The Revenant Queen 2 (wlw)

Chapter Nine

Insomnia was a thing Colette would be subject to now that she was gifted certain abilities. The tortures of incessant sleepless nights most days usually left her up and about or just laying in her bed or the queen's, her mind drifting far and wide. There weren't much she'd do except lay there counting sheep or taking a stroll through the manor hoping morning came quick. This new adversity was something Colette told no one, not even her beloved.

Subject to the same irritable mood later that night, the brunette wandered into the kitchen as per usual to get herself a glass of water, her thoughts mooching and not so sweetly at the imminent council meeting she was aware of when unexpectedly, she bumped into Oliver after seeing him hours prior.

"Oh shi-" she mumbled, giggling quietly.

The revenant's surprised face greeted her in the dim room. He released her arm after holding it to keep her from hitting the floor upon the impact of their bodies. Fumbling afterwards, the young man stepped back.

"Can't sleep either huh?" She asked him, surprised that Oliver bowed at her. She wanted to address it but chose to ignore it. Colette was certain he'd respond like all the other revenants, ignoring her pleas to treat her the way they normally did before the entire incident, before she became Adira's official partner, before the stillness.

"I don't mean to be ungrateful, my lady but the bed here isn't the same as the bed in my home,"

"I'm so sorry and I understand that," said Colette taking a seat by the counter. She couldn't relate because when she first arrived there she slept like a log and without trouble but she understood how the experience would differ for others. Not everyone has the balls to be tucked in a chateau where they were a stone throw away from the queen and her commands.

"Would you like to sit and have a chat? I know we've been acquainted but I feel like our conversation was always, mostly formal,"

"Nothing is interesting about me, miss. I won't have much to share."

"There's always something interesting about everyone," the girl smiled.

"Tell me about your life before this, before emerging as a powerful being?" She asked, getting down from the stool and quietly rummaged through the refrigerator. She found some grapes she chewed on while offering some to her timorous counterpart.

There was a bit of silence as Oliver took a seat beside the brunette. He was as small as she was, he seemed timid and reserved and Colette respected and understood him. She often related to shyness and reticence as the only person she was truly opened and comfortable around within the manor was Adira, McLean and Isaac, Samuel was an exception and only because he volunteered regularly to help walk Lottie.

Eventually, the girl noticed Oliver understood that she meant well and he decided to open up.

"I died young, as you can already tell. I was nineteen when it happened, I was sick and no one around me knew,"

Colette saw him look down at the grapes he cradled, at his somewhat large hands, and empathy consumed her soul. Flashes of him fending vampires off returned and she ached for him— Oliver looked so dreary and hopeless.

"Hey um, do you think this conversation would be better somewhere else?" The ebullient girl pitched, catching the figure off guard.

"Better somewhere else?" Oliver frowned.

"Yeah, there's this place about a half-hour away from here that we could go. We can get some food that's not cooked in here, have a few drinks even-I'm not a big drinker so don't worry, we don't even have to buy alcohol,"

"But it's late, won't the queen be upset if we left?"

"I'll tell her in the morning don't worry. Plus it looks like you could use a little fresh air, you've been cooped up in here for what, four days?"