Arthurian Legends
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Mordred:
Morgause had a number of sons by King Lot, her husband. Among them, and all knights of the Round Table, Gawain (always a steadfast follower of Arthur), Agravain (handsome, but of evil disposition), Gaheris and Gareth. A day came when Morgause arrived with another son in tow. He was Mordred, who believed himself to be the youngest son of Lot, but in these tales, was fathered by Arthur. She brought him to court to see him knighted as were his brothers. She stayed at court and soon took a lover, a young knight named Lamorak, who was younger than her oldest two sons. Unfortunately he was also the son of Pellinore, who had slain the rebellious Lot in battle. Her sons were outraged that she would lay with a man of Pellinore's blood. They forced their mother, Morgause, to leave the court and reside in a nearby castle. One day soon, Gaheris noticed his mother's maidservant whispering to Lamorak and when Lamorak departed, Gaheris followed secretly behind. He arrived at his mother's house in the evening. He entered the house quietly and strode toward his mother's bedroom. Outside her door he found Lamorak's sword, shield and armor. He drew his sword and entered the room. Morgause and Lamorak were in bed. Gaheris leaped across the room and with a savage swing of his sword slashed his mother's throat. Surprisingly, her death caused hardly a ripple at court. Gaheris was exiled for a while and Lamorak was sent back to his own lands. A few months later the brothers, Agravain, Gawain, Gaheris and Mordred came upon Lamorak riding alone on a country road. All four fell upon him with drawn swords, but they could not best him until Mordred circled behind and stabbed him in the back. Backstabbing is a defining characteristic of Mordred's.
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