Chapter Text
The ride back to Camelot was quiet as Merlin pondered how to handle his new situation. He had seen Arthur talking to someone, but no one was there. Then he saw Arthur hugging someone, but it was just air. Merlin needed answers.
“Arthur,” Merlin called as they brought their horses to a slow gait in a large field. “What’s going on?”
Arthur froze on his horse, inhaling deeply and turning to Leon, who sat behind him.
“Go on,” the knight muttered.
“Merlin, can I explain to you once we get back to Camelot? There’s a lot to say,” Arthur called back to his servant, who nodded firmly in reply.
* * * * *
They were in Arthur’s chambers, Merlin sitting on the desk table, Arthur pacing, trying to figure out the best way to tell Merlin about the knights.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you this, I really have,” Arthur began, his pacing coming to a halt.
And he launched into a long winded explanation of everything that had happened the past month-- how he knew five knights when he was younger, how they disappeared, how they reappeared. How they all had to complete unfinished business-- apologizing to a sister, fighting in a tournament.
“Ohh,” Merlin gasped at Lancelot’s story. “I was going to say, I had never seen you fight with a stance like that.”
Arthur chuckled before continuing his story-- how Gwaine needed to see his mother and Percival to reveal his feelings. How Leon still needed to find someone and talk to them, but Arthur wasn’t sure who.
“Wait,” Merlin interrupted. “If they were with you this whole time...did they see, erm. Us?”
“No,” Arthur quickly reassured. “I sent them out of the room.”
Merlin breathed a sigh of relief before standing up to take Arthur’s hands. “I guess we can call it even in the secrets department.”
Arthur laughed, lacing his fingers with Merlin’s.
“I can help you, if you want,” Merlin began. “Finding...is it Lennie?”
“Leon.”
“I can help you find Leon’s person if you want,” Merlin said. “I know the library and records really well. Geoffrey’s started to trust me.”
Arthur smiled, turning to Leon. “I think that would be great.”
“Wait, is he here, in this room right now?” Merlin asked, growing excited. “Hi Leon!”
“He says ‘hi’ back,” Arthur chuckled.
* * * * *
“He’s a good man, Arthur,” Leon told the prince that night from his desk.
Arthur was in bed, unused to the room’s sudden emptiness.
“I know,” he replied. “I love him.”
Leon chuckled. “Does he know that?”
“Oh yes,” Arthur replied, turning over to face Leon. “I just...I’ve been thinking about proposing but…”
He trailed off, eyes growing distant.
Leon stayed silent, waiting for Arthur to finish.
“...but it’s enough that I’m not marrying for an alliance. What would my father say if I married a servant?”
Leon paused, thinking over how to respond. “That could be a problem. But if you’re marrying the person you love, who cares?”
“That’s true,” Arthur nodded sleepily. “But maybe it would be easier if we kept things how they are.”
And with that, the prince dozed off to sleep, leaving Leon looking down at the desk.
* * * * *
“Okay, I think I found him,” Merlin said over an open book. “You said his name was George?”
He, Arthur, and Leon were in the records section of the library, Geoffrey out of sight.
Leon nodded eagerly, looking over the page.
“He says yes,” Arthur spoke for Leon, looking at the page as well.
“There’s only one George who ever worked at the castle,” Merlin continued. “Unless you count George from the year 17, and I don’t think that’s quite applicable here.”
Leon laughed before a look of worry took over his face.
“What’s wrong?” Arthur asked.
“What? Nothing,” Merlin replied. “Oh, you were talking to Leon.”
It had taken some getting used to-- an invisible knight around them at all times.
“What if he doesn’t remember?” Leon asked, his voice slightly shaking.
Arthur put his hands on Leon’s shoulders. “If what you’ve told me is true, I know he will. I remember him. He used to look after me sometimes when I was little.”
“This is so weird,” Merlin whispered, staring at his boyfriend having a conversation with air.
“If I’ve learned anything from this past month, don’t let the ‘what ifs’ get to your head. You don’t know what could happen-- maybe something amazing will,” Arthur continued.
“Thank you, sire,” Leon smiled weakly before turning back to Merlin, looking at the address listed for George.
* * * * *
“This is the house,” Arthur said, pulling his horse to a stop. It was just him and Leon today; Merlin had opted to stay behind to give them some privacy before Leon’s farewell.
Arthur dismounted his horse, holding the letter written from Leon addressed to George.
Leon didn’t want to say anything in person-- he and George were never quite like that. They used to leave notes for each other around the castle, behind flower vases and such, so this seemed more fitting to him.
Arthur walked to the door, Leon following, and knocked.
An elderly man opened the door, immediately dropping his head into a bow. “Your Highness.”
“Good afternoon,” Arthur smiled at the man. “I’m looking for George? Does he live here?”
“George?” The man replied. He thought to himself for a minute. “George doesn’t live here. He died about five years ago. My wife and I bought the house shortly after. ”
Leon took a step back, gasping. Arthur turned to him to mouth “I’m so sorry,” before turning back to the man in front of him.
“Oh,” he said, folding the letter back into his pants pocket. “Do you know what the cause of his death was?”
“We don’t,” the man. “I’m so sorry. He lived alone, never married or anything. Was he a friend of yours?”
“Yes,” Arthur replied. “I came here to erm. Deliver something to him. Thank you for your time.”
Arthur walked back to Leon, riding to Camelot in silence.
When they reached a large grassy area, the tears Leon was holding back began to escape.
Arthur stopped the horse, dismounting and bringing Leon in for a hug.
“I’m so sorry, Leon,” Arthur said, mourning the loss of his friend’s lover. “I had no idea.”
Leon took a deep breath and pulled away, wiping his eyes. “I was going to propose to him...before we died.”
Arthur nodded, wanting to listen to Leon’s story.
“But I was too scared. I didn’t think it would be suitable for a knight and a servant to be in that close of a relationship. I bought a ring and everything,” Leon sniffed, pulling a small, gold ring out of his pocket.
“My gods, Leon. I can’t imagine,” Arthur whispered, still in shock that Leon couldn’t complete his business. Everyone else's had gone so well.
“And did you hear what the man said?” Leon asked, wiping his eyes again, pocketing the ring. “He never married. Died alone. I should’ve proposed, I should’ve.”
“Leon, you had no idea where life was going to take you fifteen years ago,” Arthur tried to comfort the knight, his heart dripping with sorrow. “You and George still had a happy life while you were together, right?”
“Yes,” Leon murmured. “Wait.”
“What?”
“That’s- that’s my unfinished business,” Leon spoke up, bringing out the ring he held earlier. “I can’t propose to George anymore, but...but you can propose to Merlin.”
“What?” Arthur repeated, confusion once again taking over his face.
“I was too scared,” Leon explained, growing giddy. “You don’t have to be. Marry someone you love, Arthur. Marry Merlin.”
Arthur shook his head. “What?”
“Arthur, say something else! I didn’t propose to George because I was too afraid. What were you telling me, just last night? You love him, Arthur. And he loves you. I’ve never seen two people tripping over their feet to reach each other the way you guys do.”
Arthur slowly smiled, beginning to nod. “You think so?”
“Arthur, yes! Propose to him! Here,” Leon held out the ring. “You can use this. Do what I never had the courage to do.”
Hesitating, Arthur took the ring from Leon. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Leon smiled, throwing his head back in laughter. “This whole time it was so simple!”
Arthur laughed too, reaching out and hugging Leon, patting him on the back.
At that exact moment, Grettir popped up, still scribbling away on his parchment.
Leon sighed and pulled away, wiping happy tears from his eyes. “Go,” he told Arthur. “Go to Merlin.”
“Thank you for everything, Leon,” Arthur whispered, starting to cry himself.
“No, thank you, Your Highness,” Leon smiled before grabbing Grettir’s hand and vanishing.
* * * * *
Arthur returned to the castle as fast as his horse would take him.
“Merlin!” He cried, throwing doors open, looking for his servant. “Merlin, I need to talk to you!”
“He’s out in the field,” a passing servant told him. “I think he’s running errands for Gaius.”
“Thank you!” Arthur shouted before running back into the field-- the same one he had played in with the knights on his birthday all those years ago.
“Merlin!” He called as he found the servant, kneeling over a patch of flowers, collecting them in a small satchel. “There you are!”
“Arthur! How did it go? Was George there?” Merlin asked, standing up to greet the prince.
“He wasn’t,” Arthur paused, putting his hand in his pocket and running his fingers over the small ring Leon had given him. “He died some time ago.”
“Oh,” Merlin gasped. “I’m so sorry, Leon,” he said, turning to where Leon usually stood at Arthur’s right side.
“Oh, but Leon still left,” Arthur smiled. “We found other unfinished business for him.”
“Oh yeah?” Merlin asked.
“Yes, but first I need to ask you something,” Arthur began, bringing the ring out. “Merlin... I love you,” he started, pausing a little. Despite his adrenaline high from earlier, he was still nervous. “And I can’t imagine ever living without you. I’ve been wanting to ask you this for some time, but…I was always too scared. So I decided against it. But seeing Leon today-- how both he and George lived without knowing how much they truly loved each other-”
Merlin raised his eyebrows. “That’s what Leon needed to tell him?”
Arthur laughed. “Yeah.”
“That’s a bit of a shock.”
“Isn’t it?”
“But you were saying-” Merlin steered the conversation back to Arthur’s monologue.
“I was just saying that I love you. I love you, Merlin. More than anything. And...I guess...I just wanted to ask if, well,” he paused, taking a deep breath before showing Merlin the ring. Merlin gasped. “Will you marry me?”
Merlin threw his head back, laughing before throwing his arms around Arthur. “Yes, Arthur, yes, yes, I will.”
Arthur exhaled a sigh of relief, placing the ring on Merlin’s finger as he grazed his lips against his servant’s.
He pulled away, looking straight at Merlin’s eyes. “I don’t feel so afraid anymore.”