The Warlock's Hairy Heart
There was once a handsome, rich, and very talented young warlock, who observed that his friends grew foolish when they fell in love. They would ramble and pine over women, losing their appetites and their dignity. The young warlock resolved never to fall prey to such weakness, and used the Dark Arts to ensure that he was immune.
Unaware of what he had done, is family laughed to see him so cold and aloof.
"This will change," they predicted, "when he finds that certain girl."
But the warlock, named Ivan, never did fall for a woman's charm. Though many did try to, intrigued bu his demeanor. They would try everything that they knew, but nothing would sway Ivan from his ways. Ivan flourished in his ways of indifference.
When Ivan's youth began to fade, his friends began to wed, and bear children. All the while Ivan remained alone.
"Their hearts must be empty by now," he sneered to himself at their antics, "shriveled by the never ending demands of those women and children.
For not the first time in his life, Ivan congratulated himself on his early choice.
In the due course that was life, Ivan's parents died. He did not mourn them, actually, he was happy that they were gone, and that he was no longer burdened by their presence. He ruled in his castle alone, with only the servants to keep him company. He moved his greatest treasure to the dungeon, and the rest of his life was given over to ease and relaxation. His servants only job was to make sure that he was comfortable.
Ivan was sure that he was an object of envy in his town, because of his wealth and solitude. He was known for having a short temper as well, and one day, he overheard his servants talking about him.
The first servant viewed him with pity, for all of Ivan's wealth he was loved by no one.
The other servant though, jeered, asking why Ivan had so much gold and power to his name but could not attract a wife.
Their words were blows to Ivan's pride. He decided at once to take a wife, and that she would be better than anyone else's. She would be beautiful beyond compare, she would be of magical descent, and she would have wealth equal to his own.
It would have taken fifty years to find such a woman, but as it happened the very next day after he decided to search for her, she appeared. She had come to town to visit her family.
She was a beautiful witch by the name of Natalia. Every man would try to woo her, but none could succeed. She could pull at the heartstrings of every man, except one. The warlock's heart felt nothing. Nevertheless, she was what he wanted, so he began to court her.
Everyone who saw the sudden change in the warlock was shocked, and told Natalia that she had succeeded where other's failed.
Natalia herself was fascinated with this warlock. She could sense the cold behind the warmth of his courtliness, but at the same time she had never met anyone like him. Her family deemed him a more than suitable match, and wanting to promote it, accepted Ivan's invitation to a feast.
the table was lined with the best silver and gold, and filled with such rare foods like never seen before. Minstrels sung and played their instruments in a corner, singing of love that their master never felt. Ivan told Natalia words of love that he had stolen from poets, never really knowing of their true meaning.
"You tell me such wonderful things, Ivan," Natalia cooed, "if only I thought you had a heart!"
Ivan smiled, and told her that she need not worry about that. Telling her to follow, he led her from the feast and people, and down into the locked dungeon where he kept his greatest treasure.
There, in an enchanted crystal casket, was Ivan's still beating heart.
Long since deprived from touch, taste, sight, and smell, his heart had never fallen prey to beauty, or heard a musical voice, or felt silken skin. Natalia was horrified by the sight, for Ivan's heart was shrunk and shriveled, covered in long hair.
"Put it back!" Natalia screamed. "For God's sake put it back!"
Ivan saw that it was the only way that would calm her. So he drew his wand and unlocked the crystal casket, sliced open his own breast and placed his hairy heart in the captivity it had once occupied.
"Now you can know what love really is!" Natalia cried, hugging him tightly.
The touch of her soft arms, her hot breath in his ear, the scent of her hair: All pierced his awakened heart like knives. It had grown strange though in its time of captivity, and it became blind and savage in the darkness, and its appetite could never be quenched.
The guests of the feast had noticed the couples absence. At first they were untroubled, but as the hours passed their worry grew. Finally they began to search the castle.
When they finally came across the dungeon, a hideous sight awaited them.
Natalia laid dead upon the floor, her heart cut open. Besides her Ivan crouched, holding in one hand a great, smooth, shinning scarlet heart, which he licked and stroked, vowing to exchange it for his own.
In the other hand he held his wand, trying to coax from his chest the withered, hairy heart. But the hairy heart was stronger than he was, and refused to relinquish its hold on the senses and return to the coffin where it had been locked for so long.
Before the horror-struck eyes of the guests, Ivan abandoned his wand, and seized a silver dagger. Vowing to never be mastered by his own heart, he hacked it from his chest.
For a moment, Ivan knelt triumphant, with a heart clutched in each hand; then he fell across Natalia's body, and died.
Fin
