What Role was Molly being prepared for?

[Snark Knight]

What Mab wanted when the Mantle was missing and therefore there was an imbalance isn't evidence that Winter killing a Summer Knight would have serious repercussions for Mab.

Fix said in CD that Winter Knights are the most common cause of death for Summer Knights. When you get right down to it, the Sidhe might not be as open about regarding Knights as disposable dixie cups as the Fallen are, but mortals are still basically mayflies to them. I think what Mab was really worried about Winter being blamed for was stealing the mantle - that's an act of war.

[Mira]

Fix said in CD that Winter Knights are the most common cause of death for Summer Knights. When you get right down to it, the Sidhe might not be as open about regarding Knights as disposable dixie cups as the Fallen are, but mortals are still basically mayflies to them. I think what Mab was really worried about Winter being blamed for was stealing the mantle - that's an act of war.

   Yes, and Harry did ask her what her problem was since he really doubted that she'd be charged.. 
Her answer was vague about ancient forms of justice and punishment, but she left no doubt that there was.

[Bad Alias]

That alone would have serious repercussion for Mab.

The murder or the theft? If it's the murder, my question is "says who?" If it's the theft, my response is "that's my point." Fix has been pretty blase about getting into situations where he might have to murder Harry ever since Small Favor. I don't think one Knight killing another is considered a big deal.

[g33k]

... I think what Mab was really worried about Winter being blamed for was stealing the mantle - that's an act of war.

I think what Mab was really worried about was that Weird Shit was happening over on Summer-side, where she had little insight/power.

I think she intuit'ed that something was broken Over There, and that the situation was destabilizing.  Mab, being so much the active force of Winter, might be unable to avoid pressing a Summer weakness.  But Mab, being a long-plan sort, a high-level strategist, and the war-leader at the Outer Gates, can probably realize that a substantive imbalance / instability between Summer and Winter might be (with a high probability, in fact) some Outsider plot... over there in Summer, where Mab is largely helpless.
 

[Mira]

The murder or the theft? If it's the murder, my question is "says who?" If it's the theft, my response is "that's my point." Fix has been pretty blase about getting into situations where he might have to murder Harry ever since Small Favor. I don't think one Knight killing another is considered a big deal.

Mab says it was murder, a mantle has gone missing and the fingers are pointed at her...  The balance of power is in danger so there are consequences... 

[Bad Alias]

Mab says it was murder, a mantle has gone missing and the fingers are pointed at her...  The balance of power is in danger so there are consequences... 

I know what happened. I'm asking if your saying "[Murder of the Summer Knight by the Winter Knight] alone would have serious repercussion for Mab," or "[Theft of the Summer Knight Mantle] alone would have serious repercussion for Mab." To the first I say show me some evidence of that. To the second I say that's my point.

[Mira]

I know what happened. I'm asking if your saying "[Murder of the Summer Knight by the Winter Knight] alone would have serious repercussion for Mab," or "[Theft of the Summer Knight Mantle] alone would have serious repercussion for Mab." To the first I say show me some evidence of that. To the second I say that's my point.

As I said, Mab is vague about it, however she does say, page 32 Summer Knight paperback

"And why should you care?"  I asked.  "It isn't like the cops are after you."
"There are powers of judgement other than mortal law.  It is enough for you to know that I wish to see justice done," she said.  "Simply that."[/quote

Safe to say if the finger is pointed at her and her innocence cannot be proved, the "powers of judgement" would come down on her head... What ever that is, which apparently is for her not Harry at that point to know.   So short term consequences, war, long term subjection to the powers of judgement...

[Avernite]

Note Mab doesn't actually say those powers of judgement care about this case. She's making Harry care in a way he understands, even though Mab cares far more about imbalance in the scales.


Although I do think subsequent events somewhat undermine the plot point; after Summer Knight Winter is for long stretches of time short on a Knight, Lady, and second-in-command... and only the weakness at the Lady is somewhat mirrored in Summer. And yet, disaster doesn't strike VERY hard (sure, the White Court snipes a bit at the edges and Nic thinks he can flaunt the accords, but overall it's kind of meh).

[Bad Alias]

@Avernite: The difference is that the powers governing Winter and Summer didn't know why there was an imbalance in Summer Knight.

@Mira: My position is that Winter killing Summer and vice versa isn't cause for a "Chicago over Chicago" conflict. Summer and Winter are constantly in conflict. I don't think one bumping off the other's agents is going to cause any escalation unless that results in a significant imbalance. Imbalance, not killing, is the cause of escalation. I still don't know what your position is.

Mab wants to see justice because she didn't do it. If you read it carefully, she doesn't say that justice is her goal. Justice would just align with her interests this time. She needs whoever did it to be taken care of because they either work for her but have gone rogue, or they are her enemy anyway. It would be something different if Mab had said "There are powers of judgement other than mortal law therefore I wish to see justice done" or "There are powers of judgement other than mortal law therefore I need to be proven innocent, so those powers don't [method of punishment] me." But even if your interpretation is correct, what is Mab worried about being judged for; it certainly isn't murder. She does that sort of thing all the time. It would still be for the theft.

[Snark Knight]

It would be something different if Mab had said "There are powers of judgement other than mortal law therefore I wish to see justice done" or "There are powers of judgement other than mortal law therefore I need to be proven innocent, so those powers don't [method of punishment] me." But even if your interpretation is correct, what is Mab worried about being judged for; it certainly isn't murder. She does that sort of thing all the time. It would still be for the theft.

There's the question of whether the Mothers knew all along who was behind it, or retaining Harry was Mab's way of poking the anthill to make sure they saw the problem was somewhere else. Despite the limitations on senior queens interfering with juniors' business, they might still have ways to make things tough for one they suspected of involvement. Mab, after all, was perfectly free to kill Maeve over her corruption - the obstacle was her lingering emotional conflict, not Winter Law. And Mother Winter considers Mab "too much of a romantic".

[Bad Alias]

There's the question of whether the Mothers knew all along who was behind it, or retaining Harry was Mab's way of poking the anthill to make sure they saw the problem was somewhere else. Despite the limitations on senior queens interfering with juniors' business, they might still have ways to make things tough for one they suspected of involvement. Mab, after all, was perfectly free to kill Maeve over her corruption - the obstacle was her lingering emotional conflict, not Winter Law. And Mother Winter considers Mab "too much of a romantic".

I really have no idea what the Mothers do, other than answer questions for Harry every decade or so.

[g33k]

There's the question of whether the Mothers knew all along who was behind it...

They certainly knew by the time Harry arrived with his questions.  How much before that... maybe JB's next 'Con panel or online AMA?
 

[Avernite]

I really have no idea what the Mothers do, other than answer questions for Harry every decade or so.

They probably keep Earth spinning as it does to ensure Summer/Winter appear on-time in the northern hemisphere. Something esoteric like that.

[Bad Alias]

Yeah, we really have very little idea how the Fae Courts work. Bob said the Knights had different duties to the different Queens. That might be something Harry should look into.

[SerScot]

Yeah, we really have very little idea how the Fae Courts work. Bob said the Knights had different duties to the different Queens. That might be something Harry should look into.

When and where did Bob say that?  I don’t recall that comment at all.  Was that in Summer Knight?