She could tell Juno was nervous as she lead them into the maze. Perhaps there was another superstition about more disasters in the galaxy? Red roses, spinsters. Now what could a maze hold? Of course there were stories and folktales they told on Venus, but hardly any ended in tragedy or disaster.
"So do you know anyone who's cursed or disgraced?"she asked Juno. "Like spinsters?"
Juno almost fell over.
"Great galaxy! Of course I don't! Do you think I would ever go near someone with such bad luck! Disgrace is one thing. They might taint me, and make it so that it is impossible for me to marry!"
"Do you know of someone, then?"
"Many."Juno said. "But don't worry. They would never allow them near any of us."
"Tell us about the maze instead."said Vesta.
Small Lady and Pallas nodded.
"There lots of stories of what could be there. One is a tiara. Supposedly, the very one first Duchess of Juno's bridal tiara."
"My Lady Mother and My Lady Grandmother both wore Juno's bridal tiara."said Small Lady.
"Actually, no, Your Imperial Highness. That one is actually a duplicate, a copy. The duchess had two made. The one she wore, and another just like it. The real one, she had this maze built, and she hid it right in the middle of it. The Duchess of Serenity and the Empress did wear her veil, though."
"Why would she have two made?"
"I think it was for her own amusement. She was a very jealous lady. She guarded her most precious things very closely. Including her husband. A very egotistical, selfish, and jealous lady. One of her most prized possessions was all of her bridal attire, especially the tiara. The Empress and the Crown Princess of the Moon are the only ones allowed other than Duchess of Juno and Princess of Jupiter to wear any of the Junian bridal attire. The duchess knew this. That was why she had two, supposedly. Then, see, that was something that was only hers. No one would ever guess that they were not married wearing the Junian tiara. She must have thought it somewhat of a joke. You have to admit it was. Or is."
Small Lady was clearly upset.
"That's not right! How could the Princess of Jupiter trick Mama and Grandmama like that!"
She looked at Juno accusingly.
"It's just an old story. It's not true. One of many, but that one's my favorite. My governess would tell it to me every evening before bed."
"And if it's not just a story?!"asked Ceres, as they entered the maze. "If it really is true? Can I wear the tiara if it is true? I would have been one of the ones to have helped you find it!"
Hours Later
"I'm tired!"
"My feet hurt!"
"Why couldn't we have come on horseback or in a carriage instead!"
"I could think of a million things I'd rather be doing!"
They'd been walking for hours. And it seemed as if they'd been walking around in circles. The only thing that came close to be of any guidance were the flower beds, which they usually found at dead ends, or growing at the foot at the hedges. And they weren't even arranged in different patterns to be of much help.
"I think we already passed this flower bed."said Pallas.
She pointed to a few rose bushes.
"No."said Vesta. "Those grew taller than me. These are shorter."
"Let's not argue about the height of the bushes."sighed Ceres. "They're not of much help in telling us where we're going."
"Can't you figure something out? You're smart."Vesta said to Pallas. "You should know how to tell where we are, shouldn't you? Aren't you much smarter?"
Pallas bit her lip and turned to Ceres. They were probably expecting her to come up with a solution.
"One of us has to climb up on top of the hedge and they can see the exit from the sky!"said Ceres.
"But it's so high."
"You're tallest. Pallas will have to climb up on your shoulders to see the maze from over the hedge."she told Juno. "Then they'll be able to see the exit."
"I'm terrified of heights!"said Pallas.
"Then you will."she told Vesta.
"I'm a bit clumsy."said Vesta.
"You don't expect Small Lady to do it, do you?"demanded Ceres.
She could tell that neither was true, neither that Pallas was that afraid of heights, no that Vesta was so clumsy as to fall over. They were just too scared. It was written so clearly in their faces. She had to admit that she was terrified herself. She looked from Pallas to Vesta.
"One of you will have to."she told them, as sternly as she could. "Unless we're to go even further into the maze. We might end up spending the night here! We might never get out! Well?!"
They nodded, although they still seemed reluctant, and neither volunteered.
"It's one thing to be afraid, but don't tell me you're cowards!"she continued.
At this, Pallas looked up, and Vesta stiffened. It didn't seem like it was going to be enough to get either of them to do it, though. She opened her mouth, as though to beg either of them to just do it, so they could get out of there sooner, then decided she couldn't do so. It wouldn't do to beg them. Obviously, their fear was bigger.
They…do not…think…she thought. She wasn't fond of the idea herself, but she couldn't think of anything else.
She pulled herself to her full height.
"If no one else will do it, then I will!"she told them. "But that doesn't change the fact that you all are cowards."she added.
Ceres reluctantly took off her shoes.
"At least help us!"she told Pallas and Vesta.
At this they obeyed, and helped her climb onto Juno's shoulders. At first, they'd thought that the hedge was just plants. As she went higher, she saw that there was actually a wall. The plants were growing around it, and climbing on it, so it only looked like it was a wall of plants, when really, the plants were hanging on to something.
"I think we can get out of here after all!"she exclaimed.
She climbed over and stood up.
"It's actually a wall! I can see over."
"Do you see the way out?"asked Small Lady, eagerly.
"Not just yet, Highness."
Looking around, she saw not only several hedges and walls of the maze, but something else. Perhaps the secret that was within the maze. Not too far beyond, was what looked like a tall fountain. Was that what was in the middle?she wondered. If so, then what a disappointment. And a lot of trouble for nothing. But could there be something else? That, she told herself, was for another time.
"I will have your head for this, Makoto!"exclaimed Minako.
If they'd been in the same room, she would ran and shook her at the very least.
"Just where is my daughter!"exclaimed Ami.
"You allowed them to go into some maze, to which there is no map."demanded Kunzite of Nephrite.
"There's no danger there."said Makoto.
She didn't sound so sure. Minako said so.
"Other than the fact that they could be trapped there forever!"exclaimed Jadeite.
"Don't be so dramatic."said Nephrite.
He looked like he wished to disappear, under all the others' furious gaze.
"You had better see to it that my daughter is found safe and sound."Rei told him.
Everyone agreed.
"I should have told the staff to have kept a closer eye on them, but I never thought Reijena would so anything like this! She certainly never has!"said Makoto.
"We'll go to Jupiter at once!"said Minako.
"In the time it gets for everyone to get here, we'll already have found them."Makoto told her.
"I'm not about to sit here doing nothing."Kunzite stood up. "And you're forgetting, not only is one of the girls my own daughter and heiress, but one of the others is also the Empress's granddaughter. Not only the Empress's granddaughter, but Prince Endymion, my master's daughter. I have just as a great duty to her, as I do to him."
"Your Royal Highness."someone came into the viewing room.
"Everyone was told not to come unless they were called."said Makoto. "This had better be a matter of great importance."
"It is. Her Grace of Juno and the others have been found."
"This was all her fault."Vesta pointed at Pallas. "We could have been lost in there forever!"
"And you only got us even more lost."Pallas protested. "You chose most of the paths, remember?"
Their parents viewed them, except for Makoto and Nephrite, who were sitting in the same room with them.
"Never mind whose fault it was."said Rei.
"I am just glad we are out of there."said Small Lady, as she sat down.
"I'm still never listening to her again, Mama."Vesta said to Rei.
"I left my shoes in the maze!"Ceres remembered. "I took them off when I climbed on Reijena's shoulders and climbed onto the wall!"
She looked towards the window. Dare she go back and look for her shoes? Immediately she discarded that idea. Nothing could persuade her to go there again.
"You're worried about your shoes?"cried Vesta.
"I climbed up on the hedge so I could see if I saw the way out. The hedge wasn't just a hedge. The plants were climbing on it, not just growing. So I walked up on the wall and led everyone else. And no one remembered to bring my shoes."
Vesta was right. They could have remained in the maze longer, and she was upset that she'd lost her shoes. But then those were a particularly favorite pair of shoes. Then, she wondered, just what would happen to them? Could they remain there for eternity and become part of the secret of the maze? Just like the fountain she'd spotted earlier? Maybe there was no particular secret to the fountain, but many. And she was actually hoping not to find more about them.
I based the maze a little like Rosamund's Bower. It's said Henry II kept a favorite mistress for whom he had a house built, and surrounded it with a maze, which only he knew, so his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine never found out. Supposedly, his wife, attached a piece of thread to the spur on his boot and followed it, and that was how she found out. There are many stories about 'Fair Rosamund', but the one where Eleanor follows Henry's path with a thread is my favorite.
As for the maze in the story, the girls may get their courage up and actually find the mystery of the maze one day. Or perhaps Makoto did with the other senshi.