Something I noticed..
I don't know if this matters or anything, but I remember during the meeting with Gwyn she said "My father is just waiting for an excuse to attack. Why do you think he sent my brother? Because so there would be trouble!"
I think is this actually a message rather than a literal stand point.
Elaena repeatly says her father basically doesn't approve the marriage due to war. What if the opposite is true that "he" is waiting for the whitehills to attack first, so there would be a reason to go to war.
Elaena and her brother come asking Rodrick to attack Gryff.
When they do come to help Rodrick it happens only after the maester is being beat up hints the "waiting for an excuse to attack".
The maester beat down seemed planned out on purpose and Gywn warned us.
Comments
I think that the Maester found out that Lady Forrester was giving Gryff info and tried to stop her and then got beat up by Gryff and his goons.
Also before the meeting with Gywn Ducan says "You may have known eachother since you were children, but this could be a trap." And who keeps talking about your childhood through the game?.. Elaena.
That's not why he was beat up, though. You can hear Gryff say "You let that bite fester!" referring to when Talia bit the Whitehill soldier.
Idk just brainstorming. Lol
Why couldn't Gryff have said that to throw you off the trial of Lady Forrester. He had to have known that Lady Forrester was going to get Rodrick.
I think you're overthinking that situation. I doubt Gryff even knows there's a traitor. I don't think that situation was meant to be too complex, I think it really was just about Gryff abusing his power like usual.