Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! The Sorcerer's Apprentice and all its characters belong to Disney.

Rated: T (Teen): Implied Sexual Situations, Implied Homosexuality.

Prompt: #80 Allies

Trigger Warnings: None.

Maxim was carving another figurine whenever Mordred called out to him from down the hall. Horvath muttered a curse under his breath as he glanced up to see Morgana's nephew closing the distance between them. He had never been particularly fond of the Le Fay boy. He was arrogant, brash and unpredictable in the most unsettling of ways. "What is it, Mordred?"

"My aunt will see you now," Mordred sneered, "Mongrel."

Maxim quirked an eyebrow. "I thought I wasn't supposed to visit her chamber tonight."

Mordred shrugged. "Women are indecisive beasts. They're incapable of making up their minds about anything. I was told to get you, so here I am."

Maxim slid his carving knife and unfinished figurine back into his satchel for later. The doors to Morgana's chambers were unlocked whenever he gripped the knob. The sound of a somewhat familiar male voice made him pause.

A bubble of laughter from Morgana immediately set off warning bells in the back of Maxim's mind. Morgana Le Fay only laughed whenever she and Maxim were alone together. Most of the time it was when they were in bed and had just finished a bout of love making. A torrent of fury, fear and possessiveness surged inside of him and he shoved through the doors.

Morgana bolted upright out of her chair nearly sending the man she'd been kissing moments ago toppling over onto the floor. "Horvath! I told you not to come here!"

"And now I know why," Maxim retorted.

The young man sprawled on the floor pushed himself up into a sitting position giving Maxim a clear view of his all-too-familiar face.

Bors the Younger of Ebrauc stared up at him. He was a handsome man with beige blonde hair, deep blue eyes and a tamed anchor beard. Maxim despised the knight. Morgana knew why, yet she had welcomed Bors into her home-and if the disheveled sheets were anything to go by-her bed. The same bed she'd promised she'd share only with him.

"I catch you doing the Gods only know what with some other man and you have the audacity to snarl at me?"

Morgana bristled. "I am not your property, Horvath! I'll say and do whatever I wish with whomever I please!"

Maxim couldn't decide what hurt more, learning that the woman he adored had taken another lover, or the fact she wouldn't even call him by his first name. She knew Merlin had stopped referring to him by first name after Balthazar had come along and that the old sorcerer had pushed him away completely by the time Veronica entered the picture. Now she was doing it as well, setting him aside just like his old master, without mercy or remorse.

"One wonders why you and Merlin detest each other so much," he spat, "You're just alike."

"Don't you dare say such things! You know exactly why I hate that old fool," Morgana seethed.

He did know. Morgana had told him after taking him to bed. Merlin was the reason Uther Pendragon had killed her father and impregnated her mother. Maxim knew it was cruel, bringing up what she'd told him confidentially, but she'd shattered his heart. He wanted Morgana to suffer the exact same pain-or at the very least something similar-she'd inflicted upon him.

"You are what they say you are-a heartless, cruel witch!"

His voice wavered under the stress of his sorrow and rage, but didn't crack, and for that Maxim was grateful. He was tired of playing the fool. His heart and his trust had been broken far too many times.

Those he loved had stabbed him in the back. First it was Merlin, then it was Balthazar and Veronica, now Morgana. Never again. He'd harden his heart. It was the only way to survive.

"Thank you, Lady Le Fay."

Morgana frowned. "For what?"

"You've taught me a valuable lesson this day. Love is more than a simple weakness or a distraction, it's a plague, and because of you...I've become immuned."

Morgana paled. "Horvath..."

Maxim turned and stomped toward the doors.

All the color drained from Morgana's face whenever she realized exactly what she'd done. "Maxim, stop!" She snatched up her robe and ran after him. Due to Horvath's longer legs and stronger stride, Morgana found it quite difficult to catch up to him. He was already saddling his old horse by the time Le Fay entered Tintagel's stable. "Where are you going? I haven't given you permission to leave!"

"With all due respect, Lady Le Fay, I don't require your permission. I am a person, not a possession. You don't own me. Like you, I can do and say whatever I desire, and I intend to go with or without your blessing."

"You can't! You swore fealty to me!"

"You promised me your heart and your love," he snapped, " It seems we're both liars."

Maxim climbed up onto his horse and tugged the reigns. "I am through with fighting other people's battles. If you and Merlin wish to kill each other, that's your business. I will not be dragged into your war a second time."

Morgana grabbed his reigns. "Maxim, please don't go! You don't understand! Bors and I-it isn't what you think!"

"I saw you kissing him! Let go of my horse!"

Morgana shook her head. "Bors isn't a threat to you. That kiss...it was just him being silly. He didn't mean anything by it, I swear."

"You were practically naked in his arms!"

"I was not," Morgana argued, "I'm wearing a chemise!" She untied and opened her robe so he'd see her nightgown. "I would never be unfaithful to you! Maxim, I love you. Only you."

Maxim hesitated. "What about your bed?"

Morgana frowned. "What about it?"

"The sheets were stained with..." He couldn't bring himself to speak aloud of another man's seed.

Morgana's eyes widened when she realized what exactly he was trying to say. "Oh, Maxim...darling, those sheets are the same ones we slept on last night. I told the chambermaid to leave them because they smell of you. I can't sleep when you aren't beside me, love."

"Then why didn't you just call me to your chambers? Why do you push me away whenever your allies visit?"

Morgana sighed. "We've had this discussion before. I do it to protect you. Mordred's my nephew. He has no reason to betray my confidence, but if the others find out, they will think I'm weak. Some might even challenge my authority or try to eliminate you so my focus remains on the war."

"I think you're embarrassed, ashamed of me and what we do when we're together. You don't want anyone knowing about us because it will ruin your chances of finding more allies and a suitable husband when the time comes."

Morgana sighed. "Maxim, you know deep down that isn't true. I admit I tend to rely on my beauty and my wealth to gain allies, but I have no intention of tying myself to any lord or king. I've told you before we'll marry as soon as the war ends and I've claimed the throne."

"It's been forty years! How much longer must we wait?"

Morgana took hold of his arm and carefully coaxed him down off his horse. "I know it gets difficult, love. You've no idea how badly I want to be your wife. There are days when my patience wears thin too, but I always tell myself that when all is said and done, we'll finally be married and everything we have endured will have been worth the wait."

Maxim stared at her unsure whether to let himself hope. "You truly believe there is a chance we'll get our happily ever after?"

Morgana nodded. "Yes, love. I do. Until then we just have to keep on reminding ourselves why we're doing this. So that our children may grow up in a world where they won't be persecuted or used for their magical abilities the way we were."

"So...you're not setting me aside in favor of another?"

Morgana reached up and cupped his cheek. "Never, love. You are my life and I would sooner die than risk losing what you and I have together."

Maxim relaxed somewhat. "Really?"

Morgana wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Of course, my darling. Don't ever doubt my love for you. My heart, body and soul are yours and yours alone."

Maxim let himself relax as he wrapped his arms around her to return her hug. "I'm sorry, darling. I shouldn't have reacted as I did whenever I saw you with Bors. I have no right to be so possessive. What you said is true. You're a person not my property. You've every right to say and act as you please."

Morgana shook her head. "Oh, darling, please don't apologize. I was just being defensive because you caught me off guard whenever you came into my chambers. Of course I'm yours. And you're mine. Don't ever think otherwise."

Maxim sighed. "Now I feel foolish. Your friend probably believes I'm a raving lunatic."

Morgana chuckled into his shoulder. "Actually Sir Bors finds you quite handsome, love. I keep having to remind him you're already spoken for."

"Bors prefers men?"

Morgana nodded. "Please don't tell anyone, love. Bors and I have been friends since we were children and I swore his secret would be safe with me. You're the only one I've ever told."

"I won't say a word to anyone," Maxim promised.

Morgana smiled. "Thank you, love. I knew I could trust you. Now...let's go back up to my chambers, shall we?"

Maxim hesitated. "What about Bors?"

Morgana quirked an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"If he finds out about us..."

"I've kept his secret all these years," Morgana replied, tugging Maxim by the hand. "It won't kill him to keep one for me."