"Wake up, little one."
Her eyes opened, taking in the forest around her, green and healthy. Sun streamed in through the leaves, illuminating their veins, and sending shadows flickering across her warmed face. A breeze blew, bringing with it laughter.
How peaceful, she thought, relishing in the warmth. She had wished often that she could spend her days enjoying the weather in peace, with no thoughts or worries to trouble her. She wanted only to have peace. She felt whole and good under those trees, with no true identity, no idea of who she truly was or what she had to do. She lifted her hands to the sky, examining her smooth and pale flesh thoughtfully.
It was not to be though, for as she blinked again, the sun died away and the trees lost their healthy glow. They grew dark and demonic, their limbs reaching for her hungrily, and her heart turned cold.
This was not how it was meant to be. she dropped her hands to her side before pushing herself up into a sitting position, seeing the white dress she wore, now torn and dirtied beyond recognition.
The laughter died down into sorrowful sighs and she felt her body grow heavy and tired while her heart hammered away, cold and afraid. She could feel the forest watching her, hungrily awaiting the moment when she would slip up and allow her vigilance to falter, and then snatch her away. It would eat her alive, she thought, without a second thought. She could hear things moving among the dead branches and she hunched her shoulders against the danger.
She had failed. Everything had been destroyed by the darkness, it spread across the world and smothered all things light and good.
She let out a breath, watching as it spiraled out into the air in front of her and dropped her gaze to her clasped hands where they sat in her lap.
A warmth grew there, between her palms, and she scrunched her brows together in confusion.
Perhaps it was the ring? Comforting her in the only way it knew how.
"No, little one, look.
A voice echoed around her, kind and warm, and she searched about for its source before turning her eyes back to her clasped hands and ever so carefully opened her palms. Within her hands sat the smallest balls of light, glowing gently, defiantly, against the darkness hovering over her shoulder hungrily. She lifted her hands to her face and made out the smallest of figures sleeping within her hold, peaceful and ignorant of the evil sheltered from it by her hands.
A little angel, she thought, for the creature had cherub like features and glittering wings.
"A fairy."
Warmth spread from her palms, up her arms, and across her body at the realization.
"You will be fine," the voice spoke again. "As long as they live there is hope."
"What are they?" she whispered, staring at the creature in awe.
"They are what makes the flowers grow, the birds sing, and the rain fall. They are everything."
"Why does no one know of them?" she voiced her thoughts, never having recalled reading of such a creature in Middle Earth.
"They have been hiding since the dawn of time," it answered in a hushed tone. "Now wake them."