Risenfromash: Continuing the episodic nature of this fic, this happens sometime in the winter and may not necessarily have happened right after the last episode…but it's significant. There are very minor allusions to spoilers in the Edgeworth/Manfred von Karma storyline, but nothing specific enough to spoil your day…
~xxxx~
After dressing herself as though preparing for an arctic expedition Franziska opened the front door of the von Karma mansion and was met by a blast of frigid wind. She took a breath to steady herself. It was worse outside than she had imagined. She couldn't believe Miles would have left for work without her on a morning like this, but he must have because there was no sign of him inside the mansion. She didn't know how to drive in this, but she was too proud to call him and tell him to come back for her. If Miles could get out of the house and make it in to work she could.
She would definitely be late for today's trial, but she was sure everyone else would be too. This snowstorm had hit so suddenly that it had mystified meteorologists, but it would not get the better of Franziska von Karma. She placed her feet carefully outside the door and attempted to locate the ground under the snow. Why the hell had Shelby not gotten out here to shovel the walk yet? Sticking her toe into the snow it kept going and going and finally met the ground. There had to be a foot and a half of snow already and it was still coming down and it was doing so fast because she couldn't even see her brother's footprints.
She felt the urge to snap her whip but she had put it in her briefcase to protect it. She would just have to trudge to her car without the comfort of snapping it. She told herself that when she reached the safety of her car she would caress it while she thawed out the vehicle. She should have had the servants working on that. What a fool she was. She took a step forward into the snow and found it to be much deeper than she thought. She had to lift her briefcase above her head to avoid dragging it through drifts. This was miserable.
She felt the rage building in her. How could he leave her? Yes, they normally didn't ride to work together, but this did not qualify as a normal day. Goddamn snow. Sure it was pretty to look at and it would have been lots of fun to get to play in, but she was a prosecutor and not just any prosecutor she was Franziska von Karma. She had no time for such amusements. She had criminals to get jailed, murderers who needed to be punished for their sins. Stupid criminals, making her venture from the warmth and safety of her house on a day such as this.
She'd never seen so much snow. She set down her briefcase giving into temptation and pulled out her whip. Just feeling it in her grasp calmed her. She could make it. She could do this. It was just snow. She wouldn't end up sliding her car into a pole and sustaining a life-threatening head injury. She wouldn't fall in a drift and break her leg and get buried alive because she couldn't pull herself up from the fall due to all the damn layers she was wearing. She cracked her whip on the snow wishing her whip had the power to shovel it. It really wasn't as useful an item to carry around, as she would have liked. Sure, it kept people out of her space bubble and it let her punctuate her sentences with its lovely crack, but today there were surely more practical items she could have chosen to accompany her like a big strong man to carry her over these damn drifts.
"Foolish fool flakes doing foolish things! Quit falling I need to get to the courthouse and get a guilty verdict for some damn fool who did some fool thing. So quit it!" She shouted defiantly at the clouds. They would feel her wrath. She had work to do.
Standing on the pathway to the von Karma mansion Franziska had one foot in a quarter meter of snow and the other leg in a drift almost up to her knee. She looked down in distaste. She liked snow. It was so beautiful falling down. She would have liked to get to watch the flurries. They made her think of fairies, but there was simply no time for such foolish thoughts. She started cursing the snow in German as she whacked it with her whip taking a few steps and then reaching back for her briefcase and then doing the whole process over again.
"Franziska, just out of curiosity what are you doing?"
Franziska turned around to see Miles standing in the doorway still in his nightclothes.
"What does it look like I'm doing, fool. I'm going to work. What are you doing?"
Miles laughed. "You should learn to check your voicemail before you get ready for work. They've closed the courthouse. All trials have been postponed until the roads can get plowed."
Franziska looked around her. She didn't need to be doing this? She shot him a look that warned him he better not laugh at her again. She felt great relief that she was not going to have to drive in this, but if the trial hadn't been cancelled she would have done it. She was no wimp. She was a prosecutor and prosecutors did whatever they had to in order to achieve guilty verdicts even ski into work if they had no other choice.
"You can call the courthouse and check for yourself, but I assure you we have a snow day." This had never happened before in their careers or, as far as either of them knew, in the history of the country, but it was a most unusual storm, the kind of epic storm that in the future people would be talk to their children and grandchildren about.
Franziska pulled her right foot up and attempted to turn back and started to lose her balance and Miles without a second thought dashed out of the house to help support her even though he was only wearing pajamas, a robe, and some rather flimsy slippers.
"Oh, you fool. I'm fine. Quit doing foolish things. Get in the house before you freeze off something useful. Your brain is obviously already beyond repair."
"I'm not the one who didn't check their cell phone messages." Franziska frowned and muttered to herself. He was right. It had been dumb to think he would have left without her in weather like this.
Miles smirked and putting his arm around her whispered, "and exactly what part of me are you worried I might damage?" Her eyes darted away from his self-consciously.
While stepping through the threshold Miles began unwrapping the scarf from her neck with the intention of kissing her and found a turtleneck underneath the scarf and laughed. He'd never seen her with so many clothes at the same time.
He faked disinterest. "It looks like that's going to take a while. I'll be back after I get a cup of coffee, you want some?" He offered as he headed toward the kitchen.
Franziska shook her head. "No. I'd like some cocoa."
He smiled. Yes, she was right that was the perfect choice for a morning like this.
Franziska saw her reflection in the large mirror in the hall and she grumbled at herself. What a fool she was to think her brother would have left her and to get all bundled up like this. She looked ridiculous like some kind of plump, big-footed cartoon character. She continued to unwrap her ludicrously long neck scarf and proceeded to start unlacing her enormous snow boots when a wave of silliness over came her. She had never gotten to have snow days as a child because she was tutored at home, but she did remember one special day in the snow with her brother. It had been a lot of fun.
She scooped up some of the snow that had fallen off her boots and hurled it at the back of her brother's head. Miles had not anticipated this at all and jumped when the cold substance hit the back of his neck.
"Franziska!" He whirled around and found her running to open the door to get more ammunition. He hadn't seen her like this in years and he followed her out into the snow.
~xxxx~
The snow fluttered down in big fluffy flakes from grey skies above the von Karma mansion. Manfred von Karma was at the courthouse and had left the siblings to study with their tutor. But Mr. Vanderbeak, their teacher, gave up on trying to keep them focused and told them they could go out and play in the snow.
Miles grabbed his coat, hat, and gloves and headed to the door at lightning speed. Franziska was not nearly so quick as she wanted to make sure her hat, gloves, and scarf were all perfectly secure before she ventured out into their winter wonderland armed with her riding crop in hand.
Upon stepping out of the kitchen door into the garden she was immediately pummeled by a handful of snowballs.
"Miles Edgeworth, quit it!" She whined.
He chuckled. He had wanted to do that for so long. She was such a pest. For one thing, she was constantly showing him up in their lessons. She was too damn good at remembering the legal rights of property owners and she was always interrupting whenever he and Franz were talking. He would never figure out how Franz felt about him if his damn kid sister didn't leave them alone.
"You quit it or I'll tell Franz you want to kiss him."
Miles froze. How did she know about that?
She came running over to the teenager and whacked him with her crop.
"Now go stand by that tree" she used her crop as a pointer to indicate a nearby apple tree. "And let me hit you with a bunch of snowballs or I'll tell."
"Franziska, I have no idea what you're talking about. Franz is a boy so obviously, I wouldn't want to kiss him."
His sister rejected this evidence. Franz's gender was irrelevant. Franziska was observant she could sense Miles wanted to be alone with the neighbor boy and she could guess from the longing in his eyes why. She knew about crushes. She thought she might even have one on Miles though she wasn't sure. He was a pain. He was way too good at music and oral arguments. And he could remember all those details about laws governing divorces that she couldn't keep straight in her mind.
"Sure. I'm no fool. You like him. You're all hormones whenever he's around."
Miles glared at his nine- year-old sister. Wasn't she a little young to be talking like this?
She whacked him again with her riding crop. "Miles and Franz sitting in a tree…"
Miles rolled his eyes why did Manfred have to have a daughter? It seemed like she was the only bad part of having come to live with Mr. von Karma. She was so weird. She was very aggressive and competitive and lately she had been giving him NO privacy.
"Well, I guess you've left me no choice." Franziska turned toward the property line between the von Karma estate and Franz's aunt's residence. Knowing Franz he was out here somewhere raising a ruckus she would find him.
Miles reached out and grabbed her hand. She had won. She had damaging information and though she didn't seem to think there was anything weird about his attraction for the neighbor boy, older more knowledgeable people would and he needed to do all he could to keep her quiet.
"Fine, have your fun. But not because I like Franz. I don't. I'm just giving you some free shots because I didn't give you a fair chance to defend yourself."
"That's right because even criminals receive a defense. Not that it matters when they're against a von Karma-" She raised her crop skyward to emphasis her point.
"Or an Edgeworth." Miles would not be outdone by this precocious pipsqueak he might not have the von Karma name, but prosecuting was in his blood every bit as much as it was in Franziska's.
Miles stood in front of the tree and Franziska formed a pile of snowballs. At first he pretended to act disinterested as she flung them at him but then he started hopping around trying to make her miss.
"Alright, alright that's enough." He said done with letting her have her way.
"Fool, there isn't enough snow here for me to pummel you with." She ran up to him wildly hitting him with her riding crop.
"What the heck did I do to you?" She gave his nose one good thwack with the crop before jogging away taunting him.
"Little brother, you are constantly driving me crazy."
He knew the feeling. He could hardly wait till Manfred took him to the courthouse next time because his pesky "big" sister would be left behind at the estate.
Miles took off running after his sister. It was difficult for her to run in the snow in her dress and he quickly caught her and hugging her around her waist lifted her up and swung her and tossed her in a snowdrift. She struggled to get up and then chased after him yanking the back of his coat and pulling him down to the ground.
He grabbed a bunch of snow and rubbed in into the top of her head and then rolled onto his back next to her. They wrestled around in the snow. He was trying to grab her hat so he could smoosh the snow directly into her hair, but she wiggled fast and she kept hitting him in the face with the riding crop.
"Why the hell do you always carry that thing around?" He panted. For a little thing she was pretty strong. "Do you know how much I hate getting hit by that all the time?"
Franziska grinned. Yes, she knew he hated it. That was why she did it.
He grabbed at her hat and pulled it off, but before he could grab a handful of snow she kicked him in the leg hard.
"Ouch!! That's not fair."
"von Karma's do whatever they have to do to win."
"Oh, is this war then?"
She nodded.
Miles charged her and flung her over his shoulder with her legs up in the air. She was hitting the back of his legs and his butt with the riding crop, but he didn't care. He grabbed her ankles and held her upside down in front him at arm's length.
"Admit defeat, Franziska."
"No." She said continuing to whack him with the crop.
"Fine, but it's going to be hard for you eat dinner upside down."
She figured Miles would get tired, but he must have had amazing upper body strength because he continued holding her in the air like this until she finally said, "Ok, ok, I give. Put me down, fool."
Miles decided she was so red in the face that he ought to put her down. It probably wasn't good for all the blood to go to her brain. He didn't want to make his rival any smarter than she already was.
They both flopped backwards on a snow bank panting and smiling.
"Miles, what's it like to kiss somebody?"
Miles sighed. Girls. They sure knew how to ruin a good time.
"I really wouldn't know. I've never kissed somebody."
"Well then you better get on with it cause Franz is leaving soon to go back to his mother's."
"Yeah, I know." It would only be a couple more days before he was gone. "Could we please not talk about this?"
"No. We need to talk about your foolishness. If you like Franz you should tell him before he goes."
"Franziska, it's not as simple as that. He might not…"
"Like you?"
'No,' Miles thought. 'He might not be like me.' But he said nothing. His sister obviously wasn't old enough to understand that some people didn't typically fall in love with one another.
"I wouldn't worry, little brother. Everybody likes you. You're smart and handsome and strong. Of course, I'm smarter and cuter, but that can't be helped. I'm perfect."
Miles sighed. She didn't have an ego problem or anything.
"Are you even going to know what you're supposed to do with your lips?" she inquired.
Miles flicked snow in her direction. "I said I didn't want to talk about this."
"You should practice on me." She said leaning her face towards his. Miles raised an eyebrow. She couldn't be serious, but he knew the easiest way to get along with his sister was to just go along with whatever she said.
"Fine. Here you go." He rolled toward her and gave her a quick peck on the forehead.
Franziska made a face like she'd just bit into a lemon. "Oh, you're NEVER going to get a boyfriend kissing like that, little brother! You need to wiggle your lips more…I think."
Miles wondered why he was taking romantic advice from her of all people. He wanted to tell her to shut up… but she was his sister.
"When the time is right I'll know what to do." He said kicking the snow with his foot.
"You sure about that, brother? Don't you want it to be perfect? Come on try again."
"I'm not kissing you, sister." He said standing up and brushing the snow off of himself.
"Why not?"
"Well, you're nine and I know you've convinced yourself I'm your little brother, but I'm actually quite a bit more grown up than you. You have nothing to teach me as you have no more experience than me."
"I'm not really nine."
"Oh, how old are you then?"
"I'm at least two years older than you."
"Really. Well, I don't believe it for a minute. You'd be taller if you were seventeen and you'd probably have a boyfriend."
"No. You have it wrong. I'm seventeen and you're my boyfriend."
Miles laughed. She was even crazier than he thought.
"So as my boyfriend I order you to kiss me for real."
"NO."
Franziska's face fell. "You don't love me."
"Of course, I love you sister, but you're my sister and you're nine and you're a girl."
Franziska couldn't tell which qualifier he found most troubling, but she was determined to find out. After all he was her boyfriend he just hadn't figured it out yet.
"Little brother, I'm going to get you to kiss me for real one day." She said authoritatively. Miles thought she better not hold her breath, but all he said was "Oh, really? Won't that make Franz mad?"
"Oh, yes. He'll be wildly jealous but I'll beat him off with my riding crop. Because I'll want you all to myself. I love you, little brother." She placed a gloved hand on the side of his face and Miles smiled at her and for the briefest moment he realized this bratty little girl was his best friend and understood him in a way no one else did. He wasn't sure whether that was comforting or disturbing.
She climbed into his lap and kissed the underside of his chin as she reached and dropped a bunch of snow down the back of his shirt. He hopped up and danced around to shake the snow out and knocked her back to the ground and her legs wiggled in the air as he tickled and rolled her in the snow.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!" It was the unmistakable growl of Manfred von Karma. "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE STUDYING."
Franziska jumped to her feet. "I'm sorry, Papa."
"I expect this kind of foolish behavior from you, but Miles Edgeworth I am ashamed of you. Both of you inside and back to your lessons."
"Yes, sir."
"Franziska, you're not to go to the stables for the rest of the week."
"But, Papa, Papa please!"
"No!"
"But Willowpie will be so lonely!"
"Sir, it was my fault. Please don't punish her. I started it."
"No, you don't protect her. She deserves it. Rule breakers get what they deserve. Now go to your room and change while I have a little talk with Mr. Vanderbeak."
~xxxx~
This impromptu vacation was perfect for her and Miles, Franziska thought as she rolled her naked body on the soft blankets they had piled in front of the fire. She watched Miles rotating the wet gloves and mittens they had hanging above the fireplace to dry out. She loved the crackling of the fire. It reminded her of the release she felt whenever she cracked her whip.
It was below freezing outside, but by the fire it was cozy and its heat in combination with the physical exertion she and her brother had just enjoyed had left them both coated in a thin layer of sweat. Later they would have to take a nice hot steaming bath together.
"And I thought snow days were only fun for school kids," he said coming over to lie next to her again. "But I must say I think snowball fights are even more fun when you get to come inside and continue wrestling."
She smiled at him. She already wanted him again. It didn't seem possible after how tired she was just a little while ago but thinking of the two of them trying to catch snowflakes in their mouths and ending up tangling their tongues together made her so hot with desire she was sure had she been outside she would have melted the snow.
"It's so nice to have a day off of work," she commented sipping at her glass of wine and staring into the fire.
"What a very un-von Karma like thing to say."
"Well, perhaps a little Edgeworth is rubbing off on me." She said rubbing her naked body against his and looking at him with desire. She had thought she was fulfilled and she had been, but hearing the sound of his voice and seeing him watching her, made her aroused yet again.
"I've had such a nice day I feel like going out and sabotaging the snowplows," he said kissing her shoulder. The touch of his moist, soft lips was heaven and she leaned into the contact. It was fine with her for those lips to go anywhere they wanted.
"Me, too. I'm glad we went out to play in the snow. I know it's utter foolishness, but every once I while I like being a fool don't you?"
Miles smiled. She put on a tough outer shell, but when they were alone it was almost like she was a different person.
"Making snow angels with you outside reminds me of that one year."
Miles murmured his recollection of the year she meant, but he only removed his lips from her body for a moment and just to move to another spot to worship. He enjoyed taking his time with her like this. So often they were so rushed, so tired, but today was perfect. His lips started traveling from her shoulder down the back of her body. Her skin was so smooth.
"What do you remember about that day in the snow?" He asked, curious. He remembered things, but he'd been older and he'd had a lot on his mind.
Franziska narrowed her eyes. "Not a lot. I remember it was right before Papa fired that one tutor with the name that sounded like a bird…"
"Vanderbeak."
"Yes, Mr. Vanderbeak. He let us go out to play and you had an unfair advantage cause I think you got out there first."
Miles nodded. "Well, you had the unfair advantage today in all your ski gear."
Franziska had to admit Miles was way better at forming snowballs than she was all of hers fell apart, but she had had her whip so the battle had been fair enough.
"I remember I was teasing you about Franz."
"Oh, god…I haven't thought about him in years. FRANZ. What ever happened to him?"
"Let's put it this way it's probably a good thing you were too chicken to make a move. He's married now to a Kimberly or Kara or Karen or something. I don't know some K name."
"I was never very good at that sort of thing…"
"Lucky for me," Franziska said rolling onto her back. She laid her head back inviting Miles' lips to explore her breasts and neck. He obliged.
"I think you tried to get me to kiss you."
"Oh, probably. I was already harboring a bit of a crush for you, but it didn't get really bad for a few more years." His lips played with her nipple stretching it ever so gently and sucking at it. She sighed with contentment. Even when her crush was at it's most extreme she had never imagined the kind of ecstasy she felt with him. She never would have thought such things possible even with the man she most craved. Everyday she congratulated herself on her ability to control her urges when around him at the courthouse as she felt a constant need to be close to him, to feel the warmth of his body near her and to smell his lovely aroma. Sometimes she felt like she just wanted to crawl inside him and occupy the exact same space he did and be able to see the world through his eyes. He was such a kind soul, not violent and angry like she was.
Miles hand came to rest on her left hip as he reached across her still kissing her body. She liked the warmth of his touch and she spread her hips allowing his hand to migrate towards her core. He touched her insides and it made her pant.
"I love you, darling," he said kissing her lower lip as she rapidly brought air in and out through her mouth. Her hands clutched the fleece blankets they were upon as she felt herself teetering on the edge of climax. She allowed her eyes to flutter open and gaze into his as the world suddenly turned dark as she experienced the maximum amount of pleasure her body could. She yelped and then wailed out his name as the rhythm of his fingers slowed to allow her a moment of respite. He eased her down and slid his fingers out of her and climbed above her body continuing to kiss her neck. She wrapped her arms around him loosely. She was too exhausted to grip him tightly, but she knew he wasn't going anywhere. Soon he would want fulfillment too and she would be more than happy to give it to him. He tipped the weight of his body so that he could be on his back and she laid on top of him her arms draped across his chest, one leg between his, with the other leg gripping the outside of his hip.
"You're so beautiful, Franziska. I hope you know that. Absolutely magnificent."
She blushed a little at his flattery. He was just saying that. No one could rival his beauty with those amazing eyes that were like no one else's. She wondered. Maybe he was part fairy or wood nymph of something. He didn't seem entirely human. He had a mystique to him that was difficult to define.
Without lifting her head she kissed his chest and slid her tongue out to lick his flesh where she could reach. He closed his eyes and she thought he might have fallen asleep.
"Franziska, I love you."
She wanted to smile, but there he was saying it again and as usual she found herself unable to say the words even for him who she did love perhaps more than life itself. He was everything to her. All the joy she had came from him being a part of her life. Prosecuting was exciting and rewarding, but not in the same way being with Miles was. He was what she needed, exactly perfect for her. He understood her and accepted her. He was worthy of her love unlike…damn, she thought, it's time to tell him, but what about our perfect day?
Her brother noticed her silence and the intensity with which she watched the flames, but said nothing. He was used to her not parroting his romantic statements. It simply wasn't her style, though it did make him sad that even in a romantic setting like this away from other people she still hesitated.
"Miles…I need to tell you something…" Franziska's eyes glanced down at his strong arm and she took his hand and interlaced her fingers with his. They fit together just perfectly. "I thought it didn't matter, but I think you should know."
He gently caressed her back with his other hand curious what she felt the need to share.
"Years ago while you were overseas we had this new gardener. He was young and good-looking. I had the biggest crush on him. I spent the summer finding every excuse to be out in the garden watching him work. He didn't come from money like us, of course, but he seemed refined. He knew about art and music and botany and I thought he liked me. I thought he was a gentleman like you. And then…he raped me."
Miles hand abruptly quit moving. He was too startled to continue. He tipped his head so he could stare into his love's face. "Franziska?!" She had said it so matter-of-factly he almost thought he had misheard.
"We met in one of the guest rooms one night. He brought a bottle of wine. He slipped something in my drink. I guess he figured I'd be too embarrassed to tell Papa what he did to me, but I did. It was so hard, Miles. I was so ashamed."
Miles hugged his sister to him. "Why'd I never hear about this? Did father prosecute him?"
Franziska made a breathy snort. "I told Papa because what happened to me was wrong. I woke up and I was alone and naked and I wasn't a virgin anymore. I wanted the man to go to jail- he was a criminal, but Papa was embarrassed. He had trusted this man in his home and he didn't want me to testify. I guess he figured it looked bad for the protégé prosecutor to have been victimized. He thought it made me look weak and stupid. A von Karma is smart enough not to be taken advantage of. So, the man was arrested and prosecuted for raping Emily, the daughter of one of our maids. The only people who knew the truth were me and him, Papa, Emily and her mom, and a doctor who made the paperwork say the samples came from Emily rather than me."
"Miles…I thought he loved me." Franziska sobbed into his shoulder. "The last thing I remember was him telling me he loved me and I said I loved him back. The stupid thing is I liked him so much he didn't need to drug me. I would have probably done it anyways. He had me so suckered in. He was such a smooth talker and…" Franziska's words were becoming less intelligible now and she was mixing her German and English making it difficult for Miles to understand everything she was saying, but it didn't matter. He had gotten the picture and it wasn't only this gardener he wanted to kill. He couldn't believe he had found yet another reason to hate Manfred von Karma. How had that man ever had such a lovely daughter? How had he raised her and she managed to survive with such minimal damage?
"Why'd you never tell me?" Franziska said nothing. What had he expected her to do? Call sobbing to him about something he couldn't change? Making him feel bad that he was gone? No, there had never been a point. But now? Now when he had to accept that the words, "I love you" caught in her throat? She hoped that she used to say it to him when they were kids together, but she wasn't sure. She couldn't remember. She remembered more fighting and jealousy fueled by her father making them compete all the time than any moments of tenderness.
"Papa said some things he didn't mean. I didn't want you to think less of me." Miles and her had been raised as rivals. They were programmed to point out one another's imperfections. She had feared he would tell her it was her fault, which was exactly how she felt. She had been weak. She had allowed herself to be in the situation and so she felt she had culpability in the outcome.
A tear ran from Miles eye. "Franziska, nothing you could ever do would make me think less of you and this is nothing you did. It was done to you. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't even your choice."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Yes, of course. You don't honestly believe I would think that even if you wanted it he was right to proceed? You were a kid and he was an adult. How old was he?"
"Twenty-five."
Miles rubbed his head. He often forgot there was such a large age difference between him and his sister, but she was an adult now. It didn't matter, but good god? A twenty-five year old seducing sixteen-year-old Franziska and then… Miles swallowed. The amount of anger coursing through his body was not good. He would have broken or destroyed something except it was Franziska he was closest to so he merely held her tightly wishing he could somehow make those painful memories go away.
Holding her to him Miles felt like he understood a little more. He remembered sixteen-year-old Franziska busily working as the world's youngest prosecutor while pursuing her other studies and constantly trying to please her monster of a father. She must have been craving attention or love, tenderness of any kind. She didn't even have Miles there to fight with. He imagined her waking up from her drug-induced sleep naked surrounded by strange smells and sensations having been used like a thing. It was disgusting…and then he made a connection he had never made.
"That's when you started carrying your whip. When I came back your cute little riding crop was gone and instead you were slashing everyone."
Franziska turned her eyes away from him in shame. It was true. She had wanted something to protect herself with. Something that made her feel more powerful and so she had upgraded from her riding crop to the whip.
"I don't want your pity. It didn't…make me…the way I am."
"Sister, I won't stand for you talking about yourself as though there is something wrong with you. Everyone is different."
She snorted. Yeah, she was different all right like right now how she wanted to feel the security of her whip, but she didn't remember where she had laid it. They'd been so busy throwing off one another's clothing and scarves and shoes and undergarments…
He hugged her to him wishing there was more he could do for her.
"Miles, I was drugged. I don't remember any of it. I'm only telling you so you can understand that sometimes it's hard for me because the first person I loved other than you proved themselves unworthy."
Miles nodded. He understood that she didn't want his pity, but he still felt something. Empathy perhaps?
"Papa said love was only an illusion and that if I was a man I would have known that."
Miles brushed the hair out of her face. "Your father was very cruel to you, Franziska. I'm so sorry. I should have done more to protect you."
"He made me the lawyer I am today."
"But at what price? He made us prosecutors first, people second. It's a hard way to live. He didn't care about either of us finding happiness." This was an understatement for Edgeworth. Miles knew Manfred von Karma had orchestrated a plot to ruin Miles life.
Franziska smiled at Miles, "But I think we finally outsmarted him don't you?" Her lips met his. "Because this isn't an illusion is it?"
Miles shook his head. "No, darling, it isn't. I'm not perfect but I promise I'll do all I can, not to hurt you. You can trust me. I love you with all my heart."
"And I love you. Just understand that if I don't say it, it doesn't mean I don't feel it."
"I know."
"I don't want you to ever feel used and I worry that I-"
"Never do I feel used. Not in a bad way, anyways." He said rubbing his head into her neck affectionately.
"Did you really think my riding crop was cute?"
Miles nodded. "It hurt less than the whip."
She avoided his gaze.
"No, I'm teasing. I thought it was cute because you were so excited about that horse. What ever happened to Willowpie?"
"Father sold him."
Figures thought Miles. It seemed like that man was out to ruin both of their lives by making them miserable. The more they cared about something other than law the more likely he would take it away from them, especially from Franziska. Miles had been noticing some evidence that suggested Manfred had treated his daughter less than fatherly. Miles wished he knew the truth, but he wouldn't ask her to talk about it, not today. What she had revealed was hard enough on her.
"Franziska, that day out in the snow when we were kids you said you loved me and that you'd get me to kiss you someday."
Franziska turned beat red. She thought he had forgotten, but how could he? Those moments between the two of them had been so rare.
"Just promise me this isn't all some sort of game to prove you were right."
Franziska kissed him. "No, in court this would be found to be far too mutual for me to win." She reached down and teased his most sensitive region as she situated herself to ride him.
"It's ok, sister. You can win. It means I get what I want."
"And what's that?" She said arching an eyebrow as his arm supported her neck as he led her head down to his face.
"You, darling. All of you. Whip included."