Commentary:
Earlier in chapter 17, Mako mentioned his father being dead. This page pretty much shows the moment after he found out. Despite his relationship with his father, he's still somewhat upset about it.
Yes, that tree in panel one is a result of Orhan leaning against it for so long. I didn't think of doing that until I started sketching the actual page. It might seem a bit silly for this sad moment, but it's at the beginning of the page and may go unnoticed. So I figured I'd let it slide. In any case, the reader might be surprised about Orhan's genuine concern for Mako.