And then Marth became the Old Spice Guy

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Who: aestheticemblem and You!
When: [Forward Dating a Little] 11/18/2011
What: Impromptu jousting? Seriously, Marth is training horseback. And generally just showing what makes him such a capable leader.
Where: The Stadium
Warnings: AND THEN HE FOUND ALL THE BODIES OH NO No.

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Marth was very patient as he waited. And truth be told, he would have been perfectly fine with Phoenix deciding not to do it either. But he certainly wasn't going to make someone else stand around and watch him train. At least with Phoenix getting a learning experience, the emperor could lend a hand, make a new ally, and portray himself in a rather good light. (Mind you, he'd never portrayed himself in any other kind. The young man probably couldn't even be anything but good.)

He nodded ever so slightly and paused by the mare before lifting a hand and brushing his fingertips along her rather fine hair carefully. He was meticulous and aware of his position, never edging any closer to her backside, lest he were to find horseshoes in his face and a few teeth gone missing. No, he'd never had it happen before, but he'd heard the horror stories from some of the knights when he was but a child. No, something like that could never come to pass. A lack of teeth was not equivalent to an appropriate leader, he supposed.

"A horse can sense the feelings of its rider. Like any kind of animal, it must be trained. All riders train their escorts differently. However a basic set of guidelines are to be followed. For the mean time, we will simply allow the horse a casual walk. It will give you time to grow accustomed to the sensation and for the mare to gain your trust." And fortunately, the mare Marth had brought for potential guests was a bit more well-behaved than the one he took. He didn't trust that his stallion would be much for letting others mount him.

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Phoenix awkwardly sat atop the horse as it walked along in the Stadium. Okay, this wasn't so bad. The mare was well-behaved and didn't seem to mind Phoenix sitting atop her. Besides, Marth was right there. He really was a nice guy, not only letting him ride his horse, but taking time to instruct him like this.

Phoenix was a bit tense, but as the horse continued walking, he eased up a bit, remembering Marth's statement about the horse being able to sense its rider's feelings. Okay, this wasn't bad. Nope. Just go with the flow.

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Marth found himself unable to hide his chuckles. At least momentarily. Then he eyed Phoenix and exchanged his gaze between the rider and the ridden. "You look like you are doing well." He gave an encouraging nod and simply strode along, head lifted high, and Marth could not hide his proud gait. But he generally walked in such a fashion. It was just mostly based on perspective as to how people interpreted him.

"What do you think? It is not so terrible, right?" he asked with a smile.

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Phoenix certainly wasn't surprised that an experienced horseman like Marth was stifling back chuckles at the sight of this awkward ex-lawyer attempting to ride. It probably was really hilarious to any onlookers. It was getting easier with time, though, but Phoenix knew that this was only the beginning.

"No, it's not too bad," he replied with slightly calmer nerves.

His confidence was growing now, so maybe he would be able to take the horse at a faster pace. He didn't want to do anything until he asked Marth, though, since, well, it was his horse, and he was the guy who knew things.

"So, when do I become a gallant rider like you?" He grinned at Marth.

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While the situation itself was amusing, Phoenix's gradual growth to understanding the relationship one could form with a horse was a little more intriguing to watch. Marth had learned to ride from a very young age and had never exactly taught anyone else before. One could only teach the subject when they were proficient with it. He'd had confidence in his abilities, of course, however...

His smile returned and he lifted a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Gallant rider?" Marth echoed, somewhat obliviously. "I would not say I am that gallant. I just have a lot of experience. It would be required for anyone in the royal family, after all, and our knights, soldiers, and so on. I am a man of war. It was absolutely necessary that I be able to at least ride a horse."

But then he decided to give some serious thought to Phoenix's question. "I believe I started riding a little over a decade and a half ago. It really just takes practise. There are horses here in the stables. If you find it is something you enjoy, you ought to consider just diving into it whenever you have spare time."

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Of course. The Renaissance fair man was riding horses practically out of the womb. While Phoenix knew he probably wouldn't ride horses much after this day, it was still fascinating to see such an experienced rider such as Marth.

While Phoenix did enjoy riding, he didn't think he'd come back for regular lessons. Besides, he didn't actually own any horses, and he couldn't actually borrow someone else's. That would be akin to stealing someone's pet without permission. Or... something.

"Oh, well... I mean," he responded, hesitating with the words, "I do enjoy it, really. I mean, maybe I'll come back sometime!" Though there were really better things Phoenix wanted to do in his spare time, such as relaxing. Then again, he thought he might take up painting again, having not had time to do much since he graduated from college. For now, though, it was really up in the air whether Phoenix would come back in the near future to hone his riding skills. It was enjoyable, though. He could see how riders could form immense bonds with their horses, becoming one with them as they strode through the wind. Phoenix obviously wasn't at that point yet, and he would never be as good as Marth, but it was still something to consider.

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Once again Phoenix sounded uncertain and Marth could not fight the smile curling into his lips. But there was no reason to fight it, he assumed. It was not as though his expression or his thoughts held any malice. Perhaps there was a bit of mirth, but Marth was, without a doubt, lacking in venom most of the time. His weight shifted and he found his arms folding over his chest as he listened patiently and attentively.

"I am also without doubt that I will be gracing the stadium again. Perhaps one of these days your skill will increase so that we could train with one another. I am certain I could use an able body to lend me a hand in honing my strengths."

Not that he had intentions of ever making Phoenix accompany him into war, but that Phoenix could be more than simply a professor to him. But then, Marth hardly ever considered a person one thing and one alone. What a narrow-minded perspective, after all.