"I'm assuming you have a reason for dragging me out here?" Balthazar complained as he followed Rose down the street.
"I didn't drag you out here!" Rose scoffed. "You followed me when you decided it was 'too dangerous' for me to be out here alone."
"Which I told you this morning, so you knew I'd never let you go out by yourself." Balthazar countered.
"So maybe I planned it a little." Rose admitted. "I want to try magic outside." Rose explained spreading her arms out wide, gesturing to the fresh air.
"Absolutely not." Balthazar replied immediately.
"But I..." Rose frowned.
"This is not up for discussion Rose."
"Please? I think it would really help!" She insisted.
"It's too dangerous." Balthazar stated resolutely.
"But I'll be with you." Rose said reminding him of their discussion this morning again.
"Rose, I can't guarantee your safety. Even without drawing attention to yourself, It would be difficult to protect you."
"If I could lean all this magic stuff, I wouldn't need you to protect me!"
"You're never going to learn if you get captured by Morganians!" Balthazar exclaimed.
"Why are you being so difficult?" Rose snarled.
"Life is difficult Princess." Balthazar countered.
"Oh cute. I'm a princess because I'm pretty. Ha ha I've never heard that one before." Rose snapped. Seething, Rose began flexing her hands trying incredibly hard not to punch the old man. A come back on the tip of her tongue, Rose stopped when she spotted flame balls growing in her palms. "I did it!" She said with a broad smile, bouncing up and down with excitement. Her celebration was interrupted when Accidental magic of an apprentice was no match for the experienced sorcerer. Balthazar effortlessly captured the two fireballs in a vacuum sphere and banished them. "Balthazar, I'm so sorry." Rose whimpered covering her mouth.
"It's alright Rose it was an accident." Balthazar tried to sooth her. "Amazingly no one even seemed to noticed." Balthazar said looking around. The street wasn't particularly busy for New York City, but there were still plenty of people passing Rose and Balthazar on the street.
"It's New York," Rose shrugged "People don't see much of what happens outside their life. The few who did notice probably just thought it was street magic. Are you sure I didn't hurt you?"
"Yes." Balthazar chuckled. "I'm sorry I had to upset you like that Rosy, but I was trying to teach you something."
"That whining isn't going to get me what I want?" Rosy said crossing her arms.
"No, you magic is influenced by your emotions." Balthazar explained.
"I've been being an ass haven't I?" Rose sighed.
"You've had a lot on your mind." Balthazar excused. "What do you say we take a walk to Central Park, we can do some...street magic."
"I promise not to light you on fire again." Rose giggled.
"Don't make promises you can't keep Miss Stutler." Balthazar chuckled. He and Rose were glad to find a corner of Central Park that was nearly uninhabited at that time of night. "Let's start with the plasma bolt again."
"Um okay." Rose said kicking her shoe off and spreading her feet apart. Holding her hands away from her face, Rose concentrated hard on conjuring a plasma bolt. Balthazar watched as Rose's brows furrowed in frustration.
"you're trying too hard." Balthazar instructed, stepping closer. "You'll never be able to conjure anything with your muscles so tight." Reaching forward Balthazar took each of Rose's hands in one of his own. "Lay the back of your hands against my palms." Rose did as she told, the soft texture of Balthazar's leather fingerless gloves against her skin. "Good. Now relax your finger tips, curling them in ever so slightly." Balthazar moved his palms gently to contour Rose's finger tips just right. "Okay, now close your eyes, and feel the plasma energy forming in your hands." Closing her eyes, Rose took a slow measured breath, and tried to materialize the plasma like she'd done with the fireball. "Open your eyes Rose." Rose's eyes flashed open.
"Am I doing this? Am I really doing this? Or...is it you?" She looked up at Balthazar, her eyes softly accusing.
"I'm not even touching you." Balthazar held up his hands, palms out.
"Epic." Rose exhaled, pulling her hands apart in an attempt to enlarge the bolt.
"Toss it here." Balthazar commanded. Rose obliged tossing the bolt to Balthazar. "Now catch." The sorcerer ordered throwing the ball back to Rose the second he caught hit. Surprising herself for the third time that night Rose caught the bolt smoothly.
"Did you see that?" Rose said releasing the bolt accidentally. The bolt went flying off, collided with a tree and burned out. "Oops." Rose said nervously biting her lip.
"We've got to work on your releasing technique, but definitely an improvement." Balthazar assured her.
" Couldn't have done it without your help." Rose smiled. "Thank you for teaching me how to do that." Rose thanked Balthazar as the two left the park.
"It's what a master is suppose to do." Balthazar shrugged.
"Right, of course."Rose replied seeming suddenly downcast. "Let's head back to Dave's." Rose said walking faster.
"Wait there's a note." Rose stopped Balthazar before he unlocked the door. "Dear Rose and Uncle Balthazar, Becky and I will be up late studying. Please do not disturb. - Dave. Studying my butt." Rose growled as she crumpled the note and tossed it to the ground. "I'm going back to my hotel. That is with your permission, Master." Rose said stalking off.
"Have I done something to offend you Rose?" Balthazar asked chasing after her.
"Not at all Master." Rose quipped as she continued to stalk off.
"It's strange because you're saying no, but you're putting a strange infliction on you word Master, that I've noticed you're now inserting at the end of all your sentences."
"What reason would I have to be upset, Master." Rose asked walking backwards through the streets so she could face Balthazar.
"There's that strange infliction again." Balthazar said wagging a finger at her.
"Yeah well..." Walking backwards has its consequences. Rose learned this the hard way as she backed into a newspaper dispenser and nearly toppled to the ground. With lightning-fast reflexes, Balthazar reached out and caught his female apprentice.
"I'd thank you for catching me," Rose said as Balthazar set her on her feet. "But I suppose you'd just tell me that's what a Master does."
"This is about what I said at the park?" Balthazar scoffed.
"Look I know you were trapped in a glorified pot for a decade, so maybe no one's explained this to you." Rose rounded on him. "In today's day and age, terms like 'princess' and 'master' are words used by misogynists to put women down." Rose crossed her eyes and glared at Balthazar.
"Rose," Balthazar said her name softly. "I wasn't trying to be misogynistic. Master is a traditional term used by someone who's perfected the craft of sorcery. It's a sign of respect for the person who's earned it. It is not meant to be a derogatory term apprentices. A Sorcerer's apprentice is their future." Balthazar explained. "I have nothing but respect for you Rose Stutler." Before thinking about the consequences of her actions, Rose leaned forward and touched her soft lips to Balthazar's. The kiss didn't last, Rose pulled away the second she realized what she'd done. Gasping, Rose immediately began to apologize.
"Balthazar I am so sor..." She was cut off as Balthazar pulled her in for another kiss.