(Including to very perceptive people watching the gate guard through a scry.)

Heightened security today, hmmm? She'll dismiss the horse and be on her way.

After his conversation with Valia Wain, it's time to talk to the queen. Myrabelle, not Catherine, because as much as he'd rather talk to Catherine, Myrabelle's the one with the power to stop the rains and to pardon Valia.

The palace guards tell him he's expected and can have an audience immediately.

"Ser Cansellarion," she says, because he's probably here to coordinate on riot response, and he justifiably hates when she calls him 'Alex', "We're glad you could finally join us. How did your conversation with delegate Wain go?"

Be polite Alex. She's an evil murderess, but she's an evil murderess who abducted Arazni to heaven and helped kill multiple archdevils and drove Hell out of Cheliax and supposedly wants to abdicate.

"Your Majesty. Select Wain is - upset about what happened last night and in poor spirits. May I ask what your intentions are, with her?"

"I would prefer she live, but she incited a riot. I have the discretion to pardon her. The friends and family of those killed would object, and they would not be wrong to."

Would you really? "I see. By her report, her speech was legal to publish under your decree of the 28th, and of course she did not publish it. If she committed no crime, it would be unjust to execute her for it."

"Inciting murder and lawless action while technically remaining within the letter of the law? Perhaps she did, I have been too busy dealing with the aftermath to attend to the legal details and know if that's true. How very diabolical of her if so. Someone ought to make that argument at her trial, it may win her an acquittal. It won't win her a pardon from me."

Ah, of course, if clerics of Iomedae break the law they are traitors who should be put to death and if they follow the law while taking any actions the queen disapproves of they're as bad as devils.

"I doubt it will move you to pity but she regrets the deaths she caused and realizes that she made a terrible mistake." Oh oops he was trying to be polite.

Sigh.

"I am sure she does. If she were delighting in the bloodshed she would have been renounced... I do not know what we're going to do about Valia Wain. There will be a trial, a fair one, and if she's convicted I expect I will commute her sentence to exile, but I won't promise anything now, while we have more urgent things to attend to. Even if she's acquitted, Élie may want to remove her from the convention. I can't say. Was there anything else?"

"I would also ask for clemency for those who took more active part in the violence, at least those who had good if misguided intentions."

"I will keep your recommendation in mind."

Which means she'll ignore it. "...And to ask if the rains might be let up."

"The rains are keeping people at home instead of forming new mobs. If you're worried about the flooding, we have a potential solution and are working on a better one and intend to stop the rains before it gets to that point unless there are more signs of unrest."

"There are people trapped in their homes who cannot make it to the temples for needed healing. The markets are all closed and if that keeps up people are going to run out of food in their homes. I did not see any bodies in the streets since I got here but if anyone got trapped outside and is still alive they might not be tomorrow."

OK, yes, all good points - Élie, Third Alex thinks we should let up on the rains somewhat... I think we don't want to go back to clear skies but a light drizzle might keep further rioting at bay without affecting necessary city functions as badly.

"Do you have any Reclamation garrisons that you could pull off whatever they're doing now to help keep order in the city? If there are more patrols it would be risking less to ease up on the rain a bit more. I've already borrowed everyone Archduke Requena has on hand."

"None within a day's march. There aren't any regular army garrisons within reach?"

"Distance is no issue, remember? The army aren't here because they'd be counterproductive for keeping order."

I can have it let up for now. We'll probably want to bring back the heavy rains when it gets dark, though. 

....Are you talking to Alex? Please try not to deliberately antagonize him too much, I have to speak to the church later and I don't want it to be more awkward than it's inevitably going to be. 

So far we're being almost civil. I may have been a little bit rude when he told me that technically nothing in Valia Wain's speech was illegal. He came to plead for a pardon for her which - really seems like a matter for after her trial, not now.

OK, right, he's on the army committee, he knew the Chelish army was mostly unreformed and much eviler than most armies, which is itself a high bar for evil.

"Then I can get you a couple thousand, probably." And, since he's asking for favors and trying to be polite, "Is there any other way we may be of service?"

"If Valia Wain wants to give a big public speech about how she didn't expect or intend last night's violence...nearly everyone will believe it's coerced. It might be a good idea anyway. Probably not today. So - go, be a paladin, heal the injured, lecture people about how murder is wrong. And tell Jean Riudaure to bring my Archduke back."

What?

"As you say. I think you have more means to contact Riudaure than I do -"

"Use one of our wands, sure." She tosses him one. "Now, if you'll pardon me..."

He does not need to be told twice. Or, at least, not three times.

That... went better than he was fearing it might. The rain might let up and Valia will probably get exile instead of death, unless Myrabelle was lying and decides to execute her anyways to upset him. He heads back down to the palace entry hall to look for the duchess of Chelam.