(Luwin): Robert Baratheon's victory at the Trident
was a turning point in the war for the Iron Throne.
While it was clear the gods were smiling on the rebel forces,
Aerys Targaryen still held the Red Keep at King's Landing.
As Robert was wounded and unable to ride,
it was up to Eddard Stark to make for the capital
and force the Mad King to give up the throne.
Lord Stark reached the city gates
to find that Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock,
had already sacked the city in Robert's name.
House Lannister had remained neutral up to this point,
ignoring requests for help from both the crown and the rebels.
Now that Robert's eventual victory was assured,
it seemed Lord Tywin had finally chosen a side.
Lord Eddard was horrified by what he saw when he entered the city -
homes looted and burned, women raped,
scores of innocent citizens killed.
Disgusted, he led his force up Visenya's hill to the Red Keep.
Upon entering the throne room,
he found King Aerys lying in a pool of blood...
dead, by the hand of his own sworn Kingsguard,
Jaime Lannister,
who sat brazenly upon the throne.
Demanding to know the whereabouts of Queen Rhaella,
Lord Eddard was informed the queen and her son Viserys
had been spirited away to Dragonstone before the Lannisters arrived.
But other members of the royal family were not as fortunate.
Elia Martell of Dorne, who was the wife of Prince Rhaegar,
had been raped and murdered by Ser Gregor Clegane
on Lord Tywin's orders.
Ser Gregor and his men had also butchered Rhaegar's young children.
When Robert was well enough to reach the capital,
Lord Eddard demanded the Lannisters answer for their heinous crimes.
Robert refused,
and sent himself to relieve the Baratheon stronghold of Storm's End,
which was still under siege by forces loyal to the crown.
Whatever words passed between the two old friends are known only to them,
but Lord Eddard is said to have left King's Landing in anger.
Later, when Robert was crowned,
he appointed Jon Arryn as Hand of the King.
Lord Arryn's first order of business
was to broker a truce with the Martells of Dorne,
who were outraged by the brutal murder
of Princess Elia and her children.
Following the death of Lyanna Stark,
who had been betrothed to Robert,
Houses Baratheon and Lannister were joined in marriage
when the new king took Tywin Lannister's eldest daughter, Cersei,
as his queen.
As for Eddard Stark, he returned to his stronghold of Winterfell,
forever haunted by his sister's death,
and the shameful way that Robert had secured his throne.