A/N: This is the fic that started the inspiration for the Novel I am working on that is a work in progress. This is dedicated to anyone who is an Ace Attorney fan! I hope you enjoy and please, let me know what you think! COmments are love and I take criticism well, if delivered properly!
It is early 15th century and Miles has proclaimed his place in society beside his Mentor, Maxwell Von Karma. Determined to learn from the finest, he throws himself into the work, only to be distracted by the new family in town that rescued him from a runaway horse and cart. He never fancied himself falling in love with another man, but there is something different about Phoenix, almost Ethereal and Angel-like. Miles is thrown into a world full of Supernatural beings that puts him at odds with his Guardian and Mentor. Can he keep the peace, or will Von Karma win, wiping out all Supernatural creatures, including the silver-haired young man that he took in so long ago?
"Father! Father! Open up!"
Miles beat at the front door of the tiny village house that he shared with his father Gregori. He had run into the village square to fetch some supplies that they needed for the week. When he returned, Miles saw the flames and smoke boiling out in thick black clouds from the windows.
"Look out son," Miles turned and his neighbor and a few other concerned citizens were standing poised, ready to help. Some of them had buckets of water they were throwing onto the house. Miles stood aside and watched as his neighbor finally busted the door down after the first couple tries failed. Miles waved the smoke away that came billowing out after the door was knocked in.
"Please find my father!" Miles called as a couple men, one with a bucket of water, followed the neighbor into the house.
"Stay back Miles." The neighbors wife gently grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back into the crowd that had gathered.
"I wasn't gone for very long and I came home and the house was on fire!" Miles babbled between sobs as he pointed at the house.
"It'll be fine, hun. They'll find your father." The woman squeezed Miles' shoulders reassuringly.
A deep groan came from within the house and the roof suddenly caved in. The three men came running out of the front door, the neighbor carrying a man in his arms, just as the whole house collapsed. A horse drawn fire wagon pulled up as Miles ran to the men.
"Father!" Miles called as the man laid his father on the ground. Miles looked up at the man with tear filled gray eyes. "Is he alright?"
The man knelt beside Miles as someone handed him a cup of water. The man shook Miles' father and he coughed and sputtered.
"Easy friend." The man lifted his head and poured some water into his mouth.
"Father, you're okay!" Miles cried.
"Miles..." His father coughed. "Miles I love you."
"Father?" Miles sniffed.
"Miles, take this," his father coughed again and raised his hands to take off the necklace that hung around his neck.
"Father, I don't understand."
"Please Miles," the man pushed the necklace into Miles' hands. "It'll help you find them. Keep it with you always..."
His father coughed one last time, then closed his eyes.
"Father?!" Miles shook him. "No, Father! Please!"
"Miles you should stand back." A large, well dressed man grabbed Miles under his arms and drug him, kicking and screaming away from his father's body.
"Your father is a monster." The man whispered into the boy's ear. Miles watched in disbelief as his father spontaneously burst into flames.
"No! Father!"
The words echoed through his bedchamber. Miles was sweating and breathing hard as he sat up in his bed. He scrubbed his face with his hand and swung his long legs over the edge of the bed. It had been ten years since he witnessed his father's demise and to this day, he's still not sure of the exact way his father passed. All of his dreams pointed to fire, but there was a different way each time; this latest dream was different from the other dreams. The man who pulled him away had never whispered anything into his ear.
The man who pulled Miles away from the fire was the same man who took him into his home, Maxwell Von Karma, the wealthiest land owner and barrister in Germany. Gregori worked for him as a stable hand; Miles had no idea why Maxwell took him in, only that he was grateful because he would have been orphaned if he hadn't. The circumstances surrounding his mothers death were a mystery to Miles as well.
Miles shook his head. He had other things to worry about. Today, he was turning eighteen and being introduced into society as direct apprentice to Maxwell. He stood and stretched and grabbed his dressing gown. Throwing it on, he walked over to the window that overlooked the land that backed into the snow capped mountains. The sun was about to rise and Miles marveled in the purples and oranges and reds that mother nature was painting over the landscape.
He drew in a deep breath and clutched at the necklace that he had dreamed about. The stone he unconsciously rubbed between forefinger and thumb was an amethyst wrapped in titanium wire with a titanium chain that his mother had given his father on the day she perished. Miles learned that titanium was a very, very rare metal and it was the only metal that wouldn't burn his or his mothers skin. Miles was too young to question the meaning of why the titanium didn't burn their skin. He did understand that the amethyst was used in helping to heal mental wounds. Miles did find that he dealt with his parents deaths better when he had the necklace on than not. The fact that his father had given him the necklace only a couple days before his death never sat well for Miles; in all his dreams he gives the necklace away at death. And who is he supposed to be looking for? He never let himself dwell on the fact too much for fear of going down a dark road he wasn't ready to face.
Miles sighed deeply and turned to start getting ready for his day.
After he bathed and dressed, Miles headed down the hall to Franziska's room to find that she was still asleep. She was Maxwell's only true offspring and she was born a year before Miles was brought into the household. Maxwell was pleased that Franziska wanted to learn about the law and justice. He hired the same tutors and used the same learning process with her as he did with Miles. He treated them as if they were real siblings and pushed one just as hard as the other.
Miles heard a movement at the end of the hall and turned in that direction.
"Good morning, Miles," Maxwell said. "Good to see you are up early on this beautiful morning."
"Good morning, Maxwell." Miles walked toward his mentor.
"Miles, son, how many times have I told you that you can call me father when we are at home?"
"Yes, father," Miles bowed his head. "It's still hard, even after all this time."
The elder man narrowed his eyes at the younger man.
"You had another nightmare didn't you?"
Miles swallowed.
"Yes, I did."
The only light in that part of the hallway came from the window in Maxwell's bedchamber behind him. Miles couldn't see the stern look that crossed his face.
"We are going to have to do something about those. Can't be dwelling on the past when the future holds so much for you."
"Yes, sir." Miles gave his father a small smile. "If that is all, I am going to get some fresh air in the markets this morning."
"Of course. Be back in two hours young man."
"Thank you, I will." Miles turned and trotted down the stairs.
"I want you to know, we are very proud of you, Joseph and I." The elder woman had her hand clasped around Miles' hands. They were standing in the stables as Miles was readying a horse to ride.
"Thank you, Mrs. Floeretz. I really appreciate that." Miles smiled at her and she responded in kind, lighting up her whole face. She looked ten years younger just then and it reminded Miles of the fire again.
"You have the handsomest smile. You are going to make some young lady very happy one day." She placed her hand on his cheek and went on, as Miles blushed. "I also want you to know that Joseph and I were prepared to take you in after your father died. Such a tragic incident."
She frowned and shook her head slowly.
"Mrs. Floeretz, what-"
"Heads up, boy." Joseph interrupted Miles as he came by with a bag of feed. "Wanna give me a hand?"
"Yes," Miles said as he grabbed an end and lifted.
"Gerta and I are going to be at your ceremony. In fact, I think most of the town is." Joseph paused to set the bag down and cut open one side. "You have been a big influence with the mayor and all the changes you've helped instigate through out the town. I've heard nothing but great things about you, young man. Just don't let Von Karma get the best of you."
Miles cleared his throat and brushed the dust off his pants. He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks. "Er, um...thank you. That means a lot coming from you, sir. I hardly think I have any influence on the Mayor."
Joseph gave the young man a sideways glance. " You have helped make this town a safer place to live, plus a pleasant place to look at. You are too modest boy."
Miles smiled and chatted and helped groom the horses, then took off for the Market Square.
"Miles, Miles!" A small voice called from behind Miles as he paid for a loaf of bread. He turned just in time to see a little boy running toward him and latch onto his leg.
"Heh, good morning Peter," Miles said as he smiled and ruffled the little boys sandy blond hair. "How are you?"
"I'm great. I'm having breakfast and helping mom and pop set up our stand." The little boys green eyes sparkled as he looked up at Miles.
"Good. You should show me to your parents stand."
The little boy jumped up and down in excitement and grabbed Miles hand and led him between two stands and down another row. In the meantime, different stand owners were saying hello and smiling at him. Miles waved back and tried to keep his composure as Peter practically dragged him down the row.
"Guten Morgen, Miles!" A cheery woman with her blond hair in braids greeted Miles when he reached the little boy's stand. She was setting up fruit and baked goods, no doubt baked in her kitchen that previous evening. "How are you this beautiful day?" She continued in German.
"Very well, Lisle! Thank you. How are you?" Miles replied in German.
"Busy, tired and lots to do!" She replied as she wiped her brow. " I see why Peter ran off now! He usually doesn't to that!"
"He's a good little boy." Miles smiled. "Can I help?"
"Miles Edgeworth! Just the man I was looking for!" A large brawny man with a head of wild brown hair and a beard to match, walked from behind the stand carrying bushels of varied fruits. Miles grabbed a couple of bushels to help.
"I wanted to thank you for the advice on my crops! They obviously are yielding a bounty of fruit this year." The man paused.
"I'm sensing there's something else, Peter?" Miles prompted after he didn't say anymore.
"I'm just wondering when the roses are gonna bloom?"
Miles furrowed his brow at Peter Sr. then at Lisle.
"We haven't had roses around here since your mother died, Miles. I don't want to bring up a sore subject, but its true." Lisle bit her lip nervously.
Miles was taken aback. No one had mentioned anything, and he really hadn't noticed. Although to be quite honest with himself, he wasn't even sure he knew what a rose was.
"Ah...um, I don't know what to say." Miles tapped his lips thoughtfully. "I will have to talk to someone, although I am not sure whom?"
"It's okay Miles, you have a very busy-"
"LOOK OUT!" A voice to their left yelled. "It's too heavy I can't control it!"
Miles looked to his left as Peter tried to push Miles out of the way of a cart being pulled by a spooked horse. Miles landed in the path of the horse as a hoof came down on his wrist and the cart ran over his legs.
Stars formed in his vision and he held his wrist to his chest as he moaned in pain. Miles thought he heard his name being called amid the chaos and the blood pumping through his veins. His eyes fluttered open and they met the most beautiful sky-blue eyes Miles had ever seen. For a moment he thought he had died. The face that held those blue eyes was beautiful as well: a sturdy nose, high cheekbones, raven hair that was pulled back to emphasize everything.
"Miles," the voice sounded like a choir of angels. "Miles, listen to me, I am going to sit you up slowly."
Miles only grunted when the young man slipped his hand underneath his shoulders. Miles started to sit up when a white hot pain shot through his ribs and he cried out.
"Miles I-" The young man stopped talking as something on Miles' chest caught his eye.
"I found you."
Those were the last words Miles heard before he past out from the pain.
"No, Miles," the dark-haired man cried. "I need you to stay awake."
'Damn,' he said under his breath.
"I need a cart! We need to get this man to a doctor and somewhere indoors."
" Are you okay son?" Peter Sr. asked him. "What's your name? I don't know if I've seen you around these parts before."
"I am okay thank you. My name is Phoenix and I just arrived yesterday to sell my baked goods, and well..." Phoenix gestured over to the wrecked cart.
"You took a nasty spill yourself," Peter went on. "You're sure you are okay?"
"I found your horse," Lisle dismounted the skittish horse. "She's a little shaken up, but she was fine after she took an apple. Is he going to be okay?"
A cart was finally wheeled over as the owner introduced himself. "I am Doctor Wright, I can help."
"I've never seen you around here either," Peter said as he watched the doctor examine Miles.
"My family was passing through and we heard about the festival and the ceremony. We just wanted to make a little money before we moved on. I will help get this young man get well as best I can, and we will be out of your village as soon as we can."
They carefully lifted Miles on to the cart after the doctor made sure it was okay to move him.
"I will guide you to the Von Karma estate." Peter said as he threw an unused burlap bag over Miles.
"No!" The Doctor said a little too fast. "I mean, it could be too far. Is there a village doctor nearby?
Peter frowned at his outburst. "There is a village doctor down the path and around the corner."
"Thank you," Phoenix said to Peter as he shook his hand. He turned to his father. "I will come with you. I want to make sure he is going to be okay."
"What about your cart?" Lisle asked. "And your horse?"
Phoenix blinked and dug into his trousers pocket. "I will send someone to clean this up. Here are five gold pieces if you will watch my horse. I will give you five more when I come back for her."
Lisle hesitated, but Peter stepped in and accepted the coins. "Thank you young man. Now go get yourself checked."
"You have to be more careful next time, Phoenix!" Doctor Wright said as they approached the village doctors residence.
"I know father, but he's the one!" Phoenix was practically glowing he was so excited.
"I know he is, son," the elder man smiled as he placed a hand on his sons shoulder. "We have been tracking him for ten years now. Can you promise not to over do the heal if we can get this doctor out for a little time?"
"Yes father." Phoenix bowed his head.
"Oh dear," The village doctor said as soon as they had Miles settled on a flat surface in the doctor's residence and the two men introduced themselves and described what happened to him. "Von Karma is not going to be very happy about this. Miles turns eighteen today and not only is the village having their Harvesting festival, Von Karma is going to introduce this man as his apprentice, and introduce him into society."
Phoenix threw a worried glance at his father.
"I would like to offer my assistance," Mr. Wright said. "I have a lot of expertise with these sort of injuries. Phoenix here had a hard time learning how to ride."
The other doctor bit his lip and crossed his arms. A knock at his front door interrupted his train of thought.
"Yes I think that would be okay. I have one assistant out with his crop and a nurse about to give birth at any time. I could use as much help as I can get. Please excuse me." He said as he made his way out of the room.
"We need to do this fast!" The elder Wright said as he walked over and pushed the door closed just enough so he could watch for the other man.
Phoenix drew in a deep breath. He had been waiting for this moment since he was eight years old and he collapsed because of the pain in his heart. It was the same moment that Gregori, Miles' father died, leaving Miles with a hole in his heart.
Now Phoenix was going to fix that hole and everything else on Miles. He was going to be his protector and guardian.
He carefully unclasped Miles' necklace and place it on the left side of his head. Then he removed his necklace, which was made from the same piece of amethyst as Miles', and placed it on the right side of his head. Phoenix's hand hovered over Miles' forehead. He wanted so badly to brush the silver hair aside and watch as his eyes opened.
'Maybe if I touch just the hair and nothing else,' Phoenix thought as he brushed the silver hair off the forehead. Oh it was soft and so beautiful, just like the man laying on the table in front of him.
Phoenix jerked his hand back. He had only seen Miles in a vision at eight years old and he was a thin, frail boy with darker gray hair. He shivered as he remembered the pain when he witnessed Miles watching his father bursting into flames. That's when he knew that he was going to be this boys guardian, protecting him in peace times and fighting alongside him in war.
"Focus Phoenix." He said to the room, as he clenched his jaw.
"Doctor Wright! I need your help please!" Doctor Malkowitz called from the other room.
Andrew hesitated; he wanted to be there for his son, in case something went wrong. On the other hand, this would keep the other doctor out of the room for an indefinite amount of time. Andrew glanced at Phoenix, who nodded, then stepped into the other room to help Malkowitz.
Phoenix drew in another deep breath and placed his hands gently on Miles' chest. The necklaces flickered as their violet light started to increase and consume Miles. Phoenix felt his hands growing warm, then his arms. The warmth spread throughout his body as the pale violet healing light consumed him. He drew out the pain first, then healed all of Miles broken bones, stopping at Miles wrist. The warmth and the light subsided and Phoenix opened his eyes and grabbed the table. The room started to spin and an invisible wall of cold air passed through him. He shivered and fell to the floor unconscious just as Miles awoke.
Miles blinked and took in a deep breath. His muscles were stiff, but the only pain he felt was in his wrist. He tried sitting up and succeeded even though his arm protested. He looked around, confused at his surroundings; the last thing he remembered was looking into a pair of beautiful blue eyes in Market Square before passing out. He wondered how long he was out as he swung his legs over the side of what ever he was laying on, when something on the floor caught his eye. The dark hair sprung him into action as he hopped off the counter and knelt beside the man. He looked pale and unsettled, but he was breathing steadily as Miles touched his face. It was cool and clammy. Miles put two fingertips on Phoenix's neck and felt a pulse there. It was steady and comforting and Miles placed his whole hand on the pale neck and he not only felt the man's pulse, but he could hear his heart beat, the blood rushing through his veins. The noise was verging on the unbearable but Miles couldn't get enough. He leaned his head down and rested his head on his chest.
Something triggered inside Miles, like a switch was flipped, and his world became more colorful, more vibrant and the man underneath him, some how irresistible. Miles tried to swallow, but found his mouth dry, and his throat scratchy. He leaned forward, slowly taking in Phoenix's scent. It was musky, and sweet and...oh how he wanted to devour this man. He wanted to taste him, feel him, hear his moans...Miles lingered above his neck. He could smell the sweat, he could hear the pulse of life coursing through his veins. The gray-haired man moaned as he suddenly became aware of his whole body tingling and trembling.
Everything came to a halt as Miles was being dragged off of Phoenix and was suddenly thrown into a sitting position close to the wall.
"What the hell?" Miles held his wrist as he shook his head to try to clear the stars from his vision.
"Are you okay?" Andrew was in his line of vision.
"Er...yeah...yes. What happened?"
"I don't have time to explain. Can you stand?"
Miles took a deep breath. "I think so."
He grabbed the hand that Andrew offered and hauled himself onto his feet.
"Good, now I need you to help me place Phoenix in that chair over there and I need you back on that table after that."
"Wha-"
"Please, I promise to explain everything. I just need your help."
Miles did everything that Andrew asked him and as soon as he was upon the table, he started wrapping the young man's wrist.
"Von Karma is here I-" Doctor Malkowitz ran into the room in a panic. "Well, you're alright?"
"I am awake." Miles answered.
"His wrist is broken, he will ha-"
"What is the meaning of this, Miles Edgeworth?" Maxwell's booming voice filled the room.
"Sir I was just in the Square and this poor man's cart was out of control. I tried to stop it but I spooked the horse and it knocked me over. It stepped on my wrist, but that's the only thing I remember."
"The cart ran over his legs as well, but there is only some bruising. No broken bones or anything of the like."
Von Karma crossed his arms. "And who are you?"
"I am Doctor Wright sir. I was just passing through your village sir and I thought that I would sell some of my families baked goods at your festival. I was setting up and my son's cart got the best of him and ran away from him."
Von Karma's dark gaze would have brought a lesser man down. When Andrew didn't budge, he looked over at Miles.
"Sir, it's true, I am fine, just my wrist and my legs hurt a little. But that is it." Von Karma's eyes explored Miles' handsome face. There was something different about it. Something small, and Von Karma didn't like it.
"Von Karma," Doctor Malkowitz broke the tension that hung thick in the room. "If I may. Doctor Andrew Wright has been terribly invaluable to me today. If it is okay with him, I could use his help with all the patients I have."
"Who is that?" Von Karma gestured to where Phoenix was passed out in the chair in the corner.
"Goodness," Malkowitz started over to where he was, but Andrew stopped him.
"He is my son, and he is quite exhausted, but he is fine. I just need to wrap his ribs."
"If Doctor Wright wants to stay, he may," The elder man said slowly. "but just until the end of the Festival. Then you move on."
"I will think about it sir, I appreciate the offer." Andrew finished working on Miles hand and gave Von Karma a thin smile. "I would like to keep Miles for observation for a little while. Make sure no other symptoms happen to show."
Von Karma clenched his jaw. "I need him back at the estate in no less than an hour. His ceremony will start then and I don't need him to be late."
Andrew nodded and watched as Von Karma stared at Miles who started to shrink away from the large man. Von Karma snaked his hand around the back of Miles' neck and casually grabbed a large chunk of the young man's hair. Miles' body stiffened and his skin broke out in gooseflesh when his guardian leaned into him and his lips were at his ear.
"One hour, Miles, or your wrist will feel like a pin prick compared to what I will do to you," Von Karma whispered and straightened up. "One hour."
Von Karma nodded at everyone in the room, turned on his heel and walked out.