The Night Dance (Once Upon a Time)

Title: The Night Dance

Series: Once Upon a Time

Year: 2005

Author: Suzanne Weyn

Summary: Under the stars, in a secret world...

Rowena, the youngest of twelve sisters, loves to slip out of the castle at night and dance in a magical forest. Soon she convinces her sisters to join her. When Sir Ethan notices that his daughters' slippers look tattered every morning, he is certain they've been sneaking out. So he posts a challenge to all the suitors in the kingdom: The first man to discover where his daughters have been is free to marry the one he chooses.

Meanwhile a handsome young knight named Bedivere is involved in a challenge of his own: to return the powerful sword, Excalibur, to a mysterious lake. While looking for the lake, Bedivere meets the beautiful Rowena and falls for her. Bedivere knows that accepting Sir Ethan's challenge is the only opportunity for him to be with Rowena forever. But this puts both Bedivere and Rowena in a dangerous situation... one in which they risk their lives for a chance at love.

Review: This review was originally written for publication on Fairy Tale Central. Click here to read the full review.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you crossed the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses with Arthurian legends? Bet you didn't think of it until now -- and the result has got to be something amazing, right?

Almost.

When Sir Ethan stumbles into a seemingly enchanted forest and falls in love with a mysterious woman, he has little idea who she really is -- other than his devoted, one true love, that is. After the horrors of battle, he's eager to settle down with his beloved and start a new life for himself. And for a good while, all things are just as happy as he could want them.

His wife gives birth to a set of twin girls. And then nine months later, has another set of twin girls. Nine months pass -- twin girls again. And again. Until there are twelve girls in total, all twins and all super close in age. Their little cottage is crowded, but life is still happy for Ethan and his thirteen women.

Until his wife starts acting strangely. She slips out at random times and has no real answer for him about what she's doing or where she's gone when she gets back. Because he loves her, he doesn't question her -- and then one day she doesn't return. When every search proves fruitless, Ethan does the next best thing he can: he turns their tiny cottage in the woods into a secure manor, the perfect prison that will keep his daughters always close to him, without ever having to fear that they, too, will leave him.

Advisory: Obviously, be prepared for some romance. With this much insta-love, we've got several kisses. Additionally, there are a few scenes that describe a woman with more-or-less transparent clothing on; while the author doesn't go into detail, those hints are definitely there.

One of the suitors trying his hand at the mysterious worn-out shoe challenge is a bit lustful in my way of thinking. He flirts pretty shamelessly with the sisters and very nearly takes one to bed with him, [spoiler ahead] the same sister that later believes herself falling in love with him because he said he was willing to marry her over her other sisters if she told him the secret [end spoiler]. That, I found a little distasteful and I wanted to slap them both in the face, him for his lecherous behavior and her for her lack of common sense.

The knight Bedivere is a knight under King Arthur, so naturally there follows him some fighting, injury, and death of his fellows in battle. The violence is not over the top in any way, and I thought it was well-handled for the novel.

Again, click here to read the full review. And be sure to check out all the other fun Twelve Dancing Princesses posts on Fairy Tale Central this month!

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars