To Phoebe and Zoe, as they are the inspiration behind Magic Ballerina.

Contents

Cover Page

Dedication

Author’s Note

Map of Enchantia

Magic Ballerina: Rosa and The Secret Princess

Prologue

1. Rosa

2. Magic!

3. The Swan Princess

4. Captured!

5. Rosa’s Plan

6. Escape!

7. Friends Again

Darcey’s Magical Masterclass

Magic Ballerina: Rosa and The Golden Bird

1. At the Theatre

2. Enchantia Again!

3. The Fairy’s Plan

4. Traps in the Trees

5. In the Clearing

6. Rescued!

7. The Firebird’s Feather

8. Second Chances

Darcey’s Magical Masterclass

Magic Ballerina: Rosa and The Magic Moonstone

1. Exam Time

2. Whisked Away!

3. The Missing Moonstone

4. The Thief

5. Stolen Goods!

6. The First Fairy

7. Nothing’s Impossible

Darcey’s Magical Masterclass

Magic Ballerina: Rosa and the Special Prize

1. A Dream Come True

2. Sparkling Shoes!

3. A Song In the Cave

4. Ballet Magic!

5. Hide and Seek

6. The Great Green Cave

7. Neptune’s Revenge

8. Coming Home

Darcey’s Magical Masterclass

Magic Ballerina: Rosa and the Magic Dream

1. Audition Day

2. Serendipity

3. The North Tower

4. In the Tower!

5. A Spinning Dance

6. The Sun Sets

7. The Letter

Darcey’s Magical Masterclass

Magic Ballerina: Rosa and the Three Wishes

1. The Last Day

2. The Ballet Shoes

3. An Angry Crowd

4. King Rat’s Castle

5. Tricking King Rat!

6. Wishing Magic

7. The Final Wish

8. Holly’s New Beginning

Darcey’s Magical Masterclass

Acknowledgements

Copyright

About the Publisher

Author’s Note

Welcome to the world of Enchantia!

I have always loved to dance. The captivating music and wonderful stories of ballet are so inspiring. So come with me and let’s follow Rosa on her magical adventures in Enchantia, where the stories of dance will take you on a very special journey.

p.s. Look at the end of each story to learn a special dance step from me…

Map

Prologue

In the soft, pale light, the girl stood with her head bent and her hands held lightly in front of her. There was a moment’s silence and then the first notes of the music began. For as long as the girl could remember music had seemed to tell her of another world – a magical, exciting world – that lay far, far away. She always felt if she could just close her eyes and lose herself, then she would get there. Maybe this time. As the music swirled inside her, she swept her arms above her head, rose on to her toes and began to dance…

Rosa ran up the steps to the old front door and turned the brass handle. She liked to get to Madame Za-Za’s ballet school early so she could warm up before class and today was particularly special because it was her first day back after the summer holidays. She couldn’t wait for classes to start again.

Hurrying to the changing rooms, she put on her pink leotard. Over the summer she had made a new friend, Olivia, who was going to be starting at the ballet school that very day. Rosa had arranged to meet her before class to show her around. She was really looking forward to it!

It’s going to be very different this term, she thought. Several of the older girls who had been in her class had moved up into another group. Rosa was going to miss them, particularly her friend, Delphie. At the end of last term, Delphie had given Rosa a pair of red ballet shoes that didn’t fit her any longer. They were very old and the leather was very soft. Now Rosa took them out of her bag and put them on, crossing the ribbons neatly over her ankles and tying them firmly. They fitted perfectly.

When Delphie had given her the shoes, she had said something odd – something about: “Watch out for King Rat”. Rosa didn’t have a clue what she had meant by that, and the few times she had seen Delphie in the summer, the dark-haired girl had refused to tell her. She had just kept smiling mysteriously and saying that the ballet shoes were very special.

And indeed, Rosa loved them and couldn’t wait to start dancing. Going over to the mirror, she fixed her long white-blonde hair into a bun. Then she put on her favourite hairclip before leaving the changing rooms to go to the ballet studio. She wished she could come to classes every day. When I’m older I will, she thought. She was determined she was going to be a ballerina just like her mum had once been. Her mother didn’t dance any more because she had been in a car accident, which had left her in a wheelchair, but she helped Rosa practise.

Rosa went to the long wooden barre that ran all the way around the walls and began to warm up. The red ballet shoes felt really comfortable, and it was so lovely to be back in the ballet studio again that she completely lost track of the time. A little while later she looked at the clock and gasped. It was only a few minutes until the class started. She had promised Olivia she would meet her in the changing rooms almost ten minutes ago!

As Rosa ran back to the changing rooms, she was worried that Olivia would be alone and upset. She burst through the changing room doors and stopped dead…

Olivia was standing there with two of the other girls from the class. She was laughing as one of them helped her tie her brown hair back and smiled, in what seemed to Rosa a casual way. “Oh, hi there, Rosa!”

“Hi. I’m…I’m sorry I wasn’t here to meet you,” Rosa said, feeling a bit silly to have burst in so quickly. She felt suddenly unsure of herself, seeing her friend so at ease.

Olivia smiled. “Don’t worry. Everyone’s been really friendly. Asha and Rebecca showed me round.”

Asha, who was fixing Olivia’s hair, smiled. “Madame Za-Za’s a cool teacher. I bet you’re going to love coming to classes here, Olivia.”

A mixture of emotions swirled around inside Rosa. She was pleased that Olivia wasn’t upset but she also felt a tiny twinge of jealousy that the other girls had been the ones to take her new friend around. “I was going to show you how it worked and help you get ready,” she said. She knew she sounded cross and grumpy but she couldn’t stop herself. Olivia looked surprised. “But you weren’t here, Rosa and…” She broke off. “Look, why don’t you show me round again after class?”

“Oh, what’s the point?” Rosa said angrily. “You’ve seen everything now!” And with that, she marched back to the ballet studio.

As soon as Rosa got to the studio, her anger faded. She felt awful. She shouldn’t have snapped like that. All Olivia had done was make friends with the others.

I’d better say sorry, Rosa thought guiltily. She felt annoyed with herself. Her mum was always telling her she needed to control her temper and think more before she acted but sometimes she just couldn’t help herself. It just welled up inside her and came out – like all the times in her old school when the girls had teased her about her mum. Just then, Olivia came into the studio with the other girls and gave her a hurt look. But before Rosa could run over and apologise, Madame Za-Za also came in. The ballet teacher was wearing a calf-length dress and bangles on her wrists. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun. Her face was lined but her eyes were very bright. She clapped her hands for silence.

“Welcome, girls. Let’s start at the barre. No talking please!”

Rosa knew there would be no chance to say sorry now until the end of the class. Madame Za-Za got very cross if she thought anyone was chatting and not listening. “Facing the barre, first position please.”

Rosa followed Madame Za-Za’s instructions wishing she could apologise.

After they had worked at the barre and then in the centre of the room, Madame Za-Za told them that they were going to learn a dance from Swan Lake.

“Who can tell me the story of Swan Lake?” she asked.

Rosa put up her hand. It had been the last ballet her mother had ever danced in and one of her favourites. “It’s about a magician who enchants a princess called Odette. In the day time she’s a swan – the Swan Queen – but at night time she turns back into a girl.”

“Very good,” said Madame Za-Za. “That is indeed the basis of the story. One night, a prince sees the Swan Queen, falls in love with her and invites her to a ball. But the evil magician stops Odette from going and instead uses magic to disguise his daughter, Odile, to look like her. The prince thinking Odile is Odette asks her to marry him.”

Madame Za-Za smiled. “You will all be swans dancing with the Swan Queen. Rosa, I would like you to be the main part.”

Rosa gasped. “Me!”

Madame Za-Za smiled at her. “I am sure you will dance it very well.”

Rosa was delighted. She listened intently to Madame Za-Za’s instructions as all the swans surrounded the Swan Queen.

There was one tricky bit where she had to dance to one side and then the other, before turning another pirouette while the others danced in towards her and then out, over and over again. They practised it quite a few times without the music and then Madame Za-Za put the CD on. Rosa really wanted to get it right. But she overbalanced on her pirouette and bumped into Olivia, treading heavily on her foot. Olivia gasped and stumbled into Asha, knocking her over.

Madame Za-Za snapped the music off. “Honestly, girls. Come along, you can do better than that! Up you get, Asha. Let’s try again.”

Rosa looked quickly at Olivia. She tried to mouth “sorry” but Olivia turned away. Rosa groaned inwardly. She was sure Olivia thought she had stood on her foot on purpose.

When the class finished, she hurried towards her friend.

“Rosa!” Madame Za-Za called. “May I have a word please?”

Rosa shot a look at Olivia’s disappearing back but there was nothing she could do. She walked back to the teacher. Madame Za-Za was putting away the CD. Rosa waited as she finished.

“I see you have the red ballet shoes, Rosa,“ Madame Za-Za said.

Rosa nodded. “Delphie Durand gave them to me.”

Madame Za-Za smiled. “So they found the perfect home. Did you know they used to belong to me a long time ago?”

“No,” Rosa said, in her astonishment forgetting about Olivia.

Madame Za-Za nodded. “They are very special shoes, Rosa.”

“Delphie told me that,” Rosa said.

“I hope you find out quite how special they are,” Madame Za-Za smiled warmly. “Now, go and get changed.”

Part of Rosa wanted to ask Madame Za-Za what she meant about the shoes being special but she also wanted to catch Olivia before she left. She hurried out but saw it was too late. Olivia was just going through the front door with her mother.

“Olivia!” Rosa called.

But Olivia had already walked out and the door was shutting behind her.

Rosa’s heart sank. I’ll phone her and say sorry as soon as I get home, she thought as she went to the changing room.

The other girls were just leaving. They called goodbye and soon Rosa was on her own. She sat down and bent over to untie the ribbons on her red shoes. As she did so her feet started to tingle. She gasped. The shoes were sparkling and glowing!

She jumped to her feet and then cried out in astonishment as a swirl of rainbow colours and a sweet tinkling of music surrounded her. She started to spin round!

What was going on? She shut her eyes tightly, her heart pounding. Round and round she went until her feet met solid ground. She blinked.

She wasn’t in the changing rooms any more, she was standing in a forest, and through the trees she could see a shimmering dark lake with a single swan swimming on it!

Rosa stared. Where was she? No wonder Delphie and Madame Za-Za had been telling her the ballet shoes were special! They’re magic, she thought, her heart flipping. Oh wow!

There were tall trees all around her and to the right of the lake she could see a big, dark castle. What should she do? She couldn’t just stay standing there. Which way should she go?

Not to the castle, she decided. It looked so forbidding. Instead, she made her way cautiously through the trees towards the lake.

Suddenly, she saw a flash of pink ahead of her. There was someone dancing in the trees. She hurried forward and stopped in amazement as she saw that the dancer was a fairy! The fairy had a tutu made of layers of brown and pink silk and a pale pink bodice with sequins embroidered over it. Her wavy chestnut hair was tied back in a bun. She had delicate wings and in one hand she held a wand. As she saw Rosa, she stopped with a gasp. Her gaze flew to Rosa’s feet. “You’re the girl with the red shoes! The new girl!” She ran over, her brown eyes shining with excitement. “Oh, I’m so glad to see you!”

“You are?” Rosa said in bewilderment.

“Of course!” The fairy seized her hands. “You’re here to help, aren’t you? Sugar told me you would come.”

“Help?” echoed Rosa. “Who’s Sugar? And where exactly am I?”

“You’re in Enchantia, of course!” said the fairy breathlessly. “The magical land of ballet. Oh dear, I’m sorry,” she said, looking at Rosa’s bewildered face. “Sugar said you wouldn’t have been here before and that I had to tell you everything from the beginning. It’s just I’m so excited to see you. I haven’t been doing proper magic for very long and I’ve never met a human before!”

Rosa smiled cautiously as the fairy’s words tumbled out one after another. “So who exactly is Sugar?” she asked.

The fairy took a deep breath and spoke a little more slowly. “She’s my older sister – the Sugar Plum Fairy – she knows lots about magic. I’m Nutmeg by the way. Whenever we have a big problem in Enchantia the red ballet shoes bring someone from your world who can help us, a girl who loves to dance,”

Rosa stared at her. So she was in a magic land and she was there to help! “Will…will I get to go home again?” she asked.

Nutmeg nodded. “Of course. The shoes will take you back when the problem is solved. No time passes in the human world while you’re here so no one will even know you’ve been gone.”

Rosa breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment she had thought about her mum waiting for her and getting really worried. That would have been dreadful!

“What’s your name?” the fairy asked.

“Rosa.”

“It’s so lovely to see you, Rosa. We really need your help,” Nutmeg said. “King Rat’s causing dreadful trouble again!”

“King Rat!” Rosa breathed, remembering Delphie’s words. So that must have been what Delphie was talking about. She must have come here too!

“Yes,” replied Nutmeg. “You see everyone in Enchantia loves dancing except for that horrible rodent. He keeps coming up with mean plans to stop us and now he’s taken the King and Queen’s niece, Princess Cressida.”

“Princess Cressida?” Rosa scratched her head. It was all a lot to take in.

“Yes, Cressida was on her way to visit her aunt and uncle to keep them company whilst their own daughter, Aurelia, is away. Nutmeg explained. Anyway, King Rat has captured Cressida to stop all the balls and dancing that would go on for her visit. Without her at the palace there won’t be any celebrations.”

“So where has he taken her?” breathed Rosa.

“She’s here in his castle grounds,” said Nutmeg. “He’s put a spell on her so that by day she’s a swan, but by night she’s the princess again.”

“Just like Swan Lake!” Rosa said excitedly.

“Yes, exactly,” Nutmeg nodded. “That’s where King Rat got the idea from. Look, there’s Princess Cressida on the Enchanted Lake now.” Nutmeg pointed towards the graceful white swan on the shimmering water. “Sugar has asked me to stand guard to check that King Rat doesn’t whisk her away somewhere else or put even more spells on her, but she doesn’t even realise I’m here. You see she forgets all about being a princess in the day. It just comes back to her as the sun sets and she flies back to her room in the castle’s towers and turns back into her old self.”

“Oh, the poor thing,” Rosa said, her heart going out to the princess.

Nutmeg shivered. “Everyone in Enchantia keeps trying to think up a plan to rescue her, but we haven’t come up with anything yet. If only we could get her out of King Rat’s castle grounds, the enchantment would be broken. But the lake is enchanted so we can’t swim or row across to get her and she wouldn’t recognise us anyway.”

Rosa thought for a moment. “Can’t you use magic to rescue her at night when she’s locked inside?”

Nutmeg shook her head. “King Rat’s magic is much too powerful. He’s put spells on the castle so that no one else can do strong magic either in it or its grounds. I stay in the trees because some of my magic still works in the forest. Also, I can keep watch on Cressida and magic myself away if his horrible scary guards come.” She clasped her hands together. “Oh, Rosa. Can you think of a way we could rescue the princess?”

Rosa stared at her helplessly and gulped. It all seemed pretty impossible. “I wish I could,” she said. “But I really haven’t got any other ideas.”

“Then Princess Cressida will just have to stay a secret princess forever!” exclaimed Nutmeg, her eyes filling with tears.

“Look, we can’t give up that easily!” Rosa declared. “Hmm, what could we do?” She glanced around. “You know, maybe we don’t need magic to get us into the castle. Maybe we could just sneak inside. We could hide somewhere until the princess comes back then let her out of her room and all escape together!”

“But that would be really dangerous!” said Nutmeg. “King Rat’s guards are very fierce!” She caught her breath. “Here they come now!”

A group of ten mice came swaggering around the side of the castle. Rosa stared. They were walking on their back legs and were way taller than her, with pointed teeth and long swords hanging from their belts.

They stopped. A couple of them leaned against the castle walls, the others mooched about. They looked fed up.

“I’m bored of marching round the castle,“ one of them grumbled.

“Me too,” said another. “My paws are hurting. King Rat’s out at the moment so why don’t we go and have a sit down?”

“Yeah!” said the first mouse. “If we go round to the other side of the castle we can listen out for King Rat coming back and when he gets here just start marching again.” He looked around at the others. “What do you reckon?”

They all nodded. “Good plan!”

“What about the Sergeant?” said one. “If he sees us he’ll go mad.”

The first mouse shrugged. “He’s inside somewhere. Probably in the kitchens stuffing his face. I bet he’ll never notice. Come on!”

They all ambled off around the side of the castle.

Nutmeg shivered. “They’re horrible!”

But Rosa’s mind was racing with what the mice had just said. “Did you hear what they were talking about? King Rat’s out and they are going to take a break. Oh, Nutmeg! Why don’t we try to get into the castle right now?”

“But it’s daytime and Cressida is on the lake.”

“So? We can hide somewhere inside until the sun sets and she comes back. It’s the perfect opportunity. Come on! Let’s see if there’s a door or window open.”

Rosa started to hurry through the trees towards the castle.

“Wait, Rosa!” exclaimed Nutmeg, flying after her. “It’s too dangerous! The guards might change their minds and come back.”

“Then we’d better be as quick as possible,” said Rosa. “It’s now or never!”

“No! I don’t think we should,” Nutmeg insisted. “Look, let’s just stay here for a little while longer and see if we can think of another plan. Come on! I’m going back to the lake.”

She flew back towards the lake. Rosa hesitated. She thought of the poor secret princess. She had to help her! Surely getting into the castle was the only way and while the guards were taking a break it was the perfect opportunity! I’m going to try and get in whether Nutmeg wants to come or not, she decided impulsively. And she began to hurry through the trees.

Rosa’s eyes scanned the castle, but the only windows that were open were right up at the top of the tower. There was a small door to the right of the main entrance. Maybe that would be unlocked?

A short stretch of grass separated the wood and the castle. She took a deep breath and ran across it. Reaching the small door, she turned the handle…locked! Suddenly she heard a sharp voice from around the side of the castle…

“I can’t believe you lot. Get back to patrolling the castle right now! Lying around! Lazing about! Honestly. I can’t trust you for a second! If King Rat catches you he’ll have your guts for garters. Come on! Hup two, hup two!”

There was the sound of general mumbling and grumbling and the stamp of boots heading towards the front of the castle.

Rosa froze to the spot. The guards were coming! She looked round desperately. Where could she hide? There were some giant pots that looked like they had once had plants in them.

Rosa raced to the nearest one and scrambled inside. The bottom was covered with old dry soil and as she landed, it blew up in clouds around her. She could feel a sneeze tickling in her nose…

She covered her face with her hands as the grumbling guards came around the side of the building. Rosa could hear them passing near the plant pot and felt the sneeze building. She pinched her nose but she couldn’t stop it! “A…a…ACHOO!”

“What was that?” the leader’s voice snapped out.

The guards’ footsteps stopped.

“There’s someone hiding!” said the Sergeant. “Find them!”

Rosa huddled down in the bottom of the plant pot, her heart beating painfully against her ribcage. Please don’t look in here, she thought as footsteps echoed around her…

Too late…A pointed face peered over the edge of the plant pot before shrieking out loudly. “Oi, Sarge! I’ve found someone! I’ve found someone!”

“Get them out then, Mangy Tail!”

The flowerpot was tipped over roughly and Rosa tumbled out. She scrambled to her feet, scared, dusty and dishevelled.

“Who are you?” the Sergeant demanded.

“N…no one!” Rosa stammered.

“I bet she’s trying to help that silly princess, Sarge,” said the mouse. “I bet she’s a spy!”

The Sergeant nodded. “Take her to the dungeons!”

“No!” gasped Rosa. But Mangy Tail and another mouse took her by the arms. They were very strong and although she kicked and struggled they had no problem holding on to her.

“Stop your wriggling, Prisoner!” snarled the Sergeant, poking her with the hilt of his sword.

Hastily Rosa did as she was told. She was dragged into the castle and through a big entrance hall before being pushed down a long flight of stairs. The Sergeant clambered round her and opened a heavy door ahead. “In there!” he ordered.

He pushed Rosa hard through the doorway. She fell over and heard a bolt being pushed firmly across the door on the other side.

“You’ll stay there until we tell King Rat about you!” snapped the Sergeant through the door. “Mangy Tail and Whiskers, you guard her.”

“Yes, Sarge!” said two eager voices.

Rosa’s heart sank at the sound of heavy feet traipsing away and the two guards talking in low voices outside the door.

She shivered as she looked around her. The room was very small with no windows.

Rosa bit her lip. How could she have been silly enough to think she could get into the castle so easily? She was trapped!

And what about King Rat? What would he do to her? And how would Nutmeg feel when she realised Rosa was missing? If the fairy had seen her being captured she would be so worried. Rosa felt awful. She had let her new friend down. There she’d gone again, just charging in without thinking.

I should never have headed off like that, she thought in despair. I’ve just made it all worse.

She looked at her shoes, hoping they might sparkle and whisk her away somewhere, but nothing happened. And Nutmeg couldn’t rescue her by magic because she had told Rosa that her magic didn’t work in the castle. If I’m going to get out of here, I’m going to have to get myself out, Rosa realised.

She thought hard. There were guards on the other side of the door but only two.

She went to the door and banged on it.

“Shut up!” snarled a mouse’s voice from the other side of the door.

“If you want food, there isn’t any,” said a higher pitched voice.

Mangy Tail, thought Rosa recognising the guard’s voice from earlier.

“I don’t want food,” she said. “I don’t feel very well.” She started to make sounds as if she was about to be sick as loud as she could. “Yuck!” she heard Whiskers exclaim. “If she’s sick in there I bet we’ll have to clear it up!”

“I just need some fresh air,” said Rosa, acting for all she was worth. “I’m sure I’ll be fine then but if I don’t get some fresh air I think I’ll be sick EVERYWHERE!”

“Come on, come on, let her out,” said Mangy Tail hurriedly.

Rosa heard the sound of the bolt sliding back and saw the door starting to open. She leaped to one side and crouched down in the shadows, staying as still as possible till the mice stepped into the doorway.

“Where are you?” Whiskers demanded, looking round.

Rosa leaped up, yelling as loudly as she could and the two mice jumped in alarm. Then Rosa charged at them, waving her hands about. It wasn’t exactly a well-thought-out plan but hopefully it would do!

“Whoa!” Whiskers yelled, staggering into Mangy Tail and knocking him over. Rosa leaped lightly over Mangy Tail’s fallen body, landing in perfect balance, before pushing Whiskers with all her might. He tripped over Mangy Tail, and they both rolled into the room.

Rosa slammed the door shut and pushed the bolt across, her fingers trembling. She’d done it! She’d escaped!

The mice started banging on the door and shouting but it was a very thick door and the noise was muffled.

I’m free! Rosa thought. She raced up the stairs. No one was in the main hall. The front door was just opposite her. But just as she was about to make her escape, she saw the big door handle turn and heard a loud voice…

“So the prisoner’s a girl, you say? A girl with red ballet shoes? But not the same girl who has been to Enchantia before?”

“A different one, King Rat. Definitely a different one.”

Rosa ran through a nearby archway. There was a large chest and she ducked behind it.

“Take me to this prisoner then!” she heard King Rat snap.

Peeping out from behind the chest, Rosa saw a black rat with a golden crown on his head and a long purple cloak come marching across the hall. He looked really scary with his red eyes and curling whiskers. She hid back behind the chest as he headed for the steps that led to the room where she had been kept prisoner.

Oh no! As soon as he got there he would realise she had escaped!

She looked all around her. The chest was in a small corridor that seemed to be used for keeping bags of vegetables. Turning, she ran down it, her heart thudding. Any minute now, the guards would get out and come looking for her! What was she going to do?

Rosa didn’t know where she was going, but surely there must be a way out. She hurried down the corridor till she came to a small door in the wall. It looked like the door she had seen earlier from the outside of the castle. Her heart leaped. It was locked but there was a key in it!

She turned the lock and opened the door and now she could see the woods just ahead of her! She ran towards them, faster than she had ever run in her life. With every stride she expected to hear voices shouting to stop and mice running after her but the only sound was of muffled yelling from inside the castle. She had a feeling her escape had just been discovered and the guards were in trouble but she didn’t care. She had got out!

As she entered the woods, Nutmeg flew up to her. “Oh, Rosa! What happened?” The fairy looked scared stiff. “I saw the guards capture you. I didn’t know what to do!”

“I’m really sorry,” Rosa panted. “I was just trying to help the princess. I thought that if only I could get inside I might be able to hide and let her out tonight.”

“It was really brave of you,” Nutmeg said admiringly.

“It was really stupid,” groaned Rosa. “I got locked in a room and I had to escape.” She glanced around. “I think the guards might be after me at any moment.”

“Quick, let’s get out of here!” said Nutmeg. She grabbed Rosa’s hand, waved her wand and spun in a pirouette. Silver and pink sparkles swirled around them and Rosa felt herself spinning round as Nutmeg’s magic whisked them away.

They landed in a quiet clearing in the middle of the woods a safe distance away from the castle.

Rosa breathed out. “Phew!” She still had the key in her hand and her relief at escaping turned into excitement as she realised they now had a way to get into – and out of – the castle. She showed it to Nutmeg. “This opens the small door in the wall. We can use it to help Princess Cressida escape!” The fairy looked puzzled but a plan was already forming in Rosa’s mind. “As soon as the princess comes back to her room, you can run up to the tower and sneak through the door. Then you and the princess can run downstairs and escape back out through the little door. If the guards come I’ll distract them!”

“How?” asked Nutmeg.

“I don’t know,” Rosa admitted.

“Hmmm.” Nutmeg started dancing to the side, her feet crossing over quickly. Rosa recognised that it was a dance from Swan Lake. The fairy moved one way and then the other. “I always think better when I dance!” She spun round and then suddenly stopped, her eyes wide. “I know! I could use my magic to make you look exactly like the princess and teach you a dance she does! If the guards saw you dancing at the edge of the woods it would trick them and they’d run after you – leaving the coast clear.” She frowned. “But it would be really dangerous for you.”

“I don’t mind!” Rosa said bravely.

“It might work. If you could just distract them for a few minutes, Cressida and I could run to the woods and then I could magic us all away,” said Nutmeg.

“Let’s do it!” said Rosa. She looked at the sky. The sun was just starting to set. They had to be quick. “Can you teach me the dance now?”

Nutmeg waved her wand and beautiful music from Swan Lake filled the clearing. “Copy me!” Nutmeg danced three steps forwards before turning three times, one arm above her head, one out to the side. Then she danced on in a big circle, turning with every step until she stopped in an arabesque, one leg held out behind her.

Rosa copied her. It felt wonderful to be dancing outside in the open air. She spun around letting the music flow through her. She didn’t care if she got things a bit wrong; she just lost herself in the wonderful feeling. As she finished, she balanced on one leg.

Nutmeg looked very impressed. “You’re really good at dancing, Rosa!”

Rosa smiled at her. “Thank you!” She felt even braver after the fairy’s praise. “Do you think the mouse guards will have given up looking for me by now?”

“I should think so.” Nutmeg nodded.

“Then let’s go back to the castle!”

Nutmeg’s magic took them to the edge of the forest…just as the sun was setting. The swan princess flapped her her wings and took off from the water.

Rosa watched the bird swoop into the tower. A few minutes later, a girl in a white dress appeared at the window. She had long golden hair and looked sad.

“That’s Cressida,” said Nutmeg. “I’d better make you look like her right away!”

Nutmeg began to dance around Rosa. A tingling started in Rosa’s toes. It spread up her body and down her arms and up through her head. Nutmeg stopped and pointed her wand at her. There was a silver flash. Rosa blinked and gasped. Suddenly she was wearing a white dress. She put her hands to her head. She had a tiara on and her hair was now a deeper gold colour. “Oh, wow,” she gasped. Nutmeg took a small mirror out of the pocket of her tutu and held it up. Rosa stared. Her own face wasn’t looking back at her, but the face of the princess. It was a very weird feeling!

“How long will the magic last?” she asked quickly.

“Not long,” said Nutmeg. “Some fairies in Enchantia can do transformation magic that lasts for hours but I’m still not very good at it. But it should last until Cressida and I escape.” She rose into the air. “Good luck!”

“You too,” called Rosa.

Nutmeg ran as fast as she could to the little door, and with one quick look back at Rosa, she disappeared inside.

Rosa took a deep breath. This was it! Nutmeg would hopefully be letting Princess Cressida out. Oh, hurry up, hurry up, she willed them. Please get out before the guards come!

“Hup two, hup two!”

It was too late. The guards were marching around the building. If Nutmeg and the princess opened the door now they’d be seen for sure!

Rosa didn’t hesitate. Nutmeg and the princess were in danger. She had to help! Lifting her arms, she danced out of the trees…

The two guards at the front of the group stopped so that the guards behind bumped into them. There was a chorus of “oofs” and “ouches” as tails were trodden on and swords tripped over.

“It’s the princess!” the guards in the front shouted as Rosa danced.

Rosa’s heart somersaulted as the guards started charging towards her. She turned and ran into the dark trees.

“STOP!” the guards yelled.

No way, thought Rosa as she ran in and out of the trees, jumping over tree roots and stumps. The ballet shoes seemed to help her, making her feet move more lightly than ever as she twisted and turned on the forest paths. She glanced behind her. The guards were getting closer!

But Cressida and Nutmeg were also running across the grass towards the trees, aiming for a spot far to the right. Luckily the guards were so busy chasing Rosa that they didn’t look behind them. They raced after her.

Rosa headed in the direction that Nutmeg and Cressida were going but as she did so, she realised there was a wall of trees and bushes in front of her. There was no way through. She was trapped!

“We’ve got her!” screeched Mangy Tail.

Rosa turned around as the guards skidded to a halt behind her. They formed a semi-circle, swords pointing at her. She backed up until she was pressed against the trees.

“Come on, Princess,” snarled Whiskers through the dusk. “I don’t know how you escaped but you’re coming back to the castle with us right now before King Rat finds out…” He blinked. Rosa felt herself tingling all over and glanced down. The magic was wearing off!

“What…what’s happening?” The guards began to back off in alarm as Rosa felt herself change.

Suddenly someone grabbed her hand from behind the tree.

“We’re here!” Nutmeg’s voice whispered.

Rosa’s heart leaped.

“It’s that girl!” said Mangy Tail suddenly.

Whiskers recovered from his confusion. “It’s a trick again! GET HER!” He and the other guards leaped toward Rosa but at that very moment, Rosa felt Nutmeg’s fingers tighten on hers.

“Hold on!” the fairy cried as a tinkling of music rang out.

And just as the guards’ paws reached out to grab Rosa, a swirling curtain of silver and pink sparkles surrounded her and she felt herself being whisked away into the air, twirling round as if she was on a tea cup ride…

She landed a few seconds later. As the sparkles cleared, she realised that she was standing in a bedroom on a cream rug. Nutmeg was holding her right hand and Princess Cressida was holding her left.

“We…we escaped!” Rosa gasped.

“Only just,” said Nutmeg, looking pale. “Oh, Rosa, that was so close!”

“Thank you so much for rescuing me!” Princess Cressida said, giving Rosa a hug as the bedroom door opened and a beautiful lady in a blue dress with a golden crown on her head looked in. “Oh my goodness!” she cried, stopping in her tracks. “Cressida! It’s you!”

“Queen Isabella,” said Nutmeg sinking into a deep curtsey. Rosa quickly followed her example.

Cressida however ran towards the Queen and hugged her. “I’m safe, Auntie! Rosa and Nutmeg rescued me! Oh, wait until you hear what happened!”

The Queen fetched the King and ten minutes later, Cressida and Nutmeg had told them everything. Rosa stood shyly at one side, not wanting to intrude. “Nutmeg used her magic to whisk us all back here,” said Cressida, “and now we’re safe!”

The Queen turned to Nutmeg and Rosa, grateful tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Nutmeg. And thank you, Rosa. You have both acted so bravely.”

“I’m really glad I helped, but I did some stupid things,” admitted Rosa. “I should never have gone off into the castle on my own the first time. It could have turned out really, really badly.” She sighed. “My mum’s always saying I should think more before I do and say things.”

And she’s right, Rosa thought, reminding herself of Olivia.

The Queen smiled though. “Do not be too hard on yourself. It is good to act and not just think, good to be prepared to take risks, good to be brave for the sake of others. I think you are a worthy owner of the ballet shoes, Rosa.” She took her hands. “I am very, very glad you have been chosen to wear them.”

“I am too,” said Rosa happily. The adventure might have been scary but it had also been really good fun!

“You must not tell anyone about your time here,” warned the Queen. “Keep the red shoes’ magic secret.”

“We should have a feast and dancing to celebrate Rosa’s first visit to Enchantia,” King Tristan declared. “Let the party begin!”

The rest of the evening passed in a whirl of eating delicious food, dancing to lively tunes and having fun. As they stopped after an energetic polka at midnight, Rosa felt her feet tingling. At first she thought it was just because she had been dancing so much but then she realised that her shoes were glowing again. “I think I’m about to go home!” she gasped.

“Come back soon!” called Nutmeg. “Bye, Rosa!”

“Goodbye!” called Princess Cressida.

The last thing Rosa saw was Nutmeg and Cressida smiling and waving and then colours swirled around her and she was swept away…

Rosa looked around. She was back in the changing rooms!

She took a deep trembling breath. She could hardly believe everything that had just happened. No wonder Madame Za-Za and Delphie had told her the ballet shoes were special!

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw that it was exactly the same time as when she had gone away. It was weird to think that no time had passed here while she had been doing so much. And now she had something else to do, she reminded herself. I’m going to go home and ring Olivia and say sorry.

Just as she finished getting dressed, she heard the main door of the ballet school open. There was the sound of running feet and then the changing-rooms door opened too. Olivia ran in. She stopped when she saw Rosa. “I forgot my cardigan,” she said briefly. Grabbing it from the bench, she went to leave.

“Wait!” Rosa burst out. “Olivia, I’m sorry!” The words tumbled out of her. “I shouldn’t have got cross earlier. I was just angry because I’d wanted to show you round. But it was stupid of me to lose my temper – I’m just too impetuous – and I really didn’t mean to bump into you in class. It was just an accident. I am really, really sorry. Can we be friends again?” She held her breath.

But she needn’t have worried. Olivia smiled almost instantly. “Of course we can.”

Rosa felt a rush of relief.

“Do you want to come to mine for tea?” said Olivia. “We could stop at your house on the way and ask your mum if it’s OK.”

“Yes, please!” Even though Rosa knew she couldn’t tell Olivia about Enchantia, she suddenly realised she could share her adventures with her in a different way. “There’s this new dance I’ve learned. It’s from Swan Lake. I could teach you it.”

“That sounds cool,” said Olivia. “Let’s go!”

Rosa picked up her things. As she looked at the red ballet shoes she stopped and smiled to herself. Thank you for the shoes, Delphie, she thought.

She’d had an amazing time in Enchantia. When would she go again? And what would happen next time? Feeling excited, she put the shoes in her bag and ran after Olivia.

1. Stand on your tiptoes with your arms held out to the side.

2. Take little steps forwards whilst still on tiptoes, starting slowly and then move into a gentle, graceful run.

3. Make your arms soft in the elbow and flap them gently up and down as if preparing for flight.

4. Finish with a small jump into the air.

Rosa Maitland sat in the darkened theatre, her eyes fixed on the stage as Cinderella and Prince Charming danced together. Cinderella spun round, moving lightly across the stage. The Prince leaped into the air before sweeping her into an embrace.

Rosa glanced at her mother sitting beside her in her wheelchair. There was a wistful look on her mum’s face and Rosa wondered if she was remembering when she had once been a ballerina and danced in theatres around the world, before she’d had the accident which had ended her dancing career.

“Isn’t this brilliant?” whispered Olivia, Rosa’s best friend, from the seat the other side.

Rosa nodded. It was the best birthday treat ever! Her mum had got the three of them tickets to see the Petrovski Ballet Company. Rosa watched as the Prince spun Cinderella round for a final time and then Cinderella curtseyed and everyone in the audience broke into a storm of applause.

One day that will be me! Rosa thought, clapping as hard as she could. She loved dancing and went to classes three times a week at Madame Za-Za’s ballet school. Her mum helped her practise between classes too.

And Rosa didn’t just dance in class and at home. She had a secret. She had a pair of red ballet shoes that were magic and whisked her away to the land of Enchantia, a place where all the characters from the ballets lived. Rosa had had an amazing adventure there recently and she really hoped she would go back again soon.

As the curtain fell for the last time, lights came up in the auditorium and one of the theatre staff came to help Rosa’s mum get her wheelchair out. All around them people started to stand up.

“That was amazing!” Olivia said as they all went out into the foyer. “Thank you so much for bringing me.”

Rosa’s mother smiled. “It’s a pleasure, Olivia. They’re a wonderful dance company. Their choreographer is Mikhail Gorbachevski. I danced with him many years ago.”

“Really!” Olivia’s eyes were wide. “Wow!”

“I’ll show you both some pictures when we get home,” said Mrs Maitland. “But first let’s find a taxi.”

Just as they reached the door of the theatre, Rosa heard someone call her mum’s name in a Russian accent. “Eleanore! Eleanore Maitland!”

Her mum looked round.

A tall, slim man with dark hair and a grey jacket was coming towards them through the crowds.

Rosa’s mother gasped. “Mikhail!”

The man took her hands and kissed her on both cheeks. “How wonderful to see you, Eleanore.”

“And you.” Rosa’s mother smiled. “Girls, this is Mikhail who I was just telling you about.” She turned back to the man. “Mikhail, this is my daughter, Rosa, and her friend, Olivia.”

“Your daughter.” Mikhail’s eyes swept over Rosa. “She looks like you, Eleanore.” He smiled at both the girls. “Did you enjoy the ballet?”

“Oh yes!” Rosa exclaimed. “It was brilliant!”

Olivia just nodded, seemingly lost for words at meeting such a famous ballet star.

“I want to be a ballerina one day,” Rosa told him.

Mikhail smiled at her. “Then I hope you are as talented as your mother. Maybe you will dance for me one day.” He looked at Mrs Maitland. “I would love to stay and catch up, Eleanore, but I have a meeting. Maybe you would like to bring the girls back to see The Firebird – the other ballet the company is performing? I can get you tickets.” He pulled a wallet out of his jacket pocket and took out a card with his name and telephone number on it. “Let me know when you would like to come, and I will make sure I am free to meet up afterwards.”

Rosa caught her breath. Now they would get to come to the ballet again! She turned to her mum in excitement. “Oh, wow! Wouldn’t that be…”

“It’s very kind of you, Mikhail,” her mum interrupted, “but I’m not sure we can manage it.”

Mikhail looked surprised. “But you must.”

Just then a taxi drew close. “Rosa could you get that taxi please?” Mrs Maitland said swiftly.

Wondering why her mum was being so strange, Rosa ran to ask the taxi driver to wait as her mum wheeled herself over.

“Here, let me help you,” offered Mikhail as the taxi driver came round to let down a ramp to get the wheelchair into the back.

“I’ll be fine, thank you,” Rosa’s mother said abruptly.

Mikhail’s hands dropped from the chair.

The taxi driver shut the door and Mikhail came to the open window. “Goodbye, girls. Hopefully I will see you again at The Firebird.” He looked at Rosa’s mother. “Please come, Eleanore.”

Mrs Maitland smiled stiffly and the taxi drove off.

“Oh, Mum! Can we go? Please!” Rosa said eagerly.

“We’ll talk about it later. I’m tired.” Mrs Maitland put a hand to her forehead.

Rosa sat back in her seat. I’ll talk to her tonight, she decided. She’s got to say we can go…She’s just got to!

“But why can’t we?” Rosa demanded later that evening. Olivia had gone home and Rosa and her mum were talking about the ballet again. “Mikhail said we could have free tickets. You wouldn’t have to pay.”

“It’s not about the money, Rosa,” Mrs Maitland said briefly, busying herself in the kitchen with the washing up.

“So what is it about?” Rosa frowned, as her mum picked up a tea towel and started to dry the dishes.

She sighed. “It’s complicated, sweetheart. I haven’t kept in touch with any of my dancing friends because I don’t want them pitying me for not being able to dance when I don’t pity myself. You see, I think of all the good things that have happened since the accident – like having you. But they wouldn’t see it like that and I don’t want free tickets because they feel sorry for me.”

Rosa thought about the man they had met at the theatre. “But Mikhail didn’t seem to be offering you tickets because he felt sorry for you. He just said he wanted a chance to meet up.”

“That may be what he said,” Rosa’s mother said, “but I think he felt differently.” She sighed. “Look, it’s late. Go and get ready for bed. I’m not going to talk about it any more.”

Rosa couldn’t believe her mum was going to turn the offer of tickets down because of this. “But Mum, what if Mikhail was just being nice and did just want to see you!” she said in frustration.

“Bed, Rosa!” her mum said.

Rosa knew that when her mum spoke that firmly there was no point arguing and so she turned and left the room. As she reached the door she glanced back. Her mum was staring at Mikhail’s card, turning it over in her hand.

That night in bed, Rosa opened her Stories from the Ballet book and turned to the chapter on The Firebird. The ballet was about a princess who had been imprisoned by a magician. Whenever anyone tried to rescue her, the magician turned them to stone. But then one day a prince came along with a magical feather from a firebird which he used to rescue the princess and turn the stone statues back into people. Rosa shut her eyes, imagining what it would be like to watch someone dance the part of the Firebird…

She drifted off to sleep, dreaming of fantastic birds and stone statues. When she woke up a little while later, it was dark and there was a faint tinkling sound as if someone was playing a piano very softly. Where was it coming from?

She sat up in bed and gasped. The red ballet shoes at the bottom of her bed were sparkling! Rosa leaped up. This must mean she was going to Enchantia again! She pulled on the shoes excitedly. Who would she meet this time? What would she do?

As she tied the last ribbon, colours started to whirl around her. She felt herself spinning round and round, lifting into the air.

After a few moments later she landed back on the ground. The sparkles cleared and the music stopped.

Rosa was standing in a wood. She could see the Royal Palace through the trees. There were butterflies flying around, rabbits hopping about and squirrels running up tree trunks. She spun round in excitement and then stopped. Something wasn’t quite right. She looked around. What was it?

Suddenly she realised that there were no birds singing. The woods were silent. That’s weird, she thought.

She looked at the palace in the distance. The last time she’d come to Enchantia she’d met Nutmeg, a helpful fairy. Maybe she should go to the palace and see if Nutmeg was there with the King and Queen.

Rosa set off. After she had been walking for about five minutes she heard the sound of voices carrying through the still air. They were raised and angry. Through the trees, she saw a small group of people. One of them was a slim fairy in a pale pink and brown tutu. Nutmeg!

Rosa’s heart leaped at the sight of her friend. She began to run but as she got closer, she saw that the group were arguing with a large fairy wearing a black dress and a long cloak. Her grey hair was in a bun and she had a hooked nose and warts. She looked very scary. Rosa stopped at the edge of the clearing.

“Please let the Firebird go,” one of the men in the group was pleading with her.

“No!” snapped the fairy.

“But you can’t just keep him in a cage. It’s mean and the birds in the forest need to be able to sing again!” said Nutmeg. “You have to release him!”

The fairy glared at her. “Have to! No one tells me I have to do anything. I will do exactly as I please!”

“No you won’t!” cried Nutmeg. She stepped forward towards the fairy. “We’ll stop you!”

“Oh you will, will you? Well, we’ll soon see about that!” The fairy laughed, a sound like breaking glass. “You impudent little fool! How dare you speak to me like that!” She waved her long black wand. There was a flash of light and a loud crack.

Rosa’s hands flew to her mouth. The people in front of the fairy were suddenly as still as statues. She had turned them all to stone!

The fairy threw her head back and laughed triumphantly. “I told you that you couldn’t stop me!” And with that, she disappeared in a flash of green smoke.

Rosa ran into the clearing, her heart pounding.

“Nutmeg?” Rosa whispered, touching her friend’s cold grey hand. “Nutmeg, are you OK?” But Nutmeg’s face was frozen in a shocked expression.

Tears welled up in Rosa’s eyes. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. Nutmeg had been turned to stone! Who was the horrid fairy? What had everyone been arguing with her about?

There’s something going on in Enchantia and the shoes must have brought me here to help, thought Rosa.

“I’ll go to the palace straight away,” Rosa told Nutmeg, in case the fairy could still hear her. She squeezed Nutmeg’s stone fingers. “Don’t worry. I’ll try and sort this out. I promise!”

Running through the trees as fast as she could, she set off towards the Royal Palace. She headed down the main forest path until the trees came to an end. The palace was close by now. She raced towards the gates.

“Rosa!” the guard called. “The King and Queen were hoping you would come!”

He quickly let her in and showed her up to the royal parlour.

“Oh, Rosa! We’re so glad to see you!” Queen Isabella exclaimed. She was sitting on the edge of the sofa, wringing her hands while King Tristan paced up and down.

“Enchantia is in desperate trouble,” said the King.

“I saw a horrible fairy in the wood!” gasped Rosa. “She turned people to stone. Including Nutmeg!” She told the King and Queen what she had seen.

“That was the Wicked Fairy,” said the King. “The same Wicked Fairy who once made our daughter, Princess Aurelia, prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall asleep. Delphie helped to save her.”

“The Wicked Fairy is horrible,” said the Queen. “All the trouble at the moment is down to her.”

“Why? What’s going on?” burst out Rosa.

“The Wicked Fairy wants her palace to be the most talked about castle in the whole of Enchantia,” King Tristan explained. “So she’s been hanging cages filled with birds all around it. She sets traps and captures as many of them as she can – finches, robins, bluebirds, thrushes…”

“But the birds refused to sing in captivity,” the Queen put in. “The Wicked Fairy got very angry and said that if they wouldn’t sing for her then no one else would hear any birds anywhere. So she captured the Firebird. He’s part of the magic here. As long as he is free, the birds can sing and music can be played but when he is imprisoned, his magic fades so all the song and music in the land fades too.”

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