The secret courtyard had quickly become Meera and Arjun's favorite place, a sanctuary where they could escape the watchful eyes of palace guards and the ever-present weight of their royal lineage. Over the next few days, they returned every chance they got, their explorations growing bolder with each visit.

"Look at this, Meera!" Arjun's excited voice echoed through the courtyard as he tugged at a vine-covered stone on the far wall. The stone shifted slightly, revealing the edge of what appeared to be an ancient carving.

Meera rushed over, her curiosity piqued. She carefully pulled back more of the vines, revealing a series of intricate carvings etched into the stone. The designs were faded and worn by time, but Meera could make out figures of warriors, animals, and something that looked like a royal procession.

"This is incredible," Meera whispered, her fingers tracing the carvings. "It's so old. I wonder what it all means."

Arjun squinted at the carvings, trying to make sense of the faded images. "Maybe it's telling a story. Like the ones Nani tells us at night."

Meera nodded, her mind already spinning with possibilities. "We need to learn more about this. Maybe there are old books in the palace library that talk about ancient kingdoms. Or we could ask Panditji—he knows everything about history."

"But what if he tells Baba?" Arjun asked, his voice tinged with concern. "We're not supposed to be here, remember?"

Meera hesitated, realizing he was right. They had kept this place a secret for a reason. If their father found out, he might forbid them from coming here. And yet, the carvings tugged at her curiosity, urging her to uncover their meaning.

"We'll be careful," Meera decided, her voice firm. "We won't tell anyone where we found it. We'll just ask Panditji about ancient kingdoms, like we're curious about history."

Arjun nodded slowly, trusting his sister's judgment. "Alright. But let's not go today. I want to see what else we can find here."

They continued their exploration, uncovering more hidden details within the courtyard. Arjun found a small alcove in the wall that held an old, rusted metal box, its lock long since broken. Inside, they discovered a collection of coins, tarnished and green with age.

"These must be from a long time ago," Meera mused, holding up one of the coins to the light. The design on the coin was almost completely worn away, but Meera could just make out the shape of a crown.

Arjun's eyes widened. "Do you think it belonged to a king?"

"Maybe," Meera replied, her mind racing. "Or a queen. Whoever it was, they must have been important."

As they delved deeper into their discoveries, the courtyard seemed to come alive around them. The once-silent space now buzzed with the thrill of adventure, each new find drawing them further into the mysteries of the past.

But as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the courtyard, Meera felt a familiar unease settle over her. She glanced at the darkening sky and then back at the carvings on the wall.

"We should go," she said softly, though her voice betrayed a hint of reluctance. "It's getting late."

Arjun looked disappointed, but he nodded. "We'll come back tomorrow, right?"

"Of course," Meera assured him, though something in the back of her mind told her they were playing with things they didn't fully understand. "Tomorrow."

They carefully made their way back through the passage, the cool air inside the tunnel sending a shiver down Meera's spine. She kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to worry Arjun, but the carvings and the old coins weighed heavily on her mind.

Back in the palace, Meera and Arjun tried to act as if nothing was amiss, but their mother, Maharani Lakshmi, noticed the change in her children's behavior. At dinner, she observed them closely, noting how they exchanged furtive glances and whispered among themselves.

"What have you two been up to?" she asked with a gentle smile, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Meera froze, quickly thinking of a response. "We've just been exploring the garden, Ma. It's so big, and there's so much to see."

Lakshmi raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "The garden, you say? And what exactly have you discovered there?"

Arjun opened his mouth to speak, but Meera quickly interjected, "Just flowers and old trees, Ma. Nothing special."

Lakshmi chuckled, sensing there was more to the story, but she decided not to press further. "Alright, my little explorers. But remember, some parts of the garden are very old and not safe. Don't wander too far."

"We won't, Ma," Meera promised, though her thoughts were already back in the hidden courtyard.

Later that night, as Meera lay in bed, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the verge of uncovering something important, something that had been forgotten for centuries. The carvings, the coins, the secret passage—they all felt like pieces of a puzzle, one that Meera was determined to solve.

As she drifted off to sleep, her dreams were filled with images of ancient warriors, lost kingdoms, and a crown that shimmered in the moonlight. She didn't yet know what the future held, but she felt in her heart that their adventures were just beginning—and that they were destined for something far greater than either of them could imagine.