A Messy Array of Stories, AUs, Covers and Many More

The Hole in a Witch's Heart

Long, long ago, there lived a wonderful witch who was beloved by everyone in her kingdom, having lived many years in order to master the mystical arts. Days of helping the civilians brought her joy, and the witch never got tired of it, for she was happy to help them as much as she could. 

However, despite all she had done, the witch found that there was a hole in her heart. An empty circle that no matter how much she tried to use her spells and potions, could not vanquish away. 

Of course, she didn't understand this. "Why can't I use my magic to will it away?" Asked the witch to herself. "I have learnt thousands of spells, made millions of potions, and still this hole persists!"

The witch decided that she had to go travel to meet the oldest wizard in the land, who supposedly could cure matters of the heart. "Surely, he can help me fill this void!" She said. 

With this purpose in mind, she set off for the home of the wise wizard, wishing everyone a great day before flying away on her broomstick. Whoosh! Off she went to the merry cheers of the citizens. 

"Stay safe!"

"Please come home safe!"

These heartfelt words fell on deaf ears, however, and the hole in the witch's heart only grew bigger. 

"Why does my heart ache so?" Asked the witch. "Surely they only mean well. Surely, they simply wish for the best. Surely it is not for their own sakes, but for mine!"

Yet these thoughts plagued the witch, for you see, this witch has been traveling the land for a long time, and before, she had been asked to leave numerous kingdoms for she simply did not fit in; either that, or the witch had been asked for so many things, and then kicked out once she tried to say no. She has been living in the kingdom for quite some time, yet every time she sees others, she sees masks over them, as if they are scared of her. 

The witch then began to worry. Would the townspeople be fine without her? What if they needed her and she wasn't back in time? Would they shun her as others had once?

"It is fine! I can leave any time I want! Surely there will be a better kingdom who wishes for my service! If they cannot handle me, they are the fools!" Said the witch to herself. "I am not wrong! Surely not!"

Thus, she continued on with her journey with a lighter heart, although the hole had grown bigger. She did not pay it any mind, though, believing that once she reached the wise wizard, surely he could heal this hole! Surely he could fill it up with wondrous magic!

Days passed, and nights waned as she traveled through many lands of which she had passed through. Beautiful sceneries and landscapes passed her by, yet the witch focused on getting to the wise wizard, her heart filled with anxiety and impatience. "I must head home as soon as I can!" Said the witch. "I must have this hole filled!"

Finally, finally, she eventually arrived at the tower where the wise wizard lived. Foosh! Went her broomstick as she descended to the window at the top, knocking gently on it three times. Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Who goes there?" Called out the old wizard.

"I am a humble witch who has sought you out to help me fill the hole in my heart!" Answered the witch. "I have tried numerous spells, I have made countless potions, and yet the hole only grows bigger! Oh, great wizard, please help me fill this hole!"

Whoosh! The window opened as the old man walked closer to her. 

"Alas, young witch, only you can fill that gap in your heart," said the wizard. 

The witch was taken aback by his words. "Surely you must be mistaken! I have tried everything, and yet you say I am the key to filling this gap in me?"

"Indeed, young one," said the wizard, whose kind eyes looked at her as he continued, "I have seen you flying to my tower for days. I understand why you have come here."

"Then surely, you know of a better way to fill this hole in my heart!" Pleaded the witch. "I have tried everything!"

"Ah, you have tried everything, but consulting with your heart, which is the most profound magic of all," said the wizard.

This was a shock to the young witch, alright! "What do you mean, consulting with your heart?" Asked the confused witch. "Surely, the heart cannot speak!"

"Indeed, it cannot. All it can do is feel. However, perhaps you already know what really caused this hole in your heart, young witch, and only refuse to call it out," said the old wizard. "The hole in one's heart only happens when the heart wishes to tell you something, but can only do so through hurting itself. You know, deep down, why you feel this way, and yet the words cannot come out of your mouth. You cannot find the words to admit it to yourself, and thus, you look at other ways to fill the hole. However, the only cure for this ailment, is to talk to your heart, and say what has been holding you back all this time. Perhaps a small try will be all you need to understand the truth and fill this hole."

The witch was surprised, alright! Such a simple solution, she could not understand it at all! "Will it really work?" Asked the witch, doubting that this will help. 

The old wizard chuckled and said, "You will never be able to be a great witch if you do not try new things, young one."

The young witch, confused but eager to fill this hole, decided to follow what the old wizard had said, closing her eyes and calling out, "Oh, my heart, why do you ache so?"

The heart then gave her a story, of all the pain she had been through, of every time she was not accepted and called to leave for not being like the others. It showed her how much pain she had, and yet she ignored it all to help others, pretending her past never happened in order to stay happy. And yet, these very memories made it hard for her to approach others. Oh, how she remembered watching the civilians have fun from her home, and yet she never once approached them, seeing the masks over their faces and growing scared.

But then, her heart nudged her close, and then she understood; they had never worn masks! It had all been a figment of her imagination! She had tried to pretend she didn't need anyone else, that all she had to do was be kind and it would fill her heart, but still a part of her yearned for companionship. She found it easy to blame others in order to protect herself, but in the end, it didn't help her, it only hurt her more. 

"What does your heart say?" Asked the old wizard gently. 

The witch began to cry, saying, "It says it wants friends. That it wants to be loved and accepted, but how can I trust after everything I've been through? How can I look at anyone again and place faith in them?"

"Sometimes, it is worth risking it. Sometimes, it takes fear to make us realize the ugly parts of ourselves. And yet these parts still remain a part of us, not to be shunned or ignored, but a part to be acknowledged and loved, just as much as the rest of us," said the old wizard. "Do not shun it away, do not shy away from the emotions. Tell them, 'You are seen.', and then, let them flow like the river. It will pass, I assure you."

"Can I really f-find friends? Can I really... be loved?" Cried the witch, her heart growing heavy. 

"Indeed, you can. All it takes, is a little bit of courage, which you have already shown when you admitted how you truly felt to the world," said the old wizard with a smile. 

And the young witch could only reach out to hug him, sobbing and crying onto his shoulder, for she finally felt seen and heard. For her heart finally felt free for the first time since moving to the kingdom. 

Soon, of course, the young witch returned to the kingdom, but this time, she admired the view and took her time to return, even exploring the landscapes more. With every moment of fun she had, the hole in her heart began to grow smaller, little by little, until she finally returned to the kingdom. 

This time, though, she walked up to some of them and began chatting with them after greeting them. Oh, how happy they were to find she was back! They inquired whether she felt okay, if the hole in her heart was okay. Not once had they asked for something to be fixed or a potion or a spell. 

And the young witch's reply to the question?

"It's not closed just yet, but it will, slowly but surely."

For wounds of the heart take time to heal, but with a little bravery and help from the heart, perhaps she can one day find that there is but a single line left. 

THE END