Once upon a time there was a prince who ruled over a peaceful kingdom. When his duties allowed, he would venture out of his palace and ride his noble steed through the neighboring woods. He delved deeper and deeper into the forest, to where the oldest trees grew as wide as ten men shoulder to shoulder, and thorny underbrush towered above him in nearly impassable knots. But even they could not stop him. The prince drew his golden sword and cut a narrow tunnel through the twisted weeds. As the familiar forest vanished behind him, the chirping of birds and insects alike ceased, and he found himself in silence.
Eventually, he came to the foot of an ancient stone tower that rose straight out of the underbrush. Thorny vines clawed at its sides, but the lone, arched window set near its peak remained unobstructed. That was the only way in or out of the tower, a deadly fall for any who chanced it.
There the prince stopped and called out, "Fair maiden, I have come to rescue you from your prison!"
There was no answer.
"Do not fear," he cried. "I will defend you from the cruel black knight who haunts these woods and bring you safely to my kingdom where you can be free."
At last a figure appeared at the window, not a lady, but a man, with angled eyebrows and pointed ears. "I am the heartless black knight of which you speak," he said.
His gaze was sharp and his lips set in a thin line, but there was no cruelty about him.
"Sir knight," the prince called up to him again, a mischievous grin across his face, "Send down your ladder so that I may rescue you from this tower."
The knight refused, "It is to protect you and your kingdom that I am locked away. It would not be wise to set me free."
"You're very kind for someone without a heart, to consider my safety and that of my kingdom," the prince teased.
The knight was unyielding, "I only seek to elucidate the lack of reason in your offer."
"What would you do were I to set you free?" the prince pressed him.
"There is no use in speculating about that which will not occur."
"Don't you get lonely up there, in your tower?"
The knight quirked an eyebrow at him. "To feel loneliness, I would first need to have a heart." Still, the knight did not send him away.
So the prince returned there day after day.
Each day he would come to the foot of the tower and call out, "Sir Knight, send a ladder down to me!"
And each day the knight refused, "Noble Prince, why do you call up to me?"
"I have brought a rose for you," the prince declared one day, and presented him with a pristine flower, newly bloomed.
He drew back his arm and tossed the rose up to the knight, who caught it with a deft hand.
"Why?" the knight insisted, but the prince merely smiled and settled himself at the foot of the tower.
There he stayed and talked with the knight until the sun began to set. They spoke of everything, from the knight's quiet routine in the tower, to the prince's bustling kingdom, to legends of the world beyond.
"You would love it there," the prince remarked as he mounted his horse at the end of the day.
"That which is heartless cannot love," the knight answered stiffly.
Again, the prince only smiled up at him, before urging his horse back into the briars through which he'd come.
Another day, the prince brought a pair of turtle doves which flew up into the knight's chamber to join the rose, now in a pitcher of water. Again they talked until the sun set and the prince returned to his kingdom.
And at last, the prince brought a soft parcel, which he tossed up to the knight, who again caught it easily in his hands. Inside was a golden tunic.
"Why do you bring me these gifts?" the knight asked.
Again the prince answered with only a smile.
This time, however, the knight knew the prince's true aims and insisted, "There is no cause in courting that which does not have a heart."
"There is no lady in my kingdom who has so struck my fancy," the prince dismissed his concern.
"I am cursed to be heartless and without feeling. I was locked away in this tower to protect those who I would harm. There is no reason to court me for I cannot love, and much reason not to."
Still, the prince ignored his entreaties and settled at the base of the tower. He did not press the knight, he merely smiled up at him and again they talked of other things until the sun set.
The next day the prince returned to the foot of the tower and called up to the knight, "Sir Knight, send a ladder down to me."
"Why have you returned here?" the knight demanded.
"I can break your curse," the prince said with a troublesome grin.
"I find that highly unlikely," the knight retorted.
"But you cannot be certain if we do not try," the prince insisted.
Despite himself, the knight let down a rope ladder and allowed the prince to climb up into his tower. The prince clambered in through the window and faced the knight from across a small, dark chamber. They both stood and stared at each other as though spellbound. The knight quirked an eyebrow and the prince gave him an open smile.
Then, the prince stepped toward the knight until there were only inches between them. He leaned in, and gave the knight a soft kiss. As their lips met the knight felt a burst of emotion pouring out from the prince, as though for that instant he too had a heart. Even after the prince pulled away, he could still almost feel the steady beat of affection.
"True love's kiss can break any curse," the prince declared, triumphant.
"That which is heartless cannot love. True love is impossible for me," the knight protested.
The prince ignored him. "Come with me to my kingdom and serve as my champion."
He held out a hand to the knight and the knight could not help but take it and allow the prince to lead him down, out of the tower, or to the ends of the Earth and beyond to the stars, if the prince so desired it.
Note: I've had this idea for a long time, and only finally wrote it out. I may write more chapters if inspiration strikes.
This was originally posted on my tumblr, vtsuion dot tumblr dot com, where I am posting shorts like this one, answering questions, and accepting writing prompts!