The day of the tournament arrived.
Tywin, who had served as Hand of the King for twenty years, had been a strong advocate for hosting such tournaments. The arena in Lannisport was not a temporary structure; it was a dedicated venue built from stone. The arena itself was oval-shaped, with lengths reaching several dozen meters, and the stands on both sides stood about twenty meters high, capable of accommodating over a thousand spectators. It could be used for tournaments as well as other performances.
A number of Lords sat at the royal box. Wright's seat was located behind the box. With some time left before the competition began, people were conversing with those they knew.
Eddard glanced toward Wright, and they exchanged nods, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Earlier, Eddard had handed Wright a small box, asking him to deliver it to his illegitimate daughter, Ashara.
The tournament was a grand event, bustling with activity. Jorah Mormont was full of energy, defeating powerful opponents one after another. A few days later, in the final match, he faced off against Jaime Lannister. After nine rounds, neither was able to claim victory, and in the end, Robert declared Jorah the winner.
Although Jaime Lannister lost in front of his home crowd and failed to claim the championship, Tywin wasn't displeased, as the betting ring controlled by Stannis had brought in a substantial profit for both Tywin and Robert.
At this point, Stannis had become fully capable of managing the betting ring on his own, without Wright's guidance.
Wright found Jorah Mormont on the edge of the stands. He was deep in conversation with his "Queen of Love and Beauty," Lynesse Hightower.
"Sir Wright."
"Sir Jorah."
Jorah and Wright had fought side by side in battle, and over the past month, their relationship had improved. However, in formal settings, they still adhered to proper etiquette when addressing each other.
"It's been a while, Little Wright. You've grown taller," Lynesse said casually, laughing as she reached up to pat Wright on the head.
Lynesse was the sister of Gunthor, and when Wright was at the Citadel, he often visited their house, telling jokes to make her laugh. They shared a close relationship. Lynesse, with her blonde hair, fair skin, and beauty, was one of the few who could dare to pat a handsome young man on the head.
"Lynesse, it's indeed been a while."
Jorah looked surprised. "You two know each other?"
"I studied at the Citadel for four years and became acquainted with Gunthor Hightower. I frequently visited his house, so of course, I got to know Lynesse as well," Wright explained to Jorah.
"You know, before, your Bear Island could hardly do any business with the threat of the Ironborn pirates, but now, with that threat gone, the Ironborn will be conscripted into the royal fleet. Bear Island will be the only one with a fleet along the northern western coast. Recently, I've been involved in some transport business and would like to discuss it with you."
"Bear Island's warriors will protect the safety of the goods with their lives!" Jorah, as the Lord of Bear Island, believed it was his duty to seek prosperity for his House and people. However, he was not particularly skilled in business, so when an opportunity presented itself, he accepted without hesitation, disregarding the risks.
"Shipping food, vegetables, and such to the North, as well as exporting minerals and leather from the North, they may not be high-priced goods, but the volume is substantial," Wright began discussing the details with Jorah.
Wright approached Jorah for three reasons: first, he wanted to prevent the Lannisters from cornering all the business on the northern part of the western coast. Though Bear Island's fleet was small, it would grow as it gained wealth. Second, he wanted to help Lynesse, ensuring that Jorah wouldn't end up unable to support her and resorting to smuggling slaves, becoming a wanted criminal. Lastly, he aimed to weaken future Daenerys influence by cutting off one of her potential allies - three birds with one stone.
Lynesse watched Wright and Jorah with pride, thinking that Wright was reaching out to Jorah because of her House. She felt honored and pleased, quietly observing their conversation from the side.
Jorah, believing that it was due to Lynesse's influence that Wright approached him with this business proposal, felt fortunate for having chosen her as his "Queen of Love and Beauty."
Lord Jorah Mormont of Bear Island, though older and less handsome, had no heirs. His wife had died in childbirth, leaving him a lonely, wealthy bachelor. On the battlefield, he had earned great achievements and been knighted. Today, he had also won the tournament, along with a substantial prize, leaving him in high spirits. That evening, he went to propose to Lynesse's father, Lord Leyton Hightower. After some discussion, Lord Leyton agreed, deciding to hold the wedding in front of the Lannisters before most of the nobles left
At the wedding, Wright approached Lynesse.
"Bear Island is cold, and the conditions there are much worse than Oldtown. Be sure to bring extra warm clothes. If you need anything, you can write to your brother or to me," Wright said, giving her a little advice in advance, making sure she wouldn't feel too embarrassed to ask her family for help. She could always reach out to her brother or to Wright.
"I will," Lynesse replied, a hint of sadness in her voice. She was about to leave her family behind and start a new one.
Wright and Renly had given her many wedding gifts, and after the ceremony, Wright planned to bring her sister, Malora Hightower, to King's Landing to study magic. Although Moroya was nearly 50 years old, she possessed a small amount of magical potential. Wright didn't expect her to master advanced spells, but at the very least, she could serve as a librarian.
Not to mention Lynesse's House's influence in Oldtown and the Citadel — her sister, Alerie, was the wife of Lord Mace Tyrell, and their daughter, Willas, was the future heir to Highgarden, with brothers Garlan, Loras, and little Margaery as well. Even without this powerful family connection, Wright and Renly had a lot of business with materials coming from the Reach. It was crucial to cultivate good relations with the Tyrells and Hightowers.
Among the three great noble families of the Reach, the Tyrells and Hightowers had already established strong business ties. The only remaining house to win over was House Redwyne, and Renly was tasked with handling that.
---
Upon returning to King's Landing, Robert quickly convened a small council meeting, where he proposed the idea of creating a new position for, the Archmage. This wasn't a decision that could be made overnight. Adding a new member to the small council would cause significant changes, and careful deliberation was required.
Wright contacted Maester Pycelle, and through him, he reestablished ties with the Citadel.
Years ago, Wright's academic achievements had impressed the Citadel, and they had planned to bestow upon him the title of Maester as soon as he swore the oath. However, with the king's recruitment, Wright had disappeared. Still, their connection had never been severed, and there were still ongoing business dealings with the clock tower and the artisans guild.
Years later, Wright had become a true wizard, and though the Citadel had historically resisted magic, Wright understood their stance as an outsider. Without magic, the world would have pursued scientific advancement, which could even exceed the potential of magic. But now that magic had truly returned, who wouldn't want to learn it?
As someone proficient in both academia and magic, Wright's relationship with the Citadel was strong. They sought to recruit him, offering him the honorary title of Archmaester in exchange for Wright providing a comprehensive curriculum on magic. His magic curriculum would focus on basic theory and beginner-level spells, and upon completion, students would be considered graduates. More advanced magic would be taught at the royal magic school in King's Landing, established by House Baratheon.
The small council consisted of seven members. And between them, Jon Arryn, Hand of the King; Stannis Baratheon, Master of Ships; and Barristan Selmy, Commander of the Kingsguard, all of whom would likely support Robert's proposal. With Wright having secured Pycelle's backing, four votes were already in favor, leaving the others opinions irrelevant.