This story was partially inspired by Mauryn who has kindly allowed me to use some elements of her story.
Prologue
The crunch of the autumn leaves was the first thing he heard as he walked through the forest of red copper, gold and yellow, pushing away twigs and bracken to clear himself a path. A child's happy laugh bubbled and echoed around him. He stumbled into fog and the laughter grew louder and louder. Suddenly the forest came to an abrupt halt and he could see the originator of the bubbling laughter. A little girl, no more then four, with long, waist length curly crimson hair, the exact colour of the tarnished leaves around her. She was sat in a pile of autumn leaves and they covered her legs but he could see a glimpse of white woollen tights and black patent leather shoes that adorned her tiny feet and an emerald green coat. She threw herself backwards into the leaves and they covered the rest of her and then a few seconds later she sat up shrieking with laughter and shaking debris out of the crimson locks. He walked closer and a twig crunched under his boot, the little girl looked up sharply at the noise and he held up his hands in a non-threatening manner.
"hello! What is your name?" she asked politely, she was well spoken and had a lilting accent that made her seem even more of a fairy then she already did. "how are you in my dream?"
"i do not know i woke up in the forest" he replied. He slowly walked towards her more with his hands still raised. "what is your name?"
"i asked first!" she replied precociously.
"so you did!" he replied. He bowed low at the waist. "allow me to introduce myself". He stood back up strait. "my name is ichabod crane, little miss, what is yours?". The little girl stood up and brushed leaves from herself. She then curtsied to the best of her ability and stood up strait.
"my name is Callista-Grace!" she replied smiling, dimples apearing in her cheeks.
"it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance".
The smile suddenly disappeared from her porcelain face. Head wiped around as if someone was calling her name. She turned back. "i have to go!" she said sharply as she backed away. Ichabod could see the fear in her captivating emerald green eyes.
"wait!" he called.
"i have to go!" she called again. Then she span around, her long crimson hair floated and bounced in tandem as she ran away and was consumed by the fog.
Ichabod suddenly jerked awake, sitting upright in his bed, from his dream breathing deeply. Looking around wildly.