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Once upon a time, there was a young man who believed there was nothing more important than a wish. Not just any wish, of course. The one that drives your heart. The one that makes you who you are. But he also understood just how impossible it can be to make that wish come true. How easily dreams can be destroyed.
And so, he set out to do something about it. He studied the magic of the world tirelessly and became a mighty sorcerer, able to protect any wish given to him from harm or ill will, and for the good and the worthy even grant that wish. The sorcerer didn’t know if the world would want his gift. But he and his loyal wife found the most perfect island deep in the Mediterranean Sea. And there they built a kingdom like no other. Where anyone, any family, no matter where they came from were welcome. And to their joy, people came, settled there from far and wide, gave their wish and appreciation for his protection, and with the very hope it could one day be granted.
This place would be Rosas. Where Asha, her grandfather, mother, and a talkative, little goat named Valentino live. Today was the day she was going to try to become the king’s apprentice. It was something she had been wanting since she was a little kid. She could never fully wrap her brain around how his magic worked. So, she was going to try to learn and maybe, just maybe get her grandfather, Sabino’s, wish granted by the king. Now you may ask yourself why not herself or her mother. But the reason why he was special was because his 100th birthday was next month and not all the time but usually, the king has wish ceremonies once a month.
Asha is currently on her way to the castle. She can see boats coming onto the shore and a tour guide info dumping on the new arrivals. They usually speak about giving your wish on your eighteenth birthday and it getting granted. Asha would know since she’d done the touring a couple of times before she heard the king was hiring a new apprentice. When she got close to the castle she ran over to the kitchen. Multiple of her friends were working there and she really needed to rant to her friend, Dahlia, about the interview that was in half an hour. “OMG-The interview is in half an hour and I am stressing and I'm nervous-am I sweating cause it feels like I am” “Woah, Woah slow down. What interview?” She jokingly smirked. Asha half-heartedly grumbled, “You know what interview!!!” “Do I now?” “YESS”
Asha grabbed a bit of the mixture that Dahlia was stirring and threw it hitting the side of her dress. “Ohh you're getting it now,” She said laughing and flicking the mixture off of the spoon she was using at Asha. “OW, okay, okay,” She said her laughter dying down “Hey the interview will go fine, you’re awesome Asha, you’re gonna get the job, I know it,” Dahlia said trying to comfort her “and even more awesomely I’m gonna be best friends with the king’s apprentice!!”. “Ughh I don’t know, like, i feel like i can’t speak like what do i say, you know what ask me an interview question” “Okay, um, Asha what’s your weakness” “Weakness? Um… i get irrational when I'm nervous?” “No, no. You care too much” “I do? Wait is that a weakness?” Asha questioned. “That’s why it’s perfect. You’re welcome” Dahlia smirked. “-Just relax. You’re surrounded by us, your friends.”
Dahlia pulls some cookies out of the oven and five of Asha’s other friends rush over to get a bite, saying in unison cookies! She watches her friends in their antics, seeing one of them accidentally sneeze on the other's cookie. “Here you can have mine, i can’t eat” “Ohh, right your interview with the king. Hey look at me, don’t worry. We’ll be here for you when you fail” says Gabo. “Gabo,” says Hal shaking their head. Dario then eats the sneezed-on cookie after everyone scrambles to say that it was sneezed-on. “Anyway. Not that i blame you for trying to cheat the system.” “What? I’m not trying to cheat at anything” Gabo chuckles. “Come onn. Everyone knows that the king’s apprentices get their wish granted, and usually their family’s wishes too” “Uh…” “Not always….” Dahlia chimes in. “Ooh.. maybe always” “Wait isn’t your Saba turning 100 next month and still waiting?” “Ignore him” Dahlia cuts in. “BAHBUBAHBABABHA” Gabo interrupts waving his finger obnoxiously in their faces. “Not to mention the fact that you’re also turning 18” “Happy birthday,” Dario says dorkily, Gabo looks at him judgingly “In a few months..not today. And when you give your wish to the king,”
He quickly switches the focus of the conversation “you don’t wanna end up like Simon here, do you?” “Huh? What’s wrong with Simon here?” Simon says half awake. “It’s- I don’t know. You're kind of boring now. No offense” “Have I become boring? Do..Do you all think that?” Simon says in a worried tone looking up at them. “No, not boring. Just…” Asha tries to reassure him, “Calmer.” Dahlia says finishing her sentence. “Oh,” Simon responds. “Oh, Simon don’t worry. You’re still you. And I bet you’ll get your wish granted really soon.” Asha says trying to comfort him. Gabo then buts in “Unlike your poor, old Saba who’s still waiting-” Ash grabs some flour and blows it in Gabo’s face, smirking. “Ahem” Everyone scrambles in front of the kitchen island. “The queen” Asha mutters. They all bow saying variations of Your Majesty and Queen Amaya. “Asha, the king is ready for you.” “Now? Am i late? I thought i..” “You’re fine. The last interview…finished early. Shall we?” She says the one-part hesitantly with an embarrassed expression. Kind of saying that it went terribly. “Oh, okay, I’m ready!” Asha turns towards Dahlia nervously whispering and fidgeting “I am so not ready.” “You’re fine. Just don’t touch anything. Don’t forget to curtsy. And tell him i love him~” “What?” “I’m kidding. Do not tell him that.” Asha chuckles “Great. Thank you. Thank you so much”
Asha quickly walks away trying to catch up to the queen. On the way there the Queen gives some advice here and there. “I’m rooting for you Asha” “You are” “Mm-hmm” “Oh thank you, ma’am. But..why?” Asha says fidgeting with her hair. “Well, I see the way you look out for others. It’s clear how much you love this kingdom and its people” “Well, of course” “That kind of generosity has always been the true essence of Rosas.” Amaya grabs Asha’s hands “Now, are you ready to meet the king?” “Oh, I hope so” Asha says laughing nervously. Queen Amaya opens the door to the king’s study. “Wow” Asha says amazed. Amaya laughs “He’ll be right with you, I'm going to check on the ceremony” Oh I almost forgot Asha thinks. “Oh, um, okay…bye”
Asha walks around a bit, admiring the giant bookshelves, with spiral stairs against them and the artwork on the walls, mostly of the king. She walks closer to the books inspecting them. They’re all books on different magic: fire magic, the history of spells. She keeps looking along the shelves until she sees a book encased in glass. “Oh no, no, no, no” The king appears behind her. “Asha that book is forbidden.” “Oh. Hi. I was just um…” Accidentally touches the glass and blue wasps start crowding and buzzing around her “AH. Whats happening!!” “Well i put a spell on the glass.” Asha tries to swat them away but fails “Well, i just thought the etchings were-pretty!” Asha keeps trying to swat them and is scrambling around them. The king then groups them together and puts them back on the glass. “Um, are you okay?” No i..um i mean, yes” Asha says fumbling “And i understand if you want me to leave and never show my face again.”
“Ohh, please, let's not overreact. You’re here, You’ve certainly got my attention. So, go ahead. Tell me why you think you should be my apprentice.” “Okay, well…I care too much” “....Okay that’s interesting.” “It’s my weakness. Figured I might as well get through all the bad stuff right up front.” “Fair enough. And your strengths..?” “Glad you asked. I’m a quick learner and a hard worker, and I help well. And i’m-young so I’m malleable, but not too young-so that I’m to malleable.” “..Ah..” “Oh, and i like to draw.” Asha quickly grabs her notebook and on the corner is a small drawing of Valentino, running when you flip the pages. “Uh..what am i looking at?” “It’s a goat” “Oh” “It's hopping” “Certainly” “See?” “Oh Again ah heh” “It’s hopping” “That is a unique talent. Do we call that a talent?” “Oh, well, it’s just something my father taught me.” “I think i remember your father.” “Really?” “He was a philosopher, wasn’t he? Always talking about the stars.” Asha chuckles “..We used to climb that tree on the high ridge, where it becomes just you and the stars. You know, he’d say, the stars are there to guide us, to inspire us, to remind us to believe in possibility. Well, even when he was sick, he’d take me out at night to dream. All i dreamed about was him getting better.”
“How old were you when he passed?” “Twelve” “That’s not fair is it? When i was young, i too suffered great loss.” I…i didn’t know that. I’m sorry” “My entire family, our lands were destroyed by selfish, greedy thieves. Hm, if only i’d known magic back then. You see, i founded this kingdom so there would be a place where everyone is safe. Asha, no one should ever have to see their dreams destroyed before their eyes.” “No one should have to live their life feeling the pain of that loss every day.” “And that's why i do what i do.” “And that's why i wanna work with you” “Mm-hmm, Alright well the ceremony will be soon. I would like you to come if you are up for it?” “Yes, yes i would” “See you there then” “Yup see ya”
Asha went back downstairs trying to remember the way back to the kitchen. “Hey how did it go” “Umm i think it went well!! Like he invited me to the ceremony tonight so i think it well” Asha and Dahlia shared a quick embrace “See i knew you could do it. Now i can have someone to sneak me pictures of the king!” Asha rolls her eyes “I am not doing that” “I’m kidding but its awesome how the king’s apprentice is my best friend!!” “Wow so you actually got the job” Gabo cuts in “Did you ask about your poor Saba” “Actually I didn’t I think it would be better as a fun surprise birthday gift” “Yea if he’s still living” Gabo mutters “What was that?” “Nothing, Hey-” Asha quickly goes over and ruffs up his hair. “Okay I’m gonna go get ready for the ceremony I’ll see ya guys” Asha squeals “Yep see ya Asha” “Byee” “Goodbye Asha”.