Platos Contributions Essay Example for Free

Platos Contributions Essay It is believed that Plato, a student of Socrates, was one of the greatest contributors of philosophy. Proof of Platos notoriety in the world of philosophy can be clearly seen with his dialogues and his renowned student Aristotle. Plato’s writings are in the form of dialogues, with Socrates as the principal speaker. With his theory of Forms, he had discussed a wide range of metaphysical and ethical questions while finding inherent connections between the two. Plato also considered epistemological questions, such as whether knowledge is justified true belief. His greatest work, The Republic, developed theories of justice. Proof of a truly great philosopher can be shown by his or her students. As mentioned before, Platos Academy was a breeder of philosophers. One of the most prominent philosophers to come from the Academy was Aristotle. Plato himself took Aristotle under his wing and taught him the ways of understanding and contemplating the world around him. Plato divided his world into two aspects. These worlds have forms, the intelligible world and the perceptual world. Plato saw the perceptual world around us as imperfect copies of the intelligible forms or ideas. In the intelligible world, forms are unchangeable and perfect and only comprehensible by the use of intellect and understanding. For example, a chair is a chair because it â€Å"participates in† the Form of Chair. The forms are ideal â€Å"patterns,† unchanging, timeless, and perfect. Plato speaks of them as self-assertion: the Form of Beauty is perfectly beautiful. This led, to the Third Man Argument that there must be an infinite number of Forms. â€Å"If it’s impossible for unlike things to be like and like things unlike, isn’t it then impossible for them to be many? Because, if they were many, they would have incompatible properties† (Plato â€Å"Parmenides† 126), this is Mary Louise Gill and Paul Ryan’s translation of Plato’s Forms of Likeness and Unlikeness. Thus one and the same thing can be both like and unlike, or one and many, by participating in the Forms of Likeness and Unlikeness, of Unity and Plurality. Plato also believed that knowledge is innate, or inborn, and that the development of ideas is buried deep in the soul, and may be guided out by teachers. Plato drew a sharp distinction between knowledge, which is certain, and mere opinion. Opinions derive from the shifting world of sensation knowledge derives from the world of timeless Forms, or essences. Theaetetus stated, â€Å"It seems to me that a man who knows something perceives what he knows, and the way it appears at present, at any rate, is that knowledge is simply perception† (Cooper 168), in which Socrates agreed with that statement. In his best-known dialogue, The Republic, consisted of a lengthy dialogue on the nature of justice. Socrates identifies the four major virtues in the different aspects of this republic: the guardians possess wisdom, the auxiliaries possess courage, and the whole possesses justice and moderation. Plato believed that justice is the most important virtue. Socrates said, â€Å"Justice is minding of one’s own business and not being a busybody† (Plato â€Å"The Republic† 111). Hence, the justice of an ideal republic does not reside in any particular part of the republic but rather in the structure of the republic as a whole. While Plato is best known for his work The Republic, his larger contribution to philosophy includes many such dialogues that are of ancient thought and debate. Platos knowledge and theories have survived throughout the ages and are still relevant in todays society. He continued to teach until the end, winning the admiration and love of his students and fellow Athenians. His contributions to philosophy will be never-ending.? Works Cited Cooper, John M. , ed. Plato Complete Works. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1997. Print. Plato. Parmenides. Trans. Mary Louise Gill and Paul Ryan. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 428-347 B. C. Print. . The Republic. Trans. Allan Bloom. : The Perseus Book Group, 1968. Print.

Target location technology, tracking systems Essay Example for Free

Target location technology, tracking systems Essay Today there are many differing forms of tracking systems that can be used to locate targets accurately very much different to the simple procedures used on aircraft in world war two. One of these technologies is symbology. These are imaged laid over the real world images. The images give target position and other relevant information such as the planes heading. The images change as quickly as the real world view change, there is no visible delay as this could have fatal consequences. The target is clear and weapons can easily be directed to the correct point. The guidance images are displayed in the pilots head-mounted display. These are developed at BAE systems, and their design is critical due to the setting they are used in. The headsets are linked to a powerful and accurate computer that works very quickly to update the view almost instantly and to give warnings about dangerous situations. The Kiowa helicopter from the US Army used a symbology system that included night vision. The system recorded the mission allowing the pilot to play it back. The US Army also uses a laser as a target locator. It has been developed into a hand held laser targeting technology that doesnt damage eyes. Currently they are largely ground based but they allow targets to be located and intensified even in the dark. This technology has been transferred onto a military fighter aircraft for range finding in light and dark environments. The system also gives a range finder which can vary between the direct view and an intensified view. The system can digitally provide a magnetic compass that gives range and elevation. They are already used across the world. Another possible technology is the use of intelligent radar systems that lock onto targets allowing missile to be guided. This technology can be found on the patriot missile, which is aimed at incoming missiles. The system depends on ground-based radar that locates and tracks targets however this technology could be developed to fit on an aircraft like the sidewinder missile. This is a very long ranging and variable system. It can run automatically or an operator can intervene if necessary but these need to be very accurate due the speed the missiles travel at. The radar antenna can scan the sky, identify targets, determines aim and positioning of target, gives information and can help direct the missile to the target even when missile has been launched. Two operators watch the progress of the missiles, they can then change things if necessary such as deselecting targets. One form of missile has its own in-built guidance computer and radar transmitter allowing it to guide itself. The technology allows targets to be located very accurately. Especially if the technology is watched over by operators such as the patriot missile radar system. The accuracy could save many lives, as civilian positions are less likely to be hit with the accuracy of the technology. Therefore military targets can be located successfully allowing for a less morbid military operation. The technology often needs much equipment that is highly developed and costly. As resources such as missiles with their built in computer are expended during war, much money is lost. In less developed countries this money would be needed for other vital materials, so the technology may not be used. The wastage of materials would not be environmentally friendly. The new technology would need people to be trained to be able to operate the systems. If a person puts on a headset and does not know what the lines and boxes mean they be useless at controlling it. However the training takes time to be done safely this will cost money but is necessary for the technology to be used

A League Of Nations

A League Of Nations The First World War (1914-1918) caused horrible slaughter and destruction in the countries of Europe and Asia. It produced a horror of war and created an idea to set up an international organization which would prevent the outbreaks of wars in the future. As a result of such ideas, and as a result of such discussion in the Peace Conference in Paris, in 1919, an agreement was reached by the victorious governments to set up an international body to be called the League of Nations. An agreement was entered into for this purpose. It was called the covenant of League of Nations. The covenant described the purposes, the constitution and functions of the League of Nations. On January 10, 1920, the League of Nations was formally established, with Geneva, in Switzerland, as its headquarters. History of League of Nations: The league did not live long. After a period of nearly 20 years, it ceased to exist, when the Second World War broke out. The membership of the League of Nations varied from time to time. At first it consisted of 42 member states, for example, England, France, Japan and other. Germany was excluded because she started the war. Russia was not allowed to join it, because it did not serve her isolationist policy. After the failure of the league to check Italian and Japanese aggressions and conquests in 1935 and in 1937, it was practically dead. The outbreak of the World War two put an end to the existence of the league. Aims of the League: The covenant of the league declared that the aims or purposes of the league were three: namely To preserve peace in the world To settle international disputes by peaceful methods and not by war To promote cooperation among the peoples and nations of the world, so as to increase welfare and prosperity of these nations. League Structure: The machinery of the league consisted of an assembly, a council, and a secretariat. Before World War II (1939-1945), the assembly convened regularly at Geneva in September; it was composed of three representatives for every member state, each state having one vote. The council met at least three times each year to consider political disputes and reduction of armaments; it was composed of several permanent members, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, and later Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and several nonpermanent members elected by the assembly. The decisions of the council had to be unanimous. The secretariat was the administrative branch of the league and consisted of a secretary general and a staff of 500 people. Several other bodies were allied with the league, such as the Permanent Court of International Justice, called the World Court, and the International Labor Organization. Members of League of Nation: The Countries Involved In The League of Nations Are As Follows: Abyssinia Afghanistan Argentina Belgium Bolivia British Empire separate membership for: United Kingdom Australia Canada India New Zealand Union of South Africa Bulgaria China Colombia Cuba Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Estonia Finland France Greece Iraq Iran Irish Free State Latvia Liberia Lithuania Mexico Netherlands Norway Panama Poland Portugal Thailand Turkey Sweden Switzerland Uruguay Yugoslavia V -LEGACY Never truly effective as a peacekeeping organization, the lasting importance of the League of Nations lies in the fact that it provided the groundwork for the UN. This international alliance, formed after World War II, not only profited by the mistakes of the League of Nations but borrowed much of the organizational machinery of the league. The Rise of League of Nation When League of Nations came into being, it did so much work and rose day by day. Some of its achievements by rising are as following: Settlement of Disputes: The League quickly proved its value by settling the Swedish-Finnish dispute over the Ã…land Islands (1920-21), guaranteeing the security of Albania (1921), rescuing Austria from economic disaster, settling the division of Upper Silesia (1922), and preventing the outbreak of war in the Balkans between Greece and Bulgaria (1925). In addition, the League extended considerable aid to refugees; it helped to suppress white slave and opium traffic; it did pioneering work in surveys of health; it extended financial aid to needy states; and it furthered international cooperation in labor relations and many other fields. Try to prevent the outbreak of another war: The league tried to prevent the outbreak, by outlawing war as an instrument of national policy of the sovereign state. An agreement not to resort to war by all great powers of the world was entered into, called the Locarno pact. Social and Humanitarian Achievemnt: The league of nations had several social and humanitarian achievements to its credit. Its health committee endeavored to fight against such cruel diseases all over the world, as malaria, cancer, syphilis, T.B and others. Further, the league had also controlled the trade and sale of such injurious things as opium. The Geneva agreement of 1925 proved that the retail, sale, import and distribution of opism shall be the monopoly of the states. Another committee of the league, called the permanent committee on arts and letters, performed two services, namely, it conserved the masterpieces of arts and letters and promoted intellectual cooperation. The league dealt with the important questions of labor and of the relations between the workers and employers. These functions were performed by the international labor organization (I.L.O). It is one of the bodies which has survived the league. Membership: The League grew in its membership, from 42 in 1920 to over 60 by 1929. More countries were showing commitment to the principle of peace-keeping. Peace-keeping Successes: During the first ten years of its existence, the league had several achievements to its credit. It settled several international disputes between states and nations and thus prevented the outbreak of war between them. During its twenty years of existence, the league settled thirteen political disputes. Among them the first important dispute was a quarrel between Italy and Greece over the island of Corfu in 1923. The quarrel was amicably settled by the intervention of the league. The second serious dispute was between Greece and Bulgaria over their boundaries in 1924. Both countries were about to fight but the dispute settled by the league peacefully. Improved Relations with Germany: League increasingly seen as a peace-keeping organization rather than a winners club, Germany was allowed to join the League in 1926. Fall OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS The success of League of Nations can be judge on the basis of its handling disputes and international conflicts incidents. The authenticity of any organization can be checked by its utility of solving political and social issues. During 1920s League provided a useful but modest addition to international diplomacy where round of negotiations and diplomatic relations develop. Stress was made on sitting together of nations for the settlement of disputes. Security was provided to frontiers and problems of Disarmaments were solved. but unfortunately League was helping and solving matters of minor states because of influence of BIG POWERS on world League failed to implement its will on them which gave a true picture of its contradiction of covenant. League failed in its main object of maintaining peace in the world. In spite of its efforts for two decades , the whole world was involved in a war in 1939. By that time, the machinery of the League Of Nations had completely broken down. The failure of League Of Nations can be attributed to many causes. They are: 1. Absence Of Great Powers : It was unfortunate that the covenant of the League of Nations was made a part parcel of the peace settlement. It would have been better if it had kept separate. There were many states which consider the Treaty Of Versailles as a treaty of revenge, and were not prepared to ratify the same. By not ratifying the treaty, they refused to be the members of the League. The absence of the great powers from the international organization weakened her and was partly responsible for its ultimate failure. Japan, Germany and Italy also left the League and their defection must have weakened the League. 2. Domination Of France and England: It was felt that the League Of Nations was dominated by England and France and consequently the other states began to lose their confidence in that organization. 3. Rise of Dictatorship: The rise of dictatorship in Italy, Japan and Germany also weakened the chances of success of the League of Nations. Japan was determined to acquire fresh territories and her unscrupulous patriotism threw to the winds of all principles of international law and morality. If the League was prepared to condone her fault of conquering Manchuria. She was prepared to give up her membership of the League and that is exactly what she actually did. When the League of Nations decided to take action against Italy on account for her aggression in Abyssinia, Italy left the league. In the wake up spreading dictatorship states continued to be the members of the League so long as their national interest were not in any way endangered and sacrificed. 4. Limitations of Legal Methods: The League Of Nations demonstrated the limitations of the legal methods. The League was fairly efficient in structure and probably would have worked if there had existed a realization of a community of interest. Law grows out of public opinion cannot operate in disjunction with it. In the case of League law proposed and opinion disposed. According to Lincoln: Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can be fail ; without it nothing can be succeed. 5. Loss of Faith In League: Small nations lost their faith in the effectiveness of The League to save them from any aggression. The principle of collective security was not applied in actual practice. Each state decided to follow her own policy, the principle of security weakened and thus there was nothing to check the aggressive policy of Hitler. 6. Constitutional Defect: The League of Nations failed because of certain constitutional defects. In the cases of disputes brought before the council of the League under Article 11, decisions of the council had to be unanimous in order to adjudge a nation guilty of having violated the covenant by resort to war or unjustifiable aggression, In Article 15. If the decisions were not unanimous verdict under Article 11, the disputing parties were free to resume the hostilities after a period of 3 months. By allowing exceptions, the covenant seemed to assume that was remained the normal solution of international disputes. 7. Narrow Nationalism: Narrow nationalism was still the dominant among the peoples of the world. France was increasingly concerned with her national security, while Great Britain considered that problem less urgent than promoting commerce by fostering international trade. Japan intoxicated by her emergence as a world power, while Italy was desperate to redress her damage. Germany was indulged to retain her national prestige even at the cost of an aggressive military adventure. 8. Lack Of Mutual Co-Operation: The member of the league lack mutual co-operation which is always essential for the success of an organization. For France the League was an instrument for providing her security from Germany. On the other hand Great Britain wanted League protecting her imperialist interest. Hitler found League a great hurdle on the way of rise of Germany. 9. Separate Lines of Thoughts: The League was the offspring of a marriage of two separate lines of thoughts. In one of these which were developed my Mr. Taft and others in the U.S. The stress was on organized forces. There has to be League of enforced peace On the other hand the British attitude was extremely hesitant in its approach to the nation as enforced peace. If the fourteen points of Woodrow Wilson are consulted we find that a general association of nation is projected for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity In its proposal the world peace is not mentioned and international co-operation is restricted to one limited object. These two inconsistent principles were incorporated in the fabric of the League itself and no wonder it failed. 10. The Depression undermined the League: The League was weakened by the Great Depression that swept the world after 1929. At a time of economic crisis governments were less interested in what happened in faraway places. Japan and Italy were able to invade other countries without being punished effectively by the League. 11. Manchurian Crisis: On the night of Sep. 18-19, 1931 some Japanese soldiers making an attempt to blow off the railway line near Mukdan. Japan took full advantage of this minor incident and on the 18th Sep, 1931 she invaded Manchuria and also occupied all Japanese cities north of Mukdan. League of Nations failed to implement sanctions on Japan and on March 27, 1933 Japan decided to withdraw her membership of League of Nation. CONCLUSION: According to most of the thinkers , existence of League Of Nations was at wrong time .Then , all the nations was indulge in the concept of narrow nationalism and sovereignty. Situation would have been much more different had except the concept of Internationalism. It is wrong to believe League Of Nations done nothing, it paved the way of United Nations Organizations.

Nostradamus :: essays research papers

Nostradamus lived in the 16th century in France. He was a healer of the black plague, which was an incredible pandemic that struck Europe, killing thousands. But when his wife and two children died of it, he went in to seclusion and started writing his â€Å"visions.† He wrote them in verses of four that are called quatrains. Nostradamus was said to have predicted many things. He predicted what he called as â€Å"the three antichrists.† The first is believed to be Napoleon. The second antichrist he predicted, in which is said by most as his most incredible prediction, is believed to be Hitler. He wrote of the second being called Hisler. He is also credited with predicting the French Revolution, the American Revolution and the deaths of the two Kennedy brothers. Since the movie was made in the early 80’s, their present predictions aren’t really applicable to us. But he predicted the world was to become completely flooded after a giant earthquake which was to happen in the New City. The new city is believed to be LA, California because it lies on the San Andres Fault, which is a hotspot for earthquakes. He also tells of a great famine that would engulf the world. Probably Nostradamus’ most incredible predictions are the ones of the future. He is said to predict the third antichrist as one from the middle east which would bomb the new city and he gives the latitude of New York city. Not only that, though, he says specifically that the city would be attacked twice. This relates tremendously to the attack on the world trade center believed to be planned by Osma Bin Laden. But, even though it does say that the city would be attacked twice, it also says that the first attack would fail.

MacDonalds The Princess and the Goblin Essays -- MacDonald Princess G

MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin The Princess and the Goblin is a story about self-realisation and the expansion of limits. The princess, Irene, is able to come to certain conclusions about herself with the help of her grandmother, who lives in the attic upstairs in the palace. The grandmother guides Irene through her rite of passage into adulthood, and helps to bring the princess and Curdie together in the end. However, the reader never really knows whether the grandmother even exists, and it is this uncertainty that causes the reader to question whether she is a personification of a force within Irene that is driving her to achieve all that she does. There are many elements of fairy tales that exist within the grandmother's world and Irene's relationship with her grandmother and her nurse, Lootie. Archetypes such as the attic, birds, the moon, and fire exist within her grandmother's world and archetypes such as the underground exist within the world she guides Irene through. The grandmother embodies characteristic s of the good witch with supernatural powers, who guides Irene on her journey, while Lootie embodies characteristics of a wicked witch, who hinders her right of passage into adulthood. Irene's first encounter with her grandmother is one of ambivalence, which parallels the stage of puberty she is in. This is the stage of her journey when she is not sure how far from the safety of her mother figure, the nurse, she should wander. Irene does not stay very long with her grandmother, as she is not fully ready to leave childhood. There are elements of Charles Perrault's Little Red Riding Hood and The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood in Irene's first visit with her grandmother. Her discovery of the grandmother is very... ...hat exist in this story follow the fairy tale tradition. The princess is transformed into a young woman with the aid of a helper. This helper is her grandmother, who gives her the tools to cut the invisible thread, and be led by her own powers. The princess discovers another world beyond her nursery and the walls of the palace that becomes more and more real every time she lets go of someone's hand. Bibliography MacDonald, George. The Princess and the Goblin. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1996 Perrault, Charles. "Little Red Riding Hood." in Folk & Fairy Tales. Eds. Martin Hallett and Barbara Karasek. 2nd edition. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press Ltd., 1996. 25-27. Perrault, Charles. "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood." in Folk & Fairy Tales. Eds. Martin Hallett and Barbara Karasek. 2nd edition. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press Ltd., 1996. 40-48.

Everyone Has an Obligation to Vote Essay -- Politics Political Essays

Why should I vote? This is a simple question with a long history of debate. My vote doesn't make a difference anyway. I'm too busy. They're all crooks, why should I vote for one of them? There isn't a good choice. Nothing will change. The problem with these reasons is that they actually perpetuate the circumstances keeping would-be-voters away from the polls. Many arguments exist for both sides of the issue, however, I believe more reasons to vote exist than lame excuses. My vote is too insignificant to make a difference anyway. No one's vote "makes no difference," though the difference may be small in comparison to the whole, it is there nonetheless. Through not voting, one is only guaranteeing that one's own opinion will make no difference. If the right isn't exercised, no reason exists for its presence. Countless complaints would arise the instant anyone tried to revoke one's right to vote, therefore, that right must actually be valued. Since that right is valued, then it must be thought to have the power to make a difference, and thus the excuse is invalid. At least put fourth the effort and try to make a difference, no matter how inconsequential every little bit helps. My schedule is too busy; I don't have time to vote. Voting can be done by absentee ballot if one is out of town on Election day. No need to go anywhere or stand in lines, just fill out the ballot and mail it in. Every citizen is eligible to vote by mail if they cannot get to the polls on election day. For some it is often just a matter of convenience. With the absentee ballot, none have an excuse not to vote. It's not hard work, actually it's rather easy, almost too easy. The real reason behind this excuse usually boils down to ... ...o do so. Nonvoters, on the other hand, don't readily see those same benefits, and resist when confronted with them by voters. In conclusion, I feel that everyone has an obligation to vote, a responsibility for the betterment of themselves, their children, their peers and their country. I believe that if more people were educated as to the benefits of voting, voter turnout would dramatically increase, and promote a greater general concern. Only through knowledge will we ever be able to make a difference in the minds of nonvoters to make the choice to act upon their duty to vote. Shortly before he died, James Madison, wrote in a letter to a friend, "A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it is but a tragedy . . . a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

Iron Crowned Chapter 13

The journey back was uneventful, the most notable thing being the afterglow that now burned between Kiyo and me – something I now questioned the wisdom of. My words had been true: I'd never stopped caring about him. But he'd been right too: what had happened between us back in the glade had come from my own outrage and need to get back at Dorian. That wasn't really a good reason to start a relationship. It wasn't even a really good reason for casual sex, and honestly, I wasn't sure what my status was with Kiyo at the moment. Deanna reappeared and followed along so quietly and obediently that I finally broke the silence to reassure her I'd keep my part of the bargain. Her drab face lit up, and I had to give her credit for not pushing the matter until I settled my other business. Kiyo and I went straight to Dorian's, once we'd crossed back into more familiar territory. My plan was to deal with him first and then jump to the human world. I thought it would be safer to have the crown there. Dorian's guards met me with pleased grins, and while they were surprised to see Kiyo, most seemed to know I'd been off on some secret mission. Coming back alive was a good sign. As soon as we entered the castle, I ordered a messenger to go to Katrice and inform her that I now possessed the Iron Crown and that if she wanted to talk surrender, I was all ears. As Dorian's consort, I had the power to order around his staff – but I had a feeling that would end soon. Kiyo and I were admitted into Dorian's exalted presence out in a courtyard, where he was making a long-tormented courtier named Muran play the harp. I knew for a fact that Muran had had exactly one lesson, and Dorian seemed quite amused watching the guy struggle through. This kind of thing was one of Dorian's greatest pastimes, and usually, even though I felt bad for Muran, it provided me with a little amusement. Today I felt none. When we entered the courtyard, Dorian took one look at our faces and promptly ordered everyone away – even his guards. He still wore that small, carefree smile, but I'd seen a subtle shift in the lines of his face. He knew something was up. His astuteness was what made him such a good ruler. â€Å"Well, here you are,† he said, sitting back in the gentry equivalent of a lawn chair. Except, of course, I'd never seen Home Depot sell anything so ornate and gilded. Normally when I arrived, Dorian kissed me, but his wariness must have held him back. â€Å"As beautiful as ever, my dear, if a little beat up around the edges. I suppose this means you either succeeded or just barely escaped with your life?† â€Å"We succeeded,† I said. â€Å"I've got the crown.† Again – that smile didn't change, but an eager light flickered in Dorian's eyes. He leaned forward. â€Å"I knew it. I knew you could do it.† He studied me up and down, his gaze finally resting on the bag over my shoulder. â€Å"May I see it?† â€Å"No,† I said bluntly. â€Å"No one's going to see it. It's going to be hidden away where it can't be used to start eating up people's lands.† Dorian's eyebrows rose, and he began to speak. I could already imagine a hundred variations of what was going to come out of his mouth, something along the lines of, â€Å"Whatever are you talking about, my dear?† I stepped forward, my control snapping as I cut him off. â€Å"Don't start! Don't even start with some sugar-coated denial. You've known all along what the crown could do! You knew it'd scare Katrice because it meant I – and by default you – could take over her kingdom!† Dorian hesitated, and again, I could guess at the thoughts spinning in his head. Denial or backpedaling? He finally went with the latter. â€Å"And what better way to push her into peace?† he said at last. â€Å"The point of a war like this is to eventually march over and subdue someone anyway. Isn't it much simpler and faster to achieve that same end through another way?† â€Å"A way that rips her land from her!† I exclaimed. â€Å"And sticks me with another fucking kingdom!† I stepped forward and had to forcibly keep myself from getting closer. I was so, so angry. So angry that this man I cared about could do this to me. I was almost angrier at him than Katrice at the moment. From her, at least, I expected betrayal. â€Å"And that's what you would have wanted to do – not just scare her. You would have found some way, some justification for taking that drastic step, just like you got me to go after this in the first place.† Much of the humor had faded from Dorian's face now. â€Å"And would you have gone after it if you'd known?† â€Å"No.† He shrugged. â€Å"Well, there you have it.† I was aghast. â€Å"That's it? How the hell can you be so lax about this? How can you act like it's okay to have tricked me from the beginning – you and that hag? How can you claim to love me and lie to me?† â€Å"I do love you,† he said. â€Å"More than you know. I did this for your own good.† â€Å"You did it for your own good,† I snapped. â€Å"I can't believe I fell for it again. You've done this before, and now I'm done. Done with you. Done with all of this. I don't need your help anymore. I'll finish this fucking war on my own.† â€Å"Eugenie,† warned Kiyo softly. He didn't contradict me, not in front of Dorian, but I understood the subtext. It was the point he'd made before: not to spurn Dorian's military help. Dorian scoffed, sharing that sentiment. â€Å"Of course you need me. If you can get past your hurt pride, you'll see that we're in this together. Use the crown however you want, but be reasonable so that the two of us can finally end this war.† My voice was low and dangerous when I spoke. I was furious that he could be so condescending, that he assumed he could just smooth this all over. â€Å"There is no more us.† â€Å"Now you're just overreacting,† he said. â€Å"We need to finish this war together, and we need to be together, period. We're meant to be.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"We're done. It's over.† I could see from his face that he didn't take that seriously either. He didn't get it. His ego wouldn't allow him to. Before he could respond, Kiyo lightly touched my arm. â€Å"Be careful. Look what you're doing.† I glanced around. The wind was rising and falling, making the apple trees sway back and forth. Dark clouds began to gather above. It wasn't uncommon for my emotions to unconsciously affect the weather, but the fact that I could do it in a land under someone else's control was a sign of how much my power had grown. If Dorian had wanted sunny weather, it should have stayed that way. The realization of what I could do was heady. Nonetheless, I pushed back, calming the air and dissipating the storm clouds. But Dorian wasn't concerned about any of that. His attention had snapped to one small gesture: Kiyo's touch on my arm. I'm not sure how Dorian knew – maybe just the way Kiyo and I stood near each other – but in that moment, Dorian realized what had happened between Kiyo and me. And that, more than any of the arguments here, was what finally broke that laid-back attitude. His face turned to stone. â€Å"Oh,† he said to Kiyo, voice completely devoid of emotion. â€Å"I see. It's your turn again.† Outrage filled me at the insinuation that I could be passed around – a sentiment not unlike what Kiyo himself had expressed. Dorian allowed me no chance to counter. â€Å"Well, if that's how it's going to be, then that's how it's going to be. You may be right that there's no us, but we are still in this war together. My armies are too enmeshed, and I can hardly let Katrice think I'm backing down. Dareth!† Dorian's voice rang out, loudly enough that one of the guards behind the glass doors heard. He swiftly opened the doors and stepped outside. â€Å"Your Majesty?† â€Å"Please escort the Thorn Queen and her pet from the premises. They are denied hospitality. Do not admit them again. Should any of her household come, they may be allowed into my presence.† His eyes flicked to me. â€Å"Send Rurik as your proxy for all military matters. He was doing all the work anyway.† Dorian's attention went back to his guard. â€Å"You have your orders.† Dareth had trouble keeping the shock off his face. I had become a fixture around here, treated nearly the same as Dorian. After a few moments, Dareth composed his features, his loyalty to his king overriding any disbelief he might feel. He turned to me, expression formal. He gestured inside. â€Å"Your Majesty.† The respect was there, but the message was clear. I was being thrown out and could see Dareth practically praying I wouldn't resist. I didn't, and while a dozen parting retorts to Dorian filled my head, I shoved them aside. He thrived on that kind of attention. It would only make him feel more important, and I wanted it made clear that I really was done with him – even though the cold reality of what was happening made my heart break. Kiyo and I began to follow Dareth without comment, but then I paused. Reaching toward my neck, I ripped off the necklace I wore, the one with Dorian's ring. I tossed it at his feet, meeting his gaze with a message I hoped he understood. He did. His answered mine with green fury. â€Å"I said get out of here.† I turned away, letting Dareth take us to the castle's front doors. As soon as we were outside, I heard him giving instructions about the revoking of our hospitality. I imagined the other guards shared his shock, but I walked on without looking back. Once Kiyo and I had traveled far enough that the land shifted and put us in Maiwenn's kingdom, he turned to look at me. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked, worry in those dark eyes. â€Å"Fine,† I said flatly. I was confident my anger was justified †¦ but leaving Dorian still hurt. He'd dismissed me so easily, once he'd realized I'd slept with Kiyo. I'd expected something †¦ something more emotional, I guess. Some sign that I'd meant more to him than a useful consort. I should have known better. â€Å"Let's go back to Tucson.† I'd kept Volusian and Deanna away while we'd met with Dorian but brought them both back now. I told Deanna to come to my home tomorrow and that we'd start working on her problem then. To Volusian, I gave orders to return to the Thorn Land. He would tell Rurik to go to Dorian and then wait until word came back from Katrice. I had no doubt that word of my being banned from Dorian's would spread around quickly enough; I didn't want to see the reactions of my people when that happened. Kiyo and I crossed back to Arizona at a nearby gateway, going to his place instead of mine so that he could redo my stitches. He was as good as any ‘real' doctor, and I didn't want to have to explain my new cuts and bruises to someone else. A slew of cats and dogs greeted me when I entered his apartment, making me feel oddly nostalgic. â€Å"Are you sure you're okay?† Kiyo asked later. I was lying stomach-down on his bed while his needle went to work on the cut. My cheek rested on a pillow, my only view being his dresser as I tried to stay still. â€Å"Fine.† â€Å"You keep saying that, but what went down was pretty serious.† I could imagine the frown on his face. â€Å"I didn't expect him to pull hospitality.† â€Å"He knows we slept together,† I said. â€Å"Guys get upset when their girlfriends do that.† I'd broken up with Dorian in my head the instant I found out about the deception, but as far as he was concerned, I'd cheated on him. Maybe I had. But betraying someone who'd deceived you didn't seem like that much of a betrayal. â€Å"Yes,† said Kiyo. â€Å"Yes, they do.† He tied off his thread and re-bandaged it all. â€Å"Please, please do not pull these out again. The fact that this isn't infected is a miracle.† â€Å"I won't,† I said, sitting up and carefully putting my shirt back on. â€Å"I don't plan on getting in any fights for a while. I'm staying out of the Otherworld until they really need me, and investigating Deanna's murder should only involve questions. Actually, I'm hoping to pass it off on someone else.† â€Å"She won't like that,† he said. â€Å"It'll get it done,† I said. â€Å"And she'll like that. Probably even faster than if I did it.† I started to stand, but Kiyo caught hold of my hand and kept me down. His expression turned sly. â€Å"You want to stay for a while?† I shook my head, smiling faintly. â€Å"I've got some things to do. Besides, just because we did what we did doesn't mean †¦ well, it doesn't mean things are the same again.† His mischievous smile faded. â€Å"You're right. A lot kind of got rushed. I suppose we should †¦ I don't know. Do you want to go on a date?† â€Å"A date?† I laughed in spite of myself. It seemed so out of place after what we'd been through these last few days. Too ordinary. â€Å"Dinner and a movie?† â€Å"Something like that. I could pick you up later, after your errands are done. Or tomorrow if you need a little more time.† A little more time? Maybe I needed a lot more time. I really didn't know. I might have jumped into bed – figuratively speaking – right after my relationship with Dorian had crumbled, but as I'd said, that didn't mean I was ready to establish something committed with Kiyo again. I'd had sex with Kiyo in the throes of my anger; I had more to think about now that I'd cooled down – and seen Dorian's face. My head told me we were through, but my heart already missed him. â€Å"Tomorrow,† I said. Kiyo nodded. â€Å"Fair enough. I should probably check in at the clinic anyway.† I honestly didn't understand the terms of Kiyo's employment. With his constant visits to the Otherworld, he didn't seem to have any regular schedule with the emergency vet clinic he worked at. He just seemed to show up whenever he wanted. It was more convenient than my own job for maintaining a dual existence between worlds. Confused feelings or not, I let him kiss me good-bye before I left. There was a part of me that wished I could just stay with him, hiding out in his bed and avoiding the rest of the world. Worlds, even. But I had too much to do. The first thing was to get home and change into clean clothes. I arrived to what initially appeared to be an empty house, but the cars in the driveway tipped me off. Sure enough, a minute or so after I walked inside, I heard Tim's bedroom door open. He emerged, wearing only jeans, his black hair standing in all directions. â€Å"Hey, Eug. Didn't expect to see you back.† â€Å"Apparently not. I take it Lara's in there?† He had the grace to look sheepish. â€Å"Ah, well – â€Å" â€Å"Hi, Eugenie.† Lara appeared in the kitchen beside him, her hair as messed up as his. Her clothes – including Tim's â€Å"West Coast Powwow 2002† T-shirt – showed signs of hasty assembly. She was blushing, but her embarrassment turned to surprise as she eyed my appearance. She still wasn't used to seeing me in real life. â€Å"Rough day?† â€Å"Days,† I said. â€Å"Oh †¦ I don't suppose †¦ I don't suppose you'd be interested in hearing about some job offers?† It was the first time she'd been hesitant to bring up work. I think she was finally starting to understand the grueling nature of my life and that back-to-back jobs weren't as easy as checking items off a list. â€Å"Not really. Not for a few days.† â€Å"A few – † She bit off her protest and meekly nodded. I walked around them, heading for my room. â€Å"I've got things to do,† I called back to them. â€Å"So you can go back to †¦ whatever it is you were doing.† Truthfully, I didn't want to do the task hanging before me. I wanted to find whatever baked goods Tim had squirreled away in the kitchen and then take that nap I'd longed for at Kiyo's. But, no. I'd made a promise to Deanna, one I had to honor, no matter how messed up the rest of my life was. So, after cleaning up and changing, I sat on the edge of my bed and picked up my cell phone. I stared at it for a long time, running my fingers along its edges as I procrastinated. Finally, I dialed a memorized number and waited. There was a good chance that no one would answer. I was calling my mom's cell phone, though, which gave me better odds than if I'd called her house number. I knew Roland had asked her to keep her distance from me, but after seeing me at the hospital, my mom would likely resist any directives like that – if only out of fear that I'd lost a limb or something. â€Å"Hello?† My breath caught, and I almost couldn't speak. Just that one word †¦ the sound of her voice. It sent a flood of emotions through me, and I forced myself to remember my mission here. â€Å"Mom?† â€Å"Genie? Are you okay?† she asked promptly. As suspected, she feared limb loss. â€Å"Yeah, yeah, fine. How are you?† â€Å"Fine. Worried about you – like always.† â€Å"I'm okay,† I said. â€Å"Really. But I need †¦ I, um, need to talk to Roland.† Long silence. â€Å"Eugenie – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. But I need his help with something. It won't take long. Just one question. Please.† She sighed. â€Å"Oh, baby. I wish I could, but he's made it clear †¦ You know how he feels about everything†¦.† â€Å"It's a human thing,† I said, only partially lying. â€Å"A job in this world. Please, Mom. Just ask him if he'll talk to me for a minute?† More silence, then another sigh. â€Å"Hang on.† I waited, nervously twisting the fabric of my bed's duvet. What would happen? The two most likely options were that either my mom would relay his refusal or they would simply hang up on me. But, no. It was Roland's voice I heard next. â€Å"Yes?† Cold. Wary. After everything that had just happened to me in the Otherworld, hearing his voice nearly broke me. I wanted to sob and beg him to forgive me. Beg him to love me again. My mom had undoubtedly done a fair share of that already, though. She'd clearly had no luck. I had no reason to believe I'd fare any better, so I made my tone match his as I swallowed back tears. Just business here. â€Å"I need a referral,† I said brusquely. â€Å"To a private investigator. One who isn't going to be freaked out by the stuff we deal with. I figured you must know someone.† â€Å"You need a P.I. to deal with some monster?† he asked harshly. â€Å"No, no. It actually should be pretty mundane – all human stuff. But considering what we do †¦ Well, I thought I should have someone prepared in case things get weird.† I didn't have any reason for Deanna to interact directly with a P.I. – or for me even to mention her – but I wanted to be safe. â€Å"Well,† said Roland. â€Å"Let's make it clear: ‘we' don't do the same kinds of things.† With great effort, I bit off the retorts that wanted to burst out of me. I wanted to explain for the hundredth time that I'd never expected – or wanted – to reach this level of involvement in the Otherworld. Again, I opted for directness. â€Å"Please, Roland,† I said simply. â€Å"This is for a human family. Just forget about me for a minute.† When he didn't respond, I thought for sure the anticipated hang-up would come. â€Å"Enrique Valdez,† he said at last. â€Å"You should be able to look up his number. I'll call too and give him a heads-up.† â€Å"Oh, Roland. Thank you so – â€Å" Click. There it was. I pulled the phone away and held it in front of me again, staring at it as though it were to blame for all my problems. A few moments later, I tossed it on the floor. Anger surged through me, quickly fading into sadness. My eyes fell on my travel pack in the corner, the pack containing the Iron Crown. That – and all it represented – was the source of my problems. I fell back onto my bed, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck on my ceiling. Roland, Dorian †¦ I was losing the men in my life. Why, why had Dorian done that? Why had he let me fall in love with him, only to play me? Was that what love meant to him? Was that how all his relationships worked? He'd hurt me, hurt me so terribly, and the petty, dark voice that lived inside me said that if sleeping with Kiyo had hurt Dorian in return, it was no more than he deserved. Kiyo. Kiyo was all I had left now, and I didn't know if I could trust him either. Before I could ruminate very much on that particular woe, a cold presence filled the room. I sat up quickly, putting aside all my self-pity as Volusian materialized before me. â€Å"Mistress,† he said. â€Å"Volusian,† I replied. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"I've come with a message, as you requested.† As always, his words were emotionless, yet he somehow conveyed the feeling that he resented every one of them. â€Å"Queen Katrice has responded to your news of the Iron Crown.† That was fast, even for the Otherworld. â€Å"And?† â€Å"And, she has agreed to a temporary truce.† I shot up from the bed. â€Å"You have got to be kidding.† Volusian didn't respond. I'd long since learned that any comment I made about him joking or kidding was treated rhetorically. Volusian did not joke or kid. â€Å"It worked,† I murmured, more to myself than him. â€Å"I can't believe it. Dorian was right.† â€Å"Indeed. But I assume my mistress will not resume carnal relations with him.† I made a face. If there was anyone I hated discussing my sex life with more than Jasmine, it was Volusian. â€Å"No. It doesn't matter if he was right. He lied to me to make it happen. He should have told me the whole story. He used half-truth means to achieve his ends.† Volusian nodded solemnly. â€Å"I told you that long ago, that the Oak King's own agenda will always come first. As will the kitsune's. But, unsurprisingly, my mistress chooses to ignore the only sound advice given to her and instead listens to those who use affection for their own purposes.† The word ‘affection' was spoken with particular venom. â€Å"Kiyo and Dorian don't – Look. Stay out of this, okay? I never asked for your ‘sound' advice. Get back to Katrice. How does this truce work exactly?† â€Å"Hostilities will cease until all parties are able to discuss the current situation. How said discussion proceeds will be settled beforehand by messengers. You and the Oak King may meet with her directly, or you may have representatives do the negotiating.† I tried to picture myself in a room with Dorian and Katrice. Lovely. â€Å"And where would this happen? I'm sure as hell not going to the Rowan Land.† â€Å"That too will be negotiated during this truce,† he said. â€Å"A neutral kingdom is the most likely choice. Shaya would like to discuss that with you at your earliest convenience.† â€Å"I'm sure she would. Go back and tell her I trust her to set up whatever arrangements need to be made. If I have to go myself †¦ well, then I go. I'll check in with her soon, but come back if anything happens in the meantime.† Volusian waited, and I gestured him away. â€Å"Go.† He vanished, and I sank onto my bed. My eyes fell on the concealed Iron Crown once again, and I dared to wonder if maybe some good had come out of this whole mess.