Pre T.A.A.H
Link and Raphael had only ever fought once. That one incident had been because of Siegfried.
It was during their first few encounters with one another, when they were all just beginning to get to know each other and the reasons for being what they were. Many secrets had come out, including Siegfried's less than agreeable past. Raphael had not taken the news too well.
After the revelation, he continued to treat Link with kindness while giving Siegfried's the coldest shoulder he could muster. His actions, his looks, his movements all spoke of content. He was never secretive about it either. That would have made the actions all but pointless. He wanted the other to know that he was despised. He wanted to make sure that the knight knew that he was merely being tolerated, not accepted.
Link had wanted to say something. Oh he had desperately wanted to say something about what he thought of the situation. He hated seeing his friend treated so badly without proper reason. Had it been up to him, the Frenchman would have been gagged every time he had even so much as thought about saying something against the blonde knight.
But Siegfried had told him to let it go. He understood the man's anger. Soul Edge had nearly taken his daughter away, after all, so he was sure that the man was justified in his hatred. Screaming and arguing would do nothing to change that. In the end, it was better to just let things run their course on their own. He told the elf that it was alright with him, really.
It was far from alright with Link, but he did as he was asked. However, there was one instance when he simply could not keep himself silent any longer.
It was an average Sunday dinner at the Sorel mansion. Raphael was speaking pleasantly with Link, of course leaving Siegfried out of the conversation entirely, when the topic of Soul Edge came up. Siegfried froze when the Sorel went on to describe the weak state of those who had been taken over by the evil blade.
"Such filthy uncivilized beasts."
The knight barely had time to ask to leave the table, shame and guilt already flooding in at an alarming rate. Before he could even open his mouth, Link had slammed his silverware down on the table and set an icy gaze on his host.
"I know what you're implying. Knock it off." He said coldly. "Don't call him a monster." His fist tightened on the table. "Do it again and you'll come to regret it."
Pre T.A.A.H
Link hated the word monster. He barely ever used it, not even to describe his most vile of enemies. He especially never used it when describing any one of the human race.
People were not monsters. Monster had no hearts. Monsters had no souls. Monsters had no sense of humanity. Human beings, to him, were not monsters.
Could people be misguided? Yes they most certainly could. Could people be cruel without reason? Of course they could. Could people be evil? He saw evil people in every life he had ever lived through. He knew there was evil in human beings. Humanity could be the worst things on the planet sometimes, but they were not monsters.
They had minds and a consciousness, and they had fears and regrets. They made mistakes and they paid for them with severe consequences in one way or another. They could be tortured and punished, sometimes for things they never even did, and they could be hurt. They could be hurt so badly that they would never again be able to remember what a life without pain really was.
Link hated that word. And he hated it when people called Siegfried any variation of it. He was a human being, a suffering victim, a man with a wounded heart that was barely forcing itself to keep beating. Siegfried was no monster.
Fang: These your opinions Valor?
Mistress: Nope. This is one of those times when an authors opinions clashes with those of a character.
Fang: Interesting. Please R&R