#232: Is there a situation where it's appropriate to be unkind?
I'm not the one to judge. If it's right to be unkind, it's better left to someone without a gift for it. I have that from my mother, I confess to it; I don't speak as she did, wilfully, but sometimes I can't govern my tongue.
When we knew what Gaheris had done, how he'd taken revenge on her for her cruelty, then it might have been right to be hard with him; I don't know. He expected it, for he fled us. Maybe he even hoped that Gawain would punish him, as he'd done the man who killed their father. But Gawain did nothing, and even Agravain was more sick at heart than angry. I went after Gaheris, and bade him come home again; I told him truly, that I forgave him.
It was later, years later, when he'd done his penance in exile, and the wound had scarred over; when our brother was dead, and I was in the wrong. It was then, when Gaheris had grown strong enough to confront me with my folly, that I turned on him in anger and reminded him of what he'd done. I knew what I did. I meant to hurt him.
A week later he too was dead, having faced our enemy unarmed and unprotected. He went at Arthur's bidding, but that made no difference.
Of my many sins that one was not the greatest, but it's the one I can't justify. I can't answer the question; I don't have the right.
Mordred
Arthurian legend
252 words
When we knew what Gaheris had done, how he'd taken revenge on her for her cruelty, then it might have been right to be hard with him; I don't know. He expected it, for he fled us. Maybe he even hoped that Gawain would punish him, as he'd done the man who killed their father. But Gawain did nothing, and even Agravain was more sick at heart than angry. I went after Gaheris, and bade him come home again; I told him truly, that I forgave him.
It was later, years later, when he'd done his penance in exile, and the wound had scarred over; when our brother was dead, and I was in the wrong. It was then, when Gaheris had grown strong enough to confront me with my folly, that I turned on him in anger and reminded him of what he'd done. I knew what I did. I meant to hurt him.
A week later he too was dead, having faced our enemy unarmed and unprotected. He went at Arthur's bidding, but that made no difference.
Of my many sins that one was not the greatest, but it's the one I can't justify. I can't answer the question; I don't have the right.
Mordred
Arthurian legend
252 words