After his defeat at Ashford, Robert Baratheon rode north wounded and sought refuge in the riverland town of Stoney Sept, where he lay hidden among the smallfolk while the loyalist host closed upon him. King Aerys had named Lord Jon Connington of Griffin's Roost his new Hand, and Connington brought his army into the town to hunt the rebel lord from house to house, certain that Robert could not have gone far. So thorough was the search that Robert was nearly taken, sheltered, it is whispered, by a whore of the town who hid him from Connington's men.
Before the loyalists could root him out, the hosts of Lord Eddard Stark and Lord Hoster Tully descended upon Stoney Sept, and the septons of the town set every bell to ringing to warn the people and mask the clamor of battle, so that the fight in the streets took its name from their pealing. Robert emerged from hiding to join the fray, and in the fierce fighting the rebels slew Ser Myles Mooton and Ser Denys Arryn, the flower of the Vale and heir to Lord Jon, among others. Jon Connington drove the attackers back for a time but failed to find or kill Robert, and rather than see the town burn he broke off and withdrew. For that failure Aerys stripped him of his lands and titles and sent him into exile across the narrow sea. The Battle of the Bells saved the rebellion in its darkest hour, and it was at Riverrun soon after that Eddard Stark wed Catelyn Tully and sealed the alliance of wolf, trout, and falcon.