WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The world's tropical forests are disappearing, and one reason is simple economics: People, companies and governments earn more by logging, mining or farming places such as the Amazon jungle than by conserving them.

Global climate change treaty, scheduled for completion in December, is designed to protect tropical forests.

Efforts to halt rain forest destruction date back decades, but they so far have failed to tackle the issue on a scale commensurate with the challenge.

Now there may be a remedy, and the reason is climate change. Increased awareness of the threat from global warming has prompted unprecedented international focus on how to combat it, as well as new appreciation for the vital role of tropical forests in the climate change equation.

On Tuesday, world leaders gather at the Unitedan area the size of England are destroyed, contributing about 20 percent of total annual greenhouse gas emissions -- more than all the world's cars, trucks and airplanes combined.

The idea of the proposed provision is to make the stored carbon dioxide in the forests a commodity that can be bought and sold on the global market.

Polluters in the developing world would be able to offset their emissions by buying credits for stored forest carbon dioxide. The money from those purchases would go to developing world governments, international organizations, local communities and others involved in forest protection programs.

For the first time, tropical forests would be worth money for simply existing. That could create an economic incentive to protect tropical forests, which also have biological value as the planet's richest


on the new global climate change treaty.

"Right now everybody is in a wait-and-see mode," said Benoit Bosquet, the World Bank's lead carbon finance specialist. "Everybody seems interested, but the level of activity is still humble."

Conservationists cite the environmental benefits of saving tropical forests, which provide essential resources and services -- such as fresh water, food, flood control and many others -- on which more than a billion people depend. Now, they say, conserving forests also can contribute to sustainable development, benefiting both nature and people.

Yet several steps remain before the tropical-forest provision becomes reality on a large scale.

First, the U.N.-led negotiations must agree on a treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol -- the world's first global climate change agreement, which expires in 2012.

The Kyoto treaty created a globalTagged: SPL

In early 2007, a 64-year-old Swiss woman was admitted to the emergency room of a local hospital after having suffered a moderate right hemispheric stroke. Several days following her hospitalization, the woman began to experience what she described to her physicians as a “pale,” “transparent” arm that began at her elbow, which she could move and utilize to complete actions. The phenomenon the Swiss woman experienced was a Supernumerary Phantom Limb (SPL), which is characterized by the sensation of possessing an extra limb that did not exist previously. Though uncommon, conditions such as SPL and phantom limb (the sensation that a missing limb is still attached to the body) typically arise due to some form of insult to the somatosensory region of the brain or from the


The Vikings aren't settled with Kai Forbath after trading up in the fifth round of the NFL draft for Auburn kicker Daniel Carlson on Saturday. He became the highest drafted kicker (167th overall) in Vikings history, surpassing Blair Walsh (174th in 2012).

And Carlson can kick a field goal well over 55 yards.

"Depending on altitude and weather," he said, "I've hit quite a few kicks over 50-plus during the past few years. During private workouts, we backed it up to 65 — made those.

"With the altitude [in Colorado], I was hitting from 75."

So Carlson could have a decent showing during the Vikings' Aug. 11 preseason opener at Denver. That will be important during an offseason competition with incumbent Forbath, who re-signed on a one-year deal after making 84.2 percentof his field goals in 2017.

Range for a kicker is a preferred trait by Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer. So when Carlson paired that with 15 consecutive field goals during a private workout, the Vikings were sold.

"He has a tremendous leg," General Manager Rick Spielman said. "I know coach Priefer, when he worked him out, was very impressed."

Carlson converted every extra point at Auburn (albeit from the 2-yard line) and made 90 percent of his field-goal attempts from 39 yards or closer. Forbath missed an NFL-high five extra points — the 33-yard variety — last season.

Hoops to NFL hopeful

Vikings' fifth-round pick Tyler Conklin was a scholarship basketball player at Northwood University in Michigan when he decided to transfer and be a walk-on tight end at Central Michigan.

After


sitting out the 2015 season, Conklin flourished in football for two seasons, with 77 catches for 1,064 yards and 11 touchdowns. He hopes to be another former college basketball player who makes the leap to NFL tight end.

"Being able to judge the ball, ball skills," he said, "the way you can use your body, the little stuff like that. I think those are all things that translate perfect."

Pettway will join

After the draft, the frenzy begins for teams to sign undrafted players. The Vikings began making those calls Saturday night, adding a bruising runner right away.

The team is signing Auburn's Kamryn Pettway, according to a league source. The 6-foot, 233-pound running back earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in 2016 after rushing for 1,224 yards in 10 games but playedonly five games last season because of a fractured shoulder blade.

The Vikings plan to finalize the 2018 undrafted free agent class Sunday, Spielman said, adding, "We were pretty aggressive in going out and getting some guys."

Bradford trade 'done'

Thanks to the Vikings, the Super Bowl champion Eagles again added to their defensive line. With the Vikings' original fourth-round pick Saturday, Philadelphia drafted Florida State defensive end Josh Sweat.

That pick was the final piece of the Vikings' 2016 trade for quarterback Sam Bradford, which sent a 2017 first-round pick and the fourth-round selection to Philadelphia. The Eagles used the first pick on defensive end Derek Barnett.

President Donald Trump on Thursday granted a rare posthumous pardon to boxing's first black heavyweight champion, clearing Jack Johnson's name more than 100 years after


Setting The Record Straight

June 12, 2001

A funeral Mass for the Rev. Raymond J. Jean, a former pastor in Durham and Ledyard who also had been a priest at several Catholic parishes in Connecticut, was held Monday at St. Mary Church in Willimantic. The date of the Mass was incorrect on Page B2 on Saturday.O'Mahony 'taken aback' by wing role

Peter O'Mahony, right, played over half of the Italy match on the left wing

Ireland flanker Peter O'Mahony was as surprised as anyone when he was asked to play over half of his side's 22-15 RBS 6 Nations defeat to Italy on the wing.

Once more injury thinned the Irish ranks as it had done all championship, the only difference being that in Rome it struck early in the second quarter.

"It was a mad one all right, I certainly never saw myself playing 50 minutes on the wing for Ireland in a Six Nations game," Munster back row O'Mahony said.

Wing Keith Earls and centre Luke Marshall departed with a shoulder injury and concussion in quick succession, and were soon joined on the sidelines by Luke


team. The number of penalties we gave away killed us," Jackson said.

It was a chastening afternoon for Ireland and arguably their lowest point of the championship since Italy joined in 2000. The line-out was a disaster, their defence uncharacteristically fragile, indiscipline was rife and they were comprehensively outmuscled by the Italian pack.

Yet for all their shortcomings, they remained in touch on the scoreboard through the superb place kicking of Jackson, who landed five from six penalty attempts, three of them arriving while Sergio Parisse was in the sin-bin. But Italy, inspired by Parisse and retiring prop Andrea Lo Cicero, were irrepressible and were more comfortable winners than the scoreline suggests.

"It's not great to be part of the first team to lose to Italy, so we're very disappointed. ButIn the related art, inner wires of the television are commonly fixed by a wire fixation snap, a ribbon-type wire fixation buckle or an adhesive tape. The wires are connected to each other by the adhesive tapes, so in the assembly process, the human resources may be wasted, and it is difficult to disassemble the product. In addition, when the adhesive tape has been used for a long time, the adhesive force may be reduced, and the wires may fall off. In the related art, the wire fixations snap in the televisions is commonly of a half-open and half-surrounded structure, and the wire fixations snap of the half-surrounded structure is insufficient to fix the wire firmly, and the wire may come away from the snap during a transportation.


Archive for the ‘para military’ Category

By Muhammad Khurshid
Khar, Bajaur Agency,Tribal Areas Pakistan
March 19, 2008
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Journalists were thrashed by the security officials in front of National Assembly of Pakistan as they were covering the proceedings of the assembly.

Police guard the main entrance of the National Assembly during the election of its speaker in Islamabad March 19, 2008. Pakistan’s National Assembly elected its first woman speaker on Wednesday, a member of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) which won elections last month.REUTERS/Mian Khursheed (PAKISTAN)

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Journalists working in tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border have also been receiving threats from Taliban and terrorists, who have been ruling the areas nowadays.

So far several journalists were either killed by the terrorists or the security agencies in the troubled tribal areas. Situationin other parts of the country is not different as there the journalists have been facing immense pressure.

The journalists started protesting outside the Parliament House, when the security personnel cut off cables of their cameras.

The journalists from various news organization including news channels came to cover the proceedings of the 13th National Assembly on the occasion of election of speaker.

Law and order situation in Pakistan has been going from bad to worst. According to a newspaper comment, rising street crime in Karachi has touched new heights. While official figures of crime in the city tell one story, the reality seems to be something much different.
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Police officials and senior government functionaries would have us believe that all is well and under control but incidents of mobile phone theft, mugging


and burglaries in the city have shot up in the past couple of months. Particularly affected are the commercial areas of the city as well as the business districts where men on motorcycles accost pedestrians, motorcyclists and motorists in broad daylight and rob them of their valuables.
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The slightest resistance can lead to death for some as the robbers seem desperate and ready to kill if their demands are not met. In the past week, there have been several cases where people were stopped in broad daylight in full public view and robbed. In most instances, people do not bother to register cases as this is another ordeal for them.
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Pedestrians have been mugged in dark street corners, women have seen their earrings snatched from their ears and purses stolen,in Illinois, the same day Miller posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor – the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force given to an individual serving in the United States Armed Services. A graduate of Wheaton North High School, Miller was killed Jan. 25, 2008 in Barikowt, Afghanistan while saving the lives of his Special Forces team and 15 Afghan soldiers.

Governor Quinn today also highlighted a number of programs that he has supported that benefit Illinois’ Veterans, servicemembers and their families:

In May, Governor Quinn opened the first Fisher House in Illinois for families of wounded servicemembers in May on the campus of the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. The Fisher House program is a unique public-private partnership that provides housing at little or no


assignments are listed below. The eastern or B concourse opened in summer 1990. The eastern half of the main terminal opened in 1991. The western half of the main terminal, western or A concourse, and garage, all opened in 1992. A series of temporary prefabricated buildings were used to provide gate space and baggage claim space during the construction.

By the end of the 1980s, The New York Air National Guard constructed a small hangar and office facility, and apron space, on the south side of the airport near the control tower. This facility has since been expanded.

2006–2015: Changes to the Airport
In 2006, Monroe County consolidated the separate security checkpoints at each concourse, to one central security checkpoint. Monroe County argued that this arrangement, although it would close thenationally to provide actual user feedback to companies and market...

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The Gloster, LA Job Market

Hunting for quality jobs in Gloster, LA? Gloster, LA has a population of approximately 100, derived from 2010 government info. The average household earning capacity of Gloster, LA is approximately $38,000, as per government statistics info since roughly 2013 Gloster's cost of living, since 2013, was in the region of 81 out of 100, which happens to be lower versus the nationwide average.

Just one more item may perhaps be excellent becoming informed of is the fact that, as recent as 2014, the city of Gloster has a rate of unemployment near 6.9%. Furthermore,this is higher than the nation's average unemployment level, sincewhen global markets in the US, Europe and Japan are showing signs of a slowing demand.The Lexus India vehicle line-up reflects the signature style and quality on which the legacy of the Lexus brand is built and the brand has been launched to target the affluent buyers in the country.The models of Lexus will be available at guest experience centres located in New Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bangalore. Additionally, after sales service facilities will be available in other destinations such as Chandigarh Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi.Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries.At a time when the luxury market is clearly expanding in India given the


traditional key-note speakers, group work, exhibitions and coffee breaks.
Here they are presented with an array of alternative conference facility layouts and activities that provide renewed energy and increased benefits. The concept embraces all aspects of the event ranging from follow-up to theme features such as flowers, culture or nationality.

"Friendly Match with Goal Spree" is a concept that gives participants a sense of ownership and confidence in times of change and new directions.
By informing employees about what is taking place and actively involving them in the process through establishing strategy and plans for implementation, everyone is motivated to do their best on the day of the match as well as later on when the plans are to be realised.

The southern coast of Zealand island is dominated by Møns Klint,the highest cliffs in the country and a fantastic place to get out walking. Take in views of the Baltic Sea and rolling landscape of South Zealand and visit Denmark's newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, Stevns Klint, only an hour from Copenhagen.

Why not treat your meeting participant to food that tastes great and that help keep the energy level high? More and more hotels in Denmark focuses on organic and healthy food. Our MINDevent partners are two of them,
Radssion Blu's Brain Food
Brain Food is a new concept developed by chefs at Radisson Blu hotels for meeting and conference guests.

The concept supports knowledge-sharing and developmental meetings.
The meeting design is active, motivating and inspiring and allows you to move dynamically around the building during the day.
Process
"Basic plan"The program is introduced


at a plenary session.
Systematic networking involving participants. Participants get to know each other better by use of question cards.

The Copenhagen Marriott hotel offers 401 air-conditioned, spacious rooms with exquisite harbor and Copenhagen city views. All the rooms come with luxurious Marriott bedding with down comforters and rich linens.
The hotel is renowned for its 13 superlative conference venues, it's fine catering and attention to detail.
The hotel is within walking distance to the Copenhagen Central Station or Tivoli Gardens and only a 15-minute drive from the Copenhagen Airport giving easy access to everything you could need in Copenhagen

New Year's Eve in Denmark is one big party! Many Danes see in the new year with friends and it's not uncommon to see fireworks whizzing around on the streets! At 6pm, peoplegather by the TV to hear Queen Margrethe's New Year's Eve speech. After that, it's out with the old and in with the new! Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, is a great place to experience New Year's Eve, especially when Danes gather at City Hall Square. Find out why here.

Denmark is steeped in a rich history, just waiting to be discovered. Come and find your own Viking treasures, walk amongst ancient rune stones or feel history come to life at Denmark's castles and manor houses. Many Danish castles are still used by the Royal Family today, including Queen Margrethe, Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik. You can take part in a number of traditional royal celebrations and events throughout the year.

The Little Mermaid turns 100 years young this year.


September 6, 1919.

The convoy was memorable enough for a young Army officer, 28-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Dwight David Eisenhower, to include a chapter about the trip, titled "Through Darkest America With Truck and Tank," in his book At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends (Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1967). "The trip had been difficult, tiring and fun," he said. That experience on the Lincoln Highway, plus his observations of the German autobahn network during World War II, convinced him to support construction of the Interstate System when he became president. "The old convoy had started me thinking about good, two-lane highways, but Germany had made me see the wisdom of broader ribbons across the land." His "Grand Plan" for highways, announced in 1954, led to the 1956 legislative breakthrough|

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Metro: Last Light preview

Shacknews ventures underground into the dark, grim world of Metro: Last Light and emerges with a preview of the upcoming sequel to 2010's cult-hit game Metro 2033.

Metro 2033, from developer 4A Games, was a surprise cult-hit from publisher THQ when it arrived in early 2010. The shooter based on Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky's novel of the same name combined the unapologetic mechanics found in many Eastern European PC-centric shooters that made it difficult to crack the mainstream shooter market. Though the game suffered a handful of bugs, its success on PC and Xbox 360 paved the way for THQ to "green light" a continuation of the adapted story.
Metro: Last Light continues the franchise with the same creative vision as its predecessor but also features a


strong commitment to bring the game's core systems up to the same standards as its artistic aspirations. From what I have seen, the game still features the same Eastern European gameplay design popularized by games of the same ilk, stifling fears that Metro: Last Light would attempt to "Westernize" the series going forward. The game universe returns to the bleak, post-apocalyptic world where humanity survives underground. Slowly, though, the world is becoming more hospitable, and as humanity gets back on its feet, factions form and the struggle for power leads to new civil wars.

I saw a demo of a very early version of the game being played on PC. Like the original, Metro: Last Light hits that combination of art style and visual fidelity that stops anyone intheir tracks. Details abound in every environment both below and above ground. The developer's attention to detail makes it easy to get sucked into the game world. And it's punctuated by the fictional elements such as a pneumatic sniper rifle that comes of as completely believable as something hand-made a gunsmith in this bleak, industrial world might fashion.
Metro: Last Light's demo also highlighted the game's use of dramatic lighting. The contrast between the gloomy dark of the underground and the stark, glaring ruin of the surface goes a long way in setting the tone of the game. Much of what I saw was underground, where the only light is artificial. In a stealthy section of the demo, the sense of tension was quite strong watching the light beams


Montford crawls with nighttime fun

Hiding in the maze around Park Road Shopping Center is the unassuming Montford Drive. The small side street is home to one of the largest groupings of bars in Charlotte: 14 different places to eat or drink. It's second only to uptown's entertainment district. Every weekend, its loyal following – eager to avoid the hassle of uptown's lines, cover charges and dress codes – walks from bar to bar on an unofficial Montford Drive Bar Crawl.

Andrew Blair's

Start your crawl with a bowl of lobster macaroni and cheese ($21) at Andrew Blair's; you'll need a full stomach to keep up the rest of the night. The smoke-free restaurant opened this summer and offers an upscale, but still comfortable, alternative to Montford's crop of dive bars.the United States Air Force Thunderbirds at their home base. The Thunderbirds sent up all six of their F-16 Fighting Falcons to escort the eight French Alpha Jets in, setting up a dramatic photo opportunity over the desert and mountains near Nellis.

The pilots and maintainers will spend two days in Las Vegas before flying to Colorado Springs, CO and Peterson AFB to fly over the US Air Force Academy. From there, they will travel to Langley AFB to take part in a VIP event which AirshowStuff will bring you coverage of on Friday. Several other events on their North American tour follow before they return to France in May.

This isn’t the first time that the USAF Thunderbirds have spent time with the Patrouille de France. The teams performed


the motivation to drop and give our boys in blue fifty.”

The United States Air Force Thunderbirds have re-opened their team museum at their home base of Nellis AFB. The museum helps tell the Thunderbird story, from its beginnings, to today.

Inside the museum, you’ll find artifacts and other memorabilia including documentation on the team’s formation. The picture below shows the designation and order to create the 3600th USAF Air Demonstration Unit at Luke AFB on May 23rd, 1953.

Other displays include old Thunderbird team gear, patches, and photographs.

To access the museum, visitors must have a valid DOD ID card to get onto base property or be escorted by a DOD ID cardholder. The hours of operation are 8 am to 4 pm, and the location is 4445 Tyndall Avenue, Nellisand make sure you share pictures after the show!

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flew over famous landmarks around New York City Friday morning.

It was announced last Friday that the Thunderbirds had planned a flyover around the city, framing the 6 red, white and blue F-16s with landmarks such as the World Trade Center and Empire State Building.

The Thunderbirds will perform at the 2016 New York Air Show this Labor Day weekend.

Flyover alert! Six red, white and blue F-16 Fighting Falcons of the US Air Force Thunderbirds will fly over famous sights around New York City, NY on the morning of September 2nd.

The team will flyover the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River, setting up a unique photo opportunity with the World


The consensus on Oakland Raiders fifth-round defensive end Jack Crawford has been that he's a project -- after all, he did not begin playing football until he was a junior in high school, after moving from London to the United States. But that didn't stop coach Dennis Allen from predicting that the rookie will contribute in a major way in 2012.

"He's big, athletic, runs really well," Allen told Paul Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area. "And he's had some production, and so again we look for versatility in guys and we try to find roles for specific guys and I think as you look at him, as we get a chance to work with him, I think we're going to be able to define a pretty good role forR.I.P. Wild Man Fischer

Outsider musician Larry "Wild Man" Fischer passed away last week at the age of 66 due to heart failure. He wasn't exactly the most well-known musician in the world, but his blend of crazed outsider songwriting and a knack for attracting some popular friends -- including Rosemary Clooney, Frank Zappa and Mark Mothersbaugh -- not to mention tours with Solomon Burke, Alice Cooper, the Byrds and others, ensured his place in popular culture. His songs are not traditional, by any means, but they've somehow always managed to have a character and feel unlike anything else before them.

That's mostly due to Fischer's mental health problems. As a child, he was admitted into mental institutions twice, and he spent the majority of his life living on the


street. Even at the end, he spent his time in an assisted-living hospital for the mentally ill. His first album, An Evening With Wild Man Fischer, was produced and released by Frank Zappa on his Bizarre Records label. After a falling out between the two, Rhino Records released the rest of Fischer's material between 1975 and 1983; in fact, Fischer's Wildmania was Rhino's first-ever release and is often credited with moving the record store into the label space. To celebrate his curious style, we've included five of our favorite tunes below.

5. "Success Will Not Make Me Happy"

This song is not really one of Fischer's best -- in fact, it's one of his most manic, weird and difficult-to-listen-to tracks -- which is why we've included it here, because it'sHoly Cross students packed the hallway outside the office of President Rev. Philip Boroughs Monday morning, armed with a message: create more transparency around the issue of sexual violence and misconduct at the private Catholic college.

Some 250 or more students and faculty were expected to take part in a sit-in at Fenwick Hall. It was planned as an-day demonstration. Well over 100 were observed inside the building by 10 a.m. According to one of the organizers, senior Mia Yee, as many as 340 people turned out to the event at one point during the day. Students were expected to sit inside Fenwick until 8 p.m.

Students at the demonstration expressed frustration and dissatisfaction with how Holy Cross handles investigations into and student concerns about sexual harassment, rape and other


issues they say are taking place at the school.

“I believe Holy Cross has become misguided and no longer stands up for what it’s preaching and what it’s teaching, in some ways, as a Catholic institution and an institution dedicated to teaching students,” Holy Cross senior and Organ Scholar Lorraine Mihaliak, said.

Organist and artist-in-residence James David Christie resigned from his post last year amid allegations from past Organ Scholars of sexual misconduct.

Student organizers on Monday delivered a letter of demands to Boroughs, who made a brief appearance outside his office to assure students his administration was listening and was taking their concerns seriously.

The letter included four specific demands, two of which were tied to a former Holy Cross dean, Christopher Dustin, who recently was placed on administrative leave. Awas not coordinated by one specific group, cited Dustin and the reporting of Worcester Magazine, which first broke the story of a former student’s allegations that he acted inappropriately toward her. By the time the story was published, Dustin had taken a sabbatical, according to the school. Worcester Magazine subsequently reported Dustin was placed on administrative leave. On Thursday, this newspaper published a story regarding perceived issues with the Title IX process of handling student complaints, which was also raised at Monday’s demonstration.

Holy Cross sophomore Christopher Hornbuckle, who said he works in an educator group at the school, said he has worked firsthand with some victims.

“I’ve seen sort of the process of the Title IX office and I’ve seen people unable to be supported the way they need


BIOGRAPHY

Inspired by the scene, Tim quickly found himself making long headphone nights in his bedroom. At some point, he came across Steinberg Remix which was actually a trimmed down version of Ableton Live. This is where it really started and the step to Ableton Live was quickly made. Carefully growing his own way of producing and driven to get better as a live-act for over a decade, Tim is found in his studio everyday and without compromise.

In 2008, he joined team with C.O.R. and Tim Overdijk to setup the label Compresmode on which he released his first releases. December 2012, his track “Window Apple” was staff picked by Traxsource.com on the 1st place of their “20 Essential Techno Tracks” and was additionally featured on the techno landing page.The second track on the EP “In the near Distance ft. Bibiche” got airtime on the Austrian national radio FM4.

Altogether experimenting for over a decade in the studio, Tim grew his own way of producing music. Tim composes and plays his music. Everything he creates is 100% original and in that way distinctive. Recently, Tim started studying harmony deeper. By this, his productions took a huge leap. Expect live played organs over live played pianos over live played baselines and so on.

As a live-act, Tim Deetakt creates grooves out of a mix of hardware and his tracks taken apart into samples. Everything gets mixed live many layers deep to create his distinct live-act sound. Taking good care of harmony and playing with this to create a journey with


day 7 in thrombolysis group and non-thrombolysis group; and then decreased in thrombolysis group but remained at a high level in non-thrombolysis group. The expression area of smooth muscle actin in thrombolysis group was always less that in non-thrombosis group (all P < 0.01). The expression area of collagen fiber began to remarkably increase since day 7 after thrombosis in both thrombolysis and non-thrombolysis groups, however, being less in the thrombolysis group, and then decreased in thrombolysis group and remained at a high level in non-thrombosis group. Different cellular damages were observed by SEM one day after thrombosis in both thrombosis groups. However, the injury cells began to be repaired since day 4 in thrombolysis group. Thrombolysis with urokinase effectively maintains the integrity of endothelium of vein wallOne worthy meme that spread among segments of the global population during the second half of the 20th Century was the idea that war had become obsolete.

Throughout human history (and prehistory), families, tribes and nations had believed that these violent conflicts were necessary or even helpful to their survival and/or prosperity and â€” the horrors aside â€” that sort of worked out for the victors most of the time.Â But with the introduction and use of the atomic bomb in 1945, whole systems thinkers and peace activists started spreading the notion that now that we had weapons that constituted an existential threat, the human drive towards war was now nothing but a menace to our survival and prosperity.

With the passage of time, and even with the development of


For more information:

Malawi

Naomi and her mother

Photo by Jodi McGill

Do not withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help. (Prov. 3:27 NET)

Naomi is an 18-year-old, living and struggling in northern Malawi. She was selected for a scholarship from the Secondary School Fund of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian–Synod of Livingstonia, which is supported by PC(USA) members and congregations. This is her story, which eloquently states the struggle many youth face and provides encouragement for those in similar situations.

“My name is Naomi. My father died when I was a year old, and our property was taken from us by my father’s relatives. I started primary school, but I took school for granted. But when I realized that school was the only way toreally love to hear SPECTRAL SHIMMERS now.

I went away from Horner for a long time. The borrowing became too much. But then I came back to him and basically focused on all the good original stuff he has done. I also cut him some slack because, as a classical person, the world of concert music in the 20th century was so abusive, snobby, unaccepting, cut-throat, that it pushed a lot of gifted people away.

I'm glad that he's coming back. I think he's coming back because we have been moving away from the orchestra in film music for a decade. Big synthesized scores are the sound of the moment, and the expensive traditional orchestra is taking a back seat. I hope it makes a comeback but symphonic composers like


fair looking bitch 2 harmonize?

Grammy-nominated band The Lumineers will be the musical guests on Saturday Night Live on January 19, hosted by Jennifer Lawrence.

The band's Grammy-nominated self-titled debut album (nominated for Best New Artist and Best Americana Album) continues to gain momentum on the charts, finally cracking the Billboard Top 10 last week with over 61,000 copies sold. The album has sold almost 700,000 copies since its release last April by Dualtone, almost always selling more records each week than the previous week.

Yall are s0oo0o Mumford!

The album is anchored by the band's popular first single "Ho Hey" which has just gone double-platinum, and is quickly moving towards triple platinum with the band selling over 300,000 copies last week alone with a running total of nearly 2,400,000 copies sold.three separate formats--Triple A, Alternative & Hot AC. "Ho Hey" spent eight weeks at #1 at Triple A radio and two weeks at #1 at Alternative Radio. The song is currently #1 on Billboard's Rock Chart and #4 on the Hot 100. The debut album and "Ho Hey" were both #1 at Spotify for some time in December, and are currently sitting at #2 on the music streaming service.

The band's second single "Stubborn Love" is following in the footsteps of its predecessor. "Stubborn Love" is currently sitting at #1 at AAA Radio, and is Top 20 at Alternative radio.

The band are preparing to hit the road in the US for some dates on the east coast, all of which sold out almost instantly. World-wide, the band is selling


Third baseman Travis Shaw slugged the first two home runs of his major league career and had four RBIs as the Boston Red Sox overcame another shaky start from Joe Kelly in an 11-7 win over the Tampa...

Manchester Crimewatch: Man accused of writing company checks to himself

MANCHESTER — A city man, accused of writing four company checks to himself while his boss was out of the country, could enter no plea Thursday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division to four felony forgery charges.

Charles Gates, 29, of 602 Front St., is accused of writing four checks on the Semper Fi Power Supply company account.

Court documents show Gates cashed two of the checks at Wal-Mart on Keller Street and cashed one at Joseph Brothers Market, 196 Lake Ave. But when hetried to cash a second check at Joseph Brothers, which had been notified the first check was a forgery, he left the store, leaving behind both the check and his ID.

Bail was continued at $2,000 cash/surety, with conditions that include no contact with Pitts and not going to Semper Fi Power Supply, 21 W. Auburn St. A probable cause hearing on the felony charges was set for May 12.

Criminal liability to robbery

A city teen, accused of taking part in the planning or execution of the robbery of a student at Memorial High School, was arraigned Thursday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division.

Matthew Reyes, 18, of 42 Glendale Ave., could enter no plea to the felony charge of criminal liability to robbery, so a probable cause hearing was set for


the National Education Association and the School Administrators—who represent elementary and secondary school leaders—have yet to weigh in. The United States Student Association has so far been silent.

“If rogue for-profit colleges and private lenders were to dream up a higher education bill that lines their own pockets at the expense of working- and middle-class students, this would be it,” AFT President Randi Weingarten and United University Professions President Fred Kowal wrote. UUP represents the faculty and staff at the State University of New York system.

“The bill cuts off equitable access to 4-year college degrees. It takes a scythe to income-based repayment programs and loan forgiveness for borrowers who serve the public. It trashes basic protections for students, such as the 90/10 rule, which caps the amount for-profit collegesBlog Traffic

June 4, 2009

If you enjoy conversing about criminal law...

be sure to get yourself a copy of this new publication from Oxford University Press, Criminal Law Conversations. This book, to which I contributed a chapter and some additional commentary, was put together skillfully by Professors Paul Robinson, Stephen Garvey, and Kimberly Ferzan. Here is the publisher's description of the effort:

Criminal Law Conversations provides an authoritative overview of contemporary criminal law debates in the United States. This collection of high caliber scholarly papers was assembled using an innovative and interactive method of nominations and commentary by the nation's top legal scholars. Virtually every leading scholar in the field has participated, resulting in a volume of interest to those both in and outside of the community. Criminal Law Conversations showcases


the rule proposed by the FRA in its entirety.
On September 20, 1974, the UTU petitioned the FRA to institute rulemaking requiring placement of highly visible, lighted markers on the rear end of freight trains. In February of 1975, the FRA gave public *1081 notice that it was considering rulemaking on the UTU petition and solicited public comments but, as in the 1973 rulemaking procedure, no further action was taken. Once again, the AAR opposed the institution of such rulemaking. Thus, despite the institution of two separate rulemaking proceedings, the FRA had failed to impose mandatory rear end marking devices on either passenger or freight trains.
Meanwhile, legislative consideration of railroad safety resumed and in 1976 Congress passed an amendment to the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 which, amongThe investigation into a suicide blast that killed at least 22 people at a Manchester pop concert widened Thursday, with security services carrying out raids and rounding up suspects amid fears that the bombmaker who devised the bolt-spewing source of the carnage remains at large.

Police used controlled explosives to carry out a raid in the early hours of Thursday while also arresting two male suspects in Manchester. The arrests brought to eight the number of people in British custody who are suspected of involvement in the attack.

While the nation observed a one-minute silence at the stroke of 11 a.m. to honor those who died in the attack, a bomb disposal unit was called to the southwest of Manchester to investigate a suspicious package. The police later said that


the area had been “deemed safe.”

Meanwhile, a German security official told The Washington Post that the bomber, 22-year-old Salman Abedi, had been in Düsseldorf just four days before the bombing. The development signaled an expansion of an investigation that already has stretched to North Africa and continental Europe.

(Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post)

Authorities were investigating whether Abedi had possible contacts with extremists in Germany, including during a 2015 visit to Frankfurt, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Abedi was en route back to Britain from Istanbul when he stopped off in Düsseldorf.

The German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel first reported the bomber’s presence in Germany. The paper, which cited unidentified security sources, said Abedi, flew from Düsseldorf to Manchester last Thursday.

The disclosure was just the latest among a seriesof leaks in the foreign media that have outraged British investigators. British authorities have been particularly incensed by reports originating with U.S. officials. On Thursday, the BBC reported that British officials have decided to stop sharing information about the Manchester investigation with their American counterparts.

In a televised address on Thursday, British Prime Minister Theresa May said the threat level would remain “critical,” the highest state of alert. She also said she would “make clear” to President Trump when they meet later in Brussels that “intelligence that is shared between our law enforcement agencies must remain secure.”

Greater Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said in a statement that leaks published by the New York Times, including pictures of the attack scene, have “caused much distress for families that are already


visit Saudi Arabia and then spend the Islamic holy month of Ramadan with family in Libya.

Dagdoug described Hashem Abedi as an operative of the Islamic State, which has asserted responsibility for Monday’s blast.

Hashem Abedi was friends on social media for several years with a brother of known Manchester extremist and Islamic State recruiter Raphael Hostey.

Hostey is believed to have died last year while fighting for the militant group. The connection suggests that the Abedi brothers’ social circle included at least one family member of another known radical in Manchester.

Internal Islamic State documents, categorized by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College London, show that Hostey claimed to have lived at the same Manchester address as his brother, only several hundred yards away from whereStudying for youngsters and internet based Fun Little ones Games

Video games have already been frequently considered required evils of youth. Mother and father often think that games cause the mind to decay and drop focus on daily concerns and also impede character development. But different scientific studies demonstrate that on the web games assist in the educational skills in the youngsters by improving their spatial skills and boosting their co-ordination.Training are some of the best and most effective ways to train little ones without having dull them. Children have extremely small consideration covers plus they tend to lose interest easily, one needs to composition the training procedure in a way in which youngsters may have fun along with find out simultaneously. Academic games satisfy these points with aplomb.


BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai military court accepted a case on Tuesday against eight people charged with ridiculing junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha on Facebook, extending a crackdown against dissent after Thais voted earlier this month to accept a military-backed charter.

Slideshow ( 2 images )

The outcome of the Aug. 7 referendum bolstered the credibility of the military government, say analysts, but the overwhelming vote in favor of the new constitution was unsurprising given the curbs on free speech ahead of the vote.

Campaigning for or against the constitution was banned, though major political parties and other groups, had criticized the charter. They said the charter enshrined the military’s influential role in Thailand and would constrict democracy even though it paves the way for an election by the end of 2017.

Angeredone of respondent's

revenue agents.    At this meeting, Mr. Lipton presented some

documents to attempt to substantiate petitioners' entitlement to

the disputed deductions.    Following this meeting, the revenue

agent concluded that the expenditures had been made, but that

petitioners had not shown that the expenditures were business

related.

     The Court called this case for trial in San Francisco,

California, on June 3, 1996.    Mr. Lipton appeared on behalf of

petitioners, and respondent was represented by her counsel.      The

parties' counsel reported to the Court that the case was ready

for trial, and the Court set the trial for June 7, 1996.    On

June 6, 1996, the parties' counsel appeared before the Court and

notified the Court that they had


Michael Haugh arrested at bookstore on Route 30 in Hempfield Township

A man was taken to the Westmoreland County Prison after allegedly threatening his child's mother at a public custody exchange, then scuffling with state troopers later in the day and trying to disarm them of their stun guns, according to police.

Christina Albright told WTAE's Ashlie Hardway that she has been trying for months to have her complaints about Michael Haugh heard, and it took this to happen before something was finally done. She advises women in similar circumstances to keep fighting and not give up.

"That's actually the second time he's threatened to slice my throat," Albright said.

Albright, of Latrobe, said the incident began late Saturday morning in the Wynnsong Theater parking lot on Route 22 in Salem Township.

"Patrickshut the hatch to the Jeep and wedged (the child) in between the Jeep and my car," she said. "He put his hood up and got right in my face and he was threatening me, saying he wasn't in jail, he wasn't going back to jail."

"After I saw the knife, I backed up again, and when I turned, the gentleman at the movie theater had opened the door, and when he opened the door, I screamed. I just screamed that he had a knife and I needed help."

According to the police affidavit, the theater employee heard the woman calling for help and said he would contact police, then he reached into a car to remove the child, but Haugh drove away and the employee was briefly dragged through


told me he was wrong and that he didn’t know what he was talking about.”

Kean repaid Juventus with six goals in 13 league appearances last season as they took the Italian title for an eighth year in a row. He scored eight goals in 21 games in total for Juventus, was the club’s youngest debutant at 16 years and 23 days, yet was allowed to leave an ageing side despite long being heralded as their future. The teenager, who comes across as a thoughtful and determined character, explains it was his decision to leave a Champions League contender, a Serie A winning regular, in search of greater responsibility with Everton.

Premier League 2019‑20 preview No 8: Everton Read more

“I feel ready,” he says. “I have always had to takecraves and replacing them with the supine and unqualified. He has worked toward the moment when he is now firmly in charge, and neither expertise nor—as officials like former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have attested—the details of policymaking hold much sway. The state of the Trump government at the present time was on display in the first Cabinet meeting of 2019, held in the middle of a government shutdown. With a mock Game of Thrones poster laid out before him, the president misrepresented facts relevant to American national security policy, lied about the reasons for the departure of his former Secretary of Defense, and commended the Soviet Union for invading Afghanistan in 1979. His Cabinet members sat mutely by, mostly limiting their remarks to gratitude for his


could easily be attributed to the acrid stench of charred flesh he swore lingered in the air. Some poor souls had removed Hans' remains from the fire pit after the meal when most of the warriors had retired, their bellies full of fermented mare's milk as they chortled about the hunts to come. In fact, Kristoff was hard pressed to think of a single person in the khalasar who appeared perturbed by the previous night's events.

Well, aside from himself, of course.

"Sven... what am I going to do?" He whispered, gloved hand stroking along his mount's neck as the animal busied himself with breakfast. Kristoff couldn't entertain the idea of food yet, the metallic tang of spilled blood fresh in his mouth. He'd damn near bit his tongue twoout of fright as Anna emerged from the fire pit, wreathed in the physical manifestation of her rage. Sure there were stories- old tales spun by every nanny across the Seven Kingdoms- but he'd always chalked them up to idle chatter drawing upon rumors. He never thought any of them were real- that the Firemanes earned their moniker not from a vain attempt at pretension but instead a real and tangible strength that ran in their blood. To witness it himself... by the Seven... "What am I going to do?"

It was only a matter of time before he would earn himself a similar fate to the burned prince. He didn't particular feel any amount of regret or pity for Hans- the bastard got what he deserved, truly- but


if that was a sample of the princess' ire... things didn't look too good for him.

Perhaps he was overreacting, he thought while mechanically going through the motions of checking Sven over, a task that helped settle his nerves. That brat of a prince had racked up nearly two decades' worth of reprehensible antics to push his sister to such measures. A little fib here and there was a far lesser crime, was it not? And he'd never insulted either Anna or her wife, which he suspected probably boded well for him.

After all, there were many worse ways to go than being burned alive.

"Bearhead!" He blinked, jumping slightly at Chafka's booming voice. The tall warrior was striding towards him with purpose, jaw set in aggravation. "The Queen will speakwith you. Now."

Great, as if he wasn't already concerned about the state of his health in the immediate future.

Kristoff nodded, wordlessly following the bloodrider as they wound their way through the khalasar's encampment within Vaes Dothrak. Whatever had Chafka on edge likely had the woman he was being led to wound up as well; the burly trio often reflected the emotions of their liege, though he wasn't sure if it was entirely intentional or merely a permutation of their philosophy. Blood of blood, multiple souls sharing a single life, tied together by a bond no one back in the Seven Kingdoms would understand. If anything, Kristoff wished the knights of his homeland could learn from the Dothraki's concept of loyalty. Perhaps he wouldn't be in this mess at


all if such a thing existed outside of the Dothraki Sea.

After a few minutes, Chafka stopped and motioned for him to continue alone, lips pressed into a thin line. The blond gathered his courage and proceeded to the main tent, where Elsa and, no doubt, Anna resided within. Despite the sweat rolling down his face from a combination of nerves and walking in his stifling armor, he could tell the air outside the tent was no warmer than usual but also lacked the bitter cold of winter's touch. He hoped that meant whatever powers lay within their blood, neither woman was keen on releasing them any time soon.

He drug his feet, boots scraping against the dirt as he trudged up to the tent's flap, but he was preventedfrom wasting any further time by the woman he was seeking storming out, her brow was furrowed in a telltale sign of agitation, already adorned in her white war paint with her bells tinkling softly at every step. Had she been wearing her arakh, he would've expected her to be on the way to a battle, and one she was intent on winning to boot.

It did nothing to assuage the worry pooling in his gut, to say the least.

"Kristoff." She barked out, blue eyes flashing as she stopped in front of him. Despite being taller than the khaleesi, he instantly felt like she was towering over him and it took a conscious effort not to be immediately cowed. "We need to talk."

Well, he wasn't in much of a


position to argue, and the distinctive aggression that shaped her words was more than convincing in its own right for him not to be so foolish. It was rare that she bothered herself to switch to the Common tongue outside of Anna's presence, so whatever she wished to say, there was a safe bet she wasn't willing to chance a language barrier standing in her way. "Of course, Kahleesi. Is... something wrong?"

Elsa gave him a withering glare for all of two seconds before her expression fell, a sigh escaping her lips as she massaged her temple. "I don't know, yet." Her voice was tight, displeasure oozing from every pore. "The Dosh Khaleen have demanded my presence immediately for some reason they didn't deign on relaying. As much asI'm tempted to push the old crones, Anna's trial begins at sundown and the last thing I want is ill will poisoning their opinion." She shifted her gaze sharply, boring into his own brown eyes. "However, I'm not inclined to leave Anna alone given recent events." The look on her face softened, worry shining through her frustration. "She was concerned enough about the ritual as it was; now, she's dealing with her brother's death, which she absolutely refuses to talk about-"

"I understand." He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I'll keep her company while you deal with the Dosh Khaleen. I'm... sure she's still processing what happened with Hans." With a shrug, he gave her a lopsided smile. "I'll tell her stories of the Seven Kingdoms.


to be given before turning and heading into the tent. Truthfully, Kristoff had little idea what to expect when he stepped beyond the animal hide barrier, but seeing the redhead asleep on her side in a pile of skins was not near the top of the list. It also belatedly occurred to him that she'd taken after the Dothraki style of sleeping nude, putting the fresh bruises scattered across her skin on full display. Quickly averting his gaze, the blond took a deep breath and allowed himself to shudder, acknowledging that he was already further between a rock and a hard place than when he first crossed the Narrow Sea. Either Elsa's lack of concern for her wife's modesty was born from her frustration or, more likely, theDothraki culture and she wouldn't hold it against him. Whether or not Anna did was another story.

Could this possibly get any worse?

There was a series of soft noises- grunts and groans he recognized as ones that often accompanied stretching, plus a long yawn at the end- and he straightened his spine and coughed into his hand, a small blush coming to his cheeks. Absently, he conceded that Elsa's annoyance was quite well earned; he wouldn't take kindly to being roused from a warm bed and company, either.

"Elsa?"

He mulled over his response a moment before speaking. "She's been called by the Dosh Khaleen for something. She... wasn't very happy about it."

"Is that normal?" There was a pop and a happy sigh that made his brows raise in surprise; admittedly,


he turned, silently releasing a short sigh of relief. While she was clothed, Anna's troubled expression didn't put him at ease. He'd rarely seen the young woman troubled but every time he had signaled that she'd come to a decision or taken another step towards becoming one worthy of the surname she bore. He hoped whatever her question, he'd actually have a halfway decent response.

"I don't feel anything." She admitted, biting her lip in thought as she searched for the right words. "Every battle, I've felt something after I've taken a life. A touch of guilt, a pang of loss- something to remind me that... I only killed out of necessity. To defend my wife, my... people." The last word was delayed, but it didn't sound like shequirk into a small grin. "A mother will do unspeakable things to protect her child and never once question if she was right in the process." He shifted his gaze, momentarily losing himself to memory. "I remember my mom beat a man bloody with a broom handle, once. Some official of some sort, I don't remember, but he didn't like me petting his horse and shoved me to the ground." He chuckled. "I'd never seen a man run so fast. His horse couldn't keep up."

Anna laughed, raising a brow and setting her hands on her hips. "Really? He outran his horse?"

"On the Seven. My mother was a force of nature." He shook his head, glancing at her. "I think you already said it best, though. He didn't really


began to slip back into melancholy. "I've tried, but she doesn't seem to understand. I don't think she's upset with me or anything but... I just wish I could make her see why I didn't act sooner."

He tilted his head to the side and squinted, scratching at his shaggy blond locks. There was a story he'd heard about the fearsome Khaleesi some time ago, one that had been looked at with the same mix of understanding and confusion by those hearing the tale. What was it about, though? Ah, right. "She's told you about the kos who brought her back to Vaes Dothrak, right?" Anna nodded, prompting him to continue. "Have you asked her why she didn't hunt down the one who rejected her?"

"No," she replied, a strangelydreamy smiling coming to her lips as she looked away. After bearing witness to her fury the night before, it came as a bit of a shock to remember she was just a young woman with the power of a dragon running through her veins. "I didn't think about it, honestly. I was a bit... preoccupied at the time."

"Well, bring it up the next time you have the conversation." He crossed his arms with a smile. "She could've hunted him down, killed him much sooner than she did, but she made the decision not to do so. Her reasons may be a little different from yours, but I'd be willing to bet it will help her understand. There's a time and place to deal with those who have


stepping closer before easing himself down beside the young woman. "Their loyalty, their fierce reputation, their dedication... the Dothraki as a people may do some awful things by the Seven Kingdoms' standards but the bloodriders will never betray their Khal- or their Khaleesi, in your wife's case. They cannot be motivated by gold or swayed by sweet promises. As long as their liege rides, they ride beside him, or her. I have great respect for that."

"Are the knights of the Kingdoms fickle?" She reached out, pulling the bowl containing her own small army of bells closer.

"Well, a knight is more apt to fight for honor than for loyalty." He explained, crossing his arms over his chest while trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. "Back beforeArendelle was sacked, knights spent most of their time preparing for tourney. They treated the art of killing as a sport, to be admired by the masses, and they reveled in it. If their liege did something that earned the scorn of the lords or displeased the crowd, the knights who served them were as likely to stand beside them as they were to turn against them. A liege who was considered dishonorable wasn't worth their loyalty, regardless if the moniker was rightfully earned." He rolled his eyes. "Your father had a habit of knighting those who bested a knight, and lording those who bested a lord, so long as he didn't hold the defeated party in favor. Whoever lost would be considered dishonorable and shunned. Sometimes, the


easiest way to improve your lot in life was to betray the one who gave you a glimpse of a better world. That... never sat right with me."

"It... sounds odd, I admit." The redhead furrowed her brows as she brushed through her hair, weaving oil and bells into the strands before tying them in her usual twin plaits. "With a system like that, he almost begged for himself to be challenged."

"He often was. Your father was a terrifying warrior on the field, from what I've heard." Kristoff shifted, feeling uncomfortable in his armor for the first time in a long while. This was his chance to broach the topic; he might be able to explain himself better when the princess was more interested in his explanations than theimplications. "The late King believed that anyone could strengthen themselves with their beliefs; those who fell merely lacked conviction. It made him... somewhat unpopular."

"Of course it did," Anna said, rising to her feet as she tied off her second braid, glancing towards her arakh and bow with a twinge of sadness before turning towards the tent flap. "The Usurper probably hated knowing that he would never be considered my father's equal or a fit successor. He couldn't stand against my father on the field of battle, so he assassinated him like a coward."

While not technically untrue, Kristoff grimaced all the same. That wasn't exactly what he meant. "Princess-"

"It's alright, Kristoff." Anna turned a bright smile on him, her teal eyes shining like a flaming gemstone. "There's no need


Her rougher words as she switched to Dothraki just put an edge on the feeling, like a hundred swords pressed against him from all sides. "Ser Kristoff of the Riverlands, I ask your oath, that will live and die as blood of my blood, riding at my side to keep me safe from harm."

He met her smoldering gaze for a moment longer before his knee buckled, dropping to the dirt floor with a heavy thud as he bowed his head. "Blood of my blood."

Rejecting her was completely out of the question but there was a strong tendril of fear worming its way around his heart as the hushed words left his lips. This was not a promise taken lightly; if he failed Anna, there would be no escapefor him. Not from her, not from her wife, and either punishment would likely strike lesser men dead to fathom.

"Thank you, Kristoff, blood of my blood." The kindness in her voice made his guilt even heavier, to the point that she had to help him stand on his shaking legs. "The way ahead is dangerous, but we will succeed. I know it." Once he was somewhat stable, she gave him a pat on his back and started to exit the tent. "For now, let's focus on today. The bloodriders' presence is a required part of the ritual but you could stand to polish your armor. This is my first meeting with the dosh khaleen after all. Do you have anyone back in the Kingdoms you trust to deliver


nowhere else to run." She pulled open the flap and paused, the muggy morning having given way to a bright day and allowing sunshine to frame her, setting her hair alight. "In the meantime, remind them that a dragon yet lives. That should strengthen their conviction."

"At once," Kristoff replied, hardly a tremor in his voice as he swallowed past the lump in his throat.

With a smile, the redhead left him alone in the tent, the weight of his guilt and fear pressing down on him more forcefully than his armor.

Things just became a lot more complicated.

Anna's gaze roved over her own reflection, a strange sort of pride worming its way into her chest beside the other emotions vying for prominence. Usually, Elsa would take it upon herself tothe Dothraki customs than she did and would likely be able to fix any mistake she made.

Before she did that, though, she took in all the little details of her appearance, comparing them to the last time she'd studied her reflection, back in Pentos before meeting the woman who would singlehandedly give her life new meaning. The ride to Vaes Dothrak had left signs all across her skin in the form of callouses on her hands from rein and arakh, smatterings of freckles that multiplied by the day, and a healthy tanned sheen that made her seem almost sickly in her own memories. Her muscles were more pronounced, flexing with every minute movement, and the faint and few scars seemed to frame them perfectly, the marred skin looking


less like a defect that would horrify a proper lady and more like a badge of honor worn by a warrior. She held her head higher, allowing her longer hair to fall over her shoulders in her favored twin plaits, the bells tinkling softly with every breath that moved her chest, the light from outside being caught effortlessly by their metal bodies and her oiled hair.

Most importantly, though, was that despite wearing the cool, fiery vest and breeches conjured by Elsa's magic and tinged with her own, Anna had never felt more comfortable before this moment, not even when she was a child running around in thin summer dresses. She hadn't ever felt ill at ease in her own body, but at some point had forgotten it washer body. For too long, she'd been her brother's tool and little else. Even the past few months, when her wife did everything to push the man from her mind, the redhead found it difficult to take pride in her appearance, to feel like the woman staring back at her was truly her.

Anna's lips pulled into a smile as she traced her fingertips across her belly. Talking with Kristoff that morning had helped immensely, just as much as Elsa's quiet worrying had the night before. It forced her to confront the things she'd pushed away and ignored, thrust them to the surface for her to face on her own. They'd assisted but, ultimately, it was her battle to fight, and a surprisingly easy one at that. For so


long, she'd relied on excuses and little lies to make light of her brother's foolishness, but no longer.

Hans was gone. She'd taken his life to ensure the little one inside her would thrive. If anything, she gained more from the exchange than she lost, and the acknowledgement was bittersweet.

"You will have much better siblings," she said quietly, nodding to herself. "And you'll be a better elder to them than Hans ever was to me."

She took a deep breath, turning away from the ornate mirror- which she was pretty sure was a wedding gift, now that she thought on it- and glanced again at her weapons, laying beside Elsa's. She missed the weight of her arakh at her side, the rub of her bowstring against her chest, and thecurl of her whip on her hip. Having just one with her would do something to calm her nerves.

Because she was nervous, though it wasn't the horrible, gut clenching fear sort of nerves. No, she was excited, if such a thing were possible. Although the prospect of choking down a warm horse heart, freshly cut from the body of the beast, was no more appealing now than it had been when she first learned of the ritual, Anna felt markedly more prepared for the ordeal she was to face. Despite her wife's encouragement, she hadn't eaten the night before nor that morning after talking with Kristoff and her hunger was beginning to annoy her.

'Annoy' probably wasn't the best description. After last night, her temper seemed to be right


beneath the boiling point, though she couldn't understand why. It probably had to do with how much energy she'd expended dealing with Hans- both in breaking whatever invisible seal had held her dragonfire in check and the emotional drain brought on by his words and actions. Although the talk with Kristoff helped, she found herself wondering what her brother thought he was going to do after kicking her into the fire pit. Where did his plan lead from there? Did he honestly think Elsa would just let him kill her and not question it? What could possibly have been going through his mind? Had he gone mad recently or was he always so?

"Zhavorsa?" She blinked, turning to look at the tent's opening just as her wife entered, strayhairs plastered to her forehead by sweat. She looked a little out of breath, which... honestly, Anna felt a little guilty about, because she was very tempted to push her luck with the dosh khaleen to enjoy the spectacle a little longer. However, the relief that immediately broke across the blonde's expression pulled her attention away from the lascivious thoughts flitting through her head, the annoyance that swiftly followed snatching it completely. "Where's Kristoff?"

"I... sent him on an errand." The redhead offered, stepping forward to set her hands on her wife's shoulders. "Did you need him for something?"

"I told him to keep you company while I was gone," the Khaleesi said, lips still twisted into a frown despite slipping her own arms around Anna's waist. "I didn't want


as her wife circled her, occasionally reaching out to trail her fingers across sensitive flesh. For whatever reason, she felt far more responsive to her lover's touch than usual, a gasp catching in her throat as the Khaleesi returned to standing in front of her. "Do I pass?"

"You never cease to amaze me," Elsa replied, genuine mirth shining in her eyes. "I usually paint 'fire' when you let me, but you've somehow mixed that with my own design." Blue eyes danced over her again. "I think 'firestorm' is rather appropriate for a battle."

"But is it appropriate for the dosh khaleen?"

Unfortunately, that soured her wife's mood instantly, though the dark cloud that passed over her face promised to not linger. "The dosh khaleen are a joke, my Dragon. Payyou're stuck with me."

"Music to my ears," she replied, turning her head enough to press her lips against bare skin, forcing herself to keep the kiss chaste. "Do you want to talk about what the dosh khaleen wanted?"

"Do you want to talk about your brother's death?"

Honestly, she'd expected that, chuckling into the skin of her wife's chest as she nodded. "It had to be done. I feel no remorse for his passing but neither do I feel guilty for waiting so long. I gave him every opportunity to atone and he threw his life away of his own doing." The redhead pulled back until she could meet the blue eyed gaze watching her. "My only regret is that you walked in when you did. I didn't mean to


scare you like that."

There was a shade of morbid humor dancing across her expression at that. "I've quite literally disemboweled men twice my size and bathed in their blood yet you wish to spare my feelings?"

Furrowing her brows, Anna dug her fingers into her wife's side in retaliation. "There's no use playing the fearsome Khaleesi with me, remember?"

With a laugh, her wife nodded, ducking down to lightly nibble on her earlobe in apology. "You're right- I was scared- but I think anger would be a more applicable description of last night."

"For both of us."

"Yes." Sighing, Elsa guided her head back to its former resting place. "But don't trouble yourself, my Dragon. I would've kicked myself had I been denied the opportunity to watch you emerge from the flamesunburned. I'm more concerned about-"

"You don't need to be, really." Her eyes slipped closed, comfortable enough despite the fact she was standing that the idea of a mid afternoon nap seemed mighty tempting. "I'm at peace."

The wind blew softly through the tent, adding the light shift of their bells to its song. "I believe you." Elsa was the first to move, coaxing her down to lie on the animal furs they used for their bedding. As she curled into her wife's side, the redhead found herself torn with pursuing that nap or opting for something a little more... physical. Her musings were brought to an abrupt end when the blonde chuckled. "Don't even think about it. We've only an hour before we must leave for the Mother of


Mountains."

"That's more than enough time."

"You're insatiable." The admonishment was tinged with amusement and Anna could hear her lover's chest stutter with the laugh she was trying to control.

"Is that a complaint?"

"Hardly, but I mean it. Not now." A soft kiss was pressed to the top of her head. "Tonight, though, is a different matter." Well, that was something to look forward to, at least. "The dosh khaleen wanted to talk about the khalar vezhven. It's a meeting of all the khalasars to establish what few laws we maintain. The old crones have set the meeting for nine moons from now."

"Nine moons?" Anna frowned, finding it impossible not to question the timing. "Did they say why?"

Cool, lithe fingers slightly roughened by callouses brushed against her belly. "It's probably asquite content with their current position and opted to instead accept the offer, burrowing further into Elsa's embrace. What lay ahead of them would be dealt with, in time; for now, she allowed herself to relax, slipping into a light, dreamless sleep.

The sun hung low on the western horizon, casting a golden glow over Vaes Dothrak. The redhead wasn't in much of a position to appreciate it, though, sitting on the far side of a bonfire with her legs tucked under her, waiting as she had been for hours. The afternoon was filled with the dosh khaleen's chants and the pilgrimage to the shadow of the Mother of Mountains, where Elsa and her bloodriders had put the wood together before turning their attention to the stallion. He was


a tall, beautifully muscled bay, a truly magnificent creature and the finest horse in the Khaleesi's herd; it was a shame the beast wouldn't live to sire more foals come the next breeding season.

The dosh khaleen sat, arranged around the bonfire in a semi-circle but ignoring it completely in favor of watching as Elsa and her brothers fought to wrangle the stallion to the ground and cut out its heart. Armed with nothing more than sharpened stone knives, the four warriors used every trick up their sleeve and all their talents to wear it down, slicing when able and dancing away from its hooves with the same grace they rode their own mounts. Before she left Pentos, the very idea she could one day find the display worthyof that description might've seemed preposterous, but her braids were beginning to grow heavy from her own victories and improving skill. Not once did she dare look away, even as the sun began to set, and she barely contained her cry of joy as Vorsaka slammed into the stallion's hind quarter, distracting it long enough for Elsa to swoop in with the deadly final blow.

The stallion's body, caught in its final death throes, fell heavily to the ground but there was no time to mourn the loss of such a majestic creature. Already, Eyelke and Chafka were heaving the creature's legs up, allowing their Khaleesi more room to begin carving into its chest for their hard won prize. The dust began to settle as day faded into twilight


and Anna found herself biting the inside of her cheek to discourage herself from squirming. Elsa was so close to finishing her part of the ritual and then it would be up to the redhead to complete it. Although she didn't feel particularly concerned about what might happen if she failed, something about seeing the sweat gleaming across the warriors' skin, their chests heaving from their exertions, made her want to succeed even more than before.

To her immediate right sat Kristoff, whose presence didn't seem to win her any fans among the council. Half of them eyed him with disgust while the others seemed to ignore his presence altogether, though their presumed leader offered nothing more than a thin smile when he was introduced. If nothing else, theredhead felt like she'd won this round against the dosh khaleen already, if for no other reason than to see the hint of satisfaction dancing in blue eyes as Elsa gauged their reactions. The knight's armor, polished to a blinding shine, make him the stark outsider at the sacred ritual but the blond was taking it rather well, remaining still with seemingly less effort than she was expending to accomplish the same.

With stars dancing overhead, Elsa pulled the stallion's heart free, turning towards the bonfire while holding it in both hands. Despite telling herself over and over it would be a difficult task if she allowed herself to be tricked by her eyes, Anna couldn't help but stare at the bloody muscle nearly the size of her wife's


head. Her beloved was spattered with gore from head to toe but paid it no mind as she marched towards the bonfire, lips set in a grim line as her blue eyes blazed. It was almost like she was daring the dosh khaleen to underestimate the redhead and, honestly, Anna wouldn't put it past Elsa.

However, whatever mutterings might've entertained the old crones fell away as she watched her wife's approach, each step measured and lacking hesitation, blood oozing to splat against the dirt below. She didn't stop until she was directly in front of Anna, bending down on one knee to offer her prize. While her body language might've indicated confidence or nonchalance to the casual observer, the redhead could see that her Khaleesi was worried. There wasa moment- a very brief moment- where she could've sworn that had she refused the heart, Elsa wouldn't hesitate to turn and freeze the crones where they sat, never giving them the chance to condemn her for her choice. It was tempting- she couldn't deny that- but the blonde had already done so much to prove her devotion; completing the ritual was a step towards her accomplishing the same.

Bolstered by that belief, Anna reached out, grabbing hold of the stallion's heart with her own hands, feeling the blood trickle across her skin as the muscle resisted her grip. She could've sworn the thing was still beating as she held it, Elsa standing up and stepping to the side, allowing the dosh khaleen an unobstructed view while remaining near


bite threatened to make her empty stomach revolt, obviously displeased with her first meal in a day or so being something so downright disgusting.

Still, she took another bite, reminding herself that this wasn't for the council's benefit. While it was partly for Elsa's, that wasn't the full extent of it, either. It simply came down to the fire she'd felt coursing through her veins the night Hans attempted to kill her, the dragon's blood in her body surging to the surface and reminding her of her true self. Truly, what dragon would balk at such a fine offering?

The taste didn't improve as she continued but her senses fell away one by one as she mechanically worked her way through the trial. Bite, tear, chew chew chew, swallow, andthen repeat, all the while her surroundings blurred into only three concrete thoughts.

She couldn't fail, because Elsa would gladly forsake her own people to protect Anna.

She couldn't fail, because she loved Elsa too much to let her do such a thing.

She couldn't fail, because the child growing inside her would one day become a dragon, too.

Suddenly, she was jerked back to full awareness by a sense that something wasn't right. She paused, mid chew, trying to decipher what had prompted her to stop, but all she could find was a niggling sensation at the back of her mind warning her not to finish the heart. Only then did she realize how little was left, a piece no bigger than the palm of her hand. The entire front of


her body had long ago been soaked by the blood leaking from the heart, half dry rivers smeared across her forearms. The pungent scent assaulted her nose, threatening to make her heave, and she beat down the impulse through sheer force of will. Instead, she lifted the last piece to her mouth while raising her gaze, silently willing her wife to remain calm. She bit into what remained of the stallion's heart, conscious of the ache in her jaw and leaving only a tiny sliver, before chewing and swallowing. Cool blue eyes watched her every motion, an unspoken promise passing between them. If Anna wanted her to remain silent, Elsa would... to a point.

That was all the redhead wanted.

With the thick, cloying taste of blood still on hertongue, Anna put the sliver down on the ground in front of her, folding her hands neatly in her lap and focusing her sights on the woman who apparently lead the dosh khaleen.

However, it was another of their number who grumbled out something first, disdain clear in her voice. "She fails to finish the heart. The Prince will be lame."

Smoothly, the redhead turned her head so she could look at the one who'd spoken. "You are wrong. She will be magnificent."

That was the purpose of the ritual, anyway. If an expectant mother finished the heart, the child she bore would be a strong Prince, fit to ride and lead a khalasar of his own. Failing to do so would result in a lame or sickly Prince or, supposedly


worse, a girl. Her wife had explained this when she initially brought up the ritual and the niggling sensation seemed sated now, as if trying to tell her she was correct. Somehow, she knew she was.

The crones seemed slightly taken aback- either by her clear pronunciation or her proclamation, she couldn't be sure. She was little more than an outsider to them, a Milk Man's daughter, but she spoke the language as if it had always been on her tongue, thanks to her dedicated teachers. Either way, the mutterings that flew between the women seemed equally bemused and angry until their leader raised a hand, effectively silencing them.

"You complete the ritual?" Coal black eyes burned into her but she remained unfazed.

"Yes."

"Very well." Gathering up a handful of somesort of dust sitting in a bowl near her, the woman strode forward and gazed into the bonfire's flames. "The Mother of Mountains will speak to us and show us visions of what fate awaits the one you bear."

With a flick of her wrist, the dust was tossed into the awaiting flames, which leapt up high, far higher than any fire Anna had ever seen. Colors appeared in the flame that she had never imagined- greens and blues and purples- as the tongues lapped eagerly at the dirt and rocks around its base while reaching for the stars above. The dosh khaleen recoiled initially, their mutterings turning curiously excited, and Elsa took the opportunity to lean closer.

"Anna. Stop that." Although the words were firm, the redhead could see


a poorly concealed smirk out of the corner of her eye.

Turning her head slightly, eyes wide in shock, she replied, "that's not me."

Her wife's brow furrowed, head turning more to ascertain if she was joking and surprise coloring her expression when she realized that, in fact, Anna was being entirely sincere. As far as she could tell, she wasn't calling the fire to burn hotter than it should, and she deviated her gaze a few times to no effect as the bonfire roared, crackling like a thousand whips. When it finally began to return to normal, the crones looked among each other, whispers flying around the half circle before they quieted.

"Ice Queen... Fire King... the Mother of Mountains speaks to us. You will listen to this council's guidance,"one of the women said, a slight tremor to her voice.

Elsa's bloodriders fell prostrate at the proclamation, Kristoff following suit quickly, but the blonde herself hesitated a moment before kneeling and bowing her head in reverence. Only Anna was allowed to face the dosh khaleen straight on, for whatever reason.

Another of the women took up the next part, looking... the only word that came to mind was 'spooked' and the redhead wasn't sure if that was good or bad yet. "We have seen the fate of your child in the flames. We have seen her swoop across the plain on wings to guide the herd. We have seen her burn cities to the ground with a breath and weave through mountains on a whim. We have seen her


take the clouds themselves for her bedding."

"Men will bow before her and women will pray to her for strength, as they did in the time when the Great Stallion roamed the open plain." Another spoke, raising a hand to gesture behind them. "We have seen the spirit you carry: an Idol reborn."

Furrowing her brows, Anna looked over her shoulder, eyes scanning the darkened city lighted only by firepits for a few moments before her gaze landed on one shadow in particular. She'd seen it on their way into Vaes Dothrak but she'd paid it little mind until now. A towering, if a bit weathered, stone dragon, hauled from the crumbling ruins of a Valyrian town after it was sacked and brought to kneel before the Mother of Mountainslike so many others, one wing broken off by time or spite. Honestly, she hadn't thought much of it, arranged as it was among a plethora of similar statues.

"But be wary!" One of the women warned, giving her a venomous smile. "Wherever her flames fall, a winter storm follows swiftly, and a thousand arrows seek to bring her from the sky." She jabbed a finger at Anna. "Treading the poison water brings only sorrow for dragons. A mother you will be, Fire King... but you may build a smaller pyre before your own."

Her eyes widened for a moment, unsure of exactly what she'd just been told, but the moment the threat registered, the redhead jumped up, mechanically reaching for an arakh that wasn't at her hip. Her movements


were stopped, however, by Elsa's hand encircling her wrist and those beautiful blue eyes boring into her own teal. While the Khaleesi only ever issued orders with her best interests in mind, Anna couldn't help but scowl at the clear command to sit back down. She considered arguing or resisting but, slowly, lowered herself to the ground once more, heart pounding in her chest as she leveled her very best glare at the dosh khaleen. That had to be part of some ruse to incite her anger and make her do something foolish; no one in their right mind would so blatantly threaten the life of a child, of her child.

Would they?

Once again, the leader of the dosh khaleen spoke up, a slight smile on her lips. "TheMother of Mountains gives us her name: The Dragon Who Shall Devour The Lost. We have seen the Dragon and the Stallion Who Shall Mount the World at play and we have seen them at war; omens and blessings in equal measure. The Mother of Mountains warns us of their fates and we pass this warning to you, for only one shall guide the herd. It is known."

"It is known." The other crones echoed.

"It is known," Elsa's bloodriders and Kristoff said.

The blonde turned her head, their gazes meeting. "It is known."

Anna pressed her lips into a thin line. Now she truly understood why her wife had such strong opinions about the dosh khaleen. 'Blind old bats with nothing better to do than conjure stories' was putting things a


bit lightly. Still... her destiny, and that of her child, wasn't truly in their hands. Hans had tried to take control of her in much the same way, and that didn't work out so well for him. Already, she felt pity for any fool keen on trying to make the council's predictions come true. Fire was no way to kill a dragon, after all. "It is known."

"Go and bathe in the sacred waters of the Womb of the World." The woman pointed towards the nearby lake. "Your trial is over, Fire King."

Now permitted to do so, Anna stood, turning towards the water's edge without so much as sparing the old hags a glance. Although there was little she could do, being forced to allow the veiled threat againsther unborn child go by without even arguing was burning a hole in the pit of her gut. Or perhaps that was the stallion heart. Either way, she grimaced, not bothering to conceal her displeasure when Elsa fell into step beside her. There were a hundred things she wanted to say but half were fueled by anger while the other half were born of a keen dislike for the dosh khaleen. While she doubted her wife would take offense to either, she wasn't about to voice them so close to the bloody crones.

When she reached the edge of the water, the redhead ran a hand roughly across her chest and the other her hips, focusing past her frustrations to will away the clothing as the blonde had taught


her. The first pass wasn't enough, her control of her newfound power too lacking for something as simple as disrobing herself, and she snorted through her nose like an incensed bull.

Either sensing that words would do little to calm her or because they were not needed, Elsa slipped a hand into one of hers and gently led her into the lake, the water lapping at their legs in the light breeze. Once it was up to their waists, she flicked her wrist, dispelling her own garments with an ease that Anna might've found inspiring were it not for her sour mood. Unable to affect the shifting top and breeches of tempered flame, her wife instead set about cupping water into her hands and washing whatever sun kissed skinwas exposed to the heart's blood, her touches as light as ever. Even against her will, the redhead found herself relaxing under the familiar touch, eyes drifting down to take in pale skin marred by dried gore. Forgoing any request for permission, Anna gathered some water into her own hands and started cleaning her wife's torso, scrubbing away evidence of the ritual. Although a somewhat mindless task, she felt her anger dwindling as clever fingers dipped beneath the boundaries offered by her vest. A spike of heat in her groin swiftly followed and she whimsically considered it would be quite the affront to the dosh khaleen for Elsa to take her in the sacred waters.

The blonde's lips quirked up into an amused grin. "Ah, there we go." Anna


glanced down, unable to muster the ability to be the least bit ashamed that her clothing was finally dissipating. "Do you feel better?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head even as she washed more blood from her wife's paler skin.

"You're a terrible liar." She was teasing, but only lightly, one hand sliding up to gently cup the back of her head and direct the redhead into a soft kiss. Anna tried deepening it but belatedly remembered that her face was still smeared with blood; that her wife kissed her at all in her current state was a testament to her devotion. She couldn't even fault the woman for her brief grimace. "Don't let their words wound you, my beloved Dragon. They enjoy hearing themselves talk; what they have toour own, then we shall simply have to do it."

"You make endless war sound so romantic." She chuckled, helping remove the last vestiges of the ritual from herself as well as her wife. As a final touch, she cupped water into her hands and drank from it, trying to wash out the taste of blood as best she could.

Elsa laughed, fingers lightly gripping the redhead's hips as she brushed her thumbs along her belly. When she leaned in for another kiss, Anna happily met her, wrapping her arms around the blonde's shoulders. This time, her wife was more than willing to continue, tongue darting out to beg entry, which she was in no position to deny. Not with the fire steadily building between her thighs, drawing her closer


to the blonde's body. With some care, she was walked backwards towards the shore, until the water was shallow enough for her to lay on her back without the threat of drowning. It seemed the fearsome Khaleesi had no qualms about desecrating the sacred lake- or perhaps this was seen in a more positive light. Honestly, Anna hadn't thought to ask what might happen after the trial was complete, but she couldn't find it in herself to object as her wife loomed over her, eyes darkened by desire.

The water lapped at her skin, cooling her even as her heart began thumping in her chest, anticipation of their coming union chasing away her anger, her fear, her doubts. In Elsa's arms, nothing could harm her and nothing would dare.When an insistent hand slid between her legs, she parted her thighs readily, eager to be touched. Her wife didn't disappoint, the water doing very little to dull the sensation as fingers slipped through her folds.

However, the blonde was also full of surprises, and she couldn't hold in the squeak of surprise as a terribly frightening chill worked its way inside her. "Wha-"

"You asked me last night how else you could affect my magic." Excitement and arousal combined as Elsa leaned down to press a chaste kiss to her cheek. "I'll admit, I'm curious myself."

Despite the strange and somewhat unpleasant sensation, Anna moaned and shivered, trusting her wife's judgement. Ever patient and considerate, she had no doubts Elsa had weighed her actions carefully rather than embarked on a


whim as she so often did. After acclimating to the strange cold where she burned hottest, she relaxed and let the woman above her work her magic, daring to glance down only when she felt the shaft forming. Like she'd seen dozens of times jutting from between her wife's hips, an ice phallus connected to her own, the tip of the head barely breaking the water's surface. The portion inside of her felt strange but, once she was able to move past the jarring temperature difference, not altogether unpleasant. A shift of her hips moved it inside of her and she couldn't help but gasp, earning a chuckle from her lover.

"It takes some getting used to," she said and the redhead made a mental note to be annoyedby her wife's amusement later. As it was, her attention was snatched away by Elsa taking one of her hands and guiding it to the frigid shaft, curling her fingers around it. "Now focus, my King."

Her brows pinched as she glanced down, spying her hand holding the phallus through the clear water. She wasn't even sure if she could do it willingly; what power she'd displayed the night before was a product of her anger, nothing more than a fluke. When her gaze raised, however, and she caught sight of the anticipation shining in those beautiful blue eyes she'd come to adore, well, she could at least try. Not that she had much of a clue on how to try but she put some solid effort into imagining


the hunk of ice in her hand as having the same mix of yellow, orange, and red as her new clothing. Nothing happened and she frowned, looking up in hopes of some manner of guidance.

She wasn't surprised to see Elsa's desire tempered by patience, even if she was still too damn amused for her own good, in the redhead's opinion. "Try this."

Using her grip on Anna's wrist, the blonde began moving her hand to slide up and down the phallus' length, stroking it. It looked a bit goofy, if she was being completely honest, but that was more a product of associating the action with something she did to her wife, not herself. Her attention was pulled away, however, by the Khaleesi's lips seeking out her own, anerve endings all at once. She pulled away from her lover, looking down and gaping at the phallus that now sported warmer colors and a heat that chased the chill from before away.

Lips brushed against her forehead. "I knew you could do it."

"That makes one of us." She muttered, blinking rapidly as she tested the limits of her new appendage. Although it was just as unyielding as whenever Elsa took her, Anna could feel even the barest touches against the flame colored ice, her body reacting as if she'd always had it. Whatever misgivings she might've had were quickly swept aside the moment her wife shifted, setting one knee to either side of her hips. She looked up, meeting the woman's gaze and seeing just as much love


warlords, out of all the power hungry fools with an army at their command spread out across the eastern continent her brother could've chosen to sell her to, he'd managed to pick the one woman whom she could give every fiber of her being to without question, without fear of losing herself in the process. Tears stung at her eyes as they parted just enough to set the words on her wife's lips.

"I love you, Elsa."

"And I love you, my glorious dragon." With that, the blonde reached between them, sending a shock through Anna's body as her hand was replaced with a much cooler one, her lover's touch as delicious as if it was truly her flesh as the blonde guided the head of the phallus between herown folds. Idly, the redhead made a mental note to revisit this particular deviation from their usual intimate encounters at a later time, when the water surrounding her wasn't present to muddle the exquisite sensation, but she relished it all the same as Elsa pressed her hips down, taking half the length inside of her with ease. The Khaleesi gasped, obviously surprising herself, and moaned as her inner muscles clenched down on the sudden intrusion. Being on the receiving end for once, Anna couldn't help but groan aloud heself, hands moving to squeeze her wife's hips as she was nearly overcome with sensations.

Was this what the blonde felt whenever their roles were reversed? Thinking back to their wedding night, she couldn't imagine having nearly the same amount of


patience, her heels already threatening to dig into the soft soil beneath her for leverage, already desperate to be buried further into the welcoming warmth of her lover. Which, quite frankly, was a bit surprising, if only because she was well aware that Elsa was normally as cool as the magic coursing through her veins.

"Oh, Anna." Her wife moaned, back arching as she closed her eyes, sinking down even further.

There was a moment when progress halted, a brief frown claiming the blonde's lips, but it passed so quickly she might've missed it entirely had she not being so entranced by the expressions playing across her lover's pale features. "Elsa?"

"I'm fine." She quickly assured, so fast the redhead might've doubted her were the words not accompanied by a pleasurefilled moan. "Shepard's Ghost. I didn't think it would feel this good."

Somehow, Anna mustered the presence of mind to sound at least a little offended. "Did you think I was exaggerating before?"

"Maybe a little." The blonde admitted before using her thighs to raise herself up until the phallus was almost out of her before dropping back down, taking more of the length inside of her with each descent.

While she was no stranger to the act itself, the redhead had never experienced it like this, finding herself being driven steadily closer to her orgasm as Elsa's walls pressed all around her. Just being able to reach so deep into her lover was thrilling on its own but, as her wife began to lose herself to her pleasure, the gasps