So this will be a series of unrelated one-shots about the different times that Arthur has been reincarnated.
Merlin should have figured it wouldn't be this easy. Nothing ever was when it came to the pompous blond. Arthur couldn't have made it convenient for Merlin because it wasn't in his nature. If Merlin wanted it, he had to work for it. Which is why Arthur couldn't have the same name as he did all those years ago. Or the same occupation, because no one really had a need for a king nowadays. All the other times Arthur had come back Merlin had been relatively close to where Arthur had returned. Merlin had just happened across him walking in the streets, or accidentally knocked him over in the grocery store, or had awkwardly saved him from a blind date (that had been an interesting one…). Not this time. Merlin had to actually search for Arthur. All of the other times Merlin had gotten a strange tingling sense in the part of his brain where he imagined his magic lived. He always knew when Arthur had been brought back, because the connection between them was so strong, even his magic recognized it as something tangible. The tingling alerted him to Arthur's presence, so he usually stayed in one spot until Arthur made his appearance. But this time was somehow different. Merlin felt the strange feeling, but day after day, week after week, and Arthur still didn't show his face.
So with nothing but a vague picture of what Arthur had looked like the last time, and a vivid memory of his attitude, Merlin had to look at various people's permanent files to find someone who matched Arthur's description and personality. Obtaining the files had been easy; a simple replication spell had done the job. Getting them home had been a different story though. He had drawn many weird glances when he had hauled box after box of files up to his tiny apartment. Only after he had dragged them all upstairs did he remember he could have just snapped them up to his room. Now he felt like the idiot Arthur always told him he was.
He had thought it would be hard because half the world has blond hair and blue eyes, but it turns out not many people had that unmistakable royal grace about them. That and the attitude. The "I am better than you and I'm gonna make sure you know it" attitude. Merlin remembered it all too well actually. He had been on the receiving side of it all too often. All the times Merlin was right, but Arthur wanted to save face, so he pretended he was right the entire time, giving no credit to Merlin. While he knew that it wasn't the real Arthur, it still riled him that Arthur felt he needed to put on a mask for his father, his counselors and even his people. He had a good heart, but covered it up with the stubborn, arrogant mask that had suited his purposes perfectly. Arthur made sure no one could, or would ever want to argue with him while he was king. Only Merlin had seen the real Arthur Pendragon, and even that had been almost impossible. Arthur hid his affections for his servant behind chores and insults, which Merlin returned with equal vigor. Multiple times Merlin had been threatened with the stocks, extra chores, no dinner, or worse, because he dared to talk back to the king. He couldn't really believe he was searching out the man who had made his life so difficult all those years ago.
Sighing at this strange turn of events, Merlin straightened his suit (which he had had no idea even how to put on and had to ask the store lady for help, effectively embarrassing him and making sure he could never show his face at the store again), and strolled through the door of a tall, glass building. It had taken ages looking through the files, but eventually, Merlin had found a man who had blond hair and blue eyes who had gotten in trouble often at school for his stubborn attitude. While that was nothing to go on really; tons of people could have gotten in trouble a lot without having the background of King of Camelot, Merlin had felt something pulling him towards the file with the grainy picture of a young man who had come from nothing and made a better life in the business world. This particular man had had a bad background; lived in poverty with his mentally unstable mother and little sister, always going to sleep on an empty stomach, working hard for each and every penny. But he had taken his hard upbringing, and turned it into determination. He got top scores in his grade every year and graduated high school valedictorian. He had gotten into a good college, mostly on whatever scholarships he could get his hands on. He had turned to business as a way to help people like him get what they needed at a fraction of the price. Merlin felt strangely proud of this unknown man who may or may not even be Arthur.
And Merlin had to say he was also impressed with the new life Arthur had. The building didn't look like much on the outside, but on the inside, the floors were dark wood, and marble columns decorated the room. After inquiring at the front desk, Merlin found out Arthur's office was on the top floor and he had to have an appointment to go see him. A little while later he had an appointment with Arthur in ten minutes and the poor receptionist was still under the effects of his memory spell he performed. As soon as he left, she would have no memory of the gangly man who had put his tie on wrong.
It took Merlin the next ten minutes just to find Arthur's office. After several wrong turns and one wrong floor, he found himself in front of the office of a well-known businessman who had blond-ish hair and those piercing blue eyes Merlin remembered. Sighing, he opened the door to the office. I hope he remembers me this time, Merlin prayed to whatever omniscient being who cared to listen.
Yay! So that's the end of this one. I have one more written, but have run out of ideas...if you have any you would like to read, please PM me, or leave me a review.