Hum, interesting, I was actually remembering from the books, not the community. Well, I guess it makes my theory even more theorical. Could still hold up, though, even if that makes it a big "If" on Merlin's part.

So, by now we know that Mab was linked to Merlin, and that she loved him. It probably means, following the Arthurian legends, that she was Niniane/Viviane when she was a mortal, and that she is somehow responsible for Merlin's death/imprisonment in Demonreach.

But I wonder, as it's been established that Ebenezar and Harry are descendants of Merlin, who was the woman part of the lineage? For me, it's starting to look a lot like Mab could be Harry's ancestor. She's been protecting Harry for a while now, preparing him for what's to come in her tough love way, and has been very patient with him. Remember, we're talking about Mab, and she hates insolence against herself or her Court. But somehow, at the end of BG, she seems really happy that he intends to rebel against her. It almost looked like she was proud of him. And at least the last two or three books have been insisting on the parallels between Mab and Harry, what it means to become a monster, the sacrifices one has to make in order to save the people around them.

BG tells us that Mab is basically a general hardened by war, and that she recognizes Harry as a fellow soldier who is starting to understand what it takes to fight this war. But what if it was something like a mother/grandmother who was happy that her offspring finally took her lessons to heart? There's also the scene with Mother Winter trying to kill Harry, and afterwards Mother Summer basically told us that she's shown Harry respect/love in her own way. And what about the Blackstaff, which is starting to look more and more like Mother Winter's walking cane? Wouldn't it make sense that it somewhat stayed in the family? Ethniu says about Eb that he's a child playing with an adult toy, but usually, kids do that with objects from their own family.

Of course, I think people will point out that Mab had sex with Harry in front of all the Fae. First, even Harry said there was nothing really sexual about it, and that it was more about trying to survive a hurricane (or something like that). And second, we've seen that Mab is ready to do whatever is necessary to achieve her means: having sex with Harry was probably the only way to give him the Winter Knight mantle, so she had no choice, and also, what better way to dismiss any way this theory could be true to her enemies than doing that?

Mab has been protecting Harry for a long time, often from himself, with Harry taking that as unfair pressure from someone alien who wanted him to become something he didn't want. Sounds a lot to me like a child not wanting to follow what their parents want for them.

It seems to me that Mab has probably more than one or two reasons for wanting to marry Harry to Lara.

I'd argue, given what we've seen in recent books, that Mab always tries to protect Harry (despite Harry's objections that she would only care for a Knight who can protect himself, she's been doing a lot to help him or prevent him from doing mistakes). So I assume that her main reason for her to make them marry is to protect Harry. She wanted it to happen right away. Why? Most people thought it was to torture Harry, but what had just happened? Harry had just been kicked off the WC, so he's basically defenseless. An alliance/marriage with Lara would mean one thing to Harry's potential enemies: if you attack him, you attack the WCV. Mab cannot protect her Knight openly, or it would make him look weak, but by giving him an ally who is basically a Chief of State of an Accorded Nation, attacking Harry would mean a lot more to potential random enemies (it's not gonna stop Mavra or some crazies/really powerful enemies, but it can stop others).

Second, Mab has to repay the favors she owes to Lara, and from her point of view, there's no reason not to strengthen Winter's position by making a more permanent and reliable ally out of the WCV, especially since Lara is such a good political player.

Third, the marriage is meant to piss off Molly, and to basically tell her to forget her human emotions and to start acting like a Queen of Winter. Mab said she was lacking and too dangerous to become Mab right now. Considering what we've seen about Mab, it's probably about being "cold" enough to put your feelings aside and do what's necessary. And Molly can't say no to Harry and will always run to help him, even if it means somewhat endangering her duties as a Winter Queen or exhausting herself and leaving her vulnerable.

Fourth, it widens the gap between Harry and the WC. From what we've seen at the end of BG, the Accorded Nations don't trust the WC, or they would have invited them to their private talks. One-Eye and Mab at least know that they're probably at least somewhat directed by either Nemesis or the Black Council (or both). It also protects Harry from the WC, because basically killing Harry would mean waging war on two Accorded Nations, which even the WC might be reluctant to do, especially in their weakened state.

Fifth, it protects Harry from Lara. She might be a "good guy" nowadays, but she still puts her interests or that of her family/Court first. Making Harry part of that family would make her less likely to kill him for political reasons.

Also, I agree that Lara totally knew what she was asking. She's completely in femme fatale falling for the detective mode right now. Freydis told us as much in PT.