Thanks to Vegetables-will-have-their-revenge, Katheryne B., lily-plus-james-is-total-love, and Cornelius Sigan for reviewing last chapter.

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Only two or three more chapters! Don't lose hope in the story. It doesn't last forever. I hope you're enjoying it so far, and if so please leave a review. I would love to hear what you think about Moron (the ship name; doesn't it rock?)This chapter covers almost all of S3 E1-12, so it jumps around.

Knight in Charred Armor

Part 8


The truth was a very powerful weapon in Morgause's hands. She knew just how to use it to her advantage. Sometimes, of course, Leon knew the truth for himself, and then an argument was sure to follow. But in the war for Leon, she felt that she won more battles than she lost. And that was good for Morgause, because she had more than an ally resting on this war.

Morgause had always known it was dangerous to put so much of her heart into one person, but she couldn't help it. Cenred just wasn't going to cut it anymore. Leon was the man for her, and she worked hard to keep it that way.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

When the skeletons attacked, Leon was incensed. He yelled at Morgause, ignoring her protests ('necessary' was rather a lame excuse there). She didn't really blame him; the plan hadn't been her best, as a mere servant made it fall apart. And Leon had been very shaken up; he was nearly killed by one of the undead army.

"Thank God for Merlin!" he'd yelled in real prayer, partly to annoy her, and she hadn't spoken to him for days.

But eventually she apologized and kissed him, and promised they wouldn't do that again.

It hadn't worked anyway. Besides, the staff was destroyed. She didn't tell Leon that.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

When the goblin possessed Gaius, Leon and Morgause again didn't speak for a while. But this was mainly because Leon was covered in boils and there was no way he was going to let Morgause see him like that.

But at least Merlin got arrested, even if the charges did turn out to be false. That man seemed to be as averse to dying as Uther was.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

During the melee Morgause cheered for him silently, even as she hoped that somehow Uther would fall into the mock-battle field and get killed.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

Then Morgana fell down the stairs, and Leon tried desperately to get to Morgause and tell her the news. But Uther and Arthur were being so uptight that he couldn't get out of Camelot. He just had to watch the sister of the woman he loved as she dwindled away, and dread the look of heartbreak on Morgause's face.

Uther's torment for Morgana would have made Leon think twice about killing him, but then Morgana got better and Morgause came to him, distraught, and told him what they had discovered.

Uther's daughter? She's Uther's daughter?

He betrayed Morgause's father and made her mother an adulteress? Who did he think he was?

Fury took up residence in Leon's chest. He could never be so low. So much for the king's honor.

And what did that mean for Arthur, the arrogant braggart?

\-_-BREAK-_-/

When Princess Elena came and Arthur was nearly forced into marrying her, Sir Leon almost pitied him. Almost. After all, not being able to be with the one you loved was something that Leon understood well.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

Using Gwen to get to Arthur pricked at Leon's conscience. But Morgause was right; it was for the greater good… to get Morgana on the throne. To get Uther off.

Damien. Sorrel. Morgause.

He pushed the part of him that squirmed in discomfort out of the way. He wasn't even involved in this plan, and that was fine with him. He wanted nothing to do with this King Cenred.

Not like it mattered; the plan failed anyway.

No one ever told Leon about Cenred's 'methods'. That would've been too much.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

When Morgana decided to use the Eye of the Phoenix, Leon wasn't particularly bothered. It was a neat little plan; there were no bodies to deal with and nobody innocent got hurt, which he still liked to avoid if necessary.

Besides, he didn't think Arthur would die. Leon had come to expect the plans to fail. He would be very surprised if they did end up working, but he didn't tell Morgause. She was so proud of her extravagant plans. It was actually kind of cute.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

Alice really stole his idea, poisoning the king through his medicine. The thought made Leon very grumpy… Why did it work for her, and not for him? He really wanted to ask her, but she escaped from the dungeons before he could.

Of course Uther hadn't died, though. It turned out Alice wasn't even really on their side, which was a shame as Morgause remembered her from when she had been very young.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

Leon didn't care too much when they used Gwen again, this time getting her arrested. She had no business being Queen—Why, her family had served Leon's when she was younger! She wasn't to be a Queen. Morgana was, because Morgause wanted it. (And besides, she wouldn't really be hurt...)

Besides, if Leon couldn't be with Morgause, what gave Arthur the right to be with the woman he loved?

And also, it was probably kinder to get rid of Gwen now, since they planned on killing Arthur next. But burning her—that was going too far, really. Leon didn't like that at all. (Not that it mattered. Even if he had a say, the plan was going to fail.)

And it did fail.

But who was that weird and ugly old man who took the blame for Morgana? Was he friend or foe?

And had Merlin really spent all day in the tavern when his friend was going to be killed? What was wrong with that servant?

\-_-BREAK-_-/

And then they had another free-for-all where everyone got to fight.

Leon really hoped Uther or even Arthur would just die. Maybe that Gilli character would kill one of them. But, of course, he didn't.

This was beginning to get aggravating… Leon didn't care who died anymore; why couldn't this just be done with?

\-_-BREAK-_-/

Leon had become so used to everyone clinging to life that the blow to his abdomen came as quite a shock. It hurt, too.

He lay on the ground, gasping, pain ripping through him. It had been so long since this had happened to him. Who had done this? Was it Cenred? Blasted cowardly chicken-livered woman-enticer.

Where was Morgause? Last time he was in this position, she had come, like some kind of angel, and healed him. How he wished she'd come and stop the pain now.

He would never see her again. He'd never hold that hand, hard from sword-fighting. He'd never kiss her again; never tell her she was wrong. Never beg her to leave Cenred though he knew what her answer would be. Leon couldn't believe he would die here alone.

Would Morgause cry when she found out? Would she care?

Her face seemed to float before him even though his eyes were closed. His breathing was ragged with pain and sobs.

Morgause…I wish I could see you again… He felt his life dwindling away, and he wondered what waited for him after death.

Then the Druids came.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

When Morgana told Morgause the news, the older sister thought that her world had suddenly been rent apart.

Leon was dead.

It couldn't be! She'd poured healing spells into him once, spells that should still keep him from dying! How could they have failed? The blow that killed him must've been so precise…

So precise that it had taken the man she loved from her.

Were these Cenred's men? She'd kill him. She'd kill Cenred for that.

Her face, no longer pulled up into a sinister smirk, seemed to crumble as Morgana watched.

Leon was dead?

But Morgause did not cry in front of her sister. She just nodded, told her sister that it was unfortunate news. They would have to work past it.

Then she sent the dark-haired woman away, and collapsed upon the forest floor.

She leaned onto the nearest tree and breathed hard, trying to fight back the sudden nausea. Her blonde hair fell into her face, soaking up the few rare tears that leaked from her eyes.

Her heart pounded. Leon. Leon. Leon. LeonLeonLeon. Dead. Deaddeaddeaddeaddead.

Oh, gods, no. The only man… The only… He would never hold her close again; never wrap his muscular arms about her; never tell her he loved her in a voice free from sarcasm?

She couldn't believe it.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

All that grief for nothing.

The minute Leon returned to Camelot and could get away from the others, all of whom wanted to slap him on the back at least once, he went to Morgause. He rushed to her, unable to believe that his blonde angel was within his sights once again.

He could see her and touch her.

And, right there in the middle of the woods, he picked her up and spun her around. She didn't even complain about being manhandled, like she usually would. They were as any excited young couple who experienced a miracle.

They even laughed a little, though Morgause would deny it until the day she died. And he kissed her.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

At least one good thing came of it, she decided. The Cup of Life. They at last had a foolproof way to get Morgana on the throne. Uther would fall this time.

Leon was more excited by her promise that she would get rid of Cenred very, very soon, though of course he rejoiced in her sister's good fortune. There was a small chance, he thought, that this plan would succeed.

And maybe, she figured, maybe Merlin would even die during the skirmish over the throne and Cup. That would just make her victory complete, to kill the man who dared to hurt Morgause's only kin.

Leon, however, knew that was too much to ask. Merlin's life was as annoyingly perpetuated as Arthur's. It was enough to make a man think that they, too, had a guardian angel.

Of course, whoever their guardian angel was, he or she couldn't be as pretty as Morgause.