Citizen Kane essays

Citizen Kane essays Citizen Kane was directed and produced by Orson Welles. Influenced by Howard Hughes and William Randolph Hearst, Welles created the character Charles Foster Kane. This was a black and white film made in 1941 about a boy who inherited a millionaires fortune and dedicated all his time and money into make a newspaper, The New York Inquirer, which grew rapid popularity among the public. Throughout the film we see that the paper consumes all of Kanes energy and the struggle that he and his wife encounter because of it. Following Kanes death The shot that I found was the my favorite was the scene where they went back and forth from Kane to his wife at the dinner table progressively getting older and the topic of conversation was growing more and more anger. I liked this shot because it showed that through time the couple grew more distant from each other. The way that Welles shoots this scene is very dramatic and very sharp and tight from cut to cut. I also noticed that the couple is always growing farther and farther apart to the ends of the table which again symbolizes the distance in the relationship. The lighting that I found most dramatic was in one of the opening scenes where Welles used the lighting produced in the projection room for the scene where Kane and an editor have a business talk. This scene was very successful, I think because the light was completely random and cause many shadows and profiles which worked extremely well in the point he was trying to convey in the scene. The dramatic use of sound that I thought was most interesting was the scene in which the newspaper headlines were being shown and going from one paper stand to the next. The music which was played was a very up beat almost speedy music. I believe this music was chosen to demonstrate the wide spread distribution of the paper and popularity that it gathered so rapidly. The publics curiosity and morning ...

How to Form Latin Superlative Adjectives

How to Form Latin Superlative Adjectives Using a superlative form of an adjective takes the basic sense of the adjective to the extreme, so the superlative of basic would be most basic. Identifying Superlatives Latin superlative adjectives are usually easy to identify. Most contain -issim- (e.g., suavissimus, -a, -um most charming). If they dont have -issim-, they will likely have -llim- (difficillimus, -a, -u most difficult) or -rrim- (celerrimus, -a, -um swiftest) in them. This double consonant -im- precedes the case ending. Translation of Superlatives Superlatives are usually translated into English with -est or most. They can also be translated with very or extremely. Difficillimus means most difficult or very difficult. Celerrimus means fastest or very fast. Declension of Superlatives Superlative adjectives are declined like first and second declension nouns. Superlatives are adjectives and as such must agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case. The endings are added to the base of the adjective. These endings are not new or different, but theyre here for convenience: Singularcase M. F. N.nom. -us -a -umgen. -i -ae -idat. -o -ae -oacc. -um -am -umabl. -o -a -o Pluralcase M. F. N.nom. -i -ae -agen. -orum -arum -orumdat. -is -is -isacc. -os -as -aabl. -is -is -is Example: Clarus - Clarissimus -a -um Clear - Clearest Singular case M F Nnom. clarissimus clarissima clarissimumgen. clarissimi clarissimae clarissimidat. clarissimo clarissimae clarissimoacc. clarissimum clarissimam clarissimumabl. clarissimo clarissima clarissimo Plural case M F Nnom. clarissimi clarissimae clarissimagen. clarissimorum clarissimarum clarissimorumdat. clarissimis clarissimis clarissimisacc. clarissimos clarissimas clarissimaabl. clarissimis clarissimis clarissimis Unusual Superlatives If an adjective ends in -er for its masculine singular nominative in what is called the positive (e.g., for the Latin adjective pulcher beautiful, pulcher is the positive form), its superlative form will end in -errimus, -a, -um. If the masculine singular nominative form of the adjective ends in -ilis (e.g., facilis easy), the superlative form will be -illimus, -a, -um. Singular case M F Nnom. pulcherrimus pulcherrima pulcherrimumgen. pulcherrimi pulcherrimae pulcherrimidat. pulcherrimo pulcherrimae pulcherrimoacc. pulcherrimum pulcherrimam pulcherrimumabl. pulcherrimo pulcherrima pulcherrimo Plural case M F Nnom. pulcherrimi pulcherrimae pulcherrimagen. pulcherrimorum pulcherrimarum pulcherrimorumdat. pulcherrimis pulcherrimis pulcherrimisacc. pulcherrimos pulcherrimas pulcherrimaabl. pulcherrimis pulcherrimis pulcherrimis Irregular Superlatives (Translation) Positive Comparative Superlative (Big, Bigger, Biggest) magnus, -a, -um maior, maius maximus, -a, -um(Small, Smaller, Smallest) parvus, -a, -um minor, minus minimus, -a, -um(Good, Better, Best) bonus, -a, -um melior, melius optimus, -a, -um(Bad, Worse, Worst) malus, -a, -um peior, peius pessimus, -a, -um

Westward Hilton Hotel Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Westward Hilton Hotel - Case Study Example Credit acquiring rules had increased the capital cost making it difficult for buyers to get the loan and acquire the property. In Phoenix market also the supply was increasing and demand to reduce. This means that the customers were declining and this could be as a result of United Stated recession (Cathy, 2009). In choosing to retain the hotel in the portfolio the organization could face some consequences. The hotel business was declining through the rest of portfolio was operating effectively (Cathy, 2009). This means that in keeping the hotel in the portfolio, income from other portfolios will be used to support the hotel business. If the hotel is not generating profit or enough income to cater for expenses like wages, power then it means money will be outsourced from another portfolio to cater for the expenses. This will lead to the collapse of all portfolios if the hotel will not peek in a short period of time (Chen and Clarke, 2007). Question Three Some of the Hillers general b usiness and human resources strategies are compatible while others are not compatible. Green focused on removing the obstacles or things which hindered the business from progressing. Buying of the undervalued properties can sometimes lead to the loss. Hiller can fail to obtain a buyer due to raising in the loan interests. If the organization does not get a buyer for some time, it may lack capital for future operations. The human resource strategies currently in place are compatible with training is offered to employees.

Diary for one class-------- I will upload every think that you will Essay

Diary for one class-------- I will upload every think that you will need. You have to read the slides when it is need it and you - Essay Example 2. Health Illiteracy – Even if Maria’s children can get medical treatment, the disease have a possibility of recurrence because she is not aware on what causes the disease. Also, she needs to learn more about basics of health as well as family planning. The 4ps are product, price, place and promotion. For product, the information that Maria needs is birth-control methods and hygiene. She also needs to be counseled regarding her perspective towards traditional healing and the risks. The price denotes that Maria must change her perspectives so she could address the health issues objectively and effectively. For example, the price of not using birth control could mean more mouths to feed. As for the place, the only channel for educating her at the moment is through home visits by a health care provider. Lastly, promotion can be accomplished by suggesting birth control products through some brochures and samples like oral contraceptives. As for her children, Maria can be gi ven oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration during diarrhea. In the end, the main objective is for Maria to take initiative in visiting the health facility on a regular basis. A sterling example of corporate social responsibility was exemplified by IBM way ahead of other companies. It was also interesting that IBM initiated CSR at the time that it almost fell into bankruptcy if not for the leadership of Louis Gertsner. During that time that Louis Gerstner ruled IBM, social responsibility then was a concept that was uncommonly practiced by organizations. IBM was influenced by Gertner’s social responsibility advocacy by erasing the barriers between class and gender within the organization which is a higher form of social responsibility. Unlike other organizations, that donated for a cause or planted a tree, Gerstner made something unique. Gerstner established a diversity task force that addressed to diversity issues. In line with that, he also co-chaired Achieve, an organ ization that focuses on improving the academic standards for public school in the U.S. In fact, he really supported quality education alongside being the CEO of IBM. He established Reinventing Education, an educational partnership with a number of states and school districts, enabling them to benefit from IBM technology, and technical assistance. Social responsibility was then a concern for Gerstner even during his IBM days. In a speech addressed to Comdex, he already made mention of how technology and social responsibility go hand in hand, to wit: I think we will make our visions reality. I think that as stewards of our industry, we will step up to the challenges of social responsibility. We will improve the world, and the way we work, the way we communicate, live and learn as people.  (1995, Transcript of Louis Gestner speech at Comdex) There are abundant examples of corporate social responsibility shown by large corporations. Just recently, Coca Cola pledged 2.5 Billion Yen ($3 1 Million dollars) to Japan so the country can recover from the disasters that happened. The pledge goes to a reconstruction fund which includes free dispensing of beverages for the victims. References CSR Press Release. (2011).  Coca-Cola Raises Total Pledge to 2.5 Billion Yen (US$31 Million) for Relief and Rebuilding Efforts in Japan.

Dystopian Elements and Basic Characteristics Essay Example for Free

Dystopian Elements and Basic Characteristics Essay A dystopia is an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives. Dystopian literature shows us a nightmarish image of what might happen to the world in the future. Usually, the main themes of dystopian works are rebellion, oppression, revolutions, wars, overpopulation, and disasters. George Orwell depicts a dystopian world its citizens are constantly brainwashed and live in constant fear. In 1984, propaganda and lies are used to brainwash the citizens and control them. There are many elements of criticisms in this book, but I will be focusing on the Marxist, feminist, and psychoanalytic criticisms. Marxism was developed by Karl Marx in 1848 during the Red Revolution. Marxism is about having social and economic power. In 1984, there are three social classes. The Inner Party, The Outer Party, and the Proles. The Inner Party is the upper class, they have a lot more freedom than the Outer Party and the Proles. They make up 2% of the population and are the elite class. They get better things such as food, coffee, and cigarettes. The Outer Party is the middle class; they live in bad neighborhoods, and barely get any food. They make up 13% of the population. They are constantly watched by telescreens and can’t turn theirs off like the Inner Party can. The Proles are the lower class they do all the manual labor work they aren’t as watched by the Party as the Outer Party because the government doesn’t see them as a threat and they make up 85% of the population. However, everyone in Oceania lives in fear because The Party terrorizes them. The Party has three principles that they follow and everyone in Oceania have been brainwashed into believing: WAR IS PEACE, IGNORANCE IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. This is a form of ideology. In Marxism, ideology is a belief system and belief systems are products of cultural conditioning. In this case, The Party conditioned the people of Oceania into thinking that those three principles are true. The people of Oceania have been programmed into believing those Principles and believing in whatever Big Brother tells them to believe. They are not allowed to think for themselves or have their own opinions, and if they do they will end up getting killed. Oceania is a capitalist, totalitarian society because depending on what party you are in, that’s how you get treated. This is an example of classism. Classism is an ideology where youre prejudiced or in favor of someone depending on what social cl ass you are in. If you are a prole, you’re not looked at in the same way as a person in the Inner Party would be looked at. You would be deemed untrustworthy and you wouldn’t be able to have items like Inner Party people would. One of the core principles of Marxism is, society shapes our consciousness and that’s true. Society tells us what’s hot in fashion, what’s beautiful and what’s not and that shapes how people view themselves and others. In 1984, the government shapes the people’s consciousness by coming up with new words. Words such as, â€Å"doublethink†, â€Å"newspeak†, â€Å"stop crime†, etc. The Thought Police, Youth League, and Big Brother are some of the ways used to keep the people of Oceania in constant fear and keep them in line. Because of this, the people of Oceania suffer from â€Å"groupthink† which is a psychological condition that’s fueled by the Inner Party’s social and economic conditions. â€Å"Groupthink† shapes the lower classes beliefs that the Inner Party is always right. Big Brother is used as a tactic to put fear and paranoia in the people of Oceania’s heads that Big Brother is always watching them. That’s how the government control the people and shape their consciousness. The government does this, so the people will never want to speak out and voice their opinion on Big Brother, because if they do they’ll be considered a criminal, and they will always have complete control and dominance over the people of Oceania. Feminist criticism is a literary form of criticism that gives the perspective of writing from a feminist perspective. It’s a political form of literature that analyzes the questions of how male and females relate to each other and the world and how women are portrayed in literature. History shows that men consider women as â€Å"inferior† and because of that, the stereotype that women are weaker than men was created. Society taught itself that masculinity is related to the weakness of females. (Csaszar, 40). In 1984, Orwell reversed this way of thinking. He made the main character a weak man whose main purpose in life was to obey Big Brother. Orwell also uses compelling, stereotypical, female characters which drives the man to act. Even though the women in the book have a lack of power, they’re the only characters that have a strong influence over Winston which makes the female characters an important part of this book. In the begin and end of 1984, fear controls the main character. Winston is shown as weak and passive-aggressive. He goes to work and rewrites history and he obeys Big Brother. His only purpose is to serve society until he denies conformity later in the book. Winston would’ve continued to obey the government without question as well as lack masculinity if it weren’t for the women in his life. Winston’s mom, ex-wife, and Julia each played a role in Winston’s search for freedom. Winston feels guilty for what happened to his mother, and this is where we first see how women influence Winston (Whitney). Him wishing he could’ve helped his mom causes him to have rebellious thoughts. His ex-wife, Katherine, believed everything that The Party said, and this influenced Winston’s choices he makes throughout the book. Julia is the one character that influenced Winston the most. Julia’s influence on him made him rebel against Big Brother. She also m ade him realize how unhappy he was under Big Brother’s watch and that is the reason he starts to rebel. These women are also described in different ways to show how different their personalities are and show the influence they had on Winston. His mom was the first person to have an impact on Winston. She couldn’t stand up for herself and this showcases the â€Å"women are weak† stereotype and she died because of it. Winston feels guilty and believes he’s responsible for her death and he lets this guilt take over his thoughts. His ex-wife, Katherine, conforms to the servant stereotype. She was a beautiful woman, however, Winston hated her because of her obedience. She was considered the model citizen of The Party. Her talk of their â€Å"duty to the party† encouraged Winston’s rebellious thoughts and his thought crimes increased. All of these women had a huge impact on Winston, but the woman who influenced Winston the most was Julia. She is the ultimate influence that led to Winston’s fall. Julia is the opposite of Winston. She’s fearless, rebellious, and free-spirited, traits Winston wished he had and eventually he gains the courage he lacks. Julia becomes the stereotypical temptress who turns Winston into this brave new person. Whenever he’s around Julia, he’s able to share his hatred for the party and he thinks for himself. Orwell ends the book with, â€Å"He loved Big Brother† (Orwell, 370). By doing that, Orwell shows defeat that ultimately destroyed Winston. When Winston is with Julia, he had a sense of freedom and he was brave, but without her, he goes back to being an obedient citizen because, in the end, Winston doesn’t have anybody else but Big Brother. Orwell’s portrayal of women who fit into these stereotypical roles causes Winston to find himself. His purpose of serving society and obeying Big Brother was greatly influenced by the women in his life. Society destroyed him while women helped shape him into the man he is. Through the guilt he felt when he mom died, Katherine’s lack of emotion, and Julia’s love for rebellion, Winston learned the nature of masculinity for himself. In psychoanalytic criticism, we look at a book from a psychological perspective. Sigmund Freud created the principles of psychoanalysis in 1896. He believes that people are motivated by powerful, unconscious drives and conflicts. When reading through a psychoanalytic lens, the citizens of Oceania are the victims psychological manipulation. The party believes that as long as a person’s perception of the truth can be externally verified, then even a lie can become the truth. For example, one of The Party’s methods of control is Newspeak. The party invented Newspeak to control the way people think. If anyone should think for themselves, then that person has committed thoughtcrime. Thoughtcrime is a thought that doesn’t fit into Big Brother’s ideologies. This controls the people directly through the citizen’s actual thoughts and it also dictates them physically through how Big Brother determines if a citizen is committing a thought crime. Big Brother determines a thought crime by using telescreens that are placed throughout Oceania and they examine the reactions on the face of the people and what they say to find out how they feel about what Big Brother is doing. This controls the people because it makes them not display any opposition to the government. By doing this, fear is instilled in the people and this takes a psychological toll on them. Citizens are constantly reminded that Big Brother is watching them, and that also takes a toll on the people psychologically because they live in fear and paranoia. Another example of Big Brother controlling the people was by the way that he had children brought up. The government brought the children into the organization called the â€Å"Junior Spies†. Once the children were in this organization, they were trained and taught to betray their parents by being additional eyes and ears for Big Brother. This form of control psychologically manipulates families not to talk a bout anything that would display individuality. Big Brother controls the citizens by taking away the passion and the enjoyment out of sex as well. In Oceania, Big Brother establishes sex as something that should only be used for the reproduction to help populate Oceania. Sex isn’t supposed to be enjoyed and can only be done by specified members of the dinner party. Sex expresses individualism and free thought, so by manipulating the people do not like sex, they’re taking away the citizens individualism. Big Brother takes the problems in the society and uses them to say that other parties and cultures are the reasons for their faults. This creates hatred in the people and stirs up emotional responses against the other parties and cultures. The government does this in a way that’s similar to the propaganda tactics used by Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany and Joseph Stalin in Communist Russia. The most obvious way Big Brother psychologically manipulates the citizens is observed through the posters that the government hangs up. Throughout Oceania, there are posters that say, â€Å"Big Brother Is Watching You† This is a scare tactic that the government uses to put fear in the citizens of Oceania. Big Brother uses fear by creating a place in which the citizens are constantly reminded that they are being watched for disloyalty and other crimes. By using psychological manipulation, the citizens of Oceania are trapped in a place where they can’t think for themselves nor can they question the government, because if they do, they will die.

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for God The words kami in Japanese and shen in Chinese both are translated into English as the word god. Although they both refer to somewhat similar supernatural elements, they are by no means identical to each other. Chinese shen is an abstract term referring to spirits and relating to abstract thoughts such as the heavens and the afterlife. In contrast, kami are very often related directly to a person or actual object and are worshiped in a hope for more day-to-day help or this worldly benefits. In order to help explain the relationship between kami and shen, I will first explore the similarities between the two terms, then discuss the unique characteristics which define both shen and kami. Motori Norinaga, an eighteenth century Japanese intellectual, said that the meanings of shen and kami "coincide seventy or eight per cent of cases†¦ Ever since ancient times, their meanings have both been expressed in a single character†¦ with no difference being paid to the difference between the two" (qtd. in Xiaolin 1). When the Japanese first borrowed the Chinese writing system to use as their own, they used the Chinese character for shen to express both kami and shin (another Japanese word for spirits, more closely associated with shen.) In all of the Chinese texts that the Japanese imported, shen was translated as either kami or shin, using kami when the spirit was well defined and shin when it was more of an abstract thought. It was not until the Japanese later differentiated their writing from Chinese that the characters for shen and kami became different. The non-differentiation between the two words helps to show their close similarity to each other. Chine... .... Practically Religious. Honolulu: Univ. of Hawai'i Press: 1998. Schipper, Kristofer. The Taoist Body. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1993. Tanabe, George J. Jr. "Introduction: Japan." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 591-612. Teeuwen, Mark. "Motoori Norinaga on the Two Shrines at Ise." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 678-693. Teiser, Stephen F. "Introduction: Chinese Religion." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 295-329. Xiaolin, Wang. "Cultural Differentiation: On shen and Xin in Chinese and Japanese." Trans. Robert Neather. City Univ. of Hong Kong. 17 Apr. 2003. <http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ccs/Newsletter/newsletter3/HomePage/CulturalDiff/CulturalDiff.html>.

Thorn Queen Chapter Two

Crossing over to the Otherworld is easier for me than most people but still requires a bit of work. Once I'd packed up what I needed, I had to drive to Saguaro National Park and hike out to a remote corner of it. Here, two very faint trails intersected in a crossroads-a common marker for gates to the Otherworld. It and the human world lie very close to each other, and certain spots between the two are thinner. Of course, even a thin spot like this wouldn't always be enough for some people to make the journey in their own bodies. They might end up going in spirit or an elemental form. But me? I bore the blood of humans and of the gentry. I could therefore travel both worlds with ease, though my gentry heritage still unnerved me. It was only a recent discovery, one I had trouble coming to terms with. Standing at the crossroads, I closed my eyes, slipping into a trance very similar to the one I used to banish the spirit yesterday. A tattoo of a greenish snake coiled around one of my arms in tribute to Hecate, the goddess who guarded transitions and chthonic magic. Invoking her, drawing on her power, I stretched my body beyond this world. A moment later, I stood in the Otherworld. In a castle. A castle that belonged to me. I recovered myself quickly since crossover side effects almost never bothered me anymore. The room I stood in was a small sitting room, sparsely furnished. In the center of it was a rabbit paperweight, white resin with little blue flowers. It was silly, but that rabbit was imbued with my essence, meaning when I crossed over from Saguaro National Park-or any other crossroads of my choice-my body would travel to this spot rather than to some remote place. Footsteps sounded on the outside hallway's stone floor. A moment later, a bright-eyed young woman with long blond hair peered inside. Her face split into a wide grin when she saw me. â€Å"Your majesty,† she breathed, delighted. Turning back around, she yelled down the hall. â€Å"The queen! The queen is here!† I winced. Man, I wished I could come here without all the hype. Bad enough I had to come here at all. Her proclamation made, Nia ran up to me, squeezing my hand. She was one of my servants. I guess you'd call her my lady-in-waiting since she was responsible for my appearance most of the time. â€Å"Everything's ready to go to the Willow Land,† she told me. â€Å"I've picked out an amazing gown for you.† I shook my head, reaching into the backpack I almost always lugged around. The gentry favored heavy brocades and other elaborateness in their fashion. I wasn't up for any of that today. â€Å"I brought my own.† She stared at the dress I produced, then looked back up at me with raised eyebrows. â€Å"You're jesting, your majesty, right?† Those blue eyes pleaded. â€Å"Right?† I was saved from an argument when others entered the room. Still staring mournfully at the dress, Nia retreated so my senior staff could talk to me. Yeah. Senior fairy staff. Three months still wasn't enough time to get used to this. A tall, very lovely woman with glossy black braids strode in, her movements both athletic and graceful. Her name was Shaya, and I depended on her more than anyone else around here. She was my regent, handling all the dirty work I didn't want to deal with, and I was grateful and lucky to have her. With her was Rurik, the captain of my guard. Having guards was also something that took a lot of getting used to-particularly since they always wanted to follow me around. Rurik and I had gotten off to a bad start, probably because he'd tried to rape me the first time we met. Sporting a large build and pale blond hair, he'd proven himself a capable servant, though I'd often found him fooling around with other women who worked here. I had let him know in a very pleasant voice that I'd rip him apart if I ever found out those women hadn't consented to his advances. A few others trailed in, officials that I'd inherited with the castle when I killed its former king. I couldn't remember half their names. â€Å"Welcome back,† said Shaya, smiling. She didn't possess Nia's rapture but still seemed genuinely pleased to see me. â€Å"Your majesty,† the others intoned, bowing. They waited for me to sit in one of the chairs, joining me a moment afterward. â€Å"Nia says we're ready to go?† I asked, unable to hide my dismay at the upcoming trip. â€Å"Yes,† Shaya told me. â€Å"We simply await your command. At an easy pace, we should be able to do it in three hours.† I groaned. â€Å"Three hours. Do you know how crazy that is? I could do it in half that time by driving to a gateway in my own world and crossing over closer.† She regarded me indulgently, having heard this argument before. â€Å"You can't show up at Queen Maiwenn's court without your retinue.† Rurik, sprawled lazily in a chair, flashed me a grin. â€Å"It's part of your image, your majesty.† I rubbed my eyes. â€Å"Alright. Whatever. Any word on Jasmine?† His smile faded. â€Å"No. We've still got scouting parties roaming the kingdoms, but they've found nothing.† â€Å"Incredible. You guys can make trees come to life and raise stones from the earth, but you can't find one pouty teenage girl.† â€Å"We'll find your sister,† Rurik said grimly. I think he'd taken this mission as a matter of personal pride. â€Å"It may take awhile, but we'll find her.† I nodded because there was nothing else to do. The waiting infuriated me. Every moment that passed meant Jasmine, a mere fifteen years old, had another chance to get pregnant and give birth to a prophesied heir that would allegedly conquer the human world. I was subject to the same prophecy but was smart enough to use birth control. â€Å"Anything else? How are things going otherwise?† Shaya schooled her face to neutrality. â€Å"We manage, your majesty.† She kept her voice as blank as her expression, but I could see badly feigned disapproval on the others' faces. They didn't like the way I neglected my duties here. I suspected Shaya disapproved as well, but it didn't stop her from sparing me the details of the Thorn Land's day-to-day affairs. She knew I didn't really want to hear them, no matter my asking, so she didn't tell me. I noticed then just how truly oppressive the heat was in here. Everyone was sweating. â€Å"My God, it's hot,† I said. They all stared at me, and I immediately felt stupid. What had I expected? When I'd conquered the kingdom, it had shaped itself to my will, transforming itself into my idea of perfection: the Sonora Desert. The castle had not changed, and remained in its constant state: thick blocks of stone. Black stone. Stone that absorbed heat like crazy and had little ventilation. It was the kind of place more suited to cold, misty moors. The land had been greener and more temperate under its last ruler, Aeson. Aeson and I had had a fair amount of friction because he'd been trying to get Jasmine pregnant and had wanted to give me a shot too, in hopes that he would be the father of that world-conquering prince. Plus, Aeson was just a total asshole. I'd killed him in battle, and when a ruler dies, the land seeks out someone else powerful. That someone else had been me. I'd claimed the land without realizing what I was doing, and that's when it had transformed to this mirror of Tucson. It occurred to me how horrible it must be to live here. The gentry lacked most of the technology of my own world. No central air-conditioning. No electric fans. This place had to be roasting these people alive, particularly after what they'd been used to before I came along. Feeling bad for them, I reached out to the air around me with my mind. For a moment, there was nothing, and then I sensed the moisture particles hanging in the air. There weren't many, but they were there. Spreading beyond the room, I pulled in more moisture, undoubtedly turning nearby halls and rooms into ovens. In here, however, the temperature dropped and grew moist. A slight thrill ran through me, as often happened when I tapped my inherited gentry magic. Tentatively, I then attempted to move the air itself in some sort of breeze. Nothing. I had managed that feat only once and couldn't repeat it. Realizing what I'd done, Shaya crooked me a grin. â€Å"Thank you, your majesty.† I smiled back and stood. They all hastily followed suit, and I waved them down. â€Å"Hang out here if you want. It should stay cool for a little longer. I'm going to go do my†¦thing. Then we'll go.† I left the castle for one of its courtyards, a wide, terraced area that I loved. Saguaros and blooming prickly pears lined it. Purple-flowered smokethorns, the tree that had given this land its name, stood sentry, as did mesquite, filling the air with sweetness. A few hummingbirds darted here and there like bright, flying gemstones. I sat on one of the steps that led to the upper gardens and closed my eyes. This was why I had to come back. If left to me, I would have never returned. But once the Thorn Land had bound itself to me, it was mine. It depended on me for its survival. I didn't entirely understand my connection to it, but it was unbreakable. It was the reason I dreamed about this place. There was no escaping it. The sun beat down on me, forever reminding us we answered to nature in the end. My body relaxed, and soon, the life of the land spread into me. It always startled me at first, and then I quickly adapted, like it was the most natural thing in the world. The land was me, and I was the land. We were one, neither of us complete without the other. When I came to, I think almost an hour had passed. I stood up, shaking off my trance. I had extracted myself from that joining with the land but knew it was still with me. It was stronger for having just made the connection. I had fulfilled my duty. My party set out shortly thereafter. Horse riding was a skill I'd had to perfect pretty quickly since hanging out around here. There were no cars or planes. Shaya, Rurik, and Nia were with me, as were about a dozen guards. The guards rode stoically, eyes alert and watchful as they surrounded us. Rurik occasionally barked out an order to them, but mostly he bantered with Shaya and flirted with Nia. I wasn't too good at casual conversation and mostly just listened, more entertained by them than I wanted to admit. It was late morning, and the sun showed us no mercy as we traveled. I fared better than the rest, wearing shorts and sunglasses. The other women at least had lightweight dresses, but the men wore full leather armor and had to suffer considerably. None of them complained, not even Rurik, but sweat poured down their faces. So, it was something of a relief when we hit our first shift in the land. It's an oddity of the Otherworld that it folds in upon itself. Traveling is disorienting. In going in a straight line out of my kingdom, it was entirely possible to cross other kingdoms and then my own again without deviating from our course. We crossed into the Oak Land, and suddenly it was as though the Thorn Land had never existed. You couldn't even see it behind us. One of the guards broke his rigid demeanor to emit a small cheer that made everyone laugh. A cool, almost chill breeze rushed over us. Late autumn had settled on the Oak Land, setting the trees on fire with brilliant colors. It was gorgeous-and much more comfortable-but I secretly hoped we'd pass out of it soon. I had too many disturbing memories of this place. Sure enough, we soon crossed into the Thorn Land again, slamming into that unforgiving heat. It felt like traveling in circles, but the others assured me we stayed on course. That stint was brief, and our next shift took us to the Rowan Land. Late summer ruled here, but it was a more temperate summer than my own kingdom's. Cherry trees filled the landscape. Last I'd seen them, pink blossoms had covered almost every square inch of the branches. Now, as I looked closer, I could see bright red fruit weighing them down. And it was then that the wights attacked. Wights were denizens of the Otherworld, and while they weren't spirits exactly, they had the ability to turn invisible. So, my guards' vigilance had done no good. I counted seven as they swooped out of the orchards. They wore gray clothing and had long, pale faces. For the most part, they looked very much like humans and gentry. Light flared around them as they rained down bolts of power upon us. Wights were even more strongly tied to magic than the gentry, and conventional weapons had little effect on them. You had to take them down with magic. Unfortunately, the storm magic I'd inherited from my father still wasn't quite up to hardcore attacks. Neither was my guards' magic. Special magic-wielding soldiers aside, I'd learned most warriors here were weak in magic; it was why they'd chosen a more physical profession. I still suspected the silver bullets in my Glock might hurt the wights. Only, I had a problem. My guards had closed rank around Nia-the only civilian here-and me. Getting a shot off would likely kill one of them. â€Å"Let me out!† I yelled. â€Å"Let me fight!† The guards ignored me and, in fact, redoubled their own shouts of â€Å"The queen! Protect the queen!† Swearing, I managed to lean through and get a shot off that took one of the wights in the chest. It didn't kill him but clearly caused severe injury. Nearby, a cherry tree ripped itself from the earth. Infused by magic and therefore potentially lethal, it attacked the wounded wight. That was Shaya's handiwork. She had been a warrior before settling into my administration. As we fought, I soon deduced the point of this attack. The wights wanted me-not to kill me, but for other†¦more amorous purposes. They didn't seem to have much organization save to hack through and see who could get to me. Whoever did could have me. It sickened me, and an old, familiar fear welled up. I could handle concussions, broken bones, and the other myriad effects of my vocation. Rape was not something I could contend with. It had become a daily danger, however, since learning about my half-gentry heritage. My father, honorifically dubbed Storm King, had been a tyrannical warlord-one of the most powerful magic users the Otherworld had ever seen. He'd been intent on crossing over and conquering humanity. He'd come damned close, too, until my stepfather, Roland, had defeated him. Unfortunately, a prophecy had surfaced in Storm King's wake, a prophecy that said his daughter's son would complete his work. That was why I was such a hot commodity among Otherworldly males who believed in Storm King's vision. It was also why Jasmine wanted to get pregnant. Giving up on the gun, I produced my jewel-studded wand and started simply casting out the wights to the Underworld. Instant death. As I did my thing and the guards did theirs, we suddenly reached a point where all grew quiet. The wights were dead or gone. Everyone in my party immediately looked to see if I was all right, which I found ridiculous since two of the guards lay on the ground, and a number of them were bleeding. â€Å"Forget about me,† I snapped. â€Å"Check on them!† None had died, much to my relief. Gentry were hard to kill in their own world. They were long-lived and hardy. One of the guards had some healing powers, and we spent a considerable amount of time patching the group up. When we finally set out again, Shaya glanced up at the sun's position and frowned. â€Å"We're going to be late.† I thought about Kiyo. Then I thought about Maiwenn, who always looked like some sort of golden goddess, even with her belly ready to burst with Kiyo's son or daughter. Walking in late to her elite baby party, breaching etiquette under her cool gaze†¦Well, suddenly I wanted to ride as we'd never ridden before. Unfortunately, our wounded couldn't do that. Frustrated, we finally split the party, and those of us who were uninjured rode on at a brisk pace, hoping to cut our time. Before long, we crossed to the Willow Land and slammed into its freezing temperatures. It was just coming out of winter, and spring thaws were in progress, but the chill proved a shock nonetheless. We rode on down the road, determined to get there. We finally made it. But we were still late. Maiwenn's castle staff eyed our bedraggled state but showed me to a room where I could clean up and get ready. Nia practically had a conniption as Shaya and I hastily washed ourselves off and pulled on fresh clothes. Nia's magical gifts gave her a knack for adorning others and arranging hair. Kind of a magical beautician. It killed her that I almost never utilized her services. I could see her itching to do something intricate to my hair, but I shook my head. â€Å"No time. Make it fast. Wear it down.† Obliging-but disapproving-she used magic and a brush to work it into gleaming, silky lengths, pulling a little of it up with a barrette and stealing a couple of small daisies from a nearby vase to tuck into the barrette. With her magic, I knew it would stay perfectly arranged for hours. I splashed on some violet perfume, hoping it would cover any sweatiness I'd missed. With that, we were off. When Shaya and I approached the ballroom, it was obvious we were the last to arrive. The room was packed. I sighed loudly. â€Å"It's all right,† murmured Shaya. â€Å"You're a queen. You're expected to be eccentric. Don't look embarrassed.† â€Å"Is it possible,† I asked, â€Å"that we could just sneak in without anyone noticing?† Before she could answer, a herald stood in the doorway and announced in a voice designed for carrying over loud crowds: â€Å"Her Royal Majesty, Queen Eugenie Markham, called Odile Dark Swan, Daughter of Tirigan the Storm King, Protector of the Thorn Land, Beloved of the Triple Moon Goddess.† Dozens of heads swiveled toward us. I sighed again and answered my own question. â€Å"Apparently not.†