Snow dusted its top, the engraved name barely visible. Ruediger knelt down, reaching both gloved hands to brush it gently, revealing a simple yet beautiful name.
Lunara Sinclair.
Ruediger's breath caught, a quiet sound that barely escaped his lips. For a moment, he just knelt there, his shoulders tense as his eyes fixed on the name.
Lariette also knelt, staying silent as though giving Ruediger space, but one hand lay gently on his back. Even through the thick layers, she could feel him trembling and it wasn't due to the cold.
None of them spoke. The frosty, harsh breeze blew, biting into their exposed skins.
After a while, Ruediger exhaled, his voice low and rough as he said, "Hello, Mom."
Lariette's throat tightened. The raw despair and longing that Ruediger tried to suppress made him sound more miserable. A dull ache spread in her heart upon hearing him.
