Value Alignment free essay sample

Apple Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication, media devices, personal computers, portable digital music players, and sells related software services (Partner, 2013). The founders of Apple were Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne, and Steve Wozniak; Wayne sold his part of the company to Jobs and Wozniak for $800. Apple went public in 1980 at $22 a share. Apple is the second largest technology company, third largest cell phone producer and in the top 10 fortune 500 list. The origins and subsequent evolution of workplace values have not changes for Apple over the years. Apple has maintained their core values such as hiring the right person, performance, and integrity and innovation. Details remain a high priority to apple because they have seen the results in their success. It is important to be ethically sound and treat people fair. The individual values mentioned are what drive each of our team members’ actions and behaviors. The driving force behind each member’s perception of the value has a purposeful meaning that comes about whether or not consciously thought about while performing unified tasks. We will write a custom essay sample on Value Alignment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to Graziadio Business Report (2009), Values drive behavior and need to be consciously stated, but they also need to be affirmed by actions. This is necessary as many may speak about their values, but one sees what is genuine when actions put into words. Values exert influence over our attitudes and attitudes influence our behavior. Values are integral to attitude formation and to how we respond to people and situations. Individual values drive different behaviors, which in turn drive personal performance and ultimately organizational performance (Graziadio Business Report, 2009). Driving ethical behavior with values and attitudes requires that there be alignment among values, attitudes, and behavior. The four main values that this team recognize as important are integrity, teamwork, performance, and learning. Although each member has varying reasons to use these values, in different degrees of priority, there are times that putting personal motivations aside and acting with objectivity by doing what is right being put into place. This team has proven that the values they state are well aligned with the actions performed. Acting justly and fairly is a long-term driver of ethical behavior. Remembering the â€Å"Golden Rule† helps formulate the drive. Personal and workplace values, ethics play an important role in any organization that is imperative to success. To attain a successful alignment between corporate and individual values, there needs to be a symbiotic relationship between the company and the people it employs. This benefit contains an important value to both the organization and the employee. Apple accepts change and addresses it in the mission and vision statement as well as the values of the company. The values provide direction for the employees, partners, and customers. Apple is successful in the hi-tech market, it is also known for its inability to diversify its workforce. In order for Apple Inc. to be successful, it must be able to understand and embraces diversity, within employment, partners of the company, the markets, and countries Apple Inc. does business in. Diversity of employees, partners, and customers illustrates the values found in the School of Ethical Relativism. This concept states values are different from culture to culture, and society to society and the values will change to be acceptable within the culture or society beliefs (2004 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. ). Apple is very dedicated to serving their shareholders in the most professional and ethical ways possible. Apple has a system of governance that oversees the day to day operations of the Chief Executive Officer and all senior management. This system of governance is called the Board of Directors. â€Å"To satisfy the Boards duties, directors are expected to take a proactive, focused approach to their positions, and set standards to ensure that Apple is committed to business success through the maintenance of high standards of responsibility and ethics. † (Governance, 2014). The board has generated committee charters and guidelines for governance such as business conduct policies, anti-corruption policies, corporate governance guidelines, conflict of interest guidelines, political contributions and expenditure, related party transactions and many others. These measures to ensure honesty are very professionally enforced and put together very well. Apple has gone above and beyond to ensure a high level of ethics to guarantee a positive outcome for their employees and shareholders. These values are a great foundation for any business to implement to ensure a solid relationship with owners and shareholders while simultaneously protecting their customers and employees in all day to day operations. Since its inception in 1984 the Apple Inc. has grown to become one of the biggest well-known companies in the world. This ascension came about from smart management, innovative ideas and marketing as well as research and development. To conclude team B will analyzed the origins, motivations and developments of personal values that affect every day practices, and identify the origins and developments of values within the workplace. This discussion also identified the values of Apple Inc. and explained how all were aligned with the plans and actions including an explanation of the differences between company and personal values.

Climatic Hazards-Causes,Impacts and Response essays

Climatic Hazards-Causes,Impacts and Response essays a) Discuss the atmospheric processes responsible for (i) strong winds (ii) drought. Strong winds are largely caused by differences in pressure over areas of the land. Wind direction is always from low pressure to high pressure as if a high pressure system is dominant over an area the air can only rise and once it has risen the only place for it to move is to a low pressure area. This determines how fast or weak the winds are. The closer the isobars are the quicker the air can move from high to low pressure thus the winds are stronger. Very strong winds can be found around the equator because the intense heating of the land means that the air rises more quickly. Hurricanes form in this area near the Americas. They develop as hot seawater, which can acquire temperatures of 27c or above, heats the air above it. As this air starts to rise it draws moisture up form the sea like a vacuum. An area of intense low pressure is formed in the centre, this is called the eye of the storm and is an area of calm. As air is sucked up to replace the rising air, winds of about 150-200kph initiate. Cumulo nimbus clouds form and torrential rain starts to fall. The sea is a constant form of strength for them as more and more warm moist air is sucked up, this is why as they begin to travel over land they start to die out. Tornadoes are very similar to hurricanes and cyclone (the Asian equivalent of a Hurricane) although they occur on a smaller scale and originate over land, which is why they are less powerful. They are most common in America, especially in an area nicknamed tornado alley, which stretches from Canadas Great Lakes to Texas. The rotation of the Earth creates another force, termed Coriolis force, which acts upon wind and other objects in motion in very predictable ways. According to Newton's first law of motion, air will remain moving in a straight line unless it is influenced by an unbalanc...

SAT Admission Ticket What It Is, How to Print It Out, and What to Do if You Lose It

SAT Admission Ticket What It Is, How to Print It Out, and What to Do if You Lose It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’ve signed up for the SAT, you’ve probably heard that you need an SAT admission ticket to get in on test day. The College Board makes a big deal about these tickets, and it can be stressful to figure out how to input all your information, get the right picture, and find a way to print the ticket. Don’t worry! This guide will walk you through exactly what the admission ticket is, how to print it out, and what to do if you lose it. What Is the SAT Admission Ticket? The admission ticket is your proof that you are registered to take the SAT. You must have it to be admitted to the testing center on test day.It also has helpful information about your testing center (for you) and any accommodations you might need (for your proctor). I've included my SAT admission ticket below, so you can see what one looks like. Let's go through the key sections- I numbered them above. Your photo: it's a picture of you! The College Board requires this to help discourage cheating. There's lots more info about how to pick a good photo below. Your personal information: This section contains info like your address and your birth date. Make sure it's all correct well in advance of your test date. Test day info: This section has information about when and where you're testing and which test you're taking (the SAT, the SAT with Essay, or the SAT Subject Tests). Notes for students: This section includes special instructions for what to do when you get to the test center. For example, at my testing center, I had to pay a dollar to park and got my room assignment at building FF. (Despite the instructions, I hit a few snags, so remember to leave yourself plenty of time no matter how prepared you are.) Supervisor instructions:This section includes any extra info your proctor might need. For most students, it's blank, but if you do have special accommodations of some kind, politely remindyour proctor when you arrive. Why Do You Need an SAT Admission Ticket? Essentially, the admission ticket is meant to prove you are who you say you are. In its current form, the ticket is a reaction to issues the College Board has had with cheating: students would have someone else register in their name and take the test for them. Make sure to bring your SAT ticketwith you on the day of the test or you won’t be allowed in. How Do You Get an SAT Admission Ticket? As you might have gathered, in order to get an admission ticket you must register for the SAT. If you haven’t already done so, you can find step-by-step instructions here. During that process, there are two key steps that you'll need to complete to get your SAT ticket. How to Pick a Photo During that process, you’ll be asked to provide a photo for your ticket. This can seem daunting, because the College Board has a lot of rules for what kind of photo you can use. There’s no need to panic, however. The key points are that it needs to be a photo of you that is just your head and shoulders and is well-lit enough that you’re easily recognizable. If you have a .jpg version of your school photo, you can use that. Another good option is using a webcam to just snap a photo right with your computer. Otherwise, get a friend or family member to help you take a headshot with a phone or digital camera. How to Print Your SAT Admission Ticket When you’re done with registration, a screen will come up with your SAT Admission Ticket. Make sure all the information is correct and then print out. It can be in color or in black and white- as long as all of the information, including your photo, is clearly visible. If you prefer, you canwait to print the ticket out later. You can access it anytime through your College Board account. Print your ticket out in advance so you don't have to worry if the printer decides not to work. But What Should You Do If... ...You Lose Your Admission Ticket? If you misplace your ticket, don’t panic! It's easy to reprint a lost SAT admission ticket. Just go to the College Board website and sign in. Click on the link for â€Å"Print My Admission Ticket† and reprint. ...You Realize the Information on the Ticket is Incorrect? Again, this problem is easily fixed by logging into â€Å"My SAT.† You can edit your personal information at any time, up until the Monday before the test date. Remember to reprint the ticket once you’ve made your changes to ensure that it matches the information that the College Board has on file. ...You Get to the Test Center and Realize You Don't Have Your Ticket? The proctors will not let you take the test without your ticket, so if you don't have it you'll be in a bad spot. However, you can try having a friend or family member bring it to you if they live nearby. It’s better to avoid this situation all together, so make sure you have everything you need for the test together in one place the night before. If you’re prone to losing things (or just very paranoid), you can also try: making a backup copy and putting it in the car. taping the ticket and your ID to your calculator. Having a system will make you more likely to remember everything you need on the day of the test. Key Facts to Remember About Your SAT Admission Ticket Let's review the important points you need to keep in mind: You must have your admission ticket to get into the test center on the day of the SAT. Your picture must be recognizable as you. Make sure to print your ticket out at least the night before so you know you have it. You can print your SAT admission ticket at any time by logging into â€Å"My SAT.† If you have any other questions about the SAT ticket, just post them in the comments! More Suggested Reading If you're uncertain about the registration process, check out our step-by-step walkthrough of the process (with pictures) and our guides to when to test, how much the SAT costs, how to cancel your registration, and whether you should send the four free score reports. If, on the other hand, your test date is right around the corner, read up on these last minute test day tips that will help you reach your ideal SAT score. Finally, consider taking a look at some of our SAT prep materials. We have great guides for all three sections, including general strategies, study tips, and in depth skill reviews(there are links to each section on the right). Try starting with our guide to the 5 tips that you must use, which will get you thinking about the test in the right way. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Your Opinion on Chapter 2 on Pictures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Your Opinion on Chapter 2 on Pictures - Essay Example e) (Sporre 32) could be illustrated with the description of devastating toil and health losses which Sistine Chapel actually came to be for Michelangelo ("Michelangelo Paints the Sistine Chapel"). Plausibly, such explications are often given in the passages about photography: for instance, Stieglitz took his city photos with a new technology that allowed depicting the streets in motion but was virtually impossible for the previous generation of photographers (Sporre 41). Another interesting case of technique description occurs in the paragraph distinguishing between baroque and post-impressionism: the latter, Sporre insists, was more formalistic in a sense that it exhibited rather the very tools of picture making (brush strokes etc.) than mere content (31). The list of exemplifying works is remarkable for its multiculturality: Sporre includes not only acknowledged Western painters but also the work by Native American watercolor painter Harrison Begay and Thomas Joshua Cooper’s photography with intriguing description (42); the author also mentions social and gender problems in the discussion of Dorothea Lange’s (45) and Betye Saar’s (33) works. Some of the described techniques and painting characteristics are distinctly Asian: for instance, wash and brush technique (Sporre 30) and shifting perspective (Sporre 58-59). What the chapter lacks is a section about painting and photography genres: there is a whole body of landscape, portrait, and still life theory that is useful in artwork interpretation. A separate section is dedicated to the theory of colors (grayscale and the variety of colors) (Sporre 51-52). This section could be useful not only for art connoisseurs but also for those who would like to master graphic redactors. Again, several passages about optics could be added to this section, but it already contains enough of useful information. Begay, Harrison. Women Picking Corn. N. d. National Museum of American Indian, Smithsonian Institution. Sporre,

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Article Review - Essay Example Building unity and a strong team ethic becomes even more difficult when employees are from diverse cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. A seasoned manager would then try to answer the question: ‘How can teams be supported more effectively?’ In trying to answer this question, managers will have to look into many areas of the organization, including â€Å"organizational culture, managers and management practices, policies, procedures, work practices, reward systems, resources, task parameters, types of people assigned to teams, etc†. (Bandow, 2001, p.42) While some of these parameters are easy to work on, instilling a sense of trust is a much more challenging task. The concept of structured trust is particularly relevant to creating sound teamwork: â€Å"standardized processes, contracts and other verbal and written agreements can all serve as forms of structured trust, and managers can facilitate teams to help establish trust structures.† (Bandow, 2001, p.42) Bandow goes on to list more questions that managers need to answer as a way of building sound teamwork.

History of the Beer Growler Essay Example for Free

History of the Beer Growler Essay Introduction I. Attention-getter: Does anyone know what the term Growler means and how it relates to beer? (merriam-webster. com) A container for beer bought by the measure (can, pitcher, bottle, etc) II. Thesis statement: Beer is drank everyday in the United States, without a single consideration of the vessels they come in or how they came to be. III. Preview of Main Points: Today were going to discuss, when the growler first emerged, how it got its name, and the common day growler. Transition: Starting with my first point, when growlers first appeared. 1. The first growlers are believed to have emerged in the mid 1800s. A. The consumer wanted to drink beer at home, and during lunch breaks at work. B. They were the only way to have beer outside of the saloon or local tavern C. Growlers varied from glass, to pottery, to the most popular being a 2qt galvanized pail with lid. D. (focusonthebeer. com) they were sold as a pint, and filled 1/2 beer, and 1/2 foam. . Transition: Now that we have discussed when they emerged, lets talk about how they got their name. 2. The term growler is actually up for some debate. A. Some believe it was sound of CO2 escaping from the lid of the pail. B. Others believe it was rumbling of the stomachs of workers waiting to have beer during lunch. C. (bottles. net) Many also believe it was conflict between the bartender, and the customer. The customer was growling about not having a full pail, and the bartender was growling about only having to charge for a pint. Transition: Lastly we are going to discuss the common day growler. 3. It wasnt until 1989 when it emerged again, in what we are familiar with today in terms of the growler A. (beeradvocate. com) In 1989 Charlie Otto is being credited for what we see in today’s growler B. (grandtetonbrewing. com) formerly Otto brothers brewing company Otto wanted to allow his customers to take beer home and enjoy it. C. After discussing this with his father, his father told him he needs a growler, which his father remembers getting filled for his father. D. Common day growler is a glass jug with a small handle. Often times with the Brewery label silk screened on the bottle Conclusion A. Review of Main Points: Today we have went over when the growler emerged, how it got its name, and the common day growler. B. Residual message: Today the growler is particularly popular with the craft beer breweries; it is believed to have stopped over 1 billion bottles, and cans going into the trash each year. References: Source 1 Merriam-Webster, 2013. Definition of the word Growler. Available from Merriam-Webster via internet (http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/growler). Source 2 IGrind, November 12, 2011. The Growler: Part 1 The Past. Available via the internet (http://www. focusonthebeer. com/2011/11/growler-part-1-past. html) Source 3 Jess Kidden, 2013. History of the Growler Available via the internet (http://www. bottless. net/The_History_of_The_Beer_Growler_s/605. htm) Source 4 BeerAdvocate, July 31, 2002. The Growler: Beer-to-Go! Available via the internet (http://beeradvocate. com/articles/384) Source 5 Grand Teton Brewing, Growler History. Available via the internet (http://www. grandtetonbrewing. com/Growlers. html).

life :: essays research papers

Life's Message A time comes in your life when you finally get it . . . when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out * ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you . . . and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance. You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are . . . and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself . . . and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself ... and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties...and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche.

American living in Qatar

Every year a considerable number of Americans leave their country to accomplish some obligations or accomplishments overseas. American expatriates have to take some things into consideration if they are to be successful in attaining their objectives. It is very important to ensure that if one is going overseas to accomplish the goals of a company that he or she works with, then the company ought to provide the required resources to facilitate their easy settlement. It is also very critical that the expatriate attains or rather acquire some basic information on the host country’s culture and language if they are to relate well with the locals.Companies in the US that send their workers overseas ensure that the individuals in question fulfill other important obligations for instance to their spouses as well as to their families. Qatar is a Middle East country that has been able to register an increasing economic growth courtesy of its rich oil and gas reserves. Oil and gas contr ibute to a tune of 60% of the country’s total GDP, 85 % of the export earnings and 70% of the government revenues. (CIA, 2008). Despite the fact that it has the highest per capita income the recent inflation rates have raised much concerns.According to the country’s Central Bank the inflation rate has since the last quarter of the year 2006 fluctuated from 11. 3 to 14. 8, 12. 8 and 13. 7. (Qatar Central Bank). Analysts argue that the increasing inflation rate is attributed to the increasing oil prices and the fluctuating value of the US dollar. (AME Info, 2008). Qatar foundation for Education Science and Community Development is a chartered non profit organization whose main focus is to develop the country’s human capital to match the demands of the competitive world. To attain this goal the foundation supports important projects like the Education City.Housing cost Qatar like the other oil producing countries has been registering increased housing costs aggrava ted by the world surging prices of food and energy. The cost of housing is thought to have risen by approximately three times what it initially was. Single expatriates are estimated to spend approximately 12,000 Qatar Riyals for rent and utilities while married couples with two children would require 25,000 Qatar Riyals for the same. (UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Cost of living in Qatar Increased inflation rates in Qatar have precipitated the increased cost of living and the prices of almost all products have gone up.Expatriates who have been unable to afford to lead decent lives have been forced to leave Qatar. Americans working in the Qatar universities as well as in the Education City have had to increase the money spent on various activities. The cost of almost everything has risen at a high level. Entertainment costs, travel costs as well as communication costs have also risen. Single persons are estimated to spend 3,000 Qatar Riyals on food and domestic needs while married co uples with two children would require 6000 Qatar Riyals.Single persons are estimated to spend transport and communication 800 Qatar Riyals, 600 for clubs and sports and on clothing and sundries 1,100 Qatar Riyals would be used. (UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Married couple with two children would need 1,500 Qatar Riyals on transport and communication, 900 Qatar Riyals on clubs and sports and 1,400 Qatar Riyals for clothing and sundries. Taxation. Although the Qatar government taxes corporations doing business within its borders it does not tax personal income and this is an incentive to work.Without this tax then the disposable income is relatively high compared with a situation where it was applied. (Wallace, 2005). Health care Health care in Qatar is free for the Qatar citizens but American expatriates have to pay for their health care. Prior arrangements must be made if they are to have the cost of their health care covered by their insurances otherwise they are expected to pay i n cash after they are treated. It is estimated that after the inflationary effects, health care for an executive expatriate was 500 Qatar Riyals (QR) for a single person and 700 for a family with two children.(UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Education The government of Qatar does not provide free education to foreigners who must make their own arrangements on where their relevant family members are to get educated. Americans working in the Qatar university as well as the Education City take their children to international schools in the country. The cost of education has also risen as school fees have been raised tremendously. The school fee for two children was estimated to be 2,500 Qatar Riyals. (UK Trade & Investment, 2008). Advantages of living in Qatar Qatar is an exciting country to live and work in.American expatriates can enjoy living in the country which favors pro-American business climate. Qatar is focused in ensuring that it enhances economic modernization and is ready to face up the challenge. Working in such a country is good especially for the expatriates as their efforts can be fast and well appreciated. (Wallace, 2005). There is political stability in the Qatar and president Emir favors strong US relations while advocating for regional peace and stability. Approximately four fifth of the people working in Qatar are expatriates from other countries and this diversity is beneficial for the American living and working in Qatar.The country has a reduced incidence of crime and terror attacks against Americans are minimal. (Wallace, 2005). Disadvantages of living in Qatar The legal system in Qatar is not very clear cut. Again, being a Muslim country where the Islamic laws are followed at the expense of civil codes it is unclear for the American expatriates to understand what is expected of them. (Karamanaian). The increased cost of living is also a disadvantage of living in Qatar as when people spend more money to meet their basic needs there is littl e amount left as savings. Investment is reduced when there is reduced savings.Meeting other obligations becomes difficult as most of the earnings are spent to meet the basic needs like on food, education and health. American expatriates must respect the culture of the people of Qatar and by doing so they have to forego some of the things they believe in. Teachers must censor anything that does not auger well with the Islamic beliefs. This paper has by and large examined the plight of an American living and working in Qatar. It has discussed the hardships that such a person undergoes as well as the opportunities that one has at their disposal while working in the Qatar University or Education City.Working in Qatar has both its advantages as well as disadvantages. The cost of living is relatively high due to the increasing inflation. There are challenges to be overcome if one is to be successful in fulfilling his or her accomplishments. Respecting the culture of the Qatar people will be a necessity rather than a requirement if one is to effectively fulfill ones obligations. Censorship must be used where necessary to ensure that the people culture is respected. Language barrier can be a problem for an American working in Qatar as most students are conversant with Arabic language and translations could distort the intended meaning.References: AME Info. 2008. Inflation puts Qatar dollar peg back under the spotlight. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from http://www. ameinfo. com/160201. html. CIA. The World Fact book. Qatar. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/qa. html Douglas Wallace. 2005. Rules of doing business in Qatar. http://www. export. gov/middleeast/country_information/qatar/ConsiderQatarGuide. pdf. Qatar Foundation. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from http://www. qf. edu. qa/output/page1. asp UK Trade & Investment, 2008 Countries: Asia – Middle East –Qatar. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from https://www. uktradeinvest. gov. uk/ukti/appmanager/ukti/countries;jsessionid=H2GdxSvn8fZhzxLlnbjH9KSN1YQQPThB4lsz6gPBJ2kn35lGVftL! 750510! NONE? _nfpb=true&portlet_3_5_actionOverride=%2Fpub%2Fportlets%2FgenericViewer%2FshowContentItem&_windowLabel=portlet_3_5&portlet_3_5navigationPageId=%2Fqatar&portlet_3_5navigationContentPath=%2FBEA+Repository%2F325%2F226889&_pageLabel=CountryType Susan Karamanaian. Lessons learnt from an American in the Gulf States. Qatar Central Bank. 2006. Retrieved on 2nd July 2008 from http://www. qcb. gov. qa/.

Possible Exam Questions Elizabeth Essay

‘Tudor monarchs experienced more failures than successes in dealing with religion in England in the years 1547 to 1587.’ Assess the validity of this view. Students may refer to some of the following material in support of the claim that religious Policies were successful: †¢ after 1549 there were no rebellions against the religious changes introduced during Edward VI’s reign †¢ Religious changes in Mary’s reign enjoyed popular support in most parts of the country †¢ Over the course of thirty years there was a gradual acceptance of the religious changes introduced by the Elizabethan Settlement †¢ ‘Puritan’ opposition to the Elizabethan Settlement had become weak by 1588. Nevertheless, there are a number of other factors to consider: †¢ Religious changes had helped to bring about rebellion in 1549 †¢ Religious change in Mary’s reign had been resisted by Protestant martyrs †¢ There was continued evidence of Catholic survivalism under Elizabeth, especially in The north, which witnessed a rebellion in 1569 which was largely religious in origin †¢ There was opposition to the Elizabethan Settlement from those who had felt that it had not gone far enough. Furthermore, students may legitimately point out that the powers of enforcement of religious Policy were variable, as they were dependent on the support of local officials who might not always have been completely supportive of the policies themselves. Historiographical approaches are not required to answer this question effectively. However, the effective deployment of perspectives derived from historians such as Duffy, Haigh, Collinson and Lake are likely to show skills of a high order. In conclusion, students may conclude that governments enjoyed mixed fortunes in their attempts to promote religious change. To what extent did royal authority decline in the years 1547 to 1558? Students may refer to the following to support the case that royal authority  was undermined: †¢ The frequency of rebellion, including the contribution of the rebellions of 1549 to the downfall of Somerset †¢ The extent to which royal authority might have been hamstrung by Edward’s minority, in particular through the actions of Somerset †¢ The extent to which both monarchs faced open opposition to their religious policies †¢The extent to which royal authority might have been undermined by Mary’s marriage to Philip of Spain. Nevertheless, there are a number of other factors to consider which suggest that royal authority might not have been undermined: †¢ Religious reforms under Edward VI, whilst undoubtedly unpopular, were pushed through ruthlessly †¢ The legitimate succession was upheld in 1553, despite the machinations of Edward VI and Northumberland †¢ In many respects Mary can be seen to have been a successful ruler †¢ Mary’s legacy to Elizabeth was, in many respects, positive. Furthermore, students may explore some of these issues within a historiographical framework, though this is not required. This might apply especially to recent revisions of the reign of Mary. In conclusion, students should offer evaluations which draw on a balance of arguments for and against the loss of authority by the mid-Tudor monarchs. The rebellions which occurred during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I were mainly political in origin.’ Assess the validity of this view. Candidates may refer to some of the following material in support of the claim that the rebellions were primarily political: †¢ local political antagonisms seem to have been at the root of the East Anglian rebellions †¢ it is difficult to separate out the western rebels’ religious motives from their political distaste for the regime †¢ Wyatt’s Rebellion seems to have been primarily focused on the desire to prevent Queen Mary from marrying Philip of Spain. Nevertheless, there are a number of other factors to consider: †¢ the western rebels were primarily motivated by their resentment at the scale of the attack on popular religious practices †¢ the demands of the western rebels,  whilst mostly religious, are also couched in a language which seems to indicate a significant level of class antagonism †¢ both the western and East Anglian rebels had significant social and economic motives †¢ it has recently been argued that conservative religious sentiments were present amongst the East Anglian rebels †¢ the overtly political motivation of Wyatt and many of his fellow rebels was reinforced by the popular Protestantism of some of his followers. In conclusion, candidates may differentiate between motivation for the various rebellions.

The Mongol Catastrophe essays

The Mongol Catastrophe essays The Mongol Catastrophe In my opinion this is definitely a neutral description of the Mongols. The document even says itself that the arrival of the Mongols is the greatest catastrophe and the most dire calamity that has ever been afflicted on a society. While reading the article one goes through a number of different feelings. At first glance it seems as if the Mongols are being portrayed as powerful and as a society with no other equal. It says the Tartars conquered the most habitable part of the globe and the most populous part of it where the inhabitants were the most advanced in character and conduct. It also says that no country was able to escape their devastations and conquest. But the article also gives me the impression that the Mongols were somewhat savages and they kind of even reminded me of the Vikings. The Vikings were the most feared of the invaders that began mounting raids in northern France. It talks about how the Mongols have no supplies and how they ride these beast. It also talks ab out how they eat all the beastly animals from dogs to pigs. It also suggest that they regarded nothing as unlawful and dont even recognize the marriage-tie. It even says that their children that were born often dont even know their own father. So in my opinion the primary document depicts the Mongols in both a positive and a negative light. In one sense you get the feeling that they were just a overpowering society that dominated local civilizations but on the other hand they are just simply portrayed as un-mannered savages. The Mongols might be compared to Alexander for a number of different reasons. Similar to the Mongols Alexander the Great gained his power by using military force. Just like the Mongols invaded the eastern lands, Alexander invaded Persia with its 48,000 strong army of Macedonians. They were also similar to the Huns in the sense that they both invaded civilization...

A Game of Thrones Chapter Seventy

He strapped his roll to the saddle, his scarred fingers stiff and clumsy. â€Å"Ghost,† he called softly, â€Å"to me.† And the wolf was there, eyes like embers. â€Å"Jon, please. You must not do this.† He mounted, the reins in his hand, and wheeled the horse around to face the night. Samwell Tarly stood in the stable door, a full moon peering over his shoulder. He threw a giant’s shadow, immense and black. â€Å"Get out of my way, Sam.† â€Å"Jon, you can’t,† Sam said. â€Å"I won’t let you.† â€Å"I would sooner not hurt you,† Jon told him. â€Å"Move aside, Sam, or I’ll ride you down.† â€Å"You won’t. You have to listen to me. Please . . . â€Å" Jon put his spurs to horseflesh, and the mare bolted for the door. For an instant Sam stood his ground, his face as round and pale as the moon behind him, his mouth a widening O of surprise. At the last moment, when they were almost on him, he jumped aside as Jon had known he would, stumbled, and fell. The mare leapt over him, out into the night. Jon raised the hood of his heavy cloak and gave the horse her head. Castle Black was silent and still as he rode out, with Ghost racing at his side. Men watched from the Wall behind him, he knew, but their eyes were turned north, not south. No one would see him go, no one but Sam Tarly, struggling back to his feet in the dust of the old stables. He hoped Sam hadn’t hurt himself, falling like that. He was so heavy and so ungainly, it would be just like him to break a wrist or twist his ankle getting out of the way. â€Å"I warned him,† Jon said aloud. â€Å"It was nothing to do with him, anyway.† He flexed his burned hand as he rode, opening and closing the scarred fingers. They still pained him, but it felt good to have the wrappings off. Moonlight silvered the hills as he followed the twisting ribbon of the kingsroad. He needed to get as far from the Wall as he could before they realized he was gone. On the morrow he would leave the road and strike out overland through field and bush and stream to throw off pursuit, but for the moment speed was more important than deception. It was not as though they would not guess where he was going. The Old Bear was accustomed to rise at first light, so Jon had until dawn to put as many leagues as he could between him and the Wall . . . if Sam Tarly did not betray him. The fat boy was dutiful and easily frightened, but he loved Jon like a brother. If questioned, Sam would doubtless tell them the truth, but Jon could not imagine him braving the guards in front of the King’s Tower to wake Mormont from sleep. When Jon did not appear to fetch the Old Bear’s breakfast from the kitchen, they’d look in his cell and find Longclaw on the bed. It had been hard to abandon it, but Jon was not so lost to honor as to take it with him. Even Jorah Mormont had not done that, when he fled in disgrace. Doubtless Lord Mormont would find someone more worthy of the blade. Jon felt bad when he thought of the old man. He knew his desertion would be salt in the still-raw wound of his son’s disgrace. That seemed a poor way to repay him for his trust, but it couldn’t be helped. No matter what he did, Jon felt as though he were betraying someone. Even now, he did not know if he was doing the honorable thing. The southron had it easier. They had their septons to talk to, someone to tell them the gods’ will and help sort out right from wrong. But the Starks worshiped the old gods, the nameless gods, and if the heart trees heard, they did not speak. When the last lights of Castle Black vanished behind him, Jon slowed his mare to a walk. He had a long journey ahead and only the one horse to see him through. There were holdfasts and farming villages along the road south where he might be able to trade the mare for a fresh mount when he needed one, but not if she were injured or blown. He would need to find new clothes soon; most like, he’d need to steal them. He was clad in black from head to heel; high leather riding boots, roughspun breeches and tunic, sleeveless leather jerkin, and heavy wool cloak. His longsword and dagger were sheathed in black moleskin, and the hauberk and coif in his saddlebag were black ringmail. Any bit of it could mean his death if he were taken. A stranger wearing black was viewed with cold suspicion in every village and holdfast north of the Neck, and men would soon be watching for him. Once Maester Aemon’s ravens took flight, Jon knew he would find no safe haven. Not even at Winterfell. Bran might want to let him in, but Maester Luwin had better sense. He would bar the gates and send Jon away, as he should. Better not to call there at all. Yet he saw the castle clear in his mind’s eye, as if he had left it only yesterday; the towering granite walls, the Great Hall with its smells of smoke and dog and roasting meat, his father’s solar, the turret room where he had slept. Part of him wanted nothing so much as to hear Bran laugh again, to sup on one of Gage’s beef-and-bacon pies, to listen to Old Nan tell her tales of the children of the forest and Florian the Fool. But he had not left the Wall for that; he had left because he was after all his father’s son, and Robb’s brother. The gift of a sword, even a sword as fine as Longclaw, did not make him a Mormont. Nor was he Aemon Targaryen. Three times the old man had chosen, and three times he had chosen honor, but that was him. Even now, Jon could not decide whether the maester had stayed because he was weak and craven, or because he was strong and true. Yet he understood what the old man had meant, about the pain of choosing; he understood that all too well. Tyrion Lannister had claimed that most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it, but Jon was done with denials. He was who he was; Jon Snow, bastard and oathbreaker, motherless, friendless, and damned. For the rest of his life—however long that might be—he would be condemned to be an outsider, the silent man standing in the shadows who dares not speak his true name. Wherever he might go throughout the Seven Kingdoms, he would need to live a lie, lest every man’s hand be raised against him. But it made no matter, so long as he lived long enough to take his place by his brother’s side and help avenge his father. He remembered Robb as he had last seen him, standing in the yard with snow melting in his auburn hair. Jon would have to come to him in secret, disguised. He tried to imagine the look on Robb’s face when he revealed himself. His brother would shake his head and smile, and he’d say . . . he’d say . . . He could not see the smile. Hard as he tried, he could not see it. He found himself thinking of the deserter his father had beheaded the day they’d found the direwolves. â€Å"You said the words,† Lord Eddard had told him. â€Å"You took a vow, before your brothers, before the old gods and the new.† Desmond and Fat Tom had dragged the man to the stump. Bran’s eyes had been wide as saucers, and Jon had to remind him to keep his pony in hand. He remembered the look on Father’s face when Theon Greyjoy brought forth Ice, the spray of blood on the snow, the way Theon had kicked the head when it came rolling at his feet. He wondered what Lord Eddard might have done if the deserter had been his brother Benjen instead of that ragged stranger. Would it have been any different? It must, surely, surely . . . and Robb would welcome him, for a certainty. He had to, or else . . . It did not bear thinking about. Pain throbbed, deep in his fingers, as he clutched the reins. Jon put his heels into his horse and broke into a gallop, racing down the kingsroad, as if to outrun his doubts. Jon was not afraid of death, but he did not want to die like that, trussed and bound and beheaded like a common brigand. If he must perish, let it be with a sword in his hand, fighting his father’s killers. He was no true Stark, had never been one . . . but he could die like one. Let them say that Eddard Stark had fathered four sons, not three. Ghost kept pace with them for almost half a mile, red tongue lolling from his mouth. Man and horse alike lowered their heads as he asked the mare for more speed. The wolf slowed, stopped, watching, his eyes glowing red in the moonlight. He vanished behind, but Jon knew he would follow, at his own pace. Scattered lights flickered through the trees ahead of him, on both sides of the road: Mole’s Town. A dog barked as he rode through, and he heard a mule’s raucous haw from the stable, but otherwise the village was still. Here and there the glow of hearth fires shone through shuttered windows, leaking between wooden slats, but only a few. Mole’s Town was bigger than it seemed, but three quarters of it was under the ground, in deep warm cellars connected by a maze of tunnels. Even the whorehouse was down there, nothing on the surface but a wooden shack no bigger than a privy, with a red lantern hung over the door. On the Wall, he’d heard men call the whores â€Å"buried treasures.† He wondered whether any of his brothers in black were down there tonight, mining. That was oathbreaking too, yet no one seemed to care. Not until he was well beyond the village did Jon slow again. By then both he and the mare were damp with sweat. He dismounted, shivering, his burned hand aching. A bank of melting snow lay under the trees, bright in the moonlight, water trickling off to form small shallow pools. Jon squatted and brought his hands together, cupping the runoff between his fingers. The snowmelt was icy cold. He drank, and splashed some on his face, until his cheeks tingled. His fingers were throbbing worse than they had in days, and his head was pounding too. I am doing the right thing, he told himself, so why do I feel so bad? The horse was well lathered, so Jon took the lead and walked her for a while. The road was scarcely wide enough for two riders to pass abreast, its surface cut by tiny streams and littered with stone. That run had been truly stupid, an invitation to a broken neck. Jon wondered what had gotten into him. Was he in such a great rush to die? Off in the trees, the distant scream of some frightened animal made him look up. His mare whinnied nervously. Had his wolf found some prey? He cupped his hands around his mouth. â€Å"Ghost!† he shouted. â€Å"Ghost, to me.† The only answer was a rush of wings behind him as an owl took flight. Frowning, Jon continued on his way. He led the mare for half an hour, until she was dry. Ghost did not appear. Jon wanted to mount up and ride again, but he was concerned about his missing wolf. â€Å"Ghost,† he called again. â€Å"Where are you? To me! Ghost!† Nothing in these woods could trouble a direwolf, even a half-grown direwolf, unless . . . no, Ghost was too smart to attack a bear, and if there was a wolf pack anywhere close Jon would have surely heard them howling. He should eat, he decided. Food would settle his stomach and give Ghost the chance to catch up. There was no danger yet; Castle Black still slept. In his saddlebag, he found a biscuit, a piece of cheese, and a small withered brown apple. He’d brought salt beef as well, and a rasher of bacon he’d filched from the kitchens, but he would save the meat for the morrow. After it was gone he’d need to hunt, and that would slow him. Jon sat under the trees and ate his biscuit and cheese while his mare grazed along the kingsroad. He kept the apple for last. It had gone a little soft, but the flesh was still tart and juicy. He was down to the core when he heard the sounds: horses, and from the north. Quickly Jon leapt up and strode to his mare. Could he outrun them? No, they were too close, they’d hear him for a certainty, and if they were from Castle Black . . . He led the mare off the road, behind a thick stand of grey-green sentinels. â€Å"Ouiet now,† he said in a hushed voice, crouching down to peer through the branches. If the gods were kind, the riders would pass by. Likely as not, they were only smallfolk from Mole’s Town, farmers on their way to their fields, although what they were doing out in the middle of the night . . . He listened to the sound of hooves growing steadily louder as they trotted briskly down the kingsroad. From the sound, there were five or six of them at the least. Their voices drifted through the trees. † . . . certain he came this way?† â€Å"We can’t be certain.† â€Å"He could have ridden east, for all you know. Or left the road to cut through the woods. That’s what I’d do.† â€Å"In the dark? Stupid. If you didn’t fall off your horse and break your neck, you’d get lost and wind up back at the Wall when the sun came up.† â€Å"I would not.† Grenn sounded peeved. â€Å"I’d just ride south, you can tell south by the stars.† â€Å"What if the sky was cloudy?† Pyp asked. â€Å"Then I wouldn’t go.† Another voice broke in. â€Å"You know where I’d be if it was me? I’d be in Mole’s Town, digging for buried treasure.† Toad’s shrill laughter boomed through the trees. Jon’s mare snorted. â€Å"Keep quiet, all of you,† Haider said. â€Å"I thought I heard something.† â€Å"Where? I didn’t hear anything.† The horses stopped. â€Å"You can’t hear yourself fart.† â€Å"I can too,† Grenn insisted. â€Å"Quiet!† They all fell silent, listening. Jon found himself holding his breath. Sam, he thought. He hadn’t gone to the Old Bear, but he hadn’t gone to bed either, he’d woken the other boys. Damn them all. Come dawn, if they were not in their beds, they’d be named deserters too. What did they think they were doing? The hushed silence seemed to stretch on and on. From where Jon crouched, he could see the legs of their horses through the branches. Finally Pyp spoke up. â€Å"What did you hear?† â€Å"I don’t know,† Haider admitted. â€Å"A sound, I thought it might have been a horse but . . . â€Å" â€Å"There’s nothing here.† Out of the corner of his eye, Jon glimpsed a pale shape moving through the trees. Leaves rustled, and Ghost came bounding out of the shadows, so suddenly that Jon’s mare started and gave a whinny. â€Å"There!† Halder shouted. â€Å"I heard it too!† â€Å"Traitor,† Jon told the direwolf as he swung up into the saddle. He turned the mare’s head to slide off through the trees, but they were on him before he had gone ten feet. â€Å"Jon!† Pyp shouted after him. â€Å"Pull up,† Grenn said. â€Å"You can’t outrun us all.† Jon wheeled around to face them, drawing his sword. â€Å"Get back. I don’t wish to hurt you, but I will if I have to.† â€Å"One against seven?† Halder gave a signal. The boys spread out, surrounding him. â€Å"What do you want with me?† Jon demanded. â€Å"We want to take you back where you belong,† Pyp said. â€Å"I belong with my brother.† â€Å"We’re your brothers now,† Grenn said. â€Å"They’ll cut off your head if they catch you, you know,† Toad put in with a nervous laugh. â€Å"This is so stupid, it’s like something the Aurochs would do.† â€Å"I would not,† Grenn said. â€Å"I’m no oathbreaker. I said the words and I meant them.† â€Å"So did I,† Jon told them. â€Å"Don’t you understand? They murdered my father. It’s war, my brother Robb is fighting in the riverlands—† â€Å"We know,† said Pyp solemnly. â€Å"Sam told us everything.† â€Å"We’re sorry about your father,† Grenn said, â€Å"but it doesn’t matter. Once you say the words, you can’t leave, no matter what.† â€Å"I have to,† Jon said fervently. â€Å"You said the words,† Pyp reminded him. â€Å"Now my watch begins, you said it. It shall not end until my death.† â€Å"I shall live and die at my post,† Grenn added, nodding. â€Å"You don’t have to tell me the words, I know them as well as you do.† He was angry now. Why couldn’t they let him go in peace? They were only making it harder. â€Å"I am the sword in the darkness,† Halder intoned. â€Å"The watcher on the walls,† piped Toad. Jon cursed them all to their faces. They took no notice. Pyp spurred his horse closer, reciting, â€Å"I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men.† â€Å"Stay back,† Jon warned him, brandishing his sword. â€Å"I mean it, Pyp.† They weren’t even wearing armor, he could cut them to pieces if he had to. Matthar had circled behind him. He joined the chorus. â€Å"I pledge my life and honor to the Night’s Watch.† Jon kicked his mare, spinning her in a circle. The boys were all around him now, closing from every side. â€Å"For this night . . . † Halder trotted in from the left. † . . . and all the nights to come,† finished Pyp. He reached over for Jon’s reins. â€Å"So here are your choices. Kill me, or come back with me.† Jon lifted his sword . . . and lowered it, helpless. â€Å"Damn you,† he said. â€Å"Damn you all.† â€Å"Do we have to bind your hands, or will you give us your word you’ll ride back peaceful?† asked Halder. â€Å"I won’t run, if that’s what you mean.† Ghost moved out from under the trees and Jon glared at him. â€Å"Small help you were,† he said. The deep red eyes looked at him knowingly. â€Å"We had best hurry,† Pyp said. â€Å"If we’re not back before first light, the Old Bear will have all our heads.† Of the ride back, Jon Snow remembered little. It seemed shorter than the journey south, perhaps because his mind was elsewhere. Pyp set the pace, galloping, walking, trotting, and then breaking into another gallop. Mole’s Town came and went, the red lantern over the brothel long extinguished. They made good time. Dawn was still an hour off when Jon glimpsed the towers of Castle Black ahead of them, dark against the pale immensity of the Wall. It did not seem like home this time. They could take him back, Jon told himself, but they could not make him stay. The war would not end on the morrow, or the day after, and his friends could not watch him day and night. He would bide his time, make them think he was content to remain here . . . and then, when they had grown lax, he would be off again. Next time he would avoid the kingsroad. He could follow the Wall east, perhaps all the way to the sea, a longer route but a safer one. Or even west, to the mountains, and then south over the high passes. That was the wildling’s way, hard and perilous, but at least no one wouid follow him. He wouldn’t stray within a hundred leagues of Winterfell or the kingsroad. Samwell Tarly awaited them in the old stables, slumped on the ground against a bale of hay, too anxious to sleep. He rose and brushed himself off. â€Å"I . . . I’m glad they found you, Jon.† â€Å"I’m not,† Jon said, dismounting. Pyp hopped off his horse and looked at the lightening sky with disgust. â€Å"Give us a hand bedding down the horses, Sam,† the small boy said. â€Å"We have a long day before us, and no sleep to face it on, thanks to Lord Snow.† When day broke, Jon walked to the kitchens as he did every dawn. Three-Finger Hobb said nothing as he gave him the Old Bear’s breakfast. Today it was three brown eggs boiled hard, with fried bread and ham steak and a bowl of wrinkled plums. Jon carried the food back to the King’s Tower. He found Mormont at the window seat, writing. His raven was walking back and forth across his shoulders, muttering, â€Å"Corn, corn, corn.† The bird shrieked when Jon entered. â€Å"Put the food on the table,† the Old Bear said, glancing up. â€Å"I’ll have some beer.† Jon opened a shuttered window, took the flagon of beer off the outside ledge, and filled a horn. Hobb had given him a lemon, still cold from the Wall. Jon crushed it in his fist. The juice trickled through his fingers. Mormont drank lemon in his beer every day, and claimed that was why he still had his own teeth. â€Å"Doubtless you loved your father,† Mormont said when Jon brought him his horn. â€Å"The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember when I told you that?† â€Å"I remember,† Jon said sullenly. He did not care to talk of his father’s death, not even to Mormont. â€Å"See that you never forget it. The hard truths are the ones to hold tight. Fetch me my plate. Is it ham again? So be it. You look weary. Was your moonlight ride so tiring?† Jon’s throat was dry. â€Å"You know?† â€Å"Know,† the raven echoed from Mormont’s shoulder. â€Å"Know.† The Old Bear snorted. â€Å"Do you think they chose me Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch because I’m dumb as a stump, Snow? Aemon told me you’d go. I told him you’d be back. I know my men . . . and my boys too. Honor set you on the kingsroad . . . and honor brought you back.† â€Å"My friends brought me back,† Jon said. â€Å"Did I say it was your honor?† Mormont inspected his plate. â€Å"They killed my father. Did you expect me to do nothing?† â€Å"If truth be told, we expected you to do just as you did.† Mormont tried a plum, spit out the pit. â€Å"I ordered a watch kept over you., You were seen leaving. If your brothers had not fetched you back, you would have been taken along the way, and not by friends. Unless you have a horse with wings like a raven. Do you?† â€Å"No.† Jon felt like a fool. â€Å"Pity, we could use a horse like that.† Jon stood tall. He told himself that he would die well; that much he could do, at the least. â€Å"I know the penalty for desertion, my lord. I’m not afraid to die.† â€Å"Die!† the raven cried. â€Å"Nor live, I hope,† Mormont said, cutting his ham with a dagger and feeding a bite to the bird. â€Å"You have not deserted—yet. Here you stand. If we beheaded every boy who rode to Mole’s Town in the night, only ghosts would guard the Wall. Yet maybe you mean to flee again on the morrow, or a fortnight from now. Is that it? Is that your hope, boy?† Jon kept silent. â€Å"I thought so.† Mormont peeled the shell off a boiled egg. â€Å"Your father is dead, lad. Do you think you can bring him back?† â€Å"No,† he answered, sullen. â€Å"Good,† Mormont said. â€Å"We’ve seen the dead come back, you and me, and it’s not something I care to see again.† He ate the egg in two bites and flicked a bit of shell out from between his teeth. â€Å"Your brother is in the field with all the power of the north behind him. Any one of his lords bannermen commands more swords than you’ll find in all the Night’s Watch. Why do you imagine that they need your help? Are you such a mighty warrior, or do you carry a grumkin in your pocket to magic up your sword?† Jon had no answer for him. The raven was pecking at an egg, breaking the shell. Pushing his beak through the hole, he pulled out morsels of white and yoke. The Old Bear sighed. â€Å"You are not the only one touched by this war. Like as not, my sister is marching in your brother’s host, her and those daughters of hers, dressed in men’s mail. Maege is a hoary old snark, stubborn, short-tempered, and willful. Truth be told, I can hardly stand to be around the wretched woman, but that does not mean my love for her is any less than the love you bear your half sisters.† Frowning, Mormont took his last egg and squeezed it in his fist until the shell crunched. â€Å"Or perhaps it does. Be that as it may, I’d still grieve if she were slain, yet you don’t see me running off. I said the words, just as you did. My place is here . . . where is yours, boy?† I have no place, Jon wanted to say, I’m a bastard, I have no rights, no name, no mother, and now not even a father. The words would not come. â€Å"I don’t know.† â€Å"I do,† said Lord Commander Mormont. â€Å"The cold winds are rising, Snow. Beyond the Wall, the shadows lengthen. Cotter Pyke writes of vast herds of elk, streaming south and east toward the sea, and mammoths as well. He says one of his men discovered huge, misshapen footprints not three leagues from Eastwatch. Rangers from the Shadow Tower have found whole villages abandoned, and at night Ser Denys says they see fires in the mountains, huge blazes that burn from dusk till dawn. Quorin Halfhand took a captive in the depths of the Gorge, and the man swears that Mance Rayder is massing all his people in some new, secret stronghold he’s found, to what end the gods only know. Do you think your uncle Benjen was the only ranger we’ve lost this past year?† â€Å"Ben Jen,† the raven squawked, bobbing its head, bits of egg dribbling from its beak. â€Å"Ben Jen. Ben Jen.† â€Å"No,† Jon said. There had been others. Too many. â€Å"Do you think your brother’s war is more important than ours?† the old man barked. Jon chewed his lip. The raven flapped its wings at him. â€Å"War, war, war, war,† it sang. â€Å"It’s not,† Mormont told him. â€Å"Gods save us, boy, you’re not blind and you’re not stupid. When dead men come hunting in the night, do you think it matters who sits the Iron Throne?† â€Å"No.† Jon had not thought of it that way. â€Å"Your lord father sent you to us, Jon. Why, who can say?† â€Å"Why? Why? Why?† the raven called. â€Å"All I know is that the blood of the First Men flows in the veins of the Starks. The First Men built the Wall, and it’s said they remember things otherwise forgotten. And that beast of yours . . . he led us to the wights, warned you of the dead man on the steps. Ser Jaremy would doubtless call that happenstance, yet Ser Jaremy is dead and I’m not.† Lord Mormont stabbed a chunk of ham with the point of his dagger. â€Å"I think you were meant to be here, and I want you and that wolf of yours with us when we go beyond the Wall.† His words sent a chill of excitement down Jon’s back. â€Å"Beyond the Wall?† â€Å"You heard me. I mean to find Ben Stark, alive or dead.† He chewed and swallowed. â€Å"I will not sit here meekly and wait for the snows and the ice winds. We must know what is happening. This time the Night’s Watch will ride in force, against the King-beyond-the-Wall, the Others, and anything else that may be out there. I mean to command them myself.† He pointed his dagger at Jon’s chest. â€Å"By custom, the Lord Commander’s steward is his squire as well . . . but I do not care to wake every dawn wondering if you’ve run off again. So I will have an answer from you, Lord Snow, and I will have it now. Are you a brother of the Night’s Watch . . . or only a bastard boy who wants to play at war?† Jon Snow straightened himself and took a long deep breath. Forgive me, Father. Robb, Arya, Bran . . . forgive me, I cannot help you. He has the truth of it. This is my place. â€Å"I am . . . yours, my lord. Your man. I swear it. I will not run again.† The Old Bear snorted. â€Å"Good. Now go put on your sword.† A Game of Thrones Chapter Seventy He strapped his roll to the saddle, his scarred fingers stiff and clumsy. â€Å"Ghost,† he called softly, â€Å"to me.† And the wolf was there, eyes like embers. â€Å"Jon, please. You must not do this.† He mounted, the reins in his hand, and wheeled the horse around to face the night. Samwell Tarly stood in the stable door, a full moon peering over his shoulder. He threw a giant’s shadow, immense and black. â€Å"Get out of my way, Sam.† â€Å"Jon, you can’t,† Sam said. â€Å"I won’t let you.† â€Å"I would sooner not hurt you,† Jon told him. â€Å"Move aside, Sam, or I’ll ride you down.† â€Å"You won’t. You have to listen to me. Please . . . â€Å" Jon put his spurs to horseflesh, and the mare bolted for the door. For an instant Sam stood his ground, his face as round and pale as the moon behind him, his mouth a widening O of surprise. At the last moment, when they were almost on him, he jumped aside as Jon had known he would, stumbled, and fell. The mare leapt over him, out into the night. Jon raised the hood of his heavy cloak and gave the horse her head. Castle Black was silent and still as he rode out, with Ghost racing at his side. Men watched from the Wall behind him, he knew, but their eyes were turned north, not south. No one would see him go, no one but Sam Tarly, struggling back to his feet in the dust of the old stables. He hoped Sam hadn’t hurt himself, falling like that. He was so heavy and so ungainly, it would be just like him to break a wrist or twist his ankle getting out of the way. â€Å"I warned him,† Jon said aloud. â€Å"It was nothing to do with him, anyway.† He flexed his burned hand as he rode, opening and closing the scarred fingers. They still pained him, but it felt good to have the wrappings off. Moonlight silvered the hills as he followed the twisting ribbon of the kingsroad. He needed to get as far from the Wall as he could before they realized he was gone. On the morrow he would leave the road and strike out overland through field and bush and stream to throw off pursuit, but for the moment speed was more important than deception. It was not as though they would not guess where he was going. The Old Bear was accustomed to rise at first light, so Jon had until dawn to put as many leagues as he could between him and the Wall . . . if Sam Tarly did not betray him. The fat boy was dutiful and easily frightened, but he loved Jon like a brother. If questioned, Sam would doubtless tell them the truth, but Jon could not imagine him braving the guards in front of the King’s Tower to wake Mormont from sleep. When Jon did not appear to fetch the Old Bear’s breakfast from the kitchen, they’d look in his cell and find Longclaw on the bed. It had been hard to abandon it, but Jon was not so lost to honor as to take it with him. Even Jorah Mormont had not done that, when he fled in disgrace. Doubtless Lord Mormont would find someone more worthy of the blade. Jon felt bad when he thought of the old man. He knew his desertion would be salt in the still-raw wound of his son’s disgrace. That seemed a poor way to repay him for his trust, but it couldn’t be helped. No matter what he did, Jon felt as though he were betraying someone. Even now, he did not know if he was doing the honorable thing. The southron had it easier. They had their septons to talk to, someone to tell them the gods’ will and help sort out right from wrong. But the Starks worshiped the old gods, the nameless gods, and if the heart trees heard, they did not speak. When the last lights of Castle Black vanished behind him, Jon slowed his mare to a walk. He had a long journey ahead and only the one horse to see him through. There were holdfasts and farming villages along the road south where he might be able to trade the mare for a fresh mount when he needed one, but not if she were injured or blown. He would need to find new clothes soon; most like, he’d need to steal them. He was clad in black from head to heel; high leather riding boots, roughspun breeches and tunic, sleeveless leather jerkin, and heavy wool cloak. His longsword and dagger were sheathed in black moleskin, and the hauberk and coif in his saddlebag were black ringmail. Any bit of it could mean his death if he were taken. A stranger wearing black was viewed with cold suspicion in every village and holdfast north of the Neck, and men would soon be watching for him. Once Maester Aemon’s ravens took flight, Jon knew he would find no safe haven. Not even at Winterfell. Bran might want to let him in, but Maester Luwin had better sense. He would bar the gates and send Jon away, as he should. Better not to call there at all. Yet he saw the castle clear in his mind’s eye, as if he had left it only yesterday; the towering granite walls, the Great Hall with its smells of smoke and dog and roasting meat, his father’s solar, the turret room where he had slept. Part of him wanted nothing so much as to hear Bran laugh again, to sup on one of Gage’s beef-and-bacon pies, to listen to Old Nan tell her tales of the children of the forest and Florian the Fool. But he had not left the Wall for that; he had left because he was after all his father’s son, and Robb’s brother. The gift of a sword, even a sword as fine as Longclaw, did not make him a Mormont. Nor was he Aemon Targaryen. Three times the old man had chosen, and three times he had chosen honor, but that was him. Even now, Jon could not decide whether the maester had stayed because he was weak and craven, or because he was strong and true. Yet he understood what the old man had meant, about the pain of choosing; he understood that all too well. Tyrion Lannister had claimed that most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it, but Jon was done with denials. He was who he was; Jon Snow, bastard and oathbreaker, motherless, friendless, and damned. For the rest of his life—however long that might be—he would be condemned to be an outsider, the silent man standing in the shadows who dares not speak his true name. Wherever he might go throughout the Seven Kingdoms, he would need to live a lie, lest every man’s hand be raised against him. But it made no matter, so long as he lived long enough to take his place by his brother’s side and help avenge his father. He remembered Robb as he had last seen him, standing in the yard with snow melting in his auburn hair. Jon would have to come to him in secret, disguised. He tried to imagine the look on Robb’s face when he revealed himself. His brother would shake his head and smile, and he’d say . . . he’d say . . . He could not see the smile. Hard as he tried, he could not see it. He found himself thinking of the deserter his father had beheaded the day they’d found the direwolves. â€Å"You said the words,† Lord Eddard had told him. â€Å"You took a vow, before your brothers, before the old gods and the new.† Desmond and Fat Tom had dragged the man to the stump. Bran’s eyes had been wide as saucers, and Jon had to remind him to keep his pony in hand. He remembered the look on Father’s face when Theon Greyjoy brought forth Ice, the spray of blood on the snow, the way Theon had kicked the head when it came rolling at his feet. He wondered what Lord Eddard might have done if the deserter had been his brother Benjen instead of that ragged stranger. Would it have been any different? It must, surely, surely . . . and Robb would welcome him, for a certainty. He had to, or else . . . It did not bear thinking about. Pain throbbed, deep in his fingers, as he clutched the reins. Jon put his heels into his horse and broke into a gallop, racing down the kingsroad, as if to outrun his doubts. Jon was not afraid of death, but he did not want to die like that, trussed and bound and beheaded like a common brigand. If he must perish, let it be with a sword in his hand, fighting his father’s killers. He was no true Stark, had never been one . . . but he could die like one. Let them say that Eddard Stark had fathered four sons, not three. Ghost kept pace with them for almost half a mile, red tongue lolling from his mouth. Man and horse alike lowered their heads as he asked the mare for more speed. The wolf slowed, stopped, watching, his eyes glowing red in the moonlight. He vanished behind, but Jon knew he would follow, at his own pace. Scattered lights flickered through the trees ahead of him, on both sides of the road: Mole’s Town. A dog barked as he rode through, and he heard a mule’s raucous haw from the stable, but otherwise the village was still. Here and there the glow of hearth fires shone through shuttered windows, leaking between wooden slats, but only a few. Mole’s Town was bigger than it seemed, but three quarters of it was under the ground, in deep warm cellars connected by a maze of tunnels. Even the whorehouse was down there, nothing on the surface but a wooden shack no bigger than a privy, with a red lantern hung over the door. On the Wall, he’d heard men call the whores â€Å"buried treasures.† He wondered whether any of his brothers in black were down there tonight, mining. That was oathbreaking too, yet no one seemed to care. Not until he was well beyond the village did Jon slow again. By then both he and the mare were damp with sweat. He dismounted, shivering, his burned hand aching. A bank of melting snow lay under the trees, bright in the moonlight, water trickling off to form small shallow pools. Jon squatted and brought his hands together, cupping the runoff between his fingers. The snowmelt was icy cold. He drank, and splashed some on his face, until his cheeks tingled. His fingers were throbbing worse than they had in days, and his head was pounding too. I am doing the right thing, he told himself, so why do I feel so bad? The horse was well lathered, so Jon took the lead and walked her for a while. The road was scarcely wide enough for two riders to pass abreast, its surface cut by tiny streams and littered with stone. That run had been truly stupid, an invitation to a broken neck. Jon wondered what had gotten into him. Was he in such a great rush to die? Off in the trees, the distant scream of some frightened animal made him look up. His mare whinnied nervously. Had his wolf found some prey? He cupped his hands around his mouth. â€Å"Ghost!† he shouted. â€Å"Ghost, to me.† The only answer was a rush of wings behind him as an owl took flight. Frowning, Jon continued on his way. He led the mare for half an hour, until she was dry. Ghost did not appear. Jon wanted to mount up and ride again, but he was concerned about his missing wolf. â€Å"Ghost,† he called again. â€Å"Where are you? To me! Ghost!† Nothing in these woods could trouble a direwolf, even a half-grown direwolf, unless . . . no, Ghost was too smart to attack a bear, and if there was a wolf pack anywhere close Jon would have surely heard them howling. He should eat, he decided. Food would settle his stomach and give Ghost the chance to catch up. There was no danger yet; Castle Black still slept. In his saddlebag, he found a biscuit, a piece of cheese, and a small withered brown apple. He’d brought salt beef as well, and a rasher of bacon he’d filched from the kitchens, but he would save the meat for the morrow. After it was gone he’d need to hunt, and that would slow him. Jon sat under the trees and ate his biscuit and cheese while his mare grazed along the kingsroad. He kept the apple for last. It had gone a little soft, but the flesh was still tart and juicy. He was down to the core when he heard the sounds: horses, and from the north. Quickly Jon leapt up and strode to his mare. Could he outrun them? No, they were too close, they’d hear him for a certainty, and if they were from Castle Black . . . He led the mare off the road, behind a thick stand of grey-green sentinels. â€Å"Ouiet now,† he said in a hushed voice, crouching down to peer through the branches. If the gods were kind, the riders would pass by. Likely as not, they were only smallfolk from Mole’s Town, farmers on their way to their fields, although what they were doing out in the middle of the night . . . He listened to the sound of hooves growing steadily louder as they trotted briskly down the kingsroad. From the sound, there were five or six of them at the least. Their voices drifted through the trees. † . . . certain he came this way?† â€Å"We can’t be certain.† â€Å"He could have ridden east, for all you know. Or left the road to cut through the woods. That’s what I’d do.† â€Å"In the dark? Stupid. If you didn’t fall off your horse and break your neck, you’d get lost and wind up back at the Wall when the sun came up.† â€Å"I would not.† Grenn sounded peeved. â€Å"I’d just ride south, you can tell south by the stars.† â€Å"What if the sky was cloudy?† Pyp asked. â€Å"Then I wouldn’t go.† Another voice broke in. â€Å"You know where I’d be if it was me? I’d be in Mole’s Town, digging for buried treasure.† Toad’s shrill laughter boomed through the trees. Jon’s mare snorted. â€Å"Keep quiet, all of you,† Haider said. â€Å"I thought I heard something.† â€Å"Where? I didn’t hear anything.† The horses stopped. â€Å"You can’t hear yourself fart.† â€Å"I can too,† Grenn insisted. â€Å"Quiet!† They all fell silent, listening. Jon found himself holding his breath. Sam, he thought. He hadn’t gone to the Old Bear, but he hadn’t gone to bed either, he’d woken the other boys. Damn them all. Come dawn, if they were not in their beds, they’d be named deserters too. What did they think they were doing? The hushed silence seemed to stretch on and on. From where Jon crouched, he could see the legs of their horses through the branches. Finally Pyp spoke up. â€Å"What did you hear?† â€Å"I don’t know,† Haider admitted. â€Å"A sound, I thought it might have been a horse but . . . â€Å" â€Å"There’s nothing here.† Out of the corner of his eye, Jon glimpsed a pale shape moving through the trees. Leaves rustled, and Ghost came bounding out of the shadows, so suddenly that Jon’s mare started and gave a whinny. â€Å"There!† Halder shouted. â€Å"I heard it too!† â€Å"Traitor,† Jon told the direwolf as he swung up into the saddle. He turned the mare’s head to slide off through the trees, but they were on him before he had gone ten feet. â€Å"Jon!† Pyp shouted after him. â€Å"Pull up,† Grenn said. â€Å"You can’t outrun us all.† Jon wheeled around to face them, drawing his sword. â€Å"Get back. I don’t wish to hurt you, but I will if I have to.† â€Å"One against seven?† Halder gave a signal. The boys spread out, surrounding him. â€Å"What do you want with me?† Jon demanded. â€Å"We want to take you back where you belong,† Pyp said. â€Å"I belong with my brother.† â€Å"We’re your brothers now,† Grenn said. â€Å"They’ll cut off your head if they catch you, you know,† Toad put in with a nervous laugh. â€Å"This is so stupid, it’s like something the Aurochs would do.† â€Å"I would not,† Grenn said. â€Å"I’m no oathbreaker. I said the words and I meant them.† â€Å"So did I,† Jon told them. â€Å"Don’t you understand? They murdered my father. It’s war, my brother Robb is fighting in the riverlands—† â€Å"We know,† said Pyp solemnly. â€Å"Sam told us everything.† â€Å"We’re sorry about your father,† Grenn said, â€Å"but it doesn’t matter. Once you say the words, you can’t leave, no matter what.† â€Å"I have to,† Jon said fervently. â€Å"You said the words,† Pyp reminded him. â€Å"Now my watch begins, you said it. It shall not end until my death.† â€Å"I shall live and die at my post,† Grenn added, nodding. â€Å"You don’t have to tell me the words, I know them as well as you do.† He was angry now. Why couldn’t they let him go in peace? They were only making it harder. â€Å"I am the sword in the darkness,† Halder intoned. â€Å"The watcher on the walls,† piped Toad. Jon cursed them all to their faces. They took no notice. Pyp spurred his horse closer, reciting, â€Å"I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men.† â€Å"Stay back,† Jon warned him, brandishing his sword. â€Å"I mean it, Pyp.† They weren’t even wearing armor, he could cut them to pieces if he had to. Matthar had circled behind him. He joined the chorus. â€Å"I pledge my life and honor to the Night’s Watch.† Jon kicked his mare, spinning her in a circle. The boys were all around him now, closing from every side. â€Å"For this night . . . † Halder trotted in from the left. † . . . and all the nights to come,† finished Pyp. He reached over for Jon’s reins. â€Å"So here are your choices. Kill me, or come back with me.† Jon lifted his sword . . . and lowered it, helpless. â€Å"Damn you,† he said. â€Å"Damn you all.† â€Å"Do we have to bind your hands, or will you give us your word you’ll ride back peaceful?† asked Halder. â€Å"I won’t run, if that’s what you mean.† Ghost moved out from under the trees and Jon glared at him. â€Å"Small help you were,† he said. The deep red eyes looked at him knowingly. â€Å"We had best hurry,† Pyp said. â€Å"If we’re not back before first light, the Old Bear will have all our heads.† Of the ride back, Jon Snow remembered little. It seemed shorter than the journey south, perhaps because his mind was elsewhere. Pyp set the pace, galloping, walking, trotting, and then breaking into another gallop. Mole’s Town came and went, the red lantern over the brothel long extinguished. They made good time. Dawn was still an hour off when Jon glimpsed the towers of Castle Black ahead of them, dark against the pale immensity of the Wall. It did not seem like home this time. They could take him back, Jon told himself, but they could not make him stay. The war would not end on the morrow, or the day after, and his friends could not watch him day and night. He would bide his time, make them think he was content to remain here . . . and then, when they had grown lax, he would be off again. Next time he would avoid the kingsroad. He could follow the Wall east, perhaps all the way to the sea, a longer route but a safer one. Or even west, to the mountains, and then south over the high passes. That was the wildling’s way, hard and perilous, but at least no one wouid follow him. He wouldn’t stray within a hundred leagues of Winterfell or the kingsroad. Samwell Tarly awaited them in the old stables, slumped on the ground against a bale of hay, too anxious to sleep. He rose and brushed himself off. â€Å"I . . . I’m glad they found you, Jon.† â€Å"I’m not,† Jon said, dismounting. Pyp hopped off his horse and looked at the lightening sky with disgust. â€Å"Give us a hand bedding down the horses, Sam,† the small boy said. â€Å"We have a long day before us, and no sleep to face it on, thanks to Lord Snow.† When day broke, Jon walked to the kitchens as he did every dawn. Three-Finger Hobb said nothing as he gave him the Old Bear’s breakfast. Today it was three brown eggs boiled hard, with fried bread and ham steak and a bowl of wrinkled plums. Jon carried the food back to the King’s Tower. He found Mormont at the window seat, writing. His raven was walking back and forth across his shoulders, muttering, â€Å"Corn, corn, corn.† The bird shrieked when Jon entered. â€Å"Put the food on the table,† the Old Bear said, glancing up. â€Å"I’ll have some beer.† Jon opened a shuttered window, took the flagon of beer off the outside ledge, and filled a horn. Hobb had given him a lemon, still cold from the Wall. Jon crushed it in his fist. The juice trickled through his fingers. Mormont drank lemon in his beer every day, and claimed that was why he still had his own teeth. â€Å"Doubtless you loved your father,† Mormont said when Jon brought him his horn. â€Å"The things we love destroy us every time, lad. Remember when I told you that?† â€Å"I remember,† Jon said sullenly. He did not care to talk of his father’s death, not even to Mormont. â€Å"See that you never forget it. The hard truths are the ones to hold tight. Fetch me my plate. Is it ham again? So be it. You look weary. Was your moonlight ride so tiring?† Jon’s throat was dry. â€Å"You know?† â€Å"Know,† the raven echoed from Mormont’s shoulder. â€Å"Know.† The Old Bear snorted. â€Å"Do you think they chose me Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch because I’m dumb as a stump, Snow? Aemon told me you’d go. I told him you’d be back. I know my men . . . and my boys too. Honor set you on the kingsroad . . . and honor brought you back.† â€Å"My friends brought me back,† Jon said. â€Å"Did I say it was your honor?† Mormont inspected his plate. â€Å"They killed my father. Did you expect me to do nothing?† â€Å"If truth be told, we expected you to do just as you did.† Mormont tried a plum, spit out the pit. â€Å"I ordered a watch kept over you., You were seen leaving. If your brothers had not fetched you back, you would have been taken along the way, and not by friends. Unless you have a horse with wings like a raven. Do you?† â€Å"No.† Jon felt like a fool. â€Å"Pity, we could use a horse like that.† Jon stood tall. He told himself that he would die well; that much he could do, at the least. â€Å"I know the penalty for desertion, my lord. I’m not afraid to die.† â€Å"Die!† the raven cried. â€Å"Nor live, I hope,† Mormont said, cutting his ham with a dagger and feeding a bite to the bird. â€Å"You have not deserted—yet. Here you stand. If we beheaded every boy who rode to Mole’s Town in the night, only ghosts would guard the Wall. Yet maybe you mean to flee again on the morrow, or a fortnight from now. Is that it? Is that your hope, boy?† Jon kept silent. â€Å"I thought so.† Mormont peeled the shell off a boiled egg. â€Å"Your father is dead, lad. Do you think you can bring him back?† â€Å"No,† he answered, sullen. â€Å"Good,† Mormont said. â€Å"We’ve seen the dead come back, you and me, and it’s not something I care to see again.† He ate the egg in two bites and flicked a bit of shell out from between his teeth. â€Å"Your brother is in the field with all the power of the north behind him. Any one of his lords bannermen commands more swords than you’ll find in all the Night’s Watch. Why do you imagine that they need your help? Are you such a mighty warrior, or do you carry a grumkin in your pocket to magic up your sword?† Jon had no answer for him. The raven was pecking at an egg, breaking the shell. Pushing his beak through the hole, he pulled out morsels of white and yoke. The Old Bear sighed. â€Å"You are not the only one touched by this war. Like as not, my sister is marching in your brother’s host, her and those daughters of hers, dressed in men’s mail. Maege is a hoary old snark, stubborn, short-tempered, and willful. Truth be told, I can hardly stand to be around the wretched woman, but that does not mean my love for her is any less than the love you bear your half sisters.† Frowning, Mormont took his last egg and squeezed it in his fist until the shell crunched. â€Å"Or perhaps it does. Be that as it may, I’d still grieve if she were slain, yet you don’t see me running off. I said the words, just as you did. My place is here . . . where is yours, boy?† I have no place, Jon wanted to say, I’m a bastard, I have no rights, no name, no mother, and now not even a father. The words would not come. â€Å"I don’t know.† â€Å"I do,† said Lord Commander Mormont. â€Å"The cold winds are rising, Snow. Beyond the Wall, the shadows lengthen. Cotter Pyke writes of vast herds of elk, streaming south and east toward the sea, and mammoths as well. He says one of his men discovered huge, misshapen footprints not three leagues from Eastwatch. Rangers from the Shadow Tower have found whole villages abandoned, and at night Ser Denys says they see fires in the mountains, huge blazes that burn from dusk till dawn. Quorin Halfhand took a captive in the depths of the Gorge, and the man swears that Mance Rayder is massing all his people in some new, secret stronghold he’s found, to what end the gods only know. Do you think your uncle Benjen was the only ranger we’ve lost this past year?† â€Å"Ben Jen,† the raven squawked, bobbing its head, bits of egg dribbling from its beak. â€Å"Ben Jen. Ben Jen.† â€Å"No,† Jon said. There had been others. Too many. â€Å"Do you think your brother’s war is more important than ours?† the old man barked. Jon chewed his lip. The raven flapped its wings at him. â€Å"War, war, war, war,† it sang. â€Å"It’s not,† Mormont told him. â€Å"Gods save us, boy, you’re not blind and you’re not stupid. When dead men come hunting in the night, do you think it matters who sits the Iron Throne?† â€Å"No.† Jon had not thought of it that way. â€Å"Your lord father sent you to us, Jon. Why, who can say?† â€Å"Why? Why? Why?† the raven called. â€Å"All I know is that the blood of the First Men flows in the veins of the Starks. The First Men built the Wall, and it’s said they remember things otherwise forgotten. And that beast of yours . . . he led us to the wights, warned you of the dead man on the steps. Ser Jaremy would doubtless call that happenstance, yet Ser Jaremy is dead and I’m not.† Lord Mormont stabbed a chunk of ham with the point of his dagger. â€Å"I think you were meant to be here, and I want you and that wolf of yours with us when we go beyond the Wall.† His words sent a chill of excitement down Jon’s back. â€Å"Beyond the Wall?† â€Å"You heard me. I mean to find Ben Stark, alive or dead.† He chewed and swallowed. â€Å"I will not sit here meekly and wait for the snows and the ice winds. We must know what is happening. This time the Night’s Watch will ride in force, against the King-beyond-the-Wall, the Others, and anything else that may be out there. I mean to command them myself.† He pointed his dagger at Jon’s chest. â€Å"By custom, the Lord Commander’s steward is his squire as well . . . but I do not care to wake every dawn wondering if you’ve run off again. So I will have an answer from you, Lord Snow, and I will have it now. Are you a brother of the Night’s Watch . . . or only a bastard boy who wants to play at war?† Jon Snow straightened himself and took a long deep breath. Forgive me, Father. Robb, Arya, Bran . . . forgive me, I cannot help you. He has the truth of it. This is my place. â€Å"I am . . . yours, my lord. Your man. I swear it. I will not run again.† The Old Bear snorted. â€Å"Good. Now go put on your sword.†

Community Map Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Community Map - Essay Example Each map misses something important as when I compare my map with that of my neighbors I realize that I forget to draw a lot of stuff, but it does not matter because it shows how each of us envision our community (Glenn, 2004). It also shows how each person expresses his or her own interpretation of a community on his or her map. In my community, my neighbors are very close to one another because the majority of us are Haitians, which makes us strong. We speak of the similarity of language, eat same food and dress the same way. In contrary, we do not support each other as they do in Haiti. I personally did my own research about community economics. In order for a community to be powerful, each of us must practice group economics that means patronize each other businesses so our money can be osculated within our community. An example is, we need to control more businesses and resources in our community instead of having someone else that comes from a different community that has a different culture ruling all of us (Glenn, 2004). We can buy out politicians or at least rent them out so they can implement a new law that would benefit us in the long run. Anybody thinks by voting you automatically control your politicians; you are delusional. By having a business in your community, you can afford to write a cheque to your local politicians and support them in their next campaign (Glenn, 2004). Next time you decide to ask for a favor, someone you would be ready to answer to your