As the conversation in the gazebo began, a new conflict was unfolding just outside the garden's doors.
"Sir, as I have already stated, you cannot enter this room today," the guard said, his voice a low, firm wall of authority.
The man arguing with him was a striking figure. He stood at five feet nine inches tall, dressed in a sharp, blue tailored suit that highlighted his elegant and noble features. He was arguing with the calm but unyielding guard, his polite demeanor barely concealing a rising frustration.
Beside him stood a woman of similar height. Her face was beautiful, her figure curvy and voluptuous beneath a stylish dress. She watched the exchange with a cool, detached impatience, a silent force adding to the pressure on the guards
"Just let us in, we'll only be in for a minute," the man said, his tone still polite but with a hardening edge. "We just want to see the scenery."
"I'm sorry, sir, but that wouldn't be possible now," the guard replied, his voice a firm wall of authority. "Only authorized persons are permitted to enter."
The woman's calm demeanor shattered. She stepped forward, her eyes flashing with a sudden, vicious anger. "Don't you know who he is?" she lashed out, gesturing to the man. "He can have you fired on the spot!"
The guard's gaze didn't waver. His voice, already low, dropped to a chilling whisper. "Losing my job is better than losing my life mam."
The young man watched the guard's face, a cold solemnity in his eyes. He knew his family's guards were fiercely loyal and would not let anyone through without permission, sometimes not even the council elders. This was a level of secrecy and protection he had never seen before. It finally hit him—his father had known he was coming here, and yet he had not warned him about anything like this.
He looked at the lady and spoke, his voice low and firm. "Let's just go. We'll come back at a later time. I don't think they'll be inside all day."
The woman's fiery anger was replaced by a sullen pout. "But..." she started to protest, but her words died in her throat as she saw the resolute expression on his face. "Okay," she conceded.
The young man turned back to the guard. The guard bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, young master."
"It's okay," the young man said, a rare hint of respect in his voice. "You're just doing your job."
The couple turned and made their way back down the hallway. The woman's posture was rigid, her anger a palpable force around her. The young man walked beside her, his expression still solemn as his mind raced. The quiet conversation and the chilling line from the guard had shaken him in a way a simple argument never could.
They passed by the security detail, their footsteps echoing softly in the quiet hall. They were leaving the private area, but the question of who was inside, and why they were so fiercely protected, lingered behind them like a ghost.