CLOSED The Sorcerer's Apprentice #1 ~Roberta

[Maxim Horvath]

Maxim Horvath, Master Sorcerer of the 777th degree and former apprentice to the Adept Sorcerers Merlin and Morgana, sat at a large walnut desk and inspected the young woman sitting across from him. She was a rather scruffy little thing, all gangly limbs and knobby knees and elbows, with a shock of short brown hair that appeared to have never met the attentions of a little invention known as 'the hairbrush'. In every way, she was a stark contrast with the sleek gentleman who sat across from her, who was nearly as polished as his desk. She certainly didn't appear as if she belonged in the richly appointed study. Rather, she looked like she should be trekking through some sort of wilderness.

But she seemed clever enough, and he could tell that she would be capable of using the magic. That was the important thing, not what she looked like. If her manners were as wild as her appearance, then she would soon learn to respect her teacher. Horvath did not tolerate disrespect in his apprentices.

"So, Miss- Moreland, correct?" he said, tapping the tips of his steepled fingers together. "What, precisely, has drawn you to my little training program? Forgive my saying so, but you do not appear to be the sort who would be much interested in the esoteric arts."

[Bertie Moreland]

Roberta, while still looking rather like she had just climbed out of a jungle so far as her hair was concerned, had gone out of her way to dress properly. She had even put on a hat and gloves, which currently rested on top of her lap. It wasn't much, but it did show that she was serious.

The man in front of her was very stern looking, but Roberta had long ago stopped being intimidated by appearances. Her grandfather was the sort of man who looked stern, but he was also one of the kindest men she knew. Somehow, she didn't believe such was the case with this gentleman.

Reaching up and running a hand through her short hair, Roberta cleared her throat a little before speaking. "Yes, it is Moreland," she said in answer to the first question. "As for what has drawn me to this...I can only say curiosity. I may not look the type," she added with a slight twitch of her eyebrows and her lips turning down ever so slightly, "but I have been dedicating myself to study for sometime now. Science and mathematics, while I still have much to learn there, have begun to lose some of the fascination that they once had for me. Magic...is something new. I am not entirely sure if I actually believe that sorcery truly is real, but I am willing to wait before I pass judgment."

Tilting her head to one side slightly with another twitch of her lips, Roberta gave the man in front of her a slightly challenging look.

"Also, I feel that it would be most gratifying if I could begin the study of a subject that was not so...prejudiced against the female sex, as science is at this time," she added.

The barb was set. Roberta now waited to see if he would rise to the occasion and prove her wrong. If not, Roberta still had her other studies to occupy her, even though she had not lied when she said that they had begun to lose her charm. She would not stop her learning, of course. That was completely out of the question if she wished to prove her worth to her grandfather. Roberta refused to be seen as a silly little girl by anyone, let alone by the Captain.

Setting her jaw and meeting the eyes of the gentleman before her unflinchingly, she waited for his response.

[Maxim Horvath]

Horvath arched one dark eyebrow in response. As much experience as he had dealing with people, particularly with overly prideful nobles, he could easily see the barb the Moreland girl had set in her words. She would learn swiftly enough that her sex was of no consequence here. She would not be discriminated against because of it, nor would it earn her any special considerations. Man, women, or dancing bear, Horvath simply could care less. Look at Morgana. One of the greatest sorcerers of all time, and a woman. Sex did not affect one’s capacity to control magic, unless one was coddled into thinking otherwise.

What he did disapprove of was being challenged. There was challenge written in every line of the girl’s body. Well, she would also learn swiftly enough precisely who was in control here.

“Miss Moreland, I do not care if you are a woman,” the sorcerer replied flatly. “Do not plan on using your gender as a handicap or a weapon. Neither will earn you anything but contempt. You are here to learn. That is all. Your gender has no bearing on your capability to use magic, and I have known plenty of sorceresses who could match or beat their male counterparts. I will ensure you are not hassled here for being female- any student who implies you are somehow inferior because of your sex will be- dealt with.”

[Bertie Moreland]

Roberta was impressed. Not only had he risen to the barb, but he had also set a new standard before her. Not let her gender get in the way? Easy enough. She could do that. After all, she had spent weeks in the guise of a young man before, and proved herself more than capable when it came to physical strength and stamina. Sitting back a little with a smile, she laced her fingers together over the hat that she had resting in her lap.

"Then I am more than interested, sir," she replied quietly. "However, I do still have a few questions. For one thing...I am not entirely certain that I believe that sorcery exists as a true...I'm not sure if the proper term is a proper science, but that is the only one that I can come up with." Arching one eyebrow questioningly, she shrugged softly before continuing. "However...I am always open to learning. It would be going against my inner desire to learn everything I can if I walked away now."

Smiling slightly, she held out a hand to the man in front of her.

"I am yours to teach, if you will have me."

[Maxim Horvath]

Well, that appeared to have been settled nicely. Horvath approved of the way she didn't decide to go on and make a fuss over the matter. That spoke well of her character.

The sorcerer smiled, an expression that bordered on a smirk. "Trust me, my dear, sorcery is nearly as exact a science as any other. Only in the hands of someone skilled enough does it become an art. As with anything, you must learn the rules before you can break them."

And of course, it was the people who broke the rules with the most style that were termed 'geniuses'.

Reaching across the polished expanse of his desk, Horvath shook the offered hand. "Welcome, Miss Moreland," he said. "There are a few things we must go over immediately." He released her hand and leaned back in his seat. A casual flick of his fingers called warm flames to life in the fireplace. They crackled in the grate as if the fire had been going for hours rather than being summoned by a spell only seconds before.

[Bertie Moreland]

Roberta gave a start at the sudden appearance of the flames in the fireplace. That had not been there before...Oh...Staring at the fireplace in fascination, she could not help but feel very small and insignificant. It was not a feeling that Roberta enjoyed. With her lips set in a frown that was both thoughtful and frustrated at once, Roberta settled in her seat once more and glanced at Horvath.

"And you are one of those who has become an artist, as it were?" she asked with a slightly sarcastic tone. "Though I do wonder how it is possible for Sorcery to even exist. All that I have ever been taught goes against the idea of magic." Smiling a little, she arched an eyebrow. "And what are the few things that must be gone over?"

[Maxim Horvath]

"Science, for all its power, is exceedingly short-sighted at times," Horvath said dismissively. For the moment he ignored her flippant tone- with any luck, their association would be short. Simply by observing her behavior he suspected that she might not last long as an apprentice of his. She would have to learn a little humility first.

"As a matter of fact, I am one of those artists, Miss Moreland," he added, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I studied under Merlin over eighteen hundred years ago, and since then, my knowledge has only increased. Should you wish to remain my student, I would advise you to show a little more respect to the man who you want to teach you."

Moreland wasn't the only one who could used barbed comments to prove a point. He didn't have to keep her on, after all. And wasn't it a pity that a half-trained sorcerer was such easy prey for so many nasty things?

With that sentiment made clear, Horvath opened a drawer and pulled out two packages. One was small, about the size of a tangerine, while the other was roughly the size and shape of a large book. "Your focus ring and your Incantus. These will be your primary tools for working magic."

[Bertie Moreland]

Roberta wanted to retort, but seeing the way his eyes narrowed, she couldn't exactly do so. There was something about his expression that reminded her of the few times when her grandfather had actually become furious with her. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, there was no holding back her shock and response to his comment about Merlin.

"How is that possible?" she cried suddenly. "I mean...How can you have...?"

Clearing her throat softly, she sat back again and then looked at the packages set before her. A ring and an...Incantus? What on earth was an Incantus? Reaching out slowly towards the packages, she frowned slightly as she met his eyes.

"What...are these?" she finally murmured. "I have never heard of an Incantus before, even in stories of magic that I've heard told to children. Or a focus ring, for that matter."

[Maxim Horvath]

The corner of Horvath's mouth twitched in a smirk. "You've heard of spellbooks, have you not?" he replied, his voice very dry. He had to admit, it amused him greatly to see her so off-balance. "Wands, talismans, magical staffs?" The sorcerer picked up his own elegant walking stick, with its gleaming blue gem set into the top. For the time being, he'd removed the stolen focus rings that had been attached to it. They would have inspired too many questions.

"You are but a child, Miss Moreland," he added. "You cannot expect to have heard of everything. If you had, why would you be here?" He tapped the packaged Incantus with a beringed finger. "Your Incantus is your primary spellbook. It will contain most of what you need to know. If you require information beyond what is provided here, I can direct you to an appropriate text in my library."

How fortunate he'd made arrangements for his New York dwelling before he'd been trapped in the Grimhold. Even eighty years later, he still had access to the considerable library he'd built up over hundreds of years.

"Your focus ring acts to channel power. You've undoubtedly heard of magic wands? Rubbish, all of it. Wood isn't strong enough to channel the kinds of forces you'll need to use. Metal, or gemstones, make far superior focci."

[Bertie Moreland]

"Oh," Roberta said quietly, her eyes wide as she looked at the packages. Frowning slightly at how he called her a child--she was nearly twenty, after all. Hardly a little girl anymore--she began unwrapping them. The Incantus was fairly straightforward, looking much like a more arcane version of her usual textbooks. Reverently touching the leather binding of the book, she nodded gently before she moved to pick up the ring.

"Oh," she repeated reverently. "I see...What sort of metal is this one made of?" she asked, wanting to be absolutely certain before she jumped to conclusions about it.

Her eyes also flitted towards the walking stick that Horvath had picked up and her eyebrows shot up in interest.

[Maxim Horvath]

Horvath hid another smirk as she bristled at the term 'child'. He was nearly two thousand years old. Adult she might be, but she was hardly more than a toddler compared to him. "Silver is the standard," he replied. "If at all possible, avoid steel foci. Magnetic materials can inadvertently affect your spellcasting."

He hadn't quite been telling the truth when he said that wood was too fragile to use to channel magic. There were certain woods that were excellent conductors for power, such as the rowan his walking stick was crafted from. It also had a great deal of silver worked into it, along with the blue gems. He could use the walking stick as a focus because he had long ago melted down his original ring and recast part of it into a new ring, while the remaining metal had gone into the stick. That had been around the time walking sticks had been in fashion for gentlemen like himself, and he'd realized the advantages to carrying one.

Besides, it provided such an elegant air.

[Bertie Moreland]

Roberta nodded her understanding as she continued gazing at the ring. It was very beautiful, with the silver having been molded into the shape of an eagle in flight, the eyes glinting up at her in the firelight. Oh...it was almost as though it was alive. Bertie's eyes widened in surprise at this and smiled slowly with a soft chuckle.

"It is a very lovely piece," she said quietly. "Is there any...protocol with regards to the ring?" she asked curiously, tilting the ring this way and that as she continued to inspect it.

The attention to detail was breathtaking, and it was such a small piece, too! Who had been the silver smith who took such time to lovingly create this wonderful imitation of a living creature?

[Maxim Horvath]

He chuckled softly. Oh, she was an eager one. The most rash were almost always the most eager- and the last to suspect traps.

"Oh, there are tricks and protocols to mastering the use of a focus," he said, resting both hands on the knob of his walking stick. It was time to turn on a bit of the charm, to keep this young woman off-balance. He didn't want her going and thinking that she could predict what he'd do, now did he? "They will be revealed to you at another time, however. For now, read and study the Incantus. Do not engage in any practice of a non-theoretical nature. You are not to use the ring just yet. That will be for a later lesson."

The blue gem on his own focus ring glowed, and Moreland's Incantus slid across the desk towards her. This would be the first test- if she could resist the impulse to experiment with the ring, he would be impressed in spite of himself.

"I am afraid I must cut this meeting short," the sorcerer added, almost apologetically. "I have other students I must meet with. I shall contact you at a later time concerning lessons."

[Bertie Moreland]

Bertie gave a start of surprise as the Incantus slid towards her, and she couldn't help but give Horvath a suspicious look. Why the sudden charming aspect? Oh, it was a great improvement from the harsh sarcasm of before, but...where had it come from. Taking the Incantus off the table, she nodded her understanding and frowned at the ring that she still held.

"If that is the case...am I not allowed to put it on?" she asked with a touch of longing in her voice as she stood up. She wanted to wear it. It was so beautiful and had a lot of power inside of it. So much power...Shaking her head firmly, she bit her lip. No. She would wait until he said whether or not she could.

[Maxim Horvath]

Testing the limits already. Horvath stifled a chuckle. Eager young fillies always did like to test the reins. But he understood the lure of the ring's power very well. That ring would call to her like a siren's song- he'd chosen it specifically for her, once he'd gotten a sense of her personality.

Well, if she got into trouble, he did have a tracing spell on her Incantus. He should be able to find her with little difficulty. Assuming of course that she didn't try something with the ring away from her Incantus.

"You may," he replied. "Though I'd advise you not wear it while reading your Incantus." Interesting things could happen then...

He had to wonder- would she fall to the lure of the Pandora's box he'd given her?