Finance; Enterprise Risk Management Thesis Proposal

Finance; Enterprise Risk Management - Thesis Proposal Example nterprise, designed to identify potential evens that may affect the entity and manage risk to be within its risk appetite to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of entity objectives† (Steinberg, Everson and Martens). The proposed project is based on extensive research in the concept of Enterprise Risk Management which will focus on providing important information regarding evolution of ERM and its importance, various risks faced by businesses and different risk management techniques which companies can implement to mitigate the extent of their risk exposures. From the literary discussion on ERM a case will be developed where possible applications of ERM will be assessed in respect to the companies listed of Tallinn Stock Exchange (TSE). Different industry groups will be examined and recommendations will be put forward for implementation of effective and efficient ERM framework in companies. The research will seek out important information from both primary and secondary sources. For primary research a survey questionnaire (Badke) will be prepared to inquire from companies’ risk managers to comment and elaborate on risk issues facing their companies and ERM techniques they have implemented. Furthermore, secondary research from a collection of journals, articles, periodicals, books and credible internet sources will be carried out to form basis of background to the context of the research, literature review, research methodologies and information pertaining to the companies under

The Level of Customer Satisfaction of Grameen Phone Limited Dissertation

The Level of Customer Satisfaction of Grameen Phone Limited - Dissertation Example 1.0 Introduction 1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION The academic program is the building up of the theoretical knowledge about business administration, which is the base of practical knowledge. The program is an attempt to provide the business students an orientation to a real life business situation in which we can observe and evaluate the use and applicability of the theoretical concepts, which were taught in the classrooms. As per norm this report is the requirement of the fulfillment of the internship program. This report titled â€Å"Assessing the Level of Customer Satisfaction of Grameenphone.† 1.2 OBJECTIVES: 1.2.1 Primary Objectives ïÆ'Ëœ To discuss about telecommunication business in Bangladesh. ïÆ'Ëœ To present a background and introduction of Grameenphone Ltd. ïÆ'Ëœ To focus on the business and operations of the company. ïÆ'Ëœ To discuss about the activity of the Customer Service Division of Grameenphone Ltd. ïÆ'Ëœ Compare other operators with Grameenphone Ltd. ïÆ'Ëœ To focus on the most resent after sales service improvement and market position of Grameenphone Ltd. ïÆ'Ëœ To find out the satisfaction level of Grameenphone subscribers. ïÆ'Ëœ To specify the areas of dissatisfaction of the Grameenphone users. ïÆ'Ëœ Identify the findings of analysis and recommend based on the findings. 1.2.2 Secondary Objectives: ïÆ'Ëœ To have knowledge on Grameenphone Ltd. and mobile industry. ïÆ'Ëœ To improve corresponding and report writing ability. 1.3 SCOPE The scope of the study is limited within the telecommunication industry of Bangladesh. It is also limited within the organization of Grameenphone, especially in the Customer Service Division of the company. Here I discussed with the topics related to the after sales customer satisfaction of Grameenphone Ltd. 1.4 Significance of the study GP knows that in near future, the sell will sluggish down and all the activities will occur through targeting the after sell services. And for that GP always wants to give their priority to this sector. All the activities GrameenPhone Ltd. based on their service. Mobile operators are mainly selling their service to their customers. And in that competition Grameen Phone provides best quality service to their customers. So being an employee of GrameenPhone Ltd. it's an honor to find out the customer satisfaction level. However today the competition is raising and it's create an opportunity to the customers for choose better one. As a result the telecom organizations are now not only looking for capture new customer but also retain the present and past customers too. For that they are now completely focus on their service level. So it's very important for GrameenPhone Ltd. to keep their service level up always as they did previous. The rationale of this study is to

Streptococcus Lactis: Structure and Applications

Streptococcus Lactis: Structure and Applications The following paper describes the bacteria Lactococcus lactis previously referred to as Streptococcus lactis. Lactococcus lactis is used in the making of dairy products. The most common of these products are milk, cheese, and yogurt. Researchers are also looking at the potential of Lactococcus lactis to be used in conjunction with vaccines. I chose to write about this microbe because of the many uses and interesting facts. Lactococcus lactis has served humanity in the past; presently it remains useful in many ways and has the potential to be even a greater asset in the future. Lactococcus Lactis Introduction Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), is a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that is nonpathogenic and Gram-positive. The genus Lactococcus is closely related to the genus Streptococcus and is used extensively in the fermenting of milk. It is also the best-characterized lactic acid bacterium (Bolotin, Wincker, Mauger, Jaillon, Malarme, Weissenbach, Ehrlich, Sorokin, 2001). By nature, L. lactis inhabits a function connected to plant and animal surfaces and the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. On plant surfaces, it is inactive but it is believed to reproduce in the gastrointestinal tract after being swallowed (Bolotin et al., 2001). In comparison, researchers have termed what they call a domesticated species of L. lactis. This species is used in the making of dairy products such as cheese, buttermilk, and yogurt. It also serves a different function that is identified by the use of technology such as fast growth and rapid production of lactic acid in milk (Bolotin et al., 2001). Cell Morphology Streptococcus lies under the Domain Bacteria. The term strepto means chained and the term coccus means round, therefore streptococcus cells are spherical and occur in pairs or chains that can be short or long in length (Breed, Murray, Smith, 1957, p. 508). Up until 1985, L. lactis was originally classified under the genus Streptococcus (MicrobeWiki, n.d.). They are non-motile, do not produce spores and have a fermentative metabolism (Bacteria Genomes, n.d.). They also have no pigment; however, in some strains a brick-red or yellow pigment may occur under certain environments (Breed et al., 1957, p. 508). A fermentable carbohydrate or polyhydroxy alcohol is essential for suitable growth in artificial media (Breed et al., 1957, p. 508). The average coccus is small about 1 ÃŽÂ ¼m in diameter (Engelkirk Engelkirk, 2011), which may vary from rough to smooth to mucoid (Breed et al., 1957, pps. 508-509). Carbohydrate fermentation is homofermentative with dextro rotator lactic acid as t he main end result. Carbon dioxide is produced in very small amounts or not at all from sugar fermentation (Breed et al., 1957, p. 509). With respect to their nutrition, all streptococci are particular and and require a number of the B vitamins and amino acids for growth (Breed et al., 1957, p. 509). Species have their own nutritional requirements. Streptococcus is generally found wherever natural substances that contain sugars are accumulated. They occur regularly within the mouth and intestines of humans and animals, in dairy and other food products, and in plant juices that are fermenting (Breed et al., 1957, p. 509). Genome Properties The genome of L. lactis is a circular chromosome with 2,365,589 base pair, where 86% of the genome code for protein, 1.4% for RNA, and 12.6% for noncoding region. 64.2% of the genes code for known functional proteins and 20.1% of the genes for known protein with unknown function. The remaining 15.7% of the genes are unidentified proteins that may be unique to the Lactococcus (MicrobeWiki, n.d.). According to Todar, (2011), the subspecies of L. lactis are used extensively as models in lactic acid bacteria research. One subspecies, Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris is characterized by the laboratory strains LM0230 and MG1363, and it is best preferred for the making of hard cheeses. The other subspecies, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis is considered the workhorse strain and is represented by IL1403 (Todar, 2011). This subspecies is best preferred for the making of soft cheeses. Todar (2011) also suggests that beginning in 2001, these strains have been sequenced. In other words, there is a better understanding of how these bacteria are associated with their function. Finally, the ability to compare genomes has led to more knowledge of how the variety of Lactococcus strains adapt to their environments. This ability to compare has also lead to unanticipated findings. It has been suggested that this bacterium can perform aerobic respiration and can undergo horizontal gene transmission by the process of transformation (Todar, 2011). With that, it is possible that Lactococcus lactis can be used to improve minuscule things such as flavor, texture, and preservation of 10 million pounds of cheese that is produced annually (Todar, 2011). It is important to be able to examine and decipher the characteristics of bacteria in order to provide data for identification and classification (Engelkirk Engelkirk, 2011). Unique Properties As previously mentioned, Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) is one of the most important micro-organisms in the dairy industry (Bacteria Genomes, n.d.). It is essential in the development and production of products by this industry. When L. lactis is added to milk, the bacterium uses enzymes to produce energy molecules (called ATP) from lactose. The byproduct of ATP energy production is lactic acid (Bacteria Genomes, n.d.). This lactic acid that is produced by the bacterium causes the milk to curdle and separate to produce curds, which is then used for cheese and whey (Bacteria Genomes, n.d.). The specific types of dairy that use L. lactis for its manufacturing include the cheeses Cheddar, Colby, Camembert, Roquefort, Brie, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and other dairy products such as butter, buttermilk, sour cream, and kefir (Todar, 2011). It is also accepted as a source of vegetable fermentation for pickled cucumbers and sauerkraut and for other fermented liquids such as beer and wine . L. lactis has also been considered for the development of delivering vaccines. The bacterium can be genetically engineered to produce proteins from pathogenic species on their cell surfaces (Todar, 2011). This is done by injecting an animal with a modified strain of the bacterium by way of a nasal spray. An immune response to the strain is obtained which provides an eventual immunity to the pathogen (Todar, 2011). Because L. lactis is non-pathogenic and non-colonizing it is a promising candidate for delivering biologically active proteins by mucosal routes. In a report by Chinese researchers it is described that recombinant L. lactis is applicable for the development of live mucosal vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) (Zhang, Zhong, Huan, 2011). In a lab test mice were given an oral immunization and it induced both mucosal and systemic immune responses against HBV at the same magnitude. These results indicated that the lactococci-derived vaccines could be attractive candidates as alternative HBV vaccines for preventing hepatitis B (Zhang, Zhong, Huan, 2011). The increased research of L. lactis would be beneficial to people in underdeveloped countries and where sickness and other diseases is high. In conclusion, the bacterium Lactococcus lactis appears versatile. The current research suggests that, with more exploration, L. lactis can be used to improve the quality of dairy products as well as the health of individuals by way of vaccines.

Cyrano de Bergerac - Cyrano as Noble Idealist :: Bergerac

Cyrano de Bergerac - Cyrano as Noble Idealist In The play Cyrano de Bergerac, the main character, Cyrano, is a noble idealist who fights against the harsh reality of ordinary life, and creates his own world. On the outside he is a strong man with a hard shell, but inside he is a melancholy poet yearning for love. He feels that the world bases love too much on appearance. He believes that no one will ever love him because of his grotesquely long nose. For this reason Cyrano cuts himself off of true reality and creates a world where love exists without appearance. In Cyranos everyday life he is a great swordsman who leads troops in to the battlefields, and fights a hundred men at once. He stands up for what he believes in and never compromises. He is full of chivalry, bravery and wit. In his life of love he is a brilliant poet, comprised of words of emotion. This life of love exists only in his mind and on the paper by which he expresses himself. In the beginning these two worlds are kept apart until Cyrano devises a way to bridge the two together. He discovers that the woman he loves, Roxanne is in love with a man named Christian. When he tells Christian that Roxanne has feelings for him, he reveals to Cyrano that he may have good looks, but a terrible way with words. Cyrano replies with "strange.... Now it seems I, if I gave my mind to it, I might perhaps make love well."..... "Borrow it then! - Your young manhood - lend me that, and we two make one hero of romance." (p. 84-85) Cyrano bridges his two worlds together through Christian. At first Cyrano assumes that this will be a good plan. At first it fills him with joy to be able to express his love for Roxanne but as time went on he realized that he was doing all the work and letting someone else take all the credit. Cyrano says in the end of the play "Yes - that has been my life... Do you remember that night Christian spoke under your window? Cyrano de Bergerac - Cyrano as Noble Idealist :: Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac - Cyrano as Noble Idealist In The play Cyrano de Bergerac, the main character, Cyrano, is a noble idealist who fights against the harsh reality of ordinary life, and creates his own world. On the outside he is a strong man with a hard shell, but inside he is a melancholy poet yearning for love. He feels that the world bases love too much on appearance. He believes that no one will ever love him because of his grotesquely long nose. For this reason Cyrano cuts himself off of true reality and creates a world where love exists without appearance. In Cyranos everyday life he is a great swordsman who leads troops in to the battlefields, and fights a hundred men at once. He stands up for what he believes in and never compromises. He is full of chivalry, bravery and wit. In his life of love he is a brilliant poet, comprised of words of emotion. This life of love exists only in his mind and on the paper by which he expresses himself. In the beginning these two worlds are kept apart until Cyrano devises a way to bridge the two together. He discovers that the woman he loves, Roxanne is in love with a man named Christian. When he tells Christian that Roxanne has feelings for him, he reveals to Cyrano that he may have good looks, but a terrible way with words. Cyrano replies with "strange.... Now it seems I, if I gave my mind to it, I might perhaps make love well."..... "Borrow it then! - Your young manhood - lend me that, and we two make one hero of romance." (p. 84-85) Cyrano bridges his two worlds together through Christian. At first Cyrano assumes that this will be a good plan. At first it fills him with joy to be able to express his love for Roxanne but as time went on he realized that he was doing all the work and letting someone else take all the credit. Cyrano says in the end of the play "Yes - that has been my life... Do you remember that night Christian spoke under your window?

How Is Dramatic Tension Created in Act 2 Scene 2 of Macbeth?

Shakespear wrote the play ‘Macbeth' in the 16th century and its set in the 11th century. The different themes explored in this play are Power, Fate, Destiny, Evil as well as the unnatural. The play is about Macbeth trying to gain power in ruthless ways because of the predictions the three witches made. Lady Macbeth plays an important role throughout the play too as a powerful elizabethan woman. In Act 2 Scene 2 Macbeth starts going insane due to the guilt and we see a change in his character right before this scene Macbeth's killed the king and now is dying out of guilt. This is a very pivotal scene in the play as I believe this is the turning point of the play as after this scene more crime is commited too. The scene begins with Lady Macbeth talking. The audience understands that Lady Macbeth is waiting for her husband to return from commiting the crime. Lady Macbeth seems to be thrilled and agitated, telling herself that its all going to be okay. She feels courageous and fearless, the audience gets this idea as she keeps repeating her plan over and over and over again believeing in herself feeling â€Å"bold† claiming she has â€Å"fire†. Lady Macbeth comes out as a very strong Elizabethan woman who believes in her own power to manipulate and control Macbeth the way she likes it. She first says â€Å"that what hath made them drunk, hath made bold; What hath quench’d them, hath give me fire† this is her saying she is excited as she believes that her husband is about to achieve greatness and become the king, his plans have made her passionate about the death of Duncan or is she trying to convince herself that she is right to plan the murder? A Shakespearian audience would start to believe that she is a witch as in Shakespeare times they strongly believed in witches. Reason why Shakespear wrote this play was due to King James the first's obsession with witchcraft. A Shakespearen audience would be very appalled as they would expect a woman in those times to be very obident and innocent. Shes meant to represent her husband however Lady Macbeth behaves much differently. This gives the impression that she is twisted as she sees murder as something so trivial and has no feeling of guilt whatsoever, to an extent of planning the death of the Duncan.. A king also in those times is said to be as a â€Å"messanger of God† therefore killing a God's messanger would be something that could lead upto death penalty. A modern audience would not be as shocked as a Shakespearn audience as society has now changed and such behaviour is very expected in a woman too but some might disagree and act surprised as women are seen to be the more vulnerable, helpless ones in society and would never expect them to behave in this manner. Macbeth enters when the crime is commited. Lady Macbeth makes sure to greet him. Dramatic tension first starts when Lady Macbeth says ‘the owl scream and the crickets cry’. To a modern audience, this has no meaning but during Shakespearean times these noises were signs of someone who has died/death. Also, something evil and unatural. Short sentences are used to build up dramatic tension. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use one worded answers and ask short questions. For example: ‘When? ’ ‘Now. ’ ‘As I descended? ’ ‘Ay. ’ This builds up tension as the reader might believe Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are scared so the conversation is short and snappy. If this scene was re-enacted the actor would read this in a hushed voice and a quiet tone as they wouldn't want to get caught. The audience is aware that Macbeth has commited a sin. The audience would begin to feel cautious and tension builds up because what happens next is not predicatble, the audience is not sure if they would get caught or heard by someone. This is where things start to get a twist and this scene gets more interesting as we see a change in the characters. This is where Macbeth's madness starts as well as his guilt and the fear that people will discover what has happened. The theme of guilt is then built up throughout this scene. Lady Macbeth seems to keep her sentences short in this part of the scene as she thinks that Macbeth is starting to go insane. She says things such as â€Å"Consider it not so deeply† she doesn't want to confuse him furthur or wants him to feel any sense of guilt as this would blow her cover. Macbeth says â€Å"I had most need of blessing, and ‘Amen' Stuck in my throat† He wont say a holy word as hes gone against all of The divine rights of Kings which means he has also gone against God. The audience understands his guilt and feels however they know he did wrong and also went against his religion therefore it’s understandable that Macbeth should suffer with his guilt. Religion is shown at this point. Lady Macbeth takes notice of Macbeth's condition and tries to make sense to him For example ‘These deeds must not be thought, After these ways; so, it will make us mad’. She makes sure of herself and is assertive. The audience can see no signs of regret or guilt with her whatsoever. The theme of nature and guilt are constantly repeated throughout this scene. ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’ which suggests that people will be in fear that Macbeth is left loose. Sleep is nature’s way of healing a person and Macbeth can't get any as he went against all the rules of nature – â€Å"Sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more†. Macbeth says ‘I heard a voice cry’. This suggests hes going insane as he begins to hear other voices in his head. The constant repetition of referal to nature and religion emphasizes his guilt and regret; He knows he did wrong and repeating it reminds him of that. Macbeth feels confused and helpless as his insanity gets difficult to deal with. Lady Macbeth starts to take notice of Macbeth's madness and tries to take control of it. Themes of guilt and regret are still carried on. Lady Macbeth tries to inforce her words on him, For example ‘Infirm of purpose! As if shes telling him to accept the facts and move on. Lady Macbeth still shows no signs of guilt or regret. She is frustrated and almost shouting at him, forcing him into believing the way she does. Her tone of voice and use of language is harsh which attacks Macbeth's pride and ego as a man. She mentally manipulates him into thinking her way. Lady Macbeth takes control and is motivated by the need to not get caught and by the greed of power so then she can become the queen. The audience can once again see her manipulative side and feels sympathetic towards Macbeth. She tells Macbeth to hand her the daggers; she makes Macbeth feel useless and little as a person, directly attacking his pride as a man. Macbeth's madness continues to get worse. Lady Macbeth says â€Å"My hands are of your colour; but I shame To wear a heart so white† She makes him feel that he done the same crime as her but shes perfectly fine but hes acting like a coward, she keeps attacking his pride so that she gets what she wants out of him. As during Shakespearean times, pride and honour meant a great deal of importance. Macbeth doesn’t show any of this now. Becoming the queen is the most important motivation for her currently. Shes driven by her need and greed for power. Use of language is used to build tension, Shakespeare uses a hyperbole to express Macbeth’s guilt and the theme of regret. For example ‘Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hands? ’ This tells me that Macbeth feels really guilty hes comparing what he did as big a deal as the whole ocean saying Macbeth would need an ocean so big for him to be forgiven or to wipe away the evidence of his crime and wash this crime, this blood off their hands. Also ‘The multitudinous seas in incarnadine, making the green one red’. This imagery of blood and red is repeated and exaggerated which then again links to guilt and the theme of blood. Short sentences and noise such as ‘Knocking’ is used repeatedly to build up tension, the fear that anyone will find out keeps them anxious. Dramatic tension is created throughout this scene by the use of language, short sentences, hyperboles, repetition and imagery. This scene is an important one in the play as this is where we see a change in the characters and theres a twist in the story. This creates suspense and makes it unpredictable so the audience wants to know what will happen next and keep them interested and wanting more. Hyperboles emphasize the crucial themes in this scene like how Macbeth needs the oceans to describe his guilt and regret. Repetition makes the action continuous and seem important as its being repeated a several times and short sentences speed up the pace of which the actions happen at and help build up tension.

Frostbite Chapter 17

Seventeen WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE doing?† she demanded. Her voice was still too loud as far as I was concerned. â€Å"Nothing, I- â€Å" â€Å"Excuse us, Lord Ivashkov,† she growled. Then, like I was five years old, she grabbed me by my arm and jerked me out of the room. Champagne sloshed out of my glass and splashed onto the skirt of my dress. â€Å"What do you think you're doing?† I exclaimed, once we were out in the hall. Mournfully, I looked down at my dress. â€Å"This is silk. You could have ruined it.† She grabbed the champagne flute and set it down on a nearby table. â€Å"Good. Maybe it'll stop you from dressing up like a cheap whore.† â€Å"Whoa,† I said, shocked. â€Å"That's kind of harsh. And where do you get off turning motherly all of a sudden?† I gestured to the dress. â€Å"This isn't exactly cheap. You thought it was nice of Tasha to give it to me.† â€Å"That's because I didn't expect you to wear it out with Moroi and make a spectacle of yourself.† â€Å"I'm not making a spectacle of myself. And anyway, it covers everything up.† â€Å"A dress that tight might as well be showing everything,† she retorted. She, of course, was dressed in guardian black: tailored black linen pants and a matching blazer. She had a few curves of her own, but the clothing hid them. â€Å"Especially when you're with a group like that. Your body's†¦conspicuous. And flirting with Moroi doesn't really help.† â€Å"I wasn't flirting with him.† The accusation made me angry because I felt I'd been on really good behavior lately. I used to flirt all the time- and do other things- with Moroi guys, but after a few talks and one embarrassing incident with Dimitri, I'd realized how stupid that was. Dhampir girls did have to be careful with Moroi guys, and I kept that in mind all the time now. Something petty occurred to me. â€Å"Besides,† I said mockingly, â€Å"isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Hook up with a Moroi and further my race? It's what you did.† She glowered. â€Å"Not when I was your age.† â€Å"You were only a few years older than me.† â€Å"Don't do anything stupid, Rose,† she said. â€Å"You're too young for a baby. You don't have the life experience for it- you haven't even lived your own life yet. You won't be able to do the kind of job you wish you could.† I groaned, mortified. â€Å"Are we really even discussing this? How did we go from me allegedly flirting to suddenly having a litter? I'm not having sex with him or anyone else, and even if I were, I know about birth control. Why are you talking to me like I'm a child?† â€Å"Because you act like one.† It was remarkably like what Dimitri had told me. I glared. â€Å"So you're going to send me to my room now?† â€Å"No, Rose.† She suddenly looked tired. â€Å"You don't have to go to your room, but don't go back in there, either. Hopefully you didn't draw too much attention.† â€Å"You make it sound like I was giving a lap dance in there,† I told her. â€Å"I just had dinner with Lissa.† â€Å"You'd be surprised what things can spark rumors,† she warned. â€Å"Especially with Adrian Ivashkov.† With that, she turned and headed off down the hall. Watching her, I felt anger and resentment burn through me. Overreact much? I hadn't done anything wrong. I knew she had her whole blood-whore paranoia, but this was extreme, even for her. Worst of all, she'd dragged me out of there, and several people had witnessed it. For someone who supposedly didn't want me attracting attention, she'd kind of messed that one up. A couple of Moroi who'd been standing near Adrian and me walked out of the room. They glanced in my direction and then whispered something as they passed. â€Å"Thanks, Mom,† I muttered to myself. Humiliated, I stalked off in the opposite direction, not really sure where I was going. I headed out toward the back of the lodge, away from all the activity. The hall eventually ended, but a door leading to some stairs sat on the left. The door was unlocked, so I followed the stairs upward to another door. To my pleasure, it opened up onto a small rooftop deck that didn't appear to see much use. A blanket of snow lay over it all, but it was early morning out here, and the sun shone brightly, making everything glitter. I brushed snow off of a large, box-like object that looked to be part of the ventilation system. Heedless of my dress, I sat down on it. Wrapping my arms around myself, I stared off, taking in the view and the sun I rarely got to enjoy. I was startled when the door opened a few minutes later. When I looked back I was even more startled still to see Dimitri emerge. My heart gave a small flutter, and I turned away, unsure what to think. His boots crunched in the snow as he walked over to where I was sitting. A moment later, he took off his long coat and draped it over my shoulders. He sat down beside me. â€Å"You must be freezing.† I was, but I didn't want to admit it. â€Å"The sun's out.† He tipped his head back, looking up at the perfect blue sky. I knew he missed the sun as much as I did sometimes. â€Å"It is. But we're still on a mountain in the middle of winter.† I didn't answer. We sat there in a comfortable silence for a while. Occasionally, a light wind blew clouds of snow around. It was night for Moroi, and most would be going to bed soon, so the ski runs were quiet. â€Å"My life is a disaster,† I finally said. â€Å"It's not a disaster,† he said automatically. â€Å"Did you follow me from the party?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I didn't even know you were there.† His dark clothes indicated he must have been on guardian duty at the party. â€Å"So you saw the illustrious Janine cause a commotion by dragging me out.† â€Å"It wasn't a commotion. Hardly anyone noticed. I saw because I was watching you.† I refused to let myself get excited over that. â€Å"That's not what she said,† I told him. â€Å"I might as well have been working a corner as far as she was concerned.† I relayed the conversation from the hallway. â€Å"She's just worried about you,† Dimitri said when I finished. â€Å"She overreacted.† â€Å"Sometimes mothers are overprotective.† I stared at him. â€Å"Yeah, but this is my mother. And she didn't seem that protective, really. I think she was more worried I'd embarrass her or something. And all that becoming-a-mother-too-young stuff was stupid. I'm not going to do anything like that.† â€Å"Maybe she wasn't talking about you,† he said. More silence. My jaw fell open. You don't have the life experience for it- you haven't even lived your own life yet. You won't be able to do the kind of job you wish you could. My mom had been twenty when I was born. Growing up, that had always seemed really old to me. But now†¦that was only a few years off for me. Not old at all. Did she think she'd had me too soon? Had she done a shoddy job raising me simply because she didn't know any better at the time? Did she regret the way things had turned out between us? And was it†¦ was it maybe possible that she'd had some personal experience of her own with Moroi men and people spreading rumors about her? I had inherited a lot of her features. I mean, I'd even noticed tonight what a nice figure she had. She had a pretty face, too- for a nearly forty-year-old, I mean. She'd probably been really, really good-looking when she was younger†¦. I sighed. I didn't want to think about that. If I did, I might have to reevaluate my relationship with her- maybe even acknowledge my mother as a real person- and I already had too many relationships stressing me. Lissa always worried me, even though she seemed to be okay for a change. My so-called romance with Mason was in shambles. And then, of course, there was Dimitri†¦. â€Å"We aren't fighting right now.† I blurted out. He gave me a sidelong look. â€Å"Do you want to fight?† â€Å"No. I hate fighting with you. Verbally, I mean. I don't mind in the gym.† I thought I detected the hint of a smile. Always a half-smile for me. Rarely a full one. â€Å"I don't like fighting with you either.† Sitting next to him there, I marveled at the warm and happy emotions springing up inside of me. There was something about being around him that felt so good, that moved me in a way Mason couldn't. You can't force love, I realized. It's there or it isn't. If it's not there, you've got to be able to admit it. If it is there, you've got to do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love. The next words that came out of my mouth astonished me, both because they were completely unselfish and because I actually meant them. â€Å"You should take it.† He flinched. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Tasha's offer. You should take her up on it. It's a really great chance.† I remembered my mom's words about being ready for children. I wasn't. Maybe she hadn't been. But Tasha was. And I knew Dimitri was too. They got along really well. He could go be her guardian, have some kids with her †¦ it would be a good deal for both of them. â€Å"I never expected to hear you say anything like that,† he told me, voice tight. â€Å"Especially after- â€Å" â€Å"What a bitch I've been? Yeah.† I tugged his coat tighter against the cold. It smelled like him. It was intoxicating, and I could half-imagine being wrapped in his embrace. Adrian might have been onto something about the power of scent. â€Å"Well. Like I said, I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want us to hate each other. And†¦well †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them. â€Å"No matter how I feel about us †¦ I want you to be happy.† Silence yet again. I noticed then that my chest hurt. Dimitri reached out and put his arm around me. He pulled me to him, and I rested my head on his chest. â€Å"Roza,† was all he said. It was the first time he'd really touched me since the night of the lust charm. The practice room had been something different †¦ more animal. This wasn't even about sex. It was just about being close to someone you cared about, about the emotion that kind of connection flooded you with. Dimitri might run off with Tasha, but I would still love him. I would probably always love him. I cared about Mason. But I would probably never love him. I sighed into Dimitri, just wishing I could stay like that forever. It felt right being with him. And- no matter how much the thought of him and Tasha made me ache- doing what was best for him felt right. Now, I knew, it was time to stop being a coward and do something else that was right. Mason had said I needed to learn something about myself. I just had. Reluctantly, I pulled away and handed Dimitri his coat. I stood up. He regarded me curiously, sensing my unease. â€Å"Where you going?† he asked. â€Å"To break someone's heart,† I replied. I admired Dimitri for a heartbeat more- the dark, knowing eyes and silken hair. Then I headed inside. I had to apologize to Mason†¦and tell him there'd never be anything between us.