Frost gathered around Didi's clenched seal while Hajin's three Rings continued turning. Her accepted royal label held both knees against nullstone, and she made no movement toward Eirwen's servant passage.
"Didi goes next, because your label leaving frees Juna plus Loccy to move." Hajin kept Aegis closed beside the pinned guard captain while he said it.
"Nobody else standing in this room should carry your rank."
"Captain Roen goes through that servant arch opening before me." Didi forced her sword point away from the floor while she answered.
"His escort still has five palace attendants waiting beyond that screen."
The five-Shard captain tried raising one knee beside her before the command tightened. His greater accepted rank drove proportionally heavier force through his core, returning both armored legs against the floor.
"My charge remains inside this room," Roen said, keeping one hand around his sword hilt, "the escort clears its last passage after the princess crosses."
