Hmm...Yes, I'm posting something else up! Another one shot, of all things! -grins- This, actually, was a really long one-on-one roleplay I was in nearly half a year ago. I saved it onto my computer, and found it the other day. And, all of a sudden, whileI was reading it, I thought, "Hey, this would be a perfect oneshot! I should post it up!" So...-scratches head- Read and Review, I suppose. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Legend of Zelda other than the games. Oh, and Sona(who appears in this) is totally my property. Back off!XD

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Twenty Years After

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Twenty years. It had been two decades since the lies of a life he had once lived were handed back to him as shards in return for the Ocarina the day he and Princess Zelda parted ways. How sick and careless was she to think that after such pain and toil he could simply return to the forest where the Kokiri children played in the merry ignorance to the harsh reality of the world around them? Such fruitless hopes had only brought him to loathe her. Whether it was out of a bitter determination or a hateful apathy towards everything else was something he did not care to dwell on, but nevertheless as a young man he wanted to make something of himself. Something more than an invisible savior to a land that would never know him; never know his deeds, his sacrifice for them all. Playing the role of hero was not something he was ever planned to aspire to, nor did he want to in the end. But, it was twenty years later, when this man was nearing the prime of his life, did he finally reach an admirable status in the Hyrulian society that was dominated by lords and kings, bishops and knights. After many years of work, Link had earned himself the title of Lord over a large estate and one of the many fiefdoms of Hyrule. A keep he had, and stables, and gardens, and orchards, and towns. People. The lives of hundreds rested in the palm of his hand; he was their hero, and he received the people’s praise with grace. Not for restoring the Sages’ power in the world and exiling evil in the Sacred Realm, no; but for being a just and moral influence in their everyday lives.

Link paced in his grand chamber, a weathered hand weaving though a head of dirty-blond hair compulsively as his slate-blue eyes were fixed on the mason work that was the floor. Tomorrow was his thirtieth birthday celebration, and people from every corner of the kingdom would be attending (though not even half were invited). He found it so strange, and slightly irritating even, that many people he met found his personality so brazenly attractive. He had become quite the introvert over the years, save for the monarchy’s politics. But, these thoughts were interrupted as a quick and timid knock sounded through the heavy wooden door, and the familiar voice of a servant beat on the oak.

“Your first guest has arrive, my Lord, if you wish to come and greet them.”

Link was a little more than anxious about a guest arriving early to festivities hat had not even started. He would be a hospitable host however, and show them to spare guestrooms, which were plenty in his home. The lord fastened a brooch at his next and opened the door, side-stepping the servant, not bothering to ask him to lead the way downstairs to the foyer and entrance hall. Link glanced at himself as he hurried past a mirror in the stairwell; he thought he looked the part of a Lord: a monochromatic scheme it was, though fitting for a certain memories of the past. A familiar symbol of three triangles wreathed in olive branches was embroidered on the chest, and a plain band of silver he wore as a circlet.

A single heavy footstep sounded about the foyer as his decent down the stairwell ended. He looked about him. Cooks, servants, maids, all bustling about in preparation for the grand celebration. He sighed to himself, wondering how many zeroes his advisors had given to the budget for this thing.

“Havan, where is the guest?” Link asked his servant as his eyes did not fall on any idle figure in the hall. He headed fort he double doors. “Please don’t tell me you’ve left them outsi--” He stopped short of himself as he looked down on a woman, whose horse was being taken around back by a stable hand.

Something about her struck a chord in him, and suddenly he was aware of her familiarity.

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She sighed inwardly, as she straightened out the skirts of her light blue gown, her delicate, long gloved fingers twitching slightly. She closed her blue and amber eyes briefly, brushing a strand of her long red and silver hair that had escaped the elegant bun she had it in behind her long, slender pointed ears. Despite the fact that her husband had fallen ill, unable to attend, and has asked her directly not to go by herself, she’d went anyways. The fact that she needed to confirm something for herself, and the fact that he’d made comments on how traveling alone was unsafe for a woman (she very nearly strangled him for this), only made her leave sooner. She didn’t really care what her husband, King Cyrus of the foreign land of Calatia, had to say on matters concerning her past such as this.

She had wanted to go alone, as it was. She could take perfect care of herself, queen or not. It seemed that everyone she knew always forgot that she was half Sheikah, half Gerudo, and fully trained as both. She was sure it had something to do with the fact that her lean, lithe figure she’d had since she was a youth was always covered up by long, flowing gowns constantly.

She smiled wryly as she approached Lord Link’s residence, riding sidesaddle on a rowan-colored mare, looking the perfect example of what people expected of a queen (minus the hundred servants and the elaborate carriage). Lord Link. She shook her head in a cross of amusement and disbelief. She would have never guessed that she’d one day be calling him that, the boy she’d once been close friends with. Funny how things worked out like that.

Dismounting from her hose, Queen Sona Kilna of Calatia stood straight, banishing a small strand of nervousness from her mind, hoping she hadn’t come too early. Handing off the reigns of her horse -softly telling the mare to behave herself while they were here- to a stable hand, she carefully lifted her skirts slightly, so that her gown wouldn’t drag on the ground as she strode gracefully towards the entrance of the lord’s resident. Cursing quietly as she stumbled, Sona quickly regained her balance, cheeks flushing red.

‘Real graceful, moron,’ a small voice in her head said, ‘Reeeeaaaaaal graceful.’

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His aqueous eyes softened as he saw her walked up the path in the shade of towering Oak and Birch trees. “I know you…” he uttered to himself, aware that she couldn’t possibly have heard. He stepped out, sunlit patterns thrown across his figure as the golden rays fell through the foliage above him. Noticing Link stepping out of the large double doors, Sona smiled again.

‘Hasn’t changed too much…’ she thought, reaching him. “Good day, Lord Link,” she said, dropping a graceful curtsy by habit. “I am Queen Kilna, of the land of Calatia. I do hope I did not arrive too early.” Link blinked, a series of brief, vague memories playing themselves out in his mind. For a very long time, he seemed to be at a loss of words. After a moment, he regained his composure and held a hand to her, a simple gesture of invitation.

“The food is rich and the merriment soon to start here, milady,” he said, unable for the very life of him, to remember her name…Link glanced at the path behind her, and upon seeing a carriage kick up dust in the distance, ushered two servants outside to take care of the next arrivals. “And make haste,” he hissed to them as they went to wait at the edge of the trees.

Sona, still smiling gently, accepted his out head hand. “I’m glad I did not arrive too early, then. Lord Link, might I ask a question?” He paused slightly. “Do you…not remember me?” He was nearly turned around, but stopped as the question was caught in the cusp of an acutely pointed ear.

Link sighed heavily, and a pair of broad shoulders drooped. “I do,” he said quietly, and let go of her hand. Blinking in mild surprise, Sona allowed her hand to fall back to her side, raising her eyebrows, noticing the change in Link’s mood.

“You…do? I thought…you’d have forgotten me like everyone else…” she said softly. He nervously looked at the carriage behind her as the two servants helped out its passengers. Another regal couple with a child. Joy.

“Pray we take this inside?” he asked. “I don’t want to discuss this on the threshold of my home…” As Sona nodded in consent, he stepped inside, his eyes adjusting to the light as the sunshine was left outside.

“Of course…” she replied, following behind, having to blink a few times before her eyes adjusted to the change in light. Link pulled her over to the side near a tapestry, and looked at her long and hard, as if the longer he gazed, the more he would remember.

“How did you find me…Sona?” he asked. Under any other circumstances, it would have been a ridiculous question. But, due to complications with the flow of time, nothing, it seemed, was for certain.

Sighing -she’d expected a reaction of this sort- Sona pushed the stray strand of her hair behind her ear again. “Well, being the queen of Calatia…I hear a lot of things. And one day, I heard one of the many -rather annoying, actually- nobles mention something of a ‘Lord Link of Hyrule’. I had a feeling it was you…” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Like you…I did retain all my memories from the other timeline…”

Link closed his eyes tight, then opened them again. Was he happy to see her again? Someone other than Zelda had remembered him…the entirety of this thought had not wrought its full effects on him until just this moment. Could then, perhaps, others remember his deeds? But Sona…someone he knew, remembered him. And after what must have been forever, he suddenly had her in a heartfelt embrace…and it seemed to him hat the only good memory left of those times was within his immediate grasp.

Sona simply smiled, returning the embrace. “I’ve missed you so much, Link. I’ve been so lonely, being around people who don’t remember a thing from that timeline…Without knowing where you were…” She lightly rested her head on his shoulder, closing eyes that were now brimming with unshed tears. “And I’ve finally found you, after all these years…I’ve finally found my best friend, the fairy boy, again…”

After a moment, Link chuckled lightly, pulling away slightly. “So, I’m still the fairy boy?” he asked, watching Sona carefully. “And…are you crying? I thought Gerudo and Sheikah don’t cry?”

Sona shot him a glare, scrubbing at her face. “Of course I’m not!…eleven fricking years as a queen and a mother must be softening me up…” she muttered. His eyebrows shot up, hearing her easily.

“Mother, eh? Hard enough to believe you’re a queen even…”

Sona scoffed, rolling her eyes. “You have no idea. Twins. Little terrors. I completely blame Cyrus.” She looked at him, a smirk he recognized from years ago appearing on her face. “Lord Link, eh? There’s a surprise. I didn’t think you’d ever amount to anything. And you’re still single!” she teased, prodding him in the chest. Link laughed, before pulling her into another embrace.

“Come this way, milady, and I shall show you to your temporary quarters for the duration of your stay,” he said, playing the part of a host once more, but a smile on his face. Sona snorted softly, before nodding, taking his hand once more, following him.

“Why, thank you, sir. I’m sure I’ll quite enjoy my stay.”

“I’m sure you will,” he replied, as she rolled her eyes again, but grinning.

“Yes, I’m sure I will. Nothing’s better than getting away from the terrible two to be tortured by an old, long lost friend. I’m sure I’ll quite enjoy my stay.”

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Owari

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Yes, Sona Kilna is my OC. However, before you all come after me with your pitchforks and torches, just remember: this was a roleplay! Anything can happen in a roleplay; thus, Sona knowing Link during the alternate timeline, as well as remembering him when no one else did. I have said my piece.