Mab and Lara

[Bad Alias]

Yeah, well his moves are still limited..  He is no, queen,bishop, or rook...

And more importantly, being directed by another's will. Admittedly, I've never had so much trouble getting a game piece to do what I wanted it to.

[Mira]

And more importantly, being directed by another's will. Admittedly, I've never had so much trouble getting a game piece to do what I wanted it to.

It's been years since I played, admittedly I sucked at it, but I was never taught the strategies behind the moves, I was too reactive.  However in college I did have the pleasure of defeating a guy who was a real smart ass.  He'd smugly wander around the dorm with his set under his arm thinking he was cool because he could play chess, I cured him of that.  Oh as an aside, if you get Netflix and like chess, watch "The Queen's Gambit."  Fantastic mini series.

[Dina]

Oh yes, I love it too even when I never played chess (I only know the basic moves).

[vincentric]

There is the true love protection Harry got from Murphy. That complicates things and Lara needs time to find a way around it.

Mab can send any of many fae ladies to "prepare" Harry for the wedding. She could even do it herself. She could just send him to take Thomas' place with the swartalves for a weekend as part of a knightly duty. Or Lara could use Thomas' method . That protection is too flimsy to stand up to any effort to defeat it.

[KurtinStGeorge]

Mab can send any of many fae ladies to "prepare" Harry for the wedding. She could even do it herself. She could just send him to take Thomas' place with the swartalves for a weekend as part of a knightly duty. Or Lara could use Thomas' method . That protection is too flimsy to stand up to any effort to defeat it.

Harry has a really good reason to not want to relinquish that protection.  On the other side of the equation, should Harry retain his independence from Lara's control, and do so in a public manner, that would put pressure on Lara to show that she is in charge; like a White Court Vampire should be in charge when they deal with a mortal human.  The pressure Lara would feel wouldn't be much different than what her father faced when the porn director Arturo Genosa publicly defied the White King (Blood Rites), even though Arturo didn't know that was what he was doing by forming his own movie company.

Of course, there's a part of Harry that wants to ditch that protection, and it's not just the Winter Knight's mantel or Lara's succubae powers that attract Harry.  He wants her.  So it should be a really hard frustrating time for both Harry and Lara to endure.

P.S.  There is one aspect of the Winter Court / White Court alliance that I will be interested to learn about.  Will the alliance be publicly announced while the Winter Knight is seen in the company of the de facto ruler of the White Court or will it only be publicly announced by the engagement of of the Winter Knight to Lara.  You see I'm not sure what will bother Ebebezer, Carlos and the rest of the White Council more; Harry openly dating Lara Raith just because it looks like he wants to do so, and, or is under her control, or if his constant presence with Lara is understood as demonstrating the alliance.  Ebenezer will be P.O'd no matter what the interpretation, but the rest of the White Council may be more upset by the alliance.

One more thing.  One upside for Harry from the possible upcoming marriage is that not only would the White Council have to worry about drawing Mab's ire if they decided to move against Harry, it could be seen as a declaration of war against the White Court.  Harry won't really be protected by Lara from the Council, except when he's at the Raith Estate; which isn't really a safe place for Harry to be, but I think the Council will still hesitate to move against a powerful wizard who is both the Winter Knight and the consort of Lara Raith.       

[morriswalters]

Why does this pop into my brain when I look at the thread title?

Mab and Lara sitting in a tree,
k-i-s-s-i-n-g.

I have reverted to my childhood.

[Mira]

  Just a thought while reading the posts, I think instead of creating a stronger alliance that Mab wants, I think it will blow up in her face.  Why? Even though they may not be as strong as they once were, further dividing and alienating the White Council from the Accords given the coming BAT won't help things.  I don't think it will help her with the other factions either, I think they will be more inclined to see it as a power grab on her part, which is never good.  Molly and Harry may exploit that to their advantage and in the end, the marriage doesn't take place, Mab is weakened and oddly Lara, who I doubt really wants the marriage on a number of levels will end up stronger.

[vincentric]

The White Council has already kicked Harry out for his maverick ways and his association with Winter.

His marriage to Lara will be just part of Harry's corruption in their eyes.

And Harry being married to Lara has too many good story hooks for Jim to abandon it quickly.

[Mira]

The White Council has already kicked Harry out for his maverick ways and his association with Winter.

His marriage to Lara will be just part of Harry's corruption in their eyes.

And Harry being married to Lara has too many good story hooks for Jim to abandon it quickly.

Yes, they have, but with the marriage, they will be sending the Blackstaff after him..  Or Harry, with Molly's help would also be a good story for Jim to abandon quickly, it actually builds on the scene in Skin Game between them and Mab and Marcone..  Molly and Harry as a team may be too much for even Mab to overcome.. Though it might be the best decision she made, to take on the pair as her Lady and Knight, it may not turn out as she planned.

[Bad Alias]

I think the Council will still hesitate to move against a powerful wizard who is both the Winter Knight and the consort of Lara Raith.       

They've already hesitated by saying he's a warlock, but we're only going to kick him out of the Council instead of executing him.

[vincentric]

Yes, they have, but with the marriage, they will be sending the Blackstaff after him..  Or Harry, with Molly's help would also be a good story for Jim to abandon quickly, it actually builds on the scene in Skin Game between them and Mab and Marcone..  Molly and Harry as a team may be too much for even Mab to overcome.. Though it might be the best decision she made, to take on the pair as her Lady and Knight, it may not turn out as she planned.

Sending the Blackstaff after Harry for marrying Lara would be a foolish act unless they have some other violation that revokes his current parole.

Marrying Lara is an act anyone can do, it doesn't violate any of the Rules of Magic.

It is a declaration of war on Mab. Harry is marrying Lara because of his duty as her vassal. They can verbally object all they want but the disposition of Mab's forces is Mab's decision alone and she'd remind them of that in no uncertain terms.

It is a declaration of war against the White Court. Even if she's not the public leader, Lara is the princess of the White Court. Sending an assassin after her consort is not something she can overlook.

It's foolish. Yes, I'd bet on Eb taking Harry 4 out of 5 times, but that 5th time means risking losing the Blackstaff back to Winter. And that's assuming Eb won't jump ship(They know he's Harry's mentor but I'll bet only a very few know of their blood relationship) if given the order without clear evidence of an act by Harry, not Harry following Mab's orders in a way that doesn't directly threaten the White Council.

[Avernite]

Let's remember that this is Mab sending Harry and Molly to ally with the White Court. So WAG time.

When some alliance with the Fomor and Svartalves was happening, Lea threw in Molly to up the 'entropy' of the situation, and see it blow up. What if Mab is really pushing Molly and Harry into the White Court's arms because she needs Lara down a few pegs? Harry will make the whole thing more voltaile, and with Lara only a power BEHIND the throne, maybe chaos will see the Court fall back into chaos, after she so neatly cleared it up in White Night.

I mean, Mab did also pay a debt to Nicodemus by sending Harry...

[Dina]

I mean, Mab did also pay a debt to Nicodemus by sending Harry...

Yes, that is true 

Mab can send any of many fae ladies to "prepare" Harry for the wedding. She could even do it herself. She could just send him to take Thomas' place with the swartalves for a weekend as part of a knightly duty. Or Lara could use Thomas' method . That protection is too flimsy to stand up to any effort to defeat it.

I don't think raping Harry is a good idea. Mab really has been trying not to antagonize him too much. And at least by Christmas they are quite nice with each other. And if a vampire tries, Harry will be justified to defend himself with extreme prejudice for the vampire.

[KurtinStGeorge]

Let's remember that this is Mab sending Harry and Molly to ally with the White Court. So WAG time.

When some alliance with the Fomor and Svartalves was happening, Lea threw in Molly to up the 'entropy' of the situation, and see it blow up. What if Mab is really pushing Molly and Harry into the White Court's arms because she needs Lara down a few pegs? Harry will make the whole thing more voltaile, and with Lara only a power BEHIND the throne, maybe chaos will see the Court fall back into chaos, after she so neatly cleared it up in White Night.

I mean, Mab did also pay a debt to Nicodemus by sending Harry...

I would agree with this idea if Mab hadn't made it plain to Harry that she wanted the stability and appearance of unified strength the Winter Court / White Court alliance would project.  Now I'll have to reread that scene again to make certain there weren't any weasel words or weasel phrases in it that Mab might later use to justify her betrayal of Lara while she keeps up the letter of her deal.

[Mira]

I mean, Mab did also pay a debt to Nicodemus by sending Harry...

Knowing full well what would happen, her actual aim I think was thinking that if anyone could get access to the artifacts, it would be Harry.  It was also a deal she made a deal with Marcone for him to get vengeance for Nic and Company's kidnapping of him back in Small Favor.  In other words, it was a set up.  Mab would say that she paid her debt to Nic by loaning him her Winter Knight to gain access to the vault, but at the same time takes no responsibility for her Knight going off the reservation a bit, which she knew perfectly well he'd do. So one has to wonder, is this marriage proposal a similar set up of the White Court?  Or perhaps Harry?  Molly knows something and perhaps at this time cannot divulge it, I am thinking of that cold look she gave Lara that Harry "missed" after the kracken was defeated.  I think there was more to it than simple dislike.