"It is not yet your hour."

[Mira]

Because you don't send the CEO or President for routine meetings. The peace talks summit wasn't meant to be the opening for an enormous battle. Secondly, Cristos isn't necessarily an inferior politician. By some measures he is the better politician. Think of what he achieved. He has united such a strong block of wizards he could start his own Council if he seceded, and used that leverage to get a position on the Senior Council. Ever since he has increased his power and influence, much at the expense of other Senior Council wizards including the Merlin. In Peace Talks it's even noted that Cristos is throwing around a lot of orders now and so it wasn't necessarily the Merlin who organised the vote to kick Harry out.

Um, the peace talks with the Fomor was hardly routine... Look who attended it, not just the likes of Mab, but Farrafax and Odin as well, more like G-7 talks and yup, the President of the United States attends those..  So yes, the Merlin should have been there, why wasn't he?  I think there is a lot more to come on that front..  I wouldn't be shocked if Langtry, incognito, shows up on Harry's door and presents a totally different picture from what Carlos told Harry.  Not unlike the aside in Changes when he basically said," I know what it looks like we're saying, but we need you to continue going after the Red Court."  It may no longer be just Peabody ink, but something even more serious, Nemesis infections among the most influential of the Senior Council.

[groinkick]

Um, the peace talks with the Fomor was hardly routine... Look who attended it, not just the likes of Mab, but Farrafax and Odin as well, more like G-7 talks and yup, the President of the United States attends those..  So yes, the Merlin should have been there, why wasn't he?  I think there is a lot more to come on that front..  I wouldn't be shocked if Langtry, incognito, shows up on Harry's door and presents a totally different picture from what Carlos told Harry.  Not unlike the aside in Changes when he basically said," I know what it looks like we're saying, but we need you to continue going after the Red Court."  It may no longer be just Peabody ink, but something even more serious, Nemesis infections among the most influential of the Senior Council.

You know what's odd?  Odin, Ferro, Mab, and all these other big names showed up..  Basically supernatural royalty...  Does the Council send The Merlin?  No....  They send the Blackstaff...  That's quite the message, I think.  I mean imagine that...  The Council didn't send a leader, they sent an assassin, a super soldier, a destroyer.

I suspect that they knew something big was going to go down, but just weren't sure what it was....  If that weren't the case I'd think Langtry would have been there... 

[Arjan]

You know what's odd?  Odin, Ferro, Mab, and all these other big names showed up..  Basically supernatural royalty...  Does the Council send The Merlin?  No....  They send the Blackstaff...  That's quite the message, I think.  I mean imagine that...  The Council didn't send a leader, they sent an assassin, a super soldier, a destroyer.

I suspect that they knew something big was going to go down, but just weren't sure what it was....  If that weren't the case I'd think Langtry would have been there...

Most knew about the nature of the Fomor. I think most expected a betrayal in some way. Maybe they did not want to risk the Merlin.

It had probably more to do with internal politics. The Merlin send everyone he did not really trust and if they got wounded or worse he would hold all the cards, literally. He could expel Harry easily and who knows what else he did with that opportunity.

Often foreign policy has more to do with internal policy than with the groups external interests.

[Basil]

I think the most interesting thing about Peace Talks is which Senior Council members and other high-ranking wizards are sent to the talks and which stay behind.

McCoy
Listens to Wind
Liberty
Christos*

Stays Behind: Merlin, Mai
Outer Gates: Rashid

Of Harry's known supporters, only Rashid is missing.  This, of course, is unsurprising since Rashid does not participate that actively in Senior Council shenanigans. 

In addition, all of Harry's friends/supporters among the New Guard Wardens are sent -- Chandler, Rameriz, Yuki, Wild Bill.

One is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is enemy action.  EVERY Harry supporter on the Senior Council is unable to attend the meeting?  Every.  Last.  One.  All of Harry's friends among the Wardens save Ramirez and Lucio are unable to attend the meeting.  Every. Last. One. 

What's the result.  We know from Proven Guilty that Merlin holds ALL their proxies.  Merlin votes for McCoy, Listens to Wind, Liberty and Rashid (who undoubtedly is busy at the Gates) to expel Harry -- at least.  He may well have voted for Christos as well.  Ramirez, whose faith in Harry is already shaken, is permanently (seemingly) divided from Harry by being manipulated by Langtry in being the messenger.  Langtry knows Harry well enough to know that Harry would "shoot" the messenger, given his persistent oppositional defiance disorder.  Langtry has long wanted Ramirez on "team Langtry" to counterbalance Harry's popularity among the younger wizards. 

Seems like he succeeded.  Bigly. 

* Christos may actually be a Harry supporter.  Yes, he benefited from Fortier's death; yes, he didn't like Harry interfering with his "diplomacy" in changes; yes, Harry suspects him of being on the Black Council.  But, his inclusion on the "away Team" means that the Merlin may have wanted him out of the way for his Harry vote scheme.   

[Arjan]

It just means the merlin does not trust Christos either.

[groinkick]

I think the most interesting thing about Peace Talks is which Senior Council members and other high-ranking wizards are sent to the talks and which stay behind.

McCoy
Listens to Wind
Liberty
Christos*

Stays Behind: Merlin, Mai
Outer Gates: Rashid

Of Harry's known supporters, only Rashid is missing.  This, of course, is unsurprising since Rashid does not participate that actively in Senior Council shenanigans. 

In addition, all of Harry's friends/supporters among the New Guard Wardens are sent -- Chandler, Rameriz, Yuki, Wild Bill.

One is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is enemy action.  EVERY Harry supporter on the Senior Council is unable to attend the meeting?  Every.  Last.  One.  All of Harry's friends among the Wardens save Ramirez and Lucio are unable to attend the meeting.  Every. Last. One. 

What's the result.  We know from Proven Guilty that Merlin holds ALL their proxies.  Merlin votes for McCoy, Listens to Wind, Liberty and Rashid (who undoubtedly is busy at the Gates) to expel Harry -- at least.  He may well have voted for Christos as well.  Ramirez, whose faith in Harry is already shaken, is permanently (seemingly) divided from Harry by being manipulated by Langtry in being the messenger.  Langtry knows Harry well enough to know that Harry would "shoot" the messenger, given his persistent oppositional defiance disorder.  Langtry has long wanted Ramirez on "team Langtry" to counterbalance Harry's popularity among the younger wizards. 

Seems like he succeeded.  Bigly. 

* Christos may actually be a Harry supporter.  Yes, he benefited from Fortier's death; yes, he didn't like Harry interfering with his "diplomacy" in changes; yes, Harry suspects him of being on the Black Council.  But, his inclusion on the "away Team" means that the Merlin may have wanted him out of the way for his Harry vote scheme.   

The Gates were under heavy attack so Gatekeeper being there would make sense.  I didn't even remember her being at the Peace Talks.  When did she vanish because I dont' think she was fighting at the end.

[vincentric]

The last we saw of Martha Liberty was on the roof of the castle when Harry summons the Wild Fae. She was there using her own Fae contacts to help with intel and communication.

[Basil]

All the Senior Council was at Chicago save, except Merlin, Mai and Gatekeeper.

One assumes that Gatekeeper was very busy during the simultaneous attacks.

We know that McCoy, Listens-to-Wind and Christos were badly injured in the fighting based on Harry's.  Listens-to-Wind broke his back and Christos was severely burned.  McCoy looked like he was going to stroke out.

I don't think we were told what happened to Liberty.  It may be that she was fine; it may be that she was also in bad shape -- most everyone was in bad shape afterwards.  Either way, she was a shaky vote for Dresden and even if she was available for the "Dresden Expulsion" Meeting, the count still would have been Merlin 6 (Merlin, Mai, proxy McCoy, proxy LTW, proxy Rashid, proxy Christos) to Dresden 1 (Liberty at best).  Liberty strikes me as someone would might support Dresden with cover fire, but not the kind of person that would go it alone. 

[Arjan]

Mai is both the merlin’s most loyal ally and the least suitable for pitched battle. The Merlin was positioning himself to make the most use of the situation.

[Mira]

Mai is both the merlin’s most loyal ally and the least suitable for pitched battle. The Merlin was positioning himself to make the most use of the situation.

  Or if one wants to be really cynical about it, the Merlin calculated that the peace talks were doomed to fail, so avoided any possibility of being held personally held responsible for them.  At the same time he could claim that the White Council had sent a powerful delegation to the talks.  One has to wonder though, was the reason for no White Council representation at the important meeting
following the battle due to his failure not to show up at the peace talks? 

[Snark Knight]

One has to wonder though, was the reason for no White Council representation at the important meeting
following the battle due to his failure not to show up at the peace talks?

Harry's narration was pretty clear about that - they were freezing the Council out because they weren't confident where the self-appointed protectors of humanity would stand on supernatural nations and freeholding lords preparing for war against the vanillas.

[Basil]

  Or if one wants to be really cynical about it, the Merlin calculated that the peace talks were doomed to fail, so avoided any possibility of being held personally held responsible for them.  At the same time he could claim that the White Council had sent a powerful delegation to the talks.  One has to wonder though, was the reason for no White Council representation at the important meeting
following the battle due to his failure not to show up at the peace talks? 

Right, what did Merlin know and when did he know it?  EVERYONE else assumed that the talks would go well -- even Mab and Odin were taken by surprise.  Sure, there was that Thomas v Svartelve thing, but that was very much as subsidiary issue. 

The combat centric focus of the White Council delegation is suspicious.  Everyone -- including Christos -- had a formidable martial reputation, save for Liberty.

[vincentric]

Unless the Merlin had foreknowledge, there is no trickery with the delegation other than tilting the vote against Harry's expulsion. Martha Liberty is an exception amongst the current Senior Council because she is not known as a formidable fighter. Everyone else, Harry describes as a badass he wouldn't want to go against.

[BrainFireBob]

All the Senior Council was at Chicago save, except Merlin, Mai and Gatekeeper.

One assumes that Gatekeeper was very busy during the simultaneous attacks.

We know that McCoy, Listens-to-Wind and Christos were badly injured in the fighting based on Harry's.  Listens-to-Wind broke his back and Christos was severely burned.  McCoy looked like he was going to stroke out.

I don't think we were told what happened to Liberty.  It may be that she was fine; it may be that she was also in bad shape -- most everyone was in bad shape afterwards.  Either way, she was a shaky vote for Dresden and even if she was available for the "Dresden Expulsion" Meeting, the count still would have been Merlin 6 (Merlin, Mai, proxy McCoy, proxy LTW, proxy Rashid, proxy Christos) to Dresden 1 (Liberty at best).  Liberty strikes me as someone would might support Dresden with cover fire, but not the kind of person that would go it alone.

I personally assumed she was one of the unflappable Harry's command over the Little Folk disturbed. She has extensive contacts among the spirits and loa- she is the one most likely to know of some rising Za Lord but not know who it was

[Snark Knight]

I personally assumed she was one of the unflappable Harry's command over the Little Folk disturbed. She has extensive contacts among the spirits and loa- she is the one most likely to know of some rising Za Lord but not know who it was

The expulsion was by majority vote, not just SC. Though my read on it is she was the most likely to have reported him killing the turtlenecks to trigger the death sentence by SC vote, but probably also the primary mover for getting it suspended instead of passed. I think you're right - she's rattled and wants a tighter leash on him.