It was the heartbreaking loss that destroyed whatever connection Loriel had built with his wife. Before, every time he saw her, he would think about how this beautiful woman was the mother of his child and they would have a family of their own.
Elise was an only child and Loriel was not close to any of his siblings. Both were lonely and longed for family, and it seemed the baby they could have had would become the bridge that connected their hearts and made them real husband and wife.
However, now the baby was gone. They had not even had a name for her. She was gone before she existed.
Soon, Loriel buried himself in work and kept himself busy. He found many things to do that would require him to leave the palace and not return for days. He couldn't really see Elise's face without remembering what they had lost.
It allowed Loriel to not think about his pain and instead focus on important tasks in order to keep his mind away from the things that hurt him.
