LoZ:Twilight Princess: After The Twilight Ch2

After The Twilight Chapter 2: Washing Up


  Link continued his back breaking work for about another hour. After making another row for vegetables, delicious red peppers this time and planting them, he put his tools back into the basement of his tree house, washed up a bit at his sink, put a clean shirt on and went to feed the horses and to spend some time with Epona. She was a good horse. It was his, but also Ilia's. She took good care of her when he was training or working and Ilia always scolded him when he ran Epona too hard.


  He went to the horse pen where everyone's horses were and he instantly saw Epona waiting for him. She could tell time better than him Ilia would always say and her big beautiful red brownish head with snowdrift mane was hanging over the fence, her white tail could be seen swooshing in the air in anticipation. He went up to her and she nodded her head at him braying her "Hello". He patted her nose and hugged it. "That's my Beauty..." he said as he stared into her big beautiful black eyes. The horse nuzzled it's owner and then spying something nipped him.


"Owww... hmmm... you are too smart you know that?" Link rubbed the place the horse had playfully nipped him, not to rub the pain away, since she had barely bit him, but to wipe the wetness away. He reached into his front pocket and took out a handful of sugar cubes and handed it to her waiting mouth. The horse seemed to smile almost... if that was even possible for a horse and began nibbling the sweet cubes off the palm of his hand, licking it to make sure the sugary sweetness was all gone. It tickled him and he patted her lovingly on the side of her head.


"You want to run Baby?"


  The horse nodded it's head again, seeming to know what he was asking. He remembered when he was a wolf, the Noble Beast, he could speak to her and other animals. But even before then, Epona seemed to understand what he said and or needed. She also seemed to know what Ilia said and or needed as well. Animals are intelligent creatures, especially Epona, and he did not care what other people said.


  Link climbed the fence and then hopped onto Epona's bare back. Most people would have saddled their horse first for easy riding and on a normal occasion he would of as well. But he did not have a lot of time. The sun was starting to go down and he still had to get ready for supper at Mayor Bo's house. Besides he was use to riding bareback and nothing was more natural. He was a very talented rider. He did not even need to use his hands on the reigns, he could simply use his feet to nudge the horse in the correct direction. To make it go forward or backward, turn left or right, side step left or right or to sprint or slow or to stop completely. He could keep his balance on her perfectly and with his hands free allowed him to fight with sword and shield and especially with bow and arrow unhindered. That had saved him during his defense of Hyrule many times.

  And she was the most intelligent horse he had ever known. Horses generally will drink at a watering hole, even if it is poisoned with salt and not know any better and drink itself to death. Mules however will not and neither would Epona. In fact, if Epona would not drink the water it was pretty much safe to say it was not safe for him to drink it either and he would not. And most horses would blindly listen to their master and try to make a jump that was not possible to make and either injure itself and or the rider or fall to their deaths. But Epona would not even attempt to make the impossible jump and then scold Link for even attempting or thinking it. Epona was his and consequently, he was her's... but he was not her "Master". He did not own her per say, and definitely not as property. She was tamed, but not broken. If she did not want Link to ride her he would not. Link could ride any horse or practically any mount, including the War Boars that the Bulblins rode, but he would not want any other mount, but Epona. And in terms of pure controlled speed, Link had never known a mount faster than her. In fact, the only other mount that he knew of that was faster were the Bullbos or War Boars, but they were very uncontrollable and the speed could not be sustained at all for more than a few seconds. When it just came right down to it, Epona was the best.


  But right now there were no enemies, just time, just a little before the sun went completely down. He knew he had to get ready and it was not like he did not want to go to supper, but with his new duties as of late with his farming and side jobs, he felt as if he had been neglecting Epona a little, even though he knew he had not been. He also knew he had not had as much free time as before he became a soldier and helped save Hyrule. The children of Ordan Village took care of their chores and helped out when they could and Colin, Beth and especially Ilia played, brushed, fed and made sure Epona got her exercise, but it was just not the same. Epona was his... and they were very good friends... he would risk his life for her, much like she would him.


  He rode her in the large pen, wanting to take her out for a run in the open and he could feel she wanted to as well, but he had that other obligation to go to... He rode her and they went around the pen with ease. He did not ride her hard and he had meant to stop after just a few minutes, but when he was nearing the stables to dismount her and to put her up, the horse walked in reverse and shook her head. Link could have simply got off her, but he did not want to offend her and he felt the tenseness in her muscles. "What do you want girl? Huh? What do you want? You want to run? You want to run free?"


  The horse's ears perked up and flicked and she nodded, digging her right hoof into the soft dirt. Link sighed... He wondered who would be more upset with him... the one woman he cared for more than any one else... or the other one... would Ilia be upset with him the rest of the night and partially tomorrow or would Epona be upset with him for the next day or two... this was a no win situation...

  He made a clicking sound and gently tapped her right side with his right sandaled foot. Epona nodded her head and turned right and then trotted and then galloped toward the fence. He was just hoping Ilia was no where near watching. Not only would she scold him for being late, she would scold him for jumping the fence instead of using the gate. But what could he do? Epona liked to run and jump... and so the sun went down further and they rode out into the forest...