Meeting at the Hightower

[The Smith]

The Queen walked over, and embraced Gwayne, "I am sorry. I feel so weak."

[Marie]

He held her very gently and willed his body not to respond to her closeness.

"We will protect you. We are here to find out who did this vile thing and bring them to justice. We grieve now, but we will find the killer."

[The Smith]

Rose placed her forehead against his neck, and took a long deep breath. "I am almost afraid to ask... but I suppose... I suppose I should know."

[Marie]

He remained very still. "You mean how, I suppose? A dagger. There was a lot of blood."

[The Smith]

"Who was it?" Rose asked.

[Marie]

"I don't know. We haven't caught him, but I thought it was necessary to consult with the Small Council. Something may be revealed between us. My brother and our people have been asked to interrogate the Tyrell men and others likely to know something."

He was very aware that he was still holdilng her.

"Would you like to sit, Your Grace?"

[The Smith]

Rose replied, "In a moment, Gwayne..." She took a deep breath to steady herself, and asked,"Is there anything else?"

[Marie]

He wished she would let go, because he knew he would weaken if she did not.

"We need to decide what to do. Ser Mace's death is a terrible loss. I have closed off the city but that cannot last forever. So I am asking your Small Council to assist in this matter. I hope they can contribute men to investigate as needed. The problem is that the assassin may have escaped already so it will be necessary to send letters to the bannerlords."

[Lord Oswyn Baratheon]

Oswyn eyed the unending embrace between Lord Gwayne and Queen Rose with mild amusement, despite the gravity of the situation. He thought for a moment of what Lord Cave had told them at his party, wondering if she really did have more steel than she appeared.

[The Smith]

Rose let the embrace go, and squeezed Gwayne's hand in hers, and then she sat, "What can I do to help. My uncle's killer must be found."

[Marie]

"We'll need to make sure your grandfather does nothing rash," Gwayne warned. "Grief makes a man do strange things, but it is imperative we remain calm. Furthermore, if any here have new servants within their retinues, those men - or women, I suppose - must be interrogated to make sure they are above suspicion. Any of us could be harboring the killer or his accomplice. And we need to know if Mace had enemies, and who they were."

[The Smith]

"Mace had many enemies." Rose replied, "My whole family is hated by many people." She looked around the table slowly.

[Marie]

"We can do nothing without names, Your Grace." He didn't want to even think about the possibility that one of the queen's enemies might be sitting in his solar.

[Lord Oswyn Baratheon]

Oswyn met the queen's gaze with a sad and sympathetic smile. Mace may have deserved to die, but she had not deserved to lose an uncle.

[The Smith]

Rose looked at Gwayne, "I know there has been bad blood between him and the Stormlands, and Dorne."