Welcome!

"Absolutely." Four ticked the points off on his fingers, leaning casually on Wolfie's shoulder. "I've listened to the Sailor's stories. You've shown us your masks. Plus," he grinned, sharp and mischievous, "it's been ages since we had some harmless fun."

Time put on a long-suffering face. "I dare say it won't be fun for the innkeeper." But he began divesting himself of his armor, storing it piece by piece in his pouch. He tried but failed to hide the excited grin tugging at his lips. "Let's do this," he agreed.

Four whooped. Wolfie's tongue lolled out in a wide, doggy grin, and he gave a happy bark.

-----

Four nestled himself deep inside Wolfie's neck fur, Minish-sized and ready for the show. 

"Keep a good grip," Wolfie told him as they mounted the steps to the inn. "I don't know what Time has planned. We may need to run."

"Got it," Four whispered back, the Picori language rolling naturally off his tongue.

Time opened the door for them, then approached the older lady at the reception desk. "Good evening, ma'am," he said smoothly. "Do you have three rooms available for the night? I'm traveling with a sizeable party, but they're willing to share."

The innkeeper peered over the desk, her round glasses slipping down her nose. "I'm sorry, sir," she said, voice dripping with false regret. "We don't accept animals in this inn."

"Oh yeah," Time remained relaxed, one hand resting on his belt, "I'm fully aware of that." He gestured down at Wolfie. "This is my great-great-grandson. We really look alike, right?"

The woman stared. "Sir, a wolf can't be your..."

She blinked, and Wolfie shifted under Four's feet. He muffled a yelp as his perch grew into Twilight's pelt. 

Time didn't even glance their way. "What's the matter?"

The woman pursed her lips and stared at the pair of Hylians in front of her, then huffed and closed her eyes. "Besides, you look too young to have a great-great-grandson."

Out of the corner of his eyen Four saw Time's hand plunge into his pouch. In an instant, a mask clamped itself onto his face, and the Old Man shrunk into a kid. Four stuffed his fist into his mouth to stifle his giggles.

"See?" the young Link jeered, pulling his good eyelid down and sticking out his tongue at Twilight. "She says I look too young! So you better stop calling me 'Old Man'."

Twilight chuckled. "Okay, okay. I'll take that."

Four peeked around Twilight's shoulder. The old lady stared, fingertips pressed together in concern. "Are you...Hylian?" she questioned, glasses slipping down her nose again.

In the time it took her to fix them, Twilight shifted back to Wolfie and Time pulled on another mask, turning into a Zora. Four buried his head into his arm, silently cackling as the pair just stood in front of the desk.

He heard the barely-audible griding of teeth and raised his head, gasping for air. Oh golden three her face! Legend's gonna be pissed he missed this.

The innkeeper sighed in defeat and pinched her eyes closed. "Yeah, you two look very alike. Welcome to the inn." She slid the register book and quill across the desk. 

Time removed his mask, signed and returned the book, and accepted the three keys in exchange. "Let's go, Pup."

Wolfie trotted happily after Time. Four turned and looked back at the reception desk. The poor woman had her head buried in her hands, staring blankly at the resiger book in front of her. Her lips moved, but he couldn't hear any words. He nudged at the shoulder rolling beneath him. "Did you catch what she said?"

Wolfie twitched an ear and huffed an amused bark. "She said, 'Am I tripping?'"

She shook off the melancholy thought, striding back to the barn door to call the herd in for the night. Epona met her with a warm nod and bright, liquid eyes.

But almost in an instant, Epona’s demeanor changed. She froze, trembling, ears pricked forward, attention on something across the paddock.

“What is it, girl?” Malon asked softly, unwilling to spook the mare more. Epona gave a nervous whinny and stamped her hoof.

A chill wind blew through the barn. Malon shivered and gathered her shawl closer around her shoulders, hushing Epona before going to check on the rest of the horses.

Three massive triangular portals, inky black and deep purple, swirled on the other side of the paddock gate, scaring the herd and disgorging several Hylian figures onto the soft summer grass before winking out of sight.

Even at that distance, even without most of their armor, Malon recognized her husband and boys.

They’re back! Her heart soared and her feet fairly flew, crossing the paddock in seconds.

She nearly crashed into the gate when she registered the blood covering several of them. “Golden goddesses, Link! What happened?!”

He wasn’t listening, eye bright and giving orders to those who were awake. “Wind, Twilight, go get some fairies! Hyrule, keep pressure on Legend’s arm! Sky, Wild, what happened to them, how bad are they hurt?”

Wild managed a word that sounded like “Yiga" before he collapsed in a heap, Warriors moaning in his grasp. Malon stared, horrified by the sheer amount of blood on Warriors' chest. How is he still alive?

Sky stood like a startled barn cat, clutching something in the folds of the cloak he always wore. A closer look revealed a head of silky straight blond hair; the little smithy, Four, pale and asleep or unconscious. “A sword spirit f-from my era,” Sky finally stammered, “kidnapped us a-and f-froze and tortured Four. He’s had a fairy, but he’s still chilled.”

Wind and Twilight returned, a small shimmer of fairies on their heels. Several of the tiny sprites shrieked and dove for Warriors and Legend, spinning tight circles around their chests and arms. One split off and ministered to Twilight's hand and Wind's chest, where Malon could see makeshift bandages peeking through their sleep clothes. Another wound around Sky and Four, easing tension in trembling, overworked muscles.

Spurred by the fairies' urgency, Malon hopped the fence, crashing to the earth across from her husband. She took one callused hand in hers, his other monitoring Legend’s pulse. “Link,” she whispered, caressing his bruised face. “What happened?”

He leaned into the touch and sighed. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “One moment, we were asleep in Wild's era, next thing I knew we’d been abducted by a madman and separated. Legend nearly died to free us.”

“I’d do it again,” Legend's voice rasped beneath them. He curled his left arm around his ribs, grimacing slightly.

Hyrule's eyes flared golden. “Legend, with all due respect: shut. up. I am never letting you sacrifice yourself for us like that again.” The second fairy spinning around Legend's arm and leg chimed in emphatic agreement.

Legend grinned weakly and closes his eyes. “Okay,” he breathed, relaxing under the fairy's ministrations.

Malon looked around again, her keen eye catching the exhaustion that dragged shoulders low and dulled each gaze. “You boys look like you could use some good food and a hot bath,” she murmured. She stood, swiping dirt from her skirts. “Twilight, hon, are you hurt?”

“Not anymore, Miss Malon. Fairy fixed me right up.”

“Good. Would you take Wild into the house, please? Guest bedroom should still be made up enough to get by for the moment. Sky, you take Four in and get the both of you settled, too.”

They left with their charges in tow, and she carefully walked over to where Warriors lay. The fairies had done their jobs well. Blood still stained his bare chest, face, and trousers, but the wide, gaping slash across his chest had narrowed considerably, and his black eyes had faded to week-old bruises.

“Link, darling,” she called over her shoulder, “would you take Warriors into our room and finish patching him up? The fairies have done all they can, I think.”

She heard Link murmur something to Hyrule, then his warm, steadying presence came up behind her. He wrapped her in a brief hug, burying his face in her hair, and she melted against him. They’re home. They’re alive. The relief made her knees weak.

Link kissed her cheek then stooped to pick up Warriors. Before he could get a good grip, the younger man flinched awake and scrambled away.

“Krgh…” Warriors groaned, clutching at his shoulder and ribs. “Wild! Yiga! Where…?” His eyelids fluttered, and he almost fell over again.

Link caught and supported the young Captain. “Hush, Warriors, you're safe,” he soothed, running shaking fingers through windswept hair. “We are at the Ranch, no one is going to hurt you.”

Warriors panted, trying to focus. “Time?” he mumbled, before going totally limp again.

Malon pressed her fingers to her lips, tears beading in her eyes, appalled at the picture coming together in her mind. Link gathered Warriors in his arms and smiled tightly at her.

“We’re going to be okay,” he assured her, before following their Pup and Cub into the house.

Malon swiftly wiped her eyes before turning back to Wind, Hyrule, and Legend. She knelt on the ground again and ran a hand through the Sailor's hair. “You okay, Tune?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Got shocked once, but that was all.”

“Hyrule?” Malon turned to the Traveler, who grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m…fine?” He shrank at the look Malon sent him, then continued, “Well, the creep hurt me a bit, but he was weirdly obsessed with Legend.”

“Never even seen the man in my life,” Legend grumbled beneath them.

A yawn split Hyrule's face. “I’m just a bit low on magic, is all. Fairies healed my foot.”

Malon nodded, satisfied. “Wind, dear, would you help Hyrule inside, please? I’ll get Legend.”

“I can walk!” Legend tried to protest. He moved to get up, but his face paled like spoiled milk.

“None of that, now,” Malon chided as she scooped him up. “You’ve fought your fight, Link. Let us take care of the rest.”

Legend's face scrunched like he wanted to argue, but then he sighed, melting into her hold. “Yes ma'am.”

Malon's heart broke for the boy, put through so much at such a young age, and held him closer. “You just rest. We’ll get baths drawn, clean y'all up, and get some supper when you’re ready, okay?”

-----

A couple hours later, with Link's help, all the boys had been cleaned and patched up, and a hearty stew was simmering over the fire.

Wild and Warriors slept in one room, Sky and Hyrule in another. Legend refused to sleep, but conceded to resting on the couch, a cup of warm cocoa in hand. Four huddled next to him, wrapped in a thick quilt and nursing his own cup of cocoa.

Malon sat at the table with Wind, Twilight, and her Link, holding his hand and basking in the safety of having them all home again.

“I can barely imagine what y'all've been through,” she murmured, half to herself.

“It was terrifying,” Four admitted softly, haunted. In the shifting firelight, his eyes seemed to change colors: at one moment blue, another flickering to red and purple. He shivered and pulled the quilt closer, red eyes going distant as he stared into the fire. “But…I knew Sky was there, fighting to save me, and it gave me hope.”

Legend wrapped an arm around the Smithy, pulling him closer. “I won’t explain myself,” he uttered, violet eyes burning like a solar eclipse. “I did what I had to to save everyone.

He deflated slightly, then added, “It's all I know.”

Nobody but Malon caught the flinch that rippled across Link’s shoulders. She smiled softly to herself. Yes, he would know something of that feeling, too, having spent years trying to regain the relationships he'd lost after an adventure nobody remembered. Gently, she took his hand and squeezed it.

Link startled at the contact but smiled at her, returning the gesture. “We are fortunate no one was alone through their ordeal,” he rumbled, looking out over their boys. “I cannot bear to imagine the consequences of such a situation.”

Malon closed her eyes, silently thanking the goddesses once again for her boys' safe return. Every time they left, the worry gnawed at her soul like a Wolfos. Their safe return, even in such poor condition, was reason to rejoice.

She opened her eyes, discretely wiping a tear, then announced, “Supper should be ready, if any of y'all are hungry?”

She chuckled softly at the chorus of soft but enthusiastic assent that rippled around the room. “And after that I have some apple pie and chilled sweet cream for dessert.”

Louder cheers rang out, and several pairs of feet hit the floor in the rooms above them. Soon, all ten of them gathered around the table, eating, sharing stories and experiences, and generally enjoying each other's company.

Malon sat back, unable to hide the joy welling from her eyes.