The road was quiet. For the lone knight who was slowly but with determination making his way towards Dorter Trace City this didn't matter, as he preferred silence. He didn't talk to anyone unless he had to, and he had managed to avoid people since he had left Zaland Fort City almost two days ago. He had spent last night at a small farm located near the edge of Araguay Woods and was planning on making it to Dorter today, even if it was getting pretty late.

Luckily, he hadn't run into any random monsters today - not that it would have mattered to him if that had happened. He was skilled with his sword, and could have taken on a couple of goblins if there had been a reason for that. Then again, thieves weren't out of the picture either; considering the time and the age, he knew very well that attempts of robbery were more than common.

He continued his journey, tugging the cloak he had over his clothes a little when the wind caught the garment, as if trying to snatch it away from him. He sighed and wrapped the cloak around him before continuing, hoping he would really make it to the inhabited areas before sunset.

He didn't pay attention to people passing him. Not many people came from Dorter's direction this late; a couple of Hokuten Knights did ride past him, but he didn't really care - as long as they didn't appear to be looking for anyone, particularly him.

The shadows were starting to grow longer; the knights vanished from view after a while and he was alone again. He had too much to think about to pay attention anyway, and thus he didn't notice the next person riding along the road. He didn't even notice the man's red robe and golden-colored armor before the knight stopped his chocobo and turned to look at him. He didn't stop to think about the fact that the man was a Shrine Knight before the blond dismounted and suddenly drew his sword.

His next action was more of a reflex than anything. He drew his own sword and stopped the Shrine Knight's attack just a moment before it would have hit him; for what, he didn't know.

"Nicely blocked," the Shrine Knight commented. "But you could just as well lower your sword, Beowulf. You've been branded as a heretic, and I'm afraid I don't have a choice... Sorry."

Beowulf smiled a little, realizing that the Shrine Knight had attacked him for the sole reason of checking his identity. The cloak that had covered his usual outfit had slipped from his hold and was lying on the ground somewhere behind him.

"I'd afraid you'll have to try and beat me if you wish to arrest me, Wiegraf," he answered calmly. "I need to find someone, and letting the Heresy Examiners waste my time isn't my idea of fun."

Wiegraf lowered his sword but kept his gaze on the other man. "I don't understand it, though. You, a heretic...? But why..." He trailed off and just watched as the older knight took a couple of steps back and then knelt down to pick up the cloak he had dropped.

The red-robed knight couldn't really believe what was going on, and for a reason. When he had first joined the Shrine Knights the year before, he had been sent to take a message to Lionel. Back then, Beowulf had been the leader of the local Temple Knights there, and they had gotten along quite well. They hadn't met that many times, but given time, he could have considered the other knight to be a friend.

"Still," he continued. "It's my duty as a Shrine Knight. Or are you asking me to just forget that I saw you, Beowulf? I have my duty and conviction as a knight of the Murond Church... Think I can't beat you? I'm not a White Knight for nothing, you know."

The older man smirked as he drew the cloak to cover his clothes again. "I don't doubt that. I think we had a practice duel once back when I was still at Lionel. You are a worthy opponent, Wiegraf. But forgive me... If you can't just let me go, then there's no other way but to fight. I need to continue."

Wiegraf stopped to glance at his steed; the chocobo was calmly standing further away. "As an opponent, so are you. And I wouldn't want to see what would happen if it was for life and death... Why, then? What happened to you?"

"Too complicated, and I don't know all the details myself," Beowulf answered quietly. He shook his head, then looked at the other knight. It was indeed a long story; how a former Temple Knight leader had suddenly been branded as a heretic, and why he was on the run. "It's best if I don't try to explain. I can swear by Holy Ajora that I haven't done whatever I'm accused of doing. Still, I must continue. Don't try to stop me. Please. Just go back to Murond, or wherever. Nobody else saw me, and nobody saw you talking to me, so you could just forget about ever seeing me here. So... What do you say?"

The Shrine Knight sighed. "I told you already. Duty. Even though I have my own motives for doing this - working for the church - somebody I care about taught me about the duty the Shrine Knights have... I can't just walk away."

"I see..." Beowulf put his sword away and stepped closer. "Well then, Wiegraf... Do whatever you wish. It appears you won't listen to me, but at least tell me this... Have you ever had to do something because you care for someone? Have you ever..." He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "...have you ever loved someone so much that you would die for them? Do anything, just to be with that person? You know what and whom I'm talking about, and that's why I must continue... So tell me. If you can, honest and swearing in God's name, tell me that you haven't... That you don't know what I'm feeling, then I'll come with you. Let the Heresy Examiners have it their way, not that I have anything to say to them."

Wiegraf stared at the older knight for a moment; he then turned to look away at the darkening sky. He did indeed know what - and who - Beowulf was referring to; he had heard that the Temple Knight's fiancée, Reis, had gone missing since Beowulf had been branded as a heretic. He could guess that that was the reason why the knight had run. He didn't know the details, but he understood a great deal better now.

"Someone I love, huh..." he murmured, then lowered his face and looked at his sword. He didn't have to consider the answer too carefully, and there was no way he could have sworn that he hadn't ever loved anyone. His sister was dead, and he still hadn't gotten the opportunity to face her killers.

He couldn't, however, answer anything related to Miluda. He couldn't just say that his sister was dead and there was no one left in the world who he would have loved and whom he would have died for, because there was someone; there was Izlude Tingel. The son of the leader of the Shrine Knights, the young knight who had been his friend since he had joined the Shrine Knights. Izlude, who had helped him get over the grief he had had to face about the death of his men, his friends, and most importantly, his sister. Izlude, who had ended up to be his best friend - and his lover.

"You can't, can you?" Beowulf said with a gentle voice. "And you understand. I must go, and you won't stop me... Or will you?"

Wiegraf shook his head, then put his sword away and walked back to his chocobo. "Hmm, the random mercenary knights you meet on the road. This one was asking me about the location of Hokuten's recruitment office at Dorter. I asked if he had seen any heretics around here, and he hadn't, though I would like to see a few since there's one that I would prefer killing personally... Have a good evening, sir knight. I'm afraid I can't help you with the recruitment office, and I advise that you hurry if you wish to make it to Dorter before the night falls and it starts getting colder."

He got back on the saddle and turned the chocobo towards Dorter. "I hope you do find her, Beowulf. And remember that I'm just one of the Shrine Knights; there might be others out there assigned to find you."

Beowulf smiled, then nodded slightly. "I'm aware of that. I hope you get to be with the one you love, too. Goodbye, my friend."

He stood on the road for a long while and watched as the Shrine Knight rode off, then started walking towards Dorter again. He had a long way to go, and Dorter was just one stop on his journey to find his loved one.

Author's notes:

Thanks to Fenril Knight telling me to write this; I was originally talking to him in AIM about these two, and then when lacking ideas for what to write, he suggested this one. Yep.

- Lady Harken (September, 2004)