Lightsbane1905. Thank you so much. That is so very true. If they had been honest (more so him) then things would be so much easier for the both of them and everyone else. However where is the fun in that. I really appreciate that, thank you again.

Her footsteps echoed around her, drumming into her skull. She wanted it to stop, though she had to keep moving. It was the only thing that stopped her from thinking to much. A fact that after the last few days she was very grateful about. Since her talks with Arthur and Lancelot her head had been swimming with many different thoughts. A few months, weeks, days even before she had had a very clear idea about what her future was going to be. It contrary to what many would think of someone in her place, was only on the idea of her marrying the man that she loved. Being Queen was something that went with that. It was not an idea she thought of on its own. It always linked to Arthur as King.

It had not escaped her knowledge that she had been, and for all she knew was still go to, it was just taking a little longer than planned, take on the role, place in Camelot that she had for as long as she could remember believed would be Morgana's role. Some people are just born to be Queen she had once said. Even now she still stood by that. It was a part of some people's nature, like Morgana and Arthur to lead. To be willing to do what had to be done, make the hard choices for the greater good of those that you ruled over. For all of her madness Morgana understood that in a way that she knew Arthur did not and most likely never would.

Self-doubt started to creep into her thoughts. Not even the loud echo of her footsteps could block it out. It brought her some pain still to think how things had changed so drastically, how her once closest friend had seemingly fallen so far. Once she had looked forward to the day Morgana would be Queen. It all felt wrong, very wrong now. For a number of reasons. The fact remained that there had been a time not all that long ago when she had truly believed that Morgana would be Queen and a good one. She was far from perfect. There was and still was despite her current situation an arrogance about her, a coldness too, at least with most people. Now it was with everyone. She never doubted herself, never. She on the other had doubted herself over almost every choice she made. Her choices had never had a great impact on the wider world, though she still agonised over them. Morgana never seemed to have that problem. She made up her mind certainly. Never backed down.

While she had and still did to a degree admire that quality her former close friend possessed. It had been the driving force in what had become of her. For that fact she was now wary of the witch. She knew full well what it meant to be a target of Morgana's anger. It was a position that she did not ever want to find herself in again. Though she knew that her possible future would most likely put herself there again if Morgana ever had designs on the throne. For better or worse she would still, if the day ever came that she was Queen, use the Morgana that she used to know as a guild for how to act. Sure of herself and compassionate to others. A faint sigh let her month before it curled into a small smile at the memory of her old friend.

The sound of voices being carried up from the court yard below up to the row of windows she was walking past pulled her from her own thoughts. Carefully as not to be seen she slowly stepped towards the nearest window. Almost directly below her now where Lancelot and Gwaine in their full dress armour making their way towards the main stairs of the castle. The same place that she was also headed for. It was hard to make out what they were saying. Gwaine as she would have expected was doing most of the talking. While she couldn't clearly hear what he was saying when she did hear Lancelot speak she noticed something strange about his tone. It seemed unsure like he didn't know whether he should be pleased or not. He sounded confused. Mush like herself.

Arthur had like Morgana always been sure of himself. She assumed that a trait like that must come from the kind of up-bringing that they had had. Where they would have to make up their minds certainly and have the courage of their convictions. She worried about this, while she did admire this trait she did see how it could so easily lead to conflict.

Her mind started to wonder again while she watched the two knight walk further away. Their voices becoming more distant. Just as she stopped being able to hear them another voice rang out throughout the corridor calling her name. She knew that voice well. She forced a smile onto her face before she turned round to face them. They knew her to well to be fooled by a forced smile and they had very likely seen her jump a little as they called out to her. She was also very sure that while she could make herself smile, she could not wipe that guilty look from the rest for face. She was not used to feeling like she caught in the act of doing something that she shouldn't.

"Elyan." She smiled wider.

"Gwen." He mocked with an equally wide smile and high voice. "Why do you have that look on your face."

"What look."

"The one you get when you think you have done something wrong."

It was childish but it was the only response that she could think off. "And when have I ever truly done anything wrong."

"I said you think you have done something wrong. No one is a harsher judge of you than you."

She really truly smiled now. "Well thank you so much for your concern little brother." The sarcasm in her voice sounded odd and unfamiliar.

"I am concerned." The defended.

Through a laugh she replied "Well you are doing a very good job of showing it."

"I can't help it. You have the same look that you had been you broke my wooden practice sword."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did."

"No I did not."

"Then who did."

She sighed again. This was an argument that they had been having since they were ten and eight. It would be forgotten for a while when they were younger. For a month or so maybe even two. Then something would remind him of his broken practice sword and it would start over all over again. This had been the longest that they had gone without mentioning it. Five years maybe six neither was really sure. It was surprising how quickly they had been able to fall back into the argument. It was like they were children again, trapped in a never ending argument over something that at the time seemed to be the most important thing in the world.

"I don't know. You most likely. You weren't that good with a sword back then. It wasn't till you were sixteen that you could even lift a full broadsword off the ground. Eighteen till you could swing it." A self-satisfied grin crossed her face.

Surprisingly Elyan choose not to rise to his sisters gentle teasing. "You know you don't have to be perfect all the time. It is okay to make a mistake, be selfish. You're not a servant anymore."

Biting her lip a little Gwen nodded her head along with her brother's words. She could understand what he was trying to say, but something about the way he said it annoyed her. "And I have you to thank for that."

"That is not what I meant. You are too soft hearted at times."

"Better that than cold hearted."

"Can't there be a middle ground."

A small laugh left the future Queen. "That would make things a lot simpler."

"And who wants that."

Though she laughed again it was only pretence. "I won't mind so much I don't think." She said in a low voice as he lowered her head a little.

Since Elyan had returned to Camelot the siblings had not spent as much time in each other's company as they had expected they would have. Being a knight had taken up a lot of Elyan's time. Gwen was also occupied at first with taking care of the ailing former King. The deeper reason was that they each had grown to resemble their parents that it was hard for them to really spend too much time around each other. Gwen saw her beloved father in her little brother when he stood tall and proud in full armour with his fellow knights. The way her father had looked at one of his finished sword. When she looked at him before he left on a mission Elyan say his mother's eyes looking at him not Gwen's. Like his mother would look at him as she watched him run away from the house to play with his friends. He would only throw a quick glance back at her over his shoulder, but he remembered those eyes, that look. It hurt to see them looking at him from his older sister.

"Mother would be proud of you." His hand rested on her shoulder, forcing Gwen to look up at him again.

She smiled back in thanks. "Father would be so proud of you." Her hands reached up now to straighten the fastening of his cape. "Even if you still can't dress yourself."

He removed his hand from her shoulder and lightly pushed from away from his cape fastenings. At the last second he took hold her hand. "Are you ready."

She squeezed his hand back in response. "Yes."

If she was not his sister he would have believed her. Letting her hand go her held out his right arm, bent at the elbow. With a deep breath, preparing herself mentally from what was ahead, she linked hers arm with his. He guided them towards the main door to the castle where the other members of the court and knights were gathering. As they reached the main door they were opened for them by two guards. The bright autumn light blinded Gwen for a moment. By the time she could see clearly again she was standing in her place on the main steps.

The bright sunlight caused her to pull her hood low to shield her eyes. It was still not enough and she was forced to slightly lower her head. The sound of the amber and red dried leaf's being waked over and the occasional snapping of a twig echoed around the otherwise silent forest around her. She had been walking for the last two days with no clear idea of where she was heading. The only thing that she was aware of was that she was avoiding going any further north than she had to. That would lead her to Camelot, and she had no intention of going anywhere near there. At least not yet.

Her anger over the last two days had started to slightly lessen. She could understand that they were old, ancient. They had been so much pain suffering. Lost so much. It was understandable that they now wanted to live out the last of their wretched days in peace. That did not stop the anger that never seemed to fully leave her growing, seething when she thought of it. She was on her own again, figuratively and literally. Just as she had always been.

It should not really surprise her, hurt her, but they were her kind. Like her. If anyone would understand it should be them. She would have thought the same of Merlin long ago if he had not proven himself a selfish coward before he revealed himself as a traitor too. Doubt had started to creep into her thoughts as the anger slowly lessened. Maybe they did understand her motivation, maybe it was her actions, her herself that they did not agree with.

A bitter laugh would have left her lips, if she had not wanted to maintain the silence of the area around her, at this thought. Arthur was the golden child, King. Even when he was wrong he would be soothed, pardoned. She would always be quickly punished. No excuses would be made for her poor behaviour. She had to face the consequences of her actions. Face them she had. Look at where she was now. In rages no home, and no one to help her. What could she have done for the fates to condemn her as they seemed to be. Was it a test. Did they too maybe want Arthur to rain and her to be pushed away. Abandoned and forgotten.

Abandoned may now she was willing to admit it not be entirely true. She had not been forced out, she had allowed herself to be pushed out by her growing distance from the ones she once cared for. The ones she had once so long ago it seemed now been willing to lay her life down to help. When however she had needed them, they had not been there. Had not been willing to repay what she had done for them. They she had to very reluctantly admit had tried to help. They had just not done so enough. They had not gone out of their way to help her. She was not meant to matter, she was coming to the belief that this was the case. She was fated to lose, she knew that. It had only been about biding her time she had thought. Now she was not so sure.

A sudden loud beating noise erupted throughout the forest. Loud voices followed it but were to far away to make out. As the sound grow louder it became clear that they were heading in her direction. Moving to stand behind a tree out of view she watched as a young man with shabby blond hair ran almost directly towards her. He was followed closely by a group of four horses and riders. It was not going to last much longer, they were very quickly gaining on him. It would be best to remain out of view and see how this played out. What was it to her anyway what happened to this young man. She owed him nothing. Not even her contempt which she gave away for free to most people.

The horse in front speed up, while its rider moved to pull out his sword. The sword caught the light of the sun, blinding her for a second. When the sword lowered she could see again. Could see the sword appear to be a few inches from cutting off the poor boys head. Without thinking to much about it her hand shout up and the boy was sent hurtling to the right away from the sword and the riders. Who now came to a sudden stop. Their eyes darted all around not understanding what had just happened.

After a few seconds they seemed to agree on following the boy they had been chancing down. They only made it a few paces before a tree fell down right in-front of them blocking their way. Her arm lowered back to her side as she stepped out from behind the tree. A grin crossed her face as she slowly lifted her arm again. The riders once again looked around them, getting more confused with what was happening. One caught sight of the dark figure standing by a tree a little away. He pulled on the rains of his horse forcing it to stay in place. As he froze his eyes locked on the figure, whose face was hidden by a hood, his companions turned to look at what he was seeing.

The leader, the one that had tried to kill the boy was the first to move. He started to pick up speed as he grow closer to her. The instant his arms still holding his sword lifted just an inch her arm shut up. The last thing the four men all of whom were now moving towards her say before they were violently pulled backwards out of their saddles, was a flash of warm light appearing from below the hood.

The grin spread as she walked over to the fallen men. The one furthest from her looked like he was about to come too sooner than she expected, so with one hushed word under her breath he stopped moving again, as did his companions. Kneeling down she checked to see the weapons they were caring. It seemed they were not very skilled or organised as they only had a sword each. Collecting them she dropped them on the ground and set them on fire with a flash of gold. The horses were the next to be gathered together. All but the largest, an ebony black stallion, were sent off with the rains removed in the direction of the nearest town she knew. Disappointedly they had no food or water with them, so she moved past the fallen tree towards the young man she had saved.

He lay sprawled across the ground a small brown sack a few inched from her out stretched right hand. A thief, she had saved a thief. Why did that not surprise her, the irony was very funny. One criminal saving another. Though her crimes where in a very different league than his. Picking up the sack she found it filled with gold coins. It was honestly not much, but it was something at least. She was about to walk back to the horse to make her get away, when he made a sudden sound like he was starting to wake up. After rolling her eyes she moved to bend down next to him.

"Wake up." She whispered into his ear. When he did not respond she placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a shack. He still did not come too. Getting frustrated she once again told him to wake up, this time she yelled it.

His eyes shot open and as quickly as he could be pushed himself up into a sitting position. She moved back a little to allow him to sit up. His eyes locked on hers under her hood. Casing her to quickly stand up and move over to the horse.

"Who are you" He suspiciously asked.

"I would start moving if I were you. They will not remain asleep for much longer." It would have been to easy if she had simply placed them under a deep sleep.

Placing her foot in the stirrup, she pulled herself up into the saddle and took hold of the rains. The young man looked over at the sleeping four men and then back at the figure on the horse. "Wait." He called out to her.

She pulled the rains to stop the horse and turned to face the man. He looked up at her, trying to see her face under the hood. Just as he tilted his head to get a better look she suddenly pulled the hood back.

"You're the lady Morgana." She looked at him as if willing him to go on as he clearly had something to say and she wanted to get moving. "Why did you save me."

"Who said I saved you."

He pointed towards the small pier that had not long ago been four swords. "You didn't have to go as far as destroying their weapons. Getting me out of the way was enough."

"Maybe I was just making it more even. Interesting to watch. I could be planning to move on a little then let them wake up." She spoke in a teasing tone, but it didn't fell genuine. "You're a little runt. I doubt you could even lift a sword let along swing one. They are four full grown men. That I'm sure can swing a sword and that is all it would take. One swing, and you lose your head."

She moved to set off again, but this time he noticed that his sack of coins was missing. Quickly looking back at her he yelled out before the horse got up any speed to really move away. "Give me back my money."

"It's not yours." She replied turning her neck to face him.

"No more than it's yours." He sneered back at her. She smiled back, he had more personality than she had expected. For the third time she was about to more on, when he pleaded with her. "I need it to buy food. My family are so hungry."

She didn't even turn to look back at him. "No you don't. If you did. You would have stolen food, not money."

With that she kicked her heels in and the horse galloped of. Once a good way of, but still close she thought about turning round and seeing what had happened. She didn't care either way so she went on. It had been instinct. A way to test her power, as it had been a while since she really used them. After what felt like an hour or so she thought she heard a shriek. Pulling the horse to a stop she looked around, seeing nothing she went on again. Though she couldn't stop the feeling creeping over her that something was wrong. That there was someone or something else in the forest near her. It didn't feel like it was a danger to her, but it made her feel comfortable and wary of what may come.

Thank you for reading. I really hope that you liked it. I know it may have been boring, but I promise the next chapter will have more happening in it. I just wanted to do a chapter just about Gwen and Morgana and what they are thinking. I always felt their development was pushed aside a little in favour of the boys. I have a good idea of what I am doing with Morgana's story, but I have a little gap now in the other's stories. You would think with six months to come up with something I would have been able to. So I would be very grateful if you could give me any ideas for small stories for the other characters that you would like to read.

Also there is a new female character that I am going to be adding in chapter 27 I think it will be. So what I thought I would do was that however writes the 100th review which is quite close will get to name her. Furthermore the 25th chapter of this story will not only be the half-way point in this story, but also the half-way point in the whole three part story. So if you have any idea of a way too sort of mark that I would love to hear it.

I also wanted to just point out that I know I am very behind, but I discovered the character of Loki in the last six months (that sounded more dramatic that it should be) I really like his character and see a few similarities between him and Morgana. I wanted to point this out so that if there are any references that I may put in this to him this is why. I don't plan to make any, but you never know. He has some great lines that I think would work for Morgana. "I never wanted the throne I only ever wanted to be your equal." Comes to mind. I will stop being such a geek now. Though I don't know why my favourite characters are always the bad guys. They are more interesting I guess. The ones that you can understand their motives anyway. Though my favourite ninja turtle is Donatello. So maybe it is more the smart characters that I like best. Okay sorry for rambling.

Any other comments are very welcome too. I look forward to hopefully hearing from you. Thank you.