Our destiny for shadowspun

shadowspun

aeris444

Leon looked at them all sitting around the fire. I couldn’t believe they were here, all together, all alive. When he had been knighted, Uther had been a strict ruler and Leon hadn’t always followed his views. As a Knight, he had stayed loyal to him but now, with Arthur, it was different. Leon believed in Arthur, in the world he wanted to buy, in the way he had guided the all.

Arthur had given Leon hope and a new sense of belonging. Camelot wasn’t just the kingdom he was meant to serve, it has become his home.

And thinking that they shouldn’t have been there if it hasn’t been for Merlin...Merlin who had revealed his magic to save Arthur from death one more time. Merlin who has risked everything to save their King and their common dream of a peaceful Camelot. Leon felt his heart tighten just thinking about that.

“Hey!”

Percival’s voice took Leon away from his thought. He looked around him and realised that Arthur had retreated to his tent and Merlin and Gwaine had left, too. There was only Elyan taking care of the horses and Percival, coming to sit next to him.

“You seemed lost in your thoughts.”

“I was.”

“Care to share?”

“I thought about my life as a Knight for King Uther and how different it was now that we serve Arthur. And how lucky we are to be all there, alive and well.”

“Yes, we were all lucky… Sometimes I can’t help but think of what would have happened if Merlin hadn’t saved Arthur or if I had come too late to save Gwaine…”

“But we’re here… Together and helping Arthur make his dream… our dream come true.”

Percival nodded.

Leon knew about his story and he guessed that Camelot had also become a home for the man who had lost everything.

“I’ve never regretted having followed Lancelot. Even if back then I would never have imagined it would make me find a place like Camelot and friends like you all.”

“I think none of us had imagined such an end to our story.”

“An end? Isn’t it just the beginning?” Percival asked with a gentle smile Leon didn’t see often.

“Perhaps… But that another story and once again, I don’t think we know what destiny has in store for us.”

“That’s the exciting part, no?”

Just at that moment, Gwaine and Merlin reappeared in the clearing, their clothes rumpled, their hair wet.

“These two looks like they already have found their destiny,” Percival said.

Leon wondered if he had really heard the hint of envy in his friend’s voice.

“Perhaps we should do the same,” Percival continued.

“I don’t understand? What do you mean?”

“Find something else. Helping Arthur make Camelot flourish is great but we need something else, something we can go back to at the end of the day. Like Merlin and Gwaine have each other like Elyan has his father’s shop.”

“Oh...I see… And how are we supposed to find something like that?”

“Hum… We could try different things and see what fits us?”

“I suppose we could do that.” Leon wasn’t sure about that idea but why not?

“So, you take the first watch,” Percival said, “and I’ll take the second? I’m not sure we can count on Gwaine tonight.”

“Alright. Elyan can take the last one as he prefers.”

Leon stood up and went to the border of the clearing as Percival went to tell Elyan about their organisation for the night.

***

When they came back to Camelot after their three days patrol, Percival didn’t talk about his strange idea anymore so Leon thought he had forgotten about it.

But a few days later, as they had a free day, Percival came knocking at Leon’s door in the morning suggesting they went fishing.

“It’s something I did as a child with my father… So I thought we could start by trying that.”

Leon had planned to stay in his room and read but Percival seemed so enthusiastic he couldn’t refuse to accompany him. That’s how they ended on the bank of a small brook on the outskirts of Camelot.

They installed their little camp, Percival set up the fishing rods. And they waited. They waited and waited and waited.

“This is getting boring isn’t it?” Percival asked as the sun reached his zenith.

“Yes… Aren’t we supposed to catch some fish?”

“I think that’s the idea… I don’t remember having to wait so long when I was with my father.”

“Perhaps fishing isn’t what destiny has in store for us.”

“It looks like that.”

Then they decided to eat the little lunch Percival had packed for them and go back to Camelot. As they walked to the castle, they talked about their favourite dish.

***

Leon thought that it had been this discussion that prompted Percival's next idea and explained how they spent their next free day in the kitchens trying to learn how to make broth and pies.

They had fun but the results were as disappointing as the fishing… Their broth was too salty and the pied completely charred. Still, the kitchen maids had enough fun stories to tell for at least two generations.

“Alright, not cooking neither, then,” Percival concluded as they went back to their quarters, covered in flour and smelling like burnt pastries.

“But at least, this time, we had fun.”

Percival smiled at Leon who smiled back.

“Let’s try something different next time.”

“Any idea yet?” Leon asked.

“You could choose this time. It’s not like my first ideas were that good.”

“Alright, let me think about something then…”

***

And so, it was Leon who knocked on Percival’s door that day. He was carrying a small wooden chest.

“I thought we could try playing chess.”

In front of Percival’s perplexed expression, Leon explained.

“I played a lot when I was younger. I haven’t played since I’m a Knight but I should still remember the rules. I’ll teach you.”

In the end, it took Percival most of the day to managed to remember the moves and rules. They even managed to play a game. But as the sun set down, they realised that had mostly spent the afternoon talking and enjoying each other company.

As they sipped a cup of wine in front of the fire, Percival came a little bit closer to Leon.

“I think we have found it then.”

“Oh? I thought you didn’t really enjoy the game.”

Percival laughed slowly.

“I’m not talking about the game.”

“Oh?”

Percival smiled again.

“Didn’t you realise that we had fun each day we spent together, not because of what we did but just because we enjoyed spending time with the other?”

“Oh…”

Hearing Percival said it suddenly opened Leon’s eyes to the truth. He had indeed enjoyed spending time with his friend. More than he could have thought possible. And was Percival still just a friend?

“So, that was what destiny had in store for us?”

“Perhaps… or this just another beginning again…” Percival said as he leaned towards Leon.

And when their lips touched, it indeed felt like destiny. And from then on, they had a place to come back after helping Arthur’s dream come true : each other’s arms.