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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 1, 2011 17:05:57 GMT -5
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. In contrast to most of the other female apprentices he'd interviewed so far, this was more of a girl than a young woman. This girl, Princess Rapunzel, seemed to be a study in contrasts. The lavender silk dress did proclaim that she came from a moneyed background, but the bare feet, roughly chopped and very short brown hair, and the loose, undisciplined posture argued against that. Horvath had seen many queens, princesses, and young noblewomen over the years, and none of them had ever looked quite like this girl. The lively pale green eyes did bespeak a certain intelligence however, which was encouraging, but not as much as the sheer naivete that the rest of her proclaimed.
Horvath steepled his fingers, light glinting off of several heavy silver rings. "Princess Rapunzel, is it?" he said with a faint smile. "Welcome. I am pleased to see that you decided to join us. Before we proceed further, however, I wish to know why it is that you wish to study magic." Nothing about this girl indicated that she would have the self-control necessary to master the art, but self control could be learned.
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Post by Rapunzel on Jan 1, 2011 18:36:36 GMT -5
Rapunzel looked at her surroundings in wonder, her large green eyes darting about the room and landing on everything in sight with a cursory glance. She was still learning her royal manners, and was not quite disciplined enough yet to remember to sit up straight, or to look her host in the eye. (He looked kind of scary, but she was sure that he wasn’t really scary, and anyway, it wasn’t nice to judge a book by its cover!) She knew enough at least to keep her hands folded demurely in his lap, but what that was less of a tribute to etiquette than it was to make sure that Pascal stayed with her. Not like she was going to go anywhere, but still, he was something of a source of comfort to her in this strange place.
She had come here in the hope of learning some magic, and the man had been nice to her so far, even though he was very, very serious. It was nice, at least, to be someplace new: she would never lose her curious spirit. What she had lost was her pair of shoes, which she had promptly kicked off upon exiting the castle, after making sure that no one would notice, of course. Finally she met the man’s gaze when he spoke to her. She gave a little giggle, subconsciously, at being referred to as Princess Rapunzel. That was still rather new to her. “Yes, that’s me,” she said, more solemnly. “I wished to learn an incantation that might make my hair grow back. You see, it is very precious to me, and it was cut rather unexpectedly.” It was the thought that had counted, but still, she kind of missed it – even if it had perpetuated and symbolized eighteen years of captivity.
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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 1, 2011 23:55:01 GMT -5
Of all the reasons to want to study sorcery... Empty night, but perhaps the only more inane reason he'd heard of was Drake Stone's desire to be a... a stage magician, a charlatan entertainer! Some Morganian. Could you imagine Morgana le Fey pulling a bloody rabbit out of a bloody hat? Preposterous.
But with the skill of many centuries of practice, Horvath kept all traces of disgust from his expression. Yes, wishing to learn a spell to regrow hair was rather petty, but it did indicate that Rapunzel was not seeking magic in order to gain power, thereby not setting herself up as a potential rival or threat to Horvath. And if he could keep her focused on that goal, she should be fairly easy to manipulate.
The old sorcerer arched one eyebrow, his lips quirking to one side in a bemused smile. "That is a rather unusual- and specific- reason to wish to learn magic," he commented. "Pray tell my dear, why not let it grow out on its own?" She didn't strike him as being that impatient. Impulsive yes, but not impatient.
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Post by Rapunzel on Jan 2, 2011 12:46:55 GMT -5
"I know it sounds silly," Rapunzel said, defensively, "but it's important to me." At least it was nice not to have people want her hair, she had to admit that, but on the other hand, she wanted her hair. It had been useful for a lot of things. The staying young thing wasn't really that useful to anyone except Mother Gothel, but the healing thing came in really handy. Plus, her hair had been a good tool for rope, or an extension of her arm, or a hammock. It was not just length that she wanted, but for it to possess the same magical qualities it had once had. She liked having the same hair as her mom, but she was pretty sure Eugene had just been being nice when he said she had a thing for brunettes, not to mention she still surprised herself looking in the mirror and seeing someone who didn't look like her. And princesses weren't supposed to have short hair, it was supposed to be beautiful and flowing and feminine.
She was still self-conscious about her appearance thanks to Mother Gothel, and her hair was the only thing she'd had going for; it was what made her special. True, she was a princess now too, but she didn't think she was doing a very good job of yet. She wasn't sure if she was pretty then, let alone now, and what if Eugene didn't think she was?! There were plenty of other lovely ladies around court, and if he decided he liked one of them better, Rapunzel would just die! "Well, it doesn't grow as fast as it used to, because..." She paused, wondering if he could keep a secret, and if she could trust him. Oh well, if he couldn't help her, it wouldn't matter anyway. "Because it used to be magical," she said, in a rush, and then looked at him with a slight wince as if anticipating his laughter. She felt Pascal nuzzle her palm comfortingly. "It glowed when I sing, and it could heal people or keep them young forever." She looked at him, green eyes wide and pleading. "Please help me. I don't know who else can."
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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 3, 2011 15:30:14 GMT -5
Both eyebrows went up this time, the only indication of surprise Horvath allowed to show on his face. Well well then, magical hair was it? That was quite an array of abilities too, and useful ones. Why, items with magical healing abilities alone had been at the center of more conflicts than the old sorcerer could count. From the sounds of it, this Rapunzel child used to carry the equivalent of the Holy Grail itself around on her head. If she carried even a trace of that residual power within her, she could possibly be incredibly useful to him.
He allowed his expression to soften into a gentle smile in response to her pleading expression. "A most remarkable talent," he commented. "Though magical hair alone does not a sorceress make, of course. But you seem to be a clever young lady. I believe you will do well with the magical arts." She certainly struck him as more promising than most of the others entrusting themselves to his teachings. "I must request, however, that you do not make mention of the... unique properties of your hair if you can avoid it. I do not think I need remind you of the potential trouble that could come if people knew what it could do." Again the slight raise of one eyebrow, but this time with a slightly more humorous air, as if he invited her to share in a private joke. Of course she would know by now that her gift would make her a target. Horvath himself had no interest in her hair for his own purposes- he was still under the anti-aging spell Merlin had cast all those centuries ago, with a few modifications made by himself and Morgana.
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Post by Rapunzel on Jan 3, 2011 17:07:26 GMT -5
Rapunzel watched his eyebrows; her own face was very expressive, and she had learned this even more after looking at herself making faces in the mirror. She had often thought about whether or not she was beautiful, now that she no longer had her hair. She wasn’t sure. But she knew, at least, that there were other things people saw now than just her hair. The fact that her eyebrows rose when she was surprised was only one of those things, of course. But she was ready to change that: she wanted her old hair back.
…even if that meant being targeted. Gothel was gone now, and she knew how to handle everything else, with her frying pan in one hand and Pascal in the other, Eugene by her side and her parents supporting her every step of the way. “I don’t think I want to be a sorceress,” she said, green eyes widening a little in worry. That sounded dangerous and bad. She’d heard people say that Gothel was a sorceress, and she certainly didn’t want to be like her. “I know what it’s like being used,” she said, more firmly, “and I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. I won’t tell a soul.” Except for maybe Eugene, but he already knew, so he didn’t count. Not even her mom and dad knew what her hair had been able to do, and just thought they’d been born with a daughter who had unusual hair that turned brown like theirs when she got older. “Now, what’s the incantation or whatever that I need to say?” she asked, more impulsively, after reassuring him that the secret was safe.
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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 3, 2011 17:40:50 GMT -5
Humor and mild approval faded from Horvath's expression, replaced with mild reproach. Inside, however, he was pleased. Naivete he could use if he was subtle about it. He would just have to be more subtle than whoever it was who had used this girl in the past.
"I am afraid magic does not work like that," he told her. "At least, sorcery does not. Your hair is entirely unique in my experience, and I have been studying magic for over twelve hundred years now." Nearly thirteen hundred years, as a matter of fact, but that was just details. "I rather doubt that any basic spell would serve to restore hair such as yours- it is entirely probable you'll need to develop a spell yourself for that specific purpose.. An advanced project like that requires a certain amount of basic learning to build upon. That, however, I can begin assisting you with immediately."
The Morganian reached into one of his desk drawers and pulled out two packages- a large rectangular one containing the magical spell-text called an Incantus, and a smaller one containing a graceful silver ring set with a lavender gem. The ring would serve as her focus- Horvath had taken it off a young Spanish Merlinean sorceress in 1480, just after the infamous Inquisition was established. He'd been the one to draw the girl in, steal her power and her focus, and then turn her over to the Inquisition as a witch.
Rapunzel didn't need to know that, of course.
"These are the basic tools of magic," he told her. "You'll need some basic proficiency in sorcery before we can start working on restoring your hair."
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Post by Rapunzel on Jan 3, 2011 19:54:25 GMT -5
“But why?” Rapunzel asked, her button nose scrunching up in frustration. In many ways, she was still a child. Something about being brainwashed into believing herself inadequate at everything and the resulting insecurities which had made her entirely dependent on her “mother” had not quite faded away yet, even after everything else that had happened. She was eighteen and a half now, or somewhere around there, but that did not mean that she was an adult yet, and she had learned that with other people who were not as strict as Gothel, sometimes she could get her way by pouting, simply because she was the lost princess. She was not stupid; actually, in that, she was rather clever; she was just immature.
Still, she doubted that tactic would work when it came to magic. Those rules couldn’t be changed just for her, if those were indeed the rules. The fact that he had been studying for so long shocked her, and frightened her a little. How was he staying young? Did he have his own magical-haired girl kept captive somewhere? The book and rings captivated her, but she squirmed in her seat a little. Was it worth getting entrenched in a scheme like this, just to get her hair back? “I… I don’t know,” she said, pressing up against the back of her chair nervously. Eugene might get mad at her for growing her hair back, everyone would wonder why and ask questions… Or what if this man was like Gothel? Panic started to rise in her throat. “I don’t think I should do this. I-I’m sorry…” She stood and started to back away.
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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 3, 2011 21:04:01 GMT -5
At her sudden surge of panic- it would not take a genius to deduce that she feared being used again and thought that his age and apparent youth was the result of some nefarious plot- Horvath raised a gentle hand to try and calm her.
"Be at peace, my dear," he told her. "I apologize for the confusion. My own longevity stems from a spell my own master, the great sorcerer Merlin, cast many years ago so that I and his other students could more effectively battle a great evil. That evil has since been vanquished." Thanks to Balthazar bloody Blake and young David Stutler... "You are safe as my student, I assure you."
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Post by Rapunzel on Jan 3, 2011 22:03:50 GMT -5
Rapunzel was too scared to be embarrassed when she began to cry. Part of it was regret that she had wasted eighteen years of her life being someone's puppet, and another part of it was the fear that she would turn into that again. Part of her missed her old life sometimes, as odd as that seemed. She missed her hair. Why was this so hard?!
"I-I'm sorry," she finally hiccuped, hastily swiping at her tears with the back of her hand. "I... I just... I used to know someone like you, once; they knew magic, like you do, and they lived a long time, like you have. But it was for another reason." She didn't want this guy to know everything about her, and she was glad she had stopped blathering in time to stop herself from saying too much. She swallowed, her composure somewhat regained. "M-Merlin?" she asked, intrigued. "He sounds interesting..." So someone else out there somewhere had the same powers that she did! Maybe they could be regained after all.
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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 3, 2011 23:06:04 GMT -5
Horvath decided not to press her on the subject of who this other long-lived magic user was. She was distressed enough right now that to make further inquiry could be disastrous, and he didn't want to lose her just yet.
He gestured with his silver-topped walking stick. The blue gem set into its top flared briefly, and a piece of paper on his desk wriggled, then settled into its new form as a handkerchief. This he handed to the young girl as an alternative to her sleeve. "It's quite alright, my dear," he told her kindly. "This is a little overwhelming, I'm afraid. And Merlin was quite interesting." He tapped the package that contained her Incantus with a finger. "You can read about him in here."
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Post by Rapunzel on Jan 3, 2011 23:26:09 GMT -5
She stared at the handkerchief in awe as it changed form, and took it hesitantly. Delicately touching it to the corner of her eye to dab the tears away, she supposed now was a good time to start acting like the princess she was. She had been horribly rude. At least he was being nice to her, so very nice. She had been silly not to trust him.
"Thank you," she said quietly. Gingerly, she opened up the package, waiting a moment before opening it. The book was absolutely huge. The word 'incantus' sounded like incantation, so it was familiar enough to her for her to feel relatively comfortable with it, despite the fact that this man obviously knew a lot more than she did about magic, and this book had to contain everything he knew and more. "What do I do with it, exactly?" she asked, staring at the book rather warily. "This is the biggest book I've ever seen in my life." Whatever reservations she'd had began to be overcome by her curiosity. There had been only three books in the castle, and she'd hungered for more. Eugene had told her stories, but never one about Merlin - she loved stories.
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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 3, 2011 23:49:29 GMT -5
"You read it, of course," Horvath said with a smile. "You do not have to read it all at once, however. There is an overview. Reading that for now will suffice. Unless you wish to read further, of course, which you most certainly may." He chuckled a little. "When I first became Merlin's apprentice, I had to be taught how to read. Once I was able to, it was very hard to convince me to put my Incantus down long enough to eat."
Of course, he'd had to be taught to read because at the time, he'd been a peasant child, as ignorant as a bird. Oh, he'd been a fine sight, arriving at Camelot still covered in the dirt from his village. Balthazar, a baron's son, had taken one look at him and burst out laughing. That had been all the incentive he needed to learn, and learn fast. Fortunately, he had been a very clever child and had caught on quickly.
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Post by Rapunzel on Jan 4, 2011 0:10:37 GMT -5
"It's certainly a lot," Rapunzel said apprehensively. She had thought he had said that she only had to learn a little bit of sorcery before she could get her hair back - not an entire volume of encyclopedias on it! If she had been living her old life, she probably could have read the whole book in a week or so, because it wasn't as if she'd had much else to do; she was busier now. But then again, if she had been living her old life, she wouldn't need her hair back at all.
She gave him a little smile. It was hard to imagine him as a child, especially since it had been so long ago! She couldn't remember ever not knowing how to read... It was all she'd had, some of the time, and she'd made up stories about leaving the tower for herself. "Okay. I'll read the overview," she said, giving a little nod. "And I'll read a little more, if I have time." She paused. She wasn't supposed to take this whole thing with her, was she? What would her parents think if they saw it? "I mean... do you want me to read it... right now?"
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Post by Maxim Horvath on Jan 4, 2011 0:40:30 GMT -5
"Oh, not right now," he replied. "No, the Incantus is yours, as is the ring in the other package. That is your primary tool for working magic. You may wear it, though I ask that you do not attempt any spells on your own just yet. I'll be gathering the rest of my students in a few days for the first lesson. All you need to do for the moment is read the overview before then and bring both your Incantus and your ring with you."
There, that should be simple enough. He'd prefer not to overwhelm her again right now. Read the book, don't practice magic without his guidance, and join the rest of the class with book and focus in hand when summoned. How could that be confusing?
"You will receive a message with further instructions shortly before I'm ready to hold the first class," he added, thinking that his little faerie ally would probably enjoy delivering the messages. "Until then, unless you have further questions for me, you are free to go for the time being."
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