remember? He remembers trusting the wrong person. He remembers hating that another war was starting. He remembers his last conversation with Wilfred, and then with Glen. He remembers telling his children goodbye. He remembers walking into the crossing, not suspecting anything.
Then he remembers the pain.
Then he remembers the screams.
Then he remembers looking at Garten, and only feeling regret.
And-death.
Death.
Death.
Jupiter Goodson remembers death, if one could remember such a thing.
