Lara Raith marriage consummation

[pcpoet]

I was thinking about   the original reasons for arranged marriage and the reasons for annulments and divorces. the main reason for arranged marriages was the combing  of two groups after the production of an heir.  history is full of stories about what happens when there is no heir produced. So, my question is will there be a child produced by the nuptials or will the marriage be a barren one with either an annulment because the contract was not upheld by either party when a child is not produced.

[Mira]

I was thinking about   the original reasons for arranged marriage and the reasons for annulments and divorces. the main reason for arranged marriages was the combing  of two groups after the production of an heir.  history is full of stories about what happens when there is no heir produced. So, my question is will there be a child produced by the nuptials or will the marriage be a barren one with either an annulment because the contract was not upheld by either party when a child is not produced.

Yes, that is often the reason, but in this case I hope not, or rather Harry already has more children than he can handle.. Even if Lara insisted which I'm sure she would a child would be hers to do with what she will..

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Yes, that is often the reason, but in this case I hope not, or rather Harry already has more children than he can handle.. Even if Lara insisted which I'm sure she would a child would be hers to do with what she will..

The Faeries do like their Firstborns……. I am sure Harry could put that doubt in Lara’s mind about immediate procreation.

[Mira]

The Faeries do like their Firstborns……. I am sure Harry could put that doubt in Lara’s mind about immediate procreation.

I really don't care about that, all I'm saying is Harry as daddy really hasn't added that much to the story.  There are plenty of other threads that have been left dangling, we don't need any new ones.

[vincentric]

Given the life expectancies of all the involved and concerned parties, producing an heir seems to be a matter that won't be an urgent concern for the first few decades. Indeed, keeping the alliance strong so that there is a relatively safe time for procreation would seem to be the limiting factor.

[Basil]

I'm not convinced that White Court females can reproduce.  We have only one very ambiguous example of Vittorio and Cheserina Malvora.  Cheserina is described as an Aunt and Mother in just a hand full of pages.

We know that Madrigal and Madeline are the children of Lord Raith's brother, who had a very unfortunate parachute-less sky diving accident. 

I think we know "the Skavis" was the son of Lord Skavis.

We know that the White Court girl in the Big Foot novellas was the daughter of that minor White Court Lord. 

Again, we have many, many examples of children of male White Court Vampires, and only very questionable example of a White Court Mother. 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I really don't care about that, all I'm saying is Harry as daddy really hasn't added that much to the story.  There are plenty of other threads that have been left dangling, we don't need any new ones.

Just saying that Harry could get Lara to believe that Mab might have a claim on the child.

[Fcrate]

Just saying that Harry could get Lara to believe that Mab might have a claim on the child.

Lara is too smart to fall for that. If anything, Mab would have an obligation towards the child's protection and upbringing. At least in abscence of his parents.

Yes, that is often the reason, but in this case I hope not, or rather Harry already has more children than he can handle.. Even if Lara insisted which I'm sure she would a child would be hers to do with what she will..

I really don't care about that, all I'm saying is Harry as daddy really hasn't added that much to the story.  There are plenty of other threads that have been left dangling, we don't need any new ones.

I agree completely. This will be a complication that will take quite a few chapters out of every future book for years. That doesn't mean that I don't want to see the marriage go through, because I do. I think they're pretty well matched.

[Eguzky]

I'm not convinced that White Court females can reproduce.  We have only one very ambiguous example of Vittorio and Cheserina Malvora.  Cheserina is described as an Aunt and Mother in just a hand full of pages.

We know that Madrigal and Madeline are the children of Lord Raith's brother, who had a very unfortunate parachute-less sky diving accident. 

I think we know "the Skavis" was the son of Lord Skavis.

We know that the White Court girl in the Big Foot novellas was the daughter of that minor White Court Lord. 

Again, we have many, many examples of children of male White Court Vampires, and only very questionable example of a White Court Mother.

It's mentioned that the White Court are 'all but sterile'. Meaning they CAN have children, but it's very, very, VERY unlikely.

Though this brings up two questions:
1. Is it more likely between 2 White Court? After all; Daddy Raith has had many children.

2. Justine's baby:
It will feed on her Nemesis-possessed body. Which COULD kill her. I wonder if that will lead to Nemesis being weakened in Justine? Or maybe the babay will fed on Nemesis itself?
After all; nothing so far hints that Nemesis gives it's puppets any sort of power...Maybe Thomas Jr. is setting up to be a (to use the trope name) Chekov's Gun?

[Ed0517]

I'd think White to White conception is even harder. Let us assume the sterility problem is either number of gametes (sperm, egg) produced or their viability. Humans generally drop one or two eggs. If Lara does not drop one, no matter how fertile her partner is, she does not get pregnant.  Males may eject 50,100 MILLION sperm. If Whamps are putting out 10 K - that will cause infertility. Just ONE sperm will do it. Guess they strike out a lot though. 

Let us assume the problem exists for both sexes - Thomas seemed surprised he got Justine pregnant (if HE did.. Nemesis, you know), so assume at least low male count. So if Lara is NEARLY barren, she will want to maximize the sperm available when she DOES drop an egg - get a human (assume wizards count here). Thomas would want a woman he can assume DOES drop an egg - get a human. If wizards are the same as human, a wizard might be ideal - with their longer lifespans, they likely have a longer period of fertility than vanilla humans. Don't have so swap out partners as much . (you CAN, but you do not HAVE to)

(Oh, and for the ultra woke, the above also explains why when birth control was developed they went after the one egg, rather than having to kill every sperm. Just an easier target. Add on, killing testosterone tends to kill desire... he just don't WANNA. Kinda like Vonnegut's Ethical Birth Control. If it's numb, no fun.)

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I suspect Lara has invested in numerous IVF clinics, and has been having her eggs and her sisters harvested on a regular basis and checked for viability. She asked both Marcone and Harry to father a child for her suggesting a degree of certainty beyond normal conception  She presumably has viable eggs on ice. House Raith is led by female Whamps putting it at a disadvantage against the other houses, and leaving is vulnerable to take over by secondary lines like the cousins.

[KurtinStGeorge]

I suspect Lara has invested in numerous IVF clinics, and has been having her eggs and her sisters harvested on a regular basis and checked for viability. She asked both Marcone and Harry to father a child for her suggesting a degree of certainty beyond normal conception  She presumably has viable eggs on ice. House Raith is led by female Whamps putting it at a disadvantage against the other houses, and leaving is vulnerable to take over by secondary lines like the cousins.

I suspect Lara wouldn't want to get pregnant.  It wouldn't simply be a distraction to her day job of running the White Court, it could seriously weaken her and perhaps even kill her, if she didn't feed enough to maintain her own life force.  Though this is just a guess, perhaps any excess feeding might empower the growing White Court fetus and make it even more dangerous to Lara.

So, the next link in this chain of thinking is if Lara wanted an heir, or needed one to fulfil her deal with Mab, she would want to use a surrogate to give birth and take all the risk.  Harry would not be happy about a mortal being put in danger, but if Lara chose the invitro method, then; in theory at least, Harry wouldn't have to be informed about what was going on.  Lara would only need to get a sperm sample from Harry without him realizing it.  Lara might not even have to be the person to collect it.

Actually, I think all this speculation will become moot.  Either Lara will knocked off by Harry's bad luck with lovers life expectancy or the marriage will not happen or be annulled. 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Lara could have a whole generation of Raiths gestating in willing surrogates paid well, she could double the size of house Raith in a generation, even if the kids are raised in full knowledge of what they are and given the chance to kill their demon before a first fatal feeding with a willing victim.

Lara is if anything, a modern girl. However she wants a powerful magic user in the family, so Harry’s wedding night may involve

[g33k]

... However she wants a powerful magic user in the family ..

I'm pretty sure WOJ says that Whamps cannot be powerful magic users.  That may not be something Lara knows; or any Whamp knows; or anyone in the Dresdenverse knows (I suspect Mother Summer -- the Intellectus of Fertility -- must know!)

[LaraBeck]

I really don't care about that, all I'm saying is Harry as daddy really hasn't added that much to the story.  There are plenty of other threads that have been left dangling, we don't need any new ones.

Couldn't agree more with this!

And I honestly hope that if we're going to be concern about another child, the focus is on Justine's child. Harry claims to be all about family, so I hope we get to see that.