Author's pov:

The morning sun, a gentle caress on her eyelids, pulled her from the depths of sleep. She blinked, her gaze sweeping across the room, a familiar pang of loneliness prickling her heart. Empty. The room, as always, was empty. No comforting presence, no soft murmur to greet the day. With a sigh, she swung her legs out of bed and padded towards the attached washroom. The cool tile beneath her feet was a small comfort as she went through her morning ablutions, emerging refreshed, if not entirely uplifted.