(Most of the tale below take place in the year TA3012)
Nethrida was in Minas Tirith. But how she got there she did not know. The last recollection she had was at the campsite, cradling Therion's lifeless body in her arms. Everything between then and now had been a complete blur of vague shapes and sounds, conversations she did not understand, as the caravan of two carriages, three riders and twenty six deceased rolls through the front gate, drawing gasps and shocked exclamations from onlookers, as Neth only just manages to pull herself from her stupor to explain the situation with the help of the survivors before stammering on something about needing to go for a walk.
She staggered off into the crowds. Her mind still in a daze, though it had been days since the disaster the events of Therion's passing still played in her mind, the thud of his lifeless form hitting the ground still echoing in her mind, the final look in his eyes as their gazes met for the last time, that particular moment haunted her like nothing else. She clutched her chest, feeling like a was clenching around her heart, crushing it, the locket she always wore right where her hand rested. She grits her teeth and stumbles onto an empty side walk, leaning against the wall and bursting into tears.
"Come back..." She whined through her tears and slumped down onto her knees. The white stone soon staining with her tears. Her whole body trembling with anguish, as she murmured another barely audible "Come back..." she called out to no one in particular, before sitting down against the stone and buried her face in her hands and continued to cry.
The sidewalk was sheltered enough to allow her to remain undetected. For how long she sat there weepeing exactly she had no idea, nor did she care, she just wanted the pain to go away but no matter how long she felt her tears pouring down her cheeks, landing on her armor it didnt wasah the pain away and it wasnt untill the sun had gone noticeably down when the woman finally emerged from the alleyway, she peered around and cleared her throat and begun to meander around aimlesly.
Eventually her wandering feet took her into one of the taverns. It wasnt the Mumak, that much she new, and was grateful for, as she had no desire to meet any of her colleagues or fellow soldiers, for they would surely inquire about the disaster and she had no will to speak of it, as it would mean acknowledging what had happened and right now she kept telling herself that Therion was simply away on an assignment and would return in a few days time.
Despite this she went to the barcounter and with a hollow tone she bought herself a bottle of strong alcohol and withdrew into a secluded corner. She pours herself a shot and downs it in one go. It burned, making her cringe, but she quickly poured herself another one and downed it just the same, making her cough. Closing her eyes she leaned into her arms. The sting from from the alcohol was already fading off. Not wanting to lose this stigning bliss she poured herself a drink. And another... And another...
Before long over half the bottle was gone, and the Captain felt it. The room ahead of her spun slightly, and her vision felt unfocused, unable to even stare at the bottle infront of her without parts of it turning blurry. Regardless she poured herself another drink, spilling some of it on the wooden table beneath and downed the drink. Having dared to close her eyes even in her inebriated state she could still see the empty look on Therion's face as he laid down on the ground, lifeless.
She gasped and fidgeted. Knocking the bottle over and spilling the remaining third of it's contents. Nethrida hiccups a bit as tears begun to stream down from her face, simply sitting there in silence for several minutes, even as the room begun to fill with revelers which the Captain took as a sign of leaving, for she was in no mood for reverly or company.
Dragging her feet to the door she pushed it open and stepped onto the street. By now night had fallen and the cool air felt refreshing on her face, drying out her tears. Too refreshing the thought to herself, feeling that uneasy feeling of something gripping onto her chest and squeezing onto her heart she wandered off into the night to search for her next drink...
The next thing she knew she was laying down on something soft, her body felt like her limbs were made of steel and weighed more than she remembered. The inside of her skull felt like a marching band was parading around in her head and from somewhere far away (Or so she thought) the steady sound of someone banging on a door could be heard.
She opened her left eye only to immediately close it as the light felt like someone had pricked her eye with a needle. She let out a pained, hoarse groan and rolled off of her bed, slumping on the floor as if she was made of some sort of ooze and sat there against her bed, head slumped down, eyes closed.
And then she heard the knocking again. But this time a female voice accompanied it "Neth? Nethrida? I know you're there... You were heard coming home last night" it called out, and upon finally recognising it as her friend the Captain struggled herself up to her feet and finally opened her eyes. Her hazy view was greeted by her apartment, several empty bottles... Her armor scattered all over and her sword, half out of it's scabbard on the table.
Neth groaned and held the side of her head as she dragged her feet to the door and opened it to see her friend, Mirannwyn stand there with a look of extreme concern "By Elendil where have you been!" She inquired and barged past Neth hung over Captain could even process what was going on, gasping as she saw the state of the little apartment, before opening her mouth, ready to rant and rave at the hungover woman...
"Shame someone's already living there, eh Captain?" came a clearer voice, and the memory faded away, Neth was standing in the opening where her old apartment was. She flinched at the sudden voice, the same woman stood besides Neth, who smiled a bit. "I'm no Captain anymore. I'm now a Guardswoman in service of Princess Lothiriel of Dol Amroth." She stated calmly. Mira pursed her lips and sighs. "Well atleast you're still alive... Come on, you'll have to tell me what you've been up to." She put an arm around Neth's shoulder and lead her away, leaving the former Captain to glance over her shoulder at her old apartment once before as they walk away.
