Astana's Most Noble Monarchs: The Story of King Guthri II and Queen Astrid

King Guthri II's father Guthri senior was slain by his rival, Gerald Wyndham. Guthri II unexpectedly fell in love on the battlefield during the campaign to free the throne of tyranny, finding said affection in a woman named Astrid. Despite not being a warrior herself, Astrid's guidance was integral aid in Guthri II taking back the throne, and only after this trial did Astrid supossedly agree to marry Guthri II

Long before he was crowned, Guthri II was a prince in exile—a man marked not by title, but by tragedy. His father, the rightful king, had been struck down by Gerald Wyndham, a treacherous courtier who turned his blade against his liege in a bid for the throne. Guthri watched it unfold, powerless as betrayal unmade his lineage in a single stroke. Fleeing the palace with barely his life, he vanished into the forests of northern Astana, the crown broken, but his spirit unyielding.

It was in these uncertain days that Guthri first met Astrid, the daughter of a noble house known more for its scholars than its soldiers. She was not trained in the art of war, nor accustomed to the grim work of rebellion. But when Guthri arrived seeking allies to rally against Wyndham’s false reign, Astrid did not offer soldiers. She offered herself—her wisdom, her counsel, and a mind sharper than any blade.

The two grew close quickly. In the flickering light of war campfires and beneath the quiet shade of war-torn trees, they spoke of dreams and duty, of the kingdom that was and the one that could be. She saw in him not only a king forged by grief, but a man whose heart still ached for honor. He saw in her not just a noblewoman, but a strategist with vision and courage.

One evening, beneath the ancient ash tree overlooking the plains of Zanhor, Guthri asked her quietly, “Do you think… do you think there’s a chance you could marry a man like me, once this is done?”

Astrid’s reply would become the stuff of legend. “If you keep your word—if you take back your father’s throne and lead Astana not with vengeance, but with honor—then I will stay by your side as long as you shall reign.”

And she did.

Though Astrid never raised a sword, she was on every field. In the strategist’s tent, her eyes found weakness where others saw none. In the camp, her presence stilled fear and stirred hope. She became the mind behind the counterstroke, the soul of the rebellion. Guthri, ever at the front, fought with fury lit by her faith in him. Together, they reclaimed the throne.

Just one week after Wyndham fell, the two were wed—not in a golden hall, but in the same meadow where they first kissed, surrounded by soldiers, healers, and common folk who had stood beside them. There were no crowns, only garlands. No royal fanfare, only cheers from those who loved them.

It was not the wedding of a king and queen. It was the union of a promise kept, and a future reborn.