Sadness, Loneliness, and Laughter

Raydn watched his mother leave the house, an hour passes by without his mother returning, he feels a wave of uneasiness and concern wash over him. He is concerned that something might have happened to his mother and he is suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of loneliness and abandonment. He tries to stay calm and keep a level head, but his emotions are running high and he just cannot stop himself from panicking. He immediately drops what he is doing and rushes outside to look for his mother. He calls out her name over and over, hoping that he will find her safe and unharmed, but there is no sign of her and he is filled with fear and dread.

He goes home and gave up finding his mother as he is exhausted from the funeral and the day's events, and he is grateful for the chance to finally sleep and rest. He is still heartbroken at the loss of his father and he lies awake for a long time thinking about all that has happened. But eventually, exhaustion overpowers him and he falls asleep. When he wakes up, he is grateful for the few hours of rest and relief from the pain he felt the day before, but he still feels as sad and empty as he did the night before. The reality of the situation is sinking in and he feels even more lost and alone.

The next morning…

Raydn is stunned by the realization that his mother has not returned, and he feels completely alone and helpless for the first time in his life. He is still in shock from the death of his father, but now he feels even more lost and devastated. He has no idea what to do or where to go, and he feels completely alone with no one to turn to or rely on. He has never been in this situation before and he feels completely helpless and scared. He does not know what will happen to him now, but he knows that he must find some way to get through this impossible situation.

Raydn gets out of bed, puts on his uniform with heavy heart and his mind still filled with sadness, and went downstairs. He overwhelmed by the silence and stillness of the house, and he is filled with a sense of loneliness. The sight of the empty house leaves him feeling incredibly sad and alone, but he takes a deep breath and tries to compose himself. He knows he must be strong and he must keep moving forward, and he tries his best to focus on the new future that awaits him. He hopes he will be able to find some hope and purpose in this darkness, but at the moment all he can do is feel lost and alone and try to process the devastating loss he has just suffered.

He gives one last goodbye to his parents and heads off to school, trying to keep his head up and be strong in the face of all the challenges he knows he will have to face alone.

Raydn feels self-conscious as he enters the classroom late and gets some looks from his classmates but he tries to ignore them and focus on the lesson. He is still in a state of shock and grief from the past few days but he tries his best to concentrate and participate in class. He wants to try and get his mind off of things and the only way for him to do that is to focus on his studies. He knows he will have to work harder than ever to get his mind in the right place to be able to study, but he is determined to do whatever he can to get through this difficult time.

Raydn is petrified during lunch and trying to deal with the grief he is still feeling but when the boy he beat in the duel comes over and approaches him he is instantly on edge. He is still wary of the boy after their previous encounter and knows he cannot let his guard down around him. He stands up straight and tries to keep a neutral, expressionless face in the hopes of avoiding any trouble with the boy. "Yes?" He asks, his voice slightly chilly and firm as he tries to make it clear that he is not interested in any further confrontation with this boy.

Nathan pays his respects to Raydn's late father and apologized about last time.

"I'm sorry for your lost, and I apologize for picking a fight with you last time, it was because I was mad I didn't get a high score like you did."

Raydn is surprised by the boy's kind words and apology, and although he is still on guard "I accept your apology, Nathan." his grip on his emotions softens slightly. He is still wary of the boy and will not let his guard down completely, but he appreciates the boy's sentiment and attempts to make amends for his previous attitude. He still does not trust the boy entirely but is willing to give him another chance, and he hopes that this interaction can be a start of something better between them. Though he does not know how much of the boy's change of heart is genuine and how seriously he should take the boy's apologies.

Nathan sat next to Raydn and they both ate together while having small talks.

Raydn does his best to put aside his suspicion and try to eat and make small talk with the boy, but he still keeps his guard up and is ready to defend himself if the boy tries anything. He is cautious with his words and what he reveals, but he tries to be friendly with the boy in an attempt to bridge the gap that exists between them. He is still wary of the boy, but the boy's apologies and kind words have made him a bit more relaxed.

Nathan told him all kinds of stories "There was this one time I climbed a tree because I saw something move in the leaves, I failed miserably and fell on my butt."

They both laughed at Nathan's story

Raydn realizes he has not laughed in a long time and his heart lightens a bit at this small moment of joy. He still remains cautious with the boy, but the boy's words and actions have helped to soften the ice that existed between them from their previous interaction. He cannot help but feel a little relieved by this change in their dynamic, and a bit of hope starts to rise in his heart. It may be a small change, but he is grateful and willing to build on this beginning.

They finished lunch and walked together to their next class, Swordsmanship Practice.