In the 18th century of a fantastic world, there was a King named Raphael. He was known for his heavenly yet cruel beauty. His bloody eyes and his white hair hardening the soft features of his face. He has always hated mythological creatures and considered them a threat to his people.
As he himself was quite cruel, he hunted creatures for his own pleasure. He left the heads of some of his victims as souvenirs - as trophies, but he saved only a few to serve him in the most difficult jobs.
A few years ago, there was also a rumor that the king was killing his partners. It is even possible that this legend was true, as each of Raphael's lovers did not survive to marry him - they all died of unexplained causes.
King Raphael, as usual, on Saturday evenings went "hunting" for mythological creatures, such as elves, fairies, centaurs, gorgons, nymphs, etc. A pink haired woman was just walking through the forest looking for food. Suddenly she heard a bang - Raphael shot his crossbow at her.
"Come here, bitch!"
The pink haired girl jumps out of surprise. She looks towards the cruel King, trying to understand what was happening. As her brown gaze noticed the crossbow, she understood that her life was in danger.
The woman wasn't the kind to try to fight and was far too exhausted to think about fleeing.
So she thought that, maybe, she could convince this King to give up on his hunt.
"I'm sorry, sir. But I think you're making a mistake. I am not an animal or anything else to be hunted."
She speaks with a calm voice, hiding her fear. She hoped he could believe that she isn't one of those creatures he was searching for since she looks rather human except for her natural pink hair and the light pink hue of her skin.
Raphael scoffed at the woman's words. He knew very well that she was lying. The pink hair, the pale skin… it was all too obvious. He had no interest in hearing her excuses.
"Oh really?" Raphael sneered, stepping closer to the creature. "And why should I believe you? Why don't you look more human?"
The pink haired girl would see that Raphael was now flanked by two of his guards, both holding shotguns. They were ready to shoot if necessary, their eyes darting back and forth, scanning the area for any potential threats.
She raises her hands in a sign of peace, trying to ease the situation.
"Don't I look human? I know how to speak correctly, I have little round human ears and I am dressed like everyone else in this kingdom."
The girl tried to sound convincing, hoping it will believe her or at least to let her live.
Raphael glared at the creature before him. He didn't trust her, but he was intrigued by her attempt to reason with him. He lowered his crossbow, though his guards remained alert.
"Hmm… perhaps you're right," he conceded grudgingly. "But your scent… it's different from humans."
He stepped closer still, until he was mere inches away from her. She'd feel a shiver run down her spine as he breathed in deeply, taking in her unique aroma. He was close enough that she could see every detail of his face - the cold, cruel eyes; the thin, mocking lips; the arrogant tilt of his chin.
"And your hair…" He reached out, letting his fingers trail along the edge of her pink locks. "It's so unusual… it reminds me of the blood of the creatures I hunt."
The woman couldn't help but pull away slightly as the King approached to touch her hair. Her alerted gaze drifted quickly around to find a potential escape if needed. Her eyes then came back on the King's red one.
"Don't you think that I smell this way because I am actually in the enchanted forest?" Her gaze lays on his hand in her hair. "And as for my hair, would I be judged only because I had the luck to have such beautiful hair?"
Raphael snorted dismissively, his cold gaze never leaving hers.
"So you admit it, then? This place is enchanted. And yet you dare wander around here alone?"
His tone dripped with sarcasm, clearly finding amusement in the idea of someone foolish enough to do such a thing.
He took another step forward, crowding her personal space once again.
"As for your hair… beauty can be a curse, my dear. Just ask the sirens."
With that, he turned on his heel and started to walk away, leaving her standing alone amidst the trees.
"I'll give you a head start. Run along now, before my dogs catch your scent."
She couldn't help but sigh with relief. It was too good to be true but she decided to believe in her luck. She simply nods and starts to walk away too before stopping in her tracks. She felt a pang of curiosity growing in her, a question that was tickling her tongue.
She turns herself to face the King once more, her pink hair floating in the air.
"I just have one question. What kind of creature do you think I am?"
Raphael paused mid-step, turning to look at the creature who dared to question him. He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Well, aren't you curious?" He taunted, enjoying the moment. "You've been doing a good job pretending to be human, but your scent gives you away. You smell like sweet vanilla mixed with the fragrance of flowers. That's the scent of faeries."
He chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"But don't worry, my dear. I won't kill you... not today anyway. Go back to your forest and stay there. Don't venture into our world again."
The beginning of a grin appears on her face.
She had a round face, recalling the innocence, and was giving off the vibe of a little rabbit. Yet, her true nature was something else.
"May I tell you that you didn't guess right?"
Before she lets him answer, she transforms herself into a little fluffy pink fox and runs away in the forest, disappearing quickly. She was one of the seventh guides of the enchanted forest, the fox spirit.
Raphael watched in stunned silence as the creature transformed into a pink fox and disappeared into the forest. For a moment, he stood frozen, the echo of her laughter ringing in his ears.
"Impossible…" he muttered under his breath, before turning on his heel and stalking back to his castle. He had much to consider.