A/N: Here is the next chapter, enjoy and review, tell me what to you think.
He sighed when he rode out of the woods and Camelot appeared at his sight. Oh, how he had missed it. Seven months, seven, he had been away, not seeing the sun gilding Camelot towers. He had never guessed that he would be sent away again.
Seven months ago, week after Gwaine had gone his merry way, Leon picked up foul mood from Arthur. He dragged the prince to hunting trip, but that had not helped. And then he got an idea, night out in the tavern, when had Arthur one of those last.
Leon convinced Arthur to come to the Rising Sun. The room was full of people, and Leon remembered, why he did not like going to the tavern, to many people, but Arthur basked in the attention like in sunlight. And it all did so much good for him. Leon was glad he loosened his cloak little bit but stayed on his guard. Well, his guard loosened a little after the third tankard, even he could relax a little.
He did not remember what joke he had told when Arthur yelled: "I should have you put in stocks for that."
"Like when we were teenagers. When I was knighted, I got a badge from Sir Bors: "Squire who has been most in stocks." He thought it was funny." Leon grumbled.
"Why were you in stocks?" Arthur was drunk if he did not remember.
"It was all your fault. I got punished for everything you did. I should be grateful to the king , that he had the stocks placed in the courtyard, not in the lower town."
"Why did you not say that it was my fault, why did you not confess." Arthur drank from his fourth tankard.
"I tried but every time I opened my mouth, you yelled: "It's all Leon's fault." And who to you think your father believed more, his prince or third son of a deceased knight. Those were the times when I wished that I could have been the first son. Then it would have been in dungeons not in stocks. You do not imagine, how I hated you sometimes." Leon huffed; he had decided that three tankards were enough for him.
"But I made it all up to you." Arthur smiled sweetly, but Leon knew well what was behind that smile.
"Yes, by bringing me food stolen from kitchens. And who did get caught with that. The cooks have dragged me by ears many times because of you, Marleana has still not forgiven me those times. Oh, how I have suffered." Last part came out as amused mumble. "And believe me, I would not do anything to change the times we had."
Before Arthur could answer the tavern doors opened and Merlin stepped in, she made her way to two friends.
"Sirs, the king wished to speak with you."
Two knight changed looks. "What did you do?" they asked in unison.
"I did not do anything." answer came again in same voice. Merlin only rolled her eyes.
"Leon, how are your acting skills nowadays?" Arthur asked, fastening his cloak over his shoulders.
"Much better than yours." Leon buckling his own cloak.
"We'll see, we need to look sober in front of Father."
"You two are making fools out of yourselves." Merlin mumbled.
"Merlin."
"Come on already, a prat and a knight on his high horse, what did I do to get stuck with you two." She gave them both a look and stomped out of the tavern. They could only see her red scarf when she passed the window.
"What is wrong with her?" Arthur looked at Leon. The knight could only shrug, he did not know, Merlin had not talked to him since the evening on the tower. He knew reason for that.
"There is trouble in the garrison of Meredor." Uther proclaimed. Leon frowned at that, he had heard right, the fresh air and two goblets of water, that Merlin had made them drink had sobered him up. Garrison of Meredor was placed between Island of the Blessed and Halfem river, over the sea of the garrison, he knew one could see towers of Odin's castle. It was little confusing; he had not heard about any trouble. Meredor garrison had been one of the peaceful from all of Camelot garrisons.
"For three months now, bandits have attacked the garrison and four days ago there was attack that took garrison out of commission. They won battle, but losses were great. The garrison has to be rebuilt, half of the men are dead including garrison commander and his second."
The king looked at both of them. "We need a new garrison commander, or at least one to replace him until a new one is found."
"Who do you recommend, father?"
"Sir Leon." that announcement muted Leon, he could not get a word out of his mouth.
"Father, Leon is my second in command I cannot let him go to command a garrison." Arthur stepped in front of him.
"I know Arthur, but he is right now our best option. He has been commander of the garrison before and his project to rebuild the villages was best I have ever seen. We need him there only for few months." Leon held back his groan, they were talking about him, like he was not there.
"I understand your reasons, but you promised him, no more garrisons, no more positions out of Camelot." Arthur tried to reason with the king.
"Sires, I will go." Leon said when Arthur finished.
"Leon?" Arthur turned to him abruptly.
"If king commands it, prince Arthur, I will go."
"I command it." Uther only said.
"Then I do as you command. I will go, but first I need to find knight to accompany me and look thru the reports on the garrison." Leon bowed, "Good night, Sire."
When Arthur caught up with him, he was almost at his chamber's door. "Leon."
"Yes?" the older man was fuming.
"For heaven's sake." Arthur opened his door and pushed him in. "Why did you agree? I could have talked him out of the plan."
"You forget Arthur, he is the king, I cannot disobey him."
"You can." Arthur threw his hands in the air.
"Arthur no, if I would have refused, you know very well, that it would have not ended well. I may be your second in command, but I am also your father's knight. He could forgive me this time, but believe me, he will find a way to remove me from position I hold, I need to follow his rules and games."
Arthur sigh, he knew that Leon was right and that knew that his father was right there was none more qualified than Leon. "I cannot argue with you on those points. I can see your reasoning, also I see my father's points. And it will be only few months. I will find a permanent garrison commander as soon as I can."
"Yes, only few months." Leon agreed, eighter of them had not imagined, that it would be seven long months.
Next afternoon when he and six other knights were getting ready to depart, Merlin stepped to Leon, handed him a bag.
"Thank you, Merlin." He smiled at her.
Merlin nodded and left.
Something died in Leon, Merlin had always talked to him, laughed with him, at him, but the silence had hurt him.
He opened the bag there were apples, smile formed on Leon's face again, Merlin was not indifferent. Lionel Leodegrance had always liked to say: "Indifference is the opposite of love." Leon felt how little bit of hope placed itself into his heart.
First two months he had lost himself to work, destruction of the garrison was worse than Leon had imagined. He had taken with him six men and five was waiting him in the Meredor. The situation where he was sent was shit. He did not have any better words for it. He got four hours of sleep each night. As soon he got the garrison working Arthur started search for his replacement. But every name king Uther had an objection.
He could have gone home in the end of third month, but no. Suddenly it all felt like Uther was punishing him for something, but what Leon did not know. He tried to find any clues from Arhtur and Gaius letters, but he did not find any. He learned Arthur almost marrying princess Elena. Leon had been little sad, he would have missed his best friend's wedding, but he was happy that it did not went thru. Leon knew well about the feeling that were forming between Gwen and Arthur.
He learned about Morgause' and Cenred's plans to kill Arthur using Gwen and Elyan. Training after that letter had been insufferable to the knights under Leon's command, he poured his frustration out on them. He should have been in Camelot, helping his friends not staying in the seaside. He did not have anything against the sea, he quiet liked it, but it was not home. Trouble was brewing in Camelot, and he needed to be there.
The quest of the Fisher king had Leon shiver in anger and fright, how Arthur had been so stupid that he had agreed to go alone. Arthur had written about all the things that happened but forgot to add that Merlin had disobeyed his orders and took Gwaine along, thankfully Gaius wrote Leon the real story. Leon knew that he was again in debt to Gwaine, going with Arthur and Merlin and helping them, Leon did not know how he would repay it.
It was in middle of the six months, he had had enough. It had been tiring day, training report so on and so forth. He had figured out why Uther had punished him, somehow the king had learned of his feelings to Merlin. But he could not prove it, but he had his suspicions.
Leon pushed his rooms door shut with a bang. He took his armour off, he threw all over his room, he really did not care where they landed. Thankfully Sir Bors had taught him how to take his chainmail of without assistants. He remembered well how Bors had asked him. "Have you ever worn a dress and then taken it off." Leon had been taken a back and did not know how to answer. But Bors had not even waited his response. "Taking off a chainmail is like taking of a dress, bend over and take the hem of a dress/mail between your fingers then pull it up and shake over your shoulders." The suggestion had worked, Leon had never question how Bors had known how to take off a dress and when and why the older knight had worn it.
He threw his chain into the corner; he did not care he really did not care anymore. His gambeson needed a clean, but again he did not have will nor motivation to do it. He fell onto his bed and tried to figure out what could he do to be removed from the commander position and send back to Camelot. He knew that all those thoughts and the lack of will was bad, but at that moment he did not have the strength to do anything about it.
There was knock on his door, he grunted he did not have energy to solve another problem. "Yes."
"A letter has arrived for you, Sir." Leon opened the door behind it stood Sir Erec, who had been one of the sixth knights Leon had taken with him. In the boy's hand there was rolled parchment with Arthur's seal.
"Thank you Erec, enjoy your night." He took the letter and sigh; he had lost hope. When the door fell close behind him, he opened the letter.
Sir Leon!
Start packing, father has given his approval for Sir Sioman to replace you, he will be in Meredor on 15th he will take five more knights with him. He will take over the command and I expect you back in Camelot on 22nd.
Prince Arthur
Leon had almost wanted to cry; his punishment was over he could go home.
Seven months after he rode out of the courtyard, he rode back in it. The clock a struck half past seven few moments ago, when he led Minerva to stables, took care of her, even if the new stable hand protested, Leon shook his head, he had always tried to be the one who took care of his horses. He went and but his armour in the armoury, after his report to Arthur and Uther he would come down and clean it. It was almost nine when he reached kitchen, he did not have any wish to eat in the Nobles Hall, maybe Marleana was the cook of the day, if it was Clearance, he was definitely going to eat in the hall.
"Sir Leon, you are back." Leon thanked who ever had listened to him.
"Good to see you, my fare maiden, I am back."
"Your flatterer, you know you do not need to charm me, if you wish breakfast, you will have it. Sit!" she ushered Leon to table and placed plat full of eggs, sausages and tomatoes. "Looking at you, it seems that you were starved there."
"No, I was not, but there was no one to cook like you do, your food was one thing I missed the most."
"Lire," she swiped a kitchen towel at him. "I think there more important things that you missed." Then she looked him with seriousness. "How long will you stay? Are they sending you away again?"
"Do not ask me questions what I do not have answers for."
Their conversation ended when Merlin stumbled into the kitchen. "Good morning, Marleana, are the things, that we discussed yesterday, ready?"
"Good morning, Merlin yes they are." Merlin stepped into the kitchen and saw Leon.
"Sir Leon, you are back already, Arthur said that you should arrive in the afternoon."
"I woke early this morning and ride straight to Camelot." Leon finished his plate.
"It is good that you are back." Merlin smiled and took basked from Marleana.
"It is good to be back, what are you doing with that basket?"
"I can trust you; Arthur is going to take Gwen to picnic."
Leon felt like the smile split his face. "Finally, I am glad for them."
"Took him long enough, that prat grew some backbone." She turned to leave, "I think we will hear about it this evening."
Eighter of the did not know that the day's events would turn the life upside down again, and long discussions would have to wait.