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  HOLLYWOOD ARTS STORY COLUMN Ava.jpg By Ava Argos

I hope you're enjoying the first edition of the HA Times. I'm Ava Argos, a dancer and tenth grader here at Hollywood Arts. I love writing crazy stories, so here is one that I came up with. Some of you are featured in it! Enjoy!

Medieval Times In Los Angelica

''There once was a kingdom, long ago, called Los Angelica. In the center of Los Angelica was a castle where all the nobility lived in the lap of luxury. This tale is about a princess who was about to be married. But before she can become a bride, something will ruin it all - the Dragon of Stony Cave. Will two tiny fairies be able to help?''

The Characters

Princess Denise-Delilah (Denise Wilson)

Prince Ryan III (Ryan Burghley)

Queen Jasmine (Jasmine Wilson)

King Austin (Austin Montgomery)

Court Entertainers: Minstrel Mary Grace (Mary Grace York), Minstrel Victoria (Tori Vega), Jester Caterina (Cat Valentine)

The Dragon of Stony Cave (Jade West)

Purple Pixie (Rachelle Redford)

Pink Pixie (Ava Argos - me!)

Peasant Jaeda (Jaeda Grande)

Peasant Hope (Hope Silver)

Knight Emma, aka Knight Max (Emma Lewis)

Other Knights: Knight Beckett (Beck Oliver), Knight Andre (Andre Harris), Knight James (James Ward)

The All-Knowing Wizard Robert (Robbie Shapiro)

Strange Guy at Market (Sinjin Van Cleef)

Lords and Ladies of the Kingdom (all other students - some will have cameos)

Chapter One

Another dawn, another day in the kingdom of Los Angelica. The peasants still woke up at sunrise and traveled to the market for another day of trade. That strange guy at market continued to offer loaves of bread with mysterious purple speckles and evil eye chains. (Peasants continued to ignore him.) The wind blew in from the west, as always. Stony Cave still stood deserted in that direction. And the castle in the center of it all was still guarded by large brick walls and four intimidating knights.

This morning, two peasant girls named Jaeda and Hope walked down to market, hoping to trade a net of fresh salmon for a pint of medicine. Jaeda and Hope, as always, ignored the guy at market and his purple-spotted breads and approached the wizard's booth.

Jaeda smoothed down her pale blue trading dress and knocked firmly on the wooden door to the wizard's booth three times.

"Peasants Jaeda and Hope request the attention of the All-Knowing Wizard Robert!" she called.

"What is it you seek?" responded the calm, wise voice of Wizard Robert.

"We wish to offer you, the Wizard, a trade," Hope told him.

The wooden door opened just a crack. It didn't take long for the smell of incense to hit Jaeda and Hope's noses. "Come in, girls, come in."

Hope and Jaeda stepped inside Wizard Robert's booth. The entire room was swallowed in darkness, except for one corner of the room, where a small red candle was always glowing. Wizard Robert believed that semi-darkness and separation from the sounds of the market were two good thinking grounds.

"Good morning, girls. What is it that you wish to trade?" the Wizard asked. It was strange, to hear his voice, but to never know what he truly looked like. His face was always covered in shadows.

Hope tucked a dark curl behind her ear and said, "We have a net full of fresh salmon that we wish to trade for a pint of your rare medicine."

With pale hands, Jaeda offered the net for Wizard Robert to examine.

"Ah, excellent," he murmured. "This will be just enough salmon flesh for my next vaccine...I'll take it. Ah, and here is the medicine." He reached under the small violet pouf he was sitting on and handed them a small, green glass bottle.

"Perfect! This will be just enough to keep Mother alive this winter.  Thanks ever so much, Wizard Robert!" Jaeda's blue-gray eyes lit up with delight.

"Any time, girls, any time," said the Wizard. Just as Jaeda and Hope were turning to leave with their pint of medicine, he called. "Ah, and girls - do you wish to have your fortunes read on this visit?"

The sisters exchanged glances. "Well, we weren't exactly planning on it - "

"We'd love to," Jaeda cut Hope off, not wanting to be rude.

"Well, if that is what you wish, take a seat."

The girls turned back around, Hope doing so rather reluctantly. They each took a seat on a multi-colored pouf, then held out their palms for the Wizard to read and squeeze.

Wizard Robert fingered the cracks in their palms, squeezed their hands, and then chanted some things in French. Once the girls knew his eyes had popped open once more, their skin ravaged with goosebumps as they waited for the Wizard to proclaim their fate.

He started right away. "It appears that you two are in grave danger."

There was silence. He continued,

"Something is out to kill or capture you. The attempt will happen in the middle of the biggest opportunities of your lives, which should be occurring soon.  But, you have one sliver of hope.  So as not to lose the hope, here is my advice: don't be afraid to trust in something, no matter how small."

Hope gulped and said, "Is that all?" Jaeda was rooted to the spot with fear.

"Yes, I think so."

They turned to leave the Wizard without bidding him farewell, when he said,

"Ah, and you would do well not to visit Stony Cave ever again."

''That's all for this week! Next week's issue will have chapter two, and more will be revealed! Thanks for reading! - Ava ♥''