The milk wagon halts at the entrance to Kakariko Village; its cloth roof laden with rain. Ezra and Dakota hop out of the back before carefully lowering Granny onto the ground.

"My apologies, Malon." Dakota says with the sincerest regret. "If Ezra and I hadn't been travelling with you, Sakon would never have ambushed us and held us hostage."

"It's true, this is all our doing." Ezra says sadly. "If you can find it in your heart to forgive us…"

"Don't be so hard on yourselves!" Malon smiles. "All that matters is that we arrived here safely."

Suddenly, the pounding of rapidly-approaching hooves stops them in their tracks. Aurarius arrives on the scene carrying Laurel on his back.

"What happened?" Dakota asks urgently. "Did you beat Sakon?"

"Did the snake-man appear?" Ezra pipes.

The knight shakes his head with dismay. "Sakon is dead. The snake-man got away."

"But like I said," Malon interjects. "We're all alive and well. That's thanks to you, Laurel."

"Oh Malon…" Laurel sighs with guilt. "You and Granny should never have become entangled in our messy affairs. You've suffered a most terrible trauma…"

Granny scoffs. "I'm made of strong stuff, sonny. I'll survive."

Malon agrees. "Don't blame yourself, Laurel. You saved the day!"

"Now I guess you'll be returning back to Ordon…" Ezra supposes.

Dakota concurs. "Your mother must be worried sick!"

Laurel scans the battered, bruised, exhausted, traumatised faces of his friends. What kind of person would he be to abandon them again after such a harrowing experience?

"I'm not going anywhere." he proclaims. "The danger you face is far too great to tackle alone."

"But what about your mother?"

"Leave her to me." Malon chimes. "I will reassure her of your safe return. After witnessing first-hand how you dealt with a deranged highway kidnapper, I will not rest until she is convinced."

Dakota rushes forward and embraces Laurel in a warm and gratifying hug. "It's good to have you back, Laurel."

Granny's crooked stick gestures to the sodden steps to Kakariko Village. "Come now. We must let this kind young lady on her way."

Dakota and Ezra thank Malon for her generosity before she steers her mule back to Lon Lon Ranch. Just before she disappears on the horizon, Laurel spurs Aurarius in her direction.

"Malon!" his steed pulls-up alongside her. Malon's mule rears to a halt. "I…I just wanted to say…thank you."

She smiles sweetly. "It's no problem, Laurel. You know I'll always help you where I can."

"It means the world. I hope you know that."

Daybreak casts a golden glow over the knight's stubbled cheek; weeks of worry and emotional distress chiselled into the lines on his forehead. Meanwhile, Malon's glossy ginger locks radiate youth in the sunlight. No one would guess they were the same age.

The ranch-girl whips the reigns and sends her mule cantering along the daisy-dotted road to Lon Lon Ranch. Laurel waves goodbye as the milk wagon as it fades into the light of dawn.