- Chapter 8 -

"Merlin had three apprentices. I was one of them."
~ Balthazar Blake

When Maxim finally came back to Merlin's castle, he wasn't even a little surprised that it was so quiet. On usual times, it was supposed to be quiet. Because Merlin, if not out of town or at King Arthur's court for business, would usually be in his study and be even more busy.

"Merlin?" called Maxim cautiously to his master, his voice echoed, bouncing back on the walls. "Merlin, I'm back."

"Huh? Oh! Is that you, Horvath?" came Merlin's response from somewhere, his voice also echoing. "Good, good! You're here."

"Where are you?" asked the apprentice.

"Here in the dining room, lad," answered Merlin. "Come, come! I've been waiting for you."

Making off to go towards the direction of where the dining room was located, Maxim was carrying a loaf of bread under his left arm.

"I've done every single chore in your list," the boy said, pulling out said list and frowned at it. "Are you certain that we're in need of more bread? Last I checked, there were still..."

Maxim suddenly stopped at his tracks the very moment he stepped within the premises of the dining room. His eyes widened with surprised as he recognized the two people who weren't usually in the castle but was then standing right there, smiling at him.

"Mother?"

"Surprise!"

Carlyle and Ulla walked over towards the still surprised boy, as Ulla kissed her son on the cheeks.

"Carlyle, what - what are you two doing here?" Maxim asked, a little confused.

"You didn't think that me and your mother forgot, did you?" replied the blacksmith.

Ulla beamed a loving smile to her son, as she said, "Happy birthday, Maxim."

If Maxim did ever had anything to say, he wasn't able to, as Merlin suddenly came out of a corner, hands casually clasped behind, walking over to the small group, a smile on the sorcerer's face.

"I must say," the sorcerer said, "you were out longer than I...anticipated."

At this, Maxim was at least able to smile. "So 'this' is the reason behind all the fuss of getting me out of the castle?"

Merlin shrugged, nonchalantly. "Only for a few moments necessary."

Moments later, Maxim felt as though he was the happiest lad ever alive. At his 14th birthday, he not only have Carlyle and his mother to celebrate it with, but now, he had a master. And unlike any other birthdays that he had, this one was rather different. After dinning in with all the food on the table, sharing stories and laughs with three of the most closest people so far in his life, Maxim got the chance to see Merlin's magic having been used in the most amazing things he had ever seen in his life.

Merlin made a show.

Smokes coming out of the sorcerer's hands, changing colors from blue, red, green, yellow, then to pink, forming different shapes, most almost even life-like. The sorcerer even told a story using his magic to make his characters come to life, showing how each character interact with one another, complete with scenery, and the sound effects. But the best part of the show, the best part of the celebration, for Maxim, was the fact that he had these three special people in his life to share it with.

His birthday celebration didn't take too long, as Carlyle and his mother wasn't intending to sleep in the castle for the night. After the table was cleaned and the dishes all gathered up in the kitchen for washing, Maxim accompanied his mother along with the blacksmith at the castle gates.

"It still is almost unbelievable," said Maxim to his mother, but out of more to himself.

"What is?" asked Ulla, looking at her son. Meanwhile, Carlyle was fetching the horses.

"That you managed to convince Merlin to have my birthday celebrated in the castle," the boy simply answered.

"Convince? Oh no, Maxim," said Ulla, shaking her head to the teenager. "This was all Merlin's idea."

"What?" Maxim couldn't believe what he heard.

"Yes. He came to the house five days before."

At the very same moment, Carlyle finally arrived with the horses, as the blacksmith helped Ulla to her horse before mounting his own. The three said their good-byes to each other before finally parting, leaving Maxim thinking over what his mother said.

'It was all Merlin's idea?' he thought to himself. Should a simple thank you be in order?

Along the way back inside the castle, Maxim was expecting to see Merlin still at the kitchen, but he wasn't expecting to see the sorcerer himself doing the dishes.

"Let me do it instead, Merlin," suggested the teenager, already taking his place at his master's side.

"Don't be ridiculous, lad," said Merlin, his attention completely on the dishes. "Today is your birthday. And the first time I ever had an apprentice to celebrate his birthday here in my castle. Let me handle this, at least just for tonight."

"Well if this is what it means each time I celebrate my birthday here in the castle," said Maxim, smiling with the every intention to tease, "I wish everyday could be my birthday."

Glancing briefly down on his apprentice, Merlin caught on quick with the humor intended, smiling subtly to himself. "I said 'just for tonight'. So don't you get any ideas of getting use to this."

A quiet chuckle followed after from the teenager, but as said teenager was about to leave, he took short pause before turning back to his master, Merlin's back facing to him, still busy with the dishes. He won't just leave just like that.

"Merlin?"

"Hmm?"

All of a sudden, Merlin felt arms being wrapped around his waist, as he found that it was his apprentice. He flinched a little and looked down, confused on the teenager, until he heard a foreign word was muttered.

"Köszönöm."

Right after Maxim mentioned that word, he immediately left the kitchen, running, and never looking back. The teenager was already out of sight when Merlin turned around. He was surprised, and dumbfounded, but it was in a good way. If memory serves him right, what his apprentice said was the Hungarian word for 'thank you'. He may not be so certain as to why the lad was thanking him, but it pleased Merlin. A smile once again resurfaced on his face, as he went back on washing the dishes, whispering, "You're welcome."

Just how many knighting ceremonies had he was invited to, Merlin couldn't count anymore. But it wasn't like he'd even want to count at all. This time, it was the knighting ceremony of the eldest son of Sir Frederick Crispin Blake, a good and noble knight that Merlin had known for a few years. He was invited to be one of the witnesses, and also because he knew the family and had assisted them on a particular problem in the past.

"Lord Merlin." The present lady of the house of Blakes, the kind and beautiful Lady Nicolette, wife to Sir Frederick, and mother of all three Blake brothers, approached the lonesome sorcerer, standing at one corner of the ballroom. As said sorcerer acknowledged her presence in bowing slightly to her, she gave her own respects to the sorcerer by doing a curtsy. "Same as always, I can see, mi-lord. You still don't dance."

"Oh, my Lady Blake, please don't tease," replied Merlin with a smile. "You know well that I'm not one of the best dancers in Court."

Lady Nicolette only giggled. Yes she did know. Although Merlin could be one of the most powerful sorcerers of their time, he could also be the worse dancers of all time.

"Yes, I am quite aware of that," the lady said. Right after then, she felt a slight tug on her dress. Looking down behind her, she smiled and stepped aside, revealing a blond haired boy standing behind her, as she gestured the boy to come up in front of her to be introduced to the sorcerer in their presence. "Lord Merlin, I do believe you haven't met our youngest son. He wasn't born yet the last we saw each other."

Merlin then looked down on the ten-year old. "Oh, yes. And what is your name, my dear boy, pray tell?"

"Balthazar, mi-lord," answered the boy, reaching out a hand to the sorcerer.

"You're the youngest then?" asked Merlin, taking the outstretched hand into a friendly hand-shake.

The blond boy nodded. "Yes, mi-lord. It is an honor to finally meet you."

Just then, Bartholomew came in to ask his mother's hand to dance. The lady took and after excusing herself, leaving her youngest son, Balthazar, with Merlin, in which, neither the boy nor the sorcerer didn't mind.

"So, tell me, Balthazar," said Merlin, trying to make a conversation with the boy, "how do you differ from your brothers? I wager that each of you has their own, um, expertise?" Merlin was of course referring to how Benjamin, the eldest, was indeed going to become more like their father as a noble knight, while the second son, Bartholomew, was successful with the ladies. "What is the youngest best in?"

Thinking about it for, Balthazar took a few moments before answering, "If you'd ask my parents, mi-lord, they would say that I'm the best linguist compared to my brothers. Although, I am still learning."

Looking down on the boy's blue-grayish eyes, Merlin saw that there was no humor intended to it. "Ah," he nodded, "so you're a linguist. And what languages have you learned so far?"

"I've learned Latin and a few of French. I am also planning to learn Spanish," answered the boy. "I've also tried learning Hungarian."

At the last thing that the blond boy said, Merlin couldn't help but smile. "Hungarian, you say? I know a certain lad who can speak Hungarian himself. He's father is from Hungary, you see. I believe he's about, uh, four years older than you."

"Who is this lad?" asked Balthazar all of a sudden. He remembered a certain boy he met a year ago who was at least four years older than him. And if memory serves right, he also remembered that said boy was an apprentice to a sorcerer. Although he wasn't certain if the boy could speak Hungarian at all, Balthazar was asking himself: Could this 'lad' that Merlin be referring to be the very same boy that he had in mind? The very same dark haired boy whom he had been waiting to see again? Still, he needed Merlin to confirm something...

"Why, he's my ap..."

Merlin wasn't able to finish his sentence as a servant came over, interrupting him.

"Beg pardon, Lord Merlin," said the servant, "but King Arthur asked that he would like to have a few moments with you."

"Oh, yes of course," replied the sorcerer, nodding his head, gesturing to the servant with a hand. "Go to and tell him I'll be in a minute."

After the servant humbly bowed and left, Merlin turned back his attention on the ten-year old. "I deeply apologize, young lord Blake, but the King is asking for me. It has been a pleasure talking with you." The boy only nodded with a smile on his face.

As Merlin turned around and made off to leave, Balthazar caught sight of a small object having been dropped unintentionally from the sorcerer's long sleeves. He immediately walked over to it and picked up the object, which turned out to be a yellow-jeweled ring. The large jewel was seemingly cut into a shape of a diamond on the ring. Before Balthazar could contemplate on the ring more, he ran after Merlin to return the it.

"Lord Merlin, wait!" he called out, as the sorcerer quickly turned around to face him. "You dropped your ring." He showed said object.

Furrowing his eyes as though showing confusion, Merlin looked down on the ring. "Yes, I see. But this is strange," he said. "I never lose any such items just like that. Not even accidentally." The thing is, Merlin believes that accidents only happens so that a much greater purpose must happen. Like what he said to his young apprentice, 'everything happens for a reason'.

"Thank you for returning it, lad," Merlin smiled, reaching out a hand to Balthazar's already outstretched hand, which was still holding the ring. But as Merlin's hand got about inches away from taking the ring, the yellow jewel of the ring suddenly glowed in the most beautiful of yellow light. Both him and the ten-year old looked down on it with wide-eyes for a moment. "That's interesting..."

Turning his attention to the boy, Merlin only took the ring after it seized glowing. He had to try something, just to be sure.

"This will sound rather strange, but," he started to say, "I need you to do this for me. There is a need for me to know something. Can you, raise your hand out? Just one hand."

Hesitating, and also probably wondering, Balthazar raised his right hand.

"Yes, hold it right there." Merlin then placed his own hand under the boy's hand, as he positioned the ring in front of it. What he at least expected to happen, did happen. The ring flew away from Merlin's fingers and took its position on Balthazar's index finger. Once again it glowed with a yellow light, as the boy looked down on the ring, now on his finger, once again with wide-eyes.

When Balthazar looked back up to the sorcerer still standing in front of him, said sorcerer was smiling at him, with a strange look on his face.

"Very interesting indeed," muttered Merlin to himself, a hand under his chin as though he was considering something. "Tell me, young lord Blake."

Ah, and so, the question...

"Have you ever considered yourself of becoming...a sorcerer?"

The boy looked up to him, rather speechless.

Having returned from another home visit, Maxim, now at fourteen, was already getting close to the heights of using his magic in his second year of becoming apprentice to Merlin. After he finish his apprenticeship, which would probably take about eight years, perhaps he'd be able to use magic in a more serious way, and with a more serious purpose. Not that training wasn't serious enough, but he was referring to finally dealing with big time Morganians. With the exception of Morgana...She's too powerful...Or better yet, he believes he was no match for her.

The teenage apprentice let drop his bag carelessly on a nearby chair before entering the library, where he thought he'd see Merlin.

"I'm back!" he said as he went inside. But it wasn't Merlin whom he saw in the library, rather, it was a blond haired boy, who seemed quite familiar to him in some way.

Both lads stared at each other for a long moment, before one of them was at least able to speak up.

"Maxim...Horvath?" said the blond boy, tentatively, as though not certain if he was right. "Is that you?"

The boy knew his name! Maxim then thought that perhaps he wasn't mistaken after all, as he tried to mouth out what he believed to be the boy's name. "B...Balthazar? Balthazar Blake?"

"It is you!" exclaimed the blond, walking over to the older lad. "How are you, my friend?"

"Balthazar Blake!" said Maxim more enthusiastically, stretching out his hands, gesturing to the blond. "It has been a year since I last saw you!"

"And all those times, I had faith," said Balthazar. "I knew we'd see each other again. Like what you said, friends meet again when they part."

"Well, this is good." A voice of an older man came from somewhere. When both lads turned to see who it was, there was Merlin, standing at the door of the library. "So you knew each other already. Then there is no need for further introductions."

"Merlin? Are you the one who took Balthazar to the castle?" asked Maxim.

"Yes," Merlin answered, walking towards the boys, and placed a hand on Balthazar's shoulder. "You see, Horvath, young lord Blake is here to train under me, and alongside you."

"Train?" repeated the dark-haired teenager.

Merlin smiled broadly. He was wondering whether if Maxim didn't catch on quickly on what he meant, or whether if the lad just couldn't believe it.

"Yes, train. Balthazar is going to be my second apprentice."

Glancing briefly towards Balthazar, then back up to his master, Maxim said, "You can have more than one?"

"Of course I can," answered the sorcerer. "Why? Is there a problem with having Balthazar around?"

"Oh no! No, not at all!" said the teenager, shaking his head. "In fact it's wonderful! It's - It's just..." Maxim looked down on Balthazar, there was a glint of a mixture of happiness and excitement in his dark eyes. "It's just magnificent to have a friend as a colleague."

Balthazar smiled up to the older apprentice. "It's an honor to be working with Merlin's first apprentice."

"By the way, Horvath," said Merlin all of a sudden. "Balthazar here is a linguist."

Looking a bit sheepish, Balthazar nodded, adding, "Yes, but still learning."

"That only meant that he'd understand you each time you'd speak in Hungarian." The words were quite directed to the dark-haired lad when Merlin said it. "So I expect that you two would get along just fine."

The dark-haired lad looked back to the blond in front of him, with the looks on his face that says either he was impressed, or pleased.

"Ez jó," Maxim said last.

As the boys looked at each other with wide smiles plastered on their faces, Merlin couldn't help but calling them, in his mind, 'My boys'.

A/N: "Phew! Finally! Now I can write about the two of them (Horvath and Balthazar) going through a lot of things and becoming the best of friends. Although they'd eventually end up becoming the deadliest of enemies. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter."

The Hungarian phrase that Horvath said last 'Ez jó', simply means 'That's good'.