Didi placed her bleeding palm against the western palace road and claimed nothing standing upon it.
Crowned Frost traveled through the stone in silver-gold lines while True Bearer met the Ordered Court's labels beneath every footprint and declared the physical route outside the First Prince's command.
The words owner, weapon, property, and excess dimmed across one long street. They faded from people without replacing themselves with a new royal category.
Didi said, "This road carries people under their own names, and no person standing here becomes mine," while keeping four Shards above the centerline.
The Court answered through her blood without crossing the protected line around the active operation. Pressure entered the fourth Shard and tore a fresh line across her palm.
Didi remained planted because the protected street lasted only while her body anchored its refusal, and moving one foot would return every label immediately.
