The first impression Raymun had of the wizard was mystery, wrapped in an emerald green cloak with a hood covering his face, he exuded an aura of mystery and danger. However, as soon as he removed the hood, revealing his face, Raymun had another impression.
It was nobility, beauty, and kindness.
Raymun had to admit, the gods had their favorites, and the young man before him was exactly one of the gods' favorites.
He was around twenty years old, with pale skin from lack of sun exposure. His hair was black, completely black, like a crow's feathers. Silky, shiny strands fell below his eyes. His features were sharp, elegant, and naturally symmetrical. Beyond his impressive appearance, what mattered most were his dark green eyes like beautiful emeralds.
"Cadmus Peverell, Lord Hand." Cadmus introduced himself with a polite smile as he placed his hand over his chest and bowed slightly forward.
"I'll get straight to the point, Cadmus." Raymun didn't care about Cadmus's elegant actions and spoke in a solemn tone. "Are you sure you can cure the queen with one of your potions?"
It was his career he was talking about, there was no room for jokes or hesitation. If it weren't for Geralt, he wouldn't have even met Cadmus. After all, a wizard was a wizard, dangerous and mysterious beings
"If she's not dead, I can cure her." Cadmus spoke in a solemn tone. He wouldn't play around with his future career. If Rhaella died, he would have serious problems.
Raymun's expression became slightly relieved, but only that, slightly. Placing his hand on Cadmus's shoulder, he spoke in a tone tinged with a touch of hope. "I'll have them bring some sick people, I want to see your skills personally."
Cadmus nodded and wasn't surprised. Trusting a complete stranger only happened in children's books. Adult life was much more complicated and full of dangers, only a fool would trust a person they had just met, especially in such an important matter.
Half an hour later, Raymun returned bringing about eleven people, six men and five women. What they all had in common were humble clothes and traces of illness on the faces of each man and woman. Cadmus didn't hesitate and began taking out potion after potion, feeding these people the semi-transparent green liquid.
Seeing these people's faces become healthy with the naked eye, Raymun finally showed a smile and looked at Geralt gratefully. This was a real wizard, not a charlatan. Moreover, with his sense of profit, he could see that these potions were simply a gold mine!
All people get sick, from commoners to kings and queens, everyone gets sick. A potion that could cure an illness in such a short time was simply a gold mine that even Tywin Lannister would be full of envy.
"Cadmus, what do you want? Lands, titles, or women? Once the queen is saved, I can ask the king for these things." Raymun said in a confident tone. Rhaegar wasn't a petty king and was generous with rewards.
"I want to participate in the King's Court, if possible, I want a position on the Small Council, the Court Wizard seems like an interesting title." Cadmus didn't hide and spoke directly about his purpose. The frankness only showed that he would do everything to save the queen, because he wanted to enter the court and couldn't fail.
Raymun was surprised by Cadmus's request, he looked at the young man with admiration and felt more secure in introducing Cadmus to the king. Stroking his chin covered by a thin beard, he spoke in a confident tone.
"If it were any other wizard, this could never happen, but with your potions, the King should value you and the position of Court Wizard doesn't seem so unrealistic."
Raymun didn't lie, Rhaegar really should be happy to win over such a talented person. Although recruiting a wizard might offend the Faith of the Seven, the king was already in conflict with the Faith of the Seven, as he had married two wives, Queen Ellia and Queen Lyanna.
Cadmus showed a satisfied look, having the Hand of the King as a political ally on the Small Council would be a good thing.
"If the king accepts, a member of the Kingsguard will come get you." Raymun said before leaving the tent, heading toward the castle.
-
Raymun stopped before the door to the king's chambers, two members of the Kingsguard had their hands on the hilts of their swords, faithfully guarding the door, and if anyone dared approach without permission, they would have their head separated from their body in a mere instant.
"I wish for an urgent audience with the king." Raymun said before the two legendary knights before him.
Ser Barristan Selmy, the Bold, and Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning.
Barristan looked at Arthur and nodded, he turned and knocked on the door and spoke in a calm tone. "Your Grace, the Lord Hand wishes an urgent audience."
"Let him in." Rhaegar's voice sounded a few seconds later.
Under the eyes of both Knights of the Kingsguard, Raymun entered the room. The first thing he saw was the King, sitting behind a dark wooden desk with one hand on his forehead while the other wrote a letter.
"Raymun, if you came because of another conflict between those knights, I swear I'll send you to the Wall for a month." Rhaegar didn't stop writing and spoke in an irritated tone. It wasn't just Raymun who was already fed up with the constant fights between the young knights.
"It's about the Queen Dowager's health." As soon as Raymun spoke, Rhaegar stopped writing and finally raised his head, looking at Raymun with his deep purple eyes.
Rhaegar was an extremely handsome man, worthy of holding the title of the most handsome man in Westeros. Medium-length silver-blond hair framed a face that seemed to be made by the gods. He wore red and purple clothes, extremely beautiful and luxurious.
At thirty-nine years old, he was a mature man in his prime with a perfectly groomed beard around his face, making him even more majestic.
"What happened." Rhaegar frowned and asked in a hurried tone. His mother's health had always been a thorn in his heart, always making him feel worried.
Raymun didn't hesitate and told everything that happened, hiding nothing. Unlike other Hands of the King, he knew he should be sincere and frank above all before Rhaegar. The previous Hand of the King, Tywin Lannister, had become practically taboo to speak of before the king.
Rhaegar listened to everything in silence, after processing all the information, he leaned back in his chair and showed a thoughtful look.
"Court Wizard..." Rhaegar whispered with a calm look. Honestly, it wasn't a bad idea, he could fight on the battlefield, but when it involved monsters, magic, and the mysterious, he was a complete layman and the Maesters weren't suited for the job, as few dealt with magic, or rather, they repudiated magic.
At the same time, what really caught Rhaegar's attention were the potions mentioned by Raymun. Substances like these are worth true fortunes; after all, no one is free from getting sick, and the nobles, above all, never hesitated to spend exorbitant sums to save their own lives.
The profits from healing potions were simply colossal, and that considering only Westeros. If trade reached Essos, then the gains would be unimaginable.
Rhaegar, who for fourteen years had dedicated resources to building an army for House Targaryen, knew better than anyone the cost of this. Maintaining forty thousand men would consume incalculable wealth from the royal coffers. With more money, he could increase the army by twenty thousand soldiers in just one year.
"Raymun, I want to meet this wizard and see his abilities with my own eyes. I want to know exactly how powerful he is." Rhaegar made his decision without hesitation.
As for the Church, he simply disregarded it. It no longer mattered what they thought of him, especially after they called him 'the second coming of Maegor the Cruel' for taking his second wife.
"I'll do as you command, Your Grace." Raymun bowed and left the king's chambers with a relieved expression and a smile on his lips.
Rhaegar looked at the ceiling of his chambers and showed an amused look, thinking about the legends of wizards he would hear when he was growing up. "How interesting, it will be the first time I see a wizard, I wonder if he can turn people into frogs?"
--------
Read the advanced chapters on my Patreon!
/GOTSW
Read my other books:
Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos (500,000 words written).
Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.
Game Of Thrones: The King's Court Wizard