The Hedge Maze

[Keagan]

Keagan was lost...to say the least. What had started out to be a promising day was slowly ending to be a horrible nightmare. As Keagan had no set destination, he often just wandered, knowing there was no right way to go. How could he be going the wrong way when he had no place to go? He was unsure what kingdom he was in, or who's estate he had come across. But him, being the genius he was, had just walked into a horrible situation. He remembered his first thoughts when he saw it. A hedge maze! That looks like great fun! Why don't I just walk right into it and enjoy the fun puzzle!. This was the problem of having no one else in your company; there was no other person to talk some sense into you! For Keagan, the idiot that he was, decided to walk right into the maze for adventure, and no other reason.

It was one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He was not sure how long he had been wandering through it. What if he got stuck here for days?! He could die! He could wither up into nothingness and just... die from hunger and despair. Keagan did not want to die! He wanted to LIVE! And yet, here he was, walking through this seemingly never ending puzzle. It had at first started as a leisurely walk but now, he was frantically jogging through the maze, trying to get out. Eventually he stopped, trying to catch his breath. Not because he was running too much, but because he felt it coming on. He had been so panicked...that it would only be a matter of time. And here it was. He was having an anxiety attack.

He took deep breaths, though it seemed impossible to catch any air. He felt his eyes watering as he filled with fear over the thought of never being able to get out of here. He started to walk again, still trying to breath, though around the corner was only another dead end He was doomed!He went to the end and rested his back against the greenery, wishing there was a way to just race through it all. His anxiety attack intensified and he slid to the ground. He propped his legs up and lowering his head so that they were rested on his knees. He then proceeded to put his hands on the back of his head, his body heaving from his inability to breath. And yet, all he could do was tell himself Breathe in! Breathe out! Breathe in! Breathe out!. Unfortunately, it was not helping!

~ Tag Marian! ~

[Lady Marian Engel]

Ever since her father had died, Marian's uncle had taken over the Engel Estate way up north. It was a beautiful land up north, with lush green everything everywhere! Vines climbed like spider webs up the sides of buildings, and the hedges grew so high that if left up cut, they could block the sky! In the winters, the land was vast and barren but for these hedges, but the the summer the air grew thick and warm leaving the hedge maze a hidden escape for adventures such as her self!

She wasn't really an adventure, for she wasn't allowed to go far from the house and Marian was another but a rule breaker. Her aunt had spoken until the blue of her face turned to purple about proper ladies and social classes. Her aunt believed in helping but not joining the poor and lowerclass of the kingdom. The rich should be have charities but not give out directly, her aunt said.

When her aunt retired to her suits for her afternoon nap, she suggested Marian do the same. Marian agreed but instead of going to her rooms walked silently down the hall, down the steps before bursting out the back door. She dare not run, in case her aunt saw but she could not just simply walk while escaping to the out door solitude with a book she had been desperately wanting to finish.

Her blur green eyes were wide with the silly thrill of escape, as she hurried down the halls that the hedge garden made, while she headed for the hidden gazebo. It was the sound of harsh breathing that gave her pause. She slowed to a walk then a stand still as she looked around, her eyes now holding a slight fear rather then trill. Animals sometimes got lost with in the maze, for it opened at the back of the house as well as on the other side closer to the woods. Her uncle kept promising to gate it but had yet to order the local men to do it.

Creeping closer, Marian held her own breath while trying to see what might be there. It was not, however an animal she found but a man. It was ageist the rules for a lady and man to be alone together but he looked frightened! Maybe he was lost? Marian wasn't sure what to say, or if she should turn around and send a servant to help the man, she she just stood there watching him while trying to decide between property and reason.

[Keagan]

Keagan felt like he was going to faint...or worse...DIE! Oh what if he died! What a disparaging way to go! He would be alone, in the middle of greeness! He didn't want to die! He wanted to live! He didn't want to shrivel up into nothingness, waiting for the stench of his corpse to eventually spread to someone who would find his skeletal body! Oh the thought was positively dreadful....but for a man with an overactive imagination, it was something that he thought was going to actually happen. He had so many things he wanted to do! He wanted to return home, to see his family...at least one last time. He wanted to see his parents, his siblings, even his fiance, who was probably remarried by now...but STILL!

This was it though. This would be how Keagan would die. Alone. In Solitude. In....the middle of the day, so at least the darkness of night did not add to the dramatic effect of his demise. Oh cruel world! Save him from this plight! He was so caught up in his emotional thoughts that he had not heard someone else approach, yet somehow, he felt another presence there. He slowly raised his head, his eyes moistened and his cheeks stained with tears. He saw a woman. Not just any woman...one who possessed great beauty, and one who was just staring at him. How had she....oh. Ohhh.

She was an angel! Yes! That made sense! He had heard stories about angels, and their strong presence and exquisite features. Yes! That was what she was...which meant...she had come here to claim his life. He sniffed a little, looking at her, unsure what to say. Other than the fact that he didn't want to die! Had he realized just how delusional his thoughts were, he would have burst with excitement over having been found. "Please...I don't want to die!" He said, rather pathetic and pitifully. Maybe if he begged the beautiful angel, then she would spare his insignificant life!

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[Lady Marian Engel]

He looked on the edge of a panic and Marian wasn't quite so sure of what she should do. Men on the edge were unpredictable and she had enough trouble dealing with the ones that were normal! She always found her self shy and awkward, even out of place among the world that her noble birth suggested she should embrace. Everyone in it was so bold and beautiful, and she found more often then not she could only stare at them in a wide eyes trance of wonder! Especially at balls or parties where everyone dress in their finery and moved as if they were lighter then air.

Please . . . He seemed to almost gasp out and Marian found her own breath gasped silently at the desperate tone that clawed at her heart strings. Even before he spoke his next words she knew that she could not bring her self to leave him here, no matter how hard her aunt had attempted to press the rules of property into her head! I don't want to die! Marian blinked rapidly to clear the sudden blur of tears from his words. They did not spill but she knew that they might if she did not find a way to help this poor man!

"Are you injured?!" She asked as she moved slowly forward, forcing each step out as the fear for both her safety and his life attempted to pull her back tot he house. She felt like she was under the water and having to force the steps out more then she ever had before. The closer she grew the more she knew that she was getting close to danger. She'd hear stories of animals backed into corners and came out violent in their fight to live! What if he was the same way? What if by getting closer she was only getting them both hurt.

Marian paused by one of the hedges. the last one before she would have to cross the small path to be by his side. Pressing her self closer to it she watched him, begging her heart to be strong as she knew she needed to move closer to him, or to turn and run as fast as her slippered feet would take her to find someone to help him.