OOOH another quick update! I hope you're all satisfied! thank you very much for the review in the previous chapter, please do repeat the honor :D

Enjoy...

Chapter Eight – Cracks in the Blood

'Father you summoned me,' Arthur said as he entered the royal chamber of meetings to find his father in his dark suit on the desk, looking through some documents in his hands. Uther looked up at his son and gestured for him to sit down while Merlin stood standing a foot away.

'Looks like we're going to trap more than one birds in our webs…' Uther said and Arthur looked at him in wonder.

'What do you mean, father?' Arthur asked and Uther set down the documents and looked at his son, he took another paper and moved it closer to Arthur.

'It seems like Cenred is sending a royal guest as well, too many spies I say…' Uther said as Arthur took the paper and read the official request for the visit of lady Vivienne of Escetia, young cousin of King Cenred. 'Obviously there is worry between the isles and of the cursed and Escetia and Cenred wants to send his cousin to stalk our sweet little Morgana…' Uther said, mocking the titles of the Isles and Morgana's age and position.

Arthur sighed and looked at his father with sober eyes, a few days ago, he would be just fine, even join the mocking and the mood but now, having the feel of Morgana's cheek still upon his lips and knowing she was out there, with her honest eyes and beautiful voice… he couldn't even fake a smile at his father's words.

'And speaking of the little witch, how things are going with her? Have you approached her for information? Is she planning on doing anything? I hope you remember that she's a witch, a tricky creature.' Uther added to his words and Arthur felt as if he would retort something at his father's words. Morgana wasn't like that, yes she was magical but her magic had saved Albion, his stallion, Morgana was a sweet woman, opinionated and stubborn but not evil in the slightest…

'We're doing… good, she's… good,' Arthur finally responded. Uther glanced at him in wonder but Arthur changed the subject as soon as he could.

'So you're let that Vivienne visit us?' Arthur asked, Uther accepted to change the subject and smirked.

'Of course I will, I have the future queen of Mora in my castle and now I will have the cousin of King Cenred as well… I need bait when I want to get the big fishes…' Uther said and Arthur sighed and nodded, he finally stood up and bowed slightly at his father.

'If you'll excuse me,' Arthur finally said, feeling uncomfortable before his father and his plans and ways. 'I'll make sure Vivienne will be welcomed with royalty. Let Merlin announce the arrival to the press,' Arthur said and Uther nodded as they both glanced at Merlin who nodded.

'Arthur…' Uther called out before the prince and Merlin could exit the room. Arthur looked at his father. 'Remember… she's a witch, she can trick the mind… and the heart… she's no better than monsters like her sister…' Uther said and Arthur frowned slightly but nodded his head as to get out of the room the soonest.

The young friends moved outside the room and Arthur was ready to leave but Merlin caught his arm, the young warlock had tried to talk to Arthur for days but he couldn't find the ways. Arthur looked at Merlin in confusion and waited for his best friend to talk.

'You know… your father is right…' Merlin said finally and Arthur frowned at him, taking his arm away.

'What is that supposed to mean, Merlin?' Arthur asked and Merlin sighed and looked at his bet friend uncomfortably.

'I mean that the King knows better and more about these kind of people, he once was close to them… Morgana is a witch and I know that for days you and her have come close-'

'Merlin!... have you been stalking me? Does Freya know about your hidden jealousy of me?' Arthur asked, trying to tease his friend but Merlin remained sober, making Arthur even more uncomfortable, guilty for his feelings towards Morgana and angry at everyone treating him like a child.

''-And I know you feel good close to her but keep in mind that she's a witch, and showed up here after twenty years, sent by Morgause….' Merlin finished his words and Arthur sighed and rubbed his eyes before he could speak.

'You and my father and everyone think that you know better… I have been trained since I was a boy to become a king, I know the dangers, I know the risks and I know about politics… Morgause is a cruel woman but Morgana isn't and so far she has only helped me and been kind and amazing. From my father, I accepted such attitude but from you Merlin…' Arthur said in a stern voice and Merlin had bowed his head, not sure what to say. 'From you, I accepted a little bit more understanding… you know how things are for me….' Arthur added and Merlin looked at him.

'You… you're so much into her?' Merlin asked, he didn't dare say the words "in love" that was too much to handle, yet Arthur seemed as uncomfortable and troubled. He sighed once again and started moving away in the corridor.

'Maybe I am…' Arthur murmured and he knew Merlin had heard him.

'Morgause!' Morgana whispered furiously at the bracelet, she had opened the connection, she had realized how it was working in the past days and she had achieved it but Morgause was either ignoring her or didn't want to speak to her. 'Morgause, speak to me!' Morgana repeated and sighed in fury as she had yet no answer. She knew her sister, she was somewhere close to her own bracelet and she wasn't talking to her sister. 'Tell me what you're planning! Tell me what you've done! What kind of "help" you're sending here?' Morgana demanded again but received no answer. She knew she was trying in vain, if Morgause didn't want to speak, she wouldn't. In fury she tore the bracelet from her hand and tossed it across the room as she paced around the room in her blind try to calm down.

She heard a knock on the door so she took another deep breath and called for the person to enter, it was Gwen with a beautiful dress for Morgana, she looked oddly at the bracelet, picked it up and offered it at Morgana without a question.

'Sorry, Gwen, sometimes princesses have tantrums…' Morgana said and Gwen gave a smile and nodded her head without asking anything.

Morgana skipped lunch since she would have the picnic with Arthur so she took a shower and decided to change in something more… girly? for the occasion, Gwen helped her in the beautiful dress, knee-length with black patterns and a V neck.

'So Gwen…' Morgana started, the maid looked at her, the princess needed to get her mind off her sister and her plots. 'Had ever Arthur been serious with someone?' she had tried to make her question sound light and carefree but Gwen's knowing smile made her feel uncomfortable.

'Well not really, nothing serious, it's not easy for him, you see, he's the prince and all… women want the throne set by his… they don't look at him as a person… more likely as a trophy for the prettiest…' Gwen said and Morgana only nodded, pretty much the same stood for her as well.

'I see.' Morgana said as her eyes fell on the bracelet around her arm, the churning worry hadn't left her ever since Arthur had been summoned and she was so worried about that royal guest of Camelot's, what had Morgause done?

'I think you're ready,' Gwen said and Morgana smiled and looked at herself in the mirror, she was indeed, she had kept her hair in a bun as not to wet it and now Gwen had rearranged it in a more elegant bun with some strands escaping. She looked beautiful in her black and white dress and her simple make up. There was a knock on the door and Gwen moved close and opened it to reveal Arthur in casual jeans and t-shirt like before but different shoes since they weren't going to the field.

'Is her grace ready?' he asked Gwen formally, they had decided to be untypical only before each other but he had to be formal with the rest.

'I am, my lord,' Morgana moved closer to the door the moment Arthur looked at her, he lost the ability to breathe.

'Enchanted,' he whispered and Morgana only smiled at the choice of words. 'Shall we? Our picnic has been arranged close to the rose gardens.' Arthur said and Morgana nodded her head and smiled at Gwen who smiled back and bowed as they left.

They exited the castle by each other's side and the moment they had some form of privacy while approaching the gardens, Arthur dared take Morgana's hand in his. Morgana smiled at him and glanced at their intertwined hands in a mixture of warmth and guilt.

'So who is the new guest?' Morgana tried to ask lightly but Arthur sighed and looked away, his father's words still ringing in his ears, squeezing his heart like a vice grip.

'It's duchess Vivienne of Escetia, sent by King Cenred. My father thinks she's sent here by Cenred because the king can't trust your sister,' Arthur finally replied, Morgana had remained silent by his side as they walked together. In true, she wasn't pondering on anything, she was simply seething in fury.

Morgause was trying to force her, she first threw her in this situation, sent to Camelot, in the wolf's jaws and now she was pressing matters by sending no one else but Vivienne, that spoiled little brat, cousin of Cenred and gold digger… Morgana felt as if giving up on her sister, for the first time in her life, she felt fooled by her own sister, she tried to erase the frown from her face, took a deep breath of her own and nodded her head.

'You know Vivienne?' Arthur asked, having noticed her darkened face. Morgana gave a failed smile and nodded her head.

'I actually do… she's difficult to please I warn you… picky and annoying, nosy and bossy.' Morgana said, having grew up in Avalon in close ally with Escetia, she knew the king's cousin, apart a spy, she was a nerve wracking wench. Arthur smiled at her this time.

'No worries, Morgana… I got used to annoying and bossy royal ladies.' Arthur said with a smirk and Morgana looked at him agape, she slapped his shoulder with her free hand and tried to take away her other but he held tight until he wrapped his arms around her waist and flopped her down on the blankets that were spread before them, in a tiny meadow that was shown among the roses. Morgana squealed and laughed as they landed in a hip close to their foods. They hadn't even realized how they felt so free and at ease with each other, they just did and laughed harder when Morgana gripped a handful of raspberries and threw them at Arthur, having an answer of Arthur dipping his fingers in the chocolate sauce and smearing Morgana's lips and nose, having her squealing and falling on her back, Arthur following in their struggle.

Arthur's face was an inch away from Morgana's, their eyes locked, chests heaving against each other.

'Get off me, Prince Arthur, I could have my guards arresting you in your own kingdom for assaulting a fellow ruler…' Morgana said, her voice was broken, her heart was pounding, his body felt great against hers, his eyes so close, his lips… her brain was lost in a mixture of embarrassment, worry, warmth and confusion.

Arthur glanced at Morgana's chocolate covered lips and didn't stop this time, without replying her words, he leaned down and kissed her lips, taking the chocolate away, along her breath. Apart the chocolate, she tasted sweet and after a moment of numbness she was responding, her hands still with stains from the berries and his with the chocolate dug in each other's hair. Their lips and tongues fighting for dominance like their bodies did in the horse ridings and the sword fighting. They finally broke the kiss for some oxygen and Arthur rested his head on Morgana's temple.

'Am I still assaulting you, my princess?' Arthur asked and Morgana was at loss of words as she kept her eyes closed, her brain had gone blank, lost and soaring, maybe for the first time in her life, she felt free.

'Yes… and I love every minute,' Morgana whispered, she felt bad for what she was doing to Morgause but she couldn't feel any better for herself, for once, she was doing what she wished to do, Arthur gave a smile at her and stole another kiss.

'Morgana…' Arthur whispered as they looked in each other's eyes. They knew respectively that they were defying the orders given to them, they knew they were moving up the wrong path, but they did it together.

'Arthur…' she whispered back, not sure what else to say.

'Has your sister asked you to have me close to you, for her advantages?' Arthur asked honestly and Morgana looked at him deep in the eyes, he knew, of course he did, maybe not everything but he did, and right now he was asking a question that she could answer honestly, she could say the truth he asked, not the whole truth thankfully but what was required.

'Has your father asked you to keep me close so you can learn through me why my sister sent me here?' Morgana asked and Arthur kept looking at her. They had their answers; they knew they were both tangled in the politics of Morgause and Uther's and could do nothing about it for now.

In comfortable silence –since they had taken the answers for now- Arthur sat on the blankets with Morgana by his side, their arms touching, their hands finding each other again. They ate mostly in silence, not sure how deep to dig in the news of the orders they had or dare speak to each other about the kisses they shared.

'So Vivienne arrives in two days time…' Morgana murmured when their meal was almost over, they knew they had to return to the castle soon. 'She might just try to kill you…' Morgana said and Arthur looked at her and laughed. 'Don't laugh at me, she's from Escetia, Cenred is an enemy of your father's…' Morgana said with a laugh as well. Arthur shrugged as he took another bite from an apple.

'So is your sister… and you might beat Vivienne to it and kill me first…' Arthur said and Morgana fought the lash of guilt inside her heart.

'Maybe…' she said teasingly but she felt only fear of how much her actions could do exactly that. A few days back and shewould had been rejoicing at the fact of being so close to the male Heir, now she was only regretful and so blissfully happy…

ooooohh THEY KISSED! wooohoo! what u think guys? there are cracks between the sisters and uther-arthur but arthur and morgana are closing to each other...and the royal guest is vivienne! what u think about that? Morgause is smarter than her sister gives her credit for... please review and tell me what u think and what you want to happen in the next chapie!