"Before man is life and death, good and evil; that which he shall choose shall be given him." - Ecclesiastes 15:18

When Rebecca was a child, she had been caught in a wave crashing over her father's ship and almost swept overboard. If it had not been for the quick arm of a strong sailor, she would have been lost. She had thought then that there was no more fearful force than that of the storm and water. But as Brian pressed his mouth against hers, he allowed her no cause to doubt that the heart of man harbours greater forces than all the universe. His lips were rough and insistent, and she could not help but receive the kiss, though she did not reciprocate it. His strong arms held her in place, and she was struck with cold fear, because she felt herself being swept away in his desires against her will as she had been all those years ago, caught in the deadly pull of the sea.

With a strength born of panic, she pushed him away and leapt to her feet.

"Don't touch me!" She had never felt so vulnerable, not even in the tower at Torquilstone. Even then, she had known that, whatever happened to her body, her soul would be untouched. But now, her conviction threatened to crumble. She seized on her fears to give her strength, and something inside began to unravel. "The vilest fiend on earth can give a kiss, Sir Templar, and it proves nothing! You speak of love, but what have you shown but an obstinate will to have your selfish desires? You speak of honor, but how can you fear its ruin when it is already nothing but a show? You care for the opinion of others, but you stifle the voice of your own conscience lest it condemn you! Sacrifice - you have bragged enough to strip it of its meaning."

Bois-Guilbert sprung up, a reply on his lips, but she put out her hand to stop it.

"No, Sir Knight! You shall listen, for once!" She stood before him with all the righteous rage and beauty of an ancient goddess of justice. "How can I trust your words, your promises, when you have broken others in the past? You so willingly forsake the rules of your own Order, just to pursue pleasure. I would be a fool to think you would follow the laws of love! And - and what if I gave in? Like Amnon and Tamar, in the end, your hate would be greater than your desire had been. Love! What love? You still hold back - you still fear giving everything and gaining nothing. Sir Templar, until you have given your all, you do not know what love is."

Rebecca caught her breath. The dam had broken, releasing a flood of emotions too long suppressed. But her feeling of victory was chilled by the realization of what a dangerous move she had made. In rebuking the Templar, somehow she had bared her own weaknesses. When she resisted Brian, she paradoxically found courage in fear: the strongest reason she could not accept him was her fear that he would not love her, all of her. Even if she gave her entire self to him - and in love, she could not do anything else - she could not trust him to do the same in return.

She could not read Brian's thoughts. For once, the stubborn man was completely silent. He had turned from her to lean against the walls, eyes distant and jaw clenched. Rebecca couldn't help but wonder if he was finally giving up on her as a lost cause - maybe he finally realized that she was nothing like the idealized image of her he'd believed in all this time. At Torquilstone, she had awoken his admiration through her bravery, and he had become obsessed with making her his. But now, she revealed herself to be cowardly, weak, and human, and now he must be disgusted with her. For some reason, she could not feel relief at the prospect.

Her own thoughts were broken when a hand landed on her arm.

"You are right," said Death, baring his rotting teeth in another grin, "You are wise indeed to recognize the hypocrisy of that foolish man's claims…" Before he could say more, Rebecca realized that Brian was not the only one who deserved her anger.

"And you!" She cried, pulling her arm away. "How are you any better than him? I will never trust my soul to you!"

"It's too late, Rebecca; you already have!" His grin widened. "You have thwarted me for years, but you have finally given in, whatever you may say to the contrary. Every moment that passes, you fall more deeply under my control!"

"No, I cannot believe you! There must be another choice. You are not like the simple deaths I have encountered. You are twisted and dark and deceptive. I can feel in my heart that something about you seeks to destroy everything that is beautiful."

Death's smile disappeared. He backed toward the door. "Think what you want," he said in an icy voice, "but it is too late, too late! I leave now, but I will return in three days, and no one can now stop the course of fate."

"You are wrong." The words were quiet, but they brought Death's retreat to a halt. Rebecca started, finding Brian standing beside them once more, his face returned to its characteristic coolness, no sign left of his previous anger or passion.

"I see you haven't given up hope yet," sneered Death. "Don't you realize she has already rejected you? Face the truth, boy - she lives to disappoint your every hope."

"Do not taunt me until you are certain of victory. I will not let you have her."

"How do you plan to achieve that? You have already tried to stop me, but you are far too weak." The Templar ignored the insult.

"When you first appeared," he said calmly, looking Death in the face, "you said Rebecca and I are both in danger of death. But for neither of us is death certain."

"That was - before," said Death, hastily, "but my mark is on her, and though she tries to reject me now, she has made an irreversible choice."

"That may be true," replied the other, "or false. Either way, you forget one thing. I have yet to make my choice."

Rebecca stared at him, uncomprehending. Death threw back his head and laughed.

"Your choice? Are you jesting, boy? You are trapped in circumstances beyond your control. Lift one finger to save her, and all your ambitions are for nothing!"

"I can - let ambition go," said Brian, "For something greater."

"Foolish mortal!" Hissed Death. "What can you do? Throw your life away in the lists, but you already know that she will show no gratitude."

"Her happiness will be recompense enough. To purchase her freedom, my life is no great cost."

"Ha! You say that now. I will enjoy seeing your heroic blustering melt away in the face of reality. Really now, will you sacrifice not only your life but also everything that gives life and death meaning? Will you turn aside honour, glory, and reputation, and welcome a ruined name and an unmarked grave? You cannot mean it!"

"I do," said Brian coolly.

"Then prove it!" Brian reflexively caught the object Death hurled toward him, hand closing around cold, sharp steel. Rebecca started at the sudden movement, and at the sight of the dagger in Brian's fist.

"Go ahead, brave warrior," sneered Death, "and finish the deed, if you are really so certain."

"There is no need to do so tonight," said Brian hoarsely.

"But why not? Whether you kill yourself now, or die in the lists, either way the entire world will soon know your shame. What? Are you afraid to face the prospect, now that the dagger is in your hand?"

"I am not afraid!"

"Then why aren't you doing it, boy?Just a quick stab to the heart - it will be much shorter than the years of infamy, the decades passing by in which men tell the tale of the dishonoured knight Bois-Guilbert!"

Rebecca had never seen such a look as then crossed the face of Bois-Guilbert; nor would she see one like it ever after. His gaze fell upon her face, and he clenched the dagger.

"Rebecca-" One word, but all his soul was in it. And finally, she knew. One or the other must die.

And the strong, determined woman who had stood on the precipice at Torquilstone, braved the burning castle, and defended herself before Beaumanoir - was silent. If he carried through with it, she wouldn't have to face death, and she wouldn't have to face him. If he chose good over evil, she wouldn't have to. And yet… she didn't want him to die. A treacherous voice in her heart cried out, No, don't let him do it! Just tell him you love him, tell him you'll go with him. You can both flee! She could live her life running from pain and death and decisions, pretending that Brian really did love her, and that she loved him. She would say that she had done it for him, to save him. But she would always know that she had only done it for herself.

She resisted the waves of emotions and clung to this knowledge; it was a truth that hurt, but she grasped it for support. He read the answer in her eyes.

The choice, Bois-Guilbert, was never in my hands. It is yours to make.

He shuddered; it cut him more deeply than it had done to her. And so she did not expect his reply.

"Then I will make it, for you."

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long to get this out! I've actually had this written for months now, but I didn't want the section to end on this cliffhanger. I just spent three hours of attempted writing, only to produce a paltry paragraph more, so I decided to just post this as it is and update it with the full chapter later on. I just don't have the same good feeling about this chapter, and I feel like my writing is so stiff and clunky. Oh well, I hope you enjoy! I will try my best to get the rest out soon!