- Chapter 13 -

"...You'll have plenty of time to be wounded by love when your older, then you'll grow up to be cold and bitter like me."
~ Maxim Horvath (from skarletfyre's S.A. fanfic 'The Magical Education of Liza Stutler'; Chapter 11)

There he was, standing alone in the courtyard inside the King's castle, thinking very deeply about his apprentices. Or perhaps not both, just one in particular, the older one. As the lad's master and as the sorcerer Merlin, one way or another, he would have to find out about the encounter that took place near the premises of Reynard's house. He was at least very much thankful for one thing though; both the boys are alive. Still, on how the young Maxim Horvath, at fifteen years of age, managed to kill a much more experienced, and much more higher by degree Morganian sorcerer with just manipulating a few knives was a matter that troubled him greatly.

In the fights between Merlinians and Morganians, death was on most times expected if it cannot simply be prevented, but this... Though the lad did it out of pure concern over the life of his colleague and best friend, still, the fact that it was Maxim that killed a Morganian sorcerer stuck up high. It won't be long before Morgana herself finds out about what happened, or perhaps she even found out already. That was what's troubling Merlin. The more talent and promising that Maxim shows as a sorcerer, the more does the sorceress get interested.

Merlin cursed to himself softly.

She had something in mind for the boy, and even if he was the one standing in between to prevent that from happening, he knew it wasn't enough. But he had to try. He took up the boy to become his apprentice and therefore the boy was of his responsibility from then on concerning the arts and the risks of becoming a sorcerer. Oh, he could never forget how those dark eyes looked like, but he was determined to lead the boy to the right path. And it would have been so much easier if there wasn't an arch enemy roaming around having a close eye on his apprentice.

"There you are."

The familiar womanly voice made Merlin close his eyes for more than just a usual blink. He only opened it once again when he turned to face her. And there she was, arms across her chest, the expressions on her face neutral, and her eyes intently staring at him.

"I knew I'd find you here," Morgana said.

He opened his mouth and took in some air. "Please not today," the sorcerer tried to say but he knew that wouldn't stop her.

Surprisingly enough, a smirk slowly appeared in her face. "Your boy have the tendency to do a clean kill," she said.

It only annoyed him more to see the sudden change on the look of her face. "What are you on about?"

"Oh please." Morgana dropped her arms to her side, as she walked over to the sorcerer standing still in front of her. She got about two feet away from him before she continued. "One of my most loyal followers has been found dead, did you honestly think I wouldn't know about the where, when, how, and who did it?"

"Forgive me if I fail to see as to why we should be talking about this matter at all," spat back Merlin in a calm way, glaring at the sorceress.

"Don't play coy with me," the sorceress said between clenched teeth. "I have my eye on that boy and I will have him. You'll never see it coming."

As Morgana turned around to walk away, Merlin did everything he could to restrain himself from conjuring up one of his powerful energy balls and throw it towards the retreating sorceress.

Merlin took in a deep breath, closing his eyes once again in the process. He needed to think more deeply about the matter.

"Another problem between the two of you?"

The voice was familiar in a pleasing way, with Merlin snapping open his eyes, and found Arthur walking over towards his direction. He greeted the approaching king with a warm smile.

"Just another one of those sorcerer rivalry," said Merlin.

"And what would that be?" asked Arthur, coming to stand before the sorcerer within a foot away.

Sighing heavily, and letting his gaze drop to the ground, Merlin replied with, "It's Horvath."

Arthur blinked a few times, wonderment clearly shown on his face. "Your first apprentice? But I don't understand. What is it with the boy that she's so interested in?"

"It's what the boy is capable of."

Arthur's wonderment grew even more. "Merlin, forgive me but, I'm afraid I cannot comprehend what you're saying."

Carefully patting a hand on the king's arm, Merlin indicated to Arthur that they should take a walk, as he tried to explain along the way.

"Arthur, this matter about Horvath, you'll understand when you look deeply into his eyes."

More eager to listen than just being curious, Arthur remained silent.

"When you look deep enough into those dark eyes, you'll know."

There was a long pause from the sorcerer, long enough for Arthur to not be able to help himself but ask. "Know what?" That was when Merlin met his eyes with a look which was a combination of seriousness and fear, as they both halted in their tracks.

"You'll know, just by looking in those eyes, that if the boy could do wonderful things, at the same time, he is capable of doing...terrible things."

"And, you and Lady Morgana, the two of you saw that in the lad's eyes?"

The only answer Merlin made was a nod, as he once again took off his gaze from Arthur towards nothing in particular.

"She wants him on her side, thinking that he could be useful to her," the sorcerer spoke once more. "Being as the boy's master, it is my responsibility to make certain that wouldn't happen, but knowing how Morgana is...and watching Horvath grow, I fear for the possibilities that I won't be able to do it. I don't want to fail on Horvath on this."

Smiling softly, Arthur placed a reassuring hand on the sorcerer's shoulder, and said, "You didn't fail on me."

Merlin flashed a grin, looking back to the king. "Yes, but you and Horvath are two different boys. Back then, you were the future king. Horvath, on the other hand, he's my apprentice."

After the latter was said, the king appeared being thoughtful for a moment, stepping three feet away from the sorcerer, a hand under his chin. Before Merlin could ask what it was going on in the king's mind, Arthur turned to him and opened his mouth to speak.

"Just a thought, but either way I would like to try, and I would like to have your permission."

Still wondering what it could be, Merlin said, "Well, of course. What is it?"

"Can I speak with the lad myself?"

Merlin blinked. "To Horvath? Why so?"

"I...would like to know something," the king answered. "Is it alright?"

Thinking about it for a moment, Merlin made a look of resignation. "You are the King."

Arthur smiled. "I'll be sending for him then."

For the many times that Maxim had set foot on the King's castle, it was the first time he set foot there without Merlin, and was the first time he was there because the King himself asked for him. Whatever the reason was, he only wished that Balthazar was there with him. He felt so alone and small, and being with the ever so silent servant leading him the way to where King Arthur was suppose to meet him wasn't helping much.

He followed suit without a word, until he realized that he was being led to the garden. The last time he ever found himself there was about a year ago, and it was night, and it was concerning an incident he'd rather want to forget.

The servant bowed to him slightly and gestured a hand to the king who had his back turned, waiting patiently, before leaving him there. Maxim took only one hesitant step forward and cleared his throat to announce his presence. The king immediately turned around and faced him, as he bowed down to pay his respects.

"Your Majesty," muttered Maxim, as he looked back up to Arthur. "They said that you ask for me."

"Ah, you've arrived," greeted Arthur with a wide smile. "I've been waiting for you, young Lord Horvath."

Maxim was taken aback. "Your Majesty?"

"Oh, my apologies. Have I pronounced your name wrong?" asked the king.

"Why, no, Sire," Maxim shook his head. "It's just that, you accompanied it with 'Lord'."

Mouthing an 'ah', Arthur nodded in understanding. "Well, you are the apprentice of my most trusted adviser. That would have to count for something, don't you think? And you'll earn that title more when you grow older, especially when you have finished your apprenticeship."

Nodding with a slightly sheepish look, Maxim said, "Forgive me, Sire, it's just that I'm not accustomed to it."

"I understand," said Arthur. "I wasn't accustomed to being called 'Sire' or 'Your Majesty' in my first year as King." He then gestured an arm towards a direction, indicating to the youth to come with with him. "Let us take a walk, shall we?"

As they walked along, Maxim did all his best to keep his gaze away from the king and instead focused it on the roses in bloom all around. It was a fine day for a little stroll but he still wondered as to the reason why he was sent there. Who was he, a simple apprentice to the great Merlin, sent there and with the king himself wanting to speak with him personally?

"Have you ever been here, Horvath?"

Arthur's voice pulled the teenager out of his thoughts, and risking to look up.

"Here in the garden, Sire?" the lad asked tentatively. The king met his gaze and nodded.

"Uh, y-yes, Sire. I have," Maxim answered rather reluctantly.

"With Merlin, no doubt?"

"No, mi-lord," said the lad, "My master had never brought me here."

"With, young lord Blake?" Arthur tried to ask again. But still, the lad's answer was no. "I don't suppose you were alone when you first came here?"

Must it come to that point?

"I...I was with a...girl..."

A little surprised from what he heard, Arthur stopped on his tracks to listen carefully, as the lad also went to a halt.

"It was a year ago, on the night of the celebration of your birthday," the lad spoke again, not even risking to look up to the king. "You invited us to come to the evening banquet after the tournament you held that time." Indeed Arthur remembered that night, as he only nodded and said nothing, and waited for the lad to continue. "I met the girl at the tournament grounds, and found her there in the banquet as well."

There was a long pause, that Arthur got to the idea that perhaps the lad won't continue. "And, you led her out from the banquet to the garden?"

Maxim shook his head, still keeping his gaze down, his eyes were empty, he wasn't looking at anything in particular. "No, our feet led us here. I didn't know where to find the garden." When he did looked up, he was squinting up to the sun, while shading his eyes with a hand. "There was a beautiful moon that night, if memory serves." He then let his gaze down once again, with a touch of hurt on his eyes. "But the night itself didn't turn out quite beautifully."

Another long pause came from the lad yet Arthur still kept silent. He knew well that Maxim wasn't done, though it was somehow apparent that the lad may want to end it.

"Forgive me, mi-lord, but I wouldn't want to talk further more about the matter."

The king smiled kindly. "There is no need. I may have had the idea on how the night ended judging by the look on your face." The lad only looked up, only a little surprised. Arthur made to flash another smile and walked over to a bush of roses, and held out a hand as though he meant to pick one flower, but as he did, he pricked himself with a thorn.

"Your Majesty!" Maxim made off to lunge towards the king out of his immediate reaction of concern in seeing his lordship bleed, although it was only a finger. He was eventually stopped by a hand from said king.

"No, no, it's alright. Don't worry. It's just a prick," reassured Arthur. "I am just human." He then raised his finger to his mouth, seeing if he could help with the bloods clothing process on the prick. When he pulled out his finger, and looked down on it for a few moments, he said to the lad, "You know, I've never truly fallen in love with a woman yet, but I do intend to marry. But there is this one thing about love that kept me wondering all these years..."

While Arthur took in a few moments for a short pause, Maxim was all ears to listen.

"They say," Arthur spoke again, "that once you fall in love, and welcome it, it means that you are ready to be hurt. And I do believe that most of us already knows that, yet still, no matter how much we never wanted to get hurt, we find ourselves falling in love."

The king then made off to picked out a rose again, and this time, he didn't prick himself.

"So then I thought, perhaps I can compare love to a rose." As Arthur carefully held onto the stem of the red rose he had in his hand, he eyed it as though he was adoring the flower much. "No matter how beautiful it can be, it will always have thorns, to give you pain."

Looking up to the lad, Arthur made a serious look on his face.

"Some people, after getting hurt, tends to say that they have had enough, promising to never love again. Some, grows cold and bitter. And still some, even carries bad blood along with them as they went along."

Walking over to the lad, Arthur bended over to level his eyes on those dark ones. "Which one, do you think would you be?"

Maxim had never looked into the king's eyes so close before, and it almost intimidated him, but he at least managed to answer without stuttering.

"All of them..?"

Making off to stand up straight, Arthur found himself looking down on the lad once more, and asked, "Is that an honest answer?"

Maxim shrugged. "It's more out of uncertainty, Sire."

Eyeing the lad more carefully, Arthur thought that perhaps it was time to ask. "You ever wondered why you were sent here?"

"I almost forgot about it moments ago, mi-lord," was the lad's unhesitant answer.

"I have just found out," Arthur started, "that Lady Morgana has put such interest on you. Did you know about that?" The look the lad made gave him the answer. "Of course not, but now that you do, what will you do about it?"

The lad thought about it for a moment. "Nothing, I suppose, Sire."

Brows furrowed, the king asked, "Doesn't the mere fact that she's put an interest on you troubles you?"

"Perhaps if she starts seeing me, and talk to me, then perhaps I'll be troubled."

Placing a hand on the lad's shoulder, Arthur's expressions softened, his words suddenly shifted to Merlin.

"You know, your master worries about you on this matter."

The lad blinked with surprise.

"He's afraid of losing you."

Maxim's brow furrowed with puzzlement. "To what?"

Shaking his head, Arthur corrected with, "To whom."

With that, the lad's eyes widened with realization. He knew exactly 'to whom' then.

"Think on it more," the king said, releasing his hand from the lad's shoulder, "We are finished here. You are free. You do remember how you got here, don't you?"

The lad cast a brief look over the direction where he came from, then nodded to the king.

"Good, lad. Because it's the only way out."

Maxim nodded once again and bowed to the king before making his leave. Arthur only watched silently as the lad left. Then, out from one corner, Merlin came out and approached Arthur. "What have you found out, then?" the sorcerer asked.

"He's rather shy at first," answered Arthur, still gazing at the direction where the lad went.

"You can't blame the lad," Merlin chuckled, "It was his first time to be sent by a king just to speak to him. But tell me, what is it that you found about the lad while you talked with him?"

Arthur took in a breath, before turning to face Merlin, and said, "Take care of his heart."

"Ah, I see," murmured Merlin almost to himself. "He is that kind of person?"

"Once love has given him too much pain, he will erupt. And perhaps at that state of hurt, he would do all those that you fear," answered Arthur.

"I only fear the same about you."

Being rather surprised, Arthur looked over to the sorcerer beside him with puzzlement.

"If you do intend to marry," said Merlin, "please do be careful."

It was Arthur's turn to chuckle. "Alright, if you say so."

"Now if you please excuse me... I must go somewhere else." Merlin flashed a last warm smile then made off to leave.

Meanwhile at a hall not far from where the garden was, a twelve-year-old Mordred came to give a letter to the king from his mother, Queen Morgause. He appeared to have a bruise on his left cheek, and with a none so please attitude to be there at the castle at all.

Up ahead, he then saw a figure who turned out to be a dark-haired teenager with a sword at his side. Mordred knew who the teenager was, he heard stories about Lord Merlin's apprentices, and have seen the two with his own eyes, but never actually got to talk to them. Not that he wanted to. Why would he ever want to?

As the two boys met each other at one point of the hall, both gazes straight ahead of them and not giving the other even a glance, they got close enough as they pass each other, with only a few inches apart from their left shoulders. There was a sudden gust of unusual wind between them that Mordred felt and sent a cold shiver down his spine. But when he turned around to cast a look to the teenager, Maxim was several steps away, not stopping on his tracks.

After considering what just happened for a few moments, Mordred shook his head and continued on to find the king.

Arthur was still at the garden when Mordred arrived.

"Sire," Mordred bowed, announcing his presence.

"Mordred," acknowledged Arthur with a subtle nod. "You have something for me, boy?"

The twelve-year-old held out the letter. "This is from my mother, Sire. She asked for me to hand it to you myself."

Taking the held out letter, Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly to the lad. "Why you?"

"I...do not know myself, Sire," answered Mordred, quite telling the truth.

"You got yourself into another brawl?" asked Arthur, opening the letter.

Mordred said nothing.

"With that bruise on your face I can tell that your mother wasn't so please as before."

Still, Mordred thought best not to say anything. He only placed a hand on the bruise on his cheek, then dropped the hand after a few moments. He then waited patiently for Arthur to finish reading the letter.

"I see," Arthur said all of a sudden. Apparently he had finished reading the letter in his hand, as he put the letter aside behind him. "Your mother asked if I could accept you into becoming a knight in my court. A knight of the Round Table, to be exact."

"She thought that it was best since my brothers were to become one just the same," replied Mordred.

After regarding the lad more carefully, hands clasped behind him, Arthur said, "I couldn't say no, just as the same with your brothers, but to be a knight of the high counsel, I expect that you prove yourself worthy. Can you prove yourself worthy?"

There was a few moments of hesitation from the lad. "I...will do my best, Sire."

The king nodded. "That would only mean that you'd have to stop getting yourself into brawls, or even starting one, because that is not the doings of a knight, you understand?"

"Yes, Sire."

Once again Arthur nodded. "Good. Come back here tomorrow."