Here is part four; Doesn't time and a story fly quickly.
Gaius's door nearly slammed off its hinges as Arthur stormed in.
"My father has lost all sense of propriety! He is sitting in the council chambers with a girl on his lap and kissing her. In full view of everyone!"
"Arthur..."
"Gaius, I demand that you make him see sense before he disgraces the whole court"
"Arthur... If you've finished..." The physician's patience, long trained by Uther, had begun to wear thin with this one-sided rant
"I have"
"That girl as you call her is Igraine, your mother."
"My mother is dead Gaius, everyone knows that"
"Oh yes she's as dead as Owain and Pellinore"
Arthur frowned at the flippant tone that had escaped "Is there some scandal I should know about?"
"Only Nimueh's" Owain and Pellinore extracted themselves from their hiding places
"What the... HOW on earth..." The Prince of Camelot was rendered incompetent of finishing his sentences
"Ask your mother and Gaius to explain, sire"
"Explain WHAT exactly?"
"See you at dinner" both knights disappeared as quickly as they'd come. Arthur stared after them, stunned, then rounded on the physician
"Gaius what is going on?"
"Your mother wasn't killed like we all thought...instead Nimeuh- a powerful sorceress - held her captive on the Isle of the Blessed, Pellinore and Owian must have joined her after their 'deaths' at the sword of the Black Knight"
"Oh... as simple as that then" the prince was clearly baffled but it wasn't a easy subject to explain, if Uther had told the boy... but he hadn't and wouldn't allow anyone else to either, what's done was done and nobody could alter it. They had Igraine back which was the main thing, and perhaps Uther would be more lenient with magic now Nimeuh was dead.
A loud commanding knock jolted Gaius back to the present, just as Igraine and Uther walked in.
"I think we startled you Arthur, I'm sorry" the Queen's voice was warm and loving as she moved forward. Arthur didn't resist as his mother placed arms around his neck and kissed his forehead "my son"
"Mother"
"My son, my son, my little boy"
Gaius looked beyond to see Uther's cheeks wet with rare tears. Neither of them had ever thought they would see this.
When Igraine released her son she was smiling and the two men had had enough time to brush away the dampness.
"You'll need this Igraine" Uther passed her a key and frowned as she refused it
"Not yet, first I would rather have a maid to share it with me"
"Of course" he breathed out, at least this condition wasn't impossible to fulfil "had you anyone particular in mind? Bessie of course is dead"
"There was a girl I met while wandering: Gwen I think her name was"
Seeing his father's blank eyes Arthur stepped in "Guinevere, Morgana's ex-maid"
"Guards!!!" two liveried men appeared "Fetch the maid Guinevere and bring her to the council chambers. Do not inform her why" they bowed and left
"She'll be terrified Uther"
"Just a game"
"Not a fair one!" Igraine, Arthur and Gaius all spoke at once.
The long awaited Arthur/Igraine meeting.
Will Uther's trick backfire on him though?