Nethrida smiled to her friends as she parted ways with them, following after her brother from the fountain, heading towards the docks. She walked a few paces behind her brother, Revion, a sorrowful look in her eyes, her lips pursed and her head tilted down and it isint untill the siblings arrive to the stairs leading down to the docks when she finds her voice, hollow as it was to speak
"How... Did the others react...? Do you know how long it took them to notice I was... Missing?"
Neth inquired from her brother, but Revion did not respond immediately as he pondered on his answer. Whilst it was true that he was not angry with her, he could not help but to feel disappointment than in all these years she hadnt even sent a letter.
Finally sighing Revion spoke up "The officials noticed you were missing almost immediately, within two days I believe. From there it was another three days for word to reach Linhir, and another two for me to learn." The Swan Knight glanced over his shoulder at Neth, who seemed to be on the verge of tears, but he continued "They arranged search patrols, the whole operation lasted about a week, but all they could find were the remnants of the raiding party that had ambushed you... Your doing, I take it?" Revion raised an eyebrow, and a hint of pride crept into his voice.
Neth simply nods in confirmation and came to a halt at the base of the stairs "And... What happened after the search was concluded?" She inquired with a hollow tone, as a part of her really did not wish to hear what she knew was coming. But Revion, having now come to a halt aswell continued.
"Well... They concluded that after the battle you had either been captured by the Enemy, or had sustained heavy injuries and fell into the Anduin, either way you were declared dead. Your whole detachment was posthumously awarded with medals of courage for your service and your sacrifice... And.. Then we grieved."
Neth's posture slouched even more. The thought of her family mourning her over a grave without even a body struck her worse than any physical injury she had ever sustained. She couldnt fight back the tears anymore and simply let then fall down her cheeks and onto the ground below. trembling a little.
Revion, upon noticing this smiled a bit pulled Nethrida into his embrace and strokes her hair calmly. After a moment of silence he asked the question he had wanted to ask since finding her by the pond "Why did you not write to us? Or come back?" with a gentle tone that wasnt accusing in the least.
The woman sniffled and hugged her brother before taking a deep breath, her voice remained hollow and subdued "I... Was afraid... Afraid of your reaction... The disappointment...And I was a coward I had betrayed my oath to the Steward... To Gondor. And... I thought I didnt deserve to return after the disaster... After blindly trusting the intel... And not sending the scouts forward..." She murmured but Revion simply nodded, he smiled a little "Let me tell you something Nethrida... You may consider yourself all these things... But you're no coward never have been, and the fact that you're standing there now proves it again." He smiled, but Neth seemed hesitant to believe it, she shook her head and sighed "I am... Tired of running. Whatever the upcoming sentence will be I accept it and will not flee." She pursed her lips and nodded sternly.
Revion smiled a bit "And that is why you're no coward, dear sister. You're here to make things right, arent you? Whatever happens we're going to travel home. Mother and father will be beyond moved to see you again, as will Anendyl, you know this dont you?" He inquired but Neth didnt respond. In her mind the encounter at Linhir kept playing over and over with some changes to it each time... And none of the changes were for the better.
Finally she managed a short nod. "I am. Even if it means the end of me." She then looks at Revion. "My friends... The ones I came here with... Should the sentence be death... Will not accept it. Please... You must convince them not to try anything silly. They are good folk, all of them and I hold their friendship very dear, but I cannot allow them to risk their freedom... Or worse their lives on a fool's errand like attempting to infiltrate the keep to get me out of prison." She pleaded her brother who simply smiled and wiped some of the tears from her cheeks.
"Come now... Think not such. Your fate is not set in stone... Now come... I wish to know of your exploits in the north... Surely you've not simply sat idle? I know you couldnt just sit idle" He smiled as the two continued their walk along the Docks, with Neth going over her adventures, both the good and the bad ones in Eriador over the past five years...
