Warning: The following chapter contains violence and mild language.
Another pleasant morning had arrived at the Outskirt Stable. Guests and staff alike were milling about, with the former largely preparing to depart on horseback, and the latter undergoing their daily duties. Chesty had quickly shaken off his sleepiness, washed up, and had a small breakfast of scrambled eggs and a buttered sweet roll. He joined with Canni and Trott, and the three youngest workers headed to the stables to divide their tasks between the three of them.
"Okay boys," Canni said, getting the others' attention, "two of our guests are departing first thing, so one of us needs to saddle their stallions."
"I'll do it." Chesty volunteered with a raised hand.
"Great, Trott and I will start of cleaning. When you get done with that, you can take over and we'll start our patrol over the pasture. That sound good, T?"
"Yup." Trott yawned. "Ahh, sorry."
"Don't worry, cleaning the stalls will get you woken up." Chesty teased.
"I doubt it." Trott answered.
When horses are checked out from a stable, a series of steps has to be taken to ensure a timely departure for any guest wanting to hit the trails early in the day. Each stall had a colored wooden pallet hanging off of a nail to the right of the entryway: green for departure, and red for staying. The pallet would be switched over on one colored side or the other the previous evening, ensuring that no confusion or delay would result from a stable guest wishing to leave with an unprepared mount.
Animals in green palleted stalls would be given the same treatment as their stationary neighbors. They would be given a brushing and a small treat of carrots. This modest meal would allow the horse to get an energy boost in the morning without filling their stomachs. That way, if the rider ever needed to push their horses to go faster, it would put less stress on the beast. Once the first two tasks were done, the horse would be gently escorted out of the stall for the next section of preparation.
Upon leaving the horse stables, the horse would be tied to a post to ensure that it did not leave. The stable worker would retrieve the saddle associated with the horse, and then begin the preliminary effort of placing the saddle on the horse. A leather pad would be balanced atop the horse's back, followed by a decorative cloth. They were frequently sold at the various stables across Hyrule, with varying patterns and colors of greens, tans, browns, reds, and yellows.
The final step was placing the saddle atop the horse. Chesty discovered firsthand how surprisingly heavy saddles could be, so he spent a copious amount of time practicing the saddling of horses when he could, with oversight from either Canni or her grandfather. Once everything was balanced, and the saddle was placed on the horse, the actual strapping of the rigging and stirrups was left up to the owner of the horse. Being the most familiar with their mount, they would best understand how to fix the stirrups for both security and the comfort of their horse.
At the moment, Chesty had completed placing a saddle on a brown and white painted horse named Cloud. His owner, an older man with a large mustache and temperamental eyes strode out to check out his mount.
"Hello sir," Chesty said politely, "come to take a look at the setup?"
The man simply hummed loudly in response. He took Chesty's place as the latter stepped away. For over a minute, the dark brown eyes of the stable guest peaked over the saddle. He occasionally gripped the piece of gear to firmly wiggle it to make sure it was placed precisely where it needed to be.
"Hmm. Eh, I guess that'll do. I'm just heading east towards Hateno. Road's relatively smooth there." His comment made, the man set about fixing the stirrups.
Chesty sighed quietly. It was the closest thing to praise he would likely receive from the humorless gentleman.
When that guest moved on, Chesty moved on to retrieving a solid tan stallion named Praire. He heard that solid colored horses tended to be more difficult to train and acclimate than those who had spotted patterns. Personally, he found that assertion mildly absurd. 'A different pattern surely doesn't mean a horse is more or less difficult to break in.'
Disregarding his qualms with that piece of alleged trivia, he followed the same directions to saddle Praire. Unlike the relatively calm Cloud, Praire was slightly on edge. The stallion pawed at the ground at least two times whilst Chesty carefully layered cloth and leather upon his back. Although the stallion did not display any aggressive behavior, Chesty made sure to quietly assure the beast that he meant no harm.
Praire's owner soon walked outside, and he was much more appeasing of Chesty's job. The man even generously gave him a single green rupee as a bonus for the job well done. It was a drop in the monetary bucket, but Chesty was grateful for the extra bit of money.
As he was pocketing the extra rupee, Myti walked up. "Hello Chesty. Would you mind getting an extra ink well? My husband needs it for his quill up front."
"Where do we keep the ink wells?"
"In the back. Look in the left closet in the hallway leading to the two employees' quarters. There should be a small, square chest with extra ink wells on the second lowest shelf."
"Sure thing." Chesty answered. "I'll be right back."
The trip was a short one, with little difficulty in getting the stout bottle of writing liquid. Chesty turned around and began to walk towards the front of the stable when he heard a small commotion. Immediately on edge, he walked as silently as he could, listening to the sounds outside.
"Please, sir." Embry said with a worried tone. "We are but a humble stable. Every rupee is needed to stock up on supplies. It's not just for the horses, but for the employees who depend on this work for housing and food."
"Listen friend," came an unknown male voice from up ahead, "we need money as well. How are we supposed to keep food on the table when work is so hard to come by?"
Chesty skirted along the far side of the interior wall of the inn portion of the Outskirt Stable, trying to see who it was confronting his employer. He peaked the top left corner of his head around to the front and managed to get an eye to observe three men on horseback.
Outwardly, they were not particularly sinister, with plain looking tunics and dark trousers. Their horses were various painted shades of brown, cream, and black. The front most individual, talking to Embry, was a lean man with a smug face that was wind beaten and slightly burnt by the sun's rays. His other companions were not nearly so pink, but were openly armed.
The man on horseback closest to Embry had a short sword, akin to a gladius, drawn and pointed at Embry as the latter backed a few steps away from the edge of the desk. In the hands of the furthest highway robber, he wielded a simple bow with an arrow drawn against its string.
Chesty hastily backed away, trying not to draw attention to himself. Immediately, his mind raced to a combative mindset. 'Those guys are a threat.' The fact that they had two weapons drawn against an unarmed man proved that they were more vicious than the typical petty thief.
Once he was back deeper in the stable house, he retreated to the men's quarters. He found his modern compound bow, a layer of dust covering the cam and idler wheel from disuse. Along with the bow and his quiver, Chesty also grabbed his fold out knife. A moment of doubt gave him pause, as the knife was not especially sharp or large, but he figured that the insurance of a melee weapon, no matter how effective, was better than none. Before equipping himself, he threw away his stable issued gloves to eliminate the need to readjust his grip on his weapons. He slipped the inactive blade in a readily accessible pocket on his front, then made his way outside.
A pair of screams, one from a woman, and one from a child, caused outright panic to guide Chesty's feet. 'That's Myti and Haite!' He barely contained himself as he slowed down to minimize his noise. As he got closer to the front, he could hear Haite crying with heart wrenching abandon, while Myti sounded like she was pleading to the three men.
"Please, for the love of Hylia! Don't strike down my husband. My daughter needs him! I need him!"
"Then he better put the value of his life over the money of this stable!" The voice from before spoke up in a snarky way. "Now give up the rupees, before I tell my pal Gorchi here to put his sword through your eye!"
"Okay, okay!" Came Embry's desperate response. "Just don't hurt us!"
"That depends entirely on your cooperation, now doesn't it?"
Chesty was now sweating up a storm, not helped by the snug outfit he wore on his person. He braced himself against the wall just on the other side of the barrier to the front desk area. He peaked out to see that the man with the bow had moved his mount away from the front of the stable. He now had his weapon pointed at Myti, who was cradling little Haite against her body, the girl's head averted over her mother's shoulder.
The man with the sword and the apparent leader of this crime, was still present at the front atop his horse. No one was looking in Chesty's direction, though this fact was but a tick in his favor. Ideas of how to confront them raced in his mind. Eventually, he settled on taking care of their mounts first.
'Cut off their ability to run me down, and get them on ground level.' Chesty thought. 'Then get their archer when he's trying to aim at me. I'll only get the chance to let off one, maybe two shots before he gets a bead on me or tries to kill one of the others out of spite or in a panic.'
As he heard the tinkling of rupees, Chesty took in a breath of courage and made a pivoting step around the blind spot. As he drew his bow and fixed his posture, he aimed right in front of the faces of the horses.
"Hey, jackasses!" Chesty then loosed the arrow.
The projectile whizzed in front of the horses, who reared back in fright. The two criminals shouted in shock as they fell off of their bestial companions. Chesty ran around the startled horses as they stumbled to get away from the confined space and out onto the road behind them. He reset himself and drew a second arrow as the third man turned his horse to see who had dared to oppose him and his criminal cohorts.
Once the arrow was drawn at full strength, Chesty aimed right above the bridge of the robber's nose. It flew swiftly, and a strangled cry came from the horse bound criminal as he slumped in his horse. The man's own bow and arrow slipped from his hands as he fell down. An arrow was lodged in his left eye as he crumpled to the ground and moved no more.
"You bastard!" Chesty turned to see the leading thief rising to his feet. The robber drew a curved dagger of sorts, and rushed at him. Chesty tossed his bow to the side and hopped back to create some distance. Quickly, he thought of a means to incapacitate this aggressor. When the dagger in the man's hand was drawn to the right in a telegraphed slash, Chesty took his chance.
He swiftly closed the distance, grabbing the arm which held the blade. At once, the momentum of the attack was stopped, and Chesty quickly moved his left hand to gouge at the robber's face. A single finger landed home, and the man dropped his knife as he grabbed at his face in pain.
Behind the temporarily blinded man, Gorchi, the sword wielder, charged forth, his weapon raised high to cleave at the top of Chesty's head. The latter pushed the leading robber in the direction of Gorchi, who was briefly inconvenienced as his companion's prone body stumbled into him. Chesty promptly bull rushed Gorchi, tackling him to the ground and disarming him in one fell swoop.
The former soldier did not stop there. Chesty scrambled to mount his unarmed enemy, then began landing punches into Gorchi while he lay, too stunned to defend himself in time. With each clean hit, the young man's knuckles began more and more sore, while the face of Gorchi became a discolored canvas of purple bruises and red blood.
Time became unnoticeable, with Chesty's actions being driven by anger as well as fear. 'Stay down, stay down, stay down!' He thought frantically. Suddenly, Chesty felt an arm wrap around his neck. The leading robber was attempting to strangle him.
"You wanna play hero?!" The thief roared in fury. "I'm gonna wring your neck, and then kill everyone at this pitiful stable! Then I'll burn this place to the gods' damned ground!"
Unable to think of any self defense against an attacker in his current position, Chesty felt about with frenetic abandon for his fold out knife. Managing to get it out of his pocket, he nearly cut himself trying to fix the blade in place. He then gripped the knife in an upside down fashion before blindly stabbing at the right flank of his attacker.
The thief lost his breath as he felt steel pierce his side. He stopped his attempted strangulation and staggered away to stem the bleeding. Chesty stood up to full height, then marched over to the man who moments ago tried to kill him, his breathing heavy, and his leer intense. His Hylian opponent could barely raise a hand in a form of surrender before he decked him across the face, sending him tumbling to the ground.
There was a pause in the air, with Chesty catching his breath. He could feel his knuckles aching and he saw his hands were bloodied from beating up one man and stabbing the man now unconscious before him.
"Chesty, look out!"
Chesty turned around at the sound of Embry's warning, and saw that Gorchi was staggering up to him, hefting his sword over his shoulder with both hands in a disoriented charge. He drew his knife again and waited for an overcommitted slash. The follow through of Gorchi's attack proved slow and sloppy. After side stepping the strike, Chesty closed in and plunged his knife blindly into the swordsman's torso. A gasp of pain gave way to weak groans as a staccato of metal piercing cloth and flesh filled the air. When everything was done, Chesty was exhausted, his right hand slick in another man's life essence blood. Gorchi, now soaked below the ribcage, was dying at Chesty's feet.
Everything was silent at the Outskirt Stable, save for Chesty's heavy breathing and Myti's blubbering as she fully grasped the horrible scene. Chesty stared long and hard at the body of Gorchi, who's torso was leaking pints of blood into the grass-less ground. Memories of the war overseas, seeing enemies and brothers in arms alike lying lifeless on the ground, flooded his subconscious. All he had wanted was to return home. He never imagined that he would take human lives whilst on that journey.
'They threatened Embry and his family.' He justified as his gaze mechanically focused on the blood currently drying on his hands. 'I couldn't stand by and...'
"What in Farore's name is going on here?" Toffa staggered onto the scene from around the horse stalls. "I go to relieve myself and I hear all kinds of... racket..." The old man paused, his pruned complexion slackening in disbelief at the sight before him. He saw Chesty with blood literally on his hands, and three men on the ground, at least two of whom were certainly dead.
"By the gods..."
Chesty jerked his head up, his face melancholic. The former soldier slowly glanced at all of the witnesses, ending with a teary eyed Myti. She still had her trembling daughter cradled to her body, averting the child's eyes from such violence.
No words were said, but one thing was terribly clear: a morbid kind of work had to done.
In the aftermath, Embry took the time to explain the situation to Toffa. The news of what had transpired soon traveled to Trott and Canni, who were equally stunned that such an unprovoked attack could happen to their place of employment. All matters relating to normal work on the stable grounds were temporarily suspended. Chiefly this was because of the need to clean up the scene, lest a casual traveler see such death before them.
The bodies of the three men who had attacked the stable had been dragged away and leaned up against a trio of closely standing trees. It was apparent that the leader of the thieves, a man named Zereck, had lost consciousness, with only the slight rising of his chest indicating his status as the only surviving robber. To ensure he would not escape justice, Embry quickly wrote a letter, which would be sent via Rito courier to the Epona Company headquarters in the Akkala region. They would dispatch hired men at arms to escort the criminal back north to receive corporate justice. In the meantime, ropes normally used to keep horses in place were used to bind Zereck to the very timber he was lying against.
Chesty was tasked with watching over the man, though he was ordered to give up his knife and bow as a form of assurance that no further violence would transpire. He followed through on this order wordlessly, without any hesitation whatsoever.
As for the horses that the men rode on, they stopped near a tree south of the road. They had herded together as a means of protection, as reported by Canni after searching for the beasts. Embry ordered that the small herd be gently escorted back to the stables. Since two of them no longer had living owners, they were to be sold away at a discount for the fact that they were tame and already saddled. The third one, belonging to Zereck, would likely be given the same fate.
The other members of the stable had joined around the dormant fire pit, discussing what had happened. Haite and Canni were not present, as the latter was tasked with playing with the former, away from such an adult conversation.
"Are you absolutely sure that you're alright, Myti?" Toffa asked.
"Yes." She had calmed down after the fighting had ceased and she was embraced by her husband. "That brute with the bow aimed at me, but he never let loose with an arrow."
"Chesty made sure of that." Embry added. "I saw the arrow he sent his way. It struck the thief in the eye."
Trott hummed, impressed by the sound of the feat. "Nice aim."
"Trott." Myti chided. She still felt squeamish and frightened about the whole affair.
The young man shrugged, not sure what he had said to offend his benefactor's wife.
"And Chesty took them all down, eh?" Toffa asked, stroking his beard. "Quite the brave fellow, considering he's only known us for a few weeks."
"It was reckless." Myti said, shaking her head. "He could have gotten himself killed."
"If not for him," Embry added, "we might have still been dead. I saw the look in Zereck's eyes. He was looking for an excuse for violence. I fear he might have done us in, like he did to some of the merchants along the route south of the Squabble River."
"Wait, you know the guys that attacked us?" Trott asked.
"I don't know them, but I recognized the name Zereck the moment he spoke his name." Embry explained. "There was a written notice to be on the lookout for three men who were robbing travelers and merchants alike in western Necluda. They apparently had taken to killing some of their victims to stop witnesses from speaking about their experience."
"Well what good would just keeping an eye out have done us?" Toffa asked. "We have little in the ways of defending ourselves except for a few bows and wood axes. We use those for hunting small game and for chopping up fuel for the fire."
"It was hoped that they kept down in that corridor of travel. From what I heard, guards were hired and stationed at Dueling Peaks Stable. They would escort caravans over the southern roads and warn passers by of the highway robbers. If they took the bait, they would be slain or captured. Perhaps those three caught wind of the scheme and decided to move their operation westward."
Myti began wringing her hands, trying not to think of the worst. "Do you really think they would have killed us even with our cooperation?"
"I'm afraid so." Embry answered. "One particular story sent from headquarters down south is that the body of one fletcher who was selling his wares just east of the Dueling Peaks was left stripped and stricken. It was found in the woods by a traveler who smelled his body in the heat."
"How awful." Myti shivered.
"Then what's the issue?" Trott asked. "They were gonna hurt us, and Chesty gave them a dirt nap. We oughta be thanking him."
"Normally, I'd agree." Embry concurred. "But what Chesty accomplished, his fighting ability: have you ever seen anyone fight like that?"
Toffa hummed, his wrinkles expanding as he thought over the question. "My grandfather talked of how some well trained knights could move with inhuman speed and with no hesitation against their enemies. Would you say that he moved faster than normal?"
Embry shook his head. "I saw the whole thing without trouble. Plus, it was unlike anything I've heard from the old stories about the warriors who served the kingdom before the Calamity struck. They fought with swords, shields, and spears, not knives."
"Then I suppose that rules out a trainee under some surviving order of knights."
"When Chesty first came here," Embry recalled, "he stated that he knew how to wield his bow well. Offered himself as a hired guard, without putting forth a fee for his services."
"Sounds like him staying as a guard would be a good idea." Trott muttered.
"We shouldn't have to have an armed man on stable grounds." Myti lamented. "This is just so unprecedented."
"Well, there isn't an established power in Central Hyrule anymore. There's not a large scale force of soldiers or knights of shining armor to keep people safe." Trott argued. "These are dangerous times, and I think we need to see the writing on the wall and keep Chesty as a guard or something."
"I never thought I'd be saying this, but Trott has a good point." Embry conceded.
"Aww, thanks Embry... Hey! What's that supposed to fo mean?"
"I jest, I ensure you." Embry chuckled, grateful for the chance to laugh off his stress. "I suppose that leads to a final decision. Should we keep Chesty or insist he leave?"
"You know where I stand." Trott said resolutely. "Chesty stays. He's a good guy."
Toffa nodded along. "I think he's a fine young man, with a lot of potential ahead of him. However, I know this stable is under your jurisdiction, Embry. No matter how you decide, I have no doubt that it will be for the good of the stable."
Myti remained silent, her face scrunching with confusion and fear. "I think we should let Canni have a role in this vote."
"I'll go get her." Trott said as he stood up and stretched his arms.
The brown haired farrier was soon escorted back, with a happy Haite alongside, holding her hand. The little girl broke away to embrace her mother, whilst her chaperone sat down next to her grandfather. "You called?"
"We're making a decision," Embry debriefed, "on whether or not Chesty should stay or go. Trott and Toffa are inclined to say yes, while Myti is undecided. My wife also insisted you have a place in this conversation."
Canni's lips became a thin line. "Oh, I see. Any reason why we shouldn't keep him as an employee?"
"Well, my wife, and do correct me if I'm wrong, honey, does not feel comfortable with a man of Chesty's combative skills remaining as an employee."
"It's not that it's..." Myti sighed. "It's complicated. He saved me and my family's life. I should be grateful, and I am, but..."
"It's because of the violence that he engaged in to defend us, isn't it?" Embry asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
At last, Myti nodded. "It was so... I hesitate to even describe it. I watched men, albeit very bad men, fall in such a fashion, right before my eyes. Surely l am entitled to say that what I saw was horrible."
"Of course. Taking a person's life, no matter how repugnant they are, is surely an uneasy thing."
"So, what do you think, given what you've heard?" Myti asked.
"I think Chesty was justified in taking down those men. With all due respect Myti, if it weren't for Chesty, some of us might be dead. At least, if their reputation was anything to go by."
Myti canted her head downwards, her expression somber. "I see."
"All that being said, I don't think Chesty will be staying with us for long." Canni said.
"What?" Trott asked. "Why? He hasn't done anything wrong."
"It's not about doing something right or wrong." Canni explained. "He's been looking for a way to return to his home. It's apparently not in Hyrule, given the fact that he struggled to read the map he bought a while back. I had to explain the alphabet to him so he could read on his own."
Embry perked up. "That makes sense. When he first came to me, he had no idea where to go and no idea of what we used for currency."
"I figured it out by his ears. Very unusual looking." Toffa commented.
Myti shook her head. "I hear that the people of Ordon province often have round ears. That's not necessarily an indication that he's not from Hyrule."
"Huh. Fair enough." Toffa. "Still, I suppose we'll have to take his word for it, not being from Hyrule and all."
"Does that make a difference?" Canni asked. "That he isn't a Hyrulean?"
"No." Embry answered. "The Epona Company policy states that we have no qualms with hiring anyone who can communicate with us and capably perform the majority of tasks required at the Stable. That's why there's no policy requiring native born Hylians be the only possible source of recruitment."
"Then why don't we hear of Gorons or Zoras or any of the other races being hired?" Trott inquired.
"The Gorons have a simple lifestyle. They like rocks and heat, and doing little else on a daily basis. We sometimes have Gorons acting as guards and delivery men between stables near the Eldin region, but not much else. They aren't exactly a delicately minded people. That's a bad combination with horses."
"As for the Zora," Toffa interjected, "they've been keeping to themselves for generations since the Great Calamity. I hear they aren't the most hospitable folk these days. I have known Shiekah tribesmen and Gerudo who have done good work at stables, but they are a minority of workers."
"If Chesty's a foreigner, where do you think he hails from?" Myti asked. "Is he from Holodrum? Maybe Labrynna?"
"I don't think that's relevant to our conversation." Embry said, wanting to get the discussion back on track. "Canni, you said he is looking for a way home and that is why he is leaving soon."
"He plans on going to the Great Fairy Fountain in the Tabantha region. I told him about how the Great Fairies can give blessings to people for giving them tribute. Chesty said said once he had enough money to offer to the Great Fairy, that he'd make his way north." Canni explained.
"Great Fairy?" Trott asked. "You don't seriously believe those old tales about magical ladies giving away wallets and magic spells and whatever else to people, do you?"
Canni pouted her lips. "Well, maybe I do! Besides, what does he have to lose for putting faith in magical aid?"
"A waste of hard earned rupees, that's what." Trott scoffed.
"Hold on now, sonny." Toffa warned. "The Great Fairies are real. I know from-"
"Your grandfather?" Trott deadpanned.
Toffa squinted indignantly. "That's just what I was going to say, before you rudely interrupted me."
"Enough." Embry proclaimed. "So, if he was not preoccupied with returning home, you'd want him to stay on, eh Canni?"
"Yes. If he wanted, I'd love for him to stay on hand, but he can walk away whenever he wants. I think his homesickness is more tempting than a long career at the Outskirt Stable."
Embry nodded along. "Very well. I think that's everyone's thoughts. Is there anyone who wishes to add any further comment?"
The circle of stable workers was silent.
"Good. Everyone brought up valid points to consider in terms of keeping Chesty on as a employee or letting him go. I think I can safely make a decision."
'I wonder what the others are talking about.' Chesty pondered, sitting on an upright piece of log that was a bit too large for a fireplace.
He had been staring languidly at Zereck, the leader of the former trio of thieves. It was impossible to forget that he had cut that malicious band of bandits down to a solitary criminal, who was still knocked out and propped against a tree. The two of them were at a piece of woodland that was across from the stable away from the road, lest anyone be panicked by the sight of the two dead bodies that were slumped just feet away from them.
'Maybe they think I'm a violent freak who disrupted their quiet lives over protecting a couple of rupees.' For Chesty, the bloody patina of war and violence was inglorious. A singular comfort he possessed was that his killing of two men was done in defense of others.
Only half an hour had passed between the fight at the Outskirt Stable and the current moment, so there was no stench besides the blood which still trickled from the bodies of Zereck's men. Chesty had taken the chance to wash his hands of blood, but the sight of his hands slick with the life essence of a stranger still haunted him.
"You stupid sons of... why'd you have to threaten them? They were defenseless, and cooperating. You didn't have to drag Myti and Haite into this." All of these thought came to the forefront as sadness turned to righteous fury again.
A groan came from Zereck, and a pair of dull blue eyes fluttered open. His moans of pain began anew, and he glanced up at a stubble faced young man with hazel eyes and a mop of dark hair under an Epona Company issued Bork hat. The stranger's glare did not intimidate him, but he recognized it belonged to the man who had stopped him and his men from robbing the stable.
"Where the hell am I?" Zereck asked, his high voice unwavering despite the pain in his side.
"A forest next to the Outskirt Stable." Chesty answered curtly. "How's the knife wound?"
Zereck growled as he cupped his side. "Where are my men?"
Chesty narrowed his eyes, and he allowed vindictiveness to fill his heart. "Dead, right over there." He jerked his head to his right, and Zereck glanced over his shoulder to see.
Indeed, the lifeless bodies of his cohorts were slumped against two trees, with one of them missing an eye and another drenched from the stomach down in blood.
"You bastard..." Zereck growled. He tried rising to his feet, only to find that he was being held down by rope, which had been wrapped thrice around his torso.
"You're done." Chesty stood up, looming over the crook. "You messed with the wrong people. My boss is gonna call for a pair of hired soldiers to take you to the Epona Company headquarters. They'll deal with you for being a violent, thieving prick."
"Who are you?" Zereck leered up hatefully.
"The guy who ended your reign of terror." Chesty crossed his arms, like a disappointed father. "Just remember that you threatened to kill a woman and her child, and you lost two of your crooked pals as a result. Chew on that, you piece of crap."
Zereck spoke no more, instead letting his head slump down. His eyes remained on the coils of rope binding him. All he could think of was the medieval punishment that waited on him for the crimes he and his late cohorts had committed.
"Hey, Chesty." Trott walked up from behind, calling for the former's attention. "Embry wants you back at the stable."
"What about-"
"Don't worry about him. This bastard's not going anywhere." Trott waved Chesty back and the two men departed across the road to where the others were gathered.
Yet again, contrition overtook Chesty's body language. He stared at the ground for much of the time, and a part of his mind was already set on a decision. Scenarios ran through his head of what Embry and the others might say. A brief glance over the gathering, most of whom were sitting down, revealed that no one was acting especially fearful or judgmental, but this brought little comfort.
Embry rose to his feet, his hands on his hips in a confident manner. "Chesty, we've talked over what happened, and we firstly wanted to thank you for saving our lives. I especially am grateful for your actions to save my wife and little girl."
A small, appreciative smile broke through Chesty's somber face. "I just did what I thought was right. It isn't right for guys like them to be picking on hard working folks like you. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
"No doubt." Embry grinned. "As for your future employment, we've put it to consensus, and we'd still be happy to keep you on as a stable hand."
The last sentence forced a doleful grimace. Chesty rubbed the back of his hand, struggling to put his sentiments into words. "That's something I need to talk about. You guys have treated me better than I probably deserve, but... I'm leaving. Tomorrow, if I can, and if I'm fortunate, it will probably be a journey that will get me back home."
Trott sighed heavily, his expression cast down. Haite also looked bummed out that the man who saved her and her parents would be leaving so soon. The rest of the crew took the news in stride, with Canni appearing the most understanding of the group.
"You want to find and receive a blessing of the Great Fairy Fountain in Tabantha." The fact that Embry made a statement and not a question betrayed his general understand of his most inexperienced employee's situation.
Chesty nodded along, trying to put a smile on his face. "I suppose Canni let you guys know ahead of time?"
"It was relevant to our discussion about keeping you on." Canni explained gently. "We won't pressure you one way or another."
"I know that this decision sounds as if it was sparked by what happened earlier, and I'll be honest, what I did was... a factor. If it's all the same, I just wanted to go home without incident. But-"
"You don't have to explain yourself." Trott proclaimed. "You're a hero, and we're grateful for you stepping in to save Embry, Myti and Haite."
Trott's words caused Chesty to pause. His face fell, clearly unconvinced by the compliment. "I'm no hero." The term 'hero' was overused in Chesty's experiences. He had often been called one in his small town for his military service, but he never thought that the title was deserved.
"We'll be the judge of that, boy." Toffa responded, giving a knowing grin.
Chesty cleared his throat. "Back to the subject of leaving, I understand that there isn't exactly a port or someplace to take me back home. A more... ethereal path might be the best way."
"Are you sure we can't convince you to stay?" Trott asked.
"I appreciate the offer, but I got a life back home. That being said, I wanted to thank you all for giving me this job. You've provided more for me than I could have possibly imagined, being a complete foreigner in this country. So, I'm eternally grateful."
"Think nothing of it." Embry answered. "Do you still want to work the rest of the day?"
"I think I'll stick to herd watch today. That'll be relatively light work so I can start packing things up this evening."
"That sounds fine by me." Embry clapped his hands together. "Alright folks, let's get back to work. Trott, you keep an eye on Zereck. It'll be a few days until someone comes to pick him up. Make sure he doesn't die of thirst."
"Yes sir."
"The rest of you, you know your duties. Dismissed."
Night fell on the Outskirt Stable. Chesty finished his meal early to account for all of the things he was to bring with him on his journey. His backpack had sufficient room for food that could be harvested on the road, so he would not be overly encumbered whilst on the road.
At the moment, he was thinking and rethinking over a mental checklist. 'I'll fix up a fresh bottle of water come morning. Washing up will be pointless. I'll find a stream or something to take care of that. As far as sleeping... that'll be a bit more difficult.'
For weeks, Chesty had gotten very used to sleeping in a bed. The mattress was rudimentary and not luxurious, but it was far cozier than the hard ground with nothing but the clothes on his back. Such thoughts were interrupted by the sound of knocking on the door frame to the men's quarters.
"Come in." Chesty answered offhandedly.
Myti entered the room. In her hands was a considerable bundle of sandy colored cloth and leather. It had woven straps like small ropes which kept the wound mass in a cohesive unit. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Ah, hello Myti." Chesty glanced up briefly before staring at his backpack. It was half empty, but he had few possessions to go with it. "I was just thinking over what to do in the morning before I leave. By the way, what shall I do with the stable clothes?"
"Just leave the hat, vest, and gloves on the bed. The boots can be left on the floor." Myti walked up next to him as he stayed stationary. "There's something I'd like you to have."
After flinching at the bundle so close to his head, Chesty gently grabbed it and weighed it in his hands. He was not quite sure of what he was holding. "What is this?"
"My old bed roll." Myti explained as she sat down on a spare bed. "Hard as it is to believe, I used to go on adventures. I was born and raised in a small settlement in Akkala, far to the east and north of central Hyrule. Life was quaint there, and I wanted to see the world when I still had much of my youth. So, when I turned seventeen, I left home with that bed roll you're holding right now."
At this, Chesty examined the tightly worn over, seeing no indication of wear or dirt. "May I?"
"By all means."
As if he were opening a present with a mind to keep the wrapping completely intact, he unrolled the contents. The leather underneath was to act as a layer to keep the wool off of the dirt, while the two layers of wool provided a bare minimum of covering in mild weather. To keep the cloth together, knots of leather were pushed into holes on one side of the folded sheet. It would require carefully shimmying into the bed roll to use it, but it was a streamlined and hopefully effective system to sleep on the ground just a bit more comfortably.
"It looks pristine. Are you sure you used this very bed roll?"
Myti chuckled. "I said I left with that bed roll. I never said that I used it. The key was that I had a horse, so traveling to stables and inns was not so difficult. If you want, we could sell you one of the horses ridden on by those ruffians. She frowned slightly as she recalled the thugs who threatened her immediate family, but such memories were pushed away for the present discussion.
"I'd rather not." Chesty answered. "If this Great Fairy can get me home, I'd rather not leave a stranded horse behind. Besides, I'd likely get attached to it. Or at least, I would if it didn't belong to one of them."
"I understand." Myti said. "If that's the case, it'll probably be about three days' travel to the Tabantha Stable. From there, you cross the Great Tabantha Bridge, and just north, off the left side of the path, is the way to the Great Fairy Fountain. At least, that's the story. I'd bet money it won't be readily seen, so keep your eyes open."
"Thanks, Myti." Chesty ran his hand over the wool, only to realize that all he knew was how to open it up. "Umm, how do you put this back together?"
"I'll walk you through it." Over the next two minutes, the kindly woman guided Chesty on how to roll up the bed roll and tie it in a neat fashion. After going through the process on his own, Chesty was assured he could use the bed roll effectively.
"Thanks again." Chesty placed the bed roll next to his backpack. "At least I won't be sleeping so roughly for the next few days."
"No problem. I also wrote down some easy recipes for making meals." She promptly handed over a rolled up series of parchment, which Chesty carefully received so to not crumple them. "The Tabantha Stable will have a cooking pot, just like our own, so don't hesitate to make yourself something nice. Raw apples and mushrooms can only have so much appeal before you get tired of it."
"I'll be sure to dedicate my first meal to you when I get up there."
Then, without any warning, Myti gave Chesty a firm hug. The latter froze, having not expected the act of affection.
"Thank you for saving my family and I." She whispered gratefully.
After a few seconds of understanding the explanation, Chesty lightly reciprocated the act. He patted her a few times, careful not to make the embrace too awkward. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
When Myti broke away, she gave a nurturing smile. "You take care of yourself out on the road. Don't do anything reckless."
"Sounds like a deal. Good night, Myti."
"Good night, Chesty."
As the matriarch of the Outskirt Stable staff strode away, Trott and Toffa entered minutes after. Chesty cleared his bed of the things he was to take with him in the morning. All of the men gave their good tidings to each other as they got in their respective beds. The nearby lanterns and candles were extinguished, giving way to darkness and the sounds of cicadas in the night air.
Everyone had a sound sleep, with one exception. With close examination, one could have witnessed Chesty muttering in his sleep, a fist clenched tightly as dreams of combat from years past disturbed his slumber.