The History of Welfare in America Essay -- Origins of Public Welfare P

Welfare has been a safety net for many Americans, when the alternative for them is going without food and shelter. Over the years, the government has provided income for the unemployed, food assistance for the hungry, and health care for the poor. The federal government in the nineteenth century started to provide minimal benefits for the poor. During the twentieth century the United States federal government established a more substantial welfare system to help Americans when they most needed it. In 1996, welfare reform occurred under President Bill Clinton and it significantly changed the structure of welfare. Social Security has gone through significant change from FDR’s signing of the program into law to President George W. Bush’s proposal of privatized accounts. The increase in industrialization in the U.S. during the 1820’s caused a rise in homelessness. Women made up the majority of the homeless population. During the beginning of the nineteenth century, private charities helped provide food and shelter for the homeless. Towards the end of the nineteenth century men became the majority of the homeless population. The federal government created â€Å"mother’s pension laws† which were protective labor laws that assisted poor women and children. Shelters required a work test for men to enter and only allowed them to stay for a limited amount of time. Charities did not help men in the nineteenth century (Homelessness in the United States). On October 29, 1929, the roaring twenties ended. The U.S. stock market crashed and the Great Depression began. Those who had invested in the stock market for retirement saw their investments disappear. President Franklin Roosevelt’s â€Å"New Deal† focused first on providing employment for the... ...for Children and Families. 6 Mar 2009. . â€Å"Medicaid Home Page.† 16 Sept 2004. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 6 Mar 2009. . Shields, Mark. â€Å"Messing with Social Security.† Cnn.com. 7 Mar 2009. . â€Å"Bill of Rights in Action.† June 1998. Constitutional Rights Foundation. 6 Mar 2009. . â€Å"Food Stamp Program.† 4 Feb 2005. Food and Nutrition Service. 6 Mar 2009. . â€Å"Women, Infants, and Children.† 1 Jan 2004. Food and Nutrition Service. 6 Mar 2009. . â€Å"The Future of Social Security.† Mar 2005. Social Security Administration. 6 Mar 2009. .

Around The Way Love :: essays research papers

Around the Way Lover This is story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down I like to take a minute just sit right there, Ill tell you how I became in love with the girl around the way. In the summer of 1995, I met this beautiful Mexican girl that just moved on my block. I was only in 5th grade and she was in 6th and 1year  ½ older than I was. I met her threw my friends that I played with everyday on my block. When I walked outside one day I saw this unfamiliar girl coloring with my friends on the sidewalk. I asked my best friend Brian who she was and he told me she was the new girl on the block. When Brian and I walked over, to go talk to our friends, I sat down right next to the new girl and asked her what her name was. She said Bianca but In a really shy voice. Through out the whole summer I talked to her and got to really know her. Then when the school year started I remember always getting home and trying to get all my homework done just so I could go outside and talk with her. Then about 4 months after meeting unfamiliar face, I told my friend’s, that I liked Bianca and I wanted to go out with her. But all my friend told me was to go and ask her out myself. So about a month later I finally got the guts to ask her while I was walking her home from our friend’s house. I remember I was so scared while I was asking her and she could tell I was because I was pretty much stuttering while talking to her. Then finally she spoke out saying, â€Å"are you trying to ask me out?† Then I said, â€Å"yes.† She said she doesn’t know because her mom doesn’t want her to have a boyfriend and she would tell me the next day. Then I went back and told all 5 of our friends that she said she would tell me the next day. The rest of that night we were outside all I could think about is what her answer would be. Then the next day about 12:30p.m. my friend called me up and said that she talked to Bianca and she was going to say †no,† because I was younger than she was.

Gender Roles in Society

Gender roles have a very dominant place in our society. Different families and cultures emphasize different roles for men and women. However, masculinity seems to dominate throughout the world. Women’s role in society is always changing but femininity never seems to rise above its masculine counterpart. Gender asymmetry has been a struggle for a long time because of the uncertainty of how we learn such roles. How to act like a boy or a girl is not something biological we are just born with. These roles are learned through our interactions with family and peers, starting as early as birth.The first and one of the strongest influences on a person's gender role is their parents. Parents are our first teachers and role models . They don’t just teach us such basic skills like talking and walking, but also of attitudes and behavior. Most parents still hold traditional definitions of masculine and feminine and what kind of activities are appropriate for each. Parents tend to b e more concerned with the safety of little girls. Where as, boys are expected to be rough and tough at an early age. Most of the time parents are not even aware that they are teaching their kids some of these roles.As discussed in the beginning of the text book, we are taught that our gender differences are due to our biology. We â€Å"tend to equate aggression with biological maleness and vulnerability with femaleness†. This tendency to assume that biology is the cause for gender differences is know as â€Å"the pink and blue syndrome† (Spade and Valentine p. 4). Starting at birth we are put into certain colors and given specific gendered toys to play with. Sometimes these norms don’t fit with every little boy or girl. Some girls prefer to play rough and with more masculine toys, and some boys prefer pink and princesses.However, when boys engage in activities that are normally deemed girly they are called a sissys. On the other hand when girls do things that wo uld normally be boy activities they are considered a â€Å"tomboy† and praised for this. We looked at this more closely when we read Kane’s chapter, â€Å"No Way My Boys are Going to be Like That! † Parents often encourage there daughters to aspire to take on male roles feeling as if it makes them a stronger person later in life. Fathers seems to be more concerned and often discourage boys in engaging in female roles, fearing they may be homosexual.Mothers, on the other hand, more often feel that their sons knowing how to cook and clean makes them more well rounded. Even mothers seem to be kind of cautious and lake enthusiasm when speaking to there sons about these â€Å"iconic feminine items, attributes, or activities†(Kane p. 179). Overall, parents seem to be aware of gender as something that they must shape and construct, especially with their sons. Some parents even feel as if masculinity is something they must work on with there sons starting at a ve ry young age.In order to make a change we must â€Å"broaden normative conceptions of masculinity and challenge the devaluation of femininity, an effort that will require participation by heterosexual fathers to succeed† (Kane p. 183). Another very important group to consider that can have a strong influence on gender roles are peers. Peer pressure is another means of reinforcing a culture's traditional gender roles. It can come in the form of taunting or teasing a child who does not fit the traditional gender roles that other children in the peer group have come to expect. Peers react more positively to children who fit traditional gender roles.We explored this teasing a bit more when we read the article â€Å"‘Dude, You’re a Fag’: Adolescent Masculinity and the Fag Discourse†. Pascoe discusses how masculinity can function as a regulatory mechanism of gender in American adolescent boys. It has been found that the word ‘fag’ is not nece ssarily directed at a homosexual boy, but has taken on a new meaning in school age boys. It is being used as a disciplinary mechanism to police certain behaviors â€Å"out of fear of having the fag identity permanently† (Pascoe p. 330). This kind of teasing and harassment can temporarily be place on any boy who shows signs of weakness or femininity.The high schoolers in the study told Pascoe that calling someone a fag was like telling them they were nothing or stupid (Pascoe p. 335). Boys could be called a fag for anything that he did that was opposite of masculine, even when it had nothing to do with his sexual preference. The fag discourse seemed to be just another way for the contest of masculinity to take place. With such strong enforcement of gender roles in children it is not surprising that these masculine dominated attitudes carry over into adulthood. Over the past few decades, great strides have been made by women in the workplace.This increased number in women in th e workplace does not mean equality however. Even with equal qualifications and achievements, women are still not given all the opportunities that men have. The chapter in the textbook, â€Å"Gender at Work†, shows us more of these inequalities in the workplace. Such inequalities cause gender segregation of jobs and can be linked with the pay inequality in the labor force. Even in jobs that are predominantly filled by women, men earn more than women. Women are often stereotyped as being family focused and not as able to travel, therefore they tend to get passed up for promotions (Garson p. 353).This invisible barrier that keeps women from moving up the executive ladder is referred to as the â€Å"glass ceiling† (Baxter and Wright p. 346). Women also tend to do more domestic work, or unpaid labor and caregiving. This extra unpaid work is referred to as â€Å"the third shift† and is largely rested on the shoulders of women (Gersel p. 352). Consequently, this seems to be one of the biggest things holding women back from taking on jobs that are normally considered male dominated. These shifts in gender roles over the years have been huge. With the drastic changes, men and women are still trying to sort out what these new roles mean to them.Although women are no longer expected to be the soul keepers of the house, in reality, they still are in most families. Although men generally seem to be open to the successes enjoyed by the women they share their lives with, some still find it hard to celebrate a woman's achievements because they feel it diminishes their own masculinity. These patterns will continue as long as our society keeps pushing the importance of gendered roles and the dominance of masculinity. However, today's parents have the opportunity to show their children that they don't have to be violent to be strong, and being sensitive is not necessarily a bad thing.

Baroque study guide

Baroque Dates: (1600-1750) 1 . What does â€Å"musical style† mean? Different types of musical compositions developed throughout different eras 2. What was going historically during this era? What was life like? New ideas and art was being introduced everywhere. It was a time of personal expression and drama. There was controversy between Catholics and Protestants which caused long periods of religious war. It was also a time of scientific research and astronomical studies. 3. Was did the term Baroque originally mean? Odd, irregular,rough, or uneven 4. Why did early baroque composers favor homophony?It was a new concept in texture, a melody in one voice supported by a harmony in the others 5. What texture did late baroque composers prefer? Homophony 6. The musical style of the Baroque era began in what country and then spread throughout Europe? Italy 7. Church modes gradually gave way to what? The major and minor scales 8. Did instrumental music become Just as important as voc al music? Yes 9. What are some characteristic traits of baroque rhythms? Fast harmonic, often continuous, made up of repeating patterns 10. What are some characteristic traits of baroque melodies? Often are elaborated and ornamental.They give the impression of dynamic expansion. A characteristic often found in baroque melodies is a short opening phrase followed by a longer phrase with an unbroken flow of rapid notes. 11. What are the dynamics like in Baroque music? Abrupt shifts from loud to soft achieved by adding or subtracting instruments. 12. Were chords becoming more important? Yes 13. What voices or parts become more important? The outermost voices (bass and soprano) acquired a dominant position. 14. What is the basso continuo? What instruments play it? A strong, supporting, continuous bass line played by a cello, bassoon, or string bass 15.What was a baroque orchestra like? Basically string ensembles with a few wind instruments 16. What family of instruments were the most imp ortant? The violin family 17. What is a movement? Did baroque compositions often consist of multiple movements? A movement is a semi-independent section within a work, in baroque compositions there were many enlivenment works 18. What is the primary or most important way that the movements might contrast one another? They should contrast in tempo, key, material, texture, and timbre, but cost importantly, only one mood should be expressed 19.What is opera? What does it include? Where was it invented? The opera is a musical drama that tells a story and is sung throughout. It began in Greece. 20. What is the libretto? The texts that early operas were composed to. 21. What is an aria? A song-like vocal piece, more concerned with music than with text, and accompanied by an orchestra. They often have soaring melodies, metered rhythm, and formal design 22. What is a recitative? It is a style of delivery much used in operas in which a singer is allowed to adopt the withy's of ordinary speec h.It does not repeat lines as formally composed songs do. It resembles sung ordinary speech more than a formal musical composition. 23. What is a dad capo aria? A form with an ABA design. The first and second sections contrasting in mood, melodic material, and key, are presented; then the singer repeats the first section adding vocal embellishments 24. What is the ground bass aria? Composing a piece over a bass station. The bass pattern recurs throughout the piece, supporting the melody and harmonies above it 25. What is the first significant opera? Monteverdi L'Oreal 6. What is an oratorio?A vocal dramatic work conceived for entertainment based on a religious subject often with a story derived from the Old Testament 27. What is a passion? A passion is a special oratorio telling the story of Chrism's crucifixion. Includes recitatives, arias and choruses 28. What is a chorale? A Lutheran congregational hymn tune 29. What is a church cantata? A enlivenment vocal dramatic work often ac companied by an organ and a small orchestra 30. What is a sonata? What are the different types? A enlivenment form for one or more solo instruments accompanied by a basso intuition.The different types were Sonata dad camera (concert performance) and Sonata dad cheese (church performance) 31 . What is a fugue? A polyphonic composition with two to six melodic lines or voices 32. What is a prelude? A brief keyboard piece that may be either an independent composition or the introduction to another piece or set of pieces 33. What is a suite? (often called a Baroque or dance suite) A enlivenment piece composed for the lute or keyboard with the style, tempo, and rhythmic patterns of a particular dance 34. What is a confusion? Any of several forms usually of Italian origin.It refers to orchestral introductions to operas and cantatas. 35. What is the concerto gross? A solo concerto? How many movements does it have? A concerto gross is small group of solo instruments that accompany a string o rchestra. A solo concerto is instead only one instrument. They both generally have three movements 36. What is the arteriole form and how does it work? A retooling is the form that typically begins a movement. Retooling form focuses on a contrast between two musical ideas. The idea presented in the retooling will be revisited many times again in the song. 37.What is a toccata? Form for lute or keyboard exploiting technicality and brilliance. It has a flexible rhythm and elaborate embellishment of the melody lines. 38. What are terraced dynamics? Moving hands from one keyboard to another, abruptly, causing changes in dynamic level Composers: Please include the following for each (l need to be able to tell that you read about them and did not Just Google them or use Wakefield, etc. And copied and pasted-read your textbook please) a. Dates b. Nationality c. Importance/major contribution d. Types of compositions e. Extra little tidbit 39.Claudio Monteverdi 1567-1643) Was an Italian comp oser who referred to the two styles of compositions as the â€Å"first† (Polyphonic texture, music dominates text, Church music) and â€Å"second†(Homophobic texture, text dominates music, Secular songs) practices of music. He wrote his madrigals in the new expressive style (second practice) observing specific tonal principles. His opera L'Oreal was considered the first great opera. He also served as the choirmaster for SST. Marks in Venice for thirty years 40. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) An English composer known for his mastery of composing over a ground.He composed moving arias and operas. He was also an organist and wrote chorale music, keyboard works, and instrumental music. 41. Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) He was an Italian Baroque composer, teacher, and priest. He traveled all over Europe as a guest conductor of opera and orchestral performances. He wrote choral and orchestral compositions along with operas. His most famous composition is his set of four violin con certos, The four seasons. 42. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist. Bach's compositions were mainly performed for the church.He produced a read amount of choral music and two large oratorios called Passions. He wrote mainly for practical purposes such as to teach or to compose music for the church. He also composed a beautiful Mass which contained some the most well known music ever written. 43. G. F. Handel (1685-1759) Was a German composer known for his successful operas and later for his oratorios. His works had much dramatic flair. He is best recognized for his oratorio, Messiah which included the well known â€Å"Hallelujah† chorus. He considered this work to be divinely inspired and composed it in only about three weeks.

Baroque Architecture

Baroque Architecture Works of famous architects and sculptors What is Baroque Architecture? A Style originating in late 16th Century Italy Consists of complex Architectural plan shapes, often based on the oval. Dynamic opposition and inter penetration of spaces were favored to highlighted the feeling of motion and sensuality. Other characteristic qualities include:- Grandeur – Drama and Contrast – Courageousness – Twisting elements – Gilded statuary He was the son of a stonemason and began his career as a stonemason himself. He soon went dominant study and practice his craft.He moved torment 1619 and started working for Carlo Modern, Bromine's real name was Francesco Castillo. Once he had become established in Rome, he changed his name from Castles' to Bromine, He worked within Lorenz Bernardino the design of the fundamentalist's. Peter Basilica , the two later became bitter rivals. Francesco Borrowings the master of curved-wall architecture. He was influe nced by the architecture of Michelangelo and the ruins of Antiquity. His architecture employs manipulations of Classical architectural forms, geometrical sensational with symbolic meanings behind his buildings. Ђ Classical architectural forms, geometrical rationales in his plans and symbolic meanings in his buildings. Famous works of Bromine Architecture San Cairo alley Squatter Fontanne Sandal's all Seaplane, 1660 Colleges did Propaganda Fide Santiago SE in Agony The Sandal's all Oratory Sapience and Palazzo die Filipino Assonant area dell Fretter Barbering San Carlo alley Equator Fontanne Falconer Spade San Giovanni in Lateran San Cairo alley Squatter Fontanne Bromine's first independent commission This tiny church, along with its Rudyard, is one of the most important monuments of the baroque style in Rome.

Drama Evaluation Example

On 12th of December we went to Stifford Clays Primary and performed our piece to 180 year 4’s and 5’s. When we got there we had to straight away bring in our set and therefore had to quickly work out our staging. We all agreed to have the boards on a slant so that we could get changed and await our queues without the children seeing us as if they did it would ruin the illusion. We did this and got changed into our costumes in 20 minutes which I thought was really good and professional.As a group the performance went really well, we all knew our queues and our lines and worked really well together, the costume changes were done in time and nobody came out of role, there for a bit of empty staging but I think this was due to the fact that we were in a new performance space and were not use to it. People were not coming off the right side and therefore ended up having to cross the back of the stage, but it was not obvious as it was in character.As an individual I think the performance was ok, the children booed as I came on as the teacher as they thought I was still the Wicked Witch, I think I did change each characters characterisation but the costume wasn’t different enough and I think they thought I was the Wicked Witch in disguise. Also when I did come on as the Wicked Witch they did not stop booing me, according to the video they booed me for a full minute.I was not expecting such a huge reaction and I just did what I thought my character would do and tell them to ‘be quite’ and ‘shut up’ I also did hand gesture of them talking, it was really tough to deal with as every time I went to talk they just started booing again. I then decided to stand there and wait for them to calm down which they eventually did. Although it was annoying I think the booing was a good sign as they believed in my character and really hated me as much as they were supposed to. As the teacher I think I did well in adopting a different role and I changed my voice and body language making everything precise.The audience interacted with everything and more and seemed to have a lot of fun. When Catherine and I did the chase scene the children loved the water gun being fired, as I ran through they grabbed my cape which I had to react to again in the way the Wicked Witch would I told them to ‘Get off before I turned them into frogs’ from this I learnt that my teacher character needs more of a disguise, that I need to hold onto my cape while running through the crowd and to react to the boo’ing at first but then stand there and wait or them to quieten down. When I melted as the Wicked Witch I melted to the side of the stage and therefore had to stay there for a little while, which I didn’t mind as I needed to catch my breath anyway, I had to pick the right time to move off the stage and therefore picked the time when Sophie and Jess were running as I though the audience’s attention would be on them, it turned out it was and I did pick the right time to slip off.When we were at the performance we had forgotten the limbo poll and the camera and therefore had to improvise with the limbo poll and use another poll at the school, we also used Catherine’s phone to record the performance. I think as an individual and a group we met the assignment brief as we engaged, entertained and educated, We engaged the audience as they interacted with all points possible, they were entertained as they all were shouting and reacting and they were educated as when the fairy god mother asked questions they knew the answers. Over all I think the performance was really good and went really well.

Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Eight

â€Å"Oh,† I said lamely, stepping aside so that he could enter. â€Å"I thought you were someone else.† â€Å"Someone in a velvet dress shrieking at the top of her lungs?† he asked. He moved past me in that graceful way of his, and I noticed he was careful to keep a healthy distance between us without being asked, as though he suspected my aversion to touch. â€Å"Something like that.† I shut the door. He shrugged and immediately found the room's wine. â€Å"She won't bother you anymore,† he said, pouring a cup. â€Å"I'm sending her away.† â€Å"Yeah, she told me. You know, I feel kind of bad for her.† â€Å"Stop,† he ordered. â€Å"She's none of your concern. She should have had no expectations about her relationship with me.† â€Å"Yeah, well, she kind of did.† â€Å"Again, one angry person is none of your concern-not with everything else going on.† I grimaced. â€Å"I suppose not, though it sure seems like a lot of people are angry at me-oh. God. I nearly forgot. Do you have Volusian?† Dorian was setting his sword and cloak down. He didn't look happy at the reference. â€Å"Yes†¦I enslaved him to me.† â€Å"Can I†¦can I have him back?† He eyed me. â€Å"Are you sure that's what you want? It'd be better if we banished him together.† I hesitated, recalling Volusian's hands on my throat and knowing what would happen if I ever lost control again. I wouldn't, though. I would stay strong, and I needed him for what was to come. â€Å"Yes,† I said firmly. â€Å"I want him back.† Dorian shrugged. â€Å"Then I'll summon him later. Let's not ruin the moment just yet. He's quite depressing, you know.† Dorian strolled toward the window and bent over, picking up the dress I'd dropped. â€Å"This is lovely.† â€Å"I was going to put it on, but†¦but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I swallowed and nodded toward the window. â€Å"There's a, um, army out there.† He neatly laid the dress on the chair and glanced out the window. â€Å"Yes. Yes, there is. Yours and mine. Well, part of them.† â€Å"I can't believe this happened.† â€Å"Hiding from them won't make them go away.† â€Å"I kind of hoped it would.† He said nothing but gave me an expectant look. Something about it drew me out, and steeling myself up, I approached the window again, staring out at the wide, sandy stretch in the back of the castle. There were so many more than I'd expected-and this was only allegedly a portion of the soldiers that would be fighting Katrice. My small army in their mismatched attire stood in formation on one side. Dorian's â€Å"reserves† stood beside them, much more sharply dressed in deep green shirts under their leather armor and golden oak emblems. So many†¦and again, still not the whole force. More of his soldiers would join up, and then my numbers would grow when the call went out throughout the land when I went to Highmore-if I went there. â€Å"All of this,† I murmured, â€Å"all of this because of a chain of decisions. Me refusing Leith, him kidnapping me, you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't finish the words, but Dorian and I both knew what I'd been about to say. â€Å"Do you regret it?† he asked. â€Å"What I did?† He sounded as cool and confident as ever, but I could have sworn there was a tiny note of fear in his voice-fear that he'd done something I hadn't wanted. Kiyo's words about how I would regret all this came back to me, and I kept wondering if it was really worth it, all these men and women who might die†¦for what? For my honor? My revenge? I could still respond to Katrice's message, tell her I'd marry her nephew and make peace†¦. A knot formed in my stomach, and I knew that wasn't an option. I could never be with anyone in that family, not without thinking of Leith, of his hands and his body. I could never let her or anyone else think I or my people could be pushed around. After all, Leith hadn't just taken advantage of me. Those girls had suffered too. I was the protector of my people. I was the Thorn Queen and the Thorn Land both. An image of Dorian running his sword through Leith returned to my mind. Probably I should have found it gruesome. Instead, it brought me†¦peace. â€Å"No.† I turned and looked straight into Dorian's eyes. â€Å"I don't regret it. I†¦I'm glad you did it.† My voice wavered a little. â€Å"I'm so glad you did it.† His face transformed somewhat, filled with a type of wonder. I think he'd grown so accustomed to my usual style, my human way of being rational and merciful†¦Well, I think he'd been long bracing himself for my wrath. My earlier suspicion about the worry in his voice had been correct. He'd probably expected a reaction similar to when he'd given me the Thorn Land. The look on his face made me flustered and confused. I turned back to the window and admitted, â€Å"But I†¦I'm scared. I don't want to wage a war. I certainly don't know how to.† Dorian came to stand beside me, still careful to maintain a buffer between us. â€Å"It's in your blood,† he said. â€Å"Storm King was the greatest tactician in centuries.† â€Å"I'm not him. I don't want to be like him.† A nasty voice spoke in my head: But you called yourself Storm Queen, according to Kiyo. â€Å"You can inherit his genius without his cruelty,† said Dorian. â€Å"I suppose, but still†¦I still don't know what to do. Will you help me?† We turned to look at each other, and again, his face seemed to be lit from within. â€Å"Of course. You're not the only one Katrice is after. I'm the one who killed the poor bastard, remember?† The light faded from his face a bit at the reference to Leith. He leaned toward me, eyes intense. â€Å"I'd do it a thousand times over, if I could. War or not.† That earnestness in voice, that fierceness-it sent a shiver down my spine. â€Å"You only say that because we haven't gone to war yet. You don't know what's going to happen.† â€Å"Ah, Eugenie. I know. We will be victorious, you and me. We're the strongest monarchs in this world. Katrice knows this but is blinded by her grief and rage. You and I will lead this army, and we will conquer the Rowan Land. We'll split it between us, adding on to our own kingdoms†¦and from there, we can go anywhere. We could rule half this world together-all of this world-you and me. Kingdom after kingdom would fall to us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared him, almost caught up in his vision. The apprehension I'd been holding began to lift as I imagined us destroying her forces and me summoning up storms that made the world tremble. I laughed uneasily, alarmed at the way my thoughts had gone. â€Å"One kingdom's enough,† I said, the human part of me bringing me back to earth. â€Å"You say that now, but I tell you, it's in your blood.† He looked down at me intently, and those rapture-filled eyes seemed to be every shade of green and gold in the world. I fell into them. I felt beautiful in them. Like a goddess. â€Å"Eugenie, you're going to be a warrior queen the likes of which no one has ever seen. Your name will live on when Storm King's has faded to dust. You will lead your armies on-powerful, fearless, and beautiful. Katrice's ‘war' is but a skirmish you'll stamp out underneath your boot.† I had a disorienting moment then, recalling a vision I'd had in the Underworld. My soul had been seeking Kiyo's, but it was Dorian I'd seen in a dream-like state, with the two of us standing on a cliff before armies, both of us radiant and majestic. There'd been a baby in my arms and a crown on my head. I'd never told anyone about that. It had been a test, not a vision of the future. Trying to keep things light with Dorian, I asked, â€Å"And where will you be in all of this? Somehow I don't think you'll be lurking in the shadows.† â€Å"My sweet Eugenie,† he said, back to his flippant, gallant self, â€Å"there you go, always suspecting ulterior motives.† He straightened up, affecting a dignified air. â€Å"I, of course, shall be by your side.† I laughed. Dorian would always be Dorian. â€Å"Sharing in that glory and power, no doubt.† â€Å"A little, certainly.† His mirth vanished, and he grew serious once more. â€Å"But also there to keep you safe. Whatever battles you engage in, whether you choose to conquer this world or simply go back to exorcising ghosts†¦what happened with Leith will never, never happen again. Not while I live. I swear it. I will always keep you safe.† He moved forward but was still careful not to touch me. The vehemence in his voice was so strong, however, that it was practically tangible. â€Å"Always.† My smile was gone. I studied him for a long time and realized I believed him. Kiyo had failed me. Dorian would not. And I realized then that I'd been an idiot to keep trying to push Dorian away. Did I entirely trust his motives? No. I did trust him to protect me, though. I'd realized just before my capture that I loved both him and Kiyo, loved them just as my blood and soul were also split in two. The two halves of my nature would always war with each other. And right now, I didn't need the cautious human half that would rationally seek peace. I needed the part of me that wasn't afraid to unleash all the power I had, to charge forward with no restraints. I needed Dorian right now. It was his love that was going to allow me to be strong and unafraid of what was to come. Slowly, hesitantly, I reached out and caught hold of his hand. It was monumental. I think he knew it was, too. I hadn't been able to stand anyone except my mother touching me these last couple of weeks. I certainly hadn't been able to handle any man doing it. His eyes widened slightly at my contact, and I realized he was holding his breath, afraid for me. I held his hand, feeling its warmth and the long, smooth fingers. There was so much power in connecting with another person, in having physical closeness. With just as much care as I'd used to touch it, I moved his hand to rest on my hip and stepped forward. Dorian swallowed, and for the first time since I'd known him, he looked timid. â€Å"Eugenie-â€Å" I pressed a finger to his lips and then stood on tiptoe to kiss him. His mouth opened instantly to mine, warm and eager. I pushed myself closer to him, but when I put his other arm around me, he pulled back slightly. I could feel and see the desire all over him, but he shook his head. â€Å"No, no†¦it's too soon†¦.† â€Å"I'm the one who says when it's too soon.† I kissed him again, harder, and was surprised at how quickly the lust burned through my body. Despite what I'd just said, I had believed until this moment that I would never want another man. But being near Dorian, feeling that electricity and power crackle between us†¦it brought forth all the old desire I'd been fighting recently, the desire that had nearly made me give in to him in that little village, back when I'd still been committed to Kiyo†¦ But I had no such commitments now. He returned my kiss with equal intensity, his hands running along my hips. The passion was seizing him, he was starting to lose himself in it. Then, like before, some reasonable part of him slapped him to attention one more time. I think the world would have been shocked to know the Oak King had such a conscience. He broke away again, but this time, I didn't let him speak. â€Å"Do you want my most recent time to be with him?† I demanded. â€Å"Do you want Leith to be the memory I carry with me of the last time I had sex?† My fingers moved to the buttons of my short-sleeved cotton shirt and unfastened them all. Catching hold of his hands, I brought them toward my chest, spreading the shirt apart and making him touch my breasts. I'd gone braless today, and his hands felt warm where they stroked my bare skin. â€Å"Make this my memory,† I said huskily, with a bit more command in my voice than I'd intended. â€Å"Make it good. Make this be what I think of when I think of sex. Finish what you started that day†¦.† His hands no longer needed my urging. He cupped my breasts, fingers dancing around my nipples. At the same time, he pushed me toward the bed, laying me out on my back. His mouth crushed me with its kiss, and then his lips moved down my neck and to my breasts, taking one of my nipples in his mouth. He sucked gently at first, tongue darting back and forth, but then his lips grew more urgent. His teeth nipped at me while his hands deftly slid my jeans off. After they were on the floor, he sat up a moment, surveying me and all the bare skin before him. Not having him touch me was agony, and I reached up, unfastening the bejeweled belt and his pants. He backed off the bed, standing up so that he could push his pants down the rest of the way. His shirt came off next, and then he stood there naked before me for my inspection, the perfect, marble god he'd been once before. Looking over the leanness of his muscles, how strong and hard he was, I felt my own body respond urgently. I'd complained to Kiyo before about foreplay, but right now, I wanted none with Dorian-though I had no doubt he would have given me hours of it, armies be damned. â€Å"Don't wait,† I begged him as I pushed my panties down over my hips. â€Å"Don't wait.† He caught hold of the panties and pulled them the rest of the way. I thought he'd join me on the bed, but instead he remained standing. He caught hold of my ankles and pulled me toward him until my ass just rested on the bed's edge. Still holding my ankles, he brought my legs up so they were nearly straight in the air, almost leaning on his shoulders. Then he leaned forward and pushed into me, moaning at the warmth and wetness he found there. I threw my hands over my head, arching my body up and watching as he thrust back and forth. His eyes were on me too, taking in every part of me. There was something special about sex in the daylight, particularly with him standing over me like that so we could both fully see each other. There was no hiding. Everything was exposed. Vulnerable. It's easy to feel insecure in such moments, but I didn't, not with the way he looked at me, not with just lust-but with awe and adoration too. He buried himself in me over and over, hard and forceful without being painful. It was such a lifetime away from what had taken place at Art's house that I realized nothing there could even be considered sex. Having Dorian in me felt good and right. My body was brimming with need, and he felt like fire where he moved between my thighs. That heat intensified within me, and I felt a spark of aching pleasure grow stronger and stronger, fueled with each thrust. I cried out, feeling my body on the verge of orgasm, and when it came, it was like an explosion of me, of the world†¦pure ecstasy and elation bursting from between my thighs to the tips of my fingers and toes. He set my legs back flat on the bed and then lay on top of me, never breaking stride. If anything, he pumped more forcefully, nearing his own climax. That glorious hair rained down on my face, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in the silken strands. His own arms wrapped around my body, encircling me like a cocoon as his hips moved harder and harder. Then, he exclaimed loudly, words that had no real form, and pressed his face against my neck as he came, his body spilling into mine. I held him close as he breathed heavily against my neck, his heart racing. Minutes passed, and his body finally calmed, though I continued to hold him. Finally, without breaking from my embrace, he lifted his head and brushed the hair from my face. â€Å"I told you, Eugenie. I told you the world would be reborn when we were together. It will be reborn, and we will conquer it all†¦.† I brushed his lips with my fingers. â€Å"Don't get carried away. We're just settling a grudge here.† The look in his eyes told me he believed a lot more would come of that, but he wisely said nothing. Rolling over, he settled beside me on the covers, and we both lay there, our fingers interlaced. â€Å"I suppose,† I said at last, â€Å"I should go talk to all those people out there, seeing as they're going to risk their lives for my honor.† â€Å"It's more than just your honor,† he said. â€Å"It's the land's too. You are the land, and when they see you, they will gladly fight for you.† I sat up, my eyes falling on the silk dress. â€Å"I guess I've got to play the part. Too bad there's no crown.† Dorian sat up as well. â€Å"Isn't there?† He walked over to the table he'd set his sword and cloak upon when entering. I'd been too distraught to notice at the time, but there was a small cloth-wrapped bundle there too. He brought it over to me, and I found myself holding my breath. I suddenly knew what it was, and I was afraid. â€Å"What's wrong?† he asked when he held it out to me and I didn't take it. â€Å"I†¦I had a dream†¦.† I couldn't explain that vision from the Underworld to him, that one where we'd stood on the hill together. When we had, I'd accepted Storm King's crown-or, well, a feminine version of it-and that's when I'd found myself looking down upon all those soldiers waiting to fight for me. â€Å"What kind of dream?† â€Å"It's hard to explain.† Not waiting for me, Dorian unwrapped the bundle himself. My heart lurched as I braced myself to see it again, an elaborate work of platinum, laden with diamonds and amethysts†¦ But it wasn't. The crown he held was gold and very, very delicate. I hesitantly took it and studied the fine details of it. There were little roses etched into it-roses with lots of thorns. Tiny emeralds-nothing too overwhelming-were scattered amongst the golden leaves. It didn't resemble Storm King's crown at all. â€Å"This is Girard's work,† I said with certainty. â€Å"It is,† Dorian agreed, running a finger down my bare arm. He seemed relieved that I had taken the crown. â€Å"You aren't the only one who can commission projects.† â€Å"But he works for Katrice.† â€Å"Not anymore. Remember that day you met him? I told you then he was an opportunist. He's rolled the dice and decided we're the side to align with-which, of course, we are. He'll come in very handy for weapons, I think.† My eyes were still on the crown and its beauty. I couldn't explain how relieved I was that it was nothing like the crown from the vision. Hesitantly, I lifted it and rested it on top of my head. I looked to Dorian for confirmation. â€Å"What do you think?† He smiled, reaching out to straighten it and arrange my hair slightly. â€Å"Go see for yourself.† Climbing out of bed, I walked over to the full-length mirror and surveyed myself. I was still naked, all that pale skin contrasting with the red of my hair and the glitter of the crown. My hair didn't have the blond that Jasmine's did, but it had the occasional gold highlight, and the crown made those locks gleam as they rested just past my shoulders. The emeralds were subtle, not gaudy, but vivid enough to further set off my hair and eyes. â€Å"So what do you think?† Dorian asked. I glanced over at him, still sprawled on the bed and watching me with amusement. I turned back to the mirror, studying my naked, crowned self. I smiled. â€Å"I think it looks good on me.†