Illusions Of The Heart
12/09/08 17:34 Filed in: The Witch Haven Series
Silos had discovered many things at Witch Haven that had amazed him, as well as some things that puzzled him. The green eyed witch's penchant for electric fireplaces had been one of the things that puzzled him. So as they sat in front of the one in her living room, he asked her why it was she used those, instead of real fireplaces.
She smiled that soft little smile of hers, then replied, "Besides being cleaner, and much less hassle, the electric fireplaces are a good reminder for me of how much illusion, can sometimes resemble reality."
Silos gazed into the dancing electric flames, and pondered the witch's answer for a moment. "But surely a wise witch such as youself would need no such reminder."
The green eyed witch's lips curved into a wry smile, then she replied, "Sometimes, the heart of even the wisest witch can believe in foolish illusions, if she lets it."
Silos studied the witch as she spoke, and noted that dancing amongst the golden flecks that sparkled within the green depths of the windows to her soul, was a glint of cynicism when it came to matters of the heart. Silos could understand and relate to that touch of cynicism concerning matters of the heart. "Sometimes," he said, "I think love is nothing but an illusion of the heart."
"No." the green eyed witch replied. "Love itself is not an illusion of the heart. But, it is not as unconditional as many seem to think. Betrayal can destroy it. Especially if that betrayal repeats itself time and time again."
As they were apt to do around this green eyed witch, his lips moved before his brain could stop them, and he blurted out, "But, it wasn't repeated time and time again! And never would have happened again."
She looked at him with a certain amount of sympathy, and replied, "But, was it not a matter of her seeing a history she wanted no more part of, repeating itself?"
He sighed, and felt the indignation fading under her unwavering gaze. He bowed his head and quietly whispered, "Yes."
"And did you not know, at least in part, about that history?"
With head still bowed Silos once more quietly whispered, "Yes."
"Then in your heart," said the green eyed witch, "you know that although she did love you, her history had put a condition on love for her, that had to be met."
Silos raised his head, and under that unwavering gaze of the green eyed witch, finally took full responsibility for what he had done. "I knew how she had been treated in the past. Perhaps not all the details, but enough to know that betraying her in the manner I did, was the worst thing I could do to her. Yet, just to satisfy a moment of pure lust, I did that one worst thing."
"Love," said the green eyed witch, "is a very valuable thing. And like all valuable things, it always comes with some price or another. The question is, are you willing to pay that price? Or is love so meaningless to you, so lacking in value, that any price is too much to pay for it? Was the price, the value of her love, really so hard to pay?"
Silos shook his head and replied, "No, fidelity was a small price to pay for all that she gave to me. I was totally stupid to have thrown away so much, for so little."
The green eyed witch sighed, then quietly said, "Sadly, I have come to realize that people have a tendency to throw love away, for the silliest things."
As he gazed into the dancing electric flames Silos pondered the words that had just passed between them. After a moment he sighed, then said, "It was my heart that was filled with of illusions of love. For had I really loved her the way she deserved to be loved, I would have never taken a woman who meant nothing to me into my bed."
"You have lost a great deal, Silos. But, you have also gained a wisdom now that hopefully, will stand you in good stead should you be fortunate enough to find love again. Just always remember, that as with Witch Haven, there are some things you can never return to once you have left them." Before Silos could reply, the witch raised her hand in a stopping motion, then continued, "No, Silos, you were really the one that left her. The second you gave into that meaningless moment of lust, you broke the bond of love and trust she had given you, and in essence, turned your back on it, and the woman who loved you. When she in turn walked away from you, she was simply completing what you had begun."
Silos held the gaze of the green eyed witch for a moment, then bowed his head in acceptance and whispered, "Is love really so fragile?"
"Yes, Silos. Despite its many strengths, love can also be the most fragile thing in the world. Learn to respect its strengths, but also learn to understand its fragility. Only by doing that, can you truly hold onto it."
The green eyed witch rose from her chair and left Silos to ponder the dancing electric flames, and the lessons concerning illusions of the heart that he had just learned. She had already learned her lesson well concerning illusions of the heart. And those well-learned lessons had put a condition on love for her that she knew no man could ever meet. Witch Haven was built upon the foundation of that condition, and it was why except for her guardians, one visit was all it allowed anyone.
She smiled that soft little smile of hers, then replied, "Besides being cleaner, and much less hassle, the electric fireplaces are a good reminder for me of how much illusion, can sometimes resemble reality."
Silos gazed into the dancing electric flames, and pondered the witch's answer for a moment. "But surely a wise witch such as youself would need no such reminder."
The green eyed witch's lips curved into a wry smile, then she replied, "Sometimes, the heart of even the wisest witch can believe in foolish illusions, if she lets it."
Silos studied the witch as she spoke, and noted that dancing amongst the golden flecks that sparkled within the green depths of the windows to her soul, was a glint of cynicism when it came to matters of the heart. Silos could understand and relate to that touch of cynicism concerning matters of the heart. "Sometimes," he said, "I think love is nothing but an illusion of the heart."
"No." the green eyed witch replied. "Love itself is not an illusion of the heart. But, it is not as unconditional as many seem to think. Betrayal can destroy it. Especially if that betrayal repeats itself time and time again."
As they were apt to do around this green eyed witch, his lips moved before his brain could stop them, and he blurted out, "But, it wasn't repeated time and time again! And never would have happened again."
She looked at him with a certain amount of sympathy, and replied, "But, was it not a matter of her seeing a history she wanted no more part of, repeating itself?"
He sighed, and felt the indignation fading under her unwavering gaze. He bowed his head and quietly whispered, "Yes."
"And did you not know, at least in part, about that history?"
With head still bowed Silos once more quietly whispered, "Yes."
"Then in your heart," said the green eyed witch, "you know that although she did love you, her history had put a condition on love for her, that had to be met."
Silos raised his head, and under that unwavering gaze of the green eyed witch, finally took full responsibility for what he had done. "I knew how she had been treated in the past. Perhaps not all the details, but enough to know that betraying her in the manner I did, was the worst thing I could do to her. Yet, just to satisfy a moment of pure lust, I did that one worst thing."
"Love," said the green eyed witch, "is a very valuable thing. And like all valuable things, it always comes with some price or another. The question is, are you willing to pay that price? Or is love so meaningless to you, so lacking in value, that any price is too much to pay for it? Was the price, the value of her love, really so hard to pay?"
Silos shook his head and replied, "No, fidelity was a small price to pay for all that she gave to me. I was totally stupid to have thrown away so much, for so little."
The green eyed witch sighed, then quietly said, "Sadly, I have come to realize that people have a tendency to throw love away, for the silliest things."
As he gazed into the dancing electric flames Silos pondered the words that had just passed between them. After a moment he sighed, then said, "It was my heart that was filled with of illusions of love. For had I really loved her the way she deserved to be loved, I would have never taken a woman who meant nothing to me into my bed."
"You have lost a great deal, Silos. But, you have also gained a wisdom now that hopefully, will stand you in good stead should you be fortunate enough to find love again. Just always remember, that as with Witch Haven, there are some things you can never return to once you have left them." Before Silos could reply, the witch raised her hand in a stopping motion, then continued, "No, Silos, you were really the one that left her. The second you gave into that meaningless moment of lust, you broke the bond of love and trust she had given you, and in essence, turned your back on it, and the woman who loved you. When she in turn walked away from you, she was simply completing what you had begun."
Silos held the gaze of the green eyed witch for a moment, then bowed his head in acceptance and whispered, "Is love really so fragile?"
"Yes, Silos. Despite its many strengths, love can also be the most fragile thing in the world. Learn to respect its strengths, but also learn to understand its fragility. Only by doing that, can you truly hold onto it."
The green eyed witch rose from her chair and left Silos to ponder the dancing electric flames, and the lessons concerning illusions of the heart that he had just learned. She had already learned her lesson well concerning illusions of the heart. And those well-learned lessons had put a condition on love for her that she knew no man could ever meet. Witch Haven was built upon the foundation of that condition, and it was why except for her guardians, one visit was all it allowed anyone.