Princess of the Midnight Ball

by Jessica Day George

  The Black Wool Chain

  Materials:

  US #10 double-pointed needles (set of 4)

  1 skein wool yarn

  Instructions:

  Cast on 24 stitches, dividing them evenly among three needles (8 per needle). Place marker and join for working in the round, careful not to twist. Knit 4 rounds, bind off and weave in ends. Cast on 24 stitches, slide previous link onto needles so that it is hanging from your middle needle, making sure that your working yarn is not entangled in the link. Join and knit 4 rounds, bind off. Cast on 24 stitches, slide your links onto the center needle, making sure that your yarn is not entangled and that only one (not both!) of the links is hanging from the new soon-to-be link. Knit 4 rounds, bind off. Continue in this manner for as many links as you can stand to make.

  To felt: Put the chain in a zippered pillowcase, or a regular pillowcase (tie the opening in a knot so that the chain doesn’t fall out) and wash it on hot/cold with a towel or two to increase agitation. Wash the chain 2-3 times, until it is felted to your satisfaction. Roll it in a towel to squeeze out excess water, and arrange it on another towel to dry, shaping links to your liking.

  In addition to more magical uses, the chain can be used as a belt, scarf, or the strap of a bag. Man-made fibers will not felt, nor will “superwash” wool that has been treated to make it washable. Make sure that your yarn is 100% wool or a blend of wool and other natural fibers such as mohair, angora, or soy. The label will often indicate if the yarn will felt or not.

  Pronunciation Guide

  The continent of Ionia is roughly based on Europe, and Westfalin is much like early-nineteenth-century Germany. The majority of the names used are real German names, and should be pronounced as such. For example, j is pronounced as y, and w is v.

  Bruch brook

  Galen gay-len

  Heinrich hine-rick

  Illiken Ill-i-ken

  Jutta yuh-tuh

  Kathe kay-teh

  Liesel lee-zell

  Reiner ry-ner

  Rionin ry-o-nin

  Schelker shel-kur

  Tante (aunt) tahn-tuh

  Ulrike ull-REE-kuh

  Vogel foh-gel

  Von Aue fon ow-uh

  Walter val-ter

  Werner ver-ner

  Westfalin VEST-fahl-in

  Wolfram vulf-rahm

  Acknowledgments

  I must admit that this isn’t the book I originally wrote for my sister, Jenn, but it’s still a good one and still for her. The original book for Jenn may never see the light of day, sadly. But as I was pondering who this book might belong to, I thought of her. She introduced me to fantasy books, chaperoned me at World Fantasy Con, and did countless other things well above and beyond the call of normal sisterly duty.

  So here you go, my dear, your very own book!

  I would be in a rubber-walled room going “glub, blub, glub” right now if it weren’t for some amazing people: my long-suffering husband, my sister/therapist/fashion consultant, and the rest of the family, in-laws and all. You couldn’t ask for more wonderful, understanding, and supportive people. They have spread the word about my books, watched my kid while I wrote, traveled all over to see me dramatically read and sign at bookstores, and just been all-around fab.

  I am especially grateful for my agent, who talks in a soothing voice when I call up freaking out, and who didn’t say, “Another fairy tale retelling?” when I told her about this book, but, “Sounds interesting.” (And that’s why I love her.) And my editor, who didn’t say, “Knitting patterns?!” when I told her about this book, but, “Oooh!” (And that’s why I love her. Also, she sends me chocolate.)

  The Boy and Pippin were mostly distractions, but they are both Terribly Cute, and I wouldn’t be the same without them.

  And finally, I would like to thank the good people of Twizzler, whose Strawberry Twists got me through the original writing of this book. Also, the fine makers of Canada Dry Ginger Ale, who got me through the rewrite when I realized that the sick feeling in my stomach wasn’t nerves—it was Baby 2.0!

  ALSO BY JESSICA DAY GEORGE

  Dragon Slippers

  Dragon Flight

  Dragon Spear

  Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

  Copyright © 2009 by Jessica Day George

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner

  whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief

  quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  First published in the United States of America in February 2009

  by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers

  E-book edition published in February 2011

  www.bloomsburyteens.com

  For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to

  Permissions, Bloomsbury BFYR, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

  George, Jessica Day.

  Princess of the Midnight Ball / by Jessica Day George. — 1st U.S. ed.

  p. cm.

  Summary: A retelling of the tale of twelve princesses who wear out their shoes dancing

  every night, and of Galen, a former soldier now working in the king’s gardens, who

  follows them in hopes of breaking the curse.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-59990-322-4 • ISBN-10: 1-59990-322-9

  [1. Fairy tales. 2. Princesses—Fiction. 3. Dancing—Fiction. 4. Soldiers—Fiction. 5. Magic—Fiction.

  6. Blessing and cursing—Fiction.] I. Title.

  PZ8.G3295Pri 2009 [Fic]—dc22 2008030310

  ISBN 978-1-59990-772-7 (e-book)