Dark Sister

-Robert's Rebellion-

-Robertʻs Rebellion-

282 AC
Kings Landing

The next day Valyria learned that Aerys had also instructed Jon Arryn, the Lord of the Vale, to send him the heads of Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark, Lord Arryn's wards. A fortnight later the Mad King received word that Lord Arryn had refused and instead called his banners in revolt. A moon after that Gulltown had fallen and Eddard had made it to the North to raise his banners, and Robert had sailed to the Stormlands to raise his.

Valyria was worried her father had taken no action stating the rebels would not gain any traction and he would have all their heads within the year. But just in case, Aerys kept Elia and her children in Kings Landing as hostages, to secure Dorne's support. No new news had arrived but a week later, Robert Baratheon's forces had obliterated three smaller hosts from vassal Stormlords in one day and Robert now had a unified force behind him.

Starting to get worried Aerys mustered the royal banners and called upon all of the Houses loyal to the Crown. The Tyrells were the first to answer the call, Randyll Tarly led his small host to Ashford and using his vanguard, defeated a small portion of Robert's forces, but sending them into a retreat. It was later known that Mace Tyrell was laying siege to Storm's End, the ancestral seat of House Baratheon, where Robert's younger brother, Stannis, held the castle.

News had traveled to Kings Landing that Eddard Stark had returned South and joined forces with Jon Arryn. Together they negotiated with Lord Hoster Tully of the Riverlands for his support. Adding the Riverlands to the rebellion host.

Robert had managed to flee with a majority of his forces from the Battle of Ashford and was taking refuge at the Stoney Sept. Aerys sent his new Hand of the King and friend of Rhaegars, Jon Connington, to capture Robert and bring a swift end to the rebellion.

Connington sent his men door to door to find Robert but none of the residents yielded any information, even as the Lord Hand started to promise pardons and rewards, no one gave in. The Battle of the Bells began when Lords Stark and Tully arrived with their hosts. The battle was fierce with Lord Connington killing Ser Denys Arryn, and Robert Baratheon nearly killing the Hand of the King.

When the defeated lord returned, Valyria had begged with her father to spare him. And in a rare display of kindness, the Mad King only stripped Connington of his lands and exiled him. Aerys then appointed Lord Qarlton Chelsted as his new Hand of the King. The King then sent Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Jonothor Darry to rally Connington's scattered forces and Ser Gerold Hightower to find Rhaegar and bring him back to the capital.

The King received word a day later of a double marriage ceremony at Riverrun between Jon Arryn, Eddard Stark, and Hoster Tully's two daughters Lysa and Catelyn. The marriage fully cemented the river lords to the rebel cause.

Ser Barristan and Jonothor returned to the capital with the remains of Connington's host. The Mad King began to have caches of wildfire placed beneath Kings Landing, Lord Chelsted noticed the constant coming and going of the King's pyromancers: Garigus, Belis, and Rossart. When he figured out the Mad King's wildfire plot he protested, pleaded, and eventually resigned as Hand of the King. Aerys had him dipped in wildfire and burned alive.

Valyria heeded Jaime's advice and retreated into herself when she was forced to watch the man burn. Jaime was ordered to stand guard out of the Queen's bed chamber with Ser Jonothor Darry. Jaime told Valyria later that he had felt conflicted when he heard the Queen's screams but was stopped by Ser Jonothor. Valyria told him it was a common occurrence during her father's visits to her mother and that once, she and Rhaegar had questioned her about it but Rhaella didn't like to worry her children about such things.

It had been around a month but word had been received that Ser Gerold had found Rhaegar and he was to return to the capital. Valyria for as much as she thought Rhaegar was a fool, was still happy of his return. She hoped he would change things, and make things better for them.