Summoning Molly

[twobee]

So Butcher was doing a Q&A and book signing in McLean, VA yesterday, and I was able to get WoJ confirmation for something that I've been thinking about for a while. I asked him if when he was stuck on DR between Cold Days and Skin Game, and trying desperately to contact Molly, if he could have done a summoning ritual to bring her to him. JB confirmed that he could have indeed done that, though he wasn't sure how that would have gone over. I can't see Molly being too pissed about him doing that, especially when he explained why he needed to see her. But how pissed off would Mab have been, given that she was specifically keeping them apart. Or would she have been more impressed at his ingenuity? Some combination of the two? What do you guys think her reaction would have been?

[Dashkull]

I think his answer was more on the order of “yes he could but it would definitely NOT have gone over well.” I assumed he meant with Mab, I don’t know why Molly would have been upset.

Someone also asked him if the mother, queen and lady could give him conflicting orders, to which he replied “mwahaha they Are Now!” In that tone he gets when he got a great idea of how to screw Harry over.

I think that helps answer your question. He (and Molly) CAN try to circumvent her, but it is not ever going to end well for them.

[twobee]

YES! That was his best answer of the day! Fans giving the author evil ideas to use!

And yeah, Mab wouldn't get pissed, she'd get even. Just find another way to manipulate him

[Griffyn612]

My guess is that Mab kept Molly busy enough that if Harry did try summoning her, Mab could have shown up in her stead a la Dead Beat, thus preventing the meeting.  But he'd also be unintentionally summoning Mab to the island, where their last encounter was a threat to take her under.  Not to mention the gall of a Knight summoning his Queen. 

It would have been bad.

[pcpoet]

I seem to remember a threat from Mab to him if he undermined her authority publicly. I am sure that harry  as a Knight of winter would not do that because of what happen to the last knight who under cut her authority.

[twobee]

I seem to remember a threat from Mab to him if he undermined her authority publicly. I am sure that harry  as a Knight of winter would not do that because of what happen to the last knight who under cut her authority.

Here's the thing, though, Mab never told him until after the fact that she had been blocking him. So she couldn't really say he had undermined her authority, because she never told him not to contact Molly

[Griffyn612]

Exactly.  If it *had* occurred to Harry to summon Molly (an unlikely scenario to me, given that he wasn't yet thinking of her as a Sidhe) then Mab would have shown up on her behalf, and the awkward dock conversation would have ensued while Harry had Mab in a circle on the island. Which likely wouldn't have gone well.

[Dashkull]

Exactly.  If it *had* occurred to Harry to summon Molly (an unlikely scenario to me, given that he wasn't yet thinking of her as a Sidhe) then Mab would have shown up on her behalf, and the awkward dock conversation would have ensued while Harry had Mab in a circle on the island. Which likely wouldn't have gone well.

If Harry ever summons Mab into that circle again I think feces would go shooting toward the spinning device at warp speed. She would be showing up in her battle gear.

[Griffyn612]

If Harry ever summons Mab into that circle again I think feces would go shooting toward the spinning device at warp speed. She would be showing up in her battle gear.

Not only that, but she doesn't have to show up alone.  She could bring beings with her that would keep Alfred busy while she peeled Harry's skin off using a letter opener.  And he wouldn't be able to stop it any more than he could that time in his office when she had him bury it in his own hand.

[Arjan]

Not only that, but she doesn't have to show up alone.  She could bring beings with her that would keep Alfred busy while she peeled Harry's skin off using a letter opener.  And he wouldn't be able to stop it any more than he could that time in his office when she had him bury it in his own hand.

Or she simply sends Lea. I always like her dialog.

[jonas]

Ok, ok.
A. Harry as WK might have a protocol for calling upon any one of the queens
B. Mab can not show and/or send her own proxy instead, she only has to show if it violates the above precedent actually. Harry had cause to summon Leah remember...
C. Can't imagine her being mad over an honest mistake in summoning her, Mad he was trying to undue her intention, maybe. But since he's not at the time privy to that I can't see why she'd be mad at something he couldn't by her own design know about. Like Being mad a kid playing with matches when he's no idea what fire is or that they make it.... illogical to me.

[Griffyn612]

Ok, ok.
A. Harry as WK might have a protocol for calling upon any one of the queens
B. Mab can not show and/or send her own proxy instead
C. Can't imagine her being mad over an honest mistake in summoning her, Mad he was trying to undue her intention, maybe. But since he's not at the time privy to that I can't see why she'd be mad at something he couldn't by her own design know about. Like Being mad a kid playing with matches when he's no idea what fire is or that they make it.... illogical to me.

I think the danger wouldn't be from him unintentionally summoning her.  I think the danger is from her trying to play the same game as she did on the dock, only in an enclosed circle with Alfred nearby.  Harry was Warden for all of five minutes and he already threatened to drag her downstairs once.  If he found out she was playing him while he had power over her... Even if he wouldn't do it, Mab would know it was a possibility, and would have to plan accordingly.

Or she simply sends Lea. I always like her dialog.

Good point.  She'd probably send Lea, assuming she can step in for the Lady.  We know she's Mab's handmaiden, but can she act for Mab on behalf of Molly?  Probably but their rules might be funny.

[Slowpool]

Good point.  She'd probably send Lea, assuming she can step in for the Lady.  We know she's Mab's handmaiden, but can she act for Mab on behalf of Molly?  Probably but their rules might be funny.

  On that note, has there been any mention of Molly's handmaiden?  Does she have a Jenny Greenteeth yet, or has no one asked?

[jonas]

  On that note, has there been any mention of Molly's handmaiden?  Does she have a Jenny Greenteeth yet, or has no one asked?

Ima bet it's going to incidentally be one of her sisters, Amanda, I think, is prominent enough to fit Just has to be someone who idolizes her, after all.

[Slowpool]

Ima bet it's going to incidentally be one of her sisters, Amanda, I think, is prominent enough to fit Just has to be someone who idolizes her, after all.

  But how the hell would Amanda get roped up with the Fae enough to become one of them?  We know Molly became one because she was so wrapped up with Lea that she somehow qualified to inherit the position.  Is there really a way for that to happen with a position on a lesser scale?  Christ, so many better questions than the crap I actually asked.