Christmas Eve story - Huge question

[Con]

Honestly the thing I'm most confused about is that Harry doesn't consider Vadderung/Kringle a friend. They've fought alongside each other in atleast 2 battles. He's given good advice, crucial on separate occasions. Plus he seems like a genuinely fun guy,

[Mira]

Honestly the thing I'm most confused about is that Harry doesn't consider Vadderung/Kringle a friend. They've fought alongside each other in atleast 2 battles. He's given good advice, crucial on separate occasions. Plus he seems like a genuinely fun guy,

   Perhaps because it is a god/immortal/ mortal type relationship,  he can have a good relationship but the closeness of being true friends isn't a good idea.

[Bad Alias]

This says it all. Harry has enough obligations, Mab can have a few too and by celebrating Christmass Harry is actually celebrating winter and strengthen its story.

It really doesn't say anything that we don't already know. We already knew that Harry was celebrating Christmas. We already knew that Mab had obligations to her vassals as of Dead Beat. That's the thing about the Sidhe. They say things that sound like they mean something, but they don't mean what you think they mean.

Honestly the thing I'm most confused about is that Harry doesn't consider Vadderung/Kringle a friend. They've fought alongside each other in atleast 2 battles. He's given good advice, crucial on separate occasions. Plus he seems like a genuinely fun guy,

Until it's time to feed you into a meat grinder. I'm suspicious of Vadderung.

[Kindler]

Vadderung (if not Kringle) is one of the all-time champions of the Long Game. There's a reason he's helped Harry in the past. He's powerful, he's ancient, and he knows stuff. I cannot wait to see how he'll participate in the Apocalypse Trilogy. I'm not expecting a one-for-one implementation of Ragnarok, mostly because I think some of the key participants have become something else—a point I expect to be explained in greater detail in Body Slam.

[Gman]

Vadderung (if not Kringle) is one of the all-time champions of the Long Game. There's a reason he's helped Harry in the past. He's powerful, he's ancient, and he knows stuff. I cannot wait to see how he'll participate in the Apocalypse Trilogy. I'm not expecting a one-for-one implementation of Ragnarok, mostly because I think some of the key participants have become something else—a point I expect to be explained in greater detail in Body Slam.

Harry seems to be a mortal champion of many of the local powers who are fighting or opposing the Outsiders. He has screwed over their plans multiple times (The Black Council/Circle). I assume that Vadderung does not want the Outsiders and their allies, minions, useful idiots to win. Of course he is aiding Harry, at least on occasion.

[Arjan]

I do not remember where I read this but Odin in the old stories is not just helping his champions to get glory in battle. He can Olson betray his champion and cause his death in battle.

Probably to make sure he dies in battle and can go to walhalla at the height of his power but Odin has his dark side. Ravens are carrion birds after all.

[morriswalters]

Honestly the thing I'm most confused about is that Harry doesn't consider Vadderung/Kringle a friend. They've fought alongside each other in atleast 2 battles. He's given good advice, crucial on separate occasions. Plus he seems like a genuinely fun guy,

Have you befriended any ants lately?

[AClone]

I would note that Mab didn't give Harry a gift, she gave Maggie a gift. And Molly's gift was symbolic, rather than tangible.  Sarrisa's influence I suppose, still teaching Mab humanity. I suspect that Molly's gift fulfilled an obligation incurred by the Winter Court when things went pear shaped during the Peace Talks.  The Mother's don't visit this realm, or at least so we are told.

Edit
By the way they have prettied up the Christmas short story with illustrations and packaged it into a PDF file for download.

The gift was to Maggie, but for Harry. Being the indirect person that Mab is, the actual gift to Harry was strengthening his fatherhood and his bond with his daughter.

Telling him to be sure to tell Maggie who it was from also obligates him to explain just who his boss is—and what his job is. Therefore obligating Harry to embrace responsibility. Something he has avoided in the past.

I could keep going. This is enough for now. The gift was definitely for Harry.

Man outright says "I have brought your gift."  And "I have an obligation to my vassals ."  So she IS gifting Harry.  It's only indirectly for Maggie. 

Molly also says her gift is part and parcel to the whole  winter lady gig.

Bob states that the knight has different duties to each queen.   But it just feels off for two out of three.

I’ll point out that Molly may mean that paying those bills, i,e, debts, is “part of he gig as the Winter Lady". Letting Harry know about it is her personal gift to him.

Just going to muse that this exchange is a prime example of why Molly was the right person for Harry all along. Now, we’ll just have to deal with those annoying mantles.

Hmm. Being the guilt factory that Harry clearly is, I wonder how long it’ll take him to figure out that if he’d just boinked Molly, that she wouldn’t be the Winter Lady?

Lastly, remember that Mother Winter cannot travel. Kringle gave Harry a late Christmas present because the island was a “tough delivery”, so it’s not inconceivable that Mother Winter would wait until Harry travels to her again.

[AClone]

Honestly the thing I'm most confused about is that Harry doesn't consider Vadderung/Kringle a friend. They've fought alongside each other in atleast 2 battles. He's given good advice, crucial on separate occasions. Plus he seems like a genuinely fun guy,

They have the basis for a friendship--at least, one of the personas. Wait until you see the two of them watching a movie at a drive-in theater in Kringle's sleigh.

[nadia.skylark]

Telling him to be sure to tell Maggie who it was from also obligates him to explain just who his boss is—and what his job is. Therefore obligating Harry to embrace responsibility.

What responsibility is Harry forced to embrace by telling Maggie that he's the Winter Knight?

Hmm. Being the guilt factory that Harry clearly is, I wonder how long it’ll take him to figure out that if he’d just boinked Molly, that she wouldn’t be the Winter Lady?

Pretty sure this isn't true. There's some evidence that the Ladies don't have to be virgins when they get the mantle.

[g33k]

Pretty sure this isn't true. There's some evidence that the Ladies don't have to be virgins when they get the mantle.

Hmmm?!  Got a cite?
Or care to share your line of reasoning?

[nadia.skylark]

Hmmm?!  Got a cite?
Or care to share your line of reasoning?

It's fairly heavily implied in Proven Guilty that Slate used to rape Lily before she became the Summer Lady. Also, Mab seemed to have no problem with Harry sleeping with Sarissa, and Sarissa was her choice for replacement Winter Lady. Of course, Mab could have been betting that Harry wouldn't, but given the situation, I don't think Mab would have risked it.

[Arjan]

It's fairly heavily implied in Proven Guilty that Slate used to rape Lily before she became the Summer Lady. Also, Mab seemed to have no problem with Harry sleeping with Sarissa, and Sarissa was her choice for replacement Winter Lady. Of course, Mab could have been betting that Harry wouldn't, but given the situation, I don't think Mab would have risked it.

The mantle would probably make her a virgin. It is magic. Some people try an operation but this works far better.

[Mira]

The mantle would probably make her a virgin. It is magic. Some people try an operation but this works far better.

   Possible, but being Lady may merely require celibacy, so sex is okay prior to becoming Lady, but a big no, no, once you do.   Kind of like nuns and priests take a vow of celibacy, but are not required to be virgins to become nuns or priests.

[Arjan]

   Possible, but being Lady may merely require celibacy, so sex is okay prior to becoming Lady, but a big no, no, once you do.   Kind of like nuns and priests take a vow of celibacy, but are not required to be virgins to become nuns or priests.

It is the nature of the mantle and it imposes that nature upon the bearer of the mantle. It is not what the bearer was, it is what it becomes.