Fire Emblem: The Hidden Kingdom

Chapter 20 - A Friendly Spar

The prince's tent was a marvel of magic and luxury. It looked like a miniature palace, with spacious rooms, elegant furniture and lavish decorations. Lyn and her loyal cavaliers wondered how such a thing could be transported across the plains. The only answer they got was "magic", which did not satisfy their curiosity.

In the heart of the tent, there was a living room where Astrid was immersed in his work. He had papers and animal skins spread out on a large wooden table, each containing valuable information.

There were maps of the region, reports of his scouting, sketches of the enemy positions and notes of his own observations. It looked like a mess, but Astrid had a method in his madness. He knew where everything was and what it meant.

He also had a glass of iced tea floating beside him, which he summoned to his lips with a flick of his finger. He took a sip and then returned to his work.

"Hmm..."

Astrid was trying to find the best route to the nearest village, while avoiding the numerous bandit outposts that he had scouted earlier. He had a clipboard with a summary of his findings, which he glanced at occasionally.

"..."

He frowned as he realized how many bandits were infesting the area. He was glad he had decided to scout first, or else he would have wasted a lot of time and energy fighting them.

He studied the map carefully, looking for any gaps or weaknesses in the enemy's defenses. He traced possible paths with his finger, weighing the pros and cons of each one.

"Let's see... If I go this way, I'll have to deal with three bandit camps. If I go that way, I'll have to cross a river and a mountain. If I go this other way..." He muttered to himself.

He sighed and rubbed his temples. He wished he had more time and resources to deal with the bandits properly, but he knew he had to hurry to reach the village before it was too late.

After a few minutes of thinking, he smiled slightly as he found a solution. He took a marker and started to draw on the map, marking his planned path with confidence.

"Finally..." Astrid let out a relieved sigh as he adjusted his posture. He gulped down his drink in one swift motion and got up from his seat.

His expression hardened into a cold and ruthless gaze. He tapped the corner of the table with his hand, infusing a bit of mana.

The table responded to his touch, opening a secret compartment. Inside, there were white paper documents that looked crisp and modern, unlike the rough papers and animal skins that littered the table.

The documents were clipped together, containing profiles and descriptions of his teammates.

"Lyndis, Kent, and Sain..." He whispered.

Astrid snatched Lyn's profile and smirked. He held it close to his face and skimmed through the details of her background.

She was the last heir of House Caelin, a noble family that ruled over a small but prosperous territory. The granddaughter of Lord Hausen, a marquess of Lycia, a powerful alliance of nobles that governed the central part of the continent.

"I managed to find myself in the middle of a succession dispute..." Astrid said with a smirk as he read the details of her background.

He smiled wickedly as he thought of his plan. A plan that would secure his kingdom's future and his own glory.

A kingdom that had its own interests and ambitions in Lycia.

A kingdom that needed an ally like Lyn.

He looked at Lyn's profile and smiled warmly. "And it seems, I'm on the right side."