The mermare nodded in acquiescence of his reply. It made sense, but truly it was the foreign emotions that had tipped her off. His face she's recognized more from the sibling she saw more frequently. It amounted to the same thing, though. Blood, family, and the tribe that had long held so much power in the land.
The way he spoke about his mother was tinged with regret. It was a feeling she knew intimately, though it was strange to hear it coming from someone else's mouth. It made her lips curve wryly in reply. "I was sorry to hear of her passing," she murmured, hoping she wasn't incidentally breaking the news to this relation. That would be incredibly awkward.
"I only met her a couple times though. I wouldn't have called us friends, I don't think. You've got a brother who lives here, though." She commented, keeping her emotions on the subject as neutral as possible. It was a hard ask, all things told. Especially when talking to a stallion who shared the same lines and angles on his face, and echoed the same timbre of his voice. Still. She kept a straight face with this familiar stranger.
She looked into the dark with him, and wished he could see just how wonderful her home really was. The crystalline waters, the secret-filled jungle. Beauty at every turn. Things she had been taking for granted without even realizing it. "It is," she answered simply, wondering if her home would ever be itself again.
She emitted a soft, painful laugh at his question. It was her job, wasn't it? To help others with their problems, and push her own down until there was no more room left for anything else. "Oh, I can try. I can always try." She groaned lightly, eyes shining in the dim glow. "How awful is that, if the worst thing in this dark is being stuck with our own thoughts." How long had she relied on the distractions of her everyday responsibilities just to get through? And done everything in her power to avoid facing facts.
With a sigh, she shook her head in dismay. "Sorry mate, I might not have any answers worth having." And who knows if she would listen to herself even if she did.
@[Tiercel]