"Yes, there it is again..." Edda shifted in her seat, swinging her legs off the chair to let her feet touch the floor. "Such a scornful side to you, and how easily provoked it is now." Edda spoke softly into her shoulder, her head turned to the side, away from Franz. "And yet, I wonder - if perhaps I'm the only..."
Edda did not finish her thought, and instead stood and walked over to the door in three great strides. She grabbed Franz by his free wrist, as if her pathetic strength would ever be enough to prevent him from leaving. She tugged on his arm once, and looked straight into his eyes. They stood close, Edda's frame still small against the luxury of her room, her eyes wild with emotion that could not be placed.
"Of course I can see you," Edda hissed at him, her voice low and shaking, as if she were near tears. There was a redness in her eyes that could only be seen while close. "Just as you see me. And what primal pleasure you must have felt, seeing me in such a state. What pain could there have been? The same pain you felt when I ceased to trust you? The kind of pain you experienced when I provoked you into violence? The pain that I inflict by doing anything I can to see you miserable?" She tightened her grip on his wrist and drew in closer. Her expression broke, her brow knitted and her eyes bright with a thin sheen of tears.
"Is the truth not difficult for all of us?" Her voice grew even quieter. "I would not have you lie to me, but I cannot bear these acts of kindness, either. I am not so weak as you seem to think, yet I know I've done nothing to deserve your charity." Edda glances to the empty tray in his hand, the memory of warm food that had stuck in her throat, tight with unbidden emotion. "Do you not see me?" She looked back to Franz, and with her free hand traced a small line on his forehead. It was a ghosting touch, close to where his third eye would be, now hidden. "Do you not remember that pain? Recall that, and all the poison I've said to you, and what damage I've caused- Recall that, and look me in the eye and tell me I didn't deserve it."
Edda did not finish her thought, and instead stood and walked over to the door in three great strides. She grabbed Franz by his free wrist, as if her pathetic strength would ever be enough to prevent him from leaving. She tugged on his arm once, and looked straight into his eyes. They stood close, Edda's frame still small against the luxury of her room, her eyes wild with emotion that could not be placed.
"Of course I can see you," Edda hissed at him, her voice low and shaking, as if she were near tears. There was a redness in her eyes that could only be seen while close. "Just as you see me. And what primal pleasure you must have felt, seeing me in such a state. What pain could there have been? The same pain you felt when I ceased to trust you? The kind of pain you experienced when I provoked you into violence? The pain that I inflict by doing anything I can to see you miserable?" She tightened her grip on his wrist and drew in closer. Her expression broke, her brow knitted and her eyes bright with a thin sheen of tears.
"Is the truth not difficult for all of us?" Her voice grew even quieter. "I would not have you lie to me, but I cannot bear these acts of kindness, either. I am not so weak as you seem to think, yet I know I've done nothing to deserve your charity." Edda glances to the empty tray in his hand, the memory of warm food that had stuck in her throat, tight with unbidden emotion. "Do you not see me?" She looked back to Franz, and with her free hand traced a small line on his forehead. It was a ghosting touch, close to where his third eye would be, now hidden. "Do you not remember that pain? Recall that, and all the poison I've said to you, and what damage I've caused- Recall that, and look me in the eye and tell me I didn't deserve it."
