SG, Alessia, and the boy continued to walk through the hallway. They all turned to their right as they began to walk through a different hallway.
The boy looked to his left as he walked. He saw multiple windows lined up on the left side of the hallway. Through the windows the boy could see a large patch of grass as well as multiple stone benches along the edges of the large patch. The boy thought as he looked through the windows. "This is Father's Courtyard?"
The boy looked over at SG and asked. "Are you sure this is Father's Courtyard? This looks just like Mother's."
SG said as he walked by the boy's left side. "Both Courtyards are very similar, my lord. But I assure you this is His Majesty's."
The boy looked over at the area known as his Father's Courtyard through the windows again as he thought. "Is this really Father's Courtyard?"
SG, Alessia, and the boy turned to walk into the left hallway but immediately stopped. A door stood in their way. It was a thick wood door.
SG turned and faced the boy. He placed his clenched left hand on the center of his chest as he said. "Just a moment, my lord."
SG stood in front of the door. He then moved his right hand and placed it by the right side of his neck. Immediately after placing his right hand by the right side of his neck he tugged at something the boy could not see. A necklace which has been previously hidden by SG's breastplate was exposed as a result.
The necklace around SG's neck had multiple keys attached to it. Each key had little marks etched into it. Some of the marks were a letter while others were just a mark and nothing more.
SG took the necklace off his neck with his right hand and then inserted one of the keys into the thick wood door. He turned the key and opened the door.
As soon as the thick wood door opened SG and Alessia both moved to the side. SG moved to the left side of the door and Alessia moved to the right side of the door.
Alessia clenched her left hand and placed it over the center of her chest as she stood by the right side of the door. But, SG did not.
The boy looked at Alessia and then at SG as he thought. "No guards here either?"
SG used his right hand to put the necklace of keys back over his neck. He then used his left hand to place the necklace he had received from the boy's sister over the necklace of keys. He tucked both necklaces underneath his breastplate.
SG clenched his left hand and placed it over the center of his chest. He then looked at the boy and said. "The way is clear, my lord."
The boy nodded and walked through the doorway. SG and Alessia followed behind him.
The new hallway was wider than the previous one. It also had windows on both sides of it. Through the windows on the left side of the hallway the boy could see the King's Courtyard. Through the windows on the right side of the hallway the boy could see another courtyard.
The boy looked at the second courtyard and then looked back at the first courtyard. He thought as he looked at both courtyards. "Father's Courtyard is split too?!"
The boy looked at SG and asked. "Are you sure this is Father's Courtyard? This looks exactly like Mother's."
SG said again. "I assure you this is His Majesty's, my lord."
The boy looked to his right and then to his left as he thought. "But it looks the exact same as Mother's..."
SG, Alessia, and the boy continued walking. As they walked the boy spotted two doorways up ahead. One doorway was on the left and led to the left courtyard while the other was on the right and led to the right courtyard.
The boy looked at the left doorway and thought. "Did Sister not leave any guards in the castle?"
SG turned and was about to walk through the left doorway when the boy suddenly said. "Wait!"
Both SG and Alessia turned and looked over at the boy.
SG clenched his left hand and placed it over the center of his chest as he said to the boy. "What is it, my lord?"
The boy looked at the left courtyard with a worried expression as he said. "That part of the courtyard can only be used by Father and his important guests, right? Are you sure we're allowed to go over there?"
SG nodded and said. "Yes, my lord. We have already received permission from my lady."
The boy said. "Oh." He thought as he frowned. "So all this time all I needed was permission..."
SG unclenched his left hand and placed it by his left side as he walked into the left courtyard. Alessia followed behind him.
The boy continued to stand in the hallway as he looked at the left courtyard with a saddened expression and thought. "I could've visited Mother's Garden this entire time... all I needed was permission..."
SG's voice broke the boy away from his thoughts as SG said. "Are you coming, my lord?"
The boy said. "Oh... uh... sorry." He scratched the back of his head as he looked at SG and said. "Yes, I'm coming."
SG stood in the left courtyard with Alessia as they both faced the boy. Upon hearing the boy's response SG turned his back to the boy and began to walk through the courtyard again. Alessia did not move from her position and continued to face the boy.
The boy walked through the doorway of the left courtyard. He looked to his right and then to his left as soon as he entered the courtyard.
Within the majority of the courtyard was a giant patch of grass. Along the edges of the patch of grass was a stone walkway that covered the patch's entire perimeter. The stone walkway extended from the end of each side of the patch all the way to the walls of the courtyard. The stone walkway was about one meter in width for each part of it.
Directly above the stone walkway was an angled roof. The roof angled downwards. The top part of the roof was farthest away from the patch of grass and the lower part of the roof was closest to the patch of the grass.
Sitting right on top of the stone walkway were stone benches. Each stone bench could seat about three people. There were ten stone benches in total within the courtyard. Three stone benches on the right side, three on the left side, two in the front, and two in the back. Each stone bench was pressed up against the walls of the courtyard. But, not in front of the windows. Both the right and left walls had windows. But, each of three stone benches on the right side and left side were placed in between each window.
The boy stepped onto the patch of grass from the stone walkway. He passed by Alessia who was still waiting for him.
The boy walked across the large patch of grass as he attempted to catch up with SG. Alessia followed behind him.
SG stopped walking. He stood next to a thick wood door in the back of the courtyard. He turned and faced the boy who was still trying to catch up to him.
The boy soon crossed the entire patch of grass and stood in front of SG. Alessia stood by the boy's right side.
The boy looked at the thick wood door and thought. "Why is there a door here?"
SG used both his left hand and his right hand as he removed both sets of necklaces from around his neck. He inserted one of the keys into the thick wood door. He then turned the key and opened the door.
As soon as the thick wood door opened SG and Alessia both moved to the side. SG moved to the left side of the door. Alessia moved to the right side of the door.
Alessia once again clenched her left hand and placed it over the center of her chest while SG did not. SG once again placed the necklace of keys back around his neck and then tucked it underneath his breastplate.
SG kept the necklace he had received from the boy's sister in his clenched left hand. He then placed his clenched left hand over the center of his chest as he said. "The way is clear, my lord."
The boy once again nodded and walked through the doorway. As he walked through the doorway he thought. "But wait... since everything has been the same as Mother's Courtyard so far... then wouldn't this lead to-?"
The boy immediately stopped his thoughts. Upon entering the new area the boy immediately looked around him.
The new area contained a lot of similarities to the courtyard the boy was previously in. There was a giant patch of grass that covered the majority of the courtyard as well as the same kind of stone walkway that covered the perimeter of the patch and extended to the walls of the area. The area even had the same kind of angled roof above the stone walkway. But, that was where the similarities ended.
The new area did not contain any windows on any wall. It also did not contain any benches either.
The new area was bigger in both length and width than the left courtyard. The giant patch of grass was much bigger than the patch of grass within the left courtyard.
The new area also contained statues instead of benches. There were six statues in total. Three on the right side and three on the left side. They were all made of silver.
All six statues had a figure who wore a silver mask and silver armor. All six statues had the same pose. All six statues possessed a sword which was stabbed into the ground. All six statues had their left hand on the blade of their sword. All six statues lacked a right arm.
The three statues on the left were all facing toward the right. The three statues on the right were all facing toward the left. It was the exact same set up as the statues in the King's Throne Room.
Each statue stood on top of the stone walkway and was pressed up against the wall just like the benches were in the courtyard.
The boy stepped off the stone walkway and walked onto the patch of grass. He continued to look at the new area he found himself in as he thought. "This is... Father's Garden?"
SG and Alessia walked into the room after the boy.
The boy looked over at SG and Alessia.
Both SG and Alessia stood on the stone walkway. They both stood directly in front of the doorway.
A cold chill went down the boy's spine. The boy looked at SG and Alessia as he said fearfully. "Huh? What's going on?"
SG suddenly moved his right hand upwards. He grabbed the hilt of his sword with his right hand as he said. "This is as far you go."