{Trust Me} I'm NOT Okay

The pair stared at one another in silence. Emerald against crystalline blue. Maybe he should have been a bit nicer. It was obvious from the glassiness of her eyes that she wasn't having a great day to begin with. She gawped like a fish out of water for a moment or two, before something finally squeaked past her lips. “This was Dragoste.” she finally said, soft as a whisper.

Ah, shit.

Next, “This was my home.” she clarified, as though the heartbreak weren't obvious. His brother hadn't stolen these lands from another, had he? That didn't sound like Branch. “My father… he has a grave here.” Double ah shit. She was practically crying, right here on his doorstep. Perhaps this is why no one liked border patrols. You found random horse-wolves crying in the weeds. “Please tell me, in the claim of this land, it remains undisturbed?” there was desperation in her voice now, cerulean gaze boring into his own.

"I.. I couldn't tell you, ma'am." he replied honestly, lips pulled into a tight line. This was awkward as hell. She looked away from him after a few seconds of trying to.. he wasn't sure. Make his brain explode with her eyes? That was a pretty intense look, and he was kind of an idiot when it came to this kind of stuff. He'd never lost anyone, and had to bury them. Never had to find the site of their burial claimed by strangers. This was all new ground for him. “I need to know… please…” she pleaded softly.

"Let me just, uh, call my brother. He'll be able to tell you better than I can." he mumbled, brows pinched in a tight look of concern. Pausing to give her a final look, he then tipped his head back to summon his brother. This was definitely above his pay grade. Branch, little help here! he thought to himself.

"speech"