So Hathach went to Mordecai at the plaza of the city in front of the king’s gate.

And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing ¹  and what might happen to her.

It so happened that on the third day Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace, ¹  opposite the king’s quarters. ²  The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace, opposite the entrance. ³ 

But he went no further than the king’s gate, for no one was permitted to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth.