[Mkguild] Merry Marriage Round Robin: A New Life

[Indagare]

In the morning the Bremen Town Musicians and Jack, Totti, and Nihil left
the cottage after talking with Rufus and Olivia. Jack offered them all
three of his treasures, but they both refused after hearing his tale.

“What about your curse Nihil?” asked Curtise. “Do you think you could
regain your memory and not endanger your family?”

Nihil shrugged. “It was with an Aedra, so I doubt there are any thorns
attached, but I don’t even know where I’d start.”

“Surely there’d be people missing a family member.” said Tybalt.

“You forget he made the deal during the Winter Assault,” said Totti. “You
weren’t here for it, but none escaped completely unscathed. Even the most
well-preserved families within the Keep ended up losing at least one family
member. Most would simply assume the person is dead by now.”

“Yet, the deal stated that the family should be protected and prosper,”
said Baldwin. “That means whoever they are likely have been doing
well–perhaps miraculously so. There can’t be that many families that both
lost a member in the Assault *and* have prospered since.”

“Hmm, you make a good point,” said Totti. “People are recovering yet, but a
family that was in the Keep and has prospered since the Assault would be
harder to find.”

“You are all forgetting,” said Nihil. “I am double cursed. Moreover, I have
no memories of my family at all. Even were we to find them, I doubt they’d
recognize me and, of course, I’d not remember them at all. And we still
don’t know why an Aedra would even agree to such a deal. Even at the cost,
it’s still very one-sided.”

“Unless, of course, the Aedra had plans that your family could enact,” said
Jack. He looked far less bedraggled since his curse had lifted. “My mother
put the Wandering Curse on me so that I could find some treasure for her,
of that I’m sure! Where she and my brother went, I do not know, but surely
if I’d found what she wanted, she’d have returned that instance! Therefore
it is reasonable that the Aedra wanted something–something Nihil’s deal
would allow to happen.”

Everyone in the group shuddered. Nihil looked particularly unhappy. “That
would be deeply troubling. However, unless we can find them there’s no way
to know.”

“Well, you and Totti helped me, so it’s only fair I help you! Besides,
it’ll be interesting to see how things changed!”

“And I’m helping too,” said Totti. “After all we’ve been through I don’t
want to miss out!”

“One more thing.” Jack handed Chanti the golden harp. “Here! You can have
this!”

“I–but–what?! I can’t simply take something like this!”

“You called it out, you get to keep it. Besides, if I keep that thing half
the countryside’s liable to rob me over it!” Jack said, grinning.

“Oh! So now *I* get to be the one robbed, eh?” Even as he asked, he stroked
the harp’s cords. The human figure reshaped into a hen and the size shrank.
Anyone looking at it would think it a regular hand-harp covered in some
cheap gold paint.

“You’ve got three body-guards. Besides, I couldn’t hold a tune in a bucket!
That harp deserves an owner who can use her properly.”

Chanti made a deep bow. “I thank you Jack, and I’ll never forget this! I’ve
got quite the range, especially now, but I’ve been wanting a woman as part
of the group.”

“Now you have one! I hope we can meet again soon!”

“We’ll be performing at Sir Brightleaf’s wedding and you’ll likely see us
around the Keep.” said Chanti.

“And we won’t forget what you told us about Nihil,” said Curtise. “We’ll
help if we can.”

“Thank you!” said Nihil.

–Next Part Below–
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