Hello everyone, I'mNoOneSpecial is finally back,

Sorry I was gone so long, but Summer Break is over, and work has started again. But most importantly…

I CAN FINALLY DRAW AGAIN! EULALIA! I FINALLY PICKED UP THE PENCIL AGAIN!

So… sorry! This will mean I won't be too dedicated and focused anymore here on FFN. Speaking of which… I have half a mind to quit writing altogether; practically all of my loyal readers have gone. Almost all the writers who I have favorited and who I am following seem to be gone as well… and nobody noticed my stories on AO3.

Seems like FFN's time is coming… Sigh.

Don't worry though; I'll still continue this story; to the very happy end! It will just take longer now since I will be focusing on making artworks on Deviantart.

Speaking of which: I posted this story and my other successful ones on DA as well as on AO3… so if anyone sees me there… your comments are greatly welcomed!

PS: I posted my first artwork on Deviantart. It's called "Picori Link" and my name on DA is "IamNoOneSpecial1." Anybody curious?

Okay, now to the story!

It was not long before one of his men came up to the young king to speak to him.

"Your highness, the cowherder you have sent for has arrived."

The young king, who had in the meantime entertained another man, rose from his throne.

"Your case shall be put on hold for now," he said to the man. To his advisors he said, "Come with me to the courtyard, all of you."

As one, the young king's advisors rose from their seats and followed him into the courtyard; among them the wise, old Rauru and the fair-haired, stern Impa…

…and between them the fearful, fair Zelda.

…

As soon as the young king stepped onto the courtyard he saw that things were not all well with the cowherder. His little red foal was clearly drawn to a red mare the ill-tempered Ingo had brought… which clearly bore his mark and herself was drawn to the little red foal of the cowherder's.

"Back! Back, you silly thing! C'mere!" cried the cowherder as he kept pulling back the little red foal on the rope around its neck, "Stay here with me!"

"Let her go."

The cowherder was perplexed by the young king's command.

"Go ahead, let her run," said the young king again, "She cannot go far here in my courtyard…"

The cowherder, though thoroughly confused, dared not disobey the young king and let go of the rope.

"Now, Master cowherder…" began the young king, "My advisors and I have decided on a sum on how much the ill-tempered Ingo shall repay you for his attempted theft of your foal… we decided that he shall pay you a hundred rupees…"

Hearing this the cowherder smiled in a most pleased manner.

"However, this sum you shall pay to him twice if it turns out that the foal is rightfully his!"

Hearing this perplexed the cowherder.

"But your highness!" cried the flustered cowherder, "The foal is mine!"

The young king's face was dreadfully impassive. And so was his voice.

"Why then, pray tell, is your red foal suckling from the tits of Master Ingo's mare?"

At this the cowherder immediately whipped around!

There was the little red foal, happily suckling from the tits of the red mare in the courtyard. A red mare that stood beside the smug-looking Ingo, and more importantly, clearly bore his brand mark upon her right thigh.

At first the cowherder was struck speechless. But then he went red with rage.

"Why you-"

"Why is this red foal, which you claimed to be yours, suckling from the tits of Master Ingo's mare?"

The cowherder stopped dead in his tracks. Behind the wise, old Rauru and the stern Impa, the fair Zelda flinched and took a cautious step back. The young king's voice had been so sharp one would think it was a sword. Held at the poor cowherder's neck!

Slowly, hesitantly, the cowherder turned to face the young king. Said young king's face had barely changed. The only thing about his face that had were his eyes. But that was all it took to change an impassive man's face to that of a wolf's, right before he struck.

"The foal is not truly yours, is it?" though this was spoken a question, it was hard, cold statement.

"N-no," tried the fearful cowherder weakly, "The foal is mine-"

"Where did you get the foal?"

The young king's quick question left the fearful cowherder stumped.

After a good, long while, wherein the cowherder had struggled to think, the young king asked again. This time, in a slow, dreadful manner.

"Where… did… you… get… this foal?"

"I-I," stammered the fearful cowherder, "My mare birthed it!"

Realizing his foolish outburst, the cowherder's eyes widened.

The young king though said nothing. But his eyes seemed to glow with a dangerous light.

At last he said, "This red foal is a truebreed… both its mother and father were truebreeds as well… Are you certain you own such a red horse, a fully grown mare? If so, go straight to your farm and bring this mare here… Do not go elsewhere! Straight to your farm and straight back here… oh, and to ensure that nothing happens to you along the way, I will have two of my best men go with you…"

But the cowherder did not move.

After a while the young king asked, "What seems to be the matter? I told you to go fetch your mare… do you not wish to prove the foal to be rightfully yours?"

The cowherder said nothing.

"Well then…" spoke the young king again, this time in a dreadfully slow manner, "Since you cannot seem to prove yourself the rightful owner of the foal after all… I have no choice other than to believe the words of Master Ingo here… and hold you responsible for the theft of his foal! And for the deception of your king!"

At this the head of the cowherder snapped up.

"Your highness, wait! The foal is mine, the foal is mine! I bought her!"

The young king was silent, and his face impassive, save for a blond eyebrow risen in question.

"You said your mare birthed her," he said flatly.

"I misspoke! I misspoke!" said the cowherder quickly.

The young king though was quicker still, "Who was it that sold you this red foal?"

"Ah… uh…" stammered the cowherder, "It… was… my cousin, my cousin! It was my cousin! I have a cousin who owns a few horses! He sold me this foal!"

"Tell me his name!" ordered the young king, "And where he lives as well!"

The cowherder quickly did so. The young king then turned to one of his men.

"Go bring the man to me," the keen eyes of the young king's missed not how the cowherder startled at his words, "Be quick about it!"

The man bowed and quickly rushed off.

Standing between another two of the young king's men, the cowherder perspired cold sweat.

Beside his red mare, the smiled in wicked delight.

Behind the fair-haired, stern Impa and the wise, old Rauru the fearful, fair Zelda worried and could not help feel sorry for the poor cowherder…

On his throne the young king held his silence and waited…

His keen hawkeyes missed nothing.

Not the cowherder's cold dread…

Not the ill-tempered Ingo's smug grin…

Not the fair Zelda's fearful, worried face.

…

Not much later the cowherder's cousin appeared before the young king. Standing before his young ruler he bowed.

"Greetings, my lord, your highness… you have called for me?"

"My greetings to you as well, my good man," bowed back the young king from his throne, "And yes, I did call for you… I have been told that you own some horses?"

The cowherder's cousin nodded, "Yes… I do indeed own a few horses, my king… why do you ask?"

"Are any of your horses for sale?" asked the young king after quickly motioning to his men to keep the alarmed cowherder silent.

"Well… no, not really, your highness…" answered the cowherder's cousin, "I need them for my farmwork, you see?"

"I will pay you a good price if the horse is right," pressed him the young king.

The cowherder's cousin struggled with himself for a moment.

But then he said, somewhat unsteadily, "Very well… your highness… what kind of horse are you looking for?"

"Do you own any horse of the same breed as that red mare over there?" asked the young king while gesturing to the red mare of the ill-tempered Ingo. While the cowherder's cousin turned to observe the mare the young king went on to say, "I'd like to own such a fine horse as her… but unfortunately, her owner, the Master Ingo, cannot afford to sell her as she is his only mare, and the little foal is too young… so, do you own any horse such as her, Master? Of the same breed?"

To the cowherder's horror his cousin shook his head.

"I am sorry, your highness… I do not own any horse of that breed."

The young king cocked his head to one side.

"I was told that you do… that same person told me that you sold him a little red foal, just recently."

"What?!" cried the cowherder's cousin, "No! I never did! I never owned any horse of that red breed! There must be some kind of mistake! I did not sell any foal either! You ever told you this, your highness? If you will forgive my asking, of course…" added quickly the cowherder's cousin.

"It was no other than your own cousin," answered the young king while motioning to the cowherder.

At that the cowherder's cousin turned to look at his cousin with disbelief, wondering if the cowherder has had a mug or two too many.

"Do you happen to know where I could procure such a red horse of this breed?" asked the young king quickly. For an instant his eyes flickered dangerously at the cowherder.

"I only know of one place that breeds and sells this kind of red horses…" answered the cowherder's cousin truthfully, "The great farm of the burly landlord Talon. He is the only one I know… besides the Master Ingo here."

The young king nodded in a pleased manner, "Thank you… here, have this for your time and trouble."

With this he handed two red rupees to a servant who delivered them straight to the cowherder's cousin. Said cousin bowed deeply and thanked the young king profusely before excusing himself and going back to his farm.

As soon as he had gone, the young king leveled his glowering blue eyes upon the cowering cowherder.

"Well…? What have you got to say for yourself? Are you going to claim that you bought that little foal, which your cousin did not even recognize, from the burly landlord Talon? Quit it right there!" cut off the young king the cowherder just as he was about to speak, "The burly landlord's, Talon's, the good Malon, is with us here, and she has already informed me that her father does not sell foals as little as her!"

Needless to say, the cowherder could say nothing in his defense.

Another moment passed, then the young king spoke again.

"I ask one last time… where… did… you… obtain… this… foal…? And… how? And this time it'd best be the truth!" warned the young king in a sharp voice that tolerated no otherwise.

But the cowherder said nothing. He couldn't say anything other than nothing.

"Very well then…" began the young king ominously, "If you cannot say anything to defend yourself… if you cannot prove your rightful ownership of this little red foal… then U have no choice other than to judge you for the theft of the Master Ingo's little red foal!" Half-roared the young king at the end.

At this the cowherder's eyes widened and mouth fell open.

"Your highness, no-"

"Oh yes!" responded the young king in a voice as sharp as a whiplash. One that everyone present felt. The fair Zelda more so than the others, "This red foal does not bear your brand… you own no other horse such as her… and you cannot explain where and how you obtained her… quite the contrary… you clearly tried to deceive me!"

At that the fair Zelda could not help but take a frightful step back.

"For the theft of the Master Ingo's foal… I hereby sentence you to pay twice a hundred rupees to the Master Ingo!"

"B-but your highness!" stammered the cowering cowherder, "I cannot afford to pay twice a hundred rupees right now!"

"Then we will seize one of your cows…" responded the young king at once, "That cow will be sold and-"

"Your highness, wait! May I keep the cow?"

"Huh?" escaped it the young king, thoroughly thrown off by the sudden call of the surprising Ingo. But he quickly caught himself, "Well… so long as the cow in question is worth no more than twice a hundred rupees… if that is the way you want it, Master Ingo… then so it shall be – Or do you have a better way to pay the twicehundred rupees you owe the Master Ingo for your crime against him?" immediately asked the young king sharply the cowherder the instant he glimpsed him about to protest.

Said cowherder stood frozen with his mouth hanging open. But the next moment he slumped and miserably shook his head.

"Then so it shall be…" said the young king with finality, "For the theft of his foal, the Master Ingo shall have one of your cows- One not worth not one rupee more than twice a hundred!" repeated the young king quickly and sternly, soon as he caught the gleeful look in the greedy Ingo's eyes, "If however this cowherder owes no such cow… than you, Master Ingo, will receive twice a hundred rupees… in rupees!"

"Yes, your highness," replied the greedy Ingo somewhat put off.

At this the young king nodded in return. But then he turned his eyes upon the cowherder again.

"I am not done with you just yet!" startled the young king the cowherder out of his reverie, "I have judged you for the crime you committed against the Master Ingo, the theft of his foal… but there is still another crime you must answer for… your deception of your king!"

At this the cowherder began to sweat again.

"For your lies… I hereby sentence you to five days and five nights in the castle dungeons! With nothing to sustain you other than a pitcher of plain water once every day! Take him away!"

Two guards came forward, each grabbed the stunned cowherder by an arm, then both dragged the dumbfounded cowherder away.

Once he was gone the young king let go a deep, heavy sigh.

"Now then… now that the cowherder has been made to pay for his crimes… it is time that I pay for mine…"

At that the fair Zelda's eyes widened.

With a shamed expression the young king turned to face the horse-raising Ingo again.

"Master Ingo… I shamed you yesterday in town… and now you, in turn, have rightly shamed me here court… still… I humbly beg your forgiveness… and since I very nearly forced you to pay a hundred rupees to the man who stole you your red foal, I shall pay you twice and a half hundred-"

"Thrice a hundred!"

The young king blinked, "Beg pardon?"

"I demand thrice a hundred!" insisted again the greedy Ingo.

The young king remained impassive. Then he sighed.

"…as you wish… Master Treasurekeeper… go and fetch thrice a hundred rupees and hand them to the Master Ingo… be quick about it… and be sure to take the sum from my personal wealth, not from the castle's treasury…"

The treasuremaster bowed before his king then hurried off to fulfill his command.

The young king in the meantime gave out another deep sigh and waited.

The gleeful Ingo on the other hand broke out into a happy jig, grinning like he had never grinned before. Twice or thrice his eyes sought out the fair Zelda, who took great pain to hide herself, while at the same time having to remain where she stood. To her great relief, the treasuremaster soon returned carrying three little satchels, and gave the satchels to the greedy Ingo. The greedy Ingo immediately tore the satchels open and after a moment was most pleased to find ten blue rupees in each. After loading the three satchels unto his red mare, the gleeful Ingo happily made his way out of the courtyard.

Leading his red mare.

Carrying his thrice hundred rupees.

With his little red foal following.

"Fair Zelda."

The frightened Zelda nearly jumped out of her skin, but thankfully somehow managed not to scream. She had been so distracted that she had failed to notice one of the king's men come up to her.

"My apologies… I meant not to startle you…"

"F-fear not…" stammered the frightened Zelda, "What do you need of me?"

"The king wishes to speak with you."

At once the fair Zelda's blood ran ice cold through her veins.

…

"Fair Zelda…" said the young king as soon as she had come up to him, "Did you know, before all this, that that little red foal rightfully belonged to the ill-tempered Ingo?"

The fearful Zelda fought hard to keep a cool composure. The young king's eyes were not upon her, he was staring straight ahead.

And yet, he had called out her name the moment she had come to his side!

Mustering all her strength to steady her voice she answered, "No, I did not, your highness…"

Slowly, the young king, who had been watching the fearful Zelda the whole time on the edge of his vision, turned his piercing blue gaze upon her.

"I noticed the ill-tempered Ingo look at you… again and again…" His eyes, though not angry, seemed to glow stronger, "Why did he?"

The fearful Zelda could not hold the young king's intense gaze.

"I-I know not… your highness," answered the fearful Zelda, "Mayhap' he had hoped I would help him. Speak up on his behalf-"

"Could you have done so?"

The fearful Zelda's eyes widened.

"N-no, your highness, how possibly could I?"

The frighteneed farmmaid could not bring herself to face the young king. But she felt his eyes upon her. Seemingly, looking into her. She felt it for a good long moment. Then she felt the young king turn his eyes away.

"I shall trust your words…"

One cold, cruel thought froze her heart.

'He does not!'

Well... what do you guys think? Things are not nearly as dramatic in the original tale. 'Like?

Gosh... it feels like I haven't posted this in ages...

Please review and/or comment. All forms of reviews, comments and/or criticisms are very welcomed and appreciated. You are also welcome to send me private messages.

If you do not have the time to leave behind such; a numerical ratings from 0-10 will suffice just as well.

10 = PERFECTION!

9 = Awesome!

8 = Very good!

7 = Good

6 = Nice

5 = Not too bad

4 = Not so good

3 = Bad

2 = Why did you post this?

1 = Why the hell did you even bother write this?!

0 = Delete this shit… NOW!