"It's - that makes sense. Anyone who's at all decent would help with your plan, it's so obviously important."

"Huh! I am not sure if you realize how surprising a thing for you to say that would have been, when we first met." 

" - well, I had different incentives then," she says, as if this is not confusing at all.

"- No, actually, or at least I am certain it is more complicated than that. You were not being incentivized to offer Vanyel the opportunity of ceasing to exist. You thought I would be very angry! And you did it anyway, because you - thought it was fair?" 

"Well, I didn't think you'd kill me. Vanyel didn't think so either, and he knows you well. I thought it was - the stupid thing you keep saying, about, if you know the rules for how other people are treated then you know something about how safe a place it is to exist in - and I think one of the rules ought to be that Good has to stop deciding peoples' immortal fates for them, because that'd be a much nicer place to exist in, if that were true."

"...I think you make a very good point." He squeezes her a little tighter again. "And I am glad. I - think you would not have felt safe having a principle, before. I think you had cut off all of those parts of yourself, because your incentives left no space for them and also for maximizing your chances of survival. And I have been trying very hard to - provide you with incentives that do give you space to, to figure out what you think those rules ought to be, and push for that world. Because I think that my organization is stronger, when people in it are doing that, and it makes it more likely my plans will work. And - that is an axiom of Good, in a way?" 

"It is not at all obvious that me having principles makes your organization stronger! If I'd killed Vanyel it seems like that would've made your organization weaker!"

"- It would in the scenario where letting Vanyel die was the correct decision, and one I would not have reached on my own! ...Though, yes, this system works much much better in the case where instead of acting unilaterally, you come and talk to me first and trust that if you are right then I will be convinced. I also encourage my researchers to ask me questions in hypothetical form, or with the details changed, before they come up for real. So that we can get on the same page about what we think the rules should be, that would make a world - nicer to live in - and then if it comes up and they cannot consult me, we are nonetheless more likely to be on the same page." 

" - I'm not sure there's a correct decision. Do you mean wrong about whether it's in your interests, or - something else - either you want it or you don't want it -"

"My interests are the interests of my project and my ultimate goals here. And - I think there is a correct answer, in expectation, on how letting Vanyel die or forcing him to stay alive will affect my plans. Personally, I am fairly certain that the correct choice was saving him the first time, taking care of him in the immediate aftermath, and then having a thoughtful conversation with him later once he was in better condition to figure out what decision he endorsed. And, in fact, he showed no interest in trying again, so - I am very curious what he is going to say to me, when we do talk, but I feel good about the initial choice I made there."  

He sighs. 

"...I am starting to think it was my failure, actually. That I did not check in with you and inform you of my intentions there. Being allies goes both ways. I - apologize for that." 

"- you're trying to run a war effort. I didn't expect you to remember I existed. I'm not that hot."

"My reasons for wanting you as an ally are very minimally related to your attractiveness!" 

Leareth sighs, again. "- And I think that I had better leave now and go do the Gate. ...Do you want to come? We can see if Vanyel is willing to talk." 

"Sure thing." And she gets out of bed and follows him.

Trusting that the paladins will have talked to the Heralds and resolved any confusion, Leareth only scries the site very briefly, mostly just so he can raise an un-scaffolded Gate exactly where they are with Yfandes, which appears to be in a nice little meadow just outside the Guard-post fence. 

Yfandes is looking a little droopy, still, but very well brushed and curried. Her coat practically gleams in the morning sun. 

Herald Tantras appears to be watching them from the other side of the fence, fidgeting. His eyes rest on Leareth, but - not with anger or fear, exactly. Something else. Hard to guess what. 

Leareth beckons for Yfandes to cross, and addresses the paladins. "Is one of you willing to come across, to brief me on - how all of that just went? I suppose that one of you ought probably stay in order to give the same explanation to the Heralds. Since I assume it will be relevant to others, not just Vanyel and Yfandes." 

"I can come back," Ignasi says. "I think we've explained what we know to the Heralds but it's probably wise for someone to stay, in case further questions crop up."

"I would appreciate that. Thank you." 

Leareth nods to Herald Tantras. 

- who holds very still for a moment, and then, slowly, returns Leareth's nod. 

Yfandes surges across the Gate-threshold. 

Stops. Looks Leareth in the eye, levelly. :Where is he. Is he - all right -: 

"- Not very all right, no. I am not going to lie to you on that front. He tried to kill himself, shortly after he - made it here and passed on what had happened. But we were able to save him with Golarion's healing magic, and he has seemed more stable since. You can follow me, if you want to see him right away." 

Yfandes DOES want to see him right away! She's practically vibrating with it! 

Then they can head for the infirmary! It conveniently has a double-width doorway, in practice meant to allow people to easily carry an unconscious and unstable patient through on a stretcher, but doubling as an access point for Yfandes. 

Vanyel sees her. 

His eyes go very wide. He doesn't move.