Leon has know Morgana since primary school. He knows her smile, her kindness, her temper, and her every facial expression. That is a good thing Most of the time.

Morgana/Leon. Rated T for future chapters.

The Lady and Her Lion

She is four when he meets her for the first time. Her hair is in pigtails that her mother thinks are adorable. She's wearing a dress that has more layers than she has years which her father thinks is appropriate. Morgana Pendragon is perhaps the daintiest and most fragile looking thing on the playground of the most prestigious primary school is Britain.

Leon, all of six himself, is of course compelled to come to the young damsel's aid when a boy in the grade above him tries to push her around. Just like the knights in the stories his mother reads to him at night.

Nothing has prepared him for the moment he gets there to find Morgana, dress and all, on top of a crying seven year old boy, her fists raised high and a scowl on her as she eyes him, "What do you want blondie?!"

A squeak. That's the only sound he makes before he gathers strength enough to offer her his hand. Morgana eyes it warily before accepting the offered help.

Once standing she smiles and Leon feels his chest rise with pride. Morgana kicks the bully once more before pulling Leon off towards the jungle gym to play swords in the tower.

He is eight when Morgana excitedly drags him through the halls of her father's manor. It's large and old and Leon is fairly positive haunted, but Morgana assures him it's safe and he trusts her.

They're covered in dirt and grass. His mother would be appalled if she knew what state his good shirt was in. But everyone is downstairs at the service for Lady Pendragon.

Morgana hadn't said much of anything, which was very unusually. They'd gone outside to play and his mother had told Leon it was his job to look after Morgana. He doubted very much that Morgana needed anyone to do that.

"In here!" Morgana was whispering, but it was really more a yell. Leon didn't know how she did that, so he kept quiet and followed her through the door at the end of the hall they'd been running down.

The room was bright, with pale blue walls and a row of windows. This had been Morgana's room a year ago before she'd gotten the big one a few doors down. She'd told him it was for the baby her mother was going to have. Based on the crib in the center that Morgana had raced to, she'd had the baby before going to heaven.

Leon approached the crib slowly. He'd never been near a baby before. He didn't know what the appropriate etiquette was for meeting one. Morgana grew impatient waiting for him to figure it out.

Once she'd dragged him closer Morgana gestured proudly to the small bundle in the crib. It was wrapped in a yellow and red quilt that looked vaguely like a doily and had a thin headful of golden hair.

"This is Arthur, Mother let me name since she was too tired," Morgana informed, a self-satisfied grin on her face, "I named him after the character in that book you lent me."

"The one with the king?" Leon gasped, "I thought you hated it."

"Well, it was really boring. I don't understand why it's important who the princess loves," Morgana pursed her lips, "but Mother said love is the most important thing in the world so I want everyone to choose to love my little brother."

Leon smiled at her. That was really sweet. Morgana wasn't usually so sentimental; perhaps having a baby brother would be good for her.

"And if they don't," Morgana stared darkly at the door of the room, as if expecting a threat, "I'll make them."

Or not.

He is twelve when Uther Pendragon finally notices him. Or, at least, finally acknowledges him.

Leon has to ask his older brother why Uther had wanted to know his intentions. His mother had only smiled and said it was a dad thing. Matthias had laughed.

"He thinks you like Morgana," Matthias ruffled his hair. Leon knew immediately that his teenage brother had not meant 'like' as in friends.

"Like…'like like?'" Leon had not meant to squeak. His father said sounding like a mouse was bad. He was suppose to 'own every word' that he spoke.

Matthias wouldn't tell though. He was too busy laughing at Leon's blush.

"Morgana is a lady though!" Leon shook his head. Matthias ruffled Leon's hair again.

By fourteen Morgana was both aware and annoyed by her father's probing of not just her friendship with Leon. It was unfortunate timing on Leon's part that he came down from helping Arthur with his math homework just as Morgana's fight with Uther hit it's apex.

"I'm your daughter, not some servant!" Morgana's hands and voice were flying through the air, "You can't control my every move!"

Uther's face was red, his body shaking. Leon would have backed himself out of the room were it not for the hard eyes that landed on him. Uther's eyes were hooded by thick eyebrows and overly defined wrinkles that made the bright blue seem dark and gloomy.

"What are you doing here boy?" The voice was dripping with venom. Uther's teeth remained clenched even as he spoke.

Leon met his rage with as calm a head as his years allowed. His eyes meeting the storm clouds, "I'm helping Arthur with his maths, sir."

"Arthur?" Uther's voice was still tight, his face scrunched up like a prune. He laughed, though it sounded more like a growl to Leon, "I doubt that!"

"That's because you're a dirty old man!" Morgana shouts it across the room. They're in the living room and there haven't been any knickknacks since Lady Pendragon's death. Leon's fairly positive that is the only reason Morgana isn't throwing things. Uther too really. They have the same temper.

Uther sweeps his gaze back to his daughter, "And you're a disrespectful little harlot!"

Leon knows in that second that his chances of leaving are firmly at zero. Morgana's eyes have gone wide, the prickles of tears start at the corners. There's a roar in his chest that tells Leon to protect her, to defend her.

Morgana requires no assistance though. She's already stalking across the room towards him. Leon isn't sure what he expects her to do. He's fairly certain Uther is in the same boat.

"Fine," Morgana's voice is calm, a direct contrast to her tense shoulders and clipped gate. She grabs Leon's face and pulls his head down so she can kiss him. Her lips press against his hard. Morgana has never kissed anyone in her whole life and after three seconds she pulls away and runs up the stairs.

Leon is left standing there. Uther's gaze locked on him. Leon hadn't kissed back, had not had time even he had wanted to. They are both aware of this.

"Leave!" Uther shouts it, teeth separating for the first time. He stalks from the room. Towards his office if Leon had to guess. He'll stew in there for hours, focusing on his work and pretending he has no children.

There was also a zero percent chance that he was just going to leave after that. Even with Uther's demand-slash-order. Nope. Leon climbs the stairs again. He checks first on Arthur, who hadn't heard a thing (allegedly) before Morgana had slammed her door.

Leon knocks on Morgana's door. It swings open with all the force a gangly girl of fourteen can manage. It's enough to make Leon flinch even though he knows the door goes inwards.

Morgana's glower softens. Leon was not who she had expected. "You didn't leave?" Morgana smiles at him.

"You're upset." Leon smiles back at her. The hug is more tackle than anything, but Leon's familiar with the maneuver and has several inches on Morgana. He ends up holding her in the hallway as she cries.

Morgana is fourteen when she is sent to boarding school in Scotland. Leon is sixteen when he swears on his life to look out for Arthur. Morgana stopped just short of a blood oath.

Leon is twenty-one the second time Morgana kisses him. This time is more enjoyable. No Uther. No tears. Just the soft press of Morgana's mouth on his and her lithe fingers gliding through his hair. It's the best kiss Leon's has ever had.

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