Now that he takes life at a quieter pace (at least most of the time), Horvath prefers not to be out of breath. All his life he's been self-conscious, particularly once he hit his last growth spurts and shot up taller than his master, and in his old age he's even more so. He'd prefer not end up panting for breath and looking even more out of shape than he actually is. Left to set the pace, he's on the slow side, although his long legs help make up for it.
"I didn't, quite, but I can't say that I'm surprised." He comments, but after a thoughtful pause adds, "But I am flattered to have the company of someone who's used the name."
The story gets a smile and a few chuckles, and the tale she tells is making the walk itself an easier one. Distance always seems shorter when it's covered with a friend and a good story or two. "When we were boys, Bel and I got into no end of trouble..." It's not a polished, proper story, but he does fall into reminisce of his younger days, when he was not quite a child, but certainly not yet a man, and knew just enough magic to wreak utter havoc. He tells of himself and Balthazar sometimes playing magic pranks on each other with an added layer of secrecy because Merlin would have scolded them both severely (and sometimes did, because they did get caught), other times conspiring together against other boys and girls their own age. Once, he says they were visiting at Camelot and one of the knight's sons was obnoxious to him. A youthful Max had mentioned his own interests in swordplay and other such pursuits in an attempt to be friendly, only to have the other boy's advantages in training and being destined for knighthood snobbishly rubbed in his face. Bel apparently filled the boy's practice armor with tiny frogs, via a hex, resulting in utter chaos when he was readying for training. Merlin gave him a thorough talking to for it, and Balthazar later told Max he didn't regret it for a moment. "And how could I not be pleased that he'd get revenge for my sake, and take the punishment without flinching? Bel was always full of that kind of loyalty..."
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branchandroot
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Date: 2015-03-10 11:58 pm (UTC)"I didn't, quite, but I can't say that I'm surprised." He comments, but after a thoughtful pause adds, "But I am flattered to have the company of someone who's used the name."
The story gets a smile and a few chuckles, and the tale she tells is making the walk itself an easier one. Distance always seems shorter when it's covered with a friend and a good story or two. "When we were boys, Bel and I got into no end of trouble..." It's not a polished, proper story, but he does fall into reminisce of his younger days, when he was not quite a child, but certainly not yet a man, and knew just enough magic to wreak utter havoc. He tells of himself and Balthazar sometimes playing magic pranks on each other with an added layer of secrecy because Merlin would have scolded them both severely (and sometimes did, because they did get caught), other times conspiring together against other boys and girls their own age. Once, he says they were visiting at Camelot and one of the knight's sons was obnoxious to him. A youthful Max had mentioned his own interests in swordplay and other such pursuits in an attempt to be friendly, only to have the other boy's advantages in training and being destined for knighthood snobbishly rubbed in his face. Bel apparently filled the boy's practice armor with tiny frogs, via a hex, resulting in utter chaos when he was readying for training. Merlin gave him a thorough talking to for it, and Balthazar later told Max he didn't regret it for a moment. "And how could I not be pleased that he'd get revenge for my sake, and take the punishment without flinching? Bel was always full of that kind of loyalty..."