As the convoy of carts and wagons travel from the ruined city, A stranger takes the boy into his arms and begins to talk to him. None takes any notice, for the boy's parents were nowhere to be found after the attack on the great city the convoy is traveling away from.
"Hey there young one. It seems you have run a bit of bad luck with this war. Take heart, I will keep you company until you get to where you are going. So, little one where do you come from? See, you and I are the same type of man. We will give our heart to everything we do, and stop often to make sure we are still in good faith. The women will confuse us, and we will be helpless against them, but we will leave them calling after us. None will like that at all, but it is the way we must go.
"But one day you will meet the woman of your dreams. And I bet you will not know who she is until that one day. There will be no explainable reason, just that you know something is there. Of course being the men we are, we can't just rush headlong into it. Oh, our hearts will cry for it. But as men, we must ensure it is the right, and not just the want. Aye, make sure that you do what is right, for if you obey your wants, the fates will dictate your life and you will feel helpless. But if you have the mind to follow what is right, you will prevail over the fates and lead your own life.
"Like myself. Aye, there is a woman for the man that bears you now. In my mind she is the perfect woman for me, but I have never taken steps more than I have allowed myself. Why? Call it conscience I guess. Funny though, that same conscience convinces me that my not doing anything is wrong. Of course I have to take the easy way out with little required action.
"Is that because of what she said to me. What she told me to do about our relationship. Maybe. For she did tell me once, our relationship is not a relationship. So I felt it should be so. But my heart wanted to have her. I could blame that on a need for a woman for support through what I was going through then. What was it? Don't worry now little one, for I cannot explain it all with confidence of having it right. Which makes me wonder, does a man need to know that he can explain what he is going through... I mean been through. Ha! You have me little one, I am still going through it.
"You ask about my feelings, do you now? Up until this moment, everytime I see her, and every time I talk to her, I want to take her into my arms and hold her like the night where there was no one but us.
"But of course that is not enough to say she is the woman for me! Aye! But I cannot explain it. I have talked to her like any other woman. At least I thought so. Ah you must be right little one, I have talked to her differently, but is that because of my fear of hurting her. Oh I have treated others with the same respect, or so I have tried. But even if I talk to her differently, how is that to say? Aye little one, it is too complicated.
"What's that? Aye, treating her differently was a factor too. But treating her differently was because I didn't have the opportunity to treat her like other people. Aye, if I hadn't thought about how much I wanted her heart, I would have treated her the same. But my thoughts were impure you see. Ah, you have me yet again, I thought how much it would be wrong of me to do so. But it is so much more than just her being differently treated by me. It has to be.
"Could it be that I have invented who she is in my mind and somehow she is exactly what I want in life? A question I have no answer to. Only that I know that if given the chance again I will take her and force myself to figure it out once and for all. Ah, but it is difficult. Especially after this war, how am I going to find her? It is this that complicates everything.
"The fates you ask? Aye, the fates do seem to have a hand in this, but I believe it is for the better. Look at us now. All of our homes are in ruin, no one but the people of our convoy left. Yes, she is among us, but so far ahead, and most likely traveling to a different city than where we are headed.
"Funny thing is, I cannot comprehend the possibility of it happening. What do you think little one. Yes it is so. If I knew how, I would find her now. But I cannot say what will happen. For I have always been confused about what I should do about her, and I do not know what I will do. Will it be months or years? It will be decided in time. Ah me. I am out of breath." with that the boy's new acquaintance drifts into slumber as the convoy travels on to its unknown destination in the horizon.