As far as Pallas, Juno and Vesta knew, they were here as wards of the Princess of Venus because they had been sent on a tour through the four planets. Only Ceres knew that the Empress had decided for them to train together, or that her parents had invited theirs.
"But just how are your parents?"asked Minako. "It's been ages since I've seen everyone! Er, apart from in trouble."
"I've still to find a time Nephrite has not been in some kind of trouble."said Kunzite. "It was actually surprising it took this long. For a while I thought he might have ceased. But still, to have involved Makoto, as well. And have the creditors go to the Empress. Perhaps he should have something to keep him busy to stay out of trouble."
Minako shoved him with her elbow.
"Oh, he seemed to be somewhat chastened, Your Grace."said Juno, addressing Kunzite by his Venusian title. "Mama, too."
"I think you give Makoto competition."said Minako. "I think these are better than hers."
Juno had baked cinnamon rolls.
"I guess that's a good thing. That way, you'll both be determined to become even better? Only please don't us here as culinary critics. I might not be able to fit into any of my gowns if you do!"Minako went on.
"Launcekrona must have told you cinnamon rolls were my favorites!"said Ceres.
"Are they? They have new ingredients I've never seen on Jupiter, too. Sugar especially for baking! Regular sugar melts. This one doesn't!"
"Pearl sugar. I like all my bakers to decorate all the cakes, cookies, pastries, and confectionaries here with them."Ceres told her.
"The rolls don't go with my rose jam, though."Juno pointed out at the jam. "We can have some of my rose jam afterwards, too."
"Real Jovian rose jam!"exclaimed Minako. "And rose sherbet and ice cream, I'll bet."
Vesta wrinkled her nose.
"That's a good thing. I've never tasted something so nasty!"she said.
She had tried the rose jam at the banquet, thinking it had been another kind. Obviously she didn't think too much of it. Juno frowned.
"That goes to show how much you know. I'll bet you don't even know how to do something so simple as spread any jam on a slice of bread! It's only good manners for the hostess herself to cook for and serve her guests on Jupiter. They must be very rude at your court!"
"I serve my guests! Small dishes, like I can pour tea and offer them cookies and teacakes and such."said Vesta.
"That's not cooking."said Juno.
"I have to agree that rose jam isn't a favorite of mine."Minako admitted. "I thought it felt a little like eating roses. But I do hope you brought at least some rose water or syrup with you. I love sweet lassi. Bandung, too."
Juno stuck out her nose at Vesta.
"But Makoto makes exceptional rose jam. I tasted hers a few times. Not just rose, either. Anything."
"I never even knew people ate roses!"exclaimed Ceres.
Juno nodded.
"But of course. You can use them in sauces, meat dishes, and desserts. I use my very own roses, too. I keep a garden, and use my own roses. Not just roses, eithers, but different fruits and flowers. And I also just garden some plants because they look pretty."
"That's how visiting Jupiter can be a bit dangerous."she told the girls. "You have to keep an eye on what you eat, but I'll love to taste what you make while you're here."she told Juno.
"Oh, I can make jam, Your Royal Highness! Not just jam, either, but cakes, and not just sweets, either. I will prepare Your Royal Highness, and Your Graces anything. I've been taking cooking and baking lessons since I was five."
Minako threw her hands in the air.
"It's just such a shame Makoto couldn't come!"she exclaimed.
Kunzite nodded.
"Yes. By the way, has Jadeite been able to win over his ice princess?"Kunzite asked Vesta.
Vesta looked confused.
"That's what we would joke about, about Rei."Minako explained.
"I always thought the opposite of the Princess of Mars, Mama."said Ceres.
Could her mother be mistaking her with the Princess of Mercury.
"Not in this, no. That's something why we would joke about it. It's a good Jadeite does have a lot of patience. Anyone else would have simply given up on her."said Kunzite.
"Oh, Rei just has absolutely no sense of romance! You see, that's why we used to call her an ice princess! She would simply keep a cool demeanor. But she couldn't fool me. Never! She was simply too proud, too stubborn, and like I said, has no sense of romance."Minako rolled her eyes. "I had to try all my ingenuity, along with Phobos and Deimos!"
"A love potion! Did you have Lord Jadeite give the Princess of Mars a love potion?"asked Ceres.
"No. That was for someone else."Minako looked at Kunzite fondly.
Ceres knew the story. It was one of her favorites.
"Does this mean that the Princess of Mars was the senshi version of Papa?"she asked.
"I never thought of it like that, but perhaps. So stubborn, though that she'd almost have burnt me alive. Secretly, I know she was the happiest woman in the galaxy. Well, almost, because that would be me."
"That was one of the longest courtships in the galaxy. Ingenious, as well, including getting her to tell his fortune. She gave herself away in that, because guess who came up?"asked Kunzite.
"The Princess of Mars!"exclaimed Juno.
"Can you tell fortunes?"asked Ceres.
Vesta nodded.
"Simple, immediate ones, not ones like prophecies. Reading flames and smokes, that takes years to become competent.
"Can you tell our fortunes? I want to know who I'm going to marry! Oh, when!"
"Me, too!"
"Not those types of silly fortunes."said Vesta.
"It took Phobos, Deimos and myself to get her accept first to allow him to court her, and finally to accept his proposal to marry him. Because, you know, the life of a spinster was never one of Rei. I don't think she wanted that, either. She just…didn't want to admit he was wrong. After all, he was the only one she didn't reject outright."
"Mama, Papa, Phobos and Deimos are well, Your Royal Highness."
"And what about you? Don't you dream of falling in love someday?"Minako asked her.
Vesta shook her head.
"No, Your Royal Highness."
"And Zoicite and Ami?"
"They were upset that I was summoned by the Empress to come here, but they hope it will be for a short time. And we can still view. Mama sent plenty of my books with me. And she can send me more. I also brought Your Royal Highness the most elegant fabrics from Pallas as well."Pallas answered.
"We did see."Kunzite told her. "Zoicite must visit your duchy often, if it's just to send for such fabrics."
Pallas shook her head.
"No, Your Grace."
"No?"asked Ceres.
"He and Mama will view, but of course, they hardly ever come. They have their duties, I have my lessons."
"How is Zoicite holding up at the Mercurian court?"asked Kunzite.
"How else? By passing the days doing nothing."Minako told him. "But really,"she turned to Pallas. "an uncle of mine married into the Royal House of Hermes? Are they all such bookworms on Mercury as Ami? And as other people claim they are?"
"Learning is very important, regardless of what it's about. For boring, there is little time to be bored, Your Royal Highness. There is always something to read. I have learnt to read, write and speak several different languages, as well as studying different cultures and customs."
Ceres looked a little uncomfortable. That was just one of the things that wasn't her specialty, and which her parents had talked to her about recently.
"You could become a tutor here."said Kunzite.
"I tutor. Younger girls at my court. "It is one way of reviewing one's own lessons. And there's always embroidery to be done. We don't just sew embroidery, we also sew garments to distribute among the people."
Ceres looked up at her mother. Could her grandmother really have had a brother who married into the Mercurian royal family? It sounded like a dull existence, she thought, listening to Pallas. She almost thought poor Lord Zoicite.
"Ami used to tutor us sometimes, you know."Minako was saying.
She was looking around at the four girls. Pallas nodded.
"Mama's told me she tutored you, Your Royal Highness. The Crown Princess, too."
"And I'm guessing you will be such a one as her?"
The others stared at Pallas.
"Don't worry. It won't be necessary for Omoikane to give anyone lessons. Eventually. You didn't just come here as my wards."
Minako took out her transformation pen, and held it out for the girls to see. All four girls seemed awestruck.
"Can I just hold it, Mama?"asked Ceres.
"Can you transform? I've never seen a senshi transform before."
"Venus Crystal Power"