HELLO NEW BEST FRIEND, I JUAT GOT THE IDEA FOR A NEW MERLEON HEADCANON!!!!
The Purge began with the death of Queen Ygraine and the birth of Arthur. Before that, magic was legal and quite well-known amongst the nobility and common people, just a part of everyday life.
Leon would have been about 5 at the time magic was banned. Maybe six, as it took time for laws to be implemented across kingdoms.
There is a possibility there were people in his household who had magic. Maybe a servant who could clean his muddy clothes in a split second, so he didn't get into trouble. Maybe a nanny, or a tutor who could make the figurines in his storybooks come to life.
If Leon's father is half the man Leon is, there is a real possibility that his morals would have overshadowed his loyalty to the crown. So when the word comes by the King's messenger that all magic users are to be burnt alive, he send him back with the assurance that it will be done.
But instead, he start plotting.
Those who learnt magic and could stand to give it up did so. Those who couldn't, born with the innate ability, got help from a mysterious source to flee in the middle of the night, across the border to Dyfed and take a boat out of Albion, where magic was still welcomed.
And Leon, who is a curious little child, and confused as to why his father is disobeying the king, asks him knew night. And his father tells him "A man's loyalty to his morals must come before his loyalty to the crown, or he is bit a man at all, but a puppet with a sword."
And Leon remembers.
Leon obeys the crown. He joins the knighthood like his brothers, he serves his king, and he carries out Uther's orders without question.
And nobody but him notices when his blade cuts through grass or just tents instead of people. Nobody but him notices when his coin bag mysteriously falls a few feet away, conveniently right in front of the druid child hiding in the bushes. Nobody but him notices when he helps a child escape up a tree.
But the druids notice.
They notice when the child starts talking about the noble Knight of Camelot who helped them escape. And them another, who told them the same, and then another. It adds up.
So when their beloved Knight is dying, of course they will take notice. Of course they will pray to their goddess. Of course they will use the most powerful tool they have, the cup of life, to bring him back.
Even Gods listen when so many pray. They grant him the gift of immortality.
The druids aren't the only ones who notice.
The servants notice. They clean his armour, and his weaponry. Each and every time, it comes back bloodless. And if it doesn't, it's certainly not bloody enough to have been in a massacre.
Servants talk. Eventually, word reaches Gwen. And then, in her adorable way, she blurts it out at the most inopportune moment.
And Merlin finds out.
OOOO THIS IS SO COOL
ima add some thoughts to this….
Merlin would either immediately tell Leon about his magic like and idiot or not tell him anything and just get really close to him.
Everyone, including Leon, was heavily confused at to why Merlin was trying to get so close to Leon, he was practically stalking him.
Once Leon bumped into some Druids on patrol and was talked to them, Merlin, who was following him, tried to hide and hoped that none of them would notice him.
Of course, the Druids noticed and called him out, thinking surely Leon knew about Emrys and who he was.
And obviously, he didn’t.
Merlin realizing he had been caught, stepped out from the trees.
Leon was confused and terrified of Merlin being there.
Why was he here? Was he following him? Why? Would he tell Arthur what he saw?
Then he realized that the Druids had called him Emrys.
From being around the Druids so much Leon must have heard about Emrys, which only made him more confused,.
Why were they calling Merlin Emrys? Wasn’t he almost a god to the Druids? Merlin wasn’t a god. He was Merlin.
Apparently Merlin was not just Merlin, he was Emrys.
Leon and Merlin had a long talk after that, both having to explain the full story to each other (mostly on Merlin’s part)
They both grew very close after some awkward few days of processing what they learned about each other, so much so that people started to suspect they were courting.
Their denies of the accusations were not taken seriously, thinking they were just trying to keep their courtship secret.
Eventually, Arthur found out, who was not happy about two of his best friends courting.
Arthur demanded answers they couldn’t give, especially when Arthur wouldn’t take them just being friends as an answer.
So, as a last resort, they bought into the lie of them courting. Saying that they just realized their feelings over time.
This lie worked for a while, people still asked questions but most of them accepted the fact they wanted to keep their relationship lowkey.
This worked until they actually started to have feelings for each other.
ok then... I desire your thoughts on mer!Leon. Go!
He’s pretty, and he knows it
His shoulder length hair is so very blond, bleached from him lounging in the sun all day.
His tail is blue around the edges and more green/teal in the center.
His shoulders are broad and muscular and his skin is so tan (he’s Italian, of course he tans well)
Despite being confident and suave, he’s definitely a little shy when it comes to actually speaking to human women, and not just making eyes at them.
Speaking of his eyes, they’re such a deep blue, matching both his tail and his home
His top half is completely human, aside from a set of gills just below the curve of his jaw. Sometimes when you reach out to touch his face, your fingers brush against them and he shivers.
He’s adventurous, in every way possible, from asking you to meet him in the most beautiful secluded spots you’ve never knew existed, to the first time he asked to kiss you.
He wasn’t exactly sure how interspecies relations would work so he didn’t even bother thinking about it, but he has absolutely no problem eating pussy.
He’s so upset he can’t go live with you. As much as he hates to admit it, he fell in love with a human.
Brings you shells and little trinkets he finds to remember him by when you’re apart. First thing he brought you was a vase he had found bc he thought it was pretty. It was an ancient Roman amphora. The local authorities do not know you have an artifact on your dresser.
Another time he brought you “his hardest oyster stone”. It was a Nokia.
Loves to go on cute little dates with you
You rented a boat once and he begged to get up there with you, but as soon as he left the water he freaked out and jumped back in.
Maybe one day you’ll move to a small fishing village so the two of you can be as close as possible, who knows.