A cartwheel of emotions rolled through the witch's mind; surprise, rage, curiosity and even a little warming flicker of joy. The flicker grew to a low flame, and she returned the slender young man's embrace, smoothing his hair with her long, dark fingernails. She kissed the top of his head, a gesture she'd seen done but never dreamed of doing. And the words that followed illuminated the gesture further. Before she could stop herself and see reason, she spoke from the place where her heart should have been.
"All I do, I do for you." She told him simply, in a voice that resonated like an iron bell from far away. "And as long as you love me, you shall never know the touch of misery."
Her own words rang in her ear, and she immediately hated herself for speaking them aloud. She was fonder of this man who would be kind than she had initially hoped. Mentally, she kicked herself, hoping that could shake it away, or send it passing more quickly, but instead, she tightened her embrace before letting him go.