The Warlock's Hairy Heart
A long time ago, there lived a warlock in a far away magical kingdom. As he grew up, he observed how foolish his friends got whenever they fell in love and how they'd almost always end up getting themselves hurt in some or other way. He decided he never wanted to fall prey to such weakness or be controlled by his heart and he used the Dark Arts to ensure his immunity to love.
His family - unaware of what he'd done and of his immunity to love - laughed at his cruel, uncaring and cold nature, telling him that all would change once he met the right woman for him and fell in love with her. Of course, this never happened. Though many maidens did try to touch his heart and get him to find an interest in them, none succeeded.
Years went by and his parents soon passed away, but he remained completely unaffected by their death. If anything, he was thrilled to be the sole ruler of the Kingdom and to have the castle all to himself. He transferred his greatest treasure to the deepest dungeon and spent his days spending his seemingly endless riches, his only company being his multitude of servants and he did not mind at all. He was content with his life. He felt as if he had everything he ever needed for he did not know what he was missing out on because he was unable to feel love.
He was always very proud of himself. He thought he was stronger than anyone else because of his hardened heart and his immunity to love.
One day, he heard two of his servants talking about him. The first servant felt sorry for the warlock, who, with all his wealth and power, was beloved by nobody. The second servant laughed at the warlock and asked why a man with so much gold and a palatial castle to his name had been unable to attract a wife.
Hearing this was a massive blow to his ego and he decided at once that he would marry the most beautiful, most perfect, most wanted maiden in the land. He would get a wife superior to all other wives. She would be of pure magical blood, as he was, so that their children may have astounding magical powers and she would be just as wealthy as he was so that, despite the additions to his household, he would still live comfortably.
A woman this perfect might have taken him 50 years to find, however the very next day, a witch fitting his very description arrived in the kingdom to visit her family. She was powerful, rich and possesed such beauty that it tugged at the heart of every man that ever set eyes on her. All except one; the warlock felt nothing at all. Nevertheless, she was the prize he sought and he did everything in his power to flatter her and win her heart.
All who noticed his change in attitude and manners were amazed and said that this woman was perfect for him, for she had taught him to love. She had succeeded where at least a hundred others had failed.
The witch was both fascinated and repelled by the Warlock's intentions. She sensed the coldness hidden beneath his false mask of kindness and had never met a man so strange and self absorbed. Her family, however, thought he was the perfect match for their daughter and eagerly accepted his invitation to a dinner in honour of the maiden.
The warlock flattered her that night and spoke beautiful words he had stolen from poets, without any idea what they meant or how beautiful and meaningful they were. She smiled politely and told him she'd be flattered by his intentions and willing to marry him, if only she thought he had a heart.
The warlock smiled, feeling close to victory. He took her down to the dungeons to show her proof that he did indeed have a heart.
There, in an enchanted crystal casket lay the Warlock's beating heart. Long since disconnected from hands, eyes and ears, the heart had never fallen prey to beauty, a calming voice or silky skin.
The maiden screamed in fright at the sight of it, for the heart had shrunk and was now covered in long, black hair. She told the warlock to put it back where it belongs or she would leave immediately and never return.
The warlock did as he was told, thinking that this would be the final step to win her heart and her hand in marriage. He took out his wand, sliced open his left breast and put the heart back into the empty cavity where it once belonged. The maiden was overjoyed that he could finally understand, feel and give love and she hugged him.
He wasn't used to feeling such strong emotions for somebody nor was he used to the butterflies that erupted in his stomach due to her presence. He quite liked the way she made him feel and the warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest.
However, his heart was still affected by Dark Magic and stopped these feelings at once. Not willing to give up on knowing love again, he decided he'd need a new, pure heart.
The guests in the banquet hall soon grew worried that the warlock and the maiden had been gone for so long and searched the castle for them.
They eventually found the pair in the dungeon. The warlock was standing over the woman's dead body, her chest was cut open and he was holding her smooth, red, pure heart. He tried to open his own chest to retrieve the hairy heart and replace it with that of the maiden's. However, the hardened heart was stronger than he was and no spells seemed to work against it.
He grew desperate and cut his chest open with a silver dagger, cutting the black heart out and replacing it with the pure heart that was able to love.
For a few moments he could love again. He looked down at the maiden and realised what he had done. He couldn't believe she was dead and he had been the one to kill her. He felt his first heartbreak and then - with his heart broken and full of remorse - he fell to the ground, lifeless.
In those few moments before he died, he did not care that he was dying. He did not care that although he'd avoided it his whole life, he was now vulnerable to love and intense emotions. All he cared about was the pain in his chest that he'd felt when he realised that he could not love the woman who'd taught him to love and to be happy because he lost her and it was all his fault...
This was my own version of a story I'd once read.
For the explanation as to why I decided to tell this story, read my next post: Hairy Heart, Part 2
His family - unaware of what he'd done and of his immunity to love - laughed at his cruel, uncaring and cold nature, telling him that all would change once he met the right woman for him and fell in love with her. Of course, this never happened. Though many maidens did try to touch his heart and get him to find an interest in them, none succeeded.
Years went by and his parents soon passed away, but he remained completely unaffected by their death. If anything, he was thrilled to be the sole ruler of the Kingdom and to have the castle all to himself. He transferred his greatest treasure to the deepest dungeon and spent his days spending his seemingly endless riches, his only company being his multitude of servants and he did not mind at all. He was content with his life. He felt as if he had everything he ever needed for he did not know what he was missing out on because he was unable to feel love.
He was always very proud of himself. He thought he was stronger than anyone else because of his hardened heart and his immunity to love.
One day, he heard two of his servants talking about him. The first servant felt sorry for the warlock, who, with all his wealth and power, was beloved by nobody. The second servant laughed at the warlock and asked why a man with so much gold and a palatial castle to his name had been unable to attract a wife.
Hearing this was a massive blow to his ego and he decided at once that he would marry the most beautiful, most perfect, most wanted maiden in the land. He would get a wife superior to all other wives. She would be of pure magical blood, as he was, so that their children may have astounding magical powers and she would be just as wealthy as he was so that, despite the additions to his household, he would still live comfortably.
A woman this perfect might have taken him 50 years to find, however the very next day, a witch fitting his very description arrived in the kingdom to visit her family. She was powerful, rich and possesed such beauty that it tugged at the heart of every man that ever set eyes on her. All except one; the warlock felt nothing at all. Nevertheless, she was the prize he sought and he did everything in his power to flatter her and win her heart.
All who noticed his change in attitude and manners were amazed and said that this woman was perfect for him, for she had taught him to love. She had succeeded where at least a hundred others had failed.
The witch was both fascinated and repelled by the Warlock's intentions. She sensed the coldness hidden beneath his false mask of kindness and had never met a man so strange and self absorbed. Her family, however, thought he was the perfect match for their daughter and eagerly accepted his invitation to a dinner in honour of the maiden.
The warlock flattered her that night and spoke beautiful words he had stolen from poets, without any idea what they meant or how beautiful and meaningful they were. She smiled politely and told him she'd be flattered by his intentions and willing to marry him, if only she thought he had a heart.
The warlock smiled, feeling close to victory. He took her down to the dungeons to show her proof that he did indeed have a heart.
There, in an enchanted crystal casket lay the Warlock's beating heart. Long since disconnected from hands, eyes and ears, the heart had never fallen prey to beauty, a calming voice or silky skin.
The maiden screamed in fright at the sight of it, for the heart had shrunk and was now covered in long, black hair. She told the warlock to put it back where it belongs or she would leave immediately and never return.
The warlock did as he was told, thinking that this would be the final step to win her heart and her hand in marriage. He took out his wand, sliced open his left breast and put the heart back into the empty cavity where it once belonged. The maiden was overjoyed that he could finally understand, feel and give love and she hugged him.
He wasn't used to feeling such strong emotions for somebody nor was he used to the butterflies that erupted in his stomach due to her presence. He quite liked the way she made him feel and the warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest.
However, his heart was still affected by Dark Magic and stopped these feelings at once. Not willing to give up on knowing love again, he decided he'd need a new, pure heart.
The guests in the banquet hall soon grew worried that the warlock and the maiden had been gone for so long and searched the castle for them.
They eventually found the pair in the dungeon. The warlock was standing over the woman's dead body, her chest was cut open and he was holding her smooth, red, pure heart. He tried to open his own chest to retrieve the hairy heart and replace it with that of the maiden's. However, the hardened heart was stronger than he was and no spells seemed to work against it.
He grew desperate and cut his chest open with a silver dagger, cutting the black heart out and replacing it with the pure heart that was able to love.
For a few moments he could love again. He looked down at the maiden and realised what he had done. He couldn't believe she was dead and he had been the one to kill her. He felt his first heartbreak and then - with his heart broken and full of remorse - he fell to the ground, lifeless.
In those few moments before he died, he did not care that he was dying. He did not care that although he'd avoided it his whole life, he was now vulnerable to love and intense emotions. All he cared about was the pain in his chest that he'd felt when he realised that he could not love the woman who'd taught him to love and to be happy because he lost her and it was all his fault...
This was my own version of a story I'd once read.
For the explanation as to why I decided to tell this story, read my next post: Hairy Heart, Part 2
I lovedd this story, and I can't wait for the explanation !
ReplyDelete😭😭😭😭 this story💔 this really is touching and so interesting.. I never look away for one second getting so caught up in this. Amazingly done✨ looking forward to the explanation!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written. Looking forward to part 2.
ReplyDelete