Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They arrived at the bazaar with minimal trouble, though the chain had to veer off and deal with a stray lizalfo every so often so Teake could keep going. Teake carefully slowed her seal so it would stop her near two of her fellow guards, who didn’t hesitate to grab her elbows and stabilize her so she could carefully step off her shield.

The bazaar guard Ripp joined her in walking over to the promised tent to open the flap for her, since the Voe had just finished pitching it next to the inn. The other guard, whose name Teake was ashamed to admit escaped her, stayed where she was to keep an eye on the Voe that weren’t helping with the tent. Not all of them had been convinced to help set up the heavy tent in the desert heat. And frankly that lecher Bozai was in the bazaar, they may or may not have forced him there while most of the warriors left for the Yiga hide-out, and they definitely needed to keep an eye on him.

Just as Ripp opened up the flap the rest of the chain started pulling into the bazaar one by one, having had to lap the bazaar one or more times to make sure only one seal entered the pen at a time. The animals were eager to get at the water and feed there. Teake stepped inside and gently dropped the blanket and sail cloth away from Warriors’ head while Ripp ushered the Voe that had been putting the last mats down out. The cots were still disassembled in one corner of the tent, but it would have to do for now.

Ripp left the tent with them just as Hyrule and Legend entered, quickly followed by Wild.

“How is he? Any problems?” Hyrule fussed before Legend could, though Legend would deny fussing to the end of his days.

Hyrule helped peel the blanket and sail cloth completely away and he, along with Legend, were startled to see the captain fast asleep on her shoulder. Teake’s taller build having meant that they couldn’t see that earlier even if she’d lowered the blanket a little.

“He fell asleep not 10 minutes into the journey.” Teake said with what was for her, an unusualy soft smile. This one was starting to grow on her. She could feel against her hip that, at least in body, this one wasn’t Vai but still mighty cute, if in need of a few good solid meals.

They gently worked him off her shoulder and onto the thickest pad, propping him up on his side with some pillows and carefully stuffing a long thicker one between his ankles and lower legs and a small round one between his knees. Teake left as soon as he was on the mat. Legend was oddly good at finding the perfect pillow from the stash in the corner to prop everything up just right. 

Wars really should be on his back for his hips, but the whipping wounds made them hesitate to do that, so pillows it was.

Sky’s sailcloth was pressed between his hands again and Time’s blanket was drawn over him. Tellingly, aside from some soft murmured protests he slept through it all.

“Can we let him sleep?” Wind asked from where he’d gotten in while they were getting him situated.

“For now it won’t hurt him. He needs a proper bath and soon but it will keep for a little while at least. We rinsed his back out back in the hide-out and it is the middle of the night after all. We’ll see when Time gets here.” Legend answered for Hyrule who was busy carefully checking on Wars’ finger splints. Wars was their main field medic, but he’d been teaching Hyrule better ways than “ignore it if not bleeding and burn it shut if it is” as his main way to determine in which order to heal things and/or dispense potions.

The others nodded and plopped down on the soft flooring and settled in for a nap themselves, Wild pulling out their blankets and bags as he went. Their own hurts could wait a little too, right now all they needed was sleep. After all, first aid had already been applied. Wild distributed everyone’s blankets, with help from Four, though some of them just grabbed a blanket from the pile the Gerudo had brought inside by the Voe for them instead of waiting for them to find theirs in the slate. Wind curled up as close to Wars’ chest as he dared, Sky settling in at Wars’s back. Twilight and Wild curling up together behind Wind. 

Within half an hour all of them, bar Time, were asleep around the tent. Teake stood guard at the flap, Ripp walking her regular route around the oasis, first at the water's edge and then around the outside of the building and tents, as the night went on.

Most of them were awakened a while later by a loud commotion. Twilight pushed Wild back down and stood up along with Sky. They pushed the tent flap aside to find Ripp stood just outside, her weapon at the ready and slightly crouched to spring forward if she needed to, but hesitant to leave her post.

When Sky and Twilight stepped past to flank her they could see one of the other Oasis Gerudo guards and Teake pulling one of the shopkeeps out of a brawl that contained at least 4 hylian men. 

“Wha’ in tarnation happ’n’d ’ere?!” Twilight drawled out, still sleep mussed.

“Fagran was bringing over the elixirs that were promised to your group from the apothecary, now that they’d finished brewing, and the Voe Bozai got handsy with her. Robsten took offense as he’s been wooing her properly and shoved Bozai. This caused Fagran to fall as he was still hanging onto her and the elixirs to shatter. She’s never been the most agile of us, but she’s got good hips for Vehvi and a good head for medicine making. From what I gather the other voe took offense to the elixirs shattering, having seen your sibling as we brought them in, and Bozai’s continued groping and harassing and well…” she tilted her chin at the brawl.

“Okay… should we break it up or…?” Sky questioned, as it was now clearly a 3 against 1 brawl.

“Hang on a mo’. Did’ya jus’ say the elixirs broke!?” Twilight interjected, having woken up a little more.

“Yes.” Ripp grimly confirmed.

Sky cursed and stalked forward. 

“Oooh he gon’ dun it now.” Twilight drawled and leaned back against a tent pole.

Sky had now reached the pile of brawling men at Teake’s side and icily asked, “How intact does he need to be to face Gerudo justice?”

Teake raised an eyebrow at him and drily said, “Alive, not in danger of bleeding out, and preferably with all limbs attached.” 

Sky nodded and gave a sharp whistle, and when the men froze stunned and even Teake flinched away from him due to the sheer volume, he then reached down, grabbed Bozai by the neck, and said in an eerily calm voice, “My sibling’s life depends on those elixirs you just broke.” He gave Bozai just enough time to pale as he realized this and then knocked him unconscious with a single punch.

One of the men timidly spoke up “I have some anti-septics and suture thread in my pack if you need them?” 

Sky nodded at him and curtly said, “appreciated” before he turned and stomped to the basket that the Gerudo lady had dropped, hoping that some had remained intact, though the big puddle under the basket didn’t hold much hope. Nor did the boot print on the side of the basket, that lecher had apparently stomped on it as well.

Just as he picked up the basket and saw to his dismay that yes, all 12 vials of elixir were destroyed, Four poked their head out of the tent. 

“Guys we have a problem. Wars is starting to run a fever, and not waking up.” 

Chapter Text

Last time on Recovering:
Just as he picked up the basket and saw to his dismay that yes, all 12 vials of elixir were destroyed, Four poked their head out of the tent.

“Guys, we have a problem. Wars is starting to run a fever, and not waking up.”

The story continues:

Sky internally cursed up a storm and landed a vicious kick in Bozai’s side even as he hurried back to the tent, hoping it wasn’t a fever starting but just him being a normal temp and the rest of them still slightly hypothermic from that cold cell. The not-waking-up was also alarming but he was very hurt, so hopefully he just fell into a deep sleep instead of his usual light sleep.

Twilight opened the tent flap for him and said, “I’ll stay out here and help Ripp for a bit.” Sky nodded at him and then he ducked inside, finding Legend and Hyrule crouched at Wars’ side. Wind was now off to the side with Wild and Four.

Sky saw that Four and Wind were talking quietly and trying to get the sand out of the joint of Wind’s leg. He had his stump elevated on Wild’s lap now that he could finally take the leg off, but all of Sky’s focus was on Wars. Hyrule was at his side, with his hands lit up in the telltale glow of his life spell, and Legend was trying to get him to stop.

“Hyrule stop, it’ll do him no good if you make yourself sick.” Sky told him as he kneeled next to them. When Hyrule opened his mouth to argue, Sky cut him off “No, how do you think he’s going to feel when he wakes up and you’re down with magic exhaustion?”

“See? What have I been telling you?!” Legend said even as he, gently, pulled Hyrule’s hands away from Wars, who was flushed and starting to sweat. “Now, come on. Let’s go and see if there’s any burn salve to be found for your wrist. Sky can manage Wars, and Four has Wind and Wild.”

“But I haven’t found out why he’s developing a fever,” Hyrule weakly protested.

“Even if you did find it, your magic doesn’t work on infections, you told us that. And using your magic exhausts you in the process, it’s okay. You jump started his back and healed his internal bleeding. Potions and rest will finish the remainder of the healing. Now lay down and sleep before you get magic exhaustion sickness again.” Sky told him when it seemed Legend didn’t know how to say it.

Hyrule looked ready to argue but the Fierce Deity entering made both conversations stop. Wars and Wind liked the deity well enough, but even they were wary around him, though in their case, it was because he had the tendency to tie them to their beds if he thought they were neglecting themselves.

His white eyes looked around the tent and then with two great strides he was at the huddle of Wind, Wild and Four. He stared down at them for a few seconds, taking in their minor injuries and still slightly sandy bodies, before his hand disappeared into the pouch at his side and emerged with a red potion that he dropped in Four’s lap. The dried blood in Four’s hair hadn’t escaped his attention. The next red potion he pulled out was opened and pressed up against Wild’s lips who obediently drank.

Then his hand disappeared into the pouch again and a tin of cream was pressed against Wind’s chest with a clear unspoken “use it or else”. Wind dared to pull on his arm and give him a hug, ignoring the fact that Fierce had some blood splatters encrusted with desert sand still on his armor. Fierce’s eyes softened and he patted the sailor on the top of his head before he rose again and stepped over to where the other four heroes were.

Sky got a grudging nod, and then he turned his eyes on Hyrule and Legend. Legend had pushed Hyrule behind him, wary as ever of the war god. Fierce ignored this and squatted down, tapping Legend’s knee meaningfully yet lightly even as he held out another tin of salve. Legend took it, recognizing it as Wild’s handiwork. Seems like Fierce had found their missing healing items.

Telegraphing his moves he reached behind Legend and gently pulled Hyrule out by the forearm. Gently undoing the bandage, now sloppy due to sleeping with it, from his burned wrist he turned Hyrule’s arm this way and that, inspecting the blistered wound.

Then a sound none of them had expected emerged from him as he tsk-ed in disapproval and reached yet again into the pouch. This time he pulled out one of the small ceramic jars of heavy duty burn paste. Going to open it, he paused and frowned at his positively filthy hands, and just as Legend opened his mouth, Twilight ducked in carrying a bowl of warm water with a bar of soap and towel under his arm. Hesitating only a few seconds, he moved towards where Fierce now sat, watching him, and carefully set it down before beating a hasty retreat back outside. Twilight had intended to clean up Wars now that it had calmed back down outside and Teake had joined Ripp, but Fierce could have it.

A hmph sound escaped Fierce at his hasty retreat, but he was distracted by Sky daringly reaching over and unclasping his bracers and pulling them off. Fierce nodded at him and washed his hands, using the scrubber to get the gunk out from under his nails. Then carefully, tenderly he dabbed the salve into Hyrule’s burn who couldn’t help but wince as the burn was touched. That done, he turned to his favorite.

Grasping the blanket, he pulled it off to check if everything had been treated. Seeing the frankly disgusting pair of trousers Wars was still wearing, he huffed and took yet another vial out of the pouch. This time, it was a single dose bottle of painkiller, he carefully poured it down Wars’ throat, put the bottle away and gently picked Wars up, now filthy blanket and all and moved outside.

“Errr…We’ll just dig up some clean clothes for him and Time, then?” Wind asked.

Fierce paused and looked at him before finally deigning to speak “Not you, Little Pirate Son. The Godslayer can bring them.” Then he was out of the tent, the others snickering a bit at the muffled startled sound from Twilight.

Fierce carried his Little Soldier Son into the inn and over to the doorway leading to the actual hot spring room, ignoring the two Gerudo at the counter, one of them a guard.

“Is he allowed in there without paying?” The guard asked the other Gerudo as he headed straight for the doorway leading to the bathing rooms.

“Is anyone ever allowed in there without paying?” the shopkeeper blandly stated before saying, “and why should I stop him? I’m just a shopkeep and you’re here.”

“Are you volunteering to stop him?” the guard retorted.

“Din NO! You’re the guard here!” the shopkeep fired back

“I’m not suicidal!” the guard deadpanned and with that the matter seemed done. Though Fierce did hear the clink of rupees being placed on the counter just as he closed the door behind him with his elbow.

‘I’ll pay her back later,’ Time’s amused voice sounded in their shared headspace.

‘Indeed, I was going to go back and do so once my Little Soldier Son was comfortable.’

Fierce gently lowered Wars down to the floor and placed him so the blanket was between him and the floor, but they were next to a drain so any bowls of filthy water could easily be disposed of, yet also near the hot spring so he could get bowls of fresh water without having to stand up. He started pulling off Time’s armor and just dropping it on the bench in the changing area, right next to the door leading to the toilet. The Tiny Smithy Son would get his hands on the armor later anyway. The only thing he placed down gently was the pouch that held all the healing items he’d taken back, with extreme prejudice, from the Yiga.

Then he grabbed some hand towels and a scrub brush, along with some soaps from the shelf set into the wall and set them down next to Wars. A few large towels followed from the next shelf over, as did a pair of underwear and a pad. Wars was male, but just in case Hyrule hadn’t managed to heal his sphincter all the way the pad would help prevent the bedding from staining, and a women's pair of underwear was better than nothing.

A scrub tub was quickly filled from the hotspring and then all was set to start stripping Wars.

‘Okay, you can give me back control now,’ Time spoke up again.

‘Are you going to wash your brother?’ Fierce asked.

‘I’ll manage, you took our stamina potions back from those filth too and I’d rather not blur the line between us any more than necessary’

‘As you wish. Check your ribs. Some of the plates felt bent,’ Fierce instructed Time even as he reached up to remove the mask with one hand and reached for a stamina potion with the other.

‘Yes, Dad,’ Time snarked before he was blinking rapidly to adjust to suddenly being in control again. Raising his hand, he quickly swallowed the potion and felt some energy return. He would crash hard later, but for now he could get them both washed and Wars treated properly. Slipping the mask in his pocket. He’d put that in his pack later.

‘I wonder who will bring us the clothes,’ he absently sent to Fierce even as he started stripping his bloodstained shirt off.

‘Little Moonlight Son is too nervous about me, the Godslayer will come as I told the Little Pirate Son,’ Fierce answered before he retreated deeper and away from Time’s senses.

Time snorted at Twilight’s nickname before he decided he’d quickly wash himself of sweat and the blood that managed to seep through the seams in the armor, and then wash Wars before soaking the both of them in the spring for a bit.

He pulled his dirty shirt off with a grimace and pulled one of the rougher cloths out the pile for himself and hastily scrubbed. His pants had escaped relatively clean so he’d leave those on for now.

Then gently, oh so gently, he started stripping Wars of splints and clothes alike. First the leg splints were removed. He’d leave the finger splints on and try and keep them dry; if he failed, he could always replace them then.

Wars seemed to wake up a little as he started pulling the pants down and Time quickly stopped in favor of checking in with Wars.

“Hey, Cap, there you are. You were starting to worry me that I could manhandle you without you waking. Are you up for a bath?” he gently asked when Wars seemed to be looking in his direction.

“Wha? Sprite?”

“Yeah, Cap. Want a bath? Get the gunk off?”

“Hmmm. Too tired.” Wars mumbled before his eyes slid closed again.

“Hey hey, stay awake. How about you let me do most of it and you just stay awake for me, huh?”

“Hmmm ‘kay,” Wars said into Time’s shoulder even as he seemed to fall asleep again.

‘Guess I better hurry up then,’ Time thought to himself as he quickly but gently pulled Wars’ pants down, leaving the underwear on for now.

Blanching in shock, he stared at how the blood and other… fluids… had seeped down all the way down to his knees, and in the case of one blood trail all the way down to his ankle. He had to close his eye and breathe in a few breaths, with his hand resting on Wars’ chest so he could feel him breathe, to calm himself down before setting himself to the task at hand. The task being making sure to get all of that off of Wars so he’d feel clean and so any wounds hidden by blood could be treated.

He just hoped he could get him to wake enough to do his privates himself. Mentally shaking the thought away, he gently wet and soaped the first of the cloths and started wiping the filth off. He’d come to that metaphorical bridge later.

Wars stirred a little and groaned. “It’s just me, relax,” Time told him even as he scrubbed at a particularly stubborn spot on Wars' arm.

“Gotta pee,” Wars mumbled.

“Oh. Yeah, don’t relax then, hold on, there’s a toilet right through the door here,” Time told him even as he quickly opened the door in the hallway between the inn and baths and then pulled Wars up in his arms. A bit of careful maneuvering later and Wars was sitting on the toilet with Time looking up at the ceiling as Wars hung on to his arm to stay upright.

“At least that still works,” Time joked when Wars was done.

“Hyrule fixed it,” Wars just tiredly said even as Time picked him back up, pulled the underwear back up, and carried him back to the blanket.

“I’m sure he’ll take payment in desserts and sweets,” Time drily stated “Now you can doze, but I need you to wake up a bit again later so you can do your privates yourself, okay?”

“Hmm,” Wars hummed in agreement even as he was lowered down.

It took more cloths, soap, and bowls of water than Time wanted to contemplate, but eventually he got all the blood and gunk scrubbed off Wars’ legs, feet, arms, hand, and face. Dried blood was always a bit of a hassle, never mind the other stuff, and then he sat Wars up a bit and tapped him awake.

Frankly the placidness was worrying him; but, as it was helpful at the moment, he decided to freak out about it later. Wars wasn’t the most tactile of them; in fact he usually avoided the sleep piles like his life depended on it, but this was the other extreme! He hadn’t even protested Time staying when he peed!

“C’mon, wake up,” Time gently but firmly told him.

“No’ ‘sleep,” Wars murmured before opening one eye. “Whadaya wan–”

Time smirked, “For you to hold yourself up, if you can manage, so I can unwrap your chest and we can get the last of the filth off of there before you wash your privates.”

Wars groaned, but with a little rearranging of his legs he managed to sit up enough that Time could reach if Wars hung onto his shoulder.

Time gently started to peel the bandages off but they were stuck fast to his skin with dried blood. When Wars hissed through his teeth for the fourth time because they pulled on re-opened wounds, Time gave up and just grabbed a knife from his pouch and cut the bandages off. It took some of the scabbing with it but Time’s knife was sharp so it didn’t tug. Wars flinched at the feel of the knife against his skin, and his good hand tightened where he was holding onto Time, but he murmured, “‘m okay, know is jus’ you,” before Time could ask. They could have soaked them off too, but Wars was flagging badly and Time wanted this done an hour ago.

“You still okay?” Time asked, even as he braced Wars again as he started to list to the side. Time was thankfully done with getting the bandages off his back, though it wasn't fully clean yet. He was also bleeding again from where the scabs had gotten cut off.

“Need down, feel sick,” Wars managed to mutter before he slipped even more to the side. Time hurriedly laid him down on his side, and Wars closed his eyes and swallowed a few times convulsively before he went limp again.

Time sighed and said to himself, “Guess I do have to wash you fully.”

Carefully turning him on his back, and on a clean part of the blanket, he'd come back to his back as it wasn’t that filthy. Spreading his legs a bit, he looked at the inside of Wars' thighs. He could see the skin was already chafed, and on the edge of his underwear it looked to be bleeding a little already, so he really had no choice but to take his underwear off and wash thoroughly instead of waiting till he woke up again, whenever that would be. Wars’ ability to grasp what was going on had been dubious from what he could tell, and the flush to his skin didn't promise any improvement in that department anytime soon. Sure, he knew it was Time manhandling him, but beyond that?

Heaving another sigh, he steeled himself to find a bloodbath and pulled Wars’ underwear down and off.

Grabbing a fresh cloth, the softest in the stack, he turned his attention to Wars’s crotch, and froze in shock. Time sat still, blinking rapidly for several seconds (26 seconds), before mentally jumping into action. Reaching inward, like a child grabbing his parent’s leg, he tugged on the Fierce Deity, who turned his attention outward with a start.

‘What's wrong? Are we being attacked?!’

‘No, no attack. You did all the washing when Wars was out during the war because Tune and I were too small to manhandle him. Is this his normal!?’

‘Hmm a bit bloodier and dirtier than I remember it being and, give me the hands a second,’ Time surrendered the hand holding the cloth to Fierce as asked, the line between them still a bit blurred from the use of the mask, and made a startled sound when Fierce just bluntly reached down and started moving Wars’ dick and then his leg aside so he could better see.

‘Yeah looks like Tiny Fairy Son healed a tear and it needs some serious application of balms to help with all this chafing and the sores.’ Then after Fierce stuck his face even closer he drily added, ‘He’ll need a diaper too until his sphincter closes again.’

Time just blinked and sighed, how was this his life, keeping this from the others was going to be hard.

‘And how long will that be?’

Fierce hummed consideringly, ‘A few hours at the most, I think.’

‘I’m not putting him in a diaper for that short, we’ll just have to hope he doesn’t go in that timeframe. He did pee just now, so that’s one less concern.’

A knock on the doorframe distracted him from his mental conversation and he hurriedly pressed a towel against Wars’ crotch to hide him in case whoever knocked came in even as he looked up at the door.

“Time? Is everything alright in there? You’re taking a while.” Sky’s voice filtered through the door.

“Just fine.” Time said, glancing down to make sure everything was covered.

“Ok, I'm coming in for a bit, okay? I have your clothes and something soft we rummaged up for Wars, as well as better splints.”

“He’s decent enough to open the door.” Time confirmed, and within seconds the door was opening for Sky who was indeed carrying some more supplies.

“Oh that's looking a lot better already,” Sky said relieved as he took in Wars’ mostly clean form, then he frowned. “He got awfully thin though, didn’t he?”

Time nodded in agreement, “Yes, he did. We’re going to need to fatten him up as best we can.” A rueful grin. “Not the first time we have to fatten up a Link.”

Sky’s laughter rang out loud and clear, if as usual a tad wheezy. “No, no it won’t be.” Sobering a little he asked “Has Fierce Deity or you fed him a potion yet?”

Time shook his head. “Fierce gave him a painkiller as you saw and I hope it’s just the bloodloss that had him go out again combined with that, but he hasn’t had the red yet. He was so incredibly filthy that I'm still not done washing him, and I was hoping I could give him one of Wild’s brewing, or at least this era.”

“Okay, Fierce recovered the ones from Legend’s era, right? Those are what he handed out?” Sky asked even as he crouched down next to them, setting the basket down and carefully undoing one of the finger splints to wash his hand and then redo the splinting with fresh sand-free ones. Time thought about pointing out he was still half planning on getting into the hot spring with Wars for a little bit to help with the bruises and scrapes, but thought better of it. Seemed Sky needed to help at least a little, and better Wars’ hand than his crotch.

“Yes, they’re ours, and there weren’t any from Wild’s left, no. Why?” he answered Sky after he was silent for too long. (53 seconds)

“You remember Bozai?”

“The lecher? Yes, why?”

“He harassed a Gerudo, Fagran, and she dropped the basket with the elixirs and other healing items when he pulled on her arm. All 12 broke. Ripp says the rest are out with the troops still at the hide-out and that they can’t brew any more until after the caravan arrives back.”

Time closed his eye in defeat “and how long until the caravan arrives?” he asked after he opened his eye again 5 seconds later.

“2 weeks. We could cover the same distance it probably has left in one if we were in top form but the ox cart is slow and the path treacherous when defending the cart. The canyon is apparently the worst part for them. They were going to ask if Wild was free but we got caught and now they’re not willing to let us help.” Sky grimly said even as he carefully unwrapped Wars' index finger, the most mangled of them. “Wild said he could brew some faster but he doesn't have all the ingredients he needs and his arms…”

“Wars can’t wait until the caravan comes. Legend’s potions it is so we can at least close his back up properly and hopefully fix his hand. I just hope Wars has reserves enough for the potions to pull on. That way we don’t overstress Wild’s arms before they’re done healing either. I assume at least that his healing is also incomplete despite the potion?”

“I agree, there’s some antiseptic and suture thread in the basket just in case, and yes, it failed on Wild too. The cream isn’t helping much for Wind’s stump either. Do you need anything else in here?”

Time shook his head, “Just privacy, the less people see him naked, or near naked, the better.” Time looked thoughtful before he added, “He needs something to drink later though, he’s already heating up and a bit foggy. I’m really hoping it's just exhaustion and blood loss that has him asleep combined with the heat of the desert for the feverish feel, but if not we’re going to need broths and things like that. Can you and Wild manage that and keep the others out of trouble?”

“Of course,” Sky squeezed his shoulder and then he was up and out the door. Wars’ hand was now clean and featuring a very nice, sturdy, fresh splint.

Sky paused at the door. “Bloodloss causes hypothermia and dehydration, not fevers and it’s not that warm out. We already had to bundle Hyrule up because he couldn’t stop shivering. He still overdid it on his magic use,” he grimly said before he was out the door. No doubt he was making the biggest group nest he could manage for all of them. Wars was the only one tortured, but that didn’t mean the rest of them had a good time.

“When it rains, it pours with us, doesn’t it,” Time lamented before he set to gently washing Wars’ nethers. Another 3 bowls later and he deemed it as clean as he was going to get it.

Yawning, he quickly emptied the bowl. It seemed like the stamina potion was one of the less powerful ones and was running out. Hurriedly, he pulled the underwear on, along with the pad that Wars would definitely need, and re-splinted his legs before easing the very soft fleece pants up over them.

‘Wonder where they got these,’ he absently thought. Then it was onto Wars’ back but before he could consider how he was going to turn him, another knock sounded.

“Time? Ya need some help?” This time it was Twilight.

Biting back another yawn and only half succeeding, Time made a half yawn and half yes sound which had Twilight chuckling and saying, “I’m coming in.”

Opening the door, Twilight was treated to the sight of a ko-ed Wars who was in the very soft pants he’d managed to finagle out of the Gerudo with little effort, just mentioning he needed something clean for his wounded sibling, and they dug out that super soft pants and shirt made from a fabric he’d never seen before.

“Just his back left, huh?” Twilight questioned even as he walked over and crouched next to them, setting the jug and cup he had with him down next to the basket.

“Yeah, the potion’s wearing off and fast. I was just wondering how I was going to prop him up or turn him over,” Time answered, interrupted by yet another yawn.

“I got him, you just lean him on you and try and not fall over. I’ll wash the cuts up. He’s getting a potion right after I finish washing him right?”

“That was the plan, yeah. It’s in the basket with the shirt. Still gotta put my own clean pants on, too.”

“Okay, we’ll get to that after we finish with Wars.” Twilight calmly said, taking control of the situation as he saw exactly how exhausted Time was.

Carefully, they leaned Wars up against Time, one of Time’s arms around Wars’ waist, and Time just put his head on Wars’ and closed his one eye. He was so tired.

Some time later Twilight gently shook Time’s shoulder. “Come on, let me at his face. The last of the blood is off and none of the cuts look infected so he can have the potion now.”

Time just blinked a bit blearily before he helped turn Wars so he was still mostly upright, but no longer pressed with his face into Time’s shoulder.

Twi started tapping the side of Wars’ face and Wars furrowed his brow before turning his face away deeper into Time’s neck.

“C’mon now, nun o’ tha’!” Twilight drawled, knowing it always annoyed Wars when his drawl was that heavy, and indeed one eye slitted open and stared right at him.

“There you are, think you can drink this for us? Then we can get a shirt on you after and you can go into the warm, soft bed Sky is making for you.”

Wars just lifted his good hand and took the potion from Twi, or at least he tried, Twi wasn’t letting go of it entirely causing Wars to frown but pull it closer anyway. Twi helped just enough that Wars wouldn’t drop it. In quick order, it was downed and the wounds on his back started healing up at a fast pace, though the potion seemed to run out of steam before all of his back was closed. The marks now, for the most part, resembled deep finger nail scratches more than the deep whip marks they had been, so it was a massive improvement, though there were a few left that were still deep.

Twilight hummed in thought while carefully prodding some of the deeper ones and turned back to the basket Sky had brought in and rummaged in it. A victorious “Aha!” and he withdrew his hand holding yet another one of Wild’s salve jars.

He gently coated the marks in it before he and Time worked together to lightly wrap his torso to prevent the salve from rubbing on the sheets or onto another Link, and to keep new debris out.

“Okay, that's his back done. How do his wrists and mouth look, is the chafing there gone?” Twi asked Time even as he moved to inspect Wars’ ankles, jar of salve and yet another roll of bandages in hand.

“His wrists are still irritated so it could probably use a layer too, the ones on his face are gone luckily,” Time reported.

“His ankles need a layer too. I’ll quickly wrap them and then we’ll see to his wrists.”

Time just lowered his head again so his chin was resting on the top of Wars’ head again and let Twilight deal with rinsing Wars’ ankles again before drying them and applying the salve to his ankles. It took Twilight no time at all to do and then he was onto Wars’ wrists.

“They really dun a number on him, didn’t they,” Twilight grumbled as he worked.

Time just hummed in agreement, Wars steady breathing against his chest helping to lull him to sleep. Twilight seemed to notice and slapped his arm. “Oy! No falling asleep on me too!”

“Not asleep, though it won’t be much longer,” Time told him, eye still closed.

“Well, let go of him for a second so I can get his shirt on,” Twi said with a smile coloring his voice. “Then I'll carry him to the undoubtedly big and soft nest Sky made while you bathe, I’ll kick the others over for a bath too.”

“Hmmm, sounds like a plan,” Time said even as he let his arms relax so they had the space needed to slip Wars’ shirt on him. It slid on smoothly, not catching on any of the bandages or splints like Twilight had expected it to and then he was standing up and carrying Wars off to bed.

Time shook himself awake a bit and stripped his pants off and washed himself in one of the low-walled cubicle like areas, providing some privacy for his lower half. Some of the filth that had been on Wars had rubbed off on him. Twilight came back in, herding most of the others just as Time emptied another bucket of water over his head.

“Well that answers that,” Hyrule drily said before pulling a potion from the pouch Fierce had dropped and handing it to Time. Time just blinked at it before looking at Hyrule in question.

“There's a cut on your back, and severe bruising over your ribs on one side. We were wondering if Fierce got you out unhurt or not,” Hyrule drily said before he moved off and started stripping and claiming a bucket.

Time sighed and tried to turn and see but Twilight stopped him and dabbed at it with a cloth “You seriously can’t feel this?” he asked even as he did.

“I am now, stings a little.”

“Hmm. Sky waited with Wars and Wind for you to get back. They made a very good thick nest and Legend worked wonders with the pillows again before coming here to bathe. Okay, clean. Drink up and then get to bed old timer. Wild’s slate says it’s nearing 5 am and honestly none of us should be awake but we all want the sand off before we go back to sleep.”

“Who’re you calling old,” Time grumbled, he didn’t disagree about the 5 am not being any time to be awake though, before he downed the potion and turned to get dressed. He stepped out of the cubicle when he had his pants on and was midway through pulling his shirt on when a startled shriek came from the deep hot spring pool.

“Boys,” he sighed even as he turned only to see Legend and Four fishing Hyrule up who had apparently slipped and fallen in. He blinked before saying, “never mind,” and left, his mind fully on the promised bed and on pulling Wars into his arms. Hopefully, being held would keep the nightmares away another night for Wars. It had worked in the cell, Wars had been keeping a brave front but being held captive and used for that purpose again had not left him unaffected.

Time stepped into the tent and just as Twilight had told him, Sky and Wind were sitting with Wars who was fast asleep. An empty Lon Lon milk bottle was discarded at their side and a small spot of white in the corner of Wars’ mouth betrayed where the contents had gone. Sky smiled at him and wordlessly pulled Wind on his hip and ducked out to go bathe, the sailor’s leg lying nearby still. Time just smiled back and then slipped into the nest Sky had indeed fashioned, pushing himself against Wars as he did, one arm falling across his waist. In the next breath, he was asleep.

Chapter Text

Time woke to the feeling of Wars trying to fight his way loose from both his arms and the blankets even as it felt to Time that he was burning his arm on Wars’ skin.

“Wha— Wars?” he sleepily asked, even as he struggled to get his eye open all the way. Din, he was tired. His internal clock said it was 7.03 am, he’d barely gotten 2 hours of sleep.

Wars didn’t respond, though a keen did try to escape as his leg was again stopped from moving by the blanket, and Hyrule’s weight upon it.

“Hey shhh, we got you, it's alright.”

Hyrule woke up with a start as Wars finally managed to move his leg, and nailed him right in the crotch with his thigh. Wars groaned at the pain it caused him, but didn’t stop fighting the blankets.

Hyrule’s startled yelp caused some of the others to stir and for his inner fairy to accidentally let out a wave of hurt, pain, confused which in turn made Wars struggle harder even as his Fae started sending out signals of little Fae, where? hurt? protect!

‘Shit, Wars almost never signals. I can count the times he did on one hand. It's a good thing that the others can’t feel that,’ Hyrule fleetingly thought even as he was biting his lip trying to will away the sudden pain in his nethers.

Time sat up and started to pull the blanket down from over Wars, hoping that freeing his legs would calm him down, but in doing so his crotch, and his morning wood, hit Wars’ backside firmer than it already had been and this time the terrified keen wasn’t half muffled, Hyrule flinching back from the accompanying feel of TERROR Wars was now giving off. The sounds of swords and knives being drawn around the tent was loud, and Twilight half barked, “What’s going on?” even as Wild was already standing and looking around wildly.

Time hurriedly pushed himself back, yanking the blanket with him as he went, leaving Wars uncovered and free from touch. His breath was coming out in terrified and labored pants and his now open eyes were staring unseeing at where Hyrule was now crouched and trying to make eye contact.

A shadow fell over them from where Legend and Four had lit a few lanterns. “Time? Is he alright?” Twilight asked even as he stepped to the side to get his shadow off Wars face when he noticed how Wars had stiffened. Wars had first flinched away but a pained whimper had quickly stilled him and froze him into inaction.

“Fever-fuelled nightmare, go back to bed.” Time answered him even as his hand hovered over Wars’ shoulder, clearly hesitant to touch him. His other hand pooling the blanket over his crotch. Sighing, Time pulled his hand back and reached for his ocarina. Twilight nodded at him but said, “In a min, I'll fetch some water first. He looks like he could use another wipe down...”

“I’ll join you,” Legend said from where he was getting a push up from Four, getting his lantern out to help light the way. “I need to walk this leg out a bit anyway.”

Time brought the ocarina up to his mouth and started up a calming song he’d played a lot during down times in the war.

“He’s going to be okay, right?” Wind timidly asked from where Sky had pulled him into a comforting hug. Wars grew less tense as soon as he heard the first familiar bar of the song. Hyrule started gently carding his hand through his hair, and then Wars gave a last tiny whimper before his eyes slid closed and he went lax again, though his breathing stayed a bit on the heavy side.

Time shared a worried look with Hyrule as he put the ocarina away before he replied, “Eventually, though if I'm right about what set this off then the sleeping situation just got a tad complicated.” And with that said he levered himself to his feet and stumbled out to go press a cold cloth to his own nethers. Twilight busied himself with putting cold rags on Wars’ neck, in his armpit and on his wrists. Normally they’d also stick some cold rags in the groin area with fevers this bad, even if they didn’t have their thermometer to see how bad it was exactly, but Wars’ broken hip and general confusion made Twilight decide against it. No need to stress him out more.

A few minutes later Time came back in, a bit wetter and definitely shivering, but without his boner. “He won’t really cool down,” Twilight worriedly told him. Time went to answer but a jaw-cracking yawn worked itself free instead. “O-kay” Twilight just said, amused despite himself sharing a glance with Hyrule who was carefully placing cold towels over Wars’ ankles.

Slowly, the others managed to settle back down into sleep from the adrenaline fuelled awakening, though Time did accept the pillow Legend passed him to stick between him and Wars. Legend just gave a sad smile as he handed it over. Time nodding in gratitude.

Hyrule, Time, and Twilight sat up for another 20 minutes in silence, a comfortable one, but silence none-the-less, cooling Wars down with scrap cloths and wiping sweat away, before he started to shiver and they carefully removed the cloths and dried him off.

“Good night, you two,” Twilight whispered to them before he retreated to curl back around Wild.

Hyrule just pressed himself carefully in between Wars’ arms. Wars immediately pulled him closer, and Hyrule was careful to keep their legs untangled as much as possible and started emitting safe, clan, heal. Time carefully pressed himself against Wars’ back again, though this time with the pillow between their hips.

When they woke again, it was to Hyrule no longer being cold because he’d used too much magic. Unfortunately, that was because Wars had turned into a space heater. They really needed to replace the thermometer from Wild’s gear because they couldn’t tell how bad his fever had spiked, only that it had.

Time just sighed and turned to the others. “Okay, roll call, anyone else still having aches? We're calling the healer anyway, there's no point straining ourselves when there's help literally within shouting distance. Wars needs to be checked thoroughly since there’s obviously something going on here. The elixir healed too little and this fever is coming from somewhere. ”

Wild made a sound and nodded after Time looked at him. “Arms are still busted, it isn’t through and through anymore but the muscles feel off.” Hyrule got up to go to him but was yanked back down and glared at by Legend. A simple “no” and Hyrule deflated.

Then the attention turned on Hyrule and Four.

“I feel fine, but I haven’t been outside yet so I don’t know if I still have light sensitivity,” Four calmly said. Hyrule just shrugged and raised his still bandaged wrist to indicate he hadn’t looked yet. “I wouldn’t mind some assistance from a more qualified healer. I have no idea why my spells aren’t working right on Wars, nor why the potions aren't helping as they should.” Hyrule also confirmed, causing Legend to smack him and then berate him because for being self taught with more often than not 0 resources, Hyrule was good.

“And you?” Sky asked Time with a knowing glint, ignoring the scuffle between Legend and Hyrule.

“... no old man jokes, please.” Time said while looking away. His back still hurt as well, he couldn’t see if the cut had closed all the way.

“Okay, so that’s Wars, Wild, Time, Four, Hyrule, and Wind needing the doc, or at least something in the way of pain relief. You good? Sky? Legend?” Twilight asked.

“I could use a restock on my potions but I don’t know if this era has it, or anything I could use as a substitute.” Sky admitted, “There’s only a few left.”

“I’m as good as I can be after a week on bare rock,” Legend added, which translated to he was doing awful.

“What's wrong with Wind?” Hyrule asked even as he went to him.

Wind just gave a rueful grin. “I got sand in my stump sock somehow, and it rubbed it raw and bleeding. It’s why I'm still not wearing it. I didn’t want to take it off where the Yiga could see. Fierce gave me some salve yesterday but it didn’t heal it all the way.” Then he hurriedly grabbed Hyrule’s good wrist. “NO! Your wrist first! I’m going back to sleep anyway so I can keep till the Gerudo healer has some red potion salve for me, or whatever Wild’s equivalent is. I’ve been wearing it too much anyway.”

Hyrule sighed but nodded, knowing Wind was right.

Twilight clapped in his hands and drew their attention back. “Right, so Wild and I’ll fetch the healer from town, maybe see about a new thermometer, too, and you lot can go back to sleep for all ah care.” And with that he pulled Wild up and left with him to fetch the healer from town.

“Alright, we need to cool him down while we wait, the cots need building, laundry needs doing before the blood stains set in my blanket, and we need food to restock the slate.”

“One of you hand me some water and I’ll take Wars,” Legend gruffly said. His legs ached something fierce and this way he could stay off them a little but still help. Time and Sky shared a look and instead of commenting on that, decided to start building beds. Four went outside to get the requested water while Hyrule helped Wind over to Wars to help Legend.

Wars started to mutter and fuss a little, calling for a Sonia, the rest lost in incoherency, when he noticed he was alone in the bedroll but once he had Wind pressed in close, he fell into a deeper sleep again, though his grip on Wind bordered on painful for Wind. Four handed Legend the bucket and then went to go find the blanket and wash it, Hyrule shouldn’t get his burn wet after all. Hyrule started helping Time and Sky.

They found a big two, maybe even three with a squeeze, person bed headboard in between the parts and immediately started to sort those parts out and lay that out so it had spare room all around it so they could put Wars in it and get to him no matter where they stood, and so there was room for another Link to be used as a teddy bear by him. He’d latched onto both Hyrule and Wind now but as long as it helped him sleep who cared.

Chapter Text

“Are we teleporting or walking over? At least I assume we’re going for the town healer?” Twilight asked Wild as soon as they were out of hearing. “No. We’re going for Muava, she’s retired but she’s nice, even if no-nonsense about the healing. The town healer is used to treating the soldiers but I don’t like her, she keeps insisting I'm always a voe, and the one from the bazaar is at the hide-out with the soldiers. Muava is old but she’s not set in her way and probably has time to stay at the bazaar with us if needed. Teleport there, walk back?” Wild asked in turn. “Yeah maybe, we might run into monsters on the way back then though. Can she still fight?” Twilight asked, eyeing Wild’s still bandaged arms worriedly. Hyrule had let him out of the sling and loosened his other from where it had been strapped to his torso but he wasn’t allowed to fight yet. The scabs were still too fragile and the muscles too damaged. The elixir really hadn't done as much as it should have.

“Normally she doesn’t leave town. I go to her, so I'm not sure.”

“Hmm, how about we walk over, with Sky too, make sure the route is clear and then if she wants to walk we can and if she wants to teleport you can take her back here, and Sky and I walk back? Time would be better but I don’t think we’ll be able to pry him away from Wars, nor if we should.”

“Sounds good.” Wild paused. “We need a stop at the inn first though, no-one’s had breakfast yet.”

“You are absolutely right.” Twilight nodded in agreement. They headed over to the inn and stepped inside.

“Sav’otta welcome to–” Here the Gerudo behind the counter stopped herself. “Hello Link, long time no see! I see you got into trouble again?” She stated, her tone decidedly warmer now even as she nodded at his arms.

“Just a little Kachoo.” Wild answered her as he stepped up to the counter, Twilight staring at his back. ‘Kachoo? Did he just sneeze or is that her name?’ he wondered even as he followed.

“Hmm, Teake didn’t mention that little detail when she woke me up last night after she carried your sibling to the tent,” she mildly said even as she reached underneath the counter and hauled a basket up from underneath.

Wild eyed it. “What’s that?”

Kachoo just smiled. “Breakfast for you and your siblings, moose meat and Hylian mushroom filled flatbread, a bit heavy for breakfast maybe but it’s filling and will help heal your wounds. I’ll have to fetch the milk from the cellar though and there’s broth bottles keeping warm in the hearth.” She walked off while Wild and Twilight processed that calmly delivered statement. She walked through a door at the back and then descended a staircase, her steps echoing as she went, a luminous stone carved like a sphere in her hand that had been in an alcove on the wall.

“Guess we owe Teake a thank you for waking her.” Twilight mildly said even as he looked at the large basket in awe. That was a lot of food.

Before Wild could answer him Kachoo returned with another, smaller, basket containing 3 bottles.

“Here, wildberry milk, hydromelon milk, and our only bottle of honeymilk. The hydromelon is good for dehydration but a tad heavy to digest.” She named each bottle as she pointed at them. “I only have moose broth so it might still be a bit heavy on your sibling’s stomach.”

Wild dashed around the counter and gave her a big hug in thanks that had her softening and hug him back. “We have you and your siblings, little sister. Not all of us can fight, but we can help with cooking and mending and washing.”

“Thank you very much,” Twilight said, moved himself. It always surprised him just how far everyone in Wild’s Hyrule would go to help him kill what they couldn’t and to help heal him after. Every settlement counted on feeding him too, so he could always stock up on whatever he needed.

Kachoo handed Twilight the basket holding the food, now with the bottles of milk juice added. “When you need a bottle of broth, one of your siblings can come fetch it warm,” she told Twilight as she handed over the basket.

“Yes ma’am, and thank you.”

“Kachoo, can we pre-pay for some more baths for us?” Wild asked her even as Twilight took out Wild’s and his own portion and left to bring the basket to Time so the others could eat.

“Of course!”

Their voices faded away as Twilight closed the door behind him. Wind and Four were moving towards one of the outhouses to the back and side of the inn in a weird 3-legged hop. Wind complaining about having just gotten comfortable, too. A dirty blanket was abandoned beside the tent opening, Time’s judging from the design barely visible on an edge.

Twilight shook his head in amusement at their awkward hop before quickly taking the 6 steps it took from the door to the tent. He shouldered the cloth door aside and was met with startled looks. “Back already?” Time asked from where he was bent over a pile of bed parts trying to find the bits needed to make a complete one. A big headboard laid flat near where Wars was. Sky was moving another part over to it.

Twilight just held the basket up, “Kachoo fixed us breakfast, there’s bottles of fruit-enhanced milk in there for Wars and she has broths warming near her fire for him too. Figured I’d drop this off first before we start the 4-hour walk to Gerudo Town.”

“Perfect,” Legend said before Time could respond, from where he’d shuffled himself over to watch Wars while the others built the beds, his bad leg no longer interested in holding him up and Wind having left to go empty his bladder. “Hand one over, he’s sweating up a storm.” Twilight hurriedly gave Legend one of the bottles, the hydromelon one, and put the basket next to him. He helped get Wars propped up, and to get him to let go of Legend’s tunic and leg, so Legend could carefully dribble it down his throat without him choking. Legend nodded his thanks before saying, “Now shoo, go fetch the healer, he’s still heating up and we don’t even know how bad it is.”

Twilight had to hide a smile at the badly hidden worry the vet was showing. “On it.” Twilight eyed Legend’s slightly swollen knee before he decided to risk the snark and softly asked, “Did you run out of numbing cream?” Legend tensed before giving a jerky nod and pretended to be busy coaxing the milk down Wars throat. Wars’ eyes had opened a crack but they were dulled by fever and it was obvious he wasn’t really awake, he was swallowing though so that helped a lot. Twilight let him have his illusion and left.

“You can’t teleport us there and back immediately right?” Twilight asked Wild when they met up again. Wild just shook his head. “It has a cool down when I'm taking someone or I end up passing out.”

“Okay, think you can sand surf? Wars isn’t sliding backwards; he's falling like a brick. Sweat is pouring off him like he’s a waterfall.”

Wild’s face turned grim and he walked over to the side and dropped his travel medallion. “I’ll teleport over alone, there has to be someone there that can get her back here if she refuses to teleport.”

“You sure?” Twilight asked.

“It's a 4-hour jog there and another 4 hours back.”

“Point taken. If you’re not back in 20 minutes, Sky and I are coming over to help.”

Wild nodded and then he was turning into the blue strings of his teleportation and fading away.

Twilight sighed and turned to go and Sky ready to go after him, just as he entered the tent Legend gave a sound of disgust. It was accompanied by the sound of retching.

“What’s wrong?” Sky asked from where he was now slotting 2 bed frame parts together, even as Time looked over at the sound too.

“He is puking all over me and he lost control of his bladder!” Legend said, disgust still audible in his voice. Twilight had to disguise his laughter as a cough even as Time stopped what he was doing and hurried over together with Hyrule. Wars puking wasn’t funny but Legend’s affronted look definitely was. Though Legend gagging and looking away quickly reminded them that he was a sympathetic puker.

Hyrule got there first and worriedly felt Wars’ forehead, biting his lip as he did so. Legend just stoppered the almost empty bottle of hydromelon milk and put it back into the basket now that Hyrule was holding Wars. Wars was still retching and trying to bring up more, half of what he’d managed to feed to Wars was now decorating their fronts. Though it had a different color to it now. Hyrule and Time eyed it worriedly, was that reddish streak half digested blood that somehow got in his mouth and swallowed or something else? It was oddly tar-like too, some of it still clinging to Wars’ mouth, they turned him as he gagged again trying to help him bring up whatever was trying to get out. Legend desperately swallowing back his own bile, if he wasn't stuck under Wars he'd have fled the situation already. Wars finally dislodged what was in his throat and collapsed more fully against Hyrule and Legend, eyes sliding shut as he did. Getting whatever that goop was out had drained what little energy he’d had.

“Wild has teleported over, Sky and I have to start the walk over in 20 minutes if he hasn’t contacted Wind by then or arrived back. The healer he favors is apparently old and we’re not sure if she’ll consent to teleporting. If she does, he’ll teleport her over and deal with the effects, and if not, he’ll try to get a guard or 2 to help them at least part of the way,” Twilight reported even as he went to help Sky with the bed Sky was building. Hyrule, Time, and Legend had Wars and crowding someone who was throwing up never helped.

“Good call, the rate his fever is rising is worrisome,” Time said, even as he peeled the now soiled blanket off Wars’ legs. “Grab my rupee pouch Hyrule, and we’ll get Wars and Legend to the baths to clean up.”

“Wild pre-paid a couple of baths for us all while I brought the food over,” Twilight told them even as he picked up a bed piece.

“Good because this is just disgusting!” Legend said even as he pulled part of his tunic away from him with a disgusted look on his face.

Time just gently picked Wars up, leaving Hyrule to help pull Legend to his feet, Legend’s knee and ankle cracking in a frankly disturbingly loud way as Hyrule did so. It neatly covered Wars’ muffled groan against being moved. Legend’s breath hitched and he couldn’t fully hide his wince. Sky and Twilight grimaced at the sound and Hyrule got a concerned frown.

“Okay, not gonna lie, that one actually hurt,” Legend stated with an abashed look.

“You’re soaking in the hot spring for a bit,” Hyrule stated.

“No complaints here,” was the last Time heard as he shouldered the cloth door out of the way and walked to the bath house.

As he entered the inn the Gerudo at the desk looked up and immediately got up and opened the way for him.

“Poor thing, the fever must really be ravaging if accidents are happening. Bring the soiled things over later and I'll get the Voe who were fighting last night to wash it. We needed chores for them anyway.”

“Thank you ma’am. We’ll put them outside the tent with the other things, no need to have them dirty your inn.”

Time got Wars into one of the cubicles and gratefully accepted the bowl Kachoo had filled for him and the towel and washcloth she handed him.

“I’ll see if I can scrounge up another pair of those pants for you. And a urinal bottle in case the fever gets any worse and this happens again.”

Time grimaced even as he nodded in acceptance, “Yes, I think that's unavoidable at this point.” She nodded at him and left them, stepping to the side to let Hyrule and Legend in.

“Ah. Will you require a change of clothes, too?” She asked seeing the stains on Legend’s tunic dress.

Legend shook his head. “I should have one more clean one in my bag. If you know of a shop or seller that has more of them, though?”

She smiled at him. “I know of a place. I’ll get you some ordered suited to the desert.”

“Thank you,” Legend stated even as Hyrule helped him over to a second cubicle to wash the piss and puke off before he entered the hot spring.

Time quickly washed the piss and puke off Wars and covered him up with a towel before running cool water over him while the towel covered his modesty, trying to cool him down. His back unbandaged for now, he’d rewrap that once he was done cooling him down.

20 minutes later, Legend had moved to the hot spring and Time was no longer pouring bowls of cool water over Wars but sitting there with Wars’ head resting on his thigh and redoing the wraps on his good hand. Wars had started to shiver so he’d stopped cooling for now but some of the remaining bandages had gotten wet so he was rechecking all of them. Hyrule had returned to the tent after Legend was safely inside the spring to check on Wind’s stump and Four’s concussion again.

Kachoo entered and dropped a bundle of fabric off on one of the benches for Legend, who nodded at her in thanks, and then spoke to Time. “Sav’otta again. I have found the bottle and another few pairs of pants and tops. The bottle and most of the clothes are waiting in the tent.” She laid a set of clothes and some more dry towels on top of the wall.

She took in Wars still fever flushed form and frowned. “I’m grabbing a thermometer. Dry them off and get them back to bed. I’ll bring it to the tent,” and with that she was quickly striding out of the bath house.

Time just gave a wry smile and told the insensate with fever Wars, “You even have people who don’t know you worried,” before he grabbed another towel from the dry stack and started drying him off.

“Time?” Legend spoke up, a question clear in his voice.

“I’ll help you out before I carry Wars back.” Time told him, knowing what Legend needed.

“...Thank you.”

Time got the pants and underwear on Wars, rewrapped his torso, slid the shirt on and then lifted him over to the benches and put him on the dry floor there. Then he moved over to Legend and helped him pull himself out of the spring and onto his feet.

“Somedays, I really hate this blasted leg,” Legend grouchily muttered.

“There’s days I hate my eye too. It is what it is,” Time pragmatically told him as he helped him over to the bench. “Think you can get back to the tent on your own?”

“... yeah, I’ll manage. Get pretty boy back to bed, and that temperature checked. I want to know if we need to prepare for seizures.”

“Will do, and so do I. Fever seizures are supposed to be only for little kids but knowing our luck…” he trailed off and shook his head before continuing “Don’t take too long or I’ll send Hyrule after you.” Then he picked Wars off the ground. Wars didn’t react at all beyond the soft panting he’d been doing for a while now, and Time strode out.

As he strode to the tent, he had to dodge the voe who were carrying the pile of dirty sleeping mats, blankets, and pillows to the laundry tub. One of them opened the flap for him as he went.

“Thanks.”

“You focus on him, we got the laundry. Toss anything else you lot have on the pile with it and we’ll get that too,” the man told him before grabbing another pad and walking off with it.

“Do we know anything yet from Wild’s end?” Time asked as the flap fell shut behind him.

“Yes, they called over the pirate charm earlier. Some of the guards have returned to the city in the night and are walking Muava back. She’s the healer. Told us to have Twilight and Sky stay put. Zelda and Riju are keeping Wild in town for a little longer. Now give him here,” Wind said from where he was sitting on one of the remaining clean pads.

Time nodded and gently lowered Wars down to lie against, and partly on, Wind before retreating and helping finish off the cots, though it started to look more and more like they were proper beds and not simple cots. Sky and Twilight were tightening the mattress ropes on the big one.

Wind had barely gotten Wars settled before Kachoo was knocking on the door frame and walking in.

“Here, this is a spare from the inn so keep it here for now.” she told Wind as she reached him and handed it over.

Wind frowned “I’m not familiar with this model, how does it work?” Hyrule walked over at this from where he’d been helping Sky, always eager to learn more healing.

Kachoo smiled. “I’m not surprised, Lady Riju got them for us from a Sheikah scientist fairly recently. You just put this in the ear. Push this button and hold it in until it beeps,” she explained as she demonstrated. The device only took a few seconds before it beeped. “Now this little screen should… dear Heroines!”

“What! What’s wrong!” Wind asked even as he tried to see the display.

“This has got to be wrong,” Kachoo just muttered even as she redid the measuring on the other ear. The device beeped again after a short while, the eyes of all of them on her back as they waited.

She sighed. “I’m going to need one of you to come with me,” and with that she stood up.

“What’s the temperature?” Time asked even as he strode over.

“40.3C,” she said with a worried frown.

Legend who was just limping through the door cursed, “I knew I didn’t like how hot he was! That’s way too high, especially after all the cooling we’ve been doing.”

“I have bladders we can fill with ice, I just hope we have enough left in the cellar. I was due a delivery before all this Yiga business,” Kachoo said even as she strode out, leaving the device with Wind. Four and Hyrule hurried out after her. Legend limped over to Wars to sit down with him and Wind.

Time, Sky, and Twilight just focused on getting the beds together. It was busy work, but useful busy work.

Legend took his bag off and rooted around in it for his ice rod. “Any of you have any leather water bags with water in them?”

Twilight handed him his, and Time also had a leather one. Sky shook his head, his was wood.

“Okay, no sentiment attached to these? In case they crack?” Both shook their heads and Legend nodded before promptly freezing the contents and sticking them around Wars’ torso. Wars jerked full body at the sudden cold but didn’t wake up. Legend just bit his lip in worry even as the only sounds in the tent were Wars’ panting and bed parts being slid together and rope strung between to suspend the mattresses. Wind started up humming a song just for something to fill the silence. Hyrule and Four returned bearing more ice-filled water bags and helped Legend press them in around Wars before Four left to help with laundry and Hyrule started helping with the beds.

They’d gotten almost all of the parts sorted and the first one almost completely strung with rope when one of the voe, Benja, knocked on the tent pole. “Ripp and Teake want to know if any of you would be able to help with something? It’s not dangerous per say, we’re just short on swords a little.”

“Oh? What’s wrong?” Sky asked even as he, Twilight, and Hyrule went for their swords.

“Lately there’s been these, well we’re not sure what they are called honestly, small-ish pale scorpion like monsters that have been swarming the bazaar and town in waves. Almost as if there’s a big clutch of eggs of these things somewhere that hatched and they’re after the water or something. There’s always a bunch of them and we have to keep them away from the children and elderly because they sting and the healthy adults only get a bump like a bee stung us but a child in town nearly died from one.”

“Feathers I know those things, they’re a pain in the behind. Have they been bleeding black?” Sky said even as he pulled a different shield out of his pouches than the Hylian one he usually used. This one was pink with a golden image depicting a lady with long flowing hair on it. He ignored the snickering his curse gave, the others found it amusing he cursed with feathers and not Din’s saggy tits or things like that. One of these days they’d land in his Faron and he’d show them why feathers was better.

“They really are a pain in the behind. They’re very easy to kill but Ripp and Teake are alone here, and this swarm is looking a bit big for just the two of them and 3 of us. So far they’ve all been red blooded, which threw us off a lot at the start. It’s still so darn strange for monsters to bleed red.”

“I’ll stay here with Wind, Legend, and Warriors. You three can go help with Four. If they’re not black blood the only advantage will be in numbers.” Time said even as he handed Wind his dagger and Legend his sword.

“Kachoo said to tell you to move your sibling inside the inn quickly. He can have her bed for now,” the man told them. “She’s worried a sting might be too much for him and they’re fast.”

“Alright, change of plans then. Twilight you take Wind, I’m taking Wars and Hyrule can help Legend if he needs it.” And with that they were a flurry of movement. Quickly evacuating the tent and getting Wars into the inn, with its solid stone walls, glass windows, and thick wooden door.

Wars groaned in pain as he was picked up yet again and his hips were jolted yet again, yet he didn’t wake. Time’s face twisted at the pain he was causing. “We are renting a bed for him in the inn. I am not moving him again today.”

“Agreed, so far his hips haven’t shifted with all the moving but we won’t stay that lucky forever,” Hyrule added even as his hands lit up with magic and he checked the bones had in fact stayed put and his knitting of the bone was still holding. Legend wasn’t fast enough to stop him this time.

“Okay, carefully now. The healing I've done is holding, for now, but it still feels very fragile. We’re really moving him too much.”

Time nodded and started to carefully walk to the inn. “Sky, what are they and how do we kill them?”

“If they are indeed mine, then they are Aracha, the larval form of Moldarach. Basically baby scorpions. If they’re still in their first shell, then they are white and it won't matter where or how you hit them as they’re really fragile. If they’re black-shelled already, then they’ve had their first molt and you actually need to stab them, but again the where doesn’t really matter as long as you draw blood. I prefer to just stab them through their bodies.”

“That sounds too easy. Were you using a magic blade or a regular one?” Legend drily said from where Hyrule was now helping him, his leg stiff and painful enough it still wouldn’t hold him.

“I had Fi, though I had not reforged her into the master sword yet.”

“So a magical one, aka keep stabbing till it stops moving.”

“All you’ll be doing is guarding the door with your firerod while Wind keeps an eye on Wars.” Hyrule firmly said. He knew better than to try and keep Legend out of the fight completely but sitting him down and blocking the door? Yeah, that's doable.

Twilight looked all of them over and asked, “How big are these things? Can we just, I don’t know, suck them up in that jar that Wind has? Or set them on fire?”

Sky shook his head. “My gust bellows just blew them back for a short while and I didn’t have any fire producing items during my quest so I can’t vouch for that.”

“It’s something… to try… someone get.. the door,” Time said between pauses for breath.

“You alright, old man?” Wind asked with a worried look from where he was sitting on one of Twilight’s arms.

“Feeling my back,” Time said even as Sky opened the door for him and helped maneuver Wars through the door. The innkeeper waved him over to a side room where she had a bed with fresh sheets ready for him. “Here, put him here. I’ve changed the sheets so he can stay here for a while. I heard something about broken hips?”

“Indeed,” Twilight said even as he put Wind down, too.

She nodded, “I'll do my best to help keep them safe but I am not as good a fighter as some of my sisters.”

“No need, Twilight gave me an idea,” Legend said from where he stood with Hyrule. “Most of us have area of effect items or skills. We’ll just have to get away from the tents before we unleash them.” He turned his attention to the man that had come to get them and who had followed them to the inn. “These things are just like a locust swarm right?”

Benja nodded. “If the locust swarm was ground locked, then sure”

“Great. We’ll just suck them up in our jars or set them on fire then.” Legend grinned. “Not like there’s a forest we have to mind!”

Time and Twilight shared a look before they started laughing. “Wild is gonna be pissed he missed this!” Twilight snorted out, setting the others off.

“I take it you're sharing your items then?” Time said once his chuckles died down.

“Of course, wouldn’t want the healer to have to be delayed by a swarm of insects of all things.”

“Scorpions are arachnids actually, also they bleed blue so mind that,” Four spoke up from the doorway. “Also, try and not set the laundry on fire? I just got the stain out of Malon’s blanket.”

“Will do, so where are the monsters coming from?”

“To the north and slightly to the West, from the Birida Lookout and the great cliffs. We can see them scuttling on the cliffs, we have time before they get here but there’s a lot of them this time,” Benja said with a worried frown.

“Allright, who’s up for heading them off there?” Sky said as he eyed the cliff side. Legend eyed the terrain between them and the cliff and sighed before handing his gust jar and fire rod over. “Don’t break them. I’ll stay here.”

Time, Twilight, and Sky shared a glance before nodding. “Do you want back-up just in case anything gets past us?” Sky asked him.

“Nah. You five go, I’ve got the Gerudo. All I have to do is try and keep Wars cool and Wind from putting his leg back on. It’ll be easy.” Then Legend smirked, “Have fun with the scorpions!” before he was limping back to the inn.

“Right. Everyone have some water with them?” Hyrule asked. Before the others could reply, Robston handed all of them 2 canteens. They nodded their thanks and then they were off.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, Wild had their own battle to fight. They’d arrived at Daqo Chisay safely, but now they were stuck in its shade, in Voe clothes and they couldn’t undo the danged buttons!

Heaving a sigh, they gave up and slid and slipped through the sand, slightly unbalanced yet and towards the entrance. Dorrah saw him coming and with a look at Merina, to move her into the middle, Dorrah moved towards him.

“Sav’Otta, Link.” She greeted even as she caught them when they stumbled. Then she peered closer at them. “Ah, a they day, hmm? These clothes are much too hot for today, you should change.”

Wild gave her a rueful grin, always amazed they could tell what kind of day it was. “I would if I could. One of my siblings helped me get dressed this morning and, well, I’m having an argument with the buttons and they’re winning.” She blinked at them before laughing uproariously.

“Come little sibling, we’ll fix that!” She kept a hand near them as they walked over to where the stones began and then walked in with them and over to Saula. “Saula! Help our hero would you!”

Saula, of the clothing store looked over at her shout and seeing Link, peered at them the same way Dorrah had before she too started laughing. “Inside with you, losing the fight with buttons now, are we? Maybe you’re not such a mighty voe after all,” she teased them even as she pulled them inside and Dorrah went back to the gate with a wave.

She turned to look at them properly once they were inside, with its relative privacy, and tutted at their arms. “Come to see Muava then hmm? Well, let’s get you into your desert gear before we have to add heatstroke to your ailments.”

Wild just grinned at her and pulled the clothes out of the slate. They could use it to change but the slate always did the desert Vai and Voe clothes wrong somehow. The others didn’t quite settle right on the ribs either but the desert sets were by far the worst. Purah and Robbie were looking into it but it was slow going.

Saula helped them change and then send them off with a smile. Wild just waved and jogged off to the alley where the goddess statue, and Muava, was.

They rounded the corner, waving at a few Gerudo as they did and stopped short. Muava wasn’t at the statue. Panic gripped their throat even as they ran for the sand seal counter just past the statue where Frelly was.

They almost crashed into her and she caught their shoulders even as she exclaimed, “Woah, what’s the rush!?”

“Muava! Where’s Muava!”

Her eyes softened. “Deep breath, little sibling, she’s at the palace with Ladies Riju and Zelda. Lady Riju is letting her fill her healer’s bag from her private stores so she can go to the bazaar and help you and your siblings.”

Wild nodded and tore off again, racing for the palace. Frelly just shook her head behind them. Always in such a rush, that one.

Wild ran through the alley, up the side street, underneath the arch into the plaza and bolted up the stairs. Ploka and Reeza brandished their spears before they recognized them and let them pass.

“Slow down! You’ll trip and fall if you sprint around like that!” Ploka yelled after them.

Wild, though, only had eyes for where the throne room had an entryway to where Patricia and, more importantly, the storeroom with the palace herbs and fruits was located.

Voices could be heard from the storeroom, Wild thought they belonged to Padda, Patricia’s attendant, Riju, Zelda, and yes, that was Muava’s voice.

They skidded to a halt next to the door, and Zelda let out a startled “eep” at the movement in the corner of her eye. Muava was sitting next to a table on a stool with Riju and Zelda near a shelf getting things down for Muava.

Wild couldn’t help but laugh at that and got a face full of bandages for their trouble. They were still snickering when they caught it prompting Flora to let out a “Why you!” even as she was smiling and drew them into the room and into a hug.

Riju gave them a hug as soon as Zelda let go, though Muava pulled their arm up to her face in the next second, forcing them to let go of Riju.

“Now what nonsense did you get yourself into this time hmm?” Zelda asked them even as she turned back to the shelves and pulled some more bandages down, their arms not having escaped her notice either.

Wild shrugged. “We got caught by the Yiga and they were downright nasty this time.” Here they turned their attention to Riju. “Thank you again for the save, though I do wonder how you knew we were captured. I hadn’t had a chance to check in yet. Also…” they hesitated a little.

Zelda and Riju exchanged a look, smirk and all, at their wondering before they both pulled out a slate each? Wild’s hand went to their hip to check it was in fact not theirs, even if that didn’t explain the second one. “You were going to ask why the champions didn’t come too right?” Zelda said with a soft smile when they hesitated.

Wild eyed the devices in speculation even as Muava took their arm again after having unraveled the bandage and started packing the wound Wild could have sworn had closed already with healing paste. They nodded at Zelda’s question.

“Revali still can’t fly quite right, that injury to his wing is more severe than he’d like to admit. Teba has the Rito slate for that very reason. Urbosa, well she left for a Molduga nest 2 days before you arrived and there’s a sandstorm interfering with our communications with her, the text rune just isn’t as refined as we’d like yet.”

“There are extra slates besides these two now?”

“Oh! Purah and Robbie managed to get the other slates from the castle ruins and get them up and running. Well sort of running, Zelda’s is the only one with a working teleport function, aside from yours. I don’t think we would have been able to keep Revali away otherwise.” Riju half laughed.

Zelda nodded with a self satisfied smirk “Along with my help yes. Sidon, Teba, and Daruk have one too now, in addition to Impa, Robbie, and Purah of course.”

Wild nodded before hissing as Muava poked the stab wound in a particularly sore spot. Packing them always hurt like a bitch.

“But how does that connect to you knowing I was back?”

“Simple, a new device was detected in the network, and since neither Robbie nor Purah were ready to connect the next one for another 3 days, it could only be yours.” At Wild’s unimpressed look, Zelda flushed and mumbled, “We did check if they weren’t ahead of schedule, yes.”

“... Are there any left?” Wild hopefully asked, a second one would help so much with their supplies. Their slate could hold a lot but feeding 9 people of it still was a delicate balancing act if they needed supplies for longer than 2 months in there. Especially if it needed to hold enough water for all of them too. In theory the slate should be able to hold 999 of each item but practice had revealed that while it could do that it would diminish the amount of different items it could hold when they did that. It did fluctuate though, the slate registered as full sooner when it was made to hold for example thousands of gem stones than when it held thousands of wildberries, eggs, and acorns.

“Not yet, no, the next one hasn’t passed all the stress tests yet. We’re also still working on making it so an inventory can be shared between 2 or more slates. And on an upgrade that will let us send supplies from one slate to another. Those are not looking to be feasible though so far. Purah and Robbie are also working on a few devices that can be connected to the slates, like earbuds for the video calls, amongst other moments, so not everyone near a person can hear the slate, or a heart rate monitor that uses the slate to log the data.” Wild cut Flora off before she could get going too bad.

“Later, please, Zelda. Right now, I really need Muava’s help in the bazaar.” Link said with an apologetic look.

“Oh fine, Buliara is getting a few guards ready to bring Muava there anyway. You can tell your fellow heroes that help is on the way and once Muava is done with you, Riju and I are stealing you. We want the gossip, and I have a few patches I need to put on your slate and some data I need off yours to fix ours.”

Link just grinned and saluted her with the arm not currently being held hostage.

“Now that that’s settled,” Muava spoke up, “tell me, how many of them are hurt and how bad?”

“All of them bar Twilight,” was the grim report. “And I have my doubts he’s as unhurt as he says. So 8 aside from me if we count him. Hyrule did his best but he’s only one person and he almost killed himself from magic depletion stitching Wars back together in the cell enough that we could move him, Time took over from Hyrule to care for Wars once he got back to the bazaar too and Hyrule’s been focusing on the others.”

“What did the Yiga do?” Muava continued. “Break bones? Stab wounds? Cause burns of the fire, electric, malice, or ice kind? Whippings? Beatings? Rapings? Any crushing damage? Any symptoms of them having poisoned your food or water? Or did it outright? Force anything to heal wrong?” She rattled off. Flora paled as she did, having had no clue of the horrors the Yiga inflicted on captured Gerudo, Riju putting her hand on her back in comfort.

“Broken bones, iron burns, fire burns, rape damage, there were beatings too, stab wounds on me… uhh lemme think… there’s a concussion too, and some lung damage maybe, definitely a very concerning fever… uhhh…” Wild’s face creased as they tried to focus on how everyone was hurt. “Wars was whipped too uhhh…. Wind is having issues with his stump I think… there’s no newly missing limbs, at least, I think there aren’t...” Here they frowned, wondering if Hyrule would have announced it to the group if the Yiga had cut off Wars’ dick or balls.

“You think?” Riju faintly asked.

“Well yeah, one of us got taken away a lot and the last time he got returned to the cell he was bleeding quite badly from his back and crotch but Hyrule didn’t say if they cut anything off down there so I don’t know.”

Muava sighed, “Better take the lot, then. Those Yiga really are scum.”

Wild nodded. “They salted his back, too.”

Flora muttered, “I’m gonna be sick,” before she fled from the room, Riju hot on her heels. She didn’t look much better to be honest.

Wild winced. ”I'm probably gonna pay for that later.”

Muava just sent him a sharp look. “Now you hear me, if she gives you any grief–either of them–you tell me and I’ll set her straight! Not your fault Yiga are vile even by demonic and monster standards!”

Wild just nodded in agreement just as Muava finished tying off the bandage on their second arm, both wounds now generously packed with her patented hearty salve. Softly Wild said, “You should know most of that is on one person. I got stabbed and Hyrule got burned by the shackle because he has Fae blood, and the possible concussion is on Four from when they caught us, but everything else is on Wars, and they raped him for hours every day. He took everything they dished out to protect us. Now that we’re out he’s not so much sliding backwards but falling, almost as if the only thing that kept him going was the need to protect.”

Muava closed her eyes and muttered, “Heroines give that one strength,” before she steeled herself and decisively said “Right, the splints, 2 large tubs of all my healing salves each, the captivity kit and the rape kit.” She eyed him speculatively, “You can teleport right? So if I need something else from my stocks or the apothecary, you can bring it over? I assume they have a way to reach you?”

“Of course, they can reach me, and I can definitely bring it over. Whatever you need from any settlement,” Wild confirmed. “But…” they paused at her sharp look. “There’s a few of us with chronic scar pain that ran out of painkillers, too.” Wild withered under her exasperated look. “Just thought you should know,” they mumbled, looking away.

“Of course you did. There’s no possible way to carry enough even with a slate, is there, at least I'm assuming it’s not the type you use?”

“No…we ran out of mine too because I shared them around. We got some Hylian Lavender back from the Yiga, but that’s about it painkiller wise.”

“Oh, you dear child,” she sighed before rummaging in her bag and handing them a bottle. “You know how much to take.” She stood up from the stool she’d been sitting on and scooped her bag up. “Now, be a dear and take that second bag and help me over to Buliara, will you? She should have my escort ready, and then you can debrief and be debriefed by Princess Zelda.”

“Of course, and thank you. I know how much you hate leaving town.”

“For you, dear, I can manage.” Muava said, yet another smile on her aged face. Everyone in town called her weird and grumpy but she liked Link and always helped if he managed to crawl his way to her, no matter what they were feeling like on that day.

In short order, they found Buliara who was on the palace steps with 4 other Gerudo ready to help Muava over to the bazaar. The guards looked tired, but determined. Link could hear Zelda and Riju talking up above them in Riju’s bedroom. The bags were handed off to one of the guards who offered Muava an arm, too. It was rejected, and with that they were off, leaving Wild on the steps of the palace.

‘There, help is on its way.’ They thought in relief before pulling the slate out and poking at the symbol that would connect it with Wind.

“Hey Wild! Everything good?” Wind’s voice came from the slightly tinny speaker even as Wild turned and started going up the stairs.

“Muava the healer is on her way with 4 guards to the oasis, if Sky and Twilight haven’t left yet just keep them at the bazaar. I’m staying in town for a little more as my Zelda is here and wants to talk to me but I'll teleport back later.”

“Will do! Have fun!” Wind told him before they broke the connection. Wild just called up the second set of stairs that led up to Riju’s bedroom from the throne room “Can I come up or are you coming down?”

“Come up, come up Link!” Riju called and with that Wild nodded to the guard before walking up the last staircase.

Chapter Text

Twilight knocked on the door to the inn, which currently was host to their entire party bar him and Wild, most of them dozing sitting on the floor leaned against the walls in the cool building after the hot trek and fight with the Arachna. The 3 men that seemingly lived at the bazaar having told them they’d build the beds and put in a few gear stands in thanks for them killing off the swarm in their place. They’d finished in record time with killing off the Arachna so the tent still wasn’t quite done. "Time? The healer is here. She wants at Wars first."

"Great, okay everyone: out. Wars gets looked at first like she wants and then she can look at each of you in turn in here." came Time's voice from within, some grumbling was heard, mostly from Wind who'd have to crawl, before a yelp was heard and Legend pushed the door open to make room for Sky who had Wind slung on his hip. The healer looked at him as they passed and tssked "You are getting an ointment, keep the sand out of that while you wait." and with that she was ducking inside to see her first patient.

"Sav'saaba, Link said first aid was performed but you needed an extra pair of hands, they gave a frankly disturbingly long list of things to fix even if they said they were probably missing some things. Anything I should know about this one before I start my own exam?" she asked as she strode over and kneeled down next to the bed Wars had been placed on.

Time blinked at her while the others finished filing out before regaining himself "Did Link tell you what happened?" he countered.

Her face gained a sneer. "Yiga happened, for a full week." Her bag got opened and she stuck her hand in and started to root around for something.

Time nodded and waved at Wars who was lying on his side, propped on pillows, head in his lap and one hand clutching at Time's pants. The makeshift ice packs off for now to prevent him from getting frostbite from them.

"He got the worst of it, when they threw him back in the cell after the last round of rape he was bleeding out from tearing in his crotch and back, Hyrule, one of our companions, has a healing spell he used to heal the tearing damage to his crotch and to close his back up as much as he could but the spell was oddly ineffective on his back. He's had a hearty elixir equivalent yesterday which closed some of the small cuts, bruises, and small burns but his back is still not closed fully. His wrist and ankles still have abrasions from the ropes they tied him down with too. This morning he got some fruit juice and that came up along with what looks like half digested blood and a black tar like substance. He’s also running a pretty dangerously high fever according to this." He held up the thermometer Kachoo had loaned them.

The healer nodded "Did you save the vomit for me?” Time shook his head “it stank too much but we had Wind take a pictograph of it, it’s on the table over there.” She looked puzzled at the pictograph but ignored it for now and she went on to the next issue, she’d look at that pictograph, whatever that was, after his physical examination, “I assume you bathed him? Was his downstairs fully healed by the elixir? Any bits missing?" She asked even as she rooted around in her bag for something, coming up with a weird strip that she promptly attached to Wars’ forehead.

"Yes, I did bathe him and I did not see any lingering abrasions, he was a bit swollen still but I assume that will go away once he’s not, ah.. being used shall we say? He’s not missing any bits. He is mighty sore in his hips, expressing pain whenever he or we move his position, but Hyrule said they, and his legs, were broken so that's unsurprising. What did you just put on him?"

“A temperature strip, a scientist named Robbie made them for patients that rocked a very high fever for longer periods so we don’t have to stick the Sheikah Measurer or thermometer in a patient's ear every 15 minutes. I only got them last week. Princess Zelda brought them over for us to trial on the children here. Figured it wouldn’t do any harm for this one either.”

Time nodded his understanding and checked if the others were all outside, and if the door was shut.

"The others can't know but Warriors has both sets of parts." He told her in a low tone.

She made a startled sound before putting her full attention on her bag "Do you know if… no what am I saying of course the bastards used his front too. He's going to need... aha!" she pulled a small bottle out "This for sure then" she set it aside and moved towards his ankles "I'll leave his privates alone as he can't consent and you already checked. Heroines know he needs the autonomy on what is done there now to recover mentally. Did he get a painkiller?"

Time nodded again even as his hand strayed to cover Wars' hand still clutching his pants "Appreciated, yes he did get one last night but I don't know the name. Wild, ah that is your Link, calls it the fuck that hurt one." The healer snickered "Ah I know which one then, the other one they keep has an even more creative name."

She finished unwrapping his ankle and looked it over, she hummed in thought before grabbing a jar from her bag along with a scrap off fabric and removed the ointment Time and Twilight had carefully applied. "This salve is good but if we combine it with the potion he'll need after their attentions it will make him violently ill, well more ill than he already is, so use this one from now on." She told Time even as she worked.

Time looked at her consideringly "What will the potion do?"

"Lower the chances of him catching a Vehvi from this ordeal. No one needs one caused by rape, and especially not a Yiga scum fathered one! Bad genes the lot of them. Might as well fuck a Lizal! He also looks to be in too poor of a condition to safely be pregnant, so we need to lower the odds of it happening. It’s not a 100% guaranteed prevention unfortunately but 50% is better than nothing."

Time choked on his saliva at the bad genes part and quickly turned his face so he was coughing into his shoulder, his entire body shaking and pulling protests from Wars.

She just eyed him with slight amusement. "He'll need daily washing, preferably twice a day but if his hips are indeed broken the less moving the better. We need to know if he starts discharging and what." She eyed his wrists again “Make sure you feed him often too, I’ll leave a few recipes. He’s too thin, much too thin.”

"Of course, I assume a basin and cloth wipe down will do? And isn’t he too sick for a pregnancy to catch anyways?" Time was not looking forward to it but needs must, he was glad she explained why she was making sure to give Wars a potion to lower the chances of pregnancy without asking him though. The news about Wars being too thin wasn’t surprising, he was just glad they could shift the blame on the Yiga.

"Cloth and basin will have to do, make sure you keep his folds clean, if he has any, not all bigender have the folds, or external balls now that I think on it. I'll leave a cream for if they get irritated. Call me back if he starts to swell more instead of it going down. I'll give you a different one for his ankles and wrists” she looked up from what she was doing and straight in his eye "Do NOT mix them up. It'll give us both a headache. Most women have bodies that are smart enough not to try and have a baby when this ill, injured, and or malnourished, but I'm feeling Fae from this one and their bodies don’t have a lick of sense on when to try and hold on to a vehvi and when not. We’ve seen Fae born whose magic literally killed them trying to keep the vehvi. They won’t choose to not keep it and take the medicine either. So we’re helping his body a hand to decide not to be stupid. In this case it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission. He’s in too poor of a condition and healing will take months to finish, even with the elixirs and salves. Now we just have to hope his Fae isn’t strong enough to counter the medicine and the fever and the illness at once. Now, i’m not liking his breathing. Do you know if they came down his throat?" She tied off his second ankle and moved up towards his wrists.

“Judging from how he kept rinsing his mouth and spitting every time they returned him to the cell I'd wager on yes.”

She hummed, "We’ll need to keep a close ear on his lungs then, doubt the bastards let him cough up anything that got into his lungs or made sure it went down the throat. I'll look at his wrists next and then we can try and wake him up a bit more for his torso, we need to try and give him some say in that too. Ideally I'd have him awake for his arms and legs too but judging from the rope burns, those might be triggering to be held so it’s a balancing act."

Time just nodded and let her do her thing. In short order both wrists had been redone as well. She checked his fingers carefully and added a numbing cream to them before carefully redoing the splints.

"Okay, let's see now." she murmured to herself before she repositioned herself and gently tapped Wars face. "Hey brave one, can you wake up for me? Open those pretty eyes huh?"

A groaned protest was her only answer even as his eyes moved a little and opened up into slits.

"Hey, there you are. I'm going to take your hand okay? I want you to squeeze my hand if you know what's going on if you don't feel up to talking."

She gently worked her fingers in between his where they were still gripping onto Time.

Wars just blinked at her and murmured "^you a healer^" very tiredly.

Time blinked in confusion as did Muava "uhm sorry, what?" she asked confused, looking up at Time in hopes of him knowing. Time just shrugged, he had no idea either.

"O-kay, let's try this again. One squeeze for yes, two for no." She said before asking her first question. "Your siblings asked for a healer, me, to come help with your injuries. Do you understand?"

One squeeze had them sighing in relief. "Okay tough one, We had a look at your ankles, wrists, and hand while you were sleeping. I will not be looking at your privates, as I'm told your sibling healed that, but I do need to look at your back and chest if you'll let me. Can I look?"

Wars looked relieved at the news she wouldn’t be needing him to take off his underwear, if a bit out of it but he still squeezed once.

“Alright, thank you for that. I also have some medicines I need you to drink, can you do that?”

Wars stared at her with his eyes half glazed by the fever, sure he could drink, but getting upright enough to actually swallow it?

Muava seemed to realize the problem “Yes, that was a stupid phrasing. If we sit you up, can you swallow for us?” this time they were rewarded with a squeeze. “Alright, let’s sit you up and get some painkillers and potions in you then. If you fall asleep before I'm done with your back we won’t have to wake you back up.”

Wars just squeezed her hand again in agreement before his eyes slipped closed, already halfway back to sleep again. Time and Muava shared a look both filled with worry especially as the number on the temp strip was already .2 point higher than when she stuck it on.

They gently, carefully, and oh so slowly sat him up, but still a pained groan slipped out at the abuse of having to do anything with his lower abdomen and legs. Gently he was propped up against Time and then Muava wasted no time in getting the potion for hopefully preventing the Vehvi, a painkiller, a fever reducer, and a potion made specifically for helping to knit bones down his throat.

“Keep him upright like this for a bit or they might come up again. I’ll be right back.” Muava softly told Time before she levered herself up, accepting Time’s hand as a brace point. She quickly, well as quickly as her old bones let her, looked at the picture of the vomit before she moved over to the door and found Sky near it.

“You, go see if there’s any broth, preferably bird.”

“Kachoo told us this morning there’s only moose but she does have some.” Sky told her with an apologetic smile, not minding her brusqueness at all.

"It'll do. Send a message to Link to get some bird meat from the town when he comes back here. The moose broth is likely to come back up again, and puking is going to be agony for that poor boy.”

Sky nodded before he gave a whistle and made a few signs to Four who nodded and went into the tent. Sky staying to keep an eye on the others. He didn’t trust a few of them not to eavesdrop because they were worried.

“I'll knock when Four’s got it warmed, we have the bottle of moose broth in the tent, we honestly forgot to move it to the inn with Wars when we moved him. Wind is calling Wild, ah sorry your Link now to get some poultry.”

“my Link?”

Sky gave a sheepish grin “Yeah uhh there’s 9 of us and we’re all called Link. So nicknames. I’m Sky. The ones inside are Time and Wars. Wars being your first patient. Wind is the one with the missing leg.”

“Ah. Wild? Was it? Well they mentioned something like that, I’d wondered who’d name their kid Wars of all things. Yeah I'll be seeing most of you from what I understood. But Wars first.” Muava stated matter of factly.

Sky snickered a little before he said “Yes, appreciated. You need anything, let us know. None of us is above getting you something from anywhere.”

“Bold words, though Wild’s teleportation does make it easy I suppose.”

Four jogged up and handed her the bottle. “Wind said Wild said they’re on it.”

Muava nodded before turning back inside. She vaguely heard the one named as Four say “Oof that's one worried healer.” She liked these boys. They got it.

She opened the still lukewarm bottle as she went and sniffed it. ‘Yep that’s Kachoo’s recipe alright.’ “Alright” she lowered herself onto the bed trying not to make the mattress dip too much. “Are you still awake lad?” Wars just gave a groan.

“Okay, now your brother is going to help you drink a little. I want you to squeeze his hand or thigh the second you feel full or nauseous. Kachoo made this and her broths are very hearty.”

Time took the bottle and helped Wars while she looked on with a very sharp gaze. They only got 3 mouthfuls in before Time grunted from the force Wars parked his nails into his thigh with.

Muava nodded “Well done. That's more than I'd hoped you’d be able to stomach." She stoppered the bottle for Time and put it aside and then turned back. “Now to see about your back. The painkillers should be taking the edge off already.” she intertwined their hands again “Now do i still have permission to examine you?”

“^ge i ova wih^” Wars slurred but he squeezed her hand so she got the gist. She gave a look at Time and he signed one handed {i’ll find out} she gave a nod, then they turned him, eliciting another hiss and groan, so his back was facing the room and then carefully but efficiently unwrapped his torso and started prodding at the marks on his back.

She was very glad for her experience, “This is after a hearty elixir?”

“Yes ma’am, that's what has us so worried.”

“hmmp” She stopped looking at the nasty gashes and started poking at his ribs instead, feeling if the Yiga broke them. It took another 40 minutes of nerve wracking, for Time, poking, prodding, salving, stitching, bandaging, and manipulating of limbs before she was satisfied. They lowered him down and tucked him in, then a few tins of salves and lotions were placed next to the pillow along with a few bottles of painkillers before she drew Time a short way away.

“I won’t lie. I don’t like how out of it he is or how high his fever is. And if i’m right about the stuff he puked up then he’s in for a fight there too. One of the cuts on his back is showing signs of infection, his hips and legs are definitely broken, his fingers don’t appear to be but we need to keep them splinted to make sure. By the look of his pallor he lost more blood than I'm comfortable with. He is dehydrated, he’s also so underweight I'm afraid for his organs.” at this Time paled. Muava pushed him down on a cot “Now don’t go fainting on me, we can still fix it. He’s not beyond saving yet his Fae blood is helping him there. His lungs also sound off and there’s a smell I don’t like but can’t put my finger on.”

“You keep saying he’s Fae but he isn’t so how can Fae blood help him when he doesn’t have any.” Time faintly asked, it wasn’t the most important thing perhaps, but it was the one his overwhelmed mind snagged onto.

“Gerudo can tell, he has Fae blood somewhere. Might not even know himself. You told me yourself, he has both sets. Only Fae blooded have that.” she paused “There are records of it being called demon blood too in some periods of time.”

Before Time could respond to that, Wars had realized he was alone again and started his muttering for someone again and trying to get up, eyes glassy with delirium.

Time sighed and got up from the cot Muava had pushed him down on, walked over and pushed Wars back down, then sat down and pulled Wars so Wars’ head was on his thigh. It didn’t stop all of it, but Wars did stay lying down.

“And that would be another sign.” Muava calmly said. “Injured Fae want their clan. They heal better when they have someone. Do you know if he has any children? If his fever climbs high enough we might want to get someone who’s about the same age to play nearby so he can hear.”

"I… I don’t know. He’s been settling best with Four, when he’s muttering and trying to get up though. Wind is about the same built, but taller, so we can try that too if needed. We don’t know who he’s looking for though, he never talks about his family. He’s called for a, what we think is, Sonia and a Lottie? It’s been too broken up to really tell.”

“His era isn’t accepting then. The grandmothers tell tales of Vai with Fae blood fleeing to us to get away from Rhoam. The top thing they had in common was hiding their children to the point of denying they existed or were theirs while traveling and the children were found.”

Time sighed “of course.” then he gathered himself “Speculation doesn’t help him now, if who he’s muttering for is indeed his child, or children as there’s 2 names, we can’t get to them so what do we do to help him”

“We bandage his wounds, fight his fever, keep him clean and comfortable, treat his blood loss, make sure he has someone near.” Muava calmly said, then she started grinning a little “and we keep him so stuffed full of food he has no choice but to gain weight.”

Time gave a startled laugh “Meat broths, milk, thin stews, and shakes im guessing?”

“What are these shakes?” she asked curiously.

“Meats, vegetables, and fruits cooked or grilled as needed and then minced and ground really fine and then mixed together with milk or water so it becomes a very thick broth. They work wonders while healing a broken jaw but are a pain to make because the cutting up and grinding takes so long. It’s why we always protect our face and end up breaking our arms. We’ve all thought not the jaw! as we panic ducked at least once.”

“Sounds like a challenge the Sheikah would enjoy. Designing a machine or tool to speed that up. A mortar and pestle seems inefficient for meats.”

“That's what we ran into too, yes, which is why we tend to stick to veggies and fruits which are easier to mash, but he’ll need the meat to help replace all the blood.”

“That he will, there’s a vegetable we have been trying to import from the farms that would help too but it almost never arrives edible. I think the easiest would be liver ground down and mixed with milk, and some eggs, maybe some other vegetables. I’ll need to know what the markets have. Definitely more fruit juice though. It’ll taste awful but he’s too out of it to complain. Once he’s well enough to complain, he’ll be well enough to chew.” Muava said with a smirk “There’s some other foods that will help too but we need to balance it very carefully, some of it is very hard on the stomach and all of you’ve been malnourished while with the Yiga. I can’t imagine them giving you much beyond water and bread.”

“Our stores were dangerous before the Yiga got us, it’s been weeks of him not eating right, and he ate less than we liked to see before that. He keeps shoving parts of his food on Wind’s plate whenever he thinks we’re low on food.” Time said with a headshake, he could try and hide Wars' issues with food but who was he really protecting by doing so? “We hit Hyrule’s world and it's very harsh.”

“hmp, typically hero nonsense then, bad luck combined with a “i'm expendable, you’re not mindset” more often than not. I’ll write a meal plan for him once I'm done with all of you.” Muave decided firmly “Now, show me where you’re hurt. I can treat that while you process all you just learned.”

Time wordlessly held up his still chafed wrist. "That all?” Muava asked surprised, Time shook his head “No, got a single cut on my back from breaking out and the regular aches one gets from a week on bare rock. The exercise against those Arachna helped stretch the stiffness out of my back real nice. My wrist is just what’s annoying me the most right now.”

“Hmm you got off mild, that's good, as long as we can prevent infection in your back you’ll be healthy enough to help that one. You sure those bugs didn’t get any stings in?”

“We have to prevent infection, I have to do the washing and I can't do that if I go down with fever too. He deserves to tell us himself that his downstairs isn’t typical and not have it become known to more people than needed because of the Yiga's actions. It’s already not fair to him that you and I know.” Here he paused for a calming breath and to coach Wars’ grip a bit looser. Seems he was picking up on Time’s agitation. “Also yes, I'm sure I didn't get stung. We checked each other before walking back to the bazaar.”

“We can do our best, but as you know infection is always a risk. You’re right that we should try and preserve at least that secret for him.” Muava told him even as she was cleaning his wrist. ‘Is he going into shock from all the news or is he just overwhelmed and latching onto his brother’s privacy to cope? I better stay a bit longer than I was planning on’ After that they lapsed into silence while Time processed everything wrong with Wars and Muava tended to his back.

“It looks good, did you take a potion for it?” She asked him after finishing the bandage.

“Yes, Wild had one too and we gave some salve to Wind, the one with only one leg.” Time sighed “I don’t know if they were old or of bad quality or what but they’re working so poorly.”

Muava shook her head “It’s probably environmental.”

At Time’s look she explained “We Gerudo have seen it in our own fighters, we raid the Yiga from time to time either to take back some of our people or to get supplies back they stole.” here her face got a somewhat mean smirk “or just because Buliara wants to cull them again. Anyway wounds obtained in the hideout seem to take longer to heal. The air is stale in there and just breathing can be a chore. There’s a deep pit around a tower in the highlands that has the same problem. We think there may be something in the air there seeping up from below somewhere that makes it harder for wounds to heal.”

“An infection of some kind?” Time murmured to himself.

“If it is what the other healers and myself are suspecting, then yes, and I'm afraid I know what from now.” Muava said as she eyed the picture of the vomit again. “Regular healing still works. As do painkillers. We just have to make sure he takes it easy once he’s coherent, and any others in your group that have gotten hurt. The fever will spike, but as long as we help him with the right medicines and food he’ll survive it.” Muava assured him, squeezing his shoulder as she did.

“Now you stay with your brother, I can look at the others in the tent and I'll have the one you call Wind carried in here once I’m done with him.” She hesitated “Some of the Fae blood need regular skin contact with those they consider kin to stay healthy and heal, it can’t hurt to try just in case he is of that variety.” ‘and you look like you need a nap too’

Time just nodded at her distractedly but tellingly didn’t put his shirt back on before lying down with Wars. As she left she only barely heard his “You are an idiot Link, just ask for what you need already. We won’t mind giving whatever it is, you're still my big brother.”

‘huh, I had that one pegged as the eldest.’ She absently thought even as she shut the door, and was immediately jumped by 6 worried teens and young adults.

Some of them were talking over each other while others were hanging back and just looking expectant.

“Whoah Whoah! One at a time!” She laughed, ‘youngsters’ she thought amused.

The one with a pelt on his shoulders spoke up “How’s Wars?”

Muava eyed him “Take the pelt off you idiot Voe. You’ll overheat and get heatstroke and we have enough on our plate with that one” as she pointed over her shoulder. The youngster resting on his hip snickered. Muava just raised her eyebrow at him, the irritated stump not escaping her. He just scratched his head and looked away even as another boy pulled the pelt off and tucked it in a pouch.

“Better, Wars will be fine—” a cheer interrupted her, so she cleared her throat pointedly, “now as I was saying, he’ll be fine eventually but it’s going to be a while of very intensive care to keep everything clean and healing. The list is worryingly long but with 8 pairs of hands to help him heal we should be able to get him healed up.”

“I’m not sure I like the should in that sentence.” A younger looking boy with a tunic divided into four colors spoke up.

“Caught that, did you hmm?” She spoke very pleased.

“His fever can’t spike any worse than it already has, without risking brain damage. The bad news is it most definitely will. So we need to keep a close eye on it and cool him down whenever he goes above 40, below that it's better to let the fever do its job for now. He’s already ill enough he can’t speak Hylian anymore, which leads me to think he naturally runs on the cooler side of things. He’s also very dehydrated which is not good for his kidneys, the fever isn’t helping that. Then add in the still open wounds and infection in one of them and it’s not good. Not a death sentence yet but even one more thing can tip the scales to that really fast. So if you even think you might be getting sick you are not going near him.”

Muava looked them over consideringly, a bandaged wrist on the only one with curls, a leg stump wrapped in gauze stained red there, that one was breathing oddly compared to the others, the one in the blue dress tunic had tremors and spasms going up his legs, and the one with four colors on his tunic was squinting a bit.

“Right, into the tent with the lot of you.” and with that she started ushering them into the tent.

Chapter Text

“Now, introductions. Who is who and what's the problem with you.” She said even as she bodily pushed Legend on a cot. The men that had been inside quickly left to give them some privacy, having just finished assembling the last bed frame and putting the matresses on the first two.

“We’ll just take a quick break then yeah? Let us know when you’re done and we can haul the rest of the bedding in.” One of them said as they ducked out.

Wind couldn’t help but laugh a little at Legend’s affronted look. “You just pushed Legend to sit down, he’s very grumpy but also often in pain even if he thinks we don’t notice.” Legend scoffed but didn’t disagree.

“I’m Wind and I got sand in my stump sock somewhere in the past week but I don’t know when because I wasn’t about to take my leg off while in the cell. We washed the sand out and applied red potion salve but it’s not closing up properly” He explained even as Twilight lowered him onto a different cot.

Muava nodded and turned her eyes on the others. “Sky, I'm asthmatic and running out of my potions.” her eyebrow rose “My sisters gave you a mask to wear before they brought you over right? Wear it every second you leave the tent. The last thing we need is the sand tearing open your lungs and you bleeding internally. Your lungs are already weaker than most so you especially need to be careful.” He paled but nodded and started looking through his bag to find it. He made a mental note to try and remember to tell his Zelda and Groose about that. If they ever did settle his Lanayru it was good to know sand could be so dangerous.

“After I check you over I want you to check if Saula is at the bazaar and open and tell her I send you for extra masks. The second your current mask feels wet from your breath I want you to swap it.” Muava told him.

Sky looked up from where he found his mask and nodded in understanding.

The next one was the one in the multicolor tunic, he’d retreated to the darkest corner “I’m Four, the Yiga hit us over the head when they caught us and we passed out. All the concussion checks and wake ups have been done but the light still hurts. I also use they/them, not he and him.”

Muava hummed and mentally put them in third place, after Wind and Sky, in her mental priority list.

“Ah’m Twilight. No injuries, just thirsty so if’ll you excuse me.” The tall one she had take off the pelt said before he started to pull out canteens stashed out all over the tent, clearly intending to refill them.

“Wear your mask” she told him even as her eyes settled on the last of them. “So you must be Hyrule then. Well done little one, your quick thinking and actions saved Wars’ life. Wild also told me you wrangled most of these ones so Time could focus on Wars after he got back, that's no small thing to manage.”

Hyrule just blushed bright red and looked away. “Oh no, none of that now! Take some pride in your work! I can already tell those bandages are very well done.” She admonished him even as she stepped over and lifted up his wrist. “So you have the iron burn hmm?” She let go of him at his shy nod and turned around.

“Alright, Sky lose the tunic. I’ll start with Four, they’ll be fastest and has the most chance of unseen complications aside from Sky.” And that said she started assessing Four, Hyrule creeping over and watching. The others pointedly giving them space and not listening in, or at least pretended not to. She huffed in amusement at Hyrule but started explaining in low tones what she did and why.

Four was cleared in short order but told the light sensitivity would be lingering a while yet and to listen to their body. Four nodded and left for the inn, they’d spotted a bookshelf there and maybe if they were lucky there’d be a book for the kids how to learn to read, if not they was sure Time could use the company, they also wanted to keep their own eyes on Wars. They weren’t liking what Vio was sensing from him.

Next Muava turned to Sky, pulling a device out of her bag as she did so. She listened to his lungs and had Hyrule do the same then explained what she heard in terms that went over most of their heads but Hyrule seemed to get, though even he needed a few explanations.

When Sky looked between them in confusion Muava assured him, and the obviously listening in Wind and Legend, that his lungs sounded good, for someone with a lung disease. Sky gave a rueful grin and ruffled Hyrule’s hair as he said “Well, at least Hyrule will now know what lungs shouldn’t sound like then.”

Muava gave a soft laugh even while Hyrule glared and tried to fix his curls. Wars was after all in no state to help him untangle them and Legend’s hands trembled too much for the delicate chore.

Once he had them somewhat back in place he clarified “So that slight wheeze that is always there is just the asthma?”

“Yes, the more pronounced it is, the more he’s struggling. The nasty with asthma though is that the person often doesn’t notice the wheeze became audible for people close enough because breathing is always a chore. So if they’re focused on something else, reading a book, a conversation, anything at all. There’s a chance they won’t notice.”

“Yeah I'm really guilty of that, my birth town is at a much higher elevation so the air there is thinner, the air down here feels heavy all the time so I still have trouble feeling the difference.”

Muava nodded and said “that does not surprise me, at all. Now let me have a listen to your heart.”

She frowned a little as she listened before letting Hyrule listen. “That doesn’t sound too off, drink some more and keep your mask on, I want you in the inn if a sandstorm hits.”

“Not too off?” Sky asked, his eyebrows creasing a little in worry.

Muave waved a hand in a dismissive way “You’re not desert born and have asthma. Your heart’s going a tad fast but that's just to power your air intake in this diurnal climate, you just having broken out of a cell is also not helping, so it’s not worrying.”

Sky nodded in understanding as he pulled his shirt back on “alright, if that's all then I am hitting the bazaar. I ran out of soap, need to get some more water, and some more masks, and frankly I just need to walk. I’ll see about more bandages while I'm out too.” He paused “Do you have asthma potions with you or do I need to get those somewhere?”

“I’ll have Link bring my stockpile over from my stores in town, it's not much but it should tide you over until a brew can be finished. I’ll teach them my recipe too, if you don’t react to it they can keep brewing it for you.”

“Alright. Thank you in advance.” and with that Sky slipped his mask on and went outside.

After he’d exited Hyrule pulled on Muava’s sleeve and lowly asked her so the others wouldn’t hear, he was feeling self conscious about having to ask “Why did you listen to his heart too?”

She answered him in the same non carrying tone “He has lightning scars and lung issues, those often hide heart issues which are not uncommon in victims of lightning strikes. In the field you don’t check for it but in towns you do, there’s not much to be done about heart attacks when traveling after all but in a town you can put someone on bed rest until their hearts are beating semi regularly again. Moving makes the heart and lungs have to work harder so a tired heart needs its owner to rest for a bit and slow down.”

Hyrule nodded and asked “anything that could be a sign of that that isn’t also an asthma symptom?”

Muava hummed a little while she considered that “The only one that I can really think of is if his chest hurts and he’s wheezing, both of which are asthma signs, but if his arm or jaw hurts as well that’s more likely his heart. He’ll probably feel it skipping beats before any outward signs show though. Both have shortness of breath, easily fatigued, chest pains, and wheezing. It’s one of the reasons people with lung diseases so often don’t know their heart is struggling until it’s too late.”

Hyrule nodded and started chewing on his nail again. They really should try and break him off that habit but better biting his excess nail than picking at his cuticles, which is what he’d done before.

“Wanna share with the class?” Legend grouchily asked, not liking the hush hush muttering. If there was something wrong with Sky just say it loud enough so everyone can hear and when Sky can hear it.

“Just a teaching moment. Field medicine is different from camp and town medicine.” Muava calmly said.

“Oh, something we should know too?” Legend asked.

“No, it’s all hypothetical. No signs of what I was explaining.” Muava said with an easy grin even as Hyrule continued to bite on his finger nail as he thought.

“So it was bad.” Legend drily stated.

“If the result had been positive, yes, but it was not. Your sibling simply wanted to know why I did something and what a positive result would have looked like and what that would indicate, they ask all the right questions. They’ll go far as a healer.” Hyrule flushed bright red at her praise.

“Now, I see you are volunteering to let your sibling hear what healthy lungs sound like?” Muava asked him amused.

“Sure, I'll be your education dummy later.” Legend easily agreed.

“Excellent, but first, we have a leg to attend to.” Muava drily said before addressing Wind “All right young man, do you have any objections to helping your friend learn?”

“Nah go for it.” Wind said even as he laid down completely and opened his book “I assume you’re gonna do the basics first and teach Hyrule a bit. Just poke me if you need my attention.”

Muava just laughed and readjusted Wind a bit so his stump was hanging off the edge of the cot and supported by a pillow where it rested on the edge. He was right after all, Hyrule was willing to learn where the other healers and apprentices weren’t willing to hear the old weirdo out, so she was going to pass on as much as she could in as short a time as she could.

“Alright, now the most important thing is that stumps are delicate. They have to work like a foot but they are not a foot, the skin is much less thick than a sole would be and so much more prone to injury. This one here would have had lessons on how to care for it drilled into his head when he was recovering from the surgery and that's probably why he’s now reading.” Hyrule nodded to show he understood and Muava continued as she started carefully undoing the wrapping on Wind’s stump.

“A recent amputee would have multiple months of recovery before their prosthesis can even be made. The surgery wound has to heal completely which can take a long time. Fairies and healing elixirs can only do so much for that type of injury. Wind here had his leg taken off halfway the bone which is not where it would usually be done so I'm assuming he ran afoul of something big that bit his leg off a bit below this and the doctors then took off a bit more off his bones so they had enough skin to close around the ends. And in the hopes of saving his knee. It is so much easier to re-learn to walk with an intact knee. Taking off a bit more bone also helped to prevent a bone infection but the healer probably overdosed him on elixirs to heal his bone shut, which is also why it would have taken months. Heal the bone and then you more often than not can’t heal the flesh, the elixirs drain too much resources too fast for it to be advisable outside of life and death situations. There’s a soft thing inside bones called the marrow and having that be his new sole would be excruciating. Not too sure how his healers fixed that but they obviously did as he has lower leg left.”

Hyrule paled a little but again nodded, the idea that Wind had had to endure that was hard. He was, after all, only 16 and he was barely that.

“Now judging from this some sand got into his innermost sock and rubbed the stump raw when you were escaping from the hide-out. See this here” She asked even as she pointed at a particular spot on the raw looking stump.

“Yes, that’s where it started?” Hyrule asked even as he sat down so he could see without having to bend.

“Not quite, this is where his sweat gathered and added a sweat rash to the problems. The skin here isn’t as sturdy as it normally is because it has to function as a sole, so we need to clean it, then apply salve, and put gauze on it to keep the sand out, but we can’t apply the gauze so thickly it’ll start to sweat again.”

Hyrule pondered this “so frequent reapplying and cleaning? But in a place where we can’t get sand into it? And no walking on it I assume until it’s healed?”

“Correct on all counts!” Muava said very pleased, ‘He really has a head for this, shame I can’t steal him to apprentice under me’

“Now test time!” Muava said with a grin causing Hyrule to swallow nervously.

“How long would this take to heal you think with no elixirs and just the salve?”

Hyrule started chewing his nail again as he thought, eyeing the irritation and slowly bleeding sore on Wind’s leg as he did. “A week at the fastest?”

“Yes exactly! Stump skin takes a bit longer to heal than the bottom of a foot would heal a shallow cut, so while it isn’t bad he’s still going to be mostly bed bound as a fall in the sand would mean debridement.” at Wind’s wince, revealing that he was only pretending to read, she chuckled a bit.

“Exactly, you managed to get all the sand out with the washing with soap from what I can tell but the bandaging will need to be lighter so it's very much easier to get new sand in it.” she only said out loud, then turning to Hyrule again she asked “So what would you tell him?”

“Sorry not sorry, you’re being degraded to being Wars’ comfort stuffed toy to keep him calm and be our alarm and Twilight or Time will be carrying you to the toilet in the bathhouse because the outhouses are too sandy? And trying to walk with crutches on sand is asking for a fall.”

Muava let out a loud laugh at his wording even as Wind groaned in dismay.

“Exactly right! You dear boy are making it very hard for me not to steal you away for a full blown apprenticeship!”

Hyrule blushes scarlet again even as Legend looked at him in pride, and if we’re being completely honest, besotted. Hyrule ignored the look and just complained “Why does everyone keep trying to steal me!?”

“Duh dude, cause you’re a treasure!” Wind quipped.

“Oy, hands off, he’s mine!” Legend objected before he could stop himself flushing a bright red immediately after.

Twilight re-entering with a bunch of filled canteens and looking even worse for wear broke the moment. Muava just smirked at Legends face and set Hyrule to salve and bandage Wind’s stump again.

“Dear Heroines, what did you do? Sit down this instance!” Muava exclaimed when she looked at Twilight after having shown Hyrule what to do.

“No complaints, not feeling so hot all of a sudden” Twilight just muttered even as he set the now filled canteens down on a table and stumbled to a cot.

Muava grabbed one of the canteens up from the table and shoved it into his hands. Twilight drank from it with one hand even as Muava pressed one of her fingers into the vein on his wrist.

“Stupid Voe you got heat exhaustion after all didn’t you! Sip! Or you’ll be puking all over the place!”

She half turned to the others “One of you wet some cloths for me” then she turned back to Twilight and took the canteen from him. “Strip. Off with that tunic.”

Twilight, feeling a bit muzzy, recognized that look and hastily started fumbling with his belt buckle, he had his tunic tucked into his pants to help keep it in place so his belt had to go first. Legend huffed a breath and took the offered cloths from Hyrule, wetted them and limped over handing them to Muava before slapping Twilight's hands away and undoing his belt for him. Then he grabbed onto his tunic and yanked it up and over Twi’s head.

Muava took advantage of Twi’s slight disorientation to pull him forward and slap one of the cloths on his neck, Twilight's hand shot up to it from the sudden, compared to the air, cold and Muava just turned his hand so his wrist was resting on that cloth too before slapping a different one on his other wrist.

“Now stay here and stay put and start drinking again. Try and keep that cloth on your wrist but drinking is more important.”

“Yes ma’am” Twilight muttered even as he obediently drank from the canteen Legend pressed up to his lips.

“Voe” Muava muttered under her breath in a tone women everywhere would recognize even as she turned to deal with Hyrule’s burn. Legend wasn’t bleeding so he could wait before she discussed with him what his normal painkillers were and at what dose so she could restock him.

Pushing him down on the other bed she pulled up a stool and sat down herself, then the unwrapping of the burn started.

“Did you notice a blister forming or the blister popping?”

“Yes on the forming, no on the popping.” Hyrule told her even as Legend curled around his side, one arm slung across his back, chin on his shoulder. Twilight having taken the canteen for himself.

Hyrule ignored the feeling of protection that Legend always gave off and focused instead on how Muava was poking at the blister, and how she was managing to do so without popping it.

“Hmmm yes these are typical. Tell me, what do you typically use to treat burns”

“Pig fat if I can get it.” Hyrule answered, the usually not left unspoken.

“I see, while that does work, a mixture of, amongst others, honey and aloe works better to heal the skin. It stings something awful when applied and it has to be done carefully or the blister will tear but it is do-able.” Muava told him even as she fished a jar of it from her bag and began showing him how to do it.

“If you can get a fairies help while making it it will speed up the healing even more, I’ll leave you the recipe too.”

“Don’t healers usually guard their recipes viciously?” Legend asked.

“Yes, we do. Only apprentices get them, and while I can’t keep this one Heroines damn me if I don’t teach him all I know. My recipes will get lost otherwise because my replacement deemed them old fashioned.” She humphed in annoyance “yet my patients have significantly less scarring, new doesn’t always mean better. You two remember that!”

They nodded in agreement, and then Muava turned to Legend. “Your turn, something about running out of your pain killers?”

Legend’s ear flushed a little but he nodded. An exhalation and then he spoke up, gesturing to one leg as he did “yeah, I started adventuring young and unlike the others I never really got a break. One of my first Moblins managed to snatch me by the leg and managed to damage something in the leg and hip that potions never quite fixed. Some days it just hurts, so painkillers so I can walk.”

Muava hummed in consideration, she did that a lot, and privately thought there was more to it going purely on the sheer amount of, tiny, scars on both legs but he apparently wasn’t going to offer more information.

“You’re unmedicated right now?”

Legend looked at her warily “it is never good when healers ask that but yes.”

Muava laughed and then helped him through a few stretches and exercises knowing she wouldn’t have the exact same painkillers and needing to know where the problem was exactly mobility wise. Explaining to Hyrule as they went and showing a few tricks here and there.

She sat back after and thought for a bit while looking in her bag before she pulled out a couple of bottles.

“This is Ralis root tea. A cup of that at days start and end should be enough. If it’s not, these are Ralis root candies. Do NOT take more than 2 of these a day or you’ll destroy your liver and that will just make it worse. If you have a flare day take a little from this. Start at half a unit. It’s Hylian lavender oil. Link, pardon Wild, has told me that ours is stronger than the ones from the other era’s so be mindful of that. If the lavender also doesn’t work, well, just throw the day away as lost and stay warm and flat.”

She eyed him “there’s also willow bark tea and poppy milk but those work for a different kind of pain, and I don’t have too much of that left. Try these while you’re here and if they don’t work come see me again and we’ll re-evaluate.”

Hyrule was watching with wide, worried eyes as Legend simply nodded and took the painkillers giving her some rupees in return even if Muava tried to refuse those. He knew what happened with poppy milk when you did it wrong, and how much pain you had to have to get Hylian Lavender.

“That said” Muava turned to Hyrule “any questions about what I just did?”

Hyrule jolted and thought it over, absentmindedly starting to chew on his poor nail again.

“How far should a knee be able to go sideways when held like that?” he eventually asked as he gently moved Legend’s leg back in the position he meant.

Muava nodded and prodded Wind into sitting up. Wind pouting did as directed and Muava then showed Hyrule again on Wind’s leg “About this far, Legend’s is a tad hypermobile in this.” ‘Definitely worrying but I haven't talked with Legend yet.’

Hyrule compared the two and then nodded “so this would be both their base lines?”

“Exactly! If they manage to go sideways more they more than likely dislocated either the knee or the hip. You can tell which, in Legend’s case anyway, by comparing leg length. For Wind you’ll have to ask if it's just the knee hurting or the hip too.”

“Alright, thank you.” Hyrule said.

Muava nodded and grinned “now it’s your turn, how did you know Wars’ hip had broken and not dislocated?”

Hyrule blinked, startled “Uhhh I felt it? Well no not really felt, but sensed? I don’t know how to explain really. I just send my magic in with the life spell and it tells me what’s broken or torn and then I have to direct it on what to fix first. I always send it after bleeding first and then after broken bones if I have magic left after everyone is no longer bleeding.”

Muava looked considering at that. “I’ll have to scrounge something up so you can let me piggy back on the magic, if I can learn it too it would help a great deal.”

“Sure. I’m not really explaining it well I know.”

The tent flap moving interrupted them.

“Healer Muava? Time said you wanted to see the vomit that we’d already discarded? There’s some fresh if you still want to see.” Four told her before ducking out, probably to get something to help clean Wars up, again.

Muava sighed and stood up “Walk with me?” she told Legend who nodded and also stood up.

Once they were outside and the others didn’t appear to be in ear shot she bluntly told him “You need leg braces.”

Now it was Legend’s turn to sigh “I know, I wrecked my third set shortly before this adventure. I have a cursed item that doesn’t work kindly with anything on my legs.”

Muava looked at him sharply even as she stopped their walk “all the scars?”

Legend grimaced “My last set got fused into my legs because I couldn’t get them off fast enough. Thank god for that fairy.”

Muava winced. “Well. Try to uhh, get it uncursed?” She gave a faint smile at his look “yes I know, easier said than done. Ask Isha at the jewelry store in town. She’s an enchanter so maybe she’ll have an insight into breaking it.”

Legend nodded and with that they parted ways, Legend to the shops to see what they had on offer and Muava back into the inn to see to Warriors.

Chapter Text

‘Guys,’ Blue thought at Red and Green as Vio attempted to read a book from the inn’s bookshelf, where they sat as Time tended to Wars ready to be a runner for him if needed. Time had been forced to get up from where he had been lying down as the bed was just too small and Wars was forced too close to the wooden edge and had started to fuss about it shortly after they came into the inn. Four was distracted and having trouble concentrating on the book which was really weird, ‘Is it just me or is Vio acting strange?’

‘A little,’ Red made sure to only think at Blue and Green. ‘They're unusually happy but they did just get some books to read that they’ve never seen before.’

‘Yeah but he’s not concentrating on them like they normally would, and they’ve almost dropped the most recent book twice and are now balancing it in their lap.’

Green carefully didn’t make Four frown, not wanting to attract Vio’s attention, ‘We didn’t exactly sleep the best recently.’

‘When we were with the Yiga yeah, but we’ve slept fine since then.’

Blue considered where they were sitting, ‘Vio normally avoids being near Warriors. They don’t like when he clings onto us when Warriors has been forced into sleeping in the sleep piles. Though Warriors was awfully clingy with both us and Wind while we were captives. Normally if we were this close to Warriors they’d be moving away or pushing one of us forwards.’

‘Maybe they are getting more comfortable with it,’ Red added, ‘I mean when we first split they didn’t like cuddling us either and now they don’t mind and even sometimes initiate it!’

‘That took years though. Vio was a little comfortable with Warriors and his sleep cuddling but since we got out of the Yiga stronghold they’ve rapidly gotten more okay with being in reach of possible cuddling!’

Green broke in, ‘It is strange, but Warriors is still ill so they might be more willing to offer comfort. We’ve all noticed that he knows who’s fronting and calms down when getting restless in his sleep if Blue is fronting. We’ve basically been in the same place as Warriors all day so we aren’t injured… they have been having a lot of nightmares since the Yiga captured us, maybe they are more tired from that than they have been letting on?’

Red hummed, ‘Maybe.’

Retching interrupted their internal dialogue and drew their attention back outwards to where Time now had Wars hanging over a bowl. They couldn’t quite keep the grimace of their face but that didn’t matter.

“Four can you go and tell Muava we have fresh vomit if she still wants to see?”

Four nodded, closing the book and set it aside, noting the page number, and headed out of the building and heading towards the tent the others were in.

Opening the tent flap they interrupted Hyrule and Muava who looked at them.

“Healer Muava? Time said you wanted to see the vomit that we’d already discarded? There’s some fresh if you still want to see.” Four told her before ducking out.

Muava nodded and turned to Legend “Walk with me?” but Four was already turning away and going back to the inn, so they didn’t hear Legend’s reply. He’d probably go with her though. Muava was using her “scary healer voice” Four however was going back to the inn and fast. It was cooler in the inn and maybe they could eavesdrop a little.

Stepping inside, Time looked up but before he could ask Four said “She’s on her way, do you want a washcloth and some water to clean him up for when he’s done?”

Time looked at them gratefully “Yes, if you would please.”

Four wordlessly stepped into the hot spring room and grabbed one of the bowls and filled it, grabbing a few cloths off the shelf as they walked back into the short corridor, stepping back into the inn proper just as Muava did.

Muava stepped into the inn and looked around for where her patient, and Time, were. She found them in, and near, Kachoo’s bed. Wars half of it, hanging over a bowl, and Time was keeping the bowl steady under his face with one hand, the other one on Wars’ side to keep him on the bed. The one that got her just exiting the bath house with a bowl of warm water.

“How many times does this make?” Muava said as she moved over to help Time.

Time startled a little but answered after a quick look over his shoulder. “If my memory is correct this is the third time. The black goop is back too, thought you’d want to know. He’s having trouble bringing it up, the black seems to be firming up into small tar-like clumps instead of the watery liquid it was before.”

“You thought right, is the temperature strip holding?”

“Mostly, the extra sweating from this round is making it come a little loose at the edge but it is still displaying a temperature.”

She hummed and angled her head so she could see the strip, trying to ignore the sound and smell of Wars’ retching as she did. Four sat the bowl down nearby and retreated back to their chair and abandoned book knowing Time would ask if he needed more help now that Muava was here.

Muava tsk-ed at the strip now at 40.6 and started to turn her attention to the bowl. Wars gave one last retch and finally dislodged the clump in his throat, his eyes fluttering closed almost immediately as he’d spent the last of his newly obtained yet again dwindling energy to get that out.

“Heroines! Gently! On the bed!” Muava exclaimed even as she had to help Time catch him as he slumped heavily forwards, Time only just managing to yank the bowl farther away before Wars face planted into it, his one hand not enough to catch all of him, the bowl almost upending in her lap as they moved.

They got him situated again on his back before Muava checked his hips by straightening him out and seeing if his legs were still the same length. “Okay, still the same length.” she muttered even as she moved up. Time had moved the puke bowl a little way away and was gently washing Wars’ face from the splatter that had gotten on his face as well as the sweat from the extertion.

Muava continued her alignment check and her brows furrowed a little when Wars was so deeply unconscious he didn’t react at all.

“Does he pass out after puking every time so far?”

“Yes, it's starting to worry me. It’s as if getting whatever that goop out is taking everything he has.” Time said even as he rearranged one of Wars’ arms so it was in a more comfortable position.

“What was he trying to do before the puking started?” She asked Time as she moved to the second leg.

“I wish I knew, he was getting restless again and muttering something while trying to get up. I think for his sister?” Time sighed “He leaned on his hand and that's when it went wrong, I fear I was too rough with turning him but I was afraid he’d choke.”

Muava closed her eyes for a second before resolving herself “Well that settles it. He’ll have to be moved again it’s really not safe but I fear I was right.”

“Why isn’t it safe?” Four asked, startling the both of them as they had forgotten that they had curled up into the big chair.

“The less movement the better off his hips will be, but aside from that I’m sure someone told you of those strange new bugs?” at their nods she continued “They can get through all our defenses, even the magical ones, and even one sting will kill him. The inn has glass windows and wooden doors that reach the floor with a stone floor. It's the only building that has stayed clear of them in both of our settlements. Glass windows really aren't our norm in town because the wall helps keep the sand out, we have wooden shutters for when it’s not enough. The inn only has glass because it's more exposed. They even get inside the palace!”

Reigning her frustration back in she continued “Last night was supposed to be a blood moon, all the signs were there but it didn’t happen. The guards killed so many of those things I’m worried there will be a swarm of unseen size when it hits and if he’s this ill still and we can’t keep them all off of him he’ll still die. This room really is safest but if we can’t get him to stay down and calm he’ll cripple himself permanently.”

Now it was Time’s turn to sigh “And he’s only been truly calm when he could touch one or more of us, and hear all of us.”

“Yes, and while the tent your siblings are using has bug repellant runes and charms, the same as most of our houses and shops, those scorpion like pieces of Bakaavi waltz right on through like they aren’t there!” Muava’s hatred and annoyance at this fact really shone through. Time was a little surprised that the Gerudo word for shit hadn’t changed in all the millenia since his time. (#1)

Four hummed in thought before speaking, their eyes more towards purple than the usual gray, “So if we could add to or otherwise alter the runes and or charms to keep out the Arachna from Sky’s time too it would be safe to move Warriors back to the tent in that aspect? And being in the tent with the rest of us would help in your opinion?”

Muava looked at him before nodding “Moving him is still risky but if he keeps trying to get up and go anyway we might as well give him what he wants, which is apparently to, at the minimum, hear all of you near.” She sat back on her heels and stared at Wars as she thought for a few seconds “I’d rather not move him in a bridal again, it’s not good for his broken hips, but as the charms don’t keep those, Arachna you called them? out it is a moot point.”

Four nodded, and then they were putting their book away and marching out.

As Four headed towards the tent the colors started talking, all internally of course. No reason to look that kind of crazy.

‘So, nerd,’ Blue thought towards Vio, ‘Can you alter the rune?’

‘Depends on what you mean by alter and the rune as it currently is.’

Green nodded Four’s actual head accidentally, ‘What do, oh oops well what do you need’

‘I need to see and feel a rune that is currently working, and some paper. I’ll need to at least sketch the rune and the energy pathways at several angles at the least.’

Knowing what they needed to do Four entered the tent, grabbed some writing utensils and plopped down in the doorway where the rune was embroidered into the canvas before letting Vio front. The others continued the argument if they should make temporary transitional grips on Warriors’s sword as his hand healed or if they should prevent Warriors from gripping a sword at all as he was healing. They were definitely replacing the grip once he was done healing because the position of his fingers would change without a doubt. They’d been pulled too far out of joint to go 100% back to how they were. At this point they were just hoping he could grip enough with that hand to hold his gear. Maybe get him a lighter blade too, Wars’ blade was starting to get hard to maintain because it was so worn out. At least that’s what his increased under his breath cursing at it seemed to suggest.

Vio turned a glare on the rune in front of them, they needed to focus on the rune and get it to repel Arachna as well as normal bugs. They had three options really. Alter the current rune in a way that would require everyone to remove every current rune and apply the new one. Which would be very time consuming. The second option was trying to edit it so that they would only need to add a new line or two to the existing rune so they would then repel the Arachna too but that would be easy to mess up and most likely less effective over time. The last option would be to alter the nature of the rune as it currently was to also include banishing, or killing they weren’t picky and they doubted the Gerudo would care which, the Arachna but that would require them to carve the rune out somewhere and cast some very powerful magic.

They preferred the last option as there would be no need to change anything and everyone within range would then immediately be protected. Warding an area so no one could sense they were doing any magic was easy enough, or at least higher than you would expect from a rune creation. Yes, editing was the best option. Now to just get away from the others, ‘Green? Can you take us to the bathroom? I need to cast magic but I need a large area to work with.’

Green shifted forward, ‘Sure. Should I tell them you're going to try something with magic?’

‘No, better not to get hopes up until I fix it. I won’t be able to make it big enough to get the Bazaar and the town from here so if it works we’ll need to get into town to repeat it there.’

‘Alright,’ Green stood Four up and exited the tent, thankful no one in the tent had asked what they were doing. Making sure no one was watching, Four veered away from the pathway to the privy and went around a few nearby stacks of crates and other miscellaneous items and out of sight. And more importantly to the wall of stone that encased the bazaar on that side.

Vio slipped forward as the others shifted as far back as they could so Vio could access their magics as well as was possible when still merged.
Vio flicked out three quick spells before walking a circle around the area they would be working in, they set up a barrier so no one would be able to sense they were casting dark magic and hide the magic as much as possible.
As soon as the barrier was set, they stepped into the circle and started using their magic to shift the sand out of the way until they reached bedrock and then to carve the current rune into the bedrock. The pit was deep enough that any shifting sand wouldn’t alter it, nor would any person find it easily. Which was always important as you could never predict what a newly, accidentally, created rune would do. Nor what would happen if an idiot would alter it.

They frowned slightly at how fast the dark magic leapt to their call. Normally it was harder than this to use dark magic in their combined form, but maybe they were remembering wrong. It had been years since they last cast while merged. Or maybe they’d just grown as a mage making it easier? Setting the thought aside to look at later he focused on the magic he was doing.

Once the carving was done, they started going over the rune making sure everything was right as they waited for their first spell to work.
Hearing skittering claws over sand they smiled and beckoned the three bewitched Arachna forward. Sending one to the middle of the rune they pulled the blood out of the other two to add the blood to the current rune's core lines before throwing the remains out of the circle. They would fade soon enough.

Double checking everything was in place they walked over to the bewitched Arachna pulling out their ceremonial dagger from deep inside a warded sheath. Chanting out the words they need for the rune alteration they finished at the same time as they drove the dagger into the monster’s body. Blacking out as the rune lit up.

Chapter Text

Red peeked around the doorframe into the small bedroom that Warriors was still tucked away in. Warriors was still asleep after his last bout of vomiting and it seemed they had given Wind to Warriors to try and stop Warriors from trying to leave the bed, when he inevitably woke up a little. Time was just too big to fit. “Hi.”

Time looked over at him, “Four. Did you figure something out?”
Red nodded, Vio had but it was close enough, “Every rune in Kara Kara will keep out the Arachna now.”

“Every rune?” Muava asked, surprised.

Eyes drooping, Red nodded again, whatever Vio had done had worn all of them out, he was the only one left awake “We’ll have to do it again near Gerudo town to update those runes. Beyond that we can give you a copy of the improved rune to flip out in other places, and in the future.”

Muava nodded, “Good, let’s get him to the tent outside then. Very carefully now we do not want to jar his hips anymore than we have to.” She eyed Wars before turning to Time “Get a litter. Have one of the guards take one end and you take another. No more bridal carry for today!”

Yawning Red looked at where Warriors had pulled Wind into his side, it looked really warm and nice, “Can we cuddle with Warriors then? While that gets arranged? We’re tired.”

Time blinked, “And you want to cuddle?”

Red said a very bad word internally, he was the only Color that sought out cuddling. Blue enjoyed it but would never admit that, Green was okay with it, and Vio only cuddled to make others feel better. Even then they were more likely to just lean on someone or, like the cat Blue insisted Vio was, exist nearby to show they cared. Think! Why would they suddenly seek cuddles? “I, we in the,” Red vaguely waved in the direction of the Yiga camp they had been trapped in not wanting to say the word Yiga near Warriors, “Cuddling us,” well mostly Blue, “Seemed to help the most while we were in there and as we’re tired it would make sense to cuddle Warriors now to help him feel better. We won’t get bored if we’re sleeping.”

Wind grinned, “Seems like a brilliant idea to me!”

Time rolled his eye at Wind’s enthusiasm to escape Warriors’s clutches, he’d only been cuddling with Warriors for five minutes at most, and it’s not like Wars could properly octopus onto them because he could not turn himself on his side. “Lets get Warriors to the tent when the beds are done first, or some of the others in here because he’s calm right now and I don’t want to disturb him when he’s finally sleeping calmly, and then we will worry about who's cuddling Warriors.”

Red nodded leaning against the wall, he could probably stay awake that long, otherwise he’d poke Blue awake to finish getting them to the tent. They did need to fall asleep with Blue in front to best comfort Warriors.

Time left to go fetch someone to help him and to see about a litter, with Muava there he wasn’t needed to make sure a puke bowl got near Wars fast enough and she could handle cooling him too.

Just as Time tried to step outside Twilight tried to step inside and only Twilight hastily stepping backwards prevented a collision in the doorway.

“ What are you doing here!?” Muava snapped before either of them could say a word “I told you to rest”

Twilight looked sheepish and his hand came up to rub at his neck “The frames for our beds are finally done and made up with the mattresses and Benja wants to know if they need to add the feather mattress layer to the bed Wars will be on.”

“It needs to be supportive but I'd need to confer with your healer, Hyrule it was? To see if he can feel out how well the potion I fed him took. It can’t be too soft though! The most important thing is that we can arrange him so all the painful parts of his body have enough support but he can’t try to get up as easily as one normally would.” Muava mused out loud.

Twilight looked thoughtful as did Time, “So maybe just make it hard and leave the feather layer off, because he’s used to sleeping on the ground, and then prop everything up with pillows?” Time offered.

“Yes, that might be best. If he develops bed sores we can always add it then.” Muava agreed “I still want to talk to Hyrule though! He needs to show me how he does that magical analysation.”

Twilight gave her a salute and ducked back out, Time hot on his heels.
Muava turned to Wind and asked “You’re the one that can call my Link right?”

Wind just nodded at her.

“Good, call him for me and ask him to bring me the bag labeled as leg and hip break teaching tools. Something isn’t adding up about his hips and I want to check with Hyrule. Maybe the tools will help him explain how your sibling broke their hips and where. If they broke where I am now starting to think they did then moving isn’t as dangerous as it could be.”

“Aye aye ma’am!” and with that said a hand dug into his tunic before he lifted out a stone? That somehow activated before Wild’s voice came from it.

“Wind? Is everything alright at the bazaar?” he asked.

“As good as we can be! Muava wants you to grab a bag she said would be labeled as” here Wind turned to her “what was it again? Hip teaching?”

Muava had to laugh a little before she spoke “The bag that’s used when teaching about broken hips and legs. It should be at the school.”

“Got it, I’ll ask Ashai for it then and bring it over. Anything else?”

“Did you already get the bird meat?”

“Riju sent someone to go get us some while I was talking with my Zelda. If she can’t find any at the market she said she’d check for us at the icehouse.”

“Grab the high fever box from the store house too.” Muava added “I have the feeling we’ll need it. There should be more temperature strips in there too.”

A different voice came over the stone now “Did you have one with you? How are they holding up?”

“Zel! Can’t that wait!?” Wild could be heard.

“No! If they’re not sticking we need to know so we can fix it!”

Wind laughed interrupting their squabbling “Methinks the glue could be more against sweat. This one's already curling at the edges.”

“Muava? Do you have any more with you?”

“No, this is the only one I brought aside from the measurer we’ve always used.”

“I see. I’ll send another one with a different bonding agent over. Robbie, Purah, and I thought these would stick too harshly but the salt in the sweat might be affecting the bonding agent so it might be just right. Let me know how that one does, and don’t forget to check the readings with the old system! We’re 99% sure they won’t deviate but we still need to double check while in the testing phase.”

“As you command, princess.”

“Oh shush you! None of that princess business! The monarchy is dead and may it stay that way!”

A twitch of the arm Wind was lying on stole his attention and he levered himself up, “Muava, I think he’s waking up again.”

“Good, he wasn’t out too long then.” She said even as her attention too shifted onto Wars.

His eyelids were fluttering a little before they cracked open and his head turned to the side Wind was on before his arm tightened on him. Wars closed his eyes again and seemed to want to go back to sleep but Muava stopped him by pinching him.

“No you don’t, stay awake! You threw up all the fluid we managed to get into you so you need to drink.”

Wild’s voice from the stone interrupted them even as Wind levered himself up fully and maneuvered himself so Wars’ head and shoulders were on his legs.
“Do you need more nausea medicines?”

“Can’t hurt.” Muava said even as she opened up the canteen with just water and handed it to Wind to hold.

“^no, hurts.^” Wars murmured even as he tried to fight against being levered up. His weak flailing however didn’t deter Muava from raising him even more.

“Hang on.” Zelda’s voice came from the forgotten, but still active stone, “what did he say?”

“We don’t know, he’s slipped into gibberish.” Wind answered her even as Muava put Wars’ head on his shoulder.

“No I don’t think it is.” Zelda’s voice came again. “Let me try something. Warriors?”

“Hng” Wars groaned out, a questioning lilt to it.

“What did you just say? Can you repeat?”

Wind held the stone closer to Wars as Wars licked his lips and repeated himself. “^no, hurts^”

A delighted laugh came from the stone. “That’s not gibberish! His first language must not be Hylian! That’s a very old, and I mean old dialect of Labrynnian. Our great fairies still speak it, we saw it all the time at the castle that if a soldier got fever addled enough they’d revert back to the language they learned first! We had one who spoke some bastard version of Rito because he’d been fostered by Rito’s until he was 8.”

Wild’s voice came next even as Muava poured some water into Wars’ mouth who swallowed but grimaced immediately after. “That’s great and all, but what did it mean!?”

“Oh, oops. Sorry I got distracted. ^no^ is a negative and ^hurts^ means, well I think the closest is pain.”

Muava cursed even as she pulled the bottle away.

“Wars.” Muava called his attention, gratified when his eyes sluggedly turned their attention on her, she took his good hand and said “same as before, what hurts? Swallowing?”

His hand remained limp in hers. “^n^”

Muava nodded, secretly glad she wouldn’t have to see if touching his neck would trigger him, and moved her other hand to his torso and slowly moved it down, pressing down carefully as she went. “Squeeze when I hit the spot.”

When she reached his lower abdomen he grunted and squeezed her hand. He had to swallow repeatedly but still threw himself to the side and heaved again, his entire frame shaking from the effort. Wind only just managed to help him so he didn’t jostle too badly.

Riju’s voice came over the stone next “We’ll send a wider assortment of pain medicines too.”

Muava’s eyes narrowed. “What in the heroine's name?” she mumbled even as she pulled him back on his back and felt around his stomach and abdomen again, shushing him as she did.

“Lady Riju. Did any of the Yiga get captured?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Could you find out if they fed him something? He keeps bringing up what looks like half digested blood but I want to be sure it’s just that.”

“We’ll find out.”

“Is it hurting him?” Wind asked, voice small.

“I don’t know. It could just be that his abdomen hurts because of the trauma Hyrule healed. Let’s just avoid anything with milk for now. Pure fruit juice only. He needs the nutrients from milk for his bones but if he can’t keep it down it won’t help.”

“Understood. I’ll get some fruit and fruit juice over too. I think I have enough apples in the slate that we can make some apple juice for him. Wild out.” and with that the slate disconnected from Wind’s stone making it stop glowing.

Wind looked her over even as Wars turned his head so he was panting into his neck, seeming to seek something from him.

“You suspect something.” he accused.

“Pray I'm wrong.” Muava said even as she coaxed Wars out of Wind’s neck and offered Wars a small, single dose, bottle from her bag.

“Try and drink. This is a different painkiller that should help you keep something down.”

Wars groaned but obediently raised his hand to grab the bottle. Muava let him control the speed it tipped with but held it up herself.

“What did he get before then?” Wind asked curiously.

“One for bone pain, and one for” she hesitated “well, one that won’t help for stomach and bowel pains. Let’s keep it at that. This one should help with that and not interfere with the others.”

Wind looked at Wars again, his eyes drifting over his brother’s form, hot against his chest, panting as if something was in his lungs, one hand and both legs splinted, bandages peeking out from under the collar of his shirt where his entire, scarily thin, torso was covered in them from where his back had been flayed open, and letting out involuntary grunts whenever he accidentally or not moved anything, but more importantly, he looked at what only he could see. He looked at how Wars’ legs weren’t quite attached to his spirit anymore, his physical legs a centimeter to the left from the knee down than his spirit legs and how his one arm was completely loose from his spirit. His physical arm was resting limply next to him, his spirit arm though, that was pressed against his lower abdomen like one would when it hurt. He knew that when he fully detached he’d die and become a ghost.

Muava ruffling his hair broke his concentration and he looked at her startled.

“Now don’t you worry, we’ll get your brother back on his feet. I haven’t lost a patient in years and I'm not starting now!” Muava told him with a grin.

Wind let out a startled laugh “Hasn’t Wild been your only patient in years?”

Muava held a finger to her lips and said with a wink “That’ll just be our little secret then.”

A thump and a mumbled “wha” broke the moment and they looked over to the doorway where Four was just pushing himself off the floor, rubbing at their nose as they did.

“Dude, did you just… fall asleep while standing up!?” Wind questioned in disbelief.

A huge yawn was his only answer before Muava huffed in amusement and stood, three quick steps and she was beside Four who she just picked up and tucked in the bed with Wars, a few more sips of water for Wars and then he too was lowered down to lie back flat. Four, already more than half asleep again, just burrowed in his side even as Muava started helping Wind to the chair. Three people was too much for that bed even if two of them weren’t quite done growing.

Wind laughed a bit at the cute picture the two of them made before he pulled out his current keep the hands busy project, which was a crochet hook and soft fleece wool for a new stump sock. They’d gotten so expensive he was experimenting with making his own.

Muava looked at what he was doing before she pulled the rag out of the water basin and started another round of cooling on Wars. A companionable silence came over the room, only broken by the sounds of them moving and breathing.

Four shivered every now and again in their sleep but Wars slept nice and calmly with his good arm pulled around Four and his face turned towards them.

A while passed in this companionable silence, none of them really paying attention to the time before Time came back in armed with a real litter.

“Link arrived yet with the teaching tools?” Muava asked him even as she vacated his chair so he could take the cooling duty from her so she could get some other things done.

“Yes, he’s at the tent right now to drop off the portable juicer someone in town loaned him so that some of the others can start juicing the fruits in the slate. Legend said he knows that model so he’s spearheading that effort. He said we should have some apple juice in about half an hour if the press isn’t temperamental.”

Muava nodded and started for the door “I’ll go over to the tent then, Hyrule can show me there just as easily as here. Try and cool him down a little more but we’ll feed him some fever reducer as soon as I've got it brewed up and cooled down. We’ll move him to the tent the next time he starts fussing” She told Time as she left.

Stepping outside she stretched her spine out and let out a satisfied groan when it cracked. Ripp waved at her from the other side of the water and she returned it before turning and going towards the tent.

Chapter Text

Stepping inside Muava was glad to see two walls of the tent now boasted a total of 8 beds, with a bigger one obviously meant for Wars with one or two of the smaller others. A third wall, the one with the flap boasted two tables, one to each side of the flap. One was bogged down under a lot of bags with shields haphazardly stuffed underneath. The last wall now featured some hooks, from which swords were hanging by their straps, and armor mannequins. The armor mannequins were either in the process of getting filled with a Link’s chainmail or were already boasting a set of armor. She was glad to see one bearing the gold and bronze coloured set of the one they called Twilight. The wolf pelt draped over the back.

Looking around she saw Legend at the other table with a pile of apples, a few bottles, and the press someone in town loaned them. There was a bag with more apples near his feet. He was showing Hyrule how to work it. Wild was near one of the beds pulling the blankets and bedding out of the slate that hadn’t already been pulled out while Sky, who had returned from his shopping, was whisking it away and making beds with it. Twilight was softly snoring on a different bed, arm thrown over his eyes. He’d fallen asleep fast but a nap would keep him nicely in place while he cooled down.

Wild finished pulling out the blankets and started pulling out coconuts and some other fruits that would keep in the heat for a little for Legend to juice after the apples. Muava stepped up to him and Wild glanced at her before pulling out two bags for her.

“Ashai gave me the full skeleton to bring. Said if you found someone to tutor it would only be a matter of time before other bones would be needed. She gave me the battered set in case anything happened.” Wild gently sat them down. “Do not tell any of us if these are real and not monster. I don’t want to know and the others are even more squeamish about this sorta thing.”

Muava laughed and looked into the bags, offhandedly saying “It’s just Gibdo and Bokoblin, some are just molded plaster. No Hylian or Gerudo.” Ashai had packed them up carefully she could tell. Quickly and expertly she had a set of hip bones put together to the spine and ribcage and the femurs. Clever wires and metal parts let her connect the bones together as they would be inside of a living person.

Then she withdrew a pencil-like item from the bag, the tip was a bit weird and it had an odd odour to it but she placed it beside the partial skeleton so Wild figured it was part of the instruction set.

Wild moved over a bit as he withdrew yet another bag from his slate, this one was carefully placed on the foot end of the big bed betraying its contents to be the requested medicines before he said “I’m heading back to town for a bit more, Zelda wasn’t quite done doing her friendly interrogation but I wanted to get these here first so let me know if anything else is needed.”

“Any poultry yet?” Muava asked him before he could make himself scarce again.

“Not yet, there wasn’t any in town so we contacted the Rito slate. They send some hunters out to catch some wild fowl for us. I can go and pick it up near supper time. Teba promised they’d have at least one bird for us then.”

“Good, the white pigeons from Hebra have a good quality of meat. Those will do nicely.”

Wild nodded “Yunobo from the Gorons promised to look into if they could catch a few Eldin Ostrich for us too. He wasn’t too sure on those but apparently the West flank of the mountain has a bit of overpopulation going on but since they don’t eat meat they were wondering what to do with it after they killed them and they didn’t want to kill them before they knew...”

“If there was any way to get that meat over here that didn’t involve your teleportation, Gerudo would welcome it, but I'm afraid it will spoil before getting here.” Muava said consideringly. The Gerudo could always use more of everything. Desert life was harsh.

“I’ll tell Zelda, she thinks she can have the other slates teleport functions active too if she can study the code in mine.” Wild assured her “We can’t do all of the trade through the teleport system but some of it should be fine without putting the merchants out of work.”

“That would be great, now shoo. I have a healer to instruct and a lesson of my own to learn.”

Wild laughed before he jokingly said “Aye aye ma’am!” before leaving back to town.

Hyrule wandered over leaving Legend to continue juicing the apples.

“Ah, Hyrule, good you noticed. These are the teaching tools I spoke of earlier. Do you think you could point out where exactly Wars’ pelvis broke? And mark with the marker how thick the breaks are?”

“I can try, though I’ve never seen the bones of a pelvis. My magic works more intuitively than visually, and I've mostly used my magic on myself before meeting the others. And none of them, before this, broke their hips.”

“Understandable, most healers who have the magic you do have that problem.” Muava assured him even as Hyrule turned to the bones ‘definitely a Fae this one’ she thought to herself. In truth she’d only had that problem once before, nearly 50 years ago when Tera’s latest son had ventured from his mother’s spring. He, like most other sons, hadn’t lived long compared to a Gerudo after leaving the spring but oh the lives he’d saved while he did. The daughters lived a bit longer because their bodies were made for having children. Neither lived the 80 years of a Gerudo simply because they strayed too far. A fairy’s innate curiosity just not compatible with a Hylian shaped body.

They’d venture too deep, find something they couldn’t fight off and die. Or get pregnant and not survive the birth. All the races made sure to bring the babies to the great mothers. It wasn’t always easy but the great mothers had started moving their flower buds closer to towns or settlements now that Ganon’s malice was out of the air and it wasn’t so terribly taxing to move. Link’s gifts of large sums of rupees only helping them to be able to move.

Hyrule frowned in concentration at the bones before he shook his head and strode over to Legend. Pulling at him to turn a little his hands lit up in a familiar glow even as Legend protested at the manhandling.

Muava had to stifle a grin at the protesting and startled flailing before Legend caught his balance and saw who’d yanked on his hips. He’d been focused on a bit of apple that had gotten stuck in the press and hadn’t noticed Hyrule’s approach as something to be wary off.

Hyrule frowned before he adjusted the both of them a little before nodding to himself and with a distracted “thanks” he was going back to where Muava and the skeleton where. Legend for his part just looked confused before he with a head shake went back to the press.

“I’m not quite totally sure on the how” Hyrule started, picking up the marker and using it to mark multiple lines off, some thicker than the others, before trailing off but at Muava’s encouraging nod and smile he continued “but I’m quite sure Wars’ hips broke here” he pointed to the upper part of the hipbones where a half circle sat on each side of the spine at the top of the bone that now held multiple lines that started at the same point and spiderwebbed inwards in thin lines. “Almost like someone had him like this” he pulled at the skeleton a little so he was in between the thighs and had his hands above the hip bones, above the arches and the point where all the lines started. “And then when he tried to get away they squeezed too hard somehow and it just… broke.” He shrugged a bit helplessly.

“His femur on this side broke here, and the other one here and here.” Hyrule added marking a halfway point on the left femur and 2 other points on the right, dividing that one in 3 roughly equal bits. “His thin bone in the lower leg broke on the right one too. I managed to fuse them somewhat together but his…” he trailed off realizing he couldn’t really say. “Well his bleeding bits were more important.” he finished timidly returning his hands to where the hips broke.

Muava peered over his shoulder at where he had his hands and sighed in relief. “Oh thank the heroines. They damaged his iliac crest and ilium. Not the ischium or broke the head of his femur off.” she looked a bit more and then added “it’s more likely he was on his stomach and they pressed too hard down though, but the how doesn’t really matter. The important part is that they broke the ilium and iliac crest!”

“And what does that mean?” Legend's perplexed voice asked what Hyrule was also dying to know.

Muava smiled “It means we can move him and he won’t cripple himself with all his squirming and that I won’t have to cut him open to repair his hip!” she turned more fully to them “We can also let him turn on his side like he’s been trying to do. If we splint his legs with good sturdy splints it won’t harm them either. Lying on his stomach would be less painful on his broken hips too but that’s not preferable for his legs. It does make keeping an eye on his back a lot less complex.”

Now her smile was mirrored on Legend’s and Hyrule’s face. She turned to Hyrule and took him by the shoulders “Now you listen and listen well.” she made sure she had his attention “You did perfectly. Bleeding always comes first in triage. Closed breaks hurt like Demise, but the worst that’ll happen is a limp. Bleeds are much more dangerous.”

“I’ll go tell Time the good news then while I bring some of the apple juice over shall I?” Sky’s pleased voice startled them a little as he spoke up. He’d finished making the last bed while they were preoccupied with the bones and now stood from where he’d finished putting a light cover over Twilight. They all slept better with a blanket, even a super thin one. Somehow it just sparked that feel of safety when they had one.

“Yes please do, Time and someone else can carry him over in the litter whenever they want. I’m just going to sit for a bit. I’m not as young as I once was.” Muava said with a self-deprecating smile.

“But still lovely.” Sky told her as he gave her a glass of apple juice before taking two bottles with him to Time and Wars.

Muava just laughed “Don’t forget your mask you flirt!”

“He’s right though.” Hyrule said cheekily before he and Legend returned to the press to start pressing the other fruits into juice.

She blushed a bit before busying herself with the bag of extra medicines Wild had brought for her. Emptying it and sorting out the bottles and such so it was easier to quickly grab the right bottle of salve or painkiller.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

Sky stepped into the inn and with a nod to Kachoo ducked into the sideroom where Wars was with Four asleep half on him and Time dozing in the chair. Wind was still calmly sitting and working on his stump sock where Muava had put him.

He couldn’t help but smile even as Time tried to wake up a little more.

“Hyrule showed Muava how Wars’ hips broke. It’s very good news.”

“Oh?”

“We’re not hurting him with moving him this much, well beyond the "ow, I broke something" pain but not in "the bones are going to shift and cripple me for life" way.”

“Oh thank Malanya.” Time breathed out, sagging back into the chair. Malanya was one of Wild’s deities but Time was a fan of his, a god dedicated to protecting horses? Yes please.

“Yep” Sky brightly said, “Now here. Drink. I can already tell you’ve been so busy pouring fluids down Wars’ throat that you’re forgetting yourself.”

“Him first.”

“Time. Sit your ass down and drink. I have him.”

“... Mind his right leg, but the left side of his hip is more painful than the right.” Time decided to save the fight for if Wars needed a full bath again.

Sky just nodded before he gave one bottle to Time and gently sat down on the bed so he could pull Wars up for the little bit needed so he could comfortably swallow.

Wars however did not agree and tightened his hold on Four, sinking himself down farther on the bed.

Sky looked at Time who was obediently drinking his apple juice, after swallowing Time said “Yeah he does that. Only way is to be mean and sit both of them up. Wind at least was awake to help shift his weight up.”

Sky hummed in thought before he moved and carefully pulled Wars a bit higher so his shoulders were braced against Sky’s legs and Sky could tip his head up a bit.

Wars groaned in complaint but blinked his eyes open anyway. Sky just held up the bottle so he could see and said “Sorry not sorry, you’ve got to drink at least a little of this. I know you don’t want to but trust me on this, puking with nothing in your stomach is even worse.”

Wars grimaced at that but let Sky lever him up more and leaned against Sky’s shoulder and made a valiant attempt to get more down than the three sips he’d managed for Muava. He managed half the bottle before Sky took the bottle away, Wars was turning a bit green around the mouth even as he tried to get more down, and gently lowered him again.

Wars gratefully slumped back into the bedding and curled around Four as best he could with all of his pains.

“Just sleep, we have you.” Sky told him before tucking the sheet around Wars.

Wars muttered something in Four’s hair even as he slipped into sleep.

Time sighed before finishing off his bottle. “Stay here while I rinse the puke bowl please? That will be coming up within the quarter hour.”

Sky looked worried “That fast?”

Time stood, bowl in hand and shook his head “More like 15 if we’re lucky, 5 if that if I'm being realistic. His entire abdominal area is one big ache and pain. There’s still blood coming up too.”

Sky grimaced and started stroking Wars’ hair. Time just hurried to clean the bowl so when he had to shove it under Wars’ mouth the contents wouldn’t set him off if it was a false alarm. This time the juice stayed down though and they even managed to get the other half down with his next dose of painkillers. Sky kept petting his hair and letting Wars rest on him.

Later Wild came into the tent and gave them what he called a late lunch making Sky realize they’d had their day start so early, and with so little sleep the night before, that it felt much later than it was. When Sky asked Wild what time it was he told Sky that it was just past 2 pm. They bullied Time into some more self care with a little assistance of Muava, and then Wild handed Sky a wrap and a stern “eat.” Wild wasn’t letting any of them get away with not eating. He had to leave again soon but not before he made sure everyone ate.

Muava came in a few times during the afternoon to administer more medicines but mostly stayed in the tent mixing and brewing with Hyrule who she was teaching a large range of recipes.

Wars continued to keep getting worse despite their very frequent application of cooling packs and fever reducers and Muava decreed that unless he started fussing for the others again he’d be staying right there. Infection had really set in in his back despite their efforts, the plus side to the elixir and the salves not having worked being that the infection wasn’t trapped under his skin, and one of his wrists had started to look suspicious too. They’d gently turned him to lie more on his side and abdomen so they could reach and clean the, faintly purple, pus off his back. They’d unwrapped his back and were periodically removing the scabbing so the puss could drain. They’d tried sowing in one of the drains the Gerudo typically used in cases like this but Wars’ already inflamed skin had turned the inflammation up to 20 so Muava had been forced to take it back out, muttering something about intolerances. Four was still being used as a teddy bear and fast asleep. Both Wind and Wild had snapped a few pictures. Not for something as silly as black mail of course!

“Wars, please. Stay down.” Time tiredly told Wars around dinner time as he tried to keep him down on the bed. All this fighting with Wars to keep him in bed accomplished nothing but dwindle Wars’ energy stores, which were already non-existed to dangerously low from fighting the infection and trying to repair his bones. Sure they could pin him down or tie him down but that would only panic him, and that wouldn’t help either.

Wars didn’t listen and tried to get up again “^no, gotta go^”

“Wars!”

“^no^”

“Uhh Time? When was the last time he ahhh” Wind hesitated before deciding on a way of saying it “emptied his bladder? He’s really insistent this time, and he has a cuddle buddy.”

Time blinked, that was not something he’d considered.

“Is that the problem, you have to piss?” Time asked Wars.

Wars just grunted in an affirming way even as he tried getting up again.

“All right, all right. Up you get. We’re going.” He told Wars and immediately Wars stopped fighting him and working with him. Time lifted him up carefully with only a small groan and went for the toilet door. Kachoo saw him going from her spot at the counter and opened the door for him once he was past it so it blocked the hallway and he could lower Wars down.

Time lowered Wars legs, pulled his pants down, sat him down and then turned around so his blind side faced Wars. It was bad enough he had to hear it without also seeing.

A little bit later the toilet business was done and Time hoisted Wars back up. Wars reached out his one hand to close the door, closed it most of the way and then dropped his head on Time’s shoulder and closed his eyes, and from there it was smooth sailing.

“I’m going to put him to bed in the tent, save ourselves a transfer.” Time told Sky and Wind, Four still asleep. “That way we can change Kachoo’s bed for her and she can sleep in her own bed tonight.”

“Sounds good, I'll bring sleeping beauty here over.” Sky said, pointing at Four. “If he’s asleep he won’t notice we’re still using him as a pacifier.”

Wind snorted a little at Four being called a pacifier but he, like Time, couldn’t deny it. Kachoo didn’t agree though “You just worry about your sibling and let me worry about the dirty sheets. You have enough on your plate as is!” she lightly scolded them. Getting nods from the chain members that were there to hear it.

Sky opened the door for Time to go ahead and then left it open so he could follow with Four. Four promptly got picked up and slung on his hip, only murmuring a little in protest before he started snoring into Sky’s shoulder

Wind got his crutches from where they were still beside the chair and followed Sky out carefully.

Sky kept pace with him, not that he could do much while carrying Four with one arm but if he could catch Wind if he slipped then maybe they could keep his stump out of the sand.

When they entered the tent Time was just starting to lower Wars down onto the big bed.

Wars for his part just said something that sounded like “Lotte”

“Yes, yes. Lotte is right behind us, now get comfortable and we’ll give Lotte back.” Time said exasperated.

Legend for his part just rolled his eyes, muttered “He better not start this shit with me” and left Hyrule to man the press while he helped prop Wars up, Muava helping to straighten him out even as Time lowered him. Muava taking one leg and Legend the other so they straightened out right and Time only had to pay attention to his mangled hand and back. Twilight was sitting on a bed opposite the big one fiddling with some leather bits. When they had Wars settled right so his legs were propped and cushioned so they couldn’t be easily bumped, and his back was accessible to keep cleaning off the puss and scabs, Muava nodded Sky forwards to put Four down.

Four wiggled free from Sky’s grip and, with barely parted, slightly purple eyes, went through the people on the way to get to Wars. They were not waiting for Sky to take the long way around. Physically pushing Legend and Muava to the side a bit as they slipped between them until they could slide quickly into the bed with Wars. Once in the bed they pushed themselves as close to Wars’ stomach as they physically could be. Wars helping pull him closer. Once they were exactly where they wanted to be they both fell asleep.

“Well, seems like they were both insistent.” Time drily said in the silence that followed Four’s uncharacteristic stunt. Wind just snorted and carefully went to the next bed over.

“Saves us some fighting with him, even with broken bones he’s harder to corral than a mad remlit when he’s awake. Well awake-ish more like.” Sky drily said even as he went to one of the other beds. “Now I'm gonna take a nap before supper. I am so tired it's making me nauseous.”

Wind and Time snickered at the comparison though Wind added “Nah, jus when he’s burning up with fever, and I don’t remember it being this bad.”

“It wasn’t, whoever that Lottie and Nja are are very important to him.” Time threw his rupee in.

“And slight of stature.” Legend threw in from where he was at the press. “At least compared to him.”

Muffled laughter ran through the tent, their heights, and the average in each of their era’s varied wildly but it would never not be funny how short or oversized some of them were in the different era’s.

Four and Wind’s heights meant that their view was more often than not just a sea of abdomens and hips when in other eras. Compared to the exceptionally tall Gerudo of Wild’s time they were positively tiny. Their eras having, compared to the others, very small people. Wars and Time had to mind their heads in Four’s house and usually just slept in the tent outside instead of bothering. Twilight just changed into Wolfie and slept next to the hearth.

Sky grinned as he laid down fully, having pulled off his boots and wiped any sand from his feet, “Well either way we have teddy bears for him, and I don’t mind holding him either. If feeling one of us close keeps his sleep calm and restful then that is a small sacrifice to make in my opinion.”

“Agreed” Time said before taking up his post at Wars’ back again and wiping more filth away.

Legend just hummed in thought even as he rejoined Hyrule at the fruit press. ‘Wonder how he knows it's us though, he stiffens up a little every time Muava touches him, at least the times I saw. Tries to curl on top of Four or Wind too.’

They finished with the last of the fruits soon enough and headed to the inn to store the bottles in the cool cellar there until Wild came back again. It took Legend, Hyrule, and Twilight two trips to move the sheer amount of bottles. The bag Wild had left with apples had turned out to be space enchanted and quite a bit bigger than Legend had expected to be used for apples of all things. Though considering Wars was still keeping the apple juice down that might be a good thing. Plain water wasn’t working, and held no nutritional value, and the milk juices also didn’t stay down.

They’d try some coconut water later, that was very good for hydrating and if he could keep it down all the better.

Sometime later Four sat up, surprised that they were awake again already, usually Vio was knocked out for hours after a casting like that, but oddly Vio was also awake and seemed completely normal and not like they were suffering from using magic in their merged form. It was kind of strange. Or at least, they tried to sit up. There was an arm over their waist and a body at their front.

Blinking they looked at the arm on their waist and followed it up to the shoulder. Wars… oh right! They’d volunteered to be his teddy bear while they slept. Now they really needed up though. They had to pee.

“Everything alright Four?” Time’s voice came from Wars’ other side.

“I have to go to the toilet but Wars is gripping me kinda tight.”

“Well we can’t have that.” Time said before he stood up.

Four meanwhile tried again to get up and out from under Wars’ arm but he just tightened his arm and muttered something.

“Wars. Come on, I gotta go.” Four said, just a slight whine leaking in.

Wars just made a weird noise and moved to curl tighter around him but stopped with a pained hiss when he put pressure on his hand and pulled on a wound on his back.

“No, don’t do that. Just let me up.” Four admonished him.

“^No, Lotte stay. Keep safe.^”

“Wars, hey look at me” Time said, once Wars had managed to look vaguely in his direction he asked “Who’s Lotte?” hoping to get a little more info on who exactly Wars thought he had in his arms.

“^Daughter^” Wars slurred out, causing Time to choke on his own saliva a bit, that was a word used in his own time in the border towns. Four just furrowed their brow. What did ‘Dottir’ mean?

Legend, who overheard, joined Time in choking on his spit. Hyrule hitting his back while Twi did the same for Time.

“Okay so who exactly is Wars thinking he has if he’s having you two choke on nothing?” Twi demanded.

“No, get me loose first!” Four interjected.

Time coughed one last time before he addressed Wars again “Thats good, Wars, Just one tiny problem with that. Lotte has to go use the bathroom and can’t with you hanging on.”

Now it was Wars who furrowed their brow, looking between Four and Time. Before they could hurry him along he very reluctantly let go. Four immediately made his escape and all but ran out of the tent.

“Now will one of ya answer?!” Twi demanded again.

Legend just started laughing so hard he had to sit down. Time made his stern face and looked everyone in the eye before saying “No-one tell the smithy. Or let on to Wars that we know. Wars is convinced Four is his daughter”

Wild came in just in time to hear that and had to laugh, “So you figured out who that Lotte is he’s been babbling about when he’s in bed alone?”

Time just sighed in response. It really was a toss up whether Four would be offended or flattered. This Lotte or Lottie couldn’t be 10 as that was how long it had been since the war of ages for Wars, and he had not been pregnant then. Or spoken of a daughter that he was the father of.

Wild sniggered a bit more before he said “Well either way, wake sleepyhead over there up. I come bearing dinner, and poultry broth!” and then with a blue swirl a bottle of broth appeared in his hand.

“Which one?” Twilight teasingly asked even as he went to shake Sky awake.

Sky snorted as he jolted awake at Twilights shake and looked around blearily. Twilight didn’t leave him wondering for long “Dinner. c’mon.” and pulled Sky up.

Time sat down on Wars’ bed and pulled Wars up against him, Wars’ head resting on his shoulder and his side against Time’s chest, ignoring his protesting, grimacing only a little at the stickiness now on his own shirt and sleeve from where he had an arm against Wars’ back before he took the bottle Wild held out for him.

“Yeah yeah I know. Being upright sucks balls.” Time drily told him “And that's the part where I tell your army mouth ‘language’ now drink. The sooner you do the sooner I'm letting you flat again,your back is still oozing too much filth for you to not drink.”

“What the hell old man!?” Legend spluttered.

Time’s absentminded “Language” aimed at the vet just upped the disbelief. Time however was distracted helping Wars get the broth in his mouth. His balance was off so he kept going just a little to the left of his mouth or losing his grip.

Wild just shook his head and took out dinner for the others, setting some aside for Time.

Soon enough everyone was eating and joking around, sure Wars was sick but he’d heal. They were all too stubborn for any other outcome.
Time ended up eating with Wars curled up against his chest. Sure it made eating a little awkward but he didn’t care. If Wars wanted a cuddle he was getting it.