Thomson (Easysource) : Development of an E-Procurement System

What business is the organization in? Thomson is a French company, created in 1883, whose headquarters are in Issy les Moulineaux, near Paris. It is specialized in the conception and the manufacturing of digital images and videos systems. The company developed itself in the world to be present in different countries, such as Italy, India, China, Spain, USA, Belgium and UK. It has about 73 000 employees dispatched over 230 sites, including more than 60 factories. Its sites are distributed around 10 countries but the company sells its goods and services to 100 countries.We can also notice that Thomson is a real leader in the innovation system, as it owns 35 000 patents worldwide representing around 6 000 inventions. The group sells its products and services through 4 major brands which are Thomson, RCA, Grass Valley and Technicolor. The 2 last brands allowed the company to take advantage of the digital technology’s global transition In the late 80s and the early 90s, Thomson was dedicated to Electronic oriented activities for both everyone and activities oriented to professional.After different plans of restructuration and reorganization, in 1997, Thomson decided to focus on the production of key components and electronic products (representing about 98% of its turnover). Since 2000, the company opens to the Medias and entertainment industry focusing on creation, management and content distribution. Thomson’s aim is about becoming a leading worldwide group of integrated solutions for media and entertainment industries. In order to gather this goal, Thomson decided to turn to e-procurement in 2001. What products are bought via e-procurement?In order to well understand the company we are going to develop the main purchases operated by the group. We have the production purchases (such as the electronic components, material and so one), that represents 70% of the total purchases. Then, we have the non-production purchases (maintenance, transportation an d so one). Thomson developed its e-procurement system, with EasySource, around this second kind of purchases. Indeed, non- production purchases are divided as follow: oNon-production purchases outside EasySource: Licenses, Guarantees, Customer Marketing, Other. Non-production purchases inside EasySource: oTransport, oEnergy, oSoftware, oIT and Telecoms, oProperty and tenant services, oExternal services, oMarketing, communication and advertising, oManufacturing supply, oInvestment, oTravel oOther So, those non-production purchases are items that are difficult to manage for companies as they are really diversified and need to be well analyzed. As a consequence they are very costly as they need competent people to deal with them and quite a lot of people due to their diversification. That is why Thomson has recourse to e-procurement with EasySource for such purchasesWhat savings were realized? The following shows that the solution at its completion should bring 150 million of euros: Ea sySource allows Thomson to save around 80 million per year. First, we can look at the following table showing us a few results from before and after the use of EasySource by Thomson: â€Å" Before EasySourceAfter EasySource Active suppliers per buyer10050 Percentage of active suppliers approved by the State10,0%100,0% Percentage of purchases generated with small suppliers40,0%10,0% Percentage of transactions via e-commerce3,0%60,0% Percentage of purchases under agreements50,0%95,0%Number of suppliers for indirect purchases360007000 % of indirect suppliers which represent 90% of the total amount of purchases30,0%10,0% † Such data easily show us the great impact that Easysource had on the company. For example the number of active supplier per buyer was divided by 2. Moreover, Transactions via e-commerce went up from 3% to 60%. E-commerce is much more profitable to company as it cost much less than traditional commerce. How were those savings realized? By implementing EasySource , Thomson developed a unique centralized tool for every user that brings important savings for the company.There are 3 main points that explain how those saving were realized. The first one is the control of the purchase condition. Indeed, it is easier to explain et order exactly what you want, avoiding mistakes. You can also negotiate ask to different suppliers and see which one offer you the best program. Then, you have a global improvement of the running. As everything is taking place on a unique platform, it is easier to make sure for example that you can have what needed or to compare the products through different suppliers.Finally, last but not least, the system allows the improvement of the productivity such as the reduction of the number of suppliers. And it make it easier to change of suppliers when findings others more profitable. EasySource was first develop in 2001 and followed 3 steps. The â€Å"Pilot phase† was quick as it wanted to show that the concept was re alistic and would bring many advantages to the company. It was also to see and learn how he system worked. So, Thomson developed the process on 3 key areas (Asia, Europe and America) and enrolled the 10 major suppliers of each of those areas.The second phase was the â€Å"large-scale deployment phase† aiming to develop the solution worldwide. It lead 3 stages at the same time : implementing he concept on 110 sites, massive enrollment of the suppliers while rationalizing and focusing on ad hoc purchasing rather than catalogue purchasing. Finally, the last step was â€Å"the capitalization and user adoption phase† that allow EasySource to become today the common and unique solution for non-production purchases. For this final stage the main point was to convince everyone to use EasySource for their transactions and to improve the use rate per family of product.To conclude all those points allow a better understanding and following of the purchases. In other words, it mea ns a gain about money through the reduction of management costs and the negotiation and validation processes What problems occurred during the implementation process? The major problem faced by the company, while implementing the process, was to catalogue all the suppliers. Indeed, the suppliers for non-production purchases are numerous and complex due to the large panel of family products.Then another problem that occurred was the access to the networks and to Internet. It might was already present on some areas, but it was also needed all over the world where the company is present. So, Thomson had to modernize its network infrastructures, as it was the first trial of some intranet database for the group. Thomson also add to inform both its workforce, suppliers and buyer to its new system. This problem was easily compensated thanks to a strong communication strategy and a real effort to get the portal o be easily used and understood by its users.

Four Square Lumber Mill Essay

Question 1: Identify and discuss the major issue(s) in the case In the requisition of the carborundum blades, it specifically mentioned that no substitute for Swiss blade is permitted but Iqbal still trying to find alternative solution available in the local market. He found the alternative sources and persuades the sawing operation to perform the trial. The trial is failed and now Iqbal convinced that he being sabotage, he accused the sawing operation team was purposely unfairly treated the local blades during the operation to ensure the local blades would fail. This is because, during the discussion with Sam, foreman of sawing operation, he is reluctant to proceed with the trial and very confident that the local brand will not work. His expression and behaviour showed that he feel happy to prove that the trail is failed. Question 2: Key fact of the case When Iqbal viewed the requisition of carborundum saw blades at Tampin plants, he found that the specialised blade made from Switzerland and purchase through local supply in Penang at cost of $220, DDP Penang. The requisition specified that no substitutes were permitted and Iqbal went to look for other alternative sourcing for better saving. Iqbal found two suppliers that producing local blade and was informed that the local brand, Dipson 412 is same quality as the Swiss brand. They quoted price of $112.50 and $115; both are DDP Tampin. Sam, foreman of sawing operation at Four Square is reluctant to try the local brands as he confident it would not stand up as per the Swiss brand. Finally he agreed but told Iqbal that he knows that the local brand will not work. Iqbal proceed with the trial purchase, and put provision that blades could returned for credit if it not prove equal to Swiss brand. The trial is fail as Sam showed Iqbal the sample of two local blades which burned during due to excess heat during the production. Sam expression was happy when he told Iqbal about the situation. Iqbal was convinced that the production workers had treated the blade unfairly to ensure that both blades trials unsuccessful. Question 3: The main problem in the case The trial failed and Iqbal convinced that the sawing operation team purposely treated the local blades unfairly to ensure that the trial is fail. From earlier discussion with Sam, the foreman of the sawing operation, he expressed his reluctant to proceed with the trial and informed Iqbal that he is confident that the local blades would not match the quality of the Swiss blade. Sam was also expressed his satisfaction when he bring the result to Iqbal showing the burned blades as prove that both local brands is not as equal to the Swiss blade. Question 4: What could Iqbal done to avoid this situation Iqbal could do the precaution step by monitoring the whole process of trial to ensure that the blades are being treated correctly in the operation process. This is important especially when during the discussion the foreman, Sam seems very reluctance of doing the trial. In order to avoid being disrupted or sabotage, he should closely monitor the entire process. Other than that, he could request the suppliers to involve in the trial process. Besides ensuring the blades are treated fairly, the supplier could share their expertise and able provide immediate advice if there is problem occurs. Question 5: What should Iqbal do now Iqbal should discuss with the management regarding the issues and point out his thought. He should get the independent opinion on the issues. But he should also bear in mind that his accusation may turn up to be wrong and the sawing operation team is not guilty. In handling the issue of possibility of being sabotage it could be sensitive and this will affect the positive relationship among co-workers in future. Iqbal could also do another trial if he convinced it will work but this time he or his trusted person which had expertise of understanding the procedure should monitor the process to ensure the blade is being handled fairly and trial is done properly. By doing another trial it would definitely increase the operation costs. He could also further discuss with the supplier of local brand and show the burned blades. By doing so, he could use the supplier expertise to gain information whether the blades has been treated fairly or not by examining the burned blades and find out the possible causes. Question 6: Suggestion for improving the situation of the company Open for substitutes Providing the clause that no substitutes were permitted which means depending on one source of supplier could be high risk for the Company. It also not encouraging the operation team to try new change as normally the operation team prefer the normal procedure that they already familiar with. Involvement of supplier Involvement of the supplier during the process could help to ensure that the process is being done properly and it would also help to provide the fast response for solution if there is problem during the sawing operation process. Expertise To ensuring the trial is done properly without any possibility of unfairly treated, expertise, the engineer should be in place to monitor the whole process.

Reflection on Major Paper #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection on Major Paper #1 - Essay Example I was also able to develop a thesis statement on the first paragraph. The thesis statement was on analysis of the factors that influence oral participation in a foreign language class and its relations with English language development. Additionally, i was able to come up with a topic sentence in each paragraph. This helped in giving direction the rest part of the paragraph would take. Further, the topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph helped in ensuring that the rest of the paragraph covered the same issue. Hence, there was no mixing of ideas in one paragraph. The other easy part was in coming up with a conclusion. The conclusion helped me demonstrate ability to analyse the issue. As a result, i was able to bring all the issues discussed in the body together. However, the most challenging thing was in finding sources. I had no idea of where to get the correct information that was credible on the topic. I had to roam from one search engine to another. This made it difficult to collect and analyse information that was credible. In conclusion, this first writing exposed me to many things. I believe it laid the foundation for me conducting more research on several issues. Moreover, I believe I will be able to work on few challenges such as searching for information and some punctuation errors that emerged in this

MT140 Unit 5 Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MT140 Unit 5 Discussion - Research Paper Example Management is a fundamental function that refers to the planning and controlling the resources of a commercial organization. Leadership on the other hand refers to the art of influencing the actions of others in a society. A manager may serve as a leader since he influences the actions and behavior of other employees at an organization. A leader on the other hand cannot act as a manager since he may not have the technical knowhow required to manage the other resources in a company (Hillson & Simon, 2012). As explained earlier, resolving the dilemma at Sandwich Blitz Inc. requires effective understanding of the market in order to establish the patterns of supply and demand. As such, I would recommend an extensive market research and analysis in order to determine the factors that are likely to affect the profitability of the company. Dalman for example must equip himself with the relevant financial skills. This may compel him to enroll at a school and carry out extensive market researches. This way, he will obtain appropriate information capable of influencing the production at the company thus cushioning the company from incurring losses even as it expands to unknown

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 25

Case Study - Essay Example Integrating with another company allowed Wal-Mart to gain retail facilities and employees quickly, which saved time  and prevented lost profit. Additionally, it eliminated competition by doing business first with its competitors. This brought Wal-Mart time to gain excellent position in the market while avoiding tough competition with established retailers, which could result in huge losses for the â€Å"newcomer.† Once Wal-Mart opens its own stores, it employs its classic â€Å"pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap† strategy, which has a universal appeal to consumers. This strategy worked best at times of recession and in emerging markets since it is when and where buyers want to make the most out of their money. Because of its extensive reach and strong customer patronage, Wal-Mart virtually controls what goes into the households in the areas it dominates. Fears that Wal-Mart is becoming â€Å"too powerful† have been roared by activists and sufficiently echoed by the media. Many companies, producers, and buyers are afraid that Wal-Mart will soon be monopolizing the global retail market. Hence, activists and the media, backed by producers and retailers, are strengthening their opposition to Wal-Mart. Also, some retailers in Mexico, who were previously competitors, have begun collaborating to match the giant retailer. Yet the greatest challenge for Wal-Mart is the possibility that consumers may share the fears for a â€Å"too powerful† retailer. This fear could easily spread as many shops have already shut down as a result of Wal-Mart’s presence. In 2001, Wal-Mart earned more than three times that of its strongest competitor. However, the figures are not indicative of global performance since much of its revenue comes from North America. Considering its U.S. performance, it has fared badly internationally, particularly in countries which are drastically different

Self-Assessment Inventories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Self-Assessment Inventories - Essay Example From this paper, it is clear that various methods can be used to evaluate one's competency at work. One of these is the self-assessment inventories. Abstract Self-assessment inventories are structured closed end questionnaires, which are meant to collect information concerning someone’s beliefs, virtues, and principles guiding that person at work. The subject individual in gauging his technical standing concerning his/her performance can use self-assessment information. The data collected will be standardized using a stipulated set of principles expected from an individual in the course of duty. The stipulated principles define how an ideal career person ought to administer his/her practices at work. Self-assessment inventories will provide an insight into someone’s strengths and weaknesses at work. Someone’s competencies will be evaluated in referent to the degree of deviation that exists between that individual’s actual principles of work and the stipula ted guidelines that defines an ideal person at work. Based on the abstract, the self-assessment inventories are meant to supplement me with my actual performance level information as an adult educator. The assessment inventories will unearth my philosophy as a teacher and my technical abilities as an adult educator. ... I assessed my abilities categorically based on the title of the inventories. Competencies for teaching adults All categories of learners require specific needs of technical skills during learning. The requirements for successful early childhood education are not similar to those for adult education. Therefore, as a teacher, one has to possess the appropriate set of qualities that characterize a successful administration of knowledge to learners (David, 2005 P.138). As an adult educator, I acknowledge the necessary skills needed to enhance proper dispensation of knowledge to the students. The inventory data concerning the competencies for teaching adults will depict my performance level in terms of the technical aspects I stick to when teaching. This inventory narrows down to assessing my technical capability on the most crucial contents of teaching. Based on the (1-7) scale scores in every section of the inventory, I could define my teaching competence. From the data contained in the inventory, I could acknowledge the fact that based on my self-knowledge; I slightly disagree with two statements, neutral on two statements and I slightly agree with the other two statements.

Research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Research methods - Essay Example The institutions in turn are supposed to make their operations and services attractive enough for the industry and the customer. The value that is addition done by both operations management and operations strategy happens to be fundamental to any organization. The above mentioned articles have one thing in common; they underline the need for effective management of financial aspects of a business. Providing services or goods are the basic forms of operational activities. All organizations try to provide a combination of products and services, using available sources with them. Opening a bank account, taking a meal in a restaurant, visiting a hospital, buying a pair shoes, insuring a vehicle, a hotel stay etc. are all operations activities and their management is central to the successful provisioning of goods and services. Such value addition helps the banks and financial institutions help in making them friendly institutions to the customer base at large. Marketing consists of the strategies and tactics used to identify, create, and maintain satisfying relationships with customers that result in value for both the customer and the marketer. Relationship management, the very basis of running financial services, asks for earning the loyalty of customer. This in turn calls for keeping the workforce motivated enough, while extending valuable services to the customers. The global economy has made it almost mandatory for retail stores, banks, financial institutions etc. that an effective strategy is adopted for managing the workforce and the diversity at the organisation so that everybody is able to enjoy a better working environment and the customer too feels valued. This helps the company in taking on the competitors with fullest potential. The bank (or any company for that matter) can acquire competitive advantage on its rivals on account of marketing efforts, brand building, value creation, innovation, supply chain management, operatio nal

How do Casinos Guard against Unethical Behavior Term Paper

How do Casinos Guard against Unethical Behavior - Term Paper Example There is also much arguing over whether or not the economic and social effects of casino gambling outweigh the early income that may be generated. And also a casino that upholds any law consistently is working ethically. If the law is no mid entry f shoe, then that law applies to everybody, and imposed on everybody. If that law is only applied to certain group of actors for the casinos personal gluttonous causes then of course that is termed as unethical. By the establishment of state legal action must be taken in opposition to these casinos for the right to not be distinguished in opposition to for using our minds to improve ourselves. And, a business should not be permitted to charge some clients more for the similar product as well, particularly right in front of the two clients at the table. Casinos have all right to be as profitable as possible and achievable, but not by way cheating the particular public. Casinos are faced various unethical problems nowadays. â€Å"The Interna tional Casino Conference (ICC) was created in 2009 by the European Casino Association, in partnership with Clarion Gaming, as a strategic platform for ECA's members, the European and International casino community to meet and discuss, in an intimate format, solutions to key challenges faced by the industry in Europe† (International Casino Conference (ICC), n.d). ... Casinos around the earth face a real challenge in consistently recognizing undesirables, banned persons and self-excluders. These security and regulatory driven needs must function efficiently, yet should incorporate seamlessly into existing processes of the business in a method that origins minimum disruption to other clientele, or the business itself. Failure to precisely recognize these target groups can have an important fiscal impact on a casino, creating the right solution a key constituent of the security toolkit. Unethical practices always create lots of problems in all area of concerns. Proper measures must be taken to overcome all these unethical practice in the Casino industry to working in a good manner. Visimetrics specialize or concentrate in the design, expansion and produce of high-performance recording system of digital video, storage space and organization systems for audio and video surveillance. As a well recognized and extremely appreciated supplier to the casino segment, Visimetrics recognized the demand of these casino sector’s for a solution that would precisely and consistently recognize banned people, self-excluders and even VIPs. After a widespread marketplace trials and research, Visimetrics partnered with various types of face identification expert Omni Perception. Omni Perception’s tactful and world-leading approach to recognizing non-compliant subject matters in any lighting circumstances and in real time made it the perfect solution for this atmosphere. â€Å"Omni Perception’s live facial recognition solution was simple to install, easy to use and gave great results. All the staff at the casino was impressed by its ability to recognize subjects,

Play and Childrens development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Play and Childrens development - Research Paper Example Why play is reducing among children Parents are thought to contribute to the reduction in play among children. It is evident that some parents tend to force the children to concentrate much on the books without giving them time to play. Their intentions for doing this are normally to ensure the child performs well in schools. Research also suggests that increased exposure of children to the television also makes them lack enough time to play. The enhancement of technology has also affect child play. This is because with the introduction of computer games most children have preferred to play such games, instead of engaging in physical play that can be beneficial to their health ((Berne, 49). Play has normally proved to have some benefits towards the development of a child. One of the importance of play in child development is that play normally allows children to use their creativity. Creativity is normally in born, and in doing this, children are normally in a position to develop their dexterity, their imaginations, and their cognitive, emotional and physical strength. Research suggests that play is of immense importance for the development of the brain in kids. This is because when children are given an opportunity to play, they are normally in a position to interact with the world around them. To ensure the effective development of a child through play, it is essential that play among children becomes undirected. This is because it is through this that the children normally learn the importance of group work, and sharing. Play also enables children to learn how to negotiate with each other when faced with

Procurement management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Procurement management - Assignment Example Other concerns in this step include the determination of what to procure, how much to procure and finally, when to do the procurement. In the same process, the project manager and the procurement management team decide on the question of make-or buy the items required for the project accomplishment. Identification of the type of the contract- once a need has been ascertained to obtain the items and materials from an outside source, the procurement team, will embark on deciding on which type of contract to sign with the prospective bidders. Very key in this process is to question the risk management strategies with different bidders. The prospective suppliers must be comprehensively engaged on this concern to explore any possibilities of risk occurrence, and the risk mitigation strategies that are in place to cushion the firm from the impacts. It is upon such establishment that such contract types as the cost plus fixed fee or cost plus the incentive fee will be agreed upon (Project Management Institute-PMBOK 2008). The third stage is to develop the standardized procurement documentation. These documents are drafted and reviewed every now and again depending on the circumstances at any given stage of the project implementation. Such important procurement documentation include the standard forms, the quotation proposal, the Invitation For Bid (IFB), the Request For Quote (RFQ) and other form templates used in the process created specifically for the procurement processes. The Procurement Management Plan- in the plan, the project manager puts in place the roles and responsibilities of the project team and that of the organization. Notably, creation of understanding among or between the project team members and the organization is necessary at this point. This is because such arrangements, more often than not, create the conflict of interests, duplication of responsibilities and the completion for resources by the members of the

Historical Overview of the Insanity Defense Essay Example for Free

Historical Overview of the Insanity Defense Essay The basic objective of this project is to be able to narrate the history of the creation and use of insanity defense. The theory of using insanity to defend those who are charged with serious criminal acts like murder has been espoused by the proponents of the insanity defense ever since this particular move gained popularity especially among lawyers who successfully defended their clients by winning lesser forms of penalties (sometimes, even early freedom) for their clients by pleading that their clients are insane upon the commission of the crime. The theory in the use of and management of cases where insanity defense is used is, according to George Fletcher (1978) is that the use of insanity defense forces the resolution of our doubts about whether anyone is ever responsible for criminal conduct (Melton, Petrila, Poythress, Slobogin, 2007, p. 774). The theory of the insanity defense is better explained in the MNaghten Rules of 1843 which was created after the attempted assassination of Robert Peel, then the Prime Minister of UK, involving yet again another insane murderer (which was not the first time in UK history). It says: at the time of the commission of the acts constituting the offense, the defendant as a result of a severe mental disease or defect, was unable to appreciate the nature and quality of the wrongfulness of his acts (Moriarty, 2001, p. 153). The following briefly outlines the significant developments in history leading to the establishment of the insanity defense as how it is known today – introduction, theoretical framework, history and the conclusion discussing the impact of the use of insanity defense. History Several notable individuals in history have made insanity as their excuse on why they were able to commit the crime(s) that they were accused of. But this is not to say that this has always been effective. For one, insanity defense was not recognized in some parts of the world in some points in time. Even if it was recognized, not all of those who opted for it was freed or was declared innocent. As early as the seventeenth century, there were already issues involving crime and insanity. For example, Dorothy Talbye was believed to be insane when she murdered her daughter in 1638, but she was not able to use the insanity defense because it was not recognized in the colonial Americas system of justice during that particular era (Rogers, 2008, p. 7). More than a century later, the isolation of the cases wherein insanity is involved and the eventual development of the insanity defense started with the creation of the Criminal Lunatics Act of 1800 which was ratified in the United Kingdom. This move was prompted by the rage expressed by the public after the judicial system in place for managing those who are considered mentally ill or insane resulted in the release of James Hadfield, who declared he was insane or mentally ill when he attempted to murder King George III (Moriarty, 2001, p. 164). Thinking that there are loose ends and potentially problematic areas in managing those who are charged with crime but who are insane, UK finally enacted the Criminal Lunatics Act of 1800. This was followed by the MNaghten Rules of 1843, which influenced many related laws and rules applied in the US justice system before further developments influenced significant changes in how the insane is persecuted or how the justice system accommodates the plea for insanity in defense of criminal charge (Moriarty, 2001, p. 165). Using the insanity defense to escape death was an option for those who are charged with murder not just in the UK, but in the United States as well. As the US justice system progressed, it also made several adjustments when it comes to handling the insanity defense, developments which either complimented/helped or countered the insanity defense. One example is the introduction of the â€Å"irresistible impulse† in the US justice system (particularly in Ohio) in 1834 which explains one side of the insanity defense that despite being aware that the action was illegal, there was still a commission of the act because the individual lost control of his or her action because of mental impairment. This feature has had its run in US but was not enforced in UK at all (Moriarty, 2001, p. 153). There were some developments during the next century after the idea of irresistible impulse was popularized in several court proceedings in the US. By 1954, there was the popular Durham Rule first featured in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit which focused on the characteristic of mental disease and defect leading to the insanity of the accused. But this particular aspect was getting fewer and fewer supporters that by the start of the 1970s it was very seldom used anymore (Mackay, 1995, p. 110). By 1972, the Brawner Rule replaced the Durham rule during the case of the United States versus Brawner in the US Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Circuit, with the Brawner rule stressing that the Brawner rule reduces the jury role in the proceedings. This development, however, was not considered as a national precedent because it was a circuit case and not a case in the US Supreme Court. The relevance of this rule will be shadowed by the implementation of the Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984 (Thompson, 2007, p. 114). The shift towards drastically reconsidering the design for managing those who are accused of murder but gets away with the plea of insanity in US, like in UK, required a high profile case involving an assassination attempt on an important political leader. In this case, it was the case of John Hinckley Jr. and his assassination attempt on the US president Ronald Reagan and his use of the insanity defense. Because of how easily it seems that Hinckley got away because of the loose ends the insanity defense manages to exploit, the changes in the law (Title 18, U. S. Code, Section 17) now requires those who will use the insanity defense to be able to prove convincingly that he or she is really severely insane (Thompson, 2007, p. 114). In 1986, there was a case in the US (Ford v. Wainright) wherein the impact of insanity defense was reflected once more. In this case, the person who was charged pleaded that he was insane. Because of this, he cannot be executed in lieu of the existing US common law on insane defendants and how this type of individuals cannot be executed even if they are implicated in cases that merit the death sentence (Thompson, 2007, p. 114). Conclusion: Impact of the Use of Insanity Defense When insanity defense became a popular tool for lawyers to use so that their client can have a lesser punishment, there were changes based on how the public as well as the lawmakers have reacted on this predicament. The 1982 Hinckley case prompted the creation of bills as well as initiatives for the insanity defense to be revised. The United States Congress was involved, as well as many local state governments. Media entity saw that this topic has captured the attention of the public, and wanting to know what the people think about it, several polls were conducted and it revealed the sentiments of the public that the use of insanity defense often meant that justice was not served and that because of this practice many guilty people are being set free instead of being punished (Melton, Petrila, Poythress, Slobogin, 2007, p. 774).

Why Is Effective Communication Important?

Why Is Effective Communication Important? Introduction: Effective workplace communication skills are among the skills we assume every worker picked up along the way. The problem is that not all the communication skills and habits we picked up at home, in school or social circles are appropriate in the workplace. Some people would be fired immediately if they communicated in the workplace the way they do at home or among friends. Understanding how to speak, write and manage your nonverbal messages is critical to your success at work. As you will discover from a few surveys we will review, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Human Resource Managers, and other business leaders rate communication skills highest among the skills needed to advance in the workplace. Written by Peter Adebi, organization development expert, leadership coach, and human resource consultant, this seminar, Achieving Optimal Workplace Success through Effective Communication, is designed to help you acquire the skills you need to be an effective communicator. What is Communication? Communication is simply the sending of a message to another person. The person sending the message first needs to formulate the message in his head. This involves determining the meaning that the sender intends to convey to the other person. To formulate the meaning of the message, the sender usually draws upon his background attitudes, perceptions, emotions, opinions, education, and experience.   The message is then sent to the listener through both verbal talking and non-verbal gestures. The person receiving this message then interprets its meaning. To do this, the listener uses his background, attitudes, perceptions, emotions, opinions, education, and experience.   Effective communication exists between two persons when the person receiving the message interprets it in the same way as the sender intended it. Sounds really simple doesnt it? Well, it can be. Communication is essential for achieving managerial and organizational effectiveness. Without communication, employees will not be able to aware of what their co-workers are doing, will not have any idea about what their goal are, and will not be able to assess their performance. In absence of channels of communication, supervisors will not be able to give instruction to their subordinates and management will not receive the information it requires to develop plans and take decision. Good communication always helps employees become more involve in their work and helps them to develop a better understanding of their jobs. Clear, precise and timely communication of information also prevents the occurrence of organizational problems. Effective communication is essential for achieving organizational goals, but ensuring such communication has been a major problem for most organization. Although the word communication is often used, there has been no consensus among communication experts regarding the definition of communication. In general, communication may be defined as the process by which the information is exchanged between individuals. There are many components to communication. Consider verbal communication skills, listening skills, written memorandums/email, telephone skills and non-verbal communication. Also, reflect upon all the people we communicate to: subordinates, peers, supervisors, customers, and groups of people. In addition, ponder some of the reasons, why we communicate: to get and give information, to discipline subordinates, to make assignments, and so on.   Why is Effective Communication Important? We already know that communication is a big part of our daily existence. Even when we dont want to communicate, the very actions we take not to communicate such as being quiet in meetings, avoiding people, declining to respond to emails or give feedback, communicate something about us. In a survey of 480 companies and organizations conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers and published in the Wall Street Journal, effective communication ability ranked first among the desirable personal qualities of future employees. reference: December 29, 1998. Wall Street Journal, Work Week, p. A1. In a national survey of 1000 human resource managers, oral communication skills are identified as valuable for both obtaining employment and successful job performance. reference: Winsor, et al., 1997    In yet another survey, executives in Fortune 500 companies indicate that college students need better communication skills, as well as the ability to work in teams and with people from diverse backgrounds (Association Trends, 1997). The point of these examples is that honing your communication skills should be a priority for you as you seek to advance in the workplace. Research Although many articles and books have dealt with interpersonal and organizational communication, most of them are not based on systematic research findings. However, the Real Managers Study (conducted by Fed Luthan, Richard M. Hodgetts and Stuart A.Rosenkrantz) is based on original research in communication. The researches observe managers at work in various organizational setting and also studies the self reports submitted by them to understand the process of communication in organization. They developed the managerial communication model to explain the different style of communication used by the managers and to provide a framework for understanding how managers communicate in organization. Henri Fayols Contribution to Communication In formal organizations, the design of communication channels is based on the assumption that all the divisions and departments are self contained and do not facilitate communication among employees at the same level. This poses the serious problem when circumstances demand such communication. If an individual wants to convey some message to an individual from another department, the message has to be passed up to the highest managerial level and then down to the individual. The reply from that individual is also received in a similar way, leading to huge delays. Chester Barnards Contribution Chester Barnard felt that communication played an important role in shaping organizations. According to him, Communication forms one of the three primary elements of an organization, the common goals and willingness to serve customers beings the other two elements. Communication links the number of the members of an organization with organizations goal and facilitates and enhances cooperative action among the individual and department of the organization. Communication whether written or oral, helps an organization attain its golas, but it can also give rise to problems. For instance, if a particular message is misinterpreted, an inappropriate decision may be taken. This decision may be taken. This decision may result in losses to the organization in long-run. Barnard related communication to the concept of authority. According to him, for authority to be delegated from a manager to sub ordinate, all communication originating from the manager must be clearly understood by the subordinate. He believed that a manager should try to understand the meaning of the message before communicating it to his subordinates. Barnards indentifies seven communication factors that helps establish and maintain objectives authority in an organization. The member of an organization should be aware of all the available channels of communication. Every member of organization must have access to specific formal channel of communication. Communication with an organization must follow the shortest and most direct path. All communication should involve the use of entire, formal line of communication. Competent persons should serve as communication centers. There should be no interruption in the time of communication during the functioning of an organization, and All communication should be authenticated. Who is Responsible for Communicating Effectively? Managers share the responsibility in communicating effectively with the individual employees themselves. The manager is 100% responsible for communicating effectively with their employees. This includes establishing an open and trusting climate for communication, as well as demonstrating good communication techniques to their employees. The employee is 100% responsible for taking advantage of the climate for communication to express what is important and relevant. For example, it is expected that a manager will ask are there any questions? after giving an employee an assignment, but it is also expected that an employee will say, I have a question, if one should occur to the employee, without waiting for the manager to ask.   The following communication is useful for organizational communication. Non verbal communication Downwards communication Upward communication Lateral communication Interactive communication Barriers to Effective Communication A number of obstacle may restrict the receivers understanding of a message. These interruption act as barriers to communication, which may totally prevent communication, or delete a aprt of the message, or convey the wrong meaning. Some of the barriers to effective communication are discuss below. Filtering: This refers to the manipulation of information by the sender so as to obtain a favorable opinion from the receiver about the project in which there is significant progress but does not inform him of the project that are lagging behind. Selective perception: A person perceives information on the basis of his needs, values, experience and background. His personal interest and expectation influence the way he decodes information. For instances, if an interviewer believes that women give more priority to their family than their professional career, he is likely to perceive this Characteristics in all female applicants, regardless of whether the applicants feel that way or not. Defensiveness: People intentionally attempt to block communication when they feel that other person is threatening their self image and prestige. They react in a defensive manner by the making sarcastic comments, by the passing judgment on the others, ot by questioning the motives of the other party. This type of defensive behavior impedes effective communication. Language: As per our first assignment, an organization has different kind of people from different cultures. In such cases language is one of the important factor for communication towards different cultural people. Because each employee may have a different meaning or pronunciation for the same word. The business units of a company operating in different geographical territories may also use terms and phrases in a unique way. Hence, the sender has to modify the style of communication depending on the people he is addressing (workers, clients or business partners).

Investment Report on Qantas Airlines

Investment Report on Qantas Airlines Introduction Qantas main international hubs are at Sydney and Melbourne airport, as well as operates a significant number of international flights. Qantas owns Jetstar Airways and when it became privatised in 1993, became one of the most profitable airlines in the world. Qantas has a total of 299 aircrafts and 29,350 employees as of 2015, and its closest competitor is Singapore Airlines (SIA). Qantas goal is to be the worlds best airline, providing travel experiences and putting safety first at all times. Since 2006, Qantas has saved over 2.5 million tonnes of carbon emission through its Qantas Future Planet Program. This is Qantass program for their sustainability, environmental and social initiatives. In 2008, Qantas ordered 20 A380s, and using Required Navigation Performance and air traffic management, helped to save thousands of kilograms of carbon emission. In 2012, Qantas won an award for setting the standard for large organisations and has won another 3 awards till date. Financial/Economic Performance Table 1.0 General Information on Qantas Financial Information and Analysis of Qantas This portion of the report aims to provide relevant financial information, analysis and the profitability of Qantas. This report also compares between Qantas and SIA to provide a more in depth evaluation on the profitability of Qantas. Profitability Analysis of Qantas As seen in Table 1.0, Qantas had a negative return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), as well as profit margin. According to Max Mason (2014), the statutory loss does not represent a cash loss to the company, rather it is a paper loss in the value of its assets. However, in 2015, Qantas made a comeback and made an increase of 26%. Moreover, Qantas made an 83% increase in return on equity (ROE) and their profit margin increased by 31%. This shows that Qantass negative ratios were most probably caused by lack of customers wanting to travel. ROA measures the return earned by management through operations as well as reflects the result of the entitys ability to convert sales revenue into profit. ROE measures the rate of return on the capital invested by shareholders. A sustained high ROE attracts new competitors to the industry and eventually erodes excess ROE. Profit margin is a measure of profitability. It is used to calculate the net profit as a percentage of the revenue. Liquidity Analysis Table 1.1 Liquidity Analysis of Qantas When calculating current ratio, it is best if the ratio is 1 or more than 1. Most people regard a current ratio that is less than 1, as a company that is facing insolvency. While Qantas in this case has a ratio of less than 1, it is still comforting to know that their assets still contain enough cash and receivables, and one of the non-current liabilities contains revenue received in advance. Although it is unearned, when the amount received is earned, it will be credited accordingly. 2.3 Profitability Ratios Between Qantas and SIA Table 1.3 Profitability Ratios between Qantas and SIA Table 1.4 Qantas and SIA Financial Statement 2015 2.3.1 ROA Comparison Between Qantas and SIA Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) shows the earnings generated by the company, ignoring tax and debt. A high EBIT would mean that the company is either earning a high revenue or have low expenses. As seen in Table 1.4, although the revenue earned is about the same, SIAs expenditure is higher, thus resulting in a lower EBIT. Adding on to that, SIAs asset is higher than Qantas, thus resulting in a lower ROA. The ROA shows that Qantas is able to convert sales revenue into profit better than SIA as well as better at generating income from its asset investments. Moreover, this translates into efficiency in using its resources so as to generate a good return for investors. 2.3.2 ROE Comparison Between Qantas and SIA As seen from Table 1.4, Qantas NPAT is higher than SIA, which translates into Qantas being better at earning a return on the equity provided to them. That can be seen from the amount of equity both companies have. For SIA, this is what we call a capital funded company. A capital funded company relies on investment from shareholders to operate and for SIA, it is shown that they are not making full use of their investments to enable a good return to their investors. 2.3.3 Profit Margin Comparison Between Qantas and SIA Profit margin is a ratio used to calculate a companys financial performance. Commonly, a low profit margin would indicate lower sales than other companies in the industry. As seen from Table 1.3 and 1.4, Qantas has almost the same revenue, but a higher profit margin than SIA, which could indicate that they are cost conscious, therefore have less expenditure. Social Performance of Qantas Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), is a form of self-regulation that companies engage in, to provide some social good, beyond the interests of the firm, regulators and environmental protection groups. By undertaking CSR, companies are able to reach out to consumers trust through positive public relations and encourage the company to make an impact on the environment and stakeholders. Qantas partners with organisations such as Make-A-Wish, e-motion21, Mardi Gras and UNICEF to promote a positive change. 3.1 Make-A-Wish Australia Qantas is the official airline of Make-A-Wish Australia, an organisation that grants wishes to children with life threatening illnesses. Since 1985, over 8000 wishes had been granted and since 2008, the Qantas Foundation has donated over $5.7 million for charitable causes in Australia. Qantas also helped fulfil the wish of a boy, with stage 4 Wilms tumour, who wanted to be a pilot by bringing him to a plane simulator as well as showed him around the workings of a plane. 3.2 E.motion21 E.motion21 is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve the lives of people with down syndrome through dance, fitness and performance. As a corporate partner, Qantas supported the organisation by sending 18 dancers and their families to South Africa for the World Down Syndrome Congress and even gave Lauren Potter a surprise serenade when she touched down in Australia. 3.3 Mardi Gras Also known as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Australia, its a parade to celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) pride. As a major partner of the parade, Qantas celebrates the spirit of diversity by having their own Gay 380 float. Qantas is also a Gay-Friendly airline, with non-stop flights to Australia and New Zealand, countries with a thriving LGBT community. 3.4 UNICEF Providing humanitarian assistance to children and mothers in developing countries, UNICEF is a non-profit organisation that relies on government and private funding. UNICEF partnered with Qantas to create the Change for Good program, where Qantas passengers unwanted spare change were collected and donated to UNICEF for the purpose of providing textbooks for education or protecting children from diseases. This concept has helped raise at least $28 million over the past 23 years. Environmental Performance of Qantas Qantas takes initiative in protecting the environment on both land and air, and has partnerships that promote sustainability and conservation. The most important initiative would be in the air, where planes are frequently releasing emissions that slowly harms the ozone layer. Since 2007, Qantas has been reducing harmful emissions, making them one of the industry leaders in environmental protection. As of 2014, Qantas managed to reduce electricity consumption by 9%, water consumption by 11% and landfill by 20%. To reach their 2020 target, Qantas has been using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), investing in fuel efficiency, flying carbon neutral, and recycling. On the ground, Qantas protects the environment indirectly by using natural gas for their headquarters as well as a reduction in utilities used. 4.1 In the Air 4.1.1 Sustainable Aviation Fuel SAF is now in its second generation and currently, 2% of global emissions come from aviation and is expected to rise to 3% by 2050. Although solar, electric and hydrogen aircrafts are being researched on now, it is still more feasible to use SAF due to aviations need for high power-to-weight ratio. In 2012, Qantas was the first Australian airline to use SAF to operate a commercial flight and have partnered with Shell Australia and the government to explore the production of SAF in Australia. In a study conducted with industry partners, findings have shown that SAF can result in the creation of 12,000 clean energy jobs, a 17% reduction in emissions and a $2 billion reduction in the reliance of oil imports. 4.1.2 Fuel Efficiency Program In recent years, Qantas has phased out old airplanes and purchased newer ones that are equipped with the latest technology and engines. Some of the airplanes include the Airbus A380, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A320 neo. Other methods of fuel efficiency would include weight reduction by investing in lighter equipment or adjusting the amount of portable water the plane carries based on passenger needs and sector length. 4.1.3 Flying Carbon Neutral Since the launch of the Fly Carbon Neutral program in 2007, Qantas has managed to offset over 1.8 million tonnes of carbon. Carbon offsetting in business terms, is the purchasing of carbon credits to enable businesses to compensate for their carbon emissions. For Qantas, not only do they offset their employees carbon footprint, but each time a customer flies on Qantas, they can choose to offset their share of carbon emissions. In other words, you contribute a sum of money equivalent to your carbon footprint and Qantas will use that contribution to fund carbon offset projects that provides genuine, lasting environmental and social benefits. Qantas does not earn from the contribution and Fly Carbon Neutral is the largest airline offset program in the world. Qantass carbon offset projects include, protecting the Tasmanias wilderness, empowering rainforest communities, improving Cambodian air quality and protectingallow the Peruvian amazon. 4.1.4 Recycling Qantas was the first Australian airline to introduce inflight recycling and has since recycled 390 tonnes of paper and 200 tonnes of bottle per year. Qantas takes recycling very seriously and pushes their suppliers to produce more sustainable products and less packaging. For example, currently, all the paper cups provided on board are made from 35% recycled paper. Qantas also tries to get their customers to join in to save the environment by assisting the cabin crew to separate the recyclable items for collection. 4.2 On the Ground 4.2.1 Tri Generation Projects and Campus Redevelopment Qantas reconstructed their headquarters by building Australias largest tri-generation project in Sydney. The system allows cooling, heating and electricity by using natural gas as the fuel so as to produce more efficient, lower carbon energy for the headquarters, catering centre, jet base and domestic terminal. The end result would be a reduction of 23,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, an equivalent of taking 7,000 cars off the road. It will also raise the energy efficiency rating from a NABERS 1.5 star to NABERS 5 star. 4.2.2 Utilities Reduction In order to achieve their water and electricity targets, Qantas purchased LED lights to improve lighting efficiency as well as procuring energy efficient appliances. Rectification of water leaks and installing water efficient fixtures was done as well. Conclusion Although low current ratio was seen, I would recommend anyone to invest in Qantas as the profitability ratios show a more than significant improvement between 2014 and 2015. This is much more evident when compared to SIA, another top leading airline in the world. Moreover, Qantas engages in various environmental and social aspects to make sure they are a well-recognised company. Reference list

Electoral College Proposal Essay -- Papers Government Politics Electio

Electoral College Proposal Imagine for a moment that a young man has been working hard all day on his own farm. He is the typical hard-working, middle-class American, not unlike Americans today. Normally this young man puts in a good twelve hours worth of work, but on this particularly special day, he relieves himself early. It is Election Day. He considers himself patriotic and takes this day very seriously. He casts his vote and comes home just in time to tuck his son into bed. He sleeps soundly through the night, knowing that he has helped to shape the country he loves so dearly. The next day, he learns that the man he voted for is not his new Commander in Chief. This man is not typically a sore loser, but in this particular instance, he is furious. The man he had voted for received the majority of the popular vote, but had not been elected as President by the Electoral College. We should amend Article II, Section 1, the portion of the Constitution that calls for the Electoral College, because the current system of presidential elections does not necessarily represent the will of the people. With all of the problems surrounding our country?s most recent election, it is easy to recognize that something is not right with our current system of presidential elections. If this system of elections is flawed and needs to be changed, then why was it ever implemented in the first place? Our founding fathers implemented this system for several reasons, primarily to prevent ?the masses? (Parkinson) from electing someone whom the educated political leaders did not think was best for the nation. Dumbauld says that in 1787, the year of the Constitutional Convention, there was fear that a foreign power could put forth a... ...s ?represented of the people, by the people, and for the people.? If we, the people, do not agree with something in the government, it is our right and responsibility, to take action. Speak or write a letter to the area?s congressmen. They are required to listen. Remember, in a truly democratic society, every voice is heard and every voice counts. Bibliography: Blight, Chudacoff, Escott, Katzman, Norton, Patterson, and Tuttle. Since 1865. New York: Houghtom Mifflin, 1998. Vol. 2 A People and a Nation. 2 vols. 1998. Dumbauld, Edward. The Constitution of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Hamilton, Alexander. Anti-Federalists versus Federalists: Union as a Barrier to Faction and Insurrection. 1788. Ed. J. D. Lewis. San Francisco: 124 Spear Street, 1967. Parkinson, Thomas J. Personal interview. 23 Nov. 2000

Words and Meaning :: Philosophy of Language

Words and Meaning How do words bear meaning? The notion that a word means what it stands for – its denotation - will be examined and found wanting because logical analysis is only able to illuminate limited areas of language. It will be then suggested that metaphysical speculations about the sort of entities named by words are at best unhelpful. The idea that words get their meaning from the way they are used in public discourse will then be introduced as potentially more useful, although some problems with this approach will also be noted. Finally it will be suggested, very briefly, that an answer to this question may best be found in the common human condition – how we operate in the world using language. It is attractive to assume that the meaning of a word is the entity it denotes. There are many cases where this definition will do. For example in the sentence, John sat at the table. ‘John’ denotes a person and ‘table’ denotes an object. This seems straightforward. There are sentences, however, where the meaning is apparently clear but where the entities are not so clear cut. The sentence below has a clear meaning: The singing was divine but the acting was wooden. The proposition carried by this sentence is easily understood. However, the entities ‘singing’ and ‘acting’ are not so clear. They are ongoing actions not so clearly defined as tables and chairs. Furthermore, the metaphorical qualifiers ‘divine’ and ‘wooden’ do not help do not sharpen the meaning. Is ‘divine’, for example, merely a fanciful replacement for ‘enjoyable’? A whole conversation about the nature of singing and acting might follow such an utterance. Denotation and questions of logical form do not seem to be helpful in explaining the meanings of words in ordinary talk although human beings do seem to be impelled towards rational discussion. We habitually give reasons for things. For example, a discussion about ‘the greatest footballer ’ often finishes with extensive debate about what the defining criteria might be (a verbal dispute about connotation). Subsequently the argument often then turns to which player best meets these criteria (arguments to establish denotation). Whatever the case the denotation for ‘the greatest footballer’ is problematical. Much of this kind of discourse is based upon opinions. These opinions may or may not be true. This in no way affects the meanings intended by the speakers.

Critique Of Vote.Com By Dick Morris :: essays research papers

Critique of Vote.Com By Dick Morris   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being required to read books is not always something you look forward to in a class. Actually it’s probably one the worst things you dread. Especially this assignment, I was honestly not looking forward to anything about this book when I was preparing to read it. And though the premise of the book is actually very relevant in today’s day in age, I still felt like the information just could not be that important to me personally. Even after reading the introduction I could not have been less interested in the book than before I began reading it. But then as I began to get into the meat of the book I found myself beginning to see how this book was about me. It is about the generation in which I was born and a generation in which the Internet will forever change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the following paragraphs I would like to share my thoughts about particular chapters in the book in which I found the most and least intriguing. While reading the book I did find many points on which I found myself agreeing with, but I also did come to statements that were not so easy to support. And these points will be the focus of my paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first chapter that I really found myself getting into and finding myself in total agreement with was chapter seven, â€Å"Campaigning To Win The Fifth Estate†. Morris’s basis for this chapter, and reasoning behind it is right on target. As our world evolves, so does the means of communication. As a faster more technically advanced Internet replaces television, people that have relied on television as their main means of communication will be rudely awakened to find they have much to learn about â€Å"Internet campaigning†. The first section speaks about the way in which internet campaigning will be completely different from traditional campaigning because it is entirely voluntary. Instead of politicians counting on the fact that we will be sitting in front of the television every night, they will have to design political messages that actually contain intelligent political thought. The way we have been spoon feed campaign messages through television commercials will no longer be a choice. No, we will now have the choice to find which information we want to read and which we choose not to. A whole new way to campaign will have to be brought into use.

Fool Chapter 14

FOURTEEN ON TENDER HORNS â€Å"I shagged a ghost,† said Drool, wet, naked, and forlorn, sitting in the laundry cauldron under Castle Gloucester. â€Å"There's always a bloody ghost,† said the laundress, who was scrubbing the lout's clothes, which had been most befouled in the moat. It had taken four of Lear's men, along with me, to pull the great git from the stinking soup. â€Å"No excuse for it, really,† said I. â€Å"You've the lake on three sides of the castle, you could open the moat to the lake and the offal and stink would be carried away with the current. I'll wager that one day they find that stagnant water leads to disease. Breeds hostile water sprites, I'll wager.† â€Å"Blimey, you're long-winded for such a wee fellow,† said the laundress. â€Å"Gifted,† I explained, gesturing grandly with Jones. I, too, was naked, but for my hat and puppet stick, my own apparel having taken a glazing of oozy moat mess during the rescue as well. â€Å"Sound the alarm!† Kent came storming down the steps into the laundry, sword unsheathed and followed closely by the two young squires he'd trounced not an hour before. â€Å"Bolt the door! To arms, fool!† â€Å"Hello,† said I. â€Å"You're naked,† said Kent, once again feeling the need to voice the obvious. â€Å"Aye,† said I. â€Å"Find the fool's kit, lads, and get him into it. Wolves are loosed on the fold and we must defend.† â€Å"Stop!† said I. The squires stopped thrashing wildly around the laundry and stood at attention. â€Å"Excellent. Now, Caius, what are you on about?† â€Å"I shagged a ghost,† said Drool to the young squires. They pretended they couldn't hear him. Kent shuffled forward, held back some by the alabaster grandeur of my nakedness. â€Å"Edmund was found with a dagger through his ear, pinned to a high-backed chair.† â€Å"Bloody careless eater he is, then.† â€Å"‘Twas you who put him there, Pocket. And you know it.† â€Å"Moi? Look at me? I am small, weak, and common, I could never – â€Å" â€Å"He's called for your head. He hunts the castle for you even now,† said Kent. â€Å"I swear I saw steam coming out his nostrils.† â€Å"Not going to spoil the Yule celebration, is he?† â€Å"Yule! Yule! Yule!† chanted Drool. â€Å"Pocket, can we go see Phyllis? Can we?† â€Å"Aye, lad, if there's a pawnbroker in Gloucester, I'll take you soon as your kit is dry.† Kent raised a startled porcupine of an eyebrow. â€Å"What is he on about?† â€Å"Every Yule I take Drool down to Phyllis Stein's Pawnshop in London and let him sing ‘Happy Birthday' to Jesus, then blow the candles out on the menorah.† â€Å"But the Yule's a pagan holiday,† said one of the squires. â€Å"Shut up, you twat. Do you want to ruin the twit's fun? Why are you here, anyway? Aren't you Edmund's men? Shouldn't you be trying to put my head on a pike or something?† â€Å"They've changed allegiance to me,† said Kent. â€Å"After the thrashing I gave them.† â€Å"Aye,† said squire one. â€Å"We've more to learn from this good knight.† â€Å"Aye,† said squire two. â€Å"And we were Edgar's men, anyway. Lord Edmund is a scoundrel, if you don't mind me saying, sir.† â€Å"And, dear Caius,† said I. â€Å"Do they know that you are a penniless commoner and can't really maintain a fighting force as if you were, say – oh, I don't know – the Earl of Kent?† â€Å"Excellent point, Pocket,† said Kent. â€Å"Good sirs, I must release you from your service.† â€Å"So we won't be paid, then?† â€Å"My regrets, no.† â€Å"Oh, then we'll take our leave.† â€Å"Fare thee well, keep your guard up, lads,† said Kent. â€Å"Fighting's done with the whole body, not only the sword.† The two squires left the laundry with a bow. â€Å"Will they tell Edmund where we're hiding?† I asked. â€Å"I think not, but you better get your kit on just the same.† â€Å"Laundress, how progresses my motley?† â€Å"Steamin' by the fire, sir. Dry enough to wear indoors, I reckon. Did I hear it right that you put a dagger through Lord Edmund's ear?† â€Å"What, a mere fool? No, silly girl. I'm harmless. A jab from the wit, a poke to the pride are the only injuries a fool inflicts.† â€Å"Shame,† said the laundress. â€Å"He deserves that and worse for how he treats your dim friend – † She looked away. † – and others.† â€Å"Why didn't you just kill the scoundrel outright, Pocket?† asked Kent, kicking subtlety senseless and rolling it up in a rug. â€Å"Well, just shout it out, will you, you great lummox.† â€Å"Aye, like you'd never do such a thing, ‘Top of the morning; grim weather we're having; I've started a bloody war!'† â€Å"Edmund has his own war.† â€Å"See, you did it again.† â€Å"I was coming to tell you when I found the girl ghost having a go at Drool. Then the lout leapt out the window and the rescue was on. The ghost implied that the bastard might be rescued by France. Maybe he's allied with bloody King Jeff to invade.† â€Å"Ghosts are notoriously unreliable,† said Kent. â€Å"Did you ever consider that you might be mad and hallucinating the whole thing? Drool, did you see this ghost?† â€Å"Aye, I had a half a laugh wif her before I got frightened,† said Drool, sadly, contemplating his tackle through the steamy water. â€Å"I fink I gots deaf on me willie.† â€Å"Laundress, help the lad wash the death off his willie, would you?† â€Å"Not bloody likely,† said she. I held the tip of my coxcomb to stay any jingling and bowed my head to show my sincerity. â€Å"Really, love, ask yourself, What would Jesus do?† â€Å"If he had smashing knockers,† added Drool. â€Å"Don't help.† â€Å"Sor-ry.† â€Å"War? Murder? Treachery?† reminded Kent. â€Å"Our plan?† â€Å"Aye, right,† said I. â€Å"If Edmund has his own war it will completely bollocks up our plans for civil war between Albany and Cornwall.† â€Å"All well and good, but you didn't answer my question. Why didn't you just slay the bastard?† â€Å"He moved.† â€Å"So you meant to kill him?† â€Å"Well, I hadn't thought it through completely, but when I sent his dagger at his eye socket I believed that there might be a fatal outcome. And I must say, although I didn't stay to revel in the moment, it was very satisfying. Lear says that killing takes the place of bonking in the ancient. You've killed a multitude of chaps, Kent. Do you find that to be the case?† â€Å"No, that's a disgusting thought.† â€Å"And yet, with Lear lies your loyalty.† â€Å"I'm beginning to wonder,† said Kent, sitting down now on an overturned wooden tub. â€Å"Who do I serve? Why am I here?† â€Å"You are here, because, in the expanding ethical ambiguity of our situation, you are steadfast in your righteousness. It is to you, my banished friend, that we all turn – a light amid the dark dealings of family and politics. You are the moral backbone on which the rest of us hang our bloody bits. Without you we are merely wiggly masses of desire writhing in our own devious bile.† â€Å"Really?† asked the old knight. â€Å"Aye,† said I. â€Å"I'm not sure I want to keep company with you lot, then.† â€Å"Not like anyone else will have you, is it? I need to see Regan before my bastard ear piercing poisons our cause. Will you take her a message, Kent – er, Caius?† â€Å"Will you put on your trousers, or at least your codpiece?† â€Å"Oh, I suppose. That had always been part of the plan.† â€Å"Then I will bear your message to the duchess.† â€Å"Tell her – no, ask her – if she still holds the candle she promised for Pocket. Then ask her if I may meet her somewhere private.† â€Å"I'm off, then. But try to manage not to get murdered while I'm gone, fool.† â€Å"Kitten!† said I. â€Å"You poxy little vermin,† said Regan, in glorious red. â€Å"What do you want?† Kent had led me to a chamber far in the bowels of the castle. I couldn't believe that Gloucester would house royal guests in an abandoned dungeon. Regan must have somehow found her own way here. She had an affinity for such places. â€Å"You received the letter from Goneril, then?† I asked. â€Å"Yes. What is it to you, fool?† â€Å"The lady confided in me,† said I, bouncing my eyebrows and displaying a charming grin. â€Å"What is your thought?† â€Å"Why would I want to dismiss father's knights, let alone take them into my service? We have a small army at Cornwall.† â€Å"Well, you're not at Cornwall, are you, love?† â€Å"What are you saying, fool?† â€Å"I'm saying that your sister bade you come to Gloucester to intercept Lear and his retinue, and thus stop him from going to Cornwall.† â€Å"And my lord and I came with great haste.† â€Å"And with a very small force, correct?† â€Å"Yes, the message said it was urgent. We needed to move quickly.† â€Å"So, when Goneril and Albany arrive, you will be away from your castle and nearly defenseless.† â€Å"She wouldn't dare.† â€Å"Let me ask you, lady, where do you think the Earl of Gloucester's allegiance lies?† â€Å"He is our ally. He has opened his castle to us.† â€Å"Gloucester, who was nearly usurped by his eldest son – you think he sides with you?† â€Å"Well, with Father, then, which is the same thing.† â€Å"Unless Lear is aligned with Goneril against you.† â€Å"But she relieved him of his knights. He ranted about it for an hour after his arrival, called Goneril every foul name under the sun, and praised me for my sweetness and loyalty, even overlooking my throwing his messenger into the stocks.† I said nothing. I removed my coxcomb, scratched my head, and sat on some dusty instrument of torture to observe the lady by torchlight and watch her eyes as the rust ground off the twisted gears of her mind. She was simply lovely. I thought about what the anchoress had said about a wise man only expecting so much perfection in something as its nature allows. I thought that I might, indeed, be witnessing the perfect machine. Her eyes went wide when the realization hit. â€Å"That bitch!† â€Å"Aye,† said I. â€Å"They'll have it all, she and Father?† â€Å"Aye,† said I. I could tell her anger didn't arise from the betrayal, but from not having thought of it first. â€Å"You need an ally, lady, and one with more influence than this humble fool can provide. Tell me, what do you think of Edmund the bastard?† â€Å"He's fit enough, I suppose.† She chewed a fingernail and concentrated. â€Å"I'd shag him if my lord wouldn't murder him – or come to think of it, maybe because he would.† â€Å"Perfect!† said I. Oh Regan, patron saint of Priapus,[38] the most slippery of the sisters: in disposition preciously oily, in discourse, deliciously dry. My venomous virago, my sensuous charmer of serpents – thou art truly perfection. Did I love her? Of course. For even though I have been accused of being an egregious horn-beast, my horns are tender, like the snail's – and never have I hoisted the horns of lust without I've taken a prod from Cupid's barb as well. I have loved them all, with all my heart, and have learned many of their names. Regan. Perfect. Regan. Oh yes, I loved her. She was a beauty to be sure – there was none in the kingdom more fair; a face that could inspire poetry and a body that inspired lust, longing, larceny, treachery, perhaps even war. (I am not without hope.) Men had murdered each other in competition for her favors – it was a hobby with her husband, Cornwall. And to her credit, while she could smile as a bloke bled to death with her name on his lips, she was not tight-fisted with her charms. It only added to the tension around her that someone was going to be shagged silly in the near future, and how much more thrilling if his life hung by a thread as he did the deed. In fact, the promise of violent death might be to the princess Regan like the nectar of Aphrodite herself, now that I think of it. Why else would she have called for my death all those years ago, when I had so diligently served her, after Goneril had left the White Tower to wed Albany. It had begun, it seems, with a bit of jealousy. â€Å"Pocket,† said Regan. She was perhaps eighteen or nineteen at the time, but unlike Goneril, had been exploring her womanly powers for years on various lads about the castle. â€Å"I find it offensive that you gave personal counsel to my sister, yet when I call you to my chambers I get nothing but tumbling and singing.† â€Å"Aye, but a song and a tumble seem all that's needed to lift the lady's spirits, if I may say so.† â€Å"You may not. Am I not fair?† â€Å"Extremely so, lady. Shall I compose a rhyme to your beauty? A ravishing tart from Nantucket – â€Å" â€Å"Am I not as fair as Goneril?† â€Å"Next to you, she is less than invisible, just a shimmering envious vacuum, is she.† â€Å"But do you, Pocket, find me attractive – in a carnal way – the way you did my sister? Do you want me?† â€Å"Ah, of course, lady, from the morning I wake, I have but one thought, one vision: of your deliciousness, under this humble and unworthy fool, writhing naked and making monkey noises.† â€Å"Really, that's all you think about?† â€Å"Aye, and occasionally breakfast, but it's only seconds before I'm back to Regan, writhing, and monkey noises. Wouldn't you like to have a monkey? We should have one around the castle, don't you think?† â€Å"So all you think of is this?† And with that, she shrugged off her gown, red as always, and there she stood, raven-haired and violet-eyed, snowy fair and finely fit, as if carved by the gods from a solid block of desire. She stepped out of the pool of bloodred velvet and said, â€Å"Drop your puppet stick, fool, and come here.† And I, ever the obedient fool, did. And oh it led to many months of clandestine monkey noises: howling, grunting, screeching, yipping, squishing, slapping, laughing, and no little bit of barking. (But there was no flinging of poo, as monkeys are wont to do. Only the most decent, forthright monkey sounds as are made from proper bonking.) I put my heart into it, too; but the romance was soon crushed beneath her cruel and delicate heel. I suppose I shall never learn. It seems a fool is not so often taken as a medicine for melancholy, as for ennui, incurable and recurring among the privileged. â€Å"You've been spending a lot of time with Cordelia of late,† said Regan, basking glorious in the gentle glow of the afterbonk (your narrator in a sweaty puddle on the bedside floor, having been summarily ejected after rendering noble service). â€Å"I am jealous.† â€Å"She's a little girl,† said I. â€Å"But when she has you, I cannot. She's my junior. It's not acceptable.† â€Å"But, lady, it's my duty to keep the little princess smiling, your father has commanded it. Besides, if I am otherwise engaged you can have that sturdy fellow you fancy from the stable, or that young yeoman with the pointy beard, or that Spanish duke or whatever he is that's been about the castle for a month. Does that bloke speak a word of English? I think he may be lost.† â€Å"They are not the same.† I felt my heart warm at her words. Could it be real affection? â€Å"Well, yes, what we share is – â€Å" â€Å"They rut like goats – there's no art to it, and I weary of shouting instructions to them, especially the Spaniard – I don't think he speaks a word of English.† â€Å"I'm sorry, milady,† said I. â€Å"But that said, I must away.† I stood and gathered my jerkin from under the wardrobe, my leggings from the hearth, my codpiece from the chandelier. â€Å"I've promised to teach Cordelia about griffins and elves over tea with her dolls.† â€Å"You'll not,† said Regan. â€Å"I must,† said I. â€Å"I want you to stay.† â€Å"Alas, parting is such sweet sorrow,† said I. And I kissed the downy dimple at the small of her back. â€Å"Guard!† called Regan. â€Å"Pardon?† I inquired. â€Å"Guard!† The door to her solar opened and an alarmed yeoman looked in. â€Å"Seize this scoundrel. He hath ravaged your princess.† She had conjured tears, in that short span of time. A bit of a wonder, she was. â€Å"Fuckstockings,† said I, as two stout yeomen took me by the arms and dragged me down to the great hall in Regan's wake, her dressing gown open and flowing out behind her as she wailed. It seemed a familiar motif, yet I did not feel the confidence that comes with rehearsal. Perhaps it was that Lear was actually holding court before the people when we entered the great hall. A line of peasants, merchants, and minor noblemen waited as the king heard their cases and made judgments. Still in his Christian phase, he had been reading about the wisdom of Solomon, and had been experimenting with the rule of law, thinking it quaint. â€Å"Father, I insist you hang this fool immediately!† Lear was taken aback, not only by the shrillness of his daughter's demand, but by the fact that she stood frontally bare to all the petitioners and made no effort to close her red gown. (Tales would be told of that day, of how many a plaintiff, having seen the snowy-skinned princess in all her glory, did hold his grievance pitiful, indeed, his life worthless, and went home to beat his wife or drown himself in the mill pond.) â€Å"Father, your fool hath violated me.† â€Å"That's a fluttering bottle of bat wank, sire,† said I. â€Å"Begging your pardon.† â€Å"You speak rashly, daughter, and you appear frothing-dog mad. Calm yourself and state your grievance. How hath my fool offended?† â€Å"He hath shagged me roughly, against my will, and finished too soon.† â€Å"By force? Pocket? He isn't eight stone on a feast day – he couldn't shag a cat by force.† â€Å"That's not true, sire,† said I. â€Å"If the cat is distracted with a trout, then – well, uh, nevermind – â€Å" â€Å"He violated my virtue and spoiled my virginity,† said Regan. â€Å"I insist you hang him – hang him twice, the second time before he's finished choking from the first – that'll be fitting justice.† I said: â€Å"What has put vengeance in your blood, princess? I was just going to tea with Cordelia.† Since the little one wasn't present, I hoped invoking her name might awaken the king to my cause, but it only seemed to incense Regan. â€Å"Forced me down and used me like a common tart,† said Regan, adding rather more pantomime than the petitioners in the hall could bear. Several began to beat their fists to their heads, others grabbed at their groins and sank to their knees. â€Å"No!† said I. â€Å"I've had many a wench by stealth, a few by guile, a number by charm, a brace by mistake, the odd harlot for coin, and, when all else has failed, I've made do by begging, but by God's blood, none by force!† â€Å"Enough!† said Lear. â€Å"I'll hear no more. Regan, close your robe. As I have decreed, we are a kingdom of laws. There shall be a trial, and if the rascal is found guilty, then I'll see him hanged twice myself. Make way for a trial.† â€Å"Now?† asked the scribe. â€Å"Yes, now,† said Lear. â€Å"What do we need? A couple of chaps to do the prosecuting and defending, grab a few of those peasants for witnesses, and with due process, habeas corpus, fair weather and whatnot, we'll have the fool dangling black-tongued before tea. Will that suit you, daughter?† Regan closed her robe and turned away coyly. â€Å"I suppose.† â€Å"And you, fool?† Lear winked at me, none too subtly. â€Å"Aye, majesty. A jury, perhaps, chosen from that same group as the witnesses.† Well, one has to make an effort. From their reaction I would be acquitted, on a â€Å"who could blame† him basis: justifiable shaggicide, they'd call it. But no. â€Å"No,† said the king. â€Å"Bailiff read the charges.† The bailiff obviously hadn't written up charges, so he unrolled a scroll on which was written something entirely unconnected to my case, and faked it: â€Å"The Crown states that on this day, October fourteenth, year of Our Lord, one thousand, two hundred, and eighty-eight, the fool known as Pocket, did with forethought and malice, shag the virgin princess Regan.† There was cheering from the gallery, a little scoffing from the court. â€Å"There was no malice,† said I. â€Å"Without malice, then,† said the bailiff. At this point, the magistrate, who normally functioned as a castle steward, whispered to the bailiff, who normally was the chamberlain. â€Å"The magistrate wishes to know how was that?† â€Å"‘Twas sweet, yet nasty, your honor.† â€Å"Note that the accused hath stated that it was [sweet and nasty], thereby admitting his guilt.† More cheering. â€Å"Wait, I wasn't ready.† â€Å"Smell him,† said Regan. â€Å"He reeks of sex, like fish and mushroom and sweat, doesn't he?† One of the peasant witnesses ran forth and sniffed my bits mercilessly, then looked to the king, nodding. â€Å"Aye, your honor,† said I. â€Å"I'm sure I have an odor about me. I must confess, I was sans trou today in the kitchen, while awaiting my laundry, and Bubble had left a casserole out on the floor to cool, and it did trip me and I fell prick-deep in gravy and goo – but I was on my way to chapel at the time.† â€Å"You put your dick in my lunch?† said Lear. Then to the bailiff, â€Å"The fool put his dick in my lunch?† â€Å"No, in your beloved daughter,† said Regan. â€Å"Quiet, girl!† barked the king. â€Å"Captain Curan, send a guard to watch the bread and cheese before the fool has his way with it.† It went on like that, with things looking rather grim for me as the evidence mounted against me, peasants taking the opportunity to describe the most lecherous acts they could imagine a wicked fool might perpetrate on an unsuspecting princess. I thought testimony of the sturdy stable boy particularly damning at first, but eventually it led to my acquittal. â€Å"Read that back, so the king may hear the true heinous nature of the crime,† said my prosecutor, who I believe butchered cattle for the castle as his normal vocation. The scribe read the stable boy's words: â€Å"Yes, yes, yes, ride me, you crashing tree-cocked stallion.† â€Å"That's not what she said,† said I. â€Å"Yes, it is. It's what she always says,† said the scribe. â€Å"Aye,† said the steward. â€Å"Aye, it is,† said the priest. â€Å"S,† said the Spaniard. â€Å"Well, she never says that to me,† said I. â€Å"Oh,† said the stable boy. â€Å"Then it's ‘Prance, you twig-dicked little pony,' is it?† â€Å"Possibly,† said I. â€Å"She never says that to me,† said the yeoman with the pointy beard. Then there was a moment of silence, while all who had spoken looked around at one another, then furiously avoided eye contact and found spots on the floor of great interest. â€Å"Well,† said Regan, chewing a fingernail as she spoke, â€Å"there is a chance that, uh, I was having a dream.† â€Å"Then the fool did not take your virtue?† asked Lear. â€Å"Sorry,† said Regan sheepishly. â€Å"It was but a dream. No more wine at lunch for me.† â€Å"Release the fool!† said Lear. The crowd booed. I walked out of the hall side by side with Regan. â€Å"He might have hung me,† I whispered. â€Å"I'd have shed a tear,† said she with a smile. â€Å"Really.† â€Å"Woe to you, lady, should you leave that rosebud asterisk of a bum-hole unguarded on our next meeting. When a fool's surprise comes unbuttered, a Pocket's pleasure will a princess punish.† â€Å"Oooo, do tease, fool, shall I put a candle in it so you can find your way.† â€Å"Harpy!† â€Å"Rascal!† â€Å"Pocket, where have you been?† said Cordelia, who was coming down the corridor. â€Å"Your tea has gone cold.† â€Å"Defending big sister's honor, sweetness,† said I. â€Å"Oh bollocks,† said Regan. â€Å"Pocket dresses the fool, but he is ever our hero, isn't he, Regan?† said Cordelia. â€Å"I think I'm going to be ill,† said the elder princess. â€Å"So, love,† said I, rising from my perch on the torture machine and reaching into my jerkin. â€Å"I'm pleased you feel that way about Lord Edmund, for he has sent me with this letter.† I handed her the letter. The seal was dodgy, but she wasn't looking at the stationery. â€Å"He's smitten with you, Regan. In fact, so smitten he tried to cut off his own ear to deliver with this missive, to show you the depth of his affection.† â€Å"Really? His ear.† â€Å"Say nothing at the Yule feast, tonight, lady, but you'll see the bandage. Mark it as a tribute of his love.† â€Å"You saw him cut his ear?† â€Å"Yes, and stopped him before the deed was done.† â€Å"Was it painful, do you think?† â€Å"Oh yes, lady. He has already suffered more than have others in months of knowing you.† â€Å"That's so sweet. Do you know what the letter says?† â€Å"I was sworn not to look upon pain of death, but come close – â€Å" She leaned close to me and I squeezed the witch's puffball under her nose. â€Å"I believe it speaks of a midnight rendezvous with Edmund of Gloucester.†

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty-One

Dimitri didn't elaborate. I was too startled by his words and the rest of the night's events to even know how to begin to address them. He took me back inside, past the Strigoi on guard duty, and upstairs to my suite. Nathan was no longer outside. For a few brief moments, that nagging voice in my head spoke loudly enough to break through my addled thoughts. If I had no guard in the hall and Inna returned soon, I had a very good chance of threatening her enough to get out of here. Admittedly, that would mean I'd have to deal with a house of God only knew how many Strigoi, but my escape odds were better in the house than in this room. Then, almost as soon as those thoughts appeared, they vanished. Dimitri snaked his arm around me and pulled me to him. It had been chilly outside, and even if his body was cold, his clothes and jacket provided some warmth. I snuggled closer to him as his hands ran all over me. I thought he was going to bite me, but it was our mouths that met, hard and furious. I wrapped my fingers in his hair, trying to pull him closer to me. Meanwhile, his fingers were running against my bare leg, pushing my skirt up almost to my hip. Anticipation and eagerness lit every part of my body. I had dreamed about the cabin for so long, remembering it with so much longing. I'd never expected anything like that to happen again, but now it could, and I was astonished at how badly I wanted it. My hands moved down to his shirt, undoing all the buttons so that I could touch his chest. His skin still felt like ice, a startling contrast to the burning within me. He moved his lips from mine, down to my neck and shoulder, pushing down the dress's strap as he covered my flesh with hungry kisses. His hand was still on the side of my bare hip, and I frantically tried to pull his shirt off altogether. Suddenly, with a surprising abruptness, he jerked away and shoved me down. At first, I thought it was just more of the foreplay between us, until I realized he was purposely pushing me away. â€Å"No,† he said, voice hard. â€Å"Not yet. Not until you're awakened.† â€Å"Why?† I asked desperately. I couldn't think of anything except him touching me-and, well, another bite. â€Å"Why does it matter? Is there†¦ is there a reason we can't?† Until I'd come here, sex with a Strigoi had never occurred to me†¦maybe it just wasn't possible. He leaned toward me, putting his lips near my ear. â€Å"No, but it'll be so much better if you're awakened. Let me do it†¦ let me do it, and then we can do anything we want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was a bargaining chip, I realized vaguely. He wanted me-it was written all over him-but he was using the lure of sex to get me to give in. And honestly? I was this close to accepting. My body was overriding my mind-nearly. â€Å"No,† I whimpered. â€Å"I†¦ I'm scared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That dangerous look softened, and while he didn't exactly look like the Dimitri from before, there was something a little less Strigoi about him. â€Å"Rose, do you think I'd do anything that would hurt you?† Somewhere, hadn't there been a discussion about how my options were to turn or die? The latter seemed like it might hurt, but I didn't mention that just now. â€Å"The bite†¦ the turning would hurt†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I told you: It'll be just like what we've already done. You'll enjoy it. It won't hurt, I swear it.† I looked away. Damn it. Why couldn't he still be sinister and scary? It was so much easier to put my foot down and resist. Even in the heat of passion, I was able to resist. But somehow†¦ seeing him like this, calm and reasonable†¦ well, it was too close to the Dimitri I'd loved. And that was hard to turn away from. For the first time, it made turning Strigoi seem†¦ not so bad. â€Å"I don't know,† I said lamely. He released me and sat up, frustration filling his features. It was almost a relief. â€Å"Galina's patience is running out. So is mine.† â€Å"You said we still have time†¦ I just need to think more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  How long could I use that excuse? The narrowing of his eyes told me not much longer. â€Å"I have to go,† he said harshly. There would be no more touching or kissing, I could tell. â€Å"I need to deal with some things.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said, both confused and afraid. I didn't know which Dimitri I wanted. The terrifying one, the sensual one, or the almost-but still not quite-gentle one. He said nothing. Without any other warning, he leaned down and bit into the tender skin of my throat. Whatever feeble escape strategies I had were gone. I closed my eyes, nearly falling over, and only his arm wrapped firmly around me kept me upright. Just like when we kissed, his mouth was warm against my flesh, and the feel of his tongue and teeth sent electricity through me. And like that, it was over. He pulled away, licking his lips as he still continued to hold onto me. The fog was back. The world was wonderful and happy and I was without any cares. Whatever he'd been worrying about with Nathan and Galina meant nothing to me. The fear I'd felt moments ago†¦ my disappointment over sex†¦ my confusion-I didn't have time to worry about any of that, not when life was so beautiful and I loved Dimitri so much. I smiled up at him and tried to hug him again, but he was already leading me to the couch. â€Å"I'll see you later.† In a flash, he was at the door, which saddened me. I wanted him to stay. Stay forever. â€Å"Remember, I want you-and I would never let anything bad happen to you. I'll protect you. But†¦ I can't wait much longer.† With that, he left. His words made me smile more broadly. Dimitri wanted me. Vaguely, I recalled asking him outside why he wanted me. Why on earth had I asked? What answer had I wanted? Why did it matter? He wanted me. That was what counted. That thought and the wonderful endorphin rush enveloped me as I lay on the couch, and I felt drowsiness overtaking me. Walking over to the bed seemed like too much work, so I stayed where I was and just let sleep come. And, unexpectedly, I found myself in one of Adrian's dreams. I'd pretty much given up on him. After my first desperate attempts at escape in the suite, I'd finally convinced myself that Adrian wasn't coming back, that I'd sent him away for good. Yet here he was, standing right in front of me-or, well, at least his dream version was. Often we were in the woods or a garden, but today we stood where we'd first met, on the porch of an Idaho ski lodge. Sun shone down, and mountains soared off to the side of us. I grinned broadly. â€Å"Adrian!† I didn't think I'd ever seen him look as surprised as he did just then. Considering how mean I usually was to him, I could understand his feelings. â€Å"Hello, Rose,† he said. His voice sounded uncertain, like he was worried I might be playing a trick on him. â€Å"You look good today,† I told him. It was true. He wore dark jeans and a printed button-down shirt in shades of navy and turquoise that looked fantastic with his dark green eyes. Those eyes, however, looked weary. Worn. That was a little odd. In these dreams, he could shape the world and even our appearances to what he wanted, with only a little effort. He could have looked perfect but instead appeared to be reflecting real-world fatigue. â€Å"So do you.† His voice was still wary, as he eyed me from head to toe. I was still in the clingy sundress, my hair down and loose, the sapphires around my neck. â€Å"That looks like something I'd normally dress you in. Are you asleep in that?† â€Å"Yup.† I smoothed down the dress's skirt, thinking how pretty it looked. I wondered if Dimitri had liked it. He hadn't said so specifically, but he had kept telling me I was beautiful. â€Å"I didn't think you'd come back.† â€Å"I didn't think I would either.† I looked back up at him. He wasn't like his usual self at all. â€Å"Are you trying to figure out where I am again?† â€Å"No, I don't care about that anymore.† He sighed. â€Å"The only thing I care about is that you aren't here. You have to come back, Rose.† I crossed my arms and flounced onto the porch's railing. â€Å"Adrian, I'm not ready for anything romant-â€Å" â€Å"Not for me,† he exclaimed. â€Å"For her. You have to come back for Lissa. That's why I'm here.† â€Å"Lissa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My waking self was pumped full of endorphins, and it carried over here. I tried to remember why I should be so worried about Lissa. Adrian took a step forward and studied me carefully. â€Å"Yeah, you know, Lissa? Your best friend? The one you're bonded to and sworn to protect?† I swung my legs back and forth. â€Å"I never made any vows.† â€Å"What the hell's the matter with you?† I didn't like his agitated tone. It was ruining my good mood. â€Å"What's the matter with you?† â€Å"You aren't acting like yourself. Your aura†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned, unable to continue. I laughed. â€Å"Oh yes. Here it comes. The magical, mystical aura. Let me guess. It's black, right?† â€Å"No†¦ it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He continued scrutinizing me for several heavy seconds. â€Å"I can barely get a fix on it. It's all over the place. What's going on, Rose? What's happening in the waking world?† â€Å"Nothing's happening,† I said. â€Å"Nothing except me being happy for the first time in my life. Why are you acting weird all of a sudden? You used to be fun. Figures the first time I'm finally having a good time, you go all boring and strange.† He knelt down in front of me, no trace of humor anywhere. â€Å"There's something wrong with you. I can't tell what-â€Å" â€Å"I told you, I'm fine. Why do you have to keep coming and trying to ruin things for me?† True, I'd desperately wanted him to come a little while ago, but now†¦ well, that wasn't so important. I had a good thing with Dimitri here, if only I could figure out how to solve all the not-so-good parts. â€Å"I told you, I'm not here for me. I'm here for Lissa.† He looked up at me, wide-eyed and earnest. â€Å"Rose, I am begging you to come home. Lissa needs you. I don't know what's wrong, and I don't know how to help her. No one else does either. I think†¦ I think only you can. Maybe being apart is what's hurting her. Maybe that's what's wrong with you now, why you're acting so weird. Come home. Please. We'll heal both of you. We'll all figure it out together. She's acting so strange. She's reckless and doesn't care about anything.† I shook my head. â€Å"Being away isn't what's wrong with me. Probably not what's wrong with her, either. If she's really worried about spirit, she should go back on her meds.† â€Å"She's not worried; that's the problem. Damn it.† He stood up and began pacing. â€Å"What's wrong with you two? Why can't either of you see there's something the matter?† â€Å"Maybe it's not us,† I said. â€Å"Maybe it's you imagining things.† Adrian turned back toward me and looked me over again. â€Å"No. It's not me.† I didn't like any of this-not his tone, expression, or words. I'd been excited to see him, but now I resented him ruining my good mood. I didn't want to think about any of this. It was too hard. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"I was happy to see you tonight but not anymore, not if you're going to sit and accuse me and make demands.† â€Å"I'm not trying to do that.† His voice was gentle-the anger was gone. â€Å"The last thing I want is to make you unhappy. I care about you. I care about Lissa, too. I want you both to be happy and live your lives like you want†¦ but not when you're both heading down destructive paths.† He almost made sense. Almost seemed reasonable and sincere. I shook my head. â€Å"Stay out of it. I'm where I want to be, and I'm not coming back. Lissa's on her own.† I jumped off the rail. The world swirled a little, and I stumbled. Adrian caught my hand, and I jerked away. â€Å"I'm fine.† â€Å"You are not. Jesus Christ. I'd swear you're drunk, except†¦ the aura's still not right for that. What is it?† He ran his hands through his dark hair. It was his typical sign of agitation. â€Å"I'm done here,† I said, trying to be as polite as possible. Why on earth had I wanted to see him again? It had seemed so important when I first arrived. â€Å"Send me back, please.† He opened his mouth to say something, then froze a few moments. â€Å"What's on your neck?† He reached forward, and addled or no, I managed to dodge pretty efficiently. I had no idea what he saw on my neck, and I had no interest in finding out. â€Å"Don't touch me.† â€Å"Rose, that looks like-â€Å" â€Å"Send me back, Adrian!† So much for my politeness. â€Å"Rose, let me help-â€Å" â€Å"Send. Me. Back!† I shouted the words, and then, for the first time, I managed to pull myself out of Adrian's dream. I left sleep altogether and woke up on the couch. The room was still and silent, the only sound my rapid breathing. I felt all tangled up inside. Usually, so fresh from a bite, I would be floating and gleeful. Yet, the encounter with Adrian had left part of me troubled and sad. Standing up, I managed to make my way to the bathroom. I flicked on the light and winced. It hadn't been very bright in the other room. Once my eyes adjusted, I leaned toward the mirror and pushed my hair out of the way. I gasped at what I saw. There were bruises all over my neck, as well as signs of fresher wounds. Around where Dimitri had just bitten me, I could see dried blood. I looked†¦ like a blood whore. How had I never noticed this before? I wet a washcloth and scrubbed at my neck, trying to get the blood off. I rubbed and rubbed until the skin turned pink. Was that it? Were there more? That looked like the worst of it. I wondered how much Adrian had seen. My hair had been down, and I was pretty sure most of it had covered my neck. A rebellious thought came to my head. What did it matter if Adrian saw or not? He didn't understand. There was no way he could even come close. I was with Dimitri. Yeah, he was different†¦ but not that much different. And I was sure I could find a way to make this work without becoming a Strigoi. I just didn't know how yet. I tried to reassure myself over and over, but those bruises kept staring back at me. I left the bathroom and returned to the couch. I turned on the TV without really watching, and after a while, the happy fog rolled over me again. I soon tuned out the TV and returned to sleep. This time, my dreams were my own. It took a while for Dimitri to come again. And by â€Å"a while,† I mean almost an entire day. I was getting twitchy by that point, both because I missed him and because I missed the bite. He usually visited twice a day, so this was the longest I'd gone without the endorphins. Needing something to do, I preoccupied myself with making myself as beautiful as possible. I sorted through the dresses in my closet, choosing a long ivory silk one that had purple flowers delicately painted into the fabric. It fit like a glove. I wanted to wear my hair up, but after looking at the bruises again, I decided to wear it down. I'd been provided with a curling iron and makeup recently, so I worked my hair over carefully, turning the ends up in perfect little curls. Once made up, I stared happily at my reflection, certain Dimitri would be happy too. All I needed now was to put on some of the exquisite jewelry he'd given me. But when I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of my back from the side and saw I'd missed fastening a clasp. I reached around to do it but couldn't get a hold of it. It was in that perfect spot just out of my reach. â€Å"Damn,† I muttered, still grappling with the hook. The flaw in my perfection. Just then, I heard the door open in the other room, followed by the telltale sound of a tray being set on the coffee table. A stroke of luck. â€Å"Inna!† I called, walking out of the bathroom. â€Å"I need you to-â€Å" Nausea rolled through me, and as I stepped into the living room, I saw that Dimitri wasn't the source. Nathan was. My jaw dropped open. Inna stood near him, waiting patiently by the tray, eyes downcast as always. I immediately ignored her and then looked back at Nathan. Presumably, he was still on guard duty, but that had never actually included him coming inside. For the first time in a while, some of my battle instincts kicked in, assessing escape options. My fear urged me to back away, but that would trap me in the bathroom. Best to stay where I was. Even if I couldn't leave the room, this gave me the most space to maneuver. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked, surprised at how calm I sounded. â€Å"Taking care of a problem.† I didn't really need any pointers to figure out the subtext here. I was the problem. Again, I fought the urge to back up. â€Å"I've never done anything to you.† It was faulty logic to a Strigoi. None of their victims ever did anything to them. â€Å"You exist,† he said. â€Å"You're taking up space here, wasting everyone's time. You know how to find her-the Dragomir girl-yet you'll offer nothing remotely useful until Belikov gets off his ass and awakens you. And in the meantime, Galina forces me to waste time watching you and keeps promoting him because he's convinced her that you're going to be some amazing asset to us.† It was an interesting set of grievances. â€Å"So†¦ um, what are you going to do?† In a flash, he stood in front of me. Seeing him so close triggered that memory in my mind's eye-him biting Dimitri and starting all of this. A spark of anger kindled in me but didn't do much in the way of development. â€Å"I'm getting the information one way or another,† he hissed. â€Å"Tell me where she is.† â€Å"You know where she is. She's at the school.† There was nothing useful in giving up that news. He knew she was there. He knew where the school was. The look he gave me showed he was not happy about me providing knowledge he already had. Reaching out, he gripped my hair and jerked my head painfully back. Wearing my hair down maybe hadn't been so useful after all. â€Å"Where is she going? She won't stay there forever. Is she going to college? The Royal Court ? They must have made plans for her.† â€Å"I don't know what they are. I've been away for a while.† â€Å"I don't believe you,† he snarled. â€Å"She's too valuable. Her future would have been planned out a while ago.† â€Å"If it is, no one's shared it with me. I left too soon.† I shrugged by way of answer. Rage filled his eyes, and I swear, they grew redder. â€Å"You're bonded! You know. Tell me now, and I'll kill you quickly. If you don't, I'll awaken you to get the information, and then I'll kill you. I'll light you up like a bonfire.† â€Å"You†¦ you'd kill me once I was one of you?† Foolish question. Strigoi felt no loyalty to each other. â€Å"Yes. It'll destroy him, and once Galina sees how unhinged he is, I will return to my original place by her side-especially after I stamp out the Dragomir line.† â€Å"The hell you will.† He smiled and touched my face, running his fingers along my neck and the bruises all over it. â€Å"Oh, I will. It really will make things easier if you just tell me now. You'll die in ecstasy rather than being burned alive. We'll both enjoy it.† He wrapped his hand delicately around my throat. â€Å"You're definitely a problem, but you are beautiful-especially your throat. I can see why he wants you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Warring emotions played within me. Logically, I knew this was Nathan-Nathan, whom I hated for having turned Dimitri in the first place. Yet my body's need for Strigoi endorphins was raising its head too, and it barely mattered that it was Nathan. What mattered was that his teeth were only a breath away from my neck, promising that sweet, sweet delirium. And while one hand held my throat, the other ran down my waist, down to the curve of my hip. There had been a sultry edge to Nathan's voice, like he wanted to do more than just bite me. And after so many sexually charged encounters with Dimitri-encounters that never resulted in anything-my body almost didn't care who touched it. I could close my eyes, and it wouldn't matter whose teeth bit into me or whose hands peeled off my clothes. Only the next fix would matter. I could close my eyes and pretend it was Dimitri, lost in it all as Nathan's lips brushed my skin†¦ Except, as some small reasonable part of me recalled, Nathan didn't just want sex and blood. He eventually wanted to kill me. Which was kind of ironic. I'd been dead set-no pun intended-on killing myself when I got here, lest I become a Strigoi. Nathan was offering me that now. Even if he turned me first, he planned on killing me immediately afterward. Either way, I wouldn't have to spend eternity as a Strigoi. I should have welcomed this. But just then, as my body's addiction screamed for his bite and that bliss, I realized something with startling clarity: I didn't want to die. Maybe it was because I'd gone almost a day without a bite, but something small and rebellious woke up in me. I would not let him do this to me. I would not let him go after Dimitri. And I sure as hell wasn't going to let him hunt down Lissa. Pushing through that endorphin cloud that still hung around me, I summoned up as much willpower as I could. I dug deep, remembering my years of training and all the lessons Dimitri had given me. It was hard to access those memories, and I only touched a few. Still, enough came to spur me to action. I lunged forward and punched Nathan. And accomplished nothing. He didn't budge. Hell, I don't even know if he felt it. The surprise on his face promptly turned to mirth, and he laughed in that horrible way Strigoi did-cruelly and without any real joy. Then, with the greatest of ease, he slapped me and knocked me across the room. Dimitri had done nearly the same thing when I'd arrived and attacked him. Only I hadn't flown quite as far or had so miniscule an effect on him. I slammed into the back of the couch, and good God, did it hurt. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I realized the idiocy of fighting someone vastly stronger than me when I'd been losing blood all week. I managed to straighten up and desperately sought my next course of action. Nathan, for his part, seemed in no hurry to respond to my attack. In fact, he was still laughing. Glancing around, I latched onto a truly pitiful course of action. Inna stood near me. Moving with a speed that was painfully slow-but better than I expected myself to manage-I reached for her and wrapped my arm around her neck. She yelped in surprise, and I jerked her harder against me. â€Å"Get out of here,† I said to Nathan. â€Å"Get out of here, or I'll kill her.† He stopped laughing, stared at me for a moment, and then laughed even harder. â€Å"Are you serious? Do you honestly think I couldn't stop you if I wanted? And do you honestly think I care? Go ahead. Kill her. There are dozens more just like her.† Yeah, that really shouldn't have been a surprise either, but even I was a bit taken aback by how easily he could throw away a faithful servant's life. Okay. Time to go to Plan B. Or maybe it was Plan J? Frankly, I was losing track, and none of them were very good anyway â€Å"Ow!† Inna suddenly elbowed me in the stomach. I released her in my surprise. She spun around with a strangled scream and socked me in the face. The blow wasn't as hard as Nathan's had been, but it still knocked me over. I tried to catch a hold of something-anything-as I fell but failed. I hit the floor, my back slamming against the door. I expected her to come right back at me, but instead, she darted across the room and-God help us all threw herself into a defensive posture in front of Nathan. Before I could fully process the weirdness of her trying to protect someone who was willing to let her die, the door suddenly opened. â€Å"Ow!† I said again, as it hit me and pushed me aside. Dimitri swiftly entered. He looked from face to face, and I had no doubt mine showed signs of both Nathan's and Inna's attacks. Dimitri's fists clenched, and he turned toward Nathan. It reminded me of their scuffle in the hallway, all rage and malice and bloodlust. I cringed, bracing myself for another horrible confrontation. â€Å"Don't,† warned Nathan, face smug. â€Å"You know what Galina said. Touch me and you're out of here.† Dimitri strode across the room and came to stand in front of Nathan, knocking Inna aside like a rag doll. â€Å"It'll be worth facing her wrath, particularly when I tell her you attacked first. Rose certainly bears the marks of it.† â€Å"You wouldn't.† He pointed at Inna, who was sitting dazed on the floor from where Dimitri had knocked her over. Despite my own injuries, I began crawling over to her. I had to know if she was all right. â€Å"She'll tell the truth.† Now Dimitri looked smug. â€Å"You really think Galina will believe a human? No. When I tell her how you attacked me and Rose out of jealousy, she'll let me off. The fact that you'll be so easily defeated will be proof of your weakness. I'll slice your head off and get Rose's stake from the vault. With your last breath, you can watch her drive it through your heart.† Holy crap. That was a little worse than Nathan threatening to burn me-wait. My stake? Nathan's face still bore haughty arrogance-at least to me. But I think Dimitri must have seen something that satisfied him, something that made him think he'd gotten the upper hand. He visibly relaxed, his smirk growing larger. â€Å"Twice,† Dimitri said softly. â€Å"Twice I've let you go. Next time†¦ next time, you're gone.† I reached Inna and gently held out my hand. â€Å"Are you okay?† I murmured. With a look of hate, she recoiled and scooted away. Nathan's eyes fell on me, and he began backing toward the door. â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"Twice I've let her live. Next time she's gone. I'm the one in control here, not you.† Nathan opened the door and Inna stood up, stumbling after him. I stared, mouth agape at the events that had just taken place. I didn't know which of them I found more disturbing. Looking up at Dimitri, I grappled with what to ask him first. What were we going to do? Why had Inna defended Nathan? Why had Dimitri let him go? None of those defiant questions came to my lips, though. Instead, I burst into tears.