The letters from the battle with the results were spread across the 7 Kingdoms faster than Wildfire would through a dried-up forest. One of them made its way to Tywin, who had to learn of what had become of his wife.
Anyone who truly knew Tywin Lannister would say they had seen him angry on rare occasions. Many would comment that his eyes glowed like those of a hungry lion and others said that he never raised his voice but transmitted his anger through the air.
Even his own family had seen what his anger could truly do and to whom it would be unleashed upon.
Yet none was ever prepared for the rage that would follow upon receiving that letter.
At first, there was silence and the only thing that changed was his breathing pattern. Then, there was this tension by the side of his temple, a vein almost popping from the internal pressure as his jaw clenched to the point numbness could be felt.
The hand that held the letter tightened and twisted it, the faintest of shaking barely visible to the naked eye. Then, there was the rage in his grown orbs as his own eyes darkened dangerously.
"Everyone...out!" he ordered, his voice booming across the room louder than ever before.
His gaze was blazing, his instincts going wild and he felt the need to wrap his hands around the neck of the first person that would be in range.
Per his orders, all of his siblings left, all but Kevan. Despite the fit of anger, the second Lannister brother had chosen to remain. He took the now crumbled piece of paper from the desk and read it, fully understanding the reasoning behind his anger.
Tywin was furious and he did not know who to blame first, to whom to redirect his anger and who was responsible for all of this.
The first person to come into his mind was Aerys. The mad king had started it all by refusing his idea to marry Cersei to Rhaegar. If he had done that, the boy would have never left to steal that Stark girl. Then, he had to kill all those Northern Nobles and the Starks; that ended with the North aligning with Robert in this stupid Rebellion.
Then, of course, he could and should blame the Crown Prince himself. The not-so-innocent boy that had started this rebellion by following his cock over his mind. The same boy that had asked for his dear aunt to come and save him, eventually leading to her capture.
He then felt the need to blame Visenya for she was not so innocent in all of this. Her stubbornness led her that way when she refused to remain in Casterly Rock and instead joined the war. He had made her promise to stay out of the fight and flee. Instead, she stayed and even clashed with Robert to protect that naive nephew of hers.
A little voice at the back of his mind felt that Tywin himself bore a part of the blame. He could have easily denied Visenya's request, he could have locked her in her chambers and held her there. He hadn't truly stopped her, too cocky to believe that the Dragoness would not be able to live up to her promise.
His breathing slowly returned to normal but every part of his body was stiff with tension, his jaw numb as he finally unclenched it. He turned his gaze to finally look at his brother, who looked at him with the faintest of concern.
"Prepare the men, Kevan. Once they are ready, we leave for King's Landing" he ordered, a plan already in mind.
Now that Visenya was a prisoner, it would not take long for Robert to reach King's Landing. If he took it before him, it would complicate stuff and put his house in a tough position. But if the Lannister managed to take the city for him, it would be a good start and he already thought of that 'gift' they could present to the young Stag to save his House and his wife.
As his brother left the room, Tywin glared at the piece of parchment that carried that dreadful news. Yet, his mind was not focused on the letters but on the condition of Visenya, herself.
He knew Robert was not stupid enough to execute her now but the letter had informed him that she had been injured in battle. The mere thought of finding her in a bad and injured state, made his blood boil.
If Robert Baratheon had dared to truly harm her, Tywin would have made sure to end his era before it even began. For Visenya was his and his alone, no one had the right to lay a hand on her except him. No one had the right to harm her and live to tell the tale.
The Red Keep, CrownLands – 20 days since the Battle of the Trident
Aerys had been sitting on his iron throne, his eyes filled with madness and paranoia. He was the first to receive the news of the battle in the Trident, from the first to learn of Rhaegar's death and Visenya's capture.
He knew that Robert was marching his way and he had long closed the Gates of King's Landing, sealing himself and the people inside the tall walls. The only person to truly leave was pregnant Rhaella and Viserys, who had been sent to Dragonstone with Ser Willem for their safety.
With Rhaegar gone, Viserys was the next in line to take the throne and his life could not be risked.
Elia and her two children remained in King's Landing because, despite the reports of the battle, Aerys truly believed in his paranoia that Lewyn Martell had betrayed him. He could not let his more valuable asset go, not with Robert and his rebels about to knock on his door.
His only supporter in this madness was surprisingly a former associate of Visenya; Wisdom Rossart. For a while Visenya had been away in Casterly Rock and then the war, Aerys' little whisperer known as Varys had found out what the precious little princess was hiding.
His birds had found the connection to the Alchemist Guild, who had kept producing Wildfire and improving it; waiting for the next time their patron would request it. Once Aerys found out, he had their leader thrown by the base of the Iron Throne and threatened.
Wisdom Rossart was a man with such sadism and madness in his eyes that even Varys felt uneasy in his presence and that was an achievement. The Maester Alchemist did not seem to worry about the threats and was more than happy to change alliances, going into details about the creation and effects of Wildfire.
When it was exposed that Visenya was behind the scheme, Aerys was so furious that he went into a coughing fit. He knew that his sister often worked behind his back but this felt like the biggest betrayal he could suffer. Whatever little trust he had kept for her was now long gone as his paranoia got the best of him.
Aerys knew that Robert would come for him and so he instructed Rossart to start piling up barrels of wildfire all over the city. If anyone thought they could march into King's Landing like that, then he would remind them how impossible the task was.
Such an idea was so horrific that his current hand, Lord Qarlton Chelsted tried to change the King's mind. When he found out that his attempts were fruitless, he resigned and attempted to flee only to be caught and burnt by the same wildfire the King had started to worship.
Seeing the bright green flames and smelling the burnt flesh clouded the king's weak judgement and all he could imagine now was the burning smell of his enemies and the rebels.
Eventually, after days of waiting behind closed gates; the first signs of army showed up to the door. However, it was not Robert and his men but an ally from the past that Aerys did not expect to see.
Tywin Lannister sat on top of his black stallion, behind him a loyal army of 12.000 men from the Westernlands. The Proud Lion of Casterly Rock conveyed messages to the King, presenting himself as an ally and that he was there to help defend the King.
To many, it would be obvious that it was a trap but not to Aerys. For upon reading his letter, he could not help but remember how loyal Tywin had been to him all those years. He had taken most of his power but he had never betrayed him.
"Your Grace, I do not think it is wise to open the Gates to them" Varys said from his position at the base of the throne, his hands hidden inside the connected sleeves of his robes.
"They are our allies, Your Grace" Maester Pycelle argued. "By marriage in front of the 7, Tywin Lannister had promised to protect your sister and thus ally itself with your house. What more could he be here for than to help win this war?"
"Tywin Lannister might be married to the former princess but she is not here with us, is she now? She is a prisoner of Robert Baratheon and we do not know what he might do to get her back" Varys argued, clearly suspecting something.
However, Pycelle did not budge. He knew Tywin was not there to help them, no one in their right mind would. Yet, there was no other way. Rhaegar was dead, Visenya was captured and a large amount of the Royal Forces was destroyed in the Battle of the Trident.
The War had been lost already and the only thing they could do was try to find a way and save their heads from the chopping board.
"Your Grace, I...I have been by your side all those years...I have been your most faithful servant... Hear my advice and open the gates before Robert arrives" the Maester said, begging the mad King.
Eventually, Aerys made one single decision that he would not even live long enough to regret it. He heard Pycelle and chose to open the Gates, thinking Tywin Lannister was there to help him; only that he was very, very wrong.
Outside the Gates of King's Landing, CrownLands
Tywin's face was hard to read, his green eyes cold as steel behind his helm. He watched as the Gates finally opened, the Mad King had been as stupid as he had let him two years ago. He barely had to lift his hand fully up in the air for his men to march into the city and take it down.
By his side, stood two men that were different from his usual men. One of them, especially, was so tall that he created a shadow over the Proud Lion while his big bulk was merely inhuman; impossible for someone to possess it and yet he did.
"Clegane, Lorch" he called out the two men. "You have your orders. Get into Maegor's Holdfast and kill the children of Elia Martell. Their bodies are our bargaining chip" he ordered and watched as the two men joined the rest of the army.
What Tywin would never suspect or see coming, was the fact that his vague orders would forever seal his fate and create a long-lasting enemy. In his mind, he only saw the children dead but he never expected his mad dog would go as far as to harm Elia in the worst way possible.
For at that moment, all he needed were the children; dead. They would be the olive branch when Robert would reach King's Landing, the only thing that would earn the safety of his house and the return of his Lady Wife.
Red Keep, CrownLands
Aerys watched from the tall windows as the Lannister men sacked his city. They destroyed, killed and raped anything that moved in front of them whether be men, elders, women or even children.
Furious by the betrayal, Aerys turned to Jaime; the last King's Guard to have been left behind and the only one present in the Throne Room.
"I command you Ser Jaime get out there and bring me the head of the traitor Tywin Lannister" he said to the young knight, not caring if he pitied a son against his father. Then he turned to Rossart, who had become his new Hand. "Burn them, Rossart...burn them all!" he ordered, his voice filled with madness as his violet eyes were belonging to no one else but a lunatic.
If he was going to go down, then he would make sure to take down his enemies with him. He did not care for the people; he did not care for anyone but himself. He was the mighty Aerys Targaryen, the King of the 7 Kingdoms and he would let his fury be unleashed upon his enemies in the form of fire and blood.
A lot of things took place in a small amount of time, and many been told through different versions based on who they supported during that time. Few things, however, remained the same and were a big mark in the history of Westeros.
For starters, Jaime Lannister had killed the Pyromancer Rossart and then took the life of the Mad King himself; stopping the wildfire plot that would burn down all of King's Landing. However, by the time he pulled his blade off the corpse of the King, several knights from the wasternlands, including Ser Elys Westerling and Lord Roland Crakehall, burst into the hall.
They caught him red-handed, literally as one would say, and Jaime did not try to justify his actions. He knew people would not believe him and he did not do it to be considered some sort of saint.
Instead, he ordered his father's men to spread the news that the Mad King was dead and he would eventually accept the titles of 'Oathbreaker' and 'Kingslayer' for the years to come.
Not soon after this took place, Robert's forces reached King's Landing. Only that it was not the Baratheon Heir leading them, instead it was the young Eddard Stark that had taken the mantle.
Robert had remained back and would arrive slower, his body suffering injuries from Visenya's two arrows and a new scar from Rhaegar's Valyrian Steel. This is why he had sent Eddard ahead, thinking he would have to fight to take King's Landing only for the doors to be open.
The Rebel forces were allowed into the mighty Capital that was bathed in the blood of innocents, the roads stained by blood primarily. Lannister men had raged havoc, destroyed, killed and raped countless people that even the best Maesters would never be able to truly count.
The whole image was sickening, especially to the righteous Eddard; who saw the killing of innocents as an extreme move.
One thing was certain though, no one would ever dare to go against and risk facing the fury of the Lion of Casterly Rock.