Usage of 'at her side' (...her bodyguards at her side, Mobius behind her)

[KLPNO]

Hi everyone.

I'd like to ask a question about the phrase at smb's side. Here is the sentence:

With that, Kinsburg took her coffe mug and departed, her bodyguards at her side, Mobius behind her.

Earlier the author says that Kinsburg came to the press conference accompanied by four bodyguards. It would seem logical to me if she departs and there are two bodyguards on her left and two bodyguards on her right but the author says 'at her side', not 'her sides'. Does he mean that there are four bodyguards either on her left or on her right?

[Conchita]

'At someone's side' has the sense of 'with someone' and doesn't necessarily mean on someone's left or right. It is a fixed expression, and therefore 'side' is rarely used in the plural.

In your text, the exact location of the bodyguards and how they are arranged is left to our imagination.

[KLPNO]

Thank you very much, Conchita. Now everything is clear to me.