Silver Paint

She fell harshly to the compacted dirt, some of the loose dust flying up into her nose and eyes making both burn. But through the burning in her eyes she still pushed herself up to face the great beast before her. It was a giant winged lion, fur white as an unpainted canvas. She thought of her life, and how she ended up here. She was born to a poor peasant family, like most in this era - but by chance she was born with exceptional beauty. Her family was always kind and wary, always taught her how to keep herself safe from those who would do her harm because of her appearance. Her hair was a deep black color, her eyes a light blue like arctic ice, and her lips full and nicely shaped with a nice dark pink hue to them. Her face shape could be considered dainty and pretty - soft lines yet not harsh and angular, and all of this came together to make her a beautiful child, and grow into a beautiful woman. Her family was too poor to afford to replace scissors by using them to cut hair - which wore down quickly when used to cut hair for some reason. For this reason most peasant families tended to have exceptionally long hair, the women especially. Unfortunately for her, this added to her perceived beauty.

    Most days she wore a headscarf to both hide her beauty and hide her from the scorching sun that always bore down on this kingdom as she set up her canvas in the market square and on some days painted images that brought her inspiration and wonder - other days painting portraits to trade for coin to help support her parents and younger siblings, to help put food on the table. And although it didn't hurt her to paint portraits for coin, just small portraits that they could carry with one hand, it didn't give her quite the wonder and elation that painting from inspiration did. She was even quite good at what she did - was possible for her to make a name of herself, but she actively avoided it. It was too risky to become well known with her beauty - she would not have anybody able to properly guard her against those in power, those who could play the political game and take advantage of her without her being able to fight. So she kept herself small and obscure - never took big opportunities, even though the pay would support her family for a very long time and allow them to move up in society, have a better quality of life. She was supported in this decision wholeheartedly by her family - for she was loved dearly and they'd rather be together and safe than sacrifice her to the corrupted predatory elites who would snatch her up as quick as they could, to take full advantage of her beauty in the worst ways.

    It was by bad luck and unfortunate chance that she ended up being noticed by the king. For all appearances he was a great and beloved king. He went out walking among the people often, spoke to them kindly and listened to their grievances. He'd personally buy goods and occasionally give a good bit of coin to those struggling the most. But taxes were still heavy, and he had such vague reasoning for them. He gave reasons such as protection of the kingdom from aggressive invaders, and investing in a better future. Times were tough, he said, but that we'd get through it together. But She never quite believed it - he may seem nice on the outside, but she was used to corrupted elite perverts trying to get at her, she knew them well, and he moved like one - talked like one, she could see the small hint of it in the way he shifted his eyes whenever he was about. He always seemed so finely dressed as well - if we were struggling so much as a kingdom, how could he afford to be so lavish? Normal peasants weren't allowed into the castle, so she did not know how lavish it was inside, but just his appearance was enough to give her cause for suspicion. She avoided him best she could whenever he was out and about, but she couldn't avoid him completely - it'd be too noticeable and actually bring more attention to her than away, so she tried to blend in as much as possible with dull colored clothes, covering her face more with her head cloth, and very slowly mingling herself away from where the king headed in his routine walkings, with his guards close around him.

    Unfortunately the kings visits weren't on a schedule - they were actually quite random, and so one never truly knew when the king would come down for a visit and to settle the kingdom peasants nerves, just that it was often enough to keep the people peaceful and content with the false sense of being heard and cared for. Usually she kept enough of an eye out, but for once the king was making another visit a second day in a row - and she was not prepared. By the time she noticed he was too close to move away from without drawing attention to herself, she had been so engrossed in painting a emotionally moving image of kindness that a vendor was showing one of the local street ringkin - which is a smallish creature, approximately cat sized, with a white furry underbelly and a tail almost the same length as its body, also with fur underneath, and scaly almost draconic hide on its head and back and along the surface of the tail - small spikes protruding from its face upwards to almost look like a crown and big round eyes with almost equally as large pupils, and scaly paws with retractable claws that usually looked harmless, topped off with a small black beak, altogether making it an adorable creature. She had been so busy painting the brief scene of the vendor taking pity and feeding the stray starving ringkin some oats that the vendor wasn't able to sell off quick enough before they went back, which had only lasted a moment but the image had stayed in her mind, that she did not notice the king come so close until it was too late. She had no choice but to try to continue on as she had been, only slightly tilting her face down more as she finished the small painting. Unfortunately the king decided to bless her with his generous attention.