Pre T.A.A.H

Siegfried could remember a time when his father was falsely accused of killing a rich aristocrat. They had no proof, no prior suspicion, and had only thought of Frederick as a suspect because an ex soldier from the brunettes platoon had implicated him. The whole thing had 'fixed' written all over it. Even Siegfried, who was only a small child at the time, could see that.

Yet town officials had still paraded around as though Siegfried and his mother were harboring a criminal. Rumors were spread, and for a while no woman would talk to Margaret. No child would try to play with Siegfried either. Frederick had also lost a good portion of respect from the small town that Siegfried had grown up in. It was a horrible mess that just did not seem to ever end, no matter how many times they repeated innocence or tried to reason with people. For once, the Schtauffen charisma could not win others over to their side of the argument.

The knight did not remember exactly how the matter ended up being resolved, he was fairly young at the time, but he knew that his family had suffered something fierce by the end of the ordeal. They eventually had to move away to a new home Frederick built by hand in another town miles away. They never trusted people with the same enthusiasm again.

Years later he ran into the men, apparently it had been more than one, who had accused his father. They were desperate and begging to be saved from another poor soul who had been destroyed by their thoughtless accusations. This one was desperate enough to threaten with death.

Link had given him the choice then. "Save them or let them deal with the consequences on their own. Either way I will think no less, no greater of you."

Siegfried did save them, once, and then threw them aside when they begged he eliminate the threat to their safety altogether. When they, in tears, asked why he refused, Siegfried could not come up with an answer without shouting.

Link did. "Don't you remember him? He's the son of the man whose name you tarnished without reason."

Siegfried smirked then, noticing the recognition in their eyes. "Next time you feel like being jerks, remember the name Schtauffen, and who you now owe your lives to."

Pre T.A.A.H

Curiosity was a murderer, Link decided as he weaved in and out of the cave's narrow passages. A murderer and a con artist who wore a different disguise during every meeting. Yoshimitsu once said that Link was a child of infinite curiosity, but Link liked to think the two of them were just casual acquaintances. After all, what kind of parent set their child up to fall down a long and very painful hill, in a tunnel where no one else was poking around, with no one to come and rescue them anytime soon?

"This is what I get for going off on my own." He grumbled to himself, wincing when he put just a little too much pressure on his right ankle. It had gotten injured halfway through his sharp decline, and had been throbbing furiously ever since the Hylian had started walking. "It's always the right one."

He took in a sharp hiss of pain before moving onward once more. He swore that as soon as this ordeal was over, he would punch the one responsible for his misery in the face. If that jerk would just leave him alone! But no. He had to tease, torment, and then claim it was all in the name of fun. Fun his-

"Huh?"

Link very nearly cried when he saw that the tunnel he was in give way to a larger, more open area. He had obviously stumbled upon one of the main pathways in the seemingly endless cavern, one that people could actually stand up in and walk through without getting scratched every five seconds. He had been hopelessly lost two seconds prior, so this development was a welcome relief. Even if it did happen on accident.

He collapsed, out of pure joy he would later claim, and let himself rest on his knees until he could regain proper breath. That was one problem solved. It would a lot easier to move around here, and he could probably find his way sometime soon if he paid enough attention to where he was going. Now if only he could find he exit.

"You must get some sick pleasure out of giving me heart attacks."

Link smiled instantly and looked up from the ground. Siegfried, wonderful, kind, and right on time Siegfried, was looking at him from one of the openings in the tunnel. He had obviously found a different route, one not as painful as Link's to travel through, and had ventured inside to find his hopeless best friend. The hero could not have been more grateful.

"Siegfried! Boy am I glad to see you!"

"Why does your ankle look swollen?"

Link smiled sheepishly. So he could see the extent of the injury from all the way over there? "I think I twisted it. That or sprained it a little."

Siegfried shook his head and walked over to the boy on the ground. "What am I going to do with you?"

Link fluttered his eyes a bit. "Help me up?"

Siegfried rolled his eyes, but smiled as he knelt before the elf and offered his back to the other. "Get on."

Link needed no further invitation. He hooked his arms around the knight's neck and wrapped his legs around the man's waist. The two began the journey to free themselves from the horrible cave once Siegfried made sure his friend was settled securely.

"Why on earth did you come down here anyway? It was dangerous and you got hurt."

"Hwang told me about a merchant who had used this cave as a shortcut into the city. While traveling, he apparently dropped a very valuable sapphire without realizing. Hwang told me that if I somehow managed to find it, he would leave me and my ears alone for the rest of our stay in Korea."

Siegfried rolled his eyes. "Remind me to throw him off a cliff would you? If he gets you riled up enough to go gallivanting around in dangerous caves by yourself, then I don't want him anywhere near us."

"My sentiments exactly."

Fang: Yeah, that first one has absolutely nothing to do with your dad at all.

MistressOfTime: Shhh! (Looks around nervously) Talk about the other one.

Fang: Right, what is your issue with Hwang anyway?

MistressOfTime: Nothing! Why are you so accusatory today?

Fang: I'm a curious man.

MistressOfTime: Psshh, okay Fang. Please R&R.