As soon as they get outside the gates, Kylan lets out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Under the shadow of a tall sand dune, he surveys their group, counting to make sure no one got left behind. Most of them sink to the ground as soon as they are safe, exhausted and half-starved.
His father half-leans on his shoulders, barely able to walk on his own due to his broken ribs. Link lowers himself onto the sand and pats the ground beside him, giving Kylan a weak half-smile. Kylan opens his mouth, then closes it and sits next to his father.
"Don't worry, kid. I've had worse. There was this time—"
"You were tortured," Kylan says, disbelieving.
Link shrugs, then winces. "I've also fought a giant evil plant, and a huge fossil, and the Lord of Shadow. Trust me. I've had worse."
"Midna," Kylan hears, and turns around to see Zelda facing his mother, her hair tangled and her skin even paler than normal. She fares no better than Kylan's parents, sporting a huge lump on her forehead and other injuries on her arms and legs. "Here, let me heal you," she says to his mother, and she sounds much older than he remembers.
"Take care of yourself first, Princess," she replies hoarsely, even though she has a hand pressed to a gash on her arm, trying to staunch the flow of blood.
Zelda offers a crooked grin that has always seemed like an inside joke between these two princess-queens that shared a soul, if only for a moment. "Always the selfless one, aren't you?"
Midna lets out a breath, and relents.
"I have to get back in there," Kylan tells his father. "Alari needs help."
Link chuckles and clasps his son's shoulder. "You're not going alone."
"You're in no shape to—"
"I'll be fine, once your mother fixes me up. Besides, I can't let my son and daughter fight while I stay back here, can I? That wouldn't be right for the Triforce bearer." His steady expression falters when he remembers he doesn't have the Triforce anymore. "Ex-bearer, I suppose. It's all the same."
"It isn't all the same, but that's never stopped you," Midna says from above them, and kneels down next to Link. She and Zelda have healed each other, and she looks much better—still tired and still sad, but at least she's no longer bleeding. "Kylan, dearest, we've been fighting for years. We'll be all right."
She leans forward and folds Kylan into his arms, and he lets her warmth envelop him. He has not realized how much he missed them until now.
"You don't need to worry about us, Kylan. All right?" He nods against her shoulder and she lets go and moves over to her husband. Kylan watches as Midna and Zelda heal his father, hands glowing and eyes closed. He stands and gazes out at the fortress, looming above them in the sky.
"Someone will need to stay here and guard the others," he says, looking back at the rest of Ordon's inhabitants. Most of them are not fighters, because the river village is nothing but peaceful, but he can pick out several who can defend themselves on the slight chance that they are detected. Colin followed in Link's footsteps and became a knight, and Fado, Jaggle and even Mayor Bo can probably join him if needed.
Kylan faces his parents and Zelda. "We're going to need to get back in, but we need a plan."
The three greatest heroes of his time exchange glances, and smile.
"Oh, we can come up with a plan."