Inspired and very heavily influenced by this Tumblr post: post/111547773961/sirlayon-merlin-meme-three-brotps-sir

The inspiratio gives their ages for each of these scenes.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Leon shuffled forward, very aware of his father's heavy hand on his shoulder and the king's sharp eyes watching him. He was seeing the new prince for the first time, and it looked like everyone was afraid he was going to drop him without even picking him up. They looked so much like they were afraid he was going to do something wrong that he was afraid of that too. So he approached the big cradle carefully. Peering over the edge, he finally saw what all the fuss was about. There was a baby sleeping, with many blankets on him and a little cap on his head. Since it was winter time, that made sense; his mom told him that babies couldn't keep warm very well.

The baby looked almost bald, but Leon knew that was just because the curtains were mostly closed and he was going to grow up to have blonde hair like Queen Ygraine. His father was standing next to him. When he looked up at him, the man smiled. "This is Prince Arthur. One day he will be your king." Leon looked back at the baby. He didn't look like a royal, with his fat cheeks and his tiny hand, or that silly cap. But if he looked hard enough and remembered the queen's shining hair and how royal King Uther looked, Leon could see how he could eventually.

Arthur was sitting on the steps of the castle with his cheeks resting on his palms. There were no other children around; just servants and knights side-stepping him or telling him he could find better places to sit than where everyone's walking. There were no other kids around the castle, except for the squires, but they acted like grown-ups. They thought it was really cool they were away from home and helping a knight, so they acted like they were better than all the other kids, even him.

They were the only people he'd met who made 'your highness' sound like an insult. There were a couple nice ones, Arthur supposed, but they liked to work; they really didn't talk much, especially to him. And they certainly didn't play games. He was just moping through all these thoughts (again) when a big shadow blocked the sunlight. He glared up, thinking it was his tutor finally found him, or a maid to take him in for lunch, but it was a squire. Arthur didn't know his name, but he'd seen him a few times, running after Sir Brett. He had a tangled mess of curly blonde hair, and a goofy smile. And a weird nose. "What do you want?"

"Your highness, we haven't met yet. My name is Leon; I'm a new squire, to Sir Brett. I'm kind of bored right now, and I saw you sitting alone. I thought you'd might want to play some chase?"

The older boy smiled down at him, and Arthur wondered if this was trick. "Right now? Aren't you busy?"

'Leon' sat down next to him. "I've got a bit of a break." He leaned in and whispered, "I gave my master the slip."

They both laughed and stood. "Sure. I'm it!"

Leon was fast.

Arthur's screams tore through the forest. Leon knew that his horse was faster than any Arthur had been on before, but he hadn't known he'd get a reaction quite as good as this. They could hardly hear the knights and guards calling them back over the prince's whoops and hollers. They were supposed to be on a hunt, but with how Arthur was screaming and how much fun they were already having without bows and arrows, Leon doubted that they would catch any game.

And that was fine. This purpose of the trip was less for the sport, and more for giving Arthur a breath of fresh air. He didn't get to go to the woods often. And when he did, he was always surrounded by slow walkers and ill-tempered guards. It wearied Leon how little fun this boy had. He's certainly having fun now, Leon thought as he looked down at the prince. His cheeks were flushed and and he was screaming himself hoarse, with a big grin on his face. The wind was blowing his hair back and he kept throwing his arms out to the side. Leon made sure he was never in danger of falling, but he tried not to move Arthur too much; he knew he was imagining he was flying.

Arthur scowled and sunk lower into his seat, but not low enough for people (specifically his father) to notice. The nerve of that man! He wasn't even a king, and he was throwing his daughter at him. At least she wasn't there to be as angry as Arthur. Arthur scoffed at the idea of a marriage with that man's daughter. The son-in-law of a simple lord, no way in-. In his seething, Arthur caught sight, of Leon, who was staring right at him. His friend bowed his head slightly, then titled it toward the doors. Arthur smiled. Turning to his father and the visiting lord, he excused himself, saying that he felt ill, but he should be fine soon, and return within the hour. He headed to the nearest balcony.
A few minutes later, Leon found him. "Do I hear wedding bells chime, sire?"

"Don't even joke! That was awful."

Leon sobered. "The idea of an arranged marriage is not new to you, Arthur."

"I know." Arthur sighed. "I'm just... getting to the age where it could actually happen soon. And I've never liked the idea! My life and happiness getting thrown into a trade for more land and more power. I mean, what if they have me marry a toad!" Leon laughed softly, but Arthur hadn't really meant it as a joke. "In all serious, I can't see myself truly happy in an arranged marriage."

"Many people think that way, sire. That they can never learn to love someone they didn't meet before their marriage was already decided, or even their wedding day. But there are many different kinds of love-" Arthur scoffed, "and you may find the one you're looking for in your wife. Your parents' marriage was arranged. My parents' marriage was arranged. Lady Morgana's parents' marriage was arranged. Most are. And I have seen many husbands and wives truly love each other. And as for your wife looking like a toad... that won't happen. They'll find you someone graceful and beautiful with either a good head on her shoulders or an obedient spirit. You won't be marrying an evil hag."

"But still-."

"I know," Leon nodded. "I feel the same way."

"You fancy Morgana," Arthur grinned at Leon's flush.

Leon knelt in front of King Uther. He was shaking; he hoped no-one would notice. For twenty years, this had been planned for him. For as long as he could remember, this hadn't been his dream, but his destiny. And now it was happening. He had already made his vows; he already felt the pride of his family, his friends, and himself. He was nearly bursting with it. Adrenaline was running through him in a way he'd never felt before, but at the same time he'd never felt more calm, more... right in his whole life. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. The king lowered his sword to tap one shoulder, then the other. "Rise, Sir Leon."

Arthur stepped out from the side, carrying the Camelot red cloak, and draped it over his shoulders. His face was serious, and his movements were precise and careful. But Leon felt the squeeze on his shoulder, and the teasing in his voice, when he spoke to the whole room, "Congratulations, Sir Leon."

Arthur still felt the weight of the king's crown on his head, even though he was no longer wearing it. King Arthur. The responsibilities felt real; he'd already been carrying them since his father's mental failing. But the title took it a step further, and made everything too real. It felt wrong. He couldn't do this. Merlin, Guinevere, and Leon had been with him every step of the way, giving him constant support; he wasn't sure how much they realized that he'd need them now, more than ever.

Merlin and Guinevere were both gone tending to things they still needed to, as servants. But Leon was still there, having known to be, like he always did. "Now that I am king, I can no longer keep the duties that I have with the knights up to this point. You will be the new Captain of the Guard, and finding you a place of the King's Council. I will announce it tomorrow, to make it official."

"Sire." That was all he said, and Arthur was thankful for that. There was no 'your majesty', no 'my king'. There would be eventually, he knew. But for now, he could could just hear what he'd been called for his whole life by his oldest friend.

Leon rode at the front, leading the survivors of Camlann through the gates of Camelot. Usually when a battle is won, people crowd the streets waving their hands and flags, screaming out victory and thanks to the soldiers. There were crowds now, but they were quiet and somber; some were even crying. They were there to pay their respects to those who returned and those who did not. Many eyes fell to Leon, and stayed; he could feel them. He felt like they were asking him where there king was; why he was there and they ruler wasn't. It killed him that he couldn't answer them.

He thought back to just before the battle; the last time he'd seen Arthur. It was just to receive brief orders and battle plans. There was no time for anything more than that, as is the way of war. He remembered the long hours spent searching survivors, and for him, in any state they could find him. He was afraid to be back behind Camelot's walls because while going through the bodies of both sides and calling healers to the camps, he had had no time to fully think about what would happen if they didn't find their king. But now, the questions of who would take his place, if another kingdom would attack while they were weak, where Morgana and Mordred were... They were overcoming him, and it was getting harder and harder to push them away.

Days later, Merlin came back with the news that Mordred, Morgana, and Arthur were dead. He told him about Gwaine.

Leon stood beside Guinevere, who sat alone on her throne. He looked out over the crowd, and he saw too many faces that weren't there; Gwaine's, Elyan's, Merlin's, Mordred's, Morgana's, and so many others'. He didn't look at the king's throne. He knew Arthur wouldn't be there. Before he could stop it, he thought back to when he was five years old, standing in this very room, looking into a large crib and at a little baby, and hearing that that boy, smaller than him, would one day be his king.

"The king is dead. Long live the queen!"