After settling in, Witt looked after the newborn baby girl in the room.
In the original story, this infant didn't survive. Now, having saved her with healing magic, she was still frail but alive.
Her mother's family was noble. Although she was a bastard, the Dornish were more open-minded than the North, so she could be educated and grow up without problems. Moreover, the girl had a slight magical fluctuation. Witt had tested his ability to detect magical fluctuations; it seemed only he possessed this skill. Renly couldn't perceive magic in other people at all, perhaps a power brought by his transmigration.
The Stark family had the blood of the First Men and the gift of warging, with strengths varying from generation to generation. After carefully examining the baby, he felt that it was essentially a talent for using magic in a certain way. For example, Renly's highest talent was healing, followed by alteration. He learned these two types of magic more smoothly than others. As for the Starks' warging ability, when no one taught them other types of magic, as they grew older and their magic strengthened, they would unconsciously use the warging spells that were their optimal talent.
Witt withdrew his thoughts and walked to the window, raising his hand to gather a ball of ice in his palm. Looking at the birds in the sky, he thought of ravens:
The Greenseer... He's probably using the magic system of space and time in this world. Whatever. Now that he had the ability to protect himself, he wasn't afraid even if the Greenseer tried to use dreams to manipulate people to kill him. He used to be afraid of him, but now, with age, his magic and physical abilities had gradually increased, entering the realm of the extraordinary. As long as the Greenseer didn't provoke him, he wouldn't seek him out. If he did, Witt wouldn't be a true transmigrator if he didn't slaughter the gods!
Because the distance between Starfall and God's Grace was separated by deserts and mountains, Ashara's brother arrived with his people a month later. Witt told the Dayne family:
"I know who the child's father is. He's a very important person. If she wants to know when she's older, she can come to me." The baby was the first person with magic that Witt had personally met in this world, besides Renly. He wondered if he could nurture her properly in the future.
Ashara's brother thought about Ashara's past relationships. Then hearing Witt's words, and finally thinking about the rumors about Witt's brother, Robert, he found it increasingly likely. The King's blood! He immediately stated:
"She is my sister's only child, and she is my family. From today on, she will be called Ashara Dayne the Second." He directly legitimized the bastard child.
On the road back to Storm's End, Witt learned that Stannis was under orders to build a new royal fleet, preparing to attack Dragonstone to eliminate the last of the Targaryen forces.
However, a violent storm had recently hit Dragonstone. The former queen had died of blood loss after giving birth to Princess Daenerys on Dragonstone. The storm had also destroyed the Targaryen royal fleet and those of their vassals.
But because of the storm, the scouts sent by Stannis had also perished at sea. Therefore, Stannis did not know that the enemy fleet had been destroyed and was still building new warships in secret.
When Stannis had prepared all the warships and launched the attack, he found that the enemy had no fleet left, only the army guarding the castle. After easily capturing Dragonstone, he only found the queen's grave and learned that Prince Viserys and Princess Daenerys had already escaped to the eastern continent by ship.
In the year 284, Witt and Renly finally returned to Storm's End. Robert sent a letter summoning them to King's Landing to attend a wedding. Without delay, they hurried to King's Landing.
It was Witt's first time in King's Landing. Even before his transmigration, he knew the city stank. Now, he discovered that the stench in some areas could bring tears to your eyes.
Three hundred years ago, the Targaryen dynasty established King's Landing, renaming the fishing village where they first landed on the continent of Westeros. The Red Keep was built 35 years after the city's founding. The city's architecture was beautiful, but the sewage system was very basic. As the city's population grew, reaching about 500,000 people, various city management issues couldn't keep up, leading to a dirty, chaotic environment with sewage flowing everywhere.
Only the areas near the Red Keep, where the nobility resided, were much better.
The carriage procession slowly entered the city and headed towards the Red Keep. Witt looked at the giant ruins on the distant hill.
That was the Dragonpit. Even in ruins, one could still imagine the grandeur of the original structure. The most important reason for coming to King's Landing this time was to see if any dragon souls remained within the dragon bones in the Red Keep. After all, the youngest of these dragons had died over a hundred years ago. If there were dragon souls, whether he, as a Dragonblood, could absorb the souls of this world's dragons was also a question.
Entering the Red Keep, Witt and Renly went directly to Maegor's Holdfast to meet Robert. They passed through the Red Keep's grand hall, which could hold at least 1,000 people. The Iron Throne was truly imposing, not just an iron chair. It was far more magnificent and solemn than the scenes in the television series.
Witt noticed that the dragon skull that should have been hanging on the hall's wall was gone, replaced by a tapestry of the Baratheon family's golden-yellow background with a black crowned stag. Robert had likely thrown the dragon skulls into the dungeons.
Arriving in the king's study, Robert laughed upon seeing his two brothers.
"You two poor things, come to see if you've gotten any thinner?"
"Big brother, you're really a king now," Renly said with surprise. It was also his first time entering the fabled King's Landing.
Robert was now full of energy, his face flushed with health. His features were firm, and his body was much stronger than a year ago. The war had matured him. But Robert was actually very unhappy with his marriage.
Tywin had done what Robert both wanted and didn't want: he'd gotten rid of the roots, killing Rhaegar's son and daughter. It was just that Tywin hadn't expected the ones he'd sent to do the deed to go mad, acting so cruelly that Dorne now hated them.
Although Rhaegar's siblings had escaped, the direct line of succession was broken. Tywin had taken the blame for him. In exchange for this service, Robert had to marry Cersei and let Jaime continue as a Kingsguard.
"It's also thanks to the efforts of you two brothers. I've called you here early to discuss your rewards," Robert said excitedly.
"I will make Stannis the Duke of Dragonstone, and Renly will inherit Storm's End. In addition, the main members of House Buckwell are all dead. The remaining people will be sent to the Wall. Witt will be made a knight of Horn Hill."
"Why was my second brother given Dragonstone?" Renly asked, confused. By rights, according to their upbringing and the laws of succession, his second brother should have inherited the family lands.
"That's not your concern, his lands have already been decided," Robert replied with certainty.
Witt knew the situation and knew there was no point in arguing. He told Robert what he planned to do.
"After the wedding, I want to go to the Citadel to study for a few years. I won't be able to manage any lands, so let the royal family administer them for now."
"Are you unhappy with your lands? Renly is the heir, and you're still so young. Who would believe you're capable of running things? Rewarding you for your achievements would also dishearten the other soldiers. So, I could only compensate you in a place where nobody cares, so that the dissenting voices could be suppressed," Robert explained to Witt.
Witt said, "I don't even want the lands now. Isn't it better to seriously study magic?"
"So, you'll go study at the Citadel? You want to abandon your family name, remain unmarried, and become a monk? And you also want to break off the Dornish betrothal?"
Robert was surprised. It wasn't unheard of for a younger brother in a great house to become a Maester. Many eldest sons inherited the family estate, while younger sons served as squires for other nobles, and could usually become non-hereditary landed knights. Some younger sons went to the Citadel to become Maesters, which was also a viable option. There were even those who went to the Night's Watch. Robert wondered if his brother had been influenced by someone.
"Of course not. I'm just going to study. I'll leave in a few years, drop out with some excuse or another."
Robert always thought the Maesters were joyless monks who spent their days studying. Could his brother be too clever for his own good?
"Does Big Brother remember Prince Oberyn of Dorne? He forged six links at the Citadel, but then dropped out and now lives a free and easy life."
"Did he suggest you go to the Citadel?" Robert was worried his brother had been swayed by Oberyn, especially since his uncle and sister had died in the war with Dorne.
"No way, I only met him a few times in Dorne. I'm a mage. I realized I've hit a wall and need a lot of knowledge to improve my magic. That's why I have to go to the Citadel."
"Alright, you've always been decisive. I'll listen to you this time. Write me a letter when you want to come back, and I'll find a way to get you out of the Citadel without damaging your reputation." Robert was worried that dropping out would harm his fourth brother's reputation, and as king, he had many legitimate ways to arrange a reasonable withdrawal.
"Then I thank you, Big Brother. Also, there's something very important I need you to do."
Robert looked at his fourth brother, who seemed to be speaking about something very important. He sensed it was a serious matter and said solemnly:
"As the King of the Seven Kingdoms, what can't I do? Name it!"
"Clean up the shit in King's Landing. It stinks."
"Hahaha, it does stink, alright. I'll get right on it!" Robert said he'd handle it, but ultimately left it to his ministers. He didn't care about the details or the cost.
Witt thought: Since Robert loves to spend money, at least he can spend it on something good.
"Also, where did you put the dragon skulls in the hall, brother? Renly and I want to see them."
"I'll have the guards take you." Robert immediately agreed and summoned Barristan from outside the study to give him instructions.
"Now that you're King, brother, I don't need to keep my magic a secret. But I won't announce it officially either. I'll reveal it gradually at the right time. After all, magic has been gone for hundreds of years; people need time to accept it."
Robert looked at Barristan, then at Witt, as if Witt had only mentioned himself and not Renly. He knew Witt's magic was stronger than Renly's and turned to look at Renly.
Renly nodded. This was what he and Witt had agreed on beforehand: keeping it a secret until Witt reached intermediate-level Destruction magic. His year in Dorne had also made Renly realize that the world wasn't always a beautiful place.
"That's fine. You make your own decisions. Big brother will support you unconditionally."
"If there's nothing else, Witt and I are going to see the dragon skulls," Renly said, eager to see the dragons now that everything was settled.
....
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