You could even simply play an apprentice who's Gift didn't manifest until later. Nothing wrong with a 15 yo starting out. That's the age Thomas started out.
Just so long as I get an apprentice at the end of the day ...
Except, that, it's really bad form to take an apprentice if any one of the following are true
- A Bonisagus with an apprentice should not take another apprentice
- A Bonisagus should never take more than one apprentice from a single (emphasis mine) magus
- A Bonisagus should never take an apprentice to replace a dull or unworthy apprentice
- A Bonisagus should exercise this right no more than once every three years.
If Fleur hairs off after acquiring one apprentice from Vulcanus, she's violating Bonisagus protocol in three specific places. The right is, as yet, unlimited, but there is a protocol here to prevent abuse, and from it being limited under the Code. Violating the protocol risks making it an issue at something like a Grand Tribunal, and would be a huge rebuke to the entire House. The Prima Bonisagus, even though she sets the agenda, may end up having to put it on the agenda, due to other reasons, such as horse trading for votes on other issues already on the agenda.
2 places, she only plans on Keeping vulcanus' apprentice for 1 year to finish up a particular project before selling him off. If she waits an additional 2 years it would be down to 1 place, but this isn't the game plan she is looking for.
I stand corrected, it's not so bad, then, right?
Still a bad idea, but its good to know what you are being hung for.
On an unrelated topic- Fleur has 5 points currently into developing her own mystery cult lore- I'm thinking we want to develop this for the library/school (to be able to give good teacher and unaffected by gift to teachers), and Donna is wanting to have a mystery cult lore to pass on Touched by magic to other craftspeople. If Donna were to spend seasons investigating Mystery cult lore can we allow it to be the same lore by reason of close proximity and presumed discussion with Fleur?
Not that it would necessarily be Fleur who had to play apprentice ping-pong. All of house Mercere would be up in Vulcanus' grill. I can't imagine a situation where there wouldn't be immense pressure on the rest of his covenant, and his tribunal at large if he pulled a stunt so brazen. So it's entirely possible that another Bonisagus could step in to try and repair the damage. Lucas and Fluer both could well get involved bringing it up with their compatriots - negotiating, pulling in favours, and/or getting a righteous bollocking for the mess in the first place! 
I'm actually going to start putting stuff up now, because I have an idea for the concept. Development thread!
True it would be better form for a different Bonisagus to snatch the apprentice, but these are informal rules. A non-Mercere apprenticing a Gifted Mercere is also a pretty big no-no. Using the snatching power to fix the issue probably wouldn't be a issue.
Anyway Marko suggesting Grogs gave me two ideas: Anna needs an apprentice. Why else would she have all that com?!?!? Two I have a funny idea for a Grog, especially with the Surprise thread. Girl scribe/doctor. Infernalist swapped bodies with her. Her original body has since died. Possible to introduce in the Surprise thread, leads to tons of possible fun. Most notably if the infernalist who stole her body is the guy the Priests are looking for...
Seems reasonable especially if they communicate about their lore some. (And correspondences are free xp too!) But they would need to share similar themes methinks. Which is totally possible, she'd just need to start the first technical college!
That isn't even something that's endorsed in canon, and is definitely a YSMV thing. While I generally agree that it is unseemly for a Mercere to be Bonisnatched, or even snatched in the interim between detecting the Gift and being apprenticed, it's not even minimally codified. Regardless, do you think Vulcanus would care about an informal rule such as this before taking a Gifted Mercere? He could even argue he's rescuing the child, rather that Andorra is hoarding Gifted children. Now, I know that's not what's going on here, but this is Vulcanus and Andorra. If he were the victum of Bonisnatching and new that there was a Gifted child, not apprenticed that he wouldn't do everything in his power to acquire said child and Open the Arts, ASAP to claim him?
That's not even going to look as bad (to the rest of the Order) as Fleur acquring an apprentice and then selling him.
It will also depend on how the adventure thread goes- if Fleur reaches an arrangement to sell the apprentice back to Vulcanus when she is done with him he might not take it so bad...
okay now that I'm done laughing...
I'm not even close to finishing Elena's character sheet, and already I feel so very sorry for her!
Wait, do I have any say in this ... ?
Might depend how close by you are when Vulcanus tries to snatch me from my nanny's arms.
I have you set for getting your arts opened Winter of 1242, first thing! 
Timeline-wise, you come back to the covenant with Elena after your Redcap duties?
quick question: do we have any idea what sort of time is required for making giant swords? Donna is putting in 1 seasons making them, starting with a +4 craft bonus and reaching +5 by the end of 1241... the list in city and guild suggests a base of 2 longsword, 2 greatswords, or 8 short swords in a season for an average weaponsmith, if we assume the giant swords would be 1/season for an average weaponsmith that would be 2.8/season for donna, which means we would have 5...
Regarding Arachné's plans for excessively-powerful enchanted items - what are the rules governing assistance in opening an item? I know the core (which I don't have to hand, natch) gives rules for help in the lab, with each magus boosting LT, up to a number of helpers equal to the lead magus's Leadership (IIRC?) - but I can't recall anything that lets you stack MT for opening purposes. However, Arachné plainly thinks it's an option, so I'm probably missing something.
You should be scared. You don't realize what you are dealing with. And Vulcanus would not care if you were sleeping or not.
Also, he is not a Verditian. He is Flambeau through and through. True, the lineage of Valdarius is descended from the Verdi, but that was centuries ago.
Finally, and I shouldn't say this but it seems so obvious. Ever consider the idea that he is baiting you guys?
The only problem with that is that it leaves Elena dangling for a few years without protection of being an official apprentice.
How's this for an alternative: Elena is the daughter of a prominent Mercere bloodline. At age 10, with no magical talent showing, she is sent off for Redcap training. (Maybe to Andorra, even.) She undergoes a few years of that before BAM the Gift manifests. (It's not unheard of for it to manifest after age 10.) It's only then that she's taken for an apprentice.