Within The Keep

Prompt 039: Water

Se que estas lejos de aquí, sonriendo sin reír, escribiendo algo para mi…

Tantas Cosas Que Contar, La Oreja de Van Gogh

Balthazar had been already called in.

They had been talking, Balthazar had insulted both his fellow apprentices, none could really remember what he'd said, and then Merlin's voice had echoed in their study chamber; making Balthazar cringe and turn so sharply the book he'd been carrying fell on his left foot. Merlin had given all three of them a scold that could have put fear in King Arthur's heart and then pointed towards the general direction of the Master's study.

What had been a positive turn of events for Maxim. The other apprentice had eyed Veronica while both Merlin and Balthazar hurried away, considering a gift from the heavens been alone with lovely young Veronica. The woman turned to smile at him, thank God for small mercies, and then return to her work. "I just don't understand why we fight so much now." She started. "We used to get along splendidly while growing up."

"Because we were children, Veronica, we didn't know the world as we know it now." Said Maxim, returning to his own chores as well; trying to write down for posterity in a neater paper what his master had scribbled away in a piece of parchments with more smudges of ink than Balthazar's Encantus in a good day. "We are old, we resent our difference and can no longer keep quiet about them, that's all."

"I see." Mused Veronica, dipping her feathered pen into the ink well. "Pray do tell; what are these differences we've finally noticed and can't keep quiet about?"

"Oh, you know; you are a brat, I'm a noble and he's an unfortunate bastard."

Tension grew in the room again. Veronica lifted her sight and could see the dark clouds of rain forming outside, while Maxim kept working. Her blood was running cold, and anger was blinding her. "I am not a brat."

"Of course you are! The fact that you don't notice doesn't forgive you of the little sin."

That got Veronica to stand, turning fully to Maxim.

"Take that back!"

"No." He was smiling now, still writing.

"Maxim you take that back right now or…"

"Or what? Your jinx me?"

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"Master? What should I do with this?" Asked Balthazar, lifting the little black… thing from the deepest drawer his Master could find for him to clean as punishment. He stared at the black hollow thing and then showed it to Merlin. "What is this thing anyway?"

"It's called the Grimhold. An inescapable prison; I think you are a bit too young to be using these sort of artifacts, child. So give it to me." Balthazar nodded and handed the doll to his master, who placed it inside his coat. He'd been there for over an hour now and was starting to grow bored of his current task; fixing Merlin's messy desk. That was of course when the explosion was heard. He turned slightly to the door, hearing his master wondering what was going on out loud and then watched him walk out. Then snuck his head back in. "Don't you move, boy, unless I call."

"Fine."

A second explosion was heard and Balthazar frowned, standing to go check but then his master's words echoed in the large room. He had a choice here; he could run after his master and get a scolding of a lifetime later, or he could stay and miss the big juicy details of whatever fight Maxim and Veronica had gotten into. And it was a very simple choice.

He got to the open field when Veronica was launching at Maxim, using her short nails as weapon against the other apprentice. Her hair was messy, half a walk was missing, and there were pages scattered all around the gardens and field. The maids and stable men were watching, knowing better than to get between the fighting apprentices, as Maxim prepared a spell to slow Veronica down. Merlin was at the other side of the field, arms crossed and looking as if war was about to break against the world… Balthazar just shrunk back into the shadows; if he knew his master he would bet on him winning. The world had no chance when Merlin looked that angry.

Veronica was able to land several punches on Maxim, who was making fun of her.

"You are as heavy as a bag of cotton, brat!"

"I'll show you who's a brat!" She hissed dangerously low, looking as a mad cat with rabies. Balthazar watched, as several maids commented on how scary she looked, and nodded. Again Maxim used his sword's stone to hit her with another spell, sending her flying away; but Veronica landed on her feet (what had several maids clapping) and casted a lousy plasma bolt towards Maxim. Maxim created a shield, then was about to cast a similar spell on her, veronica readying her response…

Two large pillars of water fell on them. Veronica cried out, Maxim yelped; and Merlin appeared form the shadow he'd been hiding, hands up and eyes narrowed in anger. Every single woman and man hurried away, including Balthazar, as the older man started the scolding of a lifetime using water as a conductor of emotions and fears. Balthazar felt sorry for them but he saw fit for him to live and then seek out their mangled bodies.

Merlin came into the laboratory an hour or so later, angry and skin flushed red. He ordered Balthazar to go check on his fellow apprentices, growling and pointing his bony fingers towards the door. Balthazar only nodded, too scared to even talk, and hurried out the door. Released of his apparent punishment for opening his mouth to scream at the other two, Balthazar hurried to check on them, already composing some sort of apology for them. He made his way to the small field they had been fighting at and when he didn't find them there he hurried to the room where they had been… Not there either. He walked to the hallway and found Greta.

"Greta, have you seen Veronica or Maxim?"

"Oh, darling, did you check the tree tops?" That had Balthazar frowning, but knowing everything was possible in this particular patch of land, Balthazar returned to the field…

Sure enough he found Veronica's wet and still dripping huddled form on a very high tree branch. Forced to climb, because no matter how much he called for her the girl would not answer, Balthazar figured that if he could climb up the apple tree why not this particular… pine tree. He groaned, almost slipping but holding on, and called for Veronica as he neared her.

"Come on, child, it's too high to be huddled and wet. It could rain."

"Is this how master cools you both down?" She asked, trembling. She was pale and a little scared, while Balthazar finally reached her. "Because if it is I feel really, really sorry about you guys."

"Usually he throws us higher up. Isn't that true Maxim?" He said, without looking up but aware of Maxim's upside down body tangled in several branches above.

"You got luck; you are closer to the ground… ah!" Several branches broke and Maxim fell a bit, but he held on and tight. "If I could curse I would!"

"Don't, master would probably hear you." Veronica turned up, eyes wide.

"Don't you dare! I'm too frightened to move he'll probably…"

"Shh, shh. Veronica; Master didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No but he scared me." She accepted, in a small voice, looking a little ashamed. Balthazar smiled and finally was able to reach her. The girl unfolded from around herself, trusting Balthazar to not let her fall, and quickly wrapped around him. "He was very angry."

"I'm going to drop, don't be afraid." He whispered softly, and pushing from the branch dropped to the ground. Veronica squealed and when he landed, unharmed, he kissed the top of her small head. "We're safe." He was about to lower her, but her grasp on him tightened and she was trembling hard. Balthazar couldn't help it; he smiled and kissed the top of her head again. "Master was angry but it'll pass. Don't worry. Besides it's our fault for fighting so much. But now that you know how master deals with misbehavior you'll do well and behave, right?"

"Yes." She sniffled making Balthazar kiss her forehead this time.

"Let master punish us boys, we know how to deal with it. But you just do as he says and become a good lady, alright?" He tried to lower her to the ground, but she held on tight. "Veronica, you're on the ground, it's alright." He pushed her at arms length; still holding her by her sides and saw her eyes closed tightly, her legs curled as if kneeling. "Veronica?"

"I'm too scared to touch ground, what if Master appears?"

"Master sent me here to get you down…"

"It's all nice and good Veronica is on the ground, but could SOMEONE GET ME THE HELL DOWN!" That got Veronica to uncurl and finally land. Balthazar smiled at Veronica.

"Yeah, yeah. Hold on Mr. High and Pompous Noble Man."

"Oh you just wait you orphan bastard! Just wait till I get down there!"

"What are you going to do? Fight me?" Balthazar started climbing up the tree whit Veronica observing, worried that Master might hear them fight.

"I'll kick your…"

"Guys, guys please, Master might hear." She cautioned, still wet and looking up. Balthazar reached Maxim and untangled him from the hold of the tree. Maxim let out a deep sigh.

"Thanks, that branch was about to pierce my ankle." He murmured, as Balthazar kept untangling him. "Man, was Master angry."

"He'll be fine by dinner. Take a good grip of the branch or you'll fall." Maxim did as told and Balthazar untangled a nasty mess of leaves and pinecones, making Maxim fall to hang from the branch he'd taken hold of. They heard Veronica cried out to Maxim to be careful but the boy just grinned.

"I'm fine."

The two boys landed a few minutes later, chuckling as Balthazar lost his footing and landed on his back. Veronica was quickly beside him, worried, while Balthazar laughed. "You should have seen the looks on your faces when master got you with that water pillars."

"Not fair Balthazar I was scared!" Said Veronica, hitting his shoulder as Maxim sat at Balthazar's other side, looking tired. "You never told me that part of master's anger."

"We spared you of such horrible details since you've always been so good." Said Balthazar sitting up. They were sitting as they usually did, just the three of them in comfortable silence. "Guys I'm sorry I insulted you earlier. I had no right." Said Balthazar suddenly, looking down at his hands.

Maxim slapped his back, meaning it was nothing for the other boy while Veronica smiled at him. Veronica turned o Maxim. "Veronica, I'm sorry I called you a brat, and I'm sorry I called you a orphan bastard, Balthazar."

"No problem."

Veronica flushed. "I'm sorry I jumped over your desk to slap you."

"You…" Asked Balthazar surprised, as Maxim waived the apology. "She jumped you?"

"Has a slap like a metal bridge falling, I think I'll bruise." Balthazar started laughing, and Veronica hid against Balthazar's shoulder, blushing deep read. They were still teenagers, eager to grow up and be adults, but for now they were allowed the confidence of been children as well. Veronica had barely entered womanhood and with two brothers like the ones she had it wasn't going to be easy for her to grow up. But once she did she will be as strong as her brothers, but for now she was the little girl, the other two were the bullies that lived with her.

"You know," Said Balthazar with a smirk and looking from Maxim to the still blushing, unaware, Veronica. "There's only one way of fixing this."

"Oh, and how's that, brother?" Asked, Maxim understanding what Balthazar had in plans.

"Tickle War!" And the two boys jumped over the little girl, tickling her sides mercilessly. Veronica started giggling and laughing, trying to escape the torture while kicking and laughing. Both Balthazar and Maxim already knew how to deal with her trashing body and just continued to laugh and tickle her.

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From under the shadows of one of the many hallways Merlin watched his apprentices with a smile.