Just another reincarnation fic for Arthur. Not sure where this fits in the timeline with my other one...
Also if you have any ideas for future reincarnation fics let me know.
Since Arthur's pride and arrogance had come back, it was no surprise that he ended up as a slave owner in this life. Merlin shouldn't have been offended at the blatant disrespect everyone had for servants and slaves in this time period, but he was. As a former servant himself, he felt he shared a special bond with the dark-skinned Africans who had definitely gotten screwed over when destinies were being handed out. Although Arthur had obviously not been the best master, judging by the multiple sleepless, foodless and restless days and nights Merlin had while in his service, Arthur had been like an older brother to Merlin. Albeit, an abusive and self-righteous pig of an older brother, but a brother nonetheless. They had shared a special bond few others had the chance to experience, and Merlin counted himself lucky to have known such a man as Arthur. Their banter and jokes had seemed rude to some, but to them it was the unspoken language of trust and friendship. They looked out for each other, and protected each other. So to see the same man who had sacrificed his own warm blanket for a freezing friend, whipping and beating other men who had the same life and humanity and soul as everyone, made Merlin sick.
He was glad that his senses were dulled now that he no longer lived in Camelot. It seemed he had left something of himself in the kingdom of red and gold. The colors were no longer as bright as they had been when he lived in the small room in the back of the physician's quarters. The smells were no longer as strong as they had been when he was the gangly servant who couldn't really do any chores right, but tried his hardest to please everyone he met. The sounds were no longer as loud as they had been when he was the too-powerful, too-careless, too-naïve warlock who was just trying to fit into the destiny that seemed impossibly large for someone who had come from nothing. If things were the way they used to be, he wouldn't have been able to bear the sounds of whips landing on bare, scarred, dark flesh. Or the sight of blood red smeared on the ground where someone had fallen and didn't get back up. Or the smell of rotting fruit that was a godsend to people who barely got enough food to survive. It was sickening, the injustice of the treatment of these people, who had just been born a different color than others. Merlin knew better than anyone how hard it was to deal with something you didn't have any control over.
His life in Camelot sounded a lot better than the life the slaves had. But Merlin knew the cost of keeping secrets, and constantly being looked down upon because he was just the clumsy servant with ears too big and a smile too wide. If people knew half of what he had done and sacrificed for Camelot and Arthur, he would have been knighted in an instance. But because he achieved those things using magic, instead of a sword, he remained Arthur's loyal, stubborn servant. It certainly took a toll on Merlin, physically and mentally. He had grown quite skinny in his years at Camelot, often times skipping lunch because he couldn't afford to get behind in his chores. He constantly second-guessed himself, wondering if he was saving lives, or condemning them. He was always questioning if he was really protecting Arthur, or exacting his own revenge on people who had betrayed them. The slaves certainly had the worse end of the deal, being beaten physically and emotionally, restricted from even learning how to read. Merlin didn't kid himself that he had half the troubles of the slaves, but on some level, he thought he could understand their quiet suffering and solemn looks that told him they had lost all hope of escaping their inescapable destiny.
How could Arthur have changed so much, from the honorable man who treated everyone as if they were of the same social standing, including a skimpy, good-for-nothing servant, to the sneering jerk who treated everyone like dirt under his shoes? What happened to the man who would have ridden through hell and back for someone he considered a friend, to turn him into the type of person who would spit at others like they were something less than human? What happened to his friend who would have gladly risked his life for the lowest of peasants, to make him into this…this thing who had no regard for anyone? What had happened to his best friend, his brother, who had consistently acted as though he didn't care, but secretly had the biggest heart of anyone, that had made that same heart shrink until it was two sizes too small? What happened to the man Merlin had trusted with his life, to turn him into someone he couldn't even recognize?
Merlin wouldn't have ever assumed that he was important enough to influence anyone with his presence, but that's what happened. Without Merlin's pointed remarks and timely jokes and wise advice, Arthur would have turned out the same way as his father; a bully who hunted down people because of their differences, instead of embracing them because of their same hearts. With Merlin by his side, Arthur had grabbed his humanity like a wayward balloon before the memory of his father snatched it away like the wind. Merlin was the glue that held Arthur together after everything had fallen to pieces. In this lifetime, Arthur didn't have the wisdom and advice Merlin had always provided in Camelot. Arthur had to make his way through life unguided by Merlin, and mislead by his father.
But, Merlin did know that he needed to help Arthur become the king the world desperately needed. If he was back, there were things only Arthur could change. And that meant Arthur himself had to change. So, taking a deep breath, Merlin emerged from his hiding place where he had stayed for a couple of days when he got the feeling that Arthur was back. I hope he remembers me this time, he prayed to whatever or whoever cared to listen to the prayer of a centuries old warlock, who didn't really hold out any hope that this time his prayers would be answered.