Chapter 1 Summary

Azalea is dressed and ready for the Yuletide Ball, which is the Christmas Eve ball held in the palace each year. Ever since Azalea's mother has fallen ill, Azalea has been running the palace. She visits her mother, who is also pregnant with her twelfth child, before going to the ball. Azalea is concerned something is wrong because her mother's lips turn red and then white. While she is visiting, her mother gives Azalea a handkerchief with the initials BEW on it. When Azalea leaves her mother, she goes to the King to tell him he needs to send for the doctor. He tells Azalea that he has required her 10 sisters to stay in their rooms and away from the ball tonight, after an incident the previous year where they all, including Azalea, hid in the rosebush outside peeking in and ended up...