Dresden and Lara

[Arjan]

Lara can take the hit to break the protection.

The feelings don't matter, it's the vows that matter.

It does not has to be a Christian wedding and I am sure monogamy will not be part of the pledges they make.

[Snark Knight]

Harry won't be a live grenade, but more a machine gun emplacement that just makes her defenses that much tougher.

I'm really curious how that works for Lara's standing in the Court. She's on the verge of losing the charade of acting as her father's deputy, so maybe being the face of the political alliance with Winter and gaining a walking weapon of a husband helps make challenges to her look less appealing to other whamps. On the other hand, most of the supernatural community sees Harry as a direct and not particularly intelligent brawler, which is exactly what the white court respects least. Marrying Harry look like an attempt to hold power by leashing a brute enforcer, but doesn't that have a lot of potential to backfire among the WC?

[bigdangmoose]

Lara can take the hit to break the protection.

The feelings don't matter, it's the vows that matter.

No it's both that matter. As I stated, Will went to the alter believing heart and mind that who he was marrying was Georgia. He was giving his heart to who he thought was in front of him. Unbeknownst to him, he was going to give his heart to Jenny, who would be given a line to him and had the power to dominate him.

A marriage between Harry and Lara won't have love between them. As I said before, it will be a business merger. Harry will have his TL protection and won't have a connection to his life. His job title on the other hand, there is where there's a problem.

Think of it this way. When they are at the alter, if Mab says ( as I believe she will be the one who will marry them) that the marriage is between Harry Dresden, Winter Knight of the Winter Court, and Lara Raith, right hand and daughter of the White King of the White Court, there are titles of protection to the person, titles making it a business merger. But if she said that the marriage is between Harry Dresden and Lara Raith, that is a union of to souls to become one. But with Harry's TL protection and him not loving her, the connection won't be there.

You could say that I am agreeing with you on part but disagreeing with you on the other.

[vincentric]

I think part of freeing Thomas will involve Papa Wraith's death.

I don't think Thomas' next role is as KotC but as the next White King. The trick will be having Papa Wraith take the fall for the Svartalves assassination attempt and getting Thomas cured tied together in an impeccable story that also implies that Lara was the mover and shaker behind the scenes.

If Lara and Harry can make it seem that they've been allies for a longer time, then typical White Court paranoia will sew just enough doubt that Harry might be acting and is secretly a masterful deep schemer. Don't laugh, Lara was half convinced of this at the end of Peace Talks and she has more inside information on Harry than 99% of the supernatural world. From the outside, you can make a case for Lara and Harry being a team since meeting on the movie set.

The timeline actually flows pretty well for a conspiracy theorist.

Harry and Lara meet on the movie shoot, She defies her father's orders to kill him and works with Harry to perform a palace coup.

It's Harry she calls upon to defeat the first real threat to her power in White Night. He doesn't leave with the rest of "his" allies but accompanies Lara back to the mansion.

Harry is called in to deal with the Skinwalker and the attempt to restart the war with the White Council in Turn Coat and she delays her departure until she can personally speak with him.

Harry is the person who makes all her introductions in Peace Talks.

And now, she engaged to Harry, the Winter Knight, just as the White Council kicks him out. His role as her spy in the White Council has reached it's end, now they will inveigle the Winter Court together.

The next step is to finally put away Papa Wraith and install their pawn/co-conspirator Thomas as the White King while building their powerbase.

Wizard of Chicago comes next. Harry and Lara spend the year before their marriage getting him in with the Chicago social scene.  Operating a new magical organization will be a perfect cover for their secret activities. It won't fool the Accorded Nations but it'll do a fine job against mortal authorities coming in after Battle Ground. A big flashy target that does authentic good works will build up good PR at the least. Drop a few juicy secrets for the Men in Black to discover and they'll inevitably take the easier route and focus their attention there and away from the really important stuff. Pretty good improvisation to cover the completely world changing event Ethniu caused

The Immortals will know this is all nuttier than an explosion at the the Planter's packaging plant but for the majority of the Supernatural world Looks like a master plan between the Queen White Court schemer and her young new Wizard lover.

[groinkick]

The last thing Harry wants is being naked with Lara. The next book will be uncomfortable.

I believe that Mab warned Lara about trying to feed on her Knight....  So any sex they have will be without feeding....  Something Lara isn't used to.

[Arjan]

I believe that Mab warned Lara about trying to feed on her Knight....  So any sex they have will be without feeding....  Something Lara isn't used to.

Mab did. And Lara can not always completely control it so...

[groinkick]

Mab did. And Lara can not always completely control it so...

The only time she's shown herself lose control was after being badly injured.  Also unlike Thomas, Lara stays well fed.  She could control herself with Dresden unless a she was badly injured, and near death, or had been starved for a long period of time.

[Arjan]

The only time she's shown herself lose control was after being badly injured.  Also unlike Thomas, Lara stays well fed.  She could control herself with Dresden unless a she was badly injured, and near death, or had been starved for a long period of time.

In the dojo in peace talks she explained it a bit. And these previous encounters were maybe sexually loaded but they didn’t actually have a full sexual encounter. I do not think Lara ever tried to control her demon through that.

[LostInTime]

The question isn't whether or not Lara can control her demon. The question is whether or not Harry can control his mantle.

[Arjan]

The question isn't whether or not Lara can control her demon. The question is whether or not Harry can control his mantle.

It is both but read that scene in the dojo again. She clearly said she could not always control it.

[groinkick]

It is both but read that scene in the dojo again. She clearly said she could not always control it.

Should make things even more interesting...  Maybe Mab knows that and intends for Lara to be in her debt later.

[Shift8]

So I really like this pairing. I think the two of them are really good together and I can actually see it as Harrys final pairing.

The only thing I am apprehensive about is Lara being a Wamp. The books have never been super clear about how the white court feeding works. Depending on how it works, I can see a Wamp living a life as a decent person depending on how they go about it.

On option is that when they feed on the person, the damage is permanent and the person will literally die sooner than they would have in life due to the feeding, no matter how small it was.

The other option, which is think is somewhat better supported by the narrative, is that the life force the Wamps feed on is just like human blood. So long as you dont take too much the damage is superficial and the person just grows back without any lasting damage. The key here would be to not feed in the manner many Wamps do, by raping people. So if Lara or Thomas were to have consensual sex and feed off the person, I cant see any moral problem with this so long as they dont kill the person. I even think they could use their "sensual auras" on people to make themselves seem extremely appealing so long as they didnt put the whammy on so hard that the person didnt have choice in the matter any more.

Its also never been made clear as far as I recall what kind of Wamp Lara is, morally speaking. Meaning, is she like Thomas. I know my first read through the books I just kinda assumed she was evil since she was a Wamp. But I actually cant remember now if we ever see her feed to kill or use her sex appeal magic to override someones will outside of battle. Someone mentioned to me that somewhere in the books it is stated that her harem are all volunteers, but I would like to see someone confirm that.

[Arjan]

So I really like this pairing. I think the two of them are really good together and I can actually see it as Harrys final pairing.

Yes, it can be pretty final.

[bigdangmoose]

I can remember when after SG came out, there were a few Murphy fans that swore with everything they had that she was the last girlfriend, that they would get married. Even when people predicted, saw the signs, warned them that she would bite off more than she could chew and die. And what happened? She was around for half to 2/3 of what was going to be one book.

So just because Harry and Lara are being forced into marriage now doesn't mean this is the end relationship for Harry. There are other options for Harry. Jim himself said that people should see Harry and Molly as a possible romantic relationship. There is also Elaine that could rekindle.

[Mira]

I can remember when after SG came out, there were a few Murphy fans that swore with everything they had that she was the last girlfriend, that they would get married. Even when people predicted, saw the signs, warned them that she would bite off more than she could chew and die. And what happened? She was around for half to 2/3 of what was going to be one book.

So just because Harry and Lara are being forced into marriage now doesn't mean this is the end relationship for Harry. There are other options for Harry. Jim himself said that people should see Harry and Molly as a possible romantic relationship. There is also Elaine that could rekindle.

I don't see it working out between Lara and Harry at all.. Terrific sex maybe, but there is a fundamental difference on how they each see the world... While Harry can be a predator at times,
Lara is all predator and that just isn't how Harry sees things.