That evening, Stannis, Wright, and Renly gathered in Robert's chamber. Renly cast a sound-dampening spell to isolate their conversation from the outside.
"Wright! You've done great this time. Displaying the power of magic in front of everyone like that — it was extraordinary. I offered you a reward before, and you turned it down. What are you really thinking?" Robert's words, though slightly slurred from the lingering effects of alcohol, carried genuine thought behind them.
As King of the Seven Kingdoms, Robert felt guilty when reflecting on his brothers roles. His second brother, Stannis, served as Lord of Dragonstone and Master of Ships. His youngest brother, Renly, was heir to Storm's End. But Wright, the most individually capable of them all, had been forced into a political marriage with Dorne for Robert's ambitions. Despite his strength and talents, Wright was still only a knight with a small, unremarkable stronghold to his name.
"The power of magic is significant," Wright began, "but it succeeded this time mainly because the enemy was unprepared. If they had been ready — with heavy crossbows or if they had launched an attack while I was drained of magic — it wouldn't have gone so smoothly. That day, I nearly got myself killed." Wright spoke plainly, feeling no need to put on a brave front before his brothers.
"And you pulled your back too!" Robert roared with laughter. "Well, a man must be tempered on the battlefield sooner or later. You two are not even twelve years of age yet; you're already doing impressively well."
Renly, sipping on some sweet wine, chimed in: "Not me. I didn't manage to accomplish anything this time."
Wright laughed heartily. "You can blame our big brother for that. Who brings horses to the Iron Islands? In that cursed place, a man can run faster than a horse. By the time Robert got there, the battle was already over. All you could do was clean up the aftermath."
Robert patted his growing belly. Years of indulgence as king had made him soft, and even his armor had to be tailored to accommodate his girth. Stannis smirked, his expression tinged with disdain.
"Back to the point," Robert redirected. "What about refusing your reward?"
Wright straightened his posture, his tone turning serious as he addressed Robert. "I want you to establish a new position in the Small Council: Royal Archmage. The role would oversee all mages in the realm, manage magical affairs within the kingdom, and serve as a counterbalance to the influence of the Citadel."
Robert and Stannis were stunned upon hearing Wright's proposal. It would shake the very foundations of the kingdom's power structure.
"Since the unification of the Seven Kingdoms, the Small Council has always consisted of seven members: the Hand of the King, the Masters of Coin, Laws, and Ships, Whisperers, the Grand Maester, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Now you want to add another seat?" Stannis, rigid as ever, couldn't grasp the shifting dynamics.
Robert, though equally shocked, remained silent, deep in thought. Wright continued:
"Magic is returning to the world. The number of mages will only grow in the future. The rise of magical powers is inevitable."
Renly added, "I've noticed that magic replenishes much faster now than it used to."
Wright pressed on: "Everyone has seen the power of magic. Renly and I are only twelve years old, but I promise you, by the time we're grown, one mage will be the equivalent of an entire army and capable of destroying a castle with ease!
"If this new generation of mages is left unmanaged, no one's safety can be guaranteed. And the only person qualified to manage them is the strongest mage — me."
Robert drummed his fingers on the table, his mind racing. After a moment, he asked, "Have you thought about how to manage them?"
"By founding a school for mages," Wright replied. "We establish standardized systems and terminology for magic, and recruit young individuals with magical potential from across the continent. Training would follow a system similar to that of knights and squires but go deeper, with masters personally mentoring apprentices to forge strong bonds. Apprentices would be ranked, and upon completing their training, they'd be registered with the kingdom. The king would issue mage sigils, and from there, they could choose to join the army, remain at the school, or pursue other paths."
"And if these apprentices go elsewhere and start training their own students, wouldn't they slip out of our control?" Robert asked.
"Nobles might hire them temporarily, but for them to fully detach from the mage system would be impossible — at least for the next hundred years," Wright answered. He took a sip of water before continuing, "It took an immense amount of resources just to train Renly. We invested most of the money we've earned into developing magical training equipment. Even with his top-tier talent, it still cost over a million gold dragons to get him to the intermediate level. The next stages will be even more expensive. Ordinary nobles can't afford it, nor could they create the necessary tools."
At this point, Wright couldn't help but think: This is like training astronauts in the modern world. And that's without factoring in the cost of a mage's equipment. Being a mage is absurdly expensive!
Renly, standing nearby, rubbed his nose awkwardly.
Robert did the same, suddenly reminded of how often he borrowed large sums of gold dragons from his two younger brothers for his indulgent lifestyle.
Wright pressed further. "Besides, my last name is Baratheon. While I can't guarantee that every Baratheon with magical potential will become a powerful mage — that depends on talent and dedication — I can guarantee they'll receive better education than other mages. And as long as I live, this system will remain under the control of House Baratheon, much like the dragons of House Targaryen once were."
In truth, Wright didn't mention that only he and Renly had all-elemental attributes. His research over the past few years had revealed that most people with magical potential in this world possessed only one attribute. A rare few with extraordinary talent had two. Renly's case was unique, likely because Wright had been reincarnated, and the two of them were identical twins.
Robert slammed the table. "It's settled! After the tourney, I'll return to King's Landing and convene the Small Council. Wright, you'll serve as Archmage, and Renly will be your deputy. The two of you are always traveling; one of you needs to stay in King's Landing for meetings."
Stannis remained silent but gave a subtle nod. The Small Council would undoubtedly approve the motion. While he couldn't predict the outcome of Wright's plans, Stannis relished the idea of pushing Queen Cersei out of power now that all four Baratheon brothers would be on the council.
Wright added, "Let's start by formalizing the position of Chief Mage. The school of magic will take at least a year to prepare. Researching and studying magic is inherently dangerous, so the school should be built near the ruins of the Dragonpit in King's Landing. It doesn't need to be too large; the area's isolation makes it ideal."
"Fine, but who's paying for the school?" Robert frowned. He understood the benefits of building it away from the city center — both to mitigate magical risks and to avoid interference from scheming nobles—but it would still cost money.
"Renly and I will cover the costs," Wright assured him. "We'll build it gradually. It's not a fortress; it doesn't need to be massive. The annual expenses won't be too high."
He paused before continuing, "I also want to make it clear that I don't care for power. Politics and scheming exhaust me. I prefer solving problems with a single spell. Once the school is up and running, Renly will take over. I plan to travel to Essos — to the Valyrian ruins or even farther — to seek ancient magical knowledge."
"You're not coming back?" Robert asked. He had long suspected that Wright's ambitions lay elsewhere, but hearing about his plans to travel to distant lands made it seem like he might never return.
"Of course, I'll return. I'll only be gone a few years. Magic can't be mastered in isolation; one needs broader horizons. So much of Valyrian steel and magical artifacts originated in Essos. I won't be at peace until I explore it."
"When will you leave?" Stannis asked.
Wright thought for a moment. "I'm only twelve now. After my sixteenth name day."
"Then why bring it up now?" Robert smacked Wright on the back of the head.