The premise of this story is that Barristan and Robert were not so gravely injured during the battle of the Trident, so both arrive in King's Landing along with Ned Stark and Jon Arryn, as a result, shit happens.

Omake 4: The Kingmaker.

"The road ahead is clear, Stannis will become King in Robert's place," Barristan was still in somewhat of a daze, but he was coherent enough to recognise the voice of Erryl Estermont, the uncle of Robert, Stannis and Renly Baratheon.

The reason for the fiery argument in the throne room of the Red Keep was in Barristan's defence only partially his fault. After he was disarmed and nearly bludgeoned to death on the Trident Barristan had surrendered, if only for the chance of maybe serving a purpose at a later time. His Prince was dead, as was both Ser Lewin and Ser Jonothor, and he'd serve no one by fighting on when he was without a weapon and with five strong northmen atop of him.

So he'd followed the army of rebels, consisting of northmen, riverlanders, knights of the Vale and the few stormlanders Robert had managed to flee with after his defeat at Ashford. What had met them turned his stomach. He'd seen and committed atrocities during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, but the sight of King's Landing half aflame, with Lannister soldiers still in the process of raping, burning, looting and murdering men, women and even children was a carnage unlike any he had ever seen.

While Robert Baratheon seemed mostly careless of the atrocities, Ned Stark for all that he was a rebel seemed to have some honour to him, and dispatched the majority of the Stark and Tully men to quell the Lannister men, by swordpoint of necessary and pen them all up in a camp outside the city, while the rest of them rode for the Red Keep.

When they arrived at the Red Keep it was all over. Aerys, to Ned Stark's fury was dead, murdered from a stab in the back by Ser Jaime Lannister who had paled upon spotting Barristan from where he sat atop the Iron Throne, his golden sword still drenched with the blood of the King he had sworn to defend. As Robert and his allies entered the throne room proper Ser Jaime had joined them, seeing no other choice.

Mere moments after Tywin Lannister appeared, his brother Kevan by his side, and two kights, one of them a short piggish man with a black manticore as his sigil was grinning while drenched in blood, and the other, a monster of a man, over eight feet tall and clad in massive plate followed. "All hail King Robert," Tywin said as he stopped before Robert. "A gift from me, as a show of fealty," Tywin continued as he gestured to his two knights who laid three dripping bundles at Robert's feet, and Barristan had gulped loudly as he saw that the three bundles of Lannister cloaks were dripping with blood. One was large enough for a grown woman or a short man, while the other two were undeniably those of a young child and a babe, Barristan had felt sick.

Robert himself unveiled the cloaks, revealing one macabre sight after another. The first was that of a babe, a few tufts of silvery hair was all that was left to identify Aegon Targaryen, his face and most of his head had been smashed into an unrecognisable pulp. The next was that of his sister Rhaenys, and Barristan had felt his heart break at the horrified face, the trails of tears from her eyes still evident on her cheeks, while her chest and belly was covered in stab wounds, half a hundred to be sure. The last and biggest bundle was that of Princess Elia. Her own expression was vacant in death, as if she had died long before the stroke that had almost split her in two fell, and Barristan felt his fury rise even further as he spotted the seed still oozing out from between her legs.

"What matter of travesty is this?" Ned Stark had hissed as he clenched the huge cleaver of valyrian steel his family insisted was a greatsword in his hands.

"Cementing my loyalty to King Robert's cause," Tywin said simply.

"Robert," Stark said through gritted teeth. "Surely you cannot abide by this, they were mere children, babes still at the teat," he finished with a roar as he glared at Robert and Tywin.

"I see no children, only dragonspawn, who got what it deserved" Robert said as he spat on the corpses, while at the same time Tywin said, "Filthy incestridden blood."

The next moment was still a haze to Barristan and he'd been one of those to act. The moment Robert's spit hit the corpses and Tywin finished his own mockery, Barristan had surged forth, drawn the longsword sheathed at Lord Stark's side and lopped off Tywin's head, before he could do more he turned at the sound of panicked gurgling, the reason for the noise evident as he watched Robert on his knees with Ser Jaime standing above him, a look of pure disgust on his face while Ser Jaime's golden sword was buried in Robert's throat. A roar of fury from behind Barristan made him turn again, only to spot both of Tywin's knights dead on the ground while Lord Stark held his family sword in shaking hands, not even the giant's heavy plate a match for the ensorcelled blade.

And then the arguments started. Kevan Lannister called for Barristan's head, the stormlords called for Jaime's head, Lord Arryn cautioned everyone to calm down, until eventually Lord Eddard marched over to the Iron Throne and drove Ice right into it, causing everyone to quiet.

"I came for justice for my murdered father and brother," he said darkly. "Thanks to Ser Jaime I now have it. For me the next thing is to find my sister, until I have Lyanna back I will swear fealty to no man, and anyone who tries to keep her from me will be my enemy."

"I agree," Barristan said as he spoke up for the first time. "Lady Lyanna's disappearance was one of the embers that started this war, it is only right that we find her now."

"And who is to become King?" Kevan Lannister asked surly, "Who will give me justice for my murdered brother?"

"And who will give justice to the thousands who were raped and murdered when your brother entered the city under a banner of peace?" Barristan roared back as he drew his sword. "I am half of a mind to start with you Lord Kevan," he added, causing the Lannister to pale.

"A Grand Council can be held at a later date," Jon Arryn said diplomatically.

"What about the siege of Storm's End?" another stormlord questioned.

"Lord Tyrell will maintain the siege," Barristan said, "But he will allow for food to be brought into the castle, his purpose for the nonce will be to make sure that no more armies converge on King's Landing."

The rebel commanders whispered furiously back and forth for a moment. "Agreed," Jon Arryn said at last.

"And who will command the city?" Alliser Throne, the sole remaining Knight who had been part of the defence of King's Landing asked.

"The city itself will be held by Lord Arryn, providing he is willing to here and now swear that Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys will be allowed to return and be safe here in the Red Keep with men of the Queen's choosing near her."

Jon Arryn did not hesitate at all. "Providing the Queen will agree to the choices the council makes after the situation has been resolved I will honour this agreement."

And so Barristan, who had wanted nothing more than to go to sleep had tried his best to make sure everything went about smoothly. Ned Stark who had at first wanted to execute every man in the Lannister army or send them to the wall for their heinous actions had finally, after much arguing agreed to let them leave back to the Westerlands, though not how they would have like. Every soldier was thoroughly searched, and were not permitted to leave with so uch as a copper ring, let alone swords or gold, a few hundred valeknights and riverlanders would be escorting the army of murdering, thieving rapists to the Golden Tooth, from there they would be left alone. The Lords themselves would remain as 'guests' in King's Landing, not prisoners in the sense that they were free to walk about, but no weapons and they were kept under guard.

He had dispatched a raven to Dragonstone to inform them of the fact, and then another to Mace Tyrell where he outlined the new terms that the Tyrells were to permit Lord Stannis and his garrison to receive food, and then he rode south with Ned Stark and four hundred men. Just how Lord Stark had managed to get the spider to reveal the location that Lady Lyanna was hidden he never found out, but the spider certainly knew his stuff.

A solitary tower, a few days ride away from Starfall and they found his brothers, Oswell, Arthur and Gerold, their swords held ready in the face of the small northern army.

"Barristan," Gerold said. "I had not thought you to be a traitor."

"Aerys is dead," Barristan said, "As is Elia, Rhaenys and Aegon."

"And so they are," Oswell agreed.

"Why aren't you here and not on Dragonstone protecting the Queen and Prince Viserys?" Eddard asked.

"The Kingsguard stay with the King," Gerold said.

"What?" Barristan asked, though he had a sinking, sneaking feeling that he knew what was going on.

"Where is my sister," Eddard snarled.

"Lord Commander," Barristan cut in, before things evolved into bloodshed. "Is it safe to assume that Rhaegar had a son by Lyanna Stark? A son whom you are protecting even now?"

"Why do you ask the questions to which you already know the answer to?" was the reply he received from Ser Gerold.

"By now," Lord Eddard started. "By now the Queen and Prince Viserys will be back in King's Landing, a great council will be held, please Sers, I just wish to see my sister."

Ser Gerold's face remained as impassive as stone as he studied Lord Eddard for a long moment before his features softened ever so slightly. "Just you Lord Stark, and leave your arms with your companions."

It felt like Eddard Stark was gone for hours, leaving Barristan and the remaining northmen to talk amongst eachother or like Barristan simply keep silent, Sers Arthur and Oswell who had not accompanied Gerold and Eddard into the tower both stood still as statues, their swords still held ready. Eventually Eddard Stark returned, heartbroken, tears still streamed down his face, and Barristan knew why. In his arms Eddard held the still form of his sister while Gerold himself looked tired standing next to the heartbroken Lord, accompanying them was a woman of what seemed to be dornish origins holding a dark haired babe close to her chest.

"Ned," a large northman, an Umber from his sigil asked, as he hitched a breath upon laying eyes on the woman the Realm had bled for.

"A lie," Eddard sobbed. "It was a lie all of it."

"Ned, surely you can't mean, we all heard the tales," another northman said, this one was a man Barristan knew somewhat, William Dustin of Barrowtown.

"A lie," Eddard confirmed again. "No one knew who told Brandon that Lya had been kidnapped and raped."

"I know," a brown haired northman growled. "IT was that Baelish fellow," he explained further. "You know, the sickly little boy who challenged Brandon for Catelyn Tully's hand."

Cold burning fury shone in Eddard's eyes. "He better have a good explanation if he wishes to keep his head," he snarled.

"What now then?" asked the Umber Lord.

"Now we ride for King's Landing," Eddard said tiredly, "And then we'll see."

By the time they returned to King's Landing the city seemed ready to explode. The dornish were all baying for blood, understandable with how they had last their Princess and her children, most like Elia and Rhaenys both would have become Queen at some point, while Aegon would undoubtedly become King after Rhaegar.

The Lords of the Westerlands were still demanding justice for Tywin, the stormlords the same for Robert. The revelation that Rhaegar had one last legitimate son, the wedding and birth of his and Lyanna's son undisputed through impeachable witnesses in the Kingsguard, Princess Lyanna's own words to Eddard Stark, and even records from the Citadel further enflamed the situation.

"Viserys is the right choice," Mace Tyrell told the other Lords of the small conclave they had gatherd, consisting of Queen Rhaella, Prince Doran, Eddard Stark, Jon Arryn, Stannis Baratheon, Mace Tyrell, Lucerys Velaryon, Hoster Tully, Kevan Lannister who was standing in for his nephew Tyrion, Lord Commander Gerold Hightower and Barristan himself who was invited by the Queen for his efforts in trying to forge a peace.

"The North has lost too much in this war to see Lyanna's son be set aside just like that," Eddard said, all of his Lords having said the same, they all wanted justice.

That caused a new round of bickering, insults and threats alike thrown around like bad meat. "Enough," Rhaella said tiredly, she alone remained seated, no doubt due to her ever expanding belly. "To me it is clear, a son comes before his uncle, and people can say what they want to, the marriage, and offspring of Rhaegar and Lyanna is perfectly legal, there is after all a precedent for such in Targaryen customs."

"This is an outrage," Doran said coldly. "Elia and her children, all murdered because of Rhaegar's folly."

"I did not say that Dorne would not be rewarded," Rhaella said, not unkindly to Doran. "You have a daughter do you not my Prince?" she asked, causing Doran to nod stiffly.

"She is but six years older than Prince Aemon, so I propose a marriage between the two, as s small reparation for all that you lost."

Doran's eyes widened slightly. "Go on," he said slowly.

"Princess Arianne and Prince Aemon will be wed on his fourteenth nameday, before that time, I as regent will approve of him fostering a year in Sunspear, providing you guarantee his safety. . .we wouldn't want anything to happen to him."

"Now hold on a moment," Eddard said. "He is my nephew," he said angrily.

"A fact which I have not forgotten Lord Eddard, you yourself will also be permitted to foster the Prince for a year."

"I. . . agree to these terms," Doran said at last.

"Does anyone dispute this?" Rhaella asked coldly, and Barristan marvelled at the steel that he had never before seen in the normally kind and gentle woman.

Eddard Stark, Hoster Tully and Jon Arryn agreed immediately, Mace was a bit more surly in his agreement, and Barristan imagined that the reachlord had desired a different outcome, such as his daughter Margaery wedding the future King, Lord Velaryon didn't even need to be asked, his support of the Queen was unquestioned. The only conceivable problems were the Lannisters and Stannis Baratheon.

"And what is to happen to me and my brother?" Stannis asked bluntly.

"You are the son of my favourite cousin," Rhaella said gently, "Furthermore you did nothing but defend your home. Providing you bend the knee, the crown will forgive you."

"Then I agree to the terms," Stannis said. "And I will swear my fealty to the rightful King, both now, and again when he comes of age."

Things went much smoother after that. Kevan agreed to serve as region for Tyrion Lannister until he came of age, Tyrion himself would be a ward in King's Landing to ostensibly forge closer ties to the crown, yet all knew that it was as a hostage. Cersei Lannister would be wed to a Lord of Rhaella's choosing at a later date.

Rhaella would serve as regent for the King until his majority while Doran would act as Hand of the King, with Prince Oberyn running Dorne in his stead. Lucerys Velaryon would continue to serve as Grand Admiral, while Stannis would be given the post as Master of Ships. To further appease the former rebels Jon Arryn would serve as Master of Laws, while the position of Master of Coin went to Lord Wyman Manderly at Lord Stark's suggestion, Hoster Tully was rewarded by having his brother Brynden enter the Kingsguard. Joining Brynden was Ser Mark Ryswell, Jon Connigton whose family lands were restored and gifted to his cousin Ronald Connington. Speaking of the Kingsguard, Ser Jaime, after explaining thoroughly as to why he had killed Aerys was the first person to be dismissed from the Kingsguard. He was allowed to keep his life, but had to forswear any claim to Casterly Rock.

Mace Tyrell was appeased by the simple act of permitting him a position on the Small Council in an advisory capacity, while Varys was retained as Master of Whisperers, while Grand Maester Pycelle was executed after heavy interrogation made him admit to working for Tywin for years, among the numerous crimes he admitted to were; Poisoning Rhaella to make her miscarry or even kill her children in infancy in the hopes of letting Tywin get his daughter Cersei wed Prince Rhaegar, convincing Aerys to open the gates of King's Landing to Tywin and informing the Lannister men where Elia and her children were hiding, and most damning in the eyes of not only the Queen but also every other Lord, he told the truth of how the Citadel had been behind the destruction of the dragons, the Tragedy of Summerhall, and of how the various Maesters routinely spied on the Lrods they were sworn to serve, and occasionally 'deadling' with a problem with poison or other means, he even admitted how Winterfell's Maester Wylis had started the whole 'Stark/Tyrell/Baratheon/Arryn' alliance had been made for the sole purpose of wiping out House Targaryen, the plan failing somewhat as the Citadel had also wanted to get Houses Lannister and Martell in on the alliance.

While tired of war the now reunified Westeros struck back, all Maester's were arrested and placed in gaols while the main army, lead by Ser Barristan took the Citadel itself. At Rhaella's command everything was confiscated in the name of the infant King and taken to Dragonstone to be carefully studied by loyal men. Eventually a new order of MAester's would be emplaced, in order to deal with ravens, administer medicine as such, but the dreams of the Maesters to create a world in where they pulled all the strings was smashed asunder as they were kept under heavy constant watch. Some, who had actually remained loyal to their Lords were permitted to continue in the role they had enjoyed previously, but the majority were executed or sent to the watch. Books and scrolls were either copied and sent back to the Citadel where the new order was already being formed, or in cases such as dragonlore, hidden magics or other secretive material was retained on Dragonstone, the results of the Maester's long hidden campaign against the Targaryens were given proven when on King Aemon's third nameday the Queen hatched two dragons, one, the bigger of the two, nearly all black with hints of blue was given to her grandson the King, while the smalle white and gold one was given to her own daughter Daenerys, whom had nearly cost the Queen her life when she was brought into the world.

AN/: Well this ran away from me. As you can see, pretty AU, what would happen afterwards? Would the Greyjoys rebel? Would there be peace, or would perhaps Viserys pull a Renly and ally with the Reach in order to take the Iron Throne? I've no idea, and I doubt I will write more off this.