YAYAY! Here's a new chapter, you didn't wait a lot now did you? I hope you will like it, guys, it's the chapter I have been waiting for to make hehe

Enjoy...

Chapter Eleven – Betray the Blood or the Heart

Everyone in the palace bowed in respect for the princess but Morgana didn't pay attention like she usually would do as she stormed from the entrance to the long corridor that led to the royal study of the sovereign, she was furious at her sister and during her trip back to Avalon she had prepared her confrontation, and her excuses when Morgause would confront her…

She opened the double doors of the royal study with noise and huffed as she saw her sister the queen with a small tiara on her now blond hair and council members around her, showing her documents that needed her attention, immediately the members of the royal council bowed at the princess as Morgause rose from her seat.

'Get out, please, all of you, I wish to speak with my sister the queen,' Morgana said as the only background noise was the radio signaling everyone of the princess' return to the kingdom and the noise from the city outside the gates of the Blessed palace.

Morgause nodded her head at her sister's command and one by own the lords and barons of the council left the room, with Lord Agravaine leading the way after bowing once again at the royal princess. When the doors were closed the two sisters stared down at each other.

'Care to explain why you brought me to the edge of being punished for treason within Camelot's grounds with your hasty announcement or why you sent Vivienne to spy on me as if I am traitor to my own crown?' Morgana finally burst as her sister circled the desk and moved in front of her sister. Morgana had to admit she was intimidated by the old good Morgause with the long blond hair and the steady eyes, lying to her through the bracelet had been easy but now she had to face her own blood.

'Care to explain why Arthur Pendragon is still unaware of his mother's sacrifice? Or why Uther Pendragon is still alive since his son has no idea thanks to you?' Morgause asked icily and Morgana stood her ground.

'I had told you he was hard to approach but I was close, you spoiled everything with the announcement and –' Morgana wasn't allowed to continue as Morgause had raised her hand and slapped her sister across the face, Morgana looked at her sister in shock and disbelief but Morgause wouldn't have it, after all, it wasn't the first time Morgause was intimidating her sister in that way.

'Do not lie to me, Alvar told me of how close you were to the prince, so Vivienne did and the members of the guard I had with you, how dare you betray me and our parents' lands? How dare you treat our plan thus?' Morgause said in a dead serious voice that had Morgana shivering to the bone, her sister knew. Morgana however had more weapons to use for her sister.

'You hid the truth about the prime prophesy! You lied to me about the truth! How dare you do this to me?' Morgana retorted but Morgause remained as calm as possible.

'The prophesy does not concern you as the traitors possibly have you thinking… it concerns me and Cenred, Morgana.' Morgause said calmly again and Morgana felt like slapping her sister for actually knowing of the prime prophesy but never saying a word when she was sending her in Camelot.

'I can't believe you hid that from me, I can't believe it,' Morgana whispered but this time Morgause gripped her sister by the arm and looked straight in her eyes.

'I can't believe a lot of the things you've done but I will have you know this, you will stay here for the wedding in two days' time and if I suspect any kind of strange behavior from you, I'll make sure you will remember the punishment.' Morgause said but Morgana yanked her arm away and started at her sister, the two Le Fays known for their fights indoors.

'I'm not a little girl anymore, Morgause, I will do as I please,' Morgana retorted but Morgause moved even closer to her sister.

'Do not test me, Ana… in two days, I will present you to Merrick and a day later you and him will announce your engagement. You spoiled the chances of talking to the Heir for reasons beyond me but this stops now. Albion will be under my reign with Arthur and Uther Pendragon alive or not. I'll unite Avalon, Mora, Escetia and Mercia under two thrones and then Lot will follow us against Camelot so do not test my patience. I already have a lot in my mind with the Druids and the rest. Do not get in my way for this.' Morgause said and Morgana, even shocked at her sister's aggressive plan, she kept her words about the Druids.

'What about the Druids?' Morgana asked and Morgause sighed, finally showing just a bit of her old concern over her sister.

'Your affection to the young prince wasn't exactly subtle and they know it, everyone of magical blood who is getting close to the monsters of Camelot becomes their enemy and you're almost one of them. We received some threats for your safety so we had to retreat, you wasted all the time given in Camelot and under fear of you being assassinated I had to bring you back in Avalon's lands. But all you think about is yourself and your ridiculous romance with the enemy.' Morgause finally revealed and Morgana remained frozen to stare at her sister.

The druids had targeted her because of her flirt with Arthur, she knew they were extremists but she never expected them to turn against one of the magical royal members of Avalon for such reason, she felt a shiver running down her spine at the possibility but she shook it away, she was too stubborn to accept Morgause's words. For all she knew, her sister could be lying once again.

'How did it go?' Arthur asked through the mobile phone, Morgana had made sure her room was magically clear before she could make the call to Avalon. She could hear his voice coated with concern and worry.

'Not well, we fought with each other and she demanded of me to be ready for her wedding just in two days… the palace is buzzing with the preparations, the guests are arriving for the handfasting and I'm here suffocating.' Morgana replied honestly, feeling slightly better for listening to Arthur's voice after the fight with her sister. She could hear Arthur sigh. 'There is more…' she added softly and she knew he was waiting for her to elaborate. 'The day after the wedding she wants me to announce my engagement with Merrick.' Morgana said and she could hear Arthur's breath stopping before he could speak firmly and loud.

'No… this is not going to happen, Morgana.' Arthur's voice was heard and she sighed as she had sat Indian style on her bed and was having a cold cloth on her reddened cheek that she had made sure to keep out of her descriptions of how the talk with Morgause went…

'What can I do really?' Morgana asked in desperation and heard Arthur sighing.

'Follow our plan, leave Avalon during the handfasting's celebration, no one will notice in the general crowd and until they do, you will be landing in Caerleon, my land.' Arthur said and Morgana smiled sadly as she tried to keep away her tears.

'Arthur…' Morgana tried but he interrupted.

'No, do as I say, Morgana… please, it's the only way,' Arthur tried but she insisted.

'Please listen to me,' Morgana tried and heard Arthur sighing as he tried to keep silent. 'I can't leave Avalon for now, my sister will turn completely against me and she will have Cenred with her as well, I can't just leave again… leaving like this will mean almost the abandonee of my crown to Mora… and then she will have that land for her own as well… Also… your father will have my head the moment I'm back in his lands… because for now, they are his lands, not yours.' Morgana tried to put some sense into Arthur's mind and she realized that indeed there was no escape for her.

'No, Morgana, you listen to me, please,' Arthur was heard and Morgana hid her eyes in her palm as she kept the mobile phone close to her ear. 'Mora is yours by birthright and escaping a trap is not stopping you from having yours what your mother left you. As for my father, the moment I'm away from Camelot as well, he will have no way but reconsider some things… we will pressure them like they have been doing to us for so long. The people in Caerleon accept me more than my father because I'm their Queen's only son, they believe weird stories for my father and things he supposedly did to my mother so they want me and not him, Caerleon is a safe place…' Arthur was saying and Morgana tried not to gasp when he mentioned the things known to Caerleon for Queen Igraine's doom, so there were whispers, all she needed was to fuel that fire and her sister would be pleased, Morgana couldn't do it.

'Arthur… I don't know…' she finally said as her eyes fell on the frame of her nightstand with her parents and young Morgause while she was just a baby in her mother's lap, she would have either to betray her blood or her heart…

'I beg you… do not let Merrick become your husband, I won't stand it…' Arthur now was pleading and Morgana tried to suppress the choke of her tears but failed.

'Tell me where to meet you in Caerleon, I'll arrange a private flight.' She finally said as she shut her eyes and let tears fall. She could hear Arthur exhaling in relief.

'I'll make sure for the flight plan to Caerleon's airport in the private section of it. Have the flight for the time of the celebration after the handfasting. Is 9 p.m. a good time for arrival?' Arthur asked and Morgana calculated the time of each event. At 6 p.m. the royal handfasting would start in the Apple Gardens, at 7 p.m. the celebration would be starting so she could leave somewhere around 8p.m. for the airport, the flight to Caerleon was about forty five minutes as the plane had only to pass across a small part of Camelot the moment it was out of Avalon's borders and away from the sea as to reach the neighboring kingdom.

'Yes nine is good,' Morgana finally said and Arthur sighed and spoke.

'Great, I'll see you there then,' Arthur said and Morgana sighed and nodded, in the past days she had been through so much and now she was arranging even more for herself…

'Arthur…' Morgana started and he waited for her words. 'I love you, thank you for doing this for me,' Morgana finally said and Arthur paused for a single moment before he could answer.

'I'm doing it for the both of us, I love you too…' he finally said and Morgana felt her eyes burning with more tears as they said their goodbye and shut their phones. She had to find some trustworthy people inside the palace to help her with her escape…

The Apple Gardens of Avalon were ornamented beautifully for the pagan handfasting of Queen Morgause with King Cenred, royals from Mercia and the North were present but due to the new cracks in the relationships between the Isles and Camelot, no ambassador was sent from the Pendragons to witness the handfasting.

Inside a meadow among the apple trees, symbol of Avalon, the altar was set, ready in the middle of a circle big enough for the ritual and before it, many rows of chairs were set for the royal guests from Albion and the kingdoms across the Narrow Sea.

The trees were ornamented with purple and yellow, Avalon's royal colors and black and silver details for Escetia's colors. There was a small band of musicians playing in one side soft folk music with their instruments, filling the little forest with melodies of the old. Many small ornaments of symbols like the sun, the moon, stars, pentacles and snakes were hanging from the trees, jiggling every time the breeze blew through them, the atmosphere was beautiful, in complete contrast with what Morgana was feeling as she was one of the first to take her seat as to witness her sister's wedding, right before she could abandon her country…

Slowly the chairs filled with their assigned guest and the respectful Priest and Priestess moved down the aisle first to reach the Altar inside the circle formed by candles and symbols of the four elements as feathers for air, rocks for earth, bawls of fire for fire and bowls with liquid for water.

Cenred was the next to move down the aisle, escorted by two of his guards, he was dressed in black like he usually did and kept his sword in its case as he was wearing his country's official costume, Morgana couldn't fight back the mental image of the much more handsome Arthur in his own royal costume of red.

As Morgana waited for the moment the Queen would arrive, she couldn't shake off the feeling of the stares both from Vivienne and Merrick who were sat a row behind her, her own seat was slightly forward from all the rows, showing her status as the Royal Princess of Avalon and Mora, she mostly felt targeted than separated…

Everyone but herself finally rose to their feet as protocol demanded when Morgause emerged from the Apple trees in her beautiful white wedding gown. It was long with sleeves made of lace and a beautiful V neck, it hugged her delicate figure beautifully, the crown on her head didn't allow a veil and her hair was down on her back in waves and curls, the main purple silk lace that started from her shoulder and moved across her front and back to her hip showed her position as queen along the medals of honor above her heart. She was holding no bouquet of roses as in the handfastings the hands needed to be free so the right one could be bound with that of the groom's. She moved confidently down the aisle and only paused before the circle as Morgana rose from her seat and approached her sister for their ritualistic separation as one sister was now taking the title of the wife.

Morgana in her pale yellow dress with the royal purple lace hugging her own body, her smaller crown on her head and the medals above her own heart, kissed ritually her sister on the cheeks and the third eye, held her hands and kissed them too before the two could hug fully.

'I love you, little Mor,' Morgause whispered in Morgana's ear as she held her close. 'Remember that, I love you and our kingdom above anything else, this is all about my love for our kingdoms.' Morgause whispered and Morgana felt her heart kicking painfully in hot guilt. Morgause was having her plans, her schemes and plots but she had done what Morgana was now ready to give up, her complete faith in the Isles for her personal happiness. Maybe after all, the Isles would be better without her, Morgause was devoted to the lands, she was giving up her freedom to a man she didn't love for them… while Morgana was running away.

'I love you too, Morgause, you will be a great Queen, you already are.' Morgana finally answered as the two broke the hug, only then realizing the allowed reporters were taking pictures of the event while the entire wedding was being broadcasted across Albion and the rest of the European countries. Morgause patted her sister's cheek, the same cheek she had slapped two days ago and finally released her so she could move inside the circle and Morgana could return to her seat as to watch her sister in her remaining hours in Avalon's ground.

The handfasting went on with the Priest and Priestess' words, the incarnations to the Gods and then the couple followed with their vows, the Priest and Priestess raised the cup and dagger towards the four points of the horizon, calling upon the respective element and then dipped the dagger in the cup before the couple could drink from it. Morgause and Cenred had their hands freed again and then jumped over the broom as to seal their marriage with smiles on their faces, smiles directed for the press… Morgana could see right through them.

The circle was finally broken and the royal guests applauded for the new couple of Royals as they moved through the aisle again and leaded everyone to the outside setting of tables and dancefloor that had been created for the celebration, the place there as well was as beautiful with the tables ornamented with ivy and apples, laces and bows, candles and small torches.

Morgana was arranged in the Royal table of course, by her sister's side and there was no surprise for her when Merrick was arranged to sat by her side, what ridiculous image they made next to each other was beyond her.

King Merrick of Mercia was an old man of fifty nine years, gray beard, gray mustache and a bald head, his eyes were hard but quiet good at pretending affection. His royal costume looked stupid on his oversized body, his belly moving above the belt that was supposed to keep his pants up and tight and his own sword at the ready. She sighed as she tried to look anywhere but him but he kept trying for her attention. His breath stinking of alcohol already and the reception was just beginning.

'Princess Morgana, I'm besotted.' He was saying and Morgana mastered her best smile.

'From the quality of the ale?' she asked boldly and received a hard elbowing from her sister who had obviously heard her retort even if seemingly busy with her new husband.

'From your presence, my dearest, I can't wait for our won handfasting,' Merrick said and Morgana bit her tongue harshly to keep her words.

'It will be a spectacle for sure…' Morgana finally commended and received another elbowing from Morgause, this time hard enough to hurt her ribs.

Soon, the royal couple was standing up for the first dance and Morgana clapped like the rest for their Majesties who moved on the dance floor. Now that Morgana looked at both Morgause and Cenred, she knew they would find their way, they were both cruel and scheming, a good match to set a marriage upon.

A song after the first dance, the dance floor filled with people and Morgana thanked the Gods for the reporters not being allowed in the reception as well. She stood up from her seat, making sure Merrick won't have the time to ask her to dance with him and after she moved around some tables, greeted some people, enough people to make an alibi, she looked at her sister for a final time, talking to some people across the area and then made a quiet spring to the palace's back door.

She entered the building and sprinted up to her chambers, the corridors were deserted as everyone was guarding outside, she reached her chambers, took a small bag of things she had prepared with some clothes, changed quickly in a long skirt and a black top, keeping her heels on and then waiter for the signaling knock on her door. When she heard it she rushed and opened it to find Lord Agravaine waiting for her.

'Your Majesty,' he bowed slightly and Morgana nodded her head as the two started moving down the stairs, for years Agravaine had remained a royal servant and councilor for King Gorlois, he never truly liked Vivienne but he had vowed to take care of Mora, the kingdom of his king, now his loyalty had passed to the young princess and not so much to Morgause, the queen of Avalon and Morgana knew he didn't approve of the matching with Escetia through marriage.

'Is everything ready, my lord?' Morgana asked and Agravaine nodded his head as they both checked the corridors before they could move forward to the secret exit of the palace through the now deserted dungeons.

'They're waiting for you in the Witchcraft Gate so you can go privately to your destination. We have word from Caerleon that they are waiting for you,' Agravaine said and Morgana nodded her head as they reached the small gate and Morgana whispered the spell for it to open. The two moved outside where a jeep was waiting, they got inside quickly and the jeep kicked off through the back gardens by the small river for the airport.

'The servants are ordered to delay your sister from finding out but, my princess I hope you have a plan once you're in Caerleon, no le Fay has reached that place ever since the imprisoning of the Great Sorceress so many years back… you must take care.' Agravaine said as he kept looking from outside the window.

'I promise I will, have you made sure the flight is secret?' Morgana asked the unnecessary question but Agravaine nodded.

'I made my best for no one but the absolutely necessary people to know of our plan, you're good to go,' Agravaine said and Morgana remembered for a moment Morgause's words for the Druids… no, she was lying again to scare her, her sister's games weren't working anymore.

The jeep finally reached the airport's backgate and moved close to the spot the small jet was waiting for the princess. The crew of five people, the pilots, the two guards and one air hostess waited outside the jet for the princess. Morgana moved outside the jeep and took her bag with her, she looked at Agravaine when he gripped her hand.

'Take care child and good luck!' he said and Morgana smiled at him and nodded her head as she left the vehicle and reached the five people outside the jet who bowed at her, she nodded her head and moved inside with her guards, the hostess followed and the pilots got inside as well. A few minutes later, the jet was moving up in the air.

'You'd like to drink something, your highness?' the girl asked and Morgana shook her head as she sent a message to Arthur, she was lucky the small jet allowed phone function.

I will be in Caerleon in forty five minutes. I love you. Morgana.

She looked outside the window and saw Avalon getting smaller and smaller from one side while the plane approached the borders of the country, in the far end of the horizon she could see Camelot city, where she was just a couple of days ago and ahead of her, she could see the capital of Caerleon, they were above the sea and approaching the lands of Uther Pendragon. Her phone buzzed after awhile.

I'm almost there myself, I can't wait to see you again, love you. Arthur.

She smiled at the message and tried to relax in her seat, she was almost there, with him, she could swear she could feel his mind touching hers as he was somewhere down there, moving with a car to Caerleon, to her. After a few minutes, Morgana wasn't sure how many; the pilot was heard through the speakers as she looked outside the window and couldn't see the sea anymore.

'We're about to cross Avalon's borders and get in Camelot, the time above Camelot's land will last twenty five minutes, afterwards we'll be in Caerleon,' the voice of the pilot was heard and Morgana exhaled, in some way relieved that she was away from Avalon and Morgause.

Her relief lasted only a few moments as suddenly a violent tremble had the jet's lights blinking furiously, Morgana gripped the hand of her seat with one hand while the other held the belt she had fasten on. She could hear the shouts of the pilots inside their chamber, screaming at the control tower of Avalon of their inability to control the jet…

'Something has happened to the jet, we cannot control it!' were the last words Morgana heard before her stomach could drop when she felt the jet losing height.

Thousands of feet below, people in the borders of Avalon, and from across the sea in Camelot and Caerleon gasped when a bright flash in the sky signaled the explosion in the small jet the princess was in before its remains could crush on the ground of Camelot…

OK, (opens a hole and gets inside it) well the jet indeed exploded... ouch, what u think guys? we had Morgana returning and Morgause slapping her, i know some of you may think it was ooc for Morgause but remember what Morgana said about Morgause and their training... the girls were raised without a father so I guess Morgause took upon her some of the responsibility... and ways... but as you saw she showed true concern for her sister as well... Morgana escaped but... the jet exploded... yep... please don't kill me and review so i can have some motivation to keep up, with my work and all it's quiet hard for me to focus on my work when there is no interest for them

thanks for reading, please review :)