Noctisardor Bypass hello, I watch you come and go

He had nothing and no one to say goodbye to. He couldn't make himself return to Valette's resting place, he just couldn't do it. The numbness was cruel, he realized; all it did was delay the inevitable, making the onset of the anger and sadness hurt even more. There had been no warning. There had only been a random memory of he and Valette chasing rabbits—that had been a good day; he remembered how proud she had been of him. But that one memory had grief crashing down on him. He would never see her again. She would never be proud of him again. 

He was familiar with grief, but this time it was different. He had been so young when his mother had died. The sadness felt stronger now that he was old enough to really understand. At times, he felt like he might not survive how much pain he was in. 

By the time they reached the borders of Legion, he still had yet to say a single word to Merrit or anyone. He was practically despondent at this point—just going through the motions. So when his cousin urged him to call for the leader, he did. He released a quiet howl, his voice hoarse from disuse. Then he waited with a blank expression.