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// 3 Fleur-ry Garden 
// Story: The Not-So-Grand Galloping Gala 
// by Starpony999 
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Fleur had made a beeline for the ballroom.  She waltzed in and out of ponies, making sure to always walk with grace and poise.  There!  Finally, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the prince.  His white coat was shining, his blue hair was flowing like a lazy river.  It wasn't enchanted like the Princesses, but Fleur didn't notice.  Oh!  He even had polished hooves, a catalyst of a hard-working pony.  Even AJ couldn't disagree with that.  The butter unicorn quickly brought her fan to her face and fluttered it slightly.  It just wouldn't do if she was drooling upon her first meeting with the prince.  Or light-headed, which, she supposed, was the actual intention of the fan.

She slowly made her way to the area of the ballroom where the prince was.  "Hurry, Fleur..."   She muttered to herself as she failed to dodge yet another one of her fans.  Unfortunately, being a model meant ponies recognized you, especially the prominent ponies that got invited to the Gala.  This was probably the tenth time she had to make light conversation with one of the Canterlot folk.  One had to make a good impression on one's fans, after all.  Modeling careers were all about beauty and reputation.  The beauty she had down, but the good reputation was something she had to keep up.  Even if it meant postponing her visit with the prince.

Once she managed to politely get away from the mare, Fleur picked up her speed.  She chided herself for the obvious break in character.  You are a lady.  She told herself, slowing down for but a second before picking up her speed again.  The prince had wandered even farther away from her, and at the rate she was going, she was going to lose him soon.  She tucked her fan back away in her hat.  She was pretty proud of that design.  The fan was colored green, which brought out her eyes, but also had blue peacock-feather-like designs on the fabric.  On the part that was held in the hoof, if you were not carrying it unicorn style, there was a small latch.  It was mostly undiscernable to pony eye, but it was able to attach to the back of her hat to give it a little more style.  And it gave her a place to store it so she wouldn't grow weary.

Now that she could focus completely on her target, Fleur weaved in and out of the crowd.  She gave a few honest compliments on her way, which was apparently just enough to appease any further fans.  Oh!  There he was!  The prince had just dismissed himself from talking with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridle.  She turned her speed walk into a full-on trot as the prince walked through an open archway.  The yellow unicorn didn't even have time to process that this archway led out into the gardens, and the Princesses' labyrinth.  She was too focused on her prize.  The change from marble flooring to cobblestone to grass didn't faze her either, even though the only thing between her hooves and the ground beneath her were shoes made of silk.  

The winged-stallion made a left turn into the rose-bushed entrance to the maze.  Fleur de Shy would never admit to having tunnel vision, but....she wouldn't deny it either.  She followed the pegasus turn after turn until, suddenly, she turned to follow a flash of blue down a dead end.  She glanced up at the night sky.  The moon and stars shined down lovingly on her, but alas, the prince had not used his powers of flight to scale the hedge.  And that was the moment Fleur realized she was utterly, terribly, down-right lost.   "Sacre-Bleu."





Fleur's first option was to walk straight through the hedges until she finally got to the edge.  She really wasn't up for doing that, seeing as how small a space that would be, how scratchy the leaves and branches were, and how frightfully messy it would make her mane.  She was saved from having to make that horrible decision when she found she was unable to actually pass through the hedge.  They were magically enchanted to keep anypony from cutting through.  

Fleur sighed.  Even if she had not been excited about that option, it really was the best.  Who knew how much of the party she was going to miss trying to get out of this maze.  'Well, might as well keep going.  If I stick to ze left, I shall eventually find my way out...  I zink."  And so she trotted along always taking lefts.  She ran into many a dead end, but she just kept following the wall.  "It's just like in Prance," she told herself, "Just like father taught me.  I will find ze end."  At long last, she saw a clearing up ahead.

"Oh please, Celestia please, let it be ze castle!"

Fleur sped to a gallop, not caring at this point if anypony saw her acting like this.  Without the sun, she had no idea how long she had been trapped in there.  Her main concern was that the Gala not be over yet.  As her eyes adjusted to the brighter light in the clearing, she skidded to a stop.  She wasn't back at the castle.  Yes, there was a tall building in front of her, but it certainly wasn't tall, wide, or fancy enough to be the Canterlot Castle.  It was a gazebo.   

This gazebo was pure white, with the exception of the roof, which was tinted lavender.  It was made of marble and had eight columns, about two in each corner.  It was circular, and sat in the middle of an equally circular pond, although granted, the pond was much larger.  There was a dainty white bridge that spanned from almost directly in front of Fleur to the gazebo.  It went over the pond in a soft arch.  The bridge floor was made of wood, though the railing was not.  It looked like something out of a fairytale.

"If only I had zomeone to share it wizh."  Fleur frowned.  She was tempted to break her lady-like upbringing to cross her forelegs and pout.  But she was still a lady, nevertheless.  She walked forward, careful of the wooden bridge.  The cool, smooth marble of the gazebo felt nice to her worn out hooves.  She had long since abandoned her heels in the maze, constantly afraid she would trip and twist her hoof.   She sat down on the bench, grateful to be off her hooves for the first time all evening.  Fleur glanced up at the sky, admiring the constellations of diamonds in the sky.  She briefly wondered what it would be like to fly up in that beautiful tapestry like her parents....Like her brother.  She quickly dismissed the thought of her worst fears and missing brother, turning her attention to the problem at hoof.  She wondered what time it was, and how long it would be before someone noticed she was missing.

She was too worn out from the maze to keep going.  She had spent her last bit of energy when she had rushed into this little garden.  And Fleur still didn't have enough magic in her to send up a flare.  She could lift objects with her telekinesis, but that was about it.  Anything more than a simple thought spell would cause her to pass out.  The yellow unicorn floated a tulip to her nose and sniffed it, before placing it in her hair.  It didn't really go with her outfit, but she was too tired to care at this point.





Fleur hadn't the slightest idea how much time had passed, but she was quite itching to get out of the maze.  Birds of nearly every kind were squawking at her.  It had taken her a few minutes to figure out where they were, but that was because it turned out they were perched on the edge of the gazebo's roof.    A few cat-like critters were laying on the floor of the gazebo, making it nearly impossible for her to get off the bench.  She was pretty sure that even if she managed not to step on one, she would undoubtedly bump into one and they would scratch her fur off with their claws.  Around the pond there were a variety of different animals.  Fleur had no idea what kind they were, although she had a feeling Rarity would know.  In the pond itself, there were eels, multi-colored fish, and what looked like a baby dolphin.  There were also snakes.  Snakes in the water, snakes on the bridge, and snakes coiled around the pillars of the gazebo.  None of the animals had been there when she had arrived at the gazebo, but at some point in time, Fleur must have dozed off.   Now they were surrounding her, and her only chance at survival...

Okay, well maybe not her only chance at survival, per se.  But her only chance of getting out of the maze unscathed at this point would require somepony finding her and guiding her out.  While she certainly hoped that by some grace of Celestia that the prince would be the one to show up, she wasn't quite sure she wanted him to see her like this.  Her dress was grass stained.  Her hat was missing, and a few tulips decorated her mane instead.  Her heels were basically unwearable at this point, having been chewed on by some of the supposed cats during Fleur's unplanned nap.  So much for the best night ever.

"So you see, that is how I earned my cutiemark."  A masculine voice interrupted the unicorn's train of thought.

"Navigating the woods."  An obviously exasperated feminine voice replied,  "How nice."

"Well, anyways, the gazebo is just right up here.  I told you I would be able to escort you safely to the prettiest spot in the gardens."  The stallion was obviously oblivious to the mare's distaste.  "Although, I assure you, it doesn't compare to the beauty in your eyes."

The mare scoffed, and then trotted into the clearing.  Fleur's face widened into a smile with delight when she saw her friend, Rarity, approaching.  What luck!  Not only was a friend there to rescue her, but it was her friend who had the most experience with animals!  Fleur's eyes widened as she saw exactly who her friend had been talking to.  Prince Charming followed Rarity into the garden, although he didn't seem to notice the gazebo or the garden at all.  His eyes were locked on Rarity.

"Fleur?!"  Rarity called, her voice a mix of shock, concern, and...relief?  "What are you doing out here?  Where did these animals come from?  Are you alright?"

Fleur chuckled shyly.  "It's a story, zat's for sure.  Mind helping me get out of zis mess first?"  She waved her front hoof vaguely at the animals surrounding her.  "I really don't feel comfortable sharing my story, or my space, with any of zese critters.  No matter how cute they are."