Revenant's Resolve chapter 27

Something felt… wrong to Reznik. 

Familiar in a way he couldn’t quite articulate. 

He couldn’t help but feel that he was being sized up by a hawkish creature that was equally as dangerous as himself. Oona, Luminita’s mother, watched him from her seat at the table warily. 

Meanwhile, Botezatu and Luminita brought the various dishes she’d cooked out to the table in her stead, and Reznik could see why. Apparently, at some point between now and the last time he’d seen her in Carcal, she’d lost a leg.

A leg that was replaced by an artfully-painted wooden prosthetic. 

It made complete sense to Reznik why she wouldn’t be bringing out the food, given the cane and all, but he couldn’t quite understand her seeking, intense stare. 

More importantly, why the stormy eyes both her and her daughter shared were focused entirely on him. 

Okay, this has gone on long enough. 

Maybe she’s concerned about me being what I am, too. 

I should break the ice, at least just try and get conversation going. 

“H-hi.” Reznik greeted, pulling his lips back in what he hoped was a good smile. 

Oona cocked her head all the way to one shoulder, then halfway back to the other as her eyes narrowed. 

“Lumie didn’t tell me you could talk.” Her brow arched and she leaned back in her seat with a thoughtful expression. Oona’s eyes flicked down to Reznik’s chest and arms, then back up to his head in a way that felt like a recalibration.  “It does make sense, though. With everything else - if you can talk, walk, and reason like a man, what else ‘like a man’ could you do?”

There seemed to be an element of humorous hostility to her open-ended question that left Reznik feeling like it deserved an answer. 

What else can I do? 

Uhh.

Hmmm. 

Well, I can read, I just can’t turn the pages without ripping them.

Eh, I’ll save that for later. 

Eat? Yes. Eating seems like a good answer. 

I can eat like a real person - with my hands and everything!

“Eeeat-t?” Reznik felt the answer seemed fitting enough. 

Oona blinked owlishly, snorted, and flicked her gaze exasperatedly to the ceiling as she began to giggle. 

“Aye, fair. I’ve never once met a man that wasn’t like a coin. They’re either focused on their stomach or their sword, and seldom anything else.” Oona’s piercing stare returned to meet Reznik’s eyes just before the kitchen door slammed open. 

Botezatu emerged, carrying a large silver platter piled high with bread, potatoes, stewed vegetables, and a large roast. Behind him came Luminita, carrying an albeit smaller platter with an entire roasted bird, slices of the roast, and eggs. 

Knowing his own diet, he reasoned the one she carried was likely his. 

Luminita stopped and squinted oddly at her mother, who merely smiled brightly before taking a sip from her wine glass. 

Slowly, Luminita began to walk back towards the table, setting the platter before Reznik, then taking her seat. 

“Interesting company you keep, Lumie.” Oona broke the long moment of silence with a faint smile and amused tone. “Familiar, even.” 

Luminita hesitated a moment before she continued piling a plate with food, then handed it to her mother. 

“You know, speaking of being familiar…” Luminita glanced at Botezatu before staring pointedly, smiling back at her mother. 

Reznik was thoroughly confused, so he looked to Botezatu for help. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but hoped something from Botezatu would clarify the sudden tension in the room. 

Instead, Botezatu picked up his wine glass, fractionally shook his head side-to-side, and took a long drag. 

Reznik understood the warning when he saw it, but couldn’t fathom why Botezatu would be warning him. 

Instead of digging further, he decided that this was another conversation that really didn’t need his attention - but there was a perfectly good meal in front of him that did. 

So he ripped off a drumstick, brought it to his mouth, and crunched off half the limb. 

Okay. I now see where Luminita gets it. Gods above, this is so juicy…

And the spices, dear lord, the spices!

“G-good.” Reznik thanked just after swallowing, but a moment before he took another crunching bite away from the leg. 

Luminita’s mother was watching him with an ill-contained smirk. Luminita pinched the bridge of her nose exasperatedly. Botezatu was deeply focused on his glass of wine. 

“You know, at least with him, I doubt there will ever be a complaint about dinner.” Oona chortled, then took a bite of her own meal. 

Nope!

No complaints here! 

Reznik popped the last of the drumstick into his mouth and picked up one of the thick slices of roast as Luminita glowered at her mother. 

“You mean like how dad used to?” Luminita quipped back with a smile that looked entirely false.

“Exactly like how Velis used to.” Oona affirmed, pointing the end of her fork at her daughter before taking a bite. 

Reznik scooped up a wad of fluffy eggs, tilted his head back, and dumped them in. 

The meal was good. 

To him, it ranked among the finest of Luminita’s meals. 

Not like the pile of mutton and borderline crunchy sausage that inn had served. 

Granted, the inn food was marginally better than eating a stinky corpse in the field, and definitely served its purpose, but he noted with some amusement that he was beginning to develop an appreciation for the finer things in life. 

I wonder how I’d feel if this was all taken away from me…

Yeah… I wouldn’t be happy if I had to go back to eating whatever dead thing decided to die on the trail ahead of me. That, or being forced to rely on eating people all the time. 

So… I -really- need to get Zarah back. 

I doubt Botezatu’s goodwill will last as long as Zarah’s - but that’s also because she gets something out of it. 

I think. 

Am I just a curiosity to her?

Reznik poked at that last thought as he picked the de-legged bird up from the platter, pushed his thumbs into the center, and ripped the carcass in half. Then, he stuffed one half down his gullet. 

You know… Oona made an entire chicken for me. Not to mention a whole quarter of the roast, and eggs. 

I don’t see eggs anywhere else on the table - that means they’re special for me. 

And she really didn’t have to…

I should thank her. 

Thanking people for going out of their way to help is the right thing, after all!

Reznik swallowed deeply, smacked his lips, and pushed the words to his lips.

“T-hank yoo-oou.” He cheerfully rasped, trying to pull his lips back into the largest smile he could muster. 

Oona’s eyes went wide for a moment before she glanced to her daughter, then back to him - now with a wide smile of her own. 

A smile that felt like it had an undertone of superiority, as if she’d just won an argument. 

“You’re very welcome…” Oona replied with a small nod of her head, leaning her chin on her hand. “So. My daughter tells me that you’re the one who protected her from bandits in the woods a few weeks back - and that you helped keep the town safe when it was sacked.

“That, and the time that she’s spent with you working for the Lady Inquisitor has given her… the impression that you’re actually a perso-“

“Mother!” Luminita snapped, causing Oona to raise her hands in mock surrender. 

“I must admit - I’m curious myself. Just what are you?” Oona continued despite Luminita’s protests. “On the one hand, you talk - but so can some kinds of birds, so can wraiths and ghouls when they want to lure prey.

“Maybe I’m just… suspicious because I worry for my daughter, and I’m having a hard time reconciling what I see and what I’ve heard.”

Oona waved her hand first to her daughter, and then to Botezatu, who seemed to want nothing to do with this conversation - peacefully and pointedly focusing on his drink. 

Reznik thought about the question as he lifted the second half of the chicken to his mouth, opened it wide, and stuffed it in. 

Rationally, he reasoned, he would also be concerned if he had a daughter in the same position - having her safety more or less relying on the whims of an undead monster that had eaten people before, and very likely might again. 

But… how do I put this into words. 

I’m conscious, and after many years, I finally am starting to reclaim control over my body again. 

Even if I’m not a human, or an elf, or whatever Oona is… I think I’m on the same level of thought. 

I am, as far as I know. 

I’m not a telepath, so it’s not like I can really compare my own mind to theirs…

“I… thhink, I a-am.” Reznik’s mouth missed the majority of his thought, but still managed to squeeze words out as he was putting together the best way to respond.

Oona blinked abruptly, shook her head out, and then rolled it far to one side. 

“I… think, therefore I am.” Oona chuckled, leaning back in her seat as if astonished by his half-processed answer. “I never thought I’d hear philosophy come out of an undead.”

What?

Reznik picked up another slice of roast to try and disguise his confusion with chewing. 

How was what I said philosophy?

Oh well, whatever. 

If she’s happy, and will stop asking me questions, it’s good enough. 

I just want to polish off this food. 

“Table manners aside, Lumie, your Revenant friend seems more well-read than your father…” Oona complimented as Luminita pressed her palms into her eyes. 

“Well, I’m so glad he’s passed your tests, mother!” Luminita threw her palms down in a snap into her lap as she spoke with an exasperated tone. “But there’s bigger things to worry about. Like Zarah, and the Queen?” 

“Yes, there is. However, Thomman will be going to advocate for her tomorrow - there’s no use worrying ourselves silly when there’s nothing we can do for the moment. We are safe, we are fed, and we are free, here. 

“I spent almost two months in a foul, dangerous refugee camp after your father died in Carcal. I, for one, am grateful for the hand fate and Azretu have dealt me, regardless of the troubles it came with.” Oona’s smile was warm, despite the tension in the room. 

Tension that Reznik was currently doing his best to ignore as he had a wonderful idea. 

If he took one of his slices of roast and put the eggs atop it, then rolled it up, he could eat it all in one bite, and the flavors might compliment each other. 

So he nudged the piece of meat over until it lay flat on the tray, then worked his hand into scooping the eggs atop it. 

“So please, Luminita, give me this reprieve - my daughter is safe, I am happy, and for the first time in a long while, the world seems to be getting better for me. Let me enjoy that.” 

Reznik’s idea was a success, and he reveled in the flavor of well-salted eggs and spiced, tender meat as they combined on his tongue. 

I need to keep working on my speech. 

Imagine how good it would be if I could just ask for this! 

Yes, good morning Luminita! It is I, your talking Revenant asking for eggs and roast for breakfast again!

  *

“Good news, and bad news.” Botezatu grumbled, shutting the door behind him. 

He’d spent most of the day at the castle, apparently waiting for an audience with the Queen, and now he was returning with what was supposed to be the basis of their plan. 

“Good news is that your path forward will be relatively simple.” Botezatu informed, working off his overcoat with a grimace before Oona flew forward, helping to pull it off him. For a moment, it seemed like he tried to shake her of before he relented and let her help him. “The bad news is that there is precious little I can really do to help.

“Queen put out word. The Bessarban Czhan has the Prince hostage, and he’s issued a challenge. To send anyone that can beat the Czhan’s chosen man, his best warrior in single combat. If Wallach’s fighter loses, we surrender. If we win, then the Prince gets returned alive and unharmed.”

Botezatu moved to sit down in a plushly-upholstered chair beside the front entryway with a groan. As he stripped off his boots, he continued:

“Queen Dzvina has requested that every noble house submit a candidate to be Wallach’s champion - there will be a tournament, and whoever wins is promised the Queen’s favor.” Botezatu pulled off one of his boots and dropped it on the floor beside him, sending flecks of mud skittering away from it. With a faint twinkle in his eyes, Botezatu looked first to Reznik, then to Luminita. “I’m guessing that you two can see where I’m going with this…”

Oh! 

You’re telling me that all I have to do to free Zarah is fight a few people, then fight a Bessarban? 

Simple is right! 

I wonder if they’ll throw me another mage. Or, better yet, maybe a centaur! It’s been ages since I fought a centaur, and the last one was just too fast. 

“You mean you’re planning to submit Reznik as your pick, then?” Luminita questioned, casting her eyes up to Reznik, then back to Botezatu. 

“In the good old days, I would’ve leapt at the opportunity for myself,” Botezatu laughed throatily as he tore off his other boot. “But I’m long past my glory days, as Reznik demonstrated not too far back. 

“I think he has a real chance at winning, knowing how much of the nobility go about selecting their tournament champions.” 

Botezatu stood and looked directly into Reznik’s eyes with the same pointed stare that he’d given him in the Carcal dungeon. A look that felt like it weighed, measured, and sized up his very soul. 

“If you want Zarah back quickly, without having to wait years for this war to end - this is really your only option that doesn’t end in the headsman’s axe.” Botezatu sniffed once, likely from the cold rain outside, and briefly seemed to take stock of his physicality. “You impressed me in Carcal, then in our duel. 

“Let’s see if you can do it a third time.”Botezatu smiled in a lopsided way before patting Reznik on the shoulder. “Hopefully you ain’t gone soft in Zarah’s dusty lair, because you’ve got two days until the first fight. 

“After the tournament ends… well, I would guess at it being less than a week before you go and meet the Czhan’s challenge on the Queen’s behalf.” 

Reznik knew at some level that he was supposed to be feeling anxious about the news. He didn’t. 

Instead, he felt excited - giddy, even. 

He liked it when he got to do good things, using his abilities to help those around him. 

As much as he felt pride and gratitude towards Zarah for the self-improvements she’d helped him achieve in their time, the excursion with the necromancer had helped him realize that at some level he -missed- actually doing things. 

And while a tournament was no defenseless village to save from an invading, marauding army, it was still a chance for him to help the people closest to him. 

You know… 

I think I’m going to make an exception to my rule about eating people. 

Whoever the Czhan picks as his champion - I’m going to enjoy eating him. 

Maybe even in front of the Czhan himself. 

Kill him, eat him, then take Zarah and Luminita home!

Oh! Then see if I can talk Luminita into making me more of that brisket! 

Reznik felt an idle stirring at the back of his mind as Oona herded their group into the kitchen for supper. 

Maybe food wasn’t the only thing he wanted, maybe his life could run deeper than eating and fighting. 

I mean. I’ve already figured out how to talk, even if it’s hard and I’m bad at it.

What else can I do with time?