Chapter 2

I have ZERO experience horse riding. Sorry about any inaccuracies, feel free to correct me. I don't own Zelda and I owe apologies to Tales of Symphonia, which I don't own either. Good game. Play it.

The next morning found Mathew waiting outside the stables. He'd long since learned the art of drinking a lot whilst actually consuming very little. Even so, it had been a late night and he wasn't sure how it had gone. He hadn't slept with Nabooru and the woman had downed an incredible amount of alcohol. His wallet was feeling substantially lighter. On the other hand, she'd told him that the best place to buy horses was Lon Lon ranch and she'd offered him a ride there on one of her horses. It was three days ride and apparently on her way.

"So you really are serious about coming with me then?"

Mathew turned around. There she was. Even if she didn't have a hangover, Mathew felt she could have at least had the decency to look a little tired.

"Yes. I hope I don't disillusion you about the romantic life of the Bard though."

"Really?" she said as they walked into the stables, "And how would you do that?"

"Well, some of us make our living through natural talent," he paused whilst his eyes roamed the stables, "others do it through sheer volume of training. I'm sure you can work out which category I fall into."

There was a group of very fine horses down the back. It didn't matter that Matthew didn't know the first thing about horses; they simply screamed short odds.

Nabooru looked at him, "Have you eaten?"

"Sure have. I could only afford to eat at the Gentleman though."

"Oh you live such a sad life."

Matthew gritted his teeth, trying to make it look like a smile. You could only stand so much sarcasm. Nabooru got in the saddle and left the stable. All the horses bar one left with her. He supposed he was a little guilty as well.

"Right then," Nabooru called, "Get in the saddle."

Matthew just stood there and stared at what was to be his mount. It stared back.

"What's the problem?" Nabooru brought her horse back over, "Have you not ridden a horse before?"

Mathew smiled, "Funny you should mention that really…"

Sarcasm left her face to be replaced by sheer disbelief, "You're serious?"

"I'm afraid so," Matthew had been right, she did look better when she wasn't being cynical.

"Well, just hop in the saddle. Things should just work themselves out."

"Oh, and that's scientific way of working these things out is it?"

"Scientific?"

He placed one foot in the saddle and heaved himself over.

"Never mind. Now how do I make this thing go?"

"You say 'forward'. Give the reins a flick if necessary."

"You trained it in Hylian?"

"Yes."

Matthew waited for further explanation.

"Something to do with your mission?"

"I am afraid so."

He sighed. "Ah well. Forward."

Matthew gave the reigns a flick for good measure. Much to his surprise the horse actually did what it was supposed to. It slowly walked out of the stables. Nabooru followed closely.

"Tell me: Is this horse very well trained or do I have some sort of natural talent here?"

Nabooru smiled, "Let's just say: I'd hate do disenchant you."

Their slow walk eventually took them out of town. Matthew could already tell this was going to be a journey his behind wouldn't thank him for.

"How about we try a canter?"

So far Matthew had been fine. The horse had navigated all the obstacles in his way and generally went where he wanted it to. Matthew was toying with the idea that it might be smarter than he was. He shrugged.

"You're the boss."

"Alright, you simply do the same as before only in a stronger voice. You also give it a small kick on the rump."

Matthew did exactly what she said. This caused Nabooru to release a string of curses. And the Gerudo language is a good one to curse in. She dug her heels into her own horses flanks and was soon off after him. She had to hand it to Matthew. Whilst the horse may have been completely out of his control he did seem to know how to ride. Or at least stay in the saddle. Nabooru closed in until she was almost level with him. It was then that Matthew worked out how to make the horse stop.

"HALT!" he screamed, pulling on the reins sharply.

The horse between his legs did just that, quiet suddenly. He was nearly thrown forward out of his saddle. As it was, his ankles felt as if they'd broken from the tremendous tug of the stirrups. Then the horse reared up. By gripping the front of the saddle and shifting his wait Matthew actually managed to stay on. In the short time it took Nabooru to wheel her horse around and get back to Matthew his mount had already settled.

"Enjoy yourself?"

"Oh immensely," he could only be so sarcastic in the face of pain, "God my ankles are killing me!"

"Do you think you've broken them?"

Mathew moved his ankles around a little.

"No, I don't think so. They'll just be sore come morning."

"It is morning."

"Well that explains it then."

"Will you be alright to ride?"

"Yeah, I've done worse to myself."

Nabooru smiled a little, "I was actually impressed you stayed in the saddle back there."

Matthew sighed, "Thanks, although to be honest: So was I."

They rode on for a several hours, mostly in silence. Technically they had lunch in the saddle, although Matthew felt he had lunch on the saddle rather than in it. It was spring but most of the trees were still bare and the wind still had a quite a bite to it. Mathew's whole body was aching. He wasn't sure if his knees would ever be able to touch again.

"So where are we riding to?"

"A small town called Neras."

"How long till we get there?"

"Well, it's quite a long ride normally. But you're inexperienced so it'll be even longer. I'd say we'd be getting in after dark. That's without another break."

So far they'd stopped twice, both times so that Matthew could pee behind some bushes. Somehow Nabooru had managed to make him feel as though he'd added hours to their travel time. He looked up. The sun was roughly three-quarters through its cycle.

"If it's so far then why didn't we stop at the last town we passed through? My whole body's killing me."

"Normally I would, but I'm in a hurry. This is the only other place where I can cut a day off my journey. Why don't you do something to take your mind of the discomfort?"

"Like what?" Mathew turned to look at Nabooru against the protests of his body. This was one of the few sarcasmless conversations they'd had today.

"Well, you're a bard. Surely you have a story you can tell?"

"I'm afraid not. I only do music."

"A traveller who can't ride a horse and a bard who doesn't know any stories. You're quite the mix."

So much for sarcasmless...

"Surely you know one story?"

"Well, there's one. But it's long. Very long."

Nabooru shrugged, "We've got time."

"No, I'm talking epic. As in I could tell it to you and not be finished by the time we reach Lon Lon ranch."

"Well, just start it. If it's good I'll come back and pay you to hear the rest of it."

"Sounds like a plan. Well… this is a bit of an unusual story. It starts at the back of a classroom, where our hero is holding two pails of water. But before I come to that I need to explain a few things about the land in which this tale is set…"

Mathew had never really told stories before, but he was finding it wasn't too hard. He'd read plenty of stories and he knew how to talk, it was merely at matter of filling in the details. Besides, Nabooru was a good listener. Whilst she still made the odd cynical comment about the story, she mostly just listened. Occasionally she would ask him to clarify something, but mostly she just watched the road ahead whilst he prattled on. Matthew would like to have lost himself in the story but he was still too uncomfortable that. Still, it took his mind of the discomfort for a few minutes at a time.

"…drawing both swords from their sheaths he stepped forwards-"

"Hold on."

Mathew looked across at Nabooru. He'd been getting into the story.

"What is it?"

"See in the distance?"

"Err… Yeah, a couple of buildings?"

"That's where we're stopping for the night."

"I thought you said it would be dark by the time we got here."

She shrugged, "I lied. This way I figured you'd be happy we got here early."

Mathew just rolled his eyes.

"How about we make things interesting?"

Mathew gave Nabooru a suspicious glance, "How?"

"A race?"

"You're kidding me," Matthew knew she wasn't, "This is the first time I've ever been on a horse."

"So? I've got another five tied to me. I can't move very well like this."

"That hardly makes it fair and you FORWARD!"

This time Matthew was ready. It still wasn't a question of riding so much as staying in the saddle, but he was staying in the saddle better. He risked a glance behind him. Nabooru was having trouble spurring her horses into action, that meant he was still making ground. He managed to kick the horse one more time to try and get another burst of speed. His entire body was protesting at the strain he was giving it but he just ignored it. He looked back and cursed. Nabooru had managed to organise the horses around her and was now starting to get going. Matthew was still gaining ground, but not with the same vigour. He looked for the town in the distance, but couldn't see it. The road had taken a small dive and left the village out of sight. The horse beneath him was slowing down. He called out again and gave it another kick.

Another glance behind him told him that Nabooru was now travelling at the same speed, possibly gaining. He still couldn't see the town but it would soon come into sight as he crested the hill. The steed beneath him was still going strong. The village came into sight. He'd covered about half the distance but Nabooru was now gaining on him. All he could do was encourage his horse and hope that he hadn't made his dash to early. The road was level from here and he would be able to see the village the whole way.

Now he could make out the sound of the horses behind him. He glanced back and saw Nabooru with a grim smile on her face. Gaining hard. Soon the sound of her posse was massive. Matthew spurred his horse on more, although whether that made the horse move faster or whether it was simply the natural fear of six stampeding beasts it was hard to tell. For a brief moment he thought he was actually going to do it. He had about an eigth of the distance remaining and he was somehow managing to make ground. But the next thing he knew Nabooru's horses were all around him and then they were past him.

By the time Matthew made it into town he was back down to a canter. He didn't want to repeat the incident earlier that day.

"You cheated!"

"Yes," It was succinct and to the point.

"It was clever."

"Really?" Mathew hadn't really considered it a brilliant hustle.

"Most Hyleans wouldn't think of it."

"Well I'm not most Hyleans."

"You really are tired aren't you?"

"Oh my yes."

Nabooru gave him a degrading smile, "So no poor offers to sleep with me?"

"What? I thought you might want to save money," he gave her an endearing smile.

"'I don't have much money so how's about we go halves on a room'? That's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard."

Not sarcasm, sure he was being burned, but at least it wasn't sarcastically.

"I'm sorry for any offence I may have caused you."

Nabooru smiled, "Don't be. It's a pleasant change."

"I'm sorry?"

"I told you not to be sorry."

Mathew winced, "Real funny. Ha Ha. So what? You think it's pleasant to be the subject of sleazy pick-up lines? Because look… I've got a whole list of women who'll disagree with you."

"I wouldn't doubt it. But I enjoy a different reaction for a change."

"What? Variety is the spice of life and all that?"

"You laugh, but do you know how many people would try and hit on a Gerudo?"

"Well I know at least one…"

"Or try and cheat a Gerudo?"

"One again…"

Nabooru just rolled her eyes.

Shit! I Blew that one.