The palace was aligned to the compass and comprised of three wings. The central wing was the largest part and stood two stories high, with its main entrance facing south. The east and west wings were only a single floor each. The roofs of the east and west wings were sloped, with a maintenance trapdoor visible on each, while the roof the central wing was flat as far as Shay could tell. The Astronomer's Tower rose from the east wing, higher than even the forest behind the palace. Windows on the first floor had iron bars across them, while this security feature was missing on the second floor windows in the central wing, which also sported a balcony directly above the main entrance.<br/><br/>There were four proper entrances to the palace. The main entrance at the southern end of the Central wing was a set of great double doors, held permanently open in place at the current time.  There were four guards and a sergeant here, vetting people as they entered, though people leaving were subject to much less scrutiny. There were three types of people entering the palace. Servants dressed in the Ducal Estate's livery - a maid's outfit for the women and a butler's outfit for the men - were known by name to the guards and waved through with minimal hassle. Workers from outside the Ducal Estates, mostly dressed in the simple work clothes of their respective trades, had mostly become recognizable to the guards in their time working here, and usually traveled in groups, newcomers being vouched for by their coworkers. Upper-class visitors such as Ariel the dressmaker were either recognized and ushered in, or produced documentation that proved their business and allowed them entrance.<br/><br/>Going clockwise around the palace, the next entrance was a servant's entrance in the west wing. It was the closest entrance to the Orchards, and commonly used by the Estate's farm workers in their own distinctive livery and the palace servants. Four guards were posted here, and they turned aside everyone else, directing them to the main entrance for entry. At the northern end of the central wing, the rear entrance led to the Ducal Forest, but this entrance was only rarely used by the servants and there were two guards here. Finally, there was a side entrance at the east wing, but it was sealed and the two guards posted here denied all entry. Besides the guards at the entrances, there was also a roaming patrol of four more guards and a dog going around the Gardens, though with everyone being well-behaved for the most part, they had little to actually do as they wandered around.