RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE - The House of Dimitrescu

Chapter 28 - Preparations

The next morning, Y/N sought out Zoya in the kitchens. The Grand Chambermaid stood within a storm of flurrying activity as the maids and cooks hastily prepared breakfast for the Countess and her daughters, her grey hair slightly ruffled as she barked orders to the scurrying workers. Cracking his neck stiffly, Y/N moved through the frantic kitchen staff to approach her. 

'Zoya, do you have some time?' The Grand Chambermaid barely glanced at him, catching a glass in one hand as a maid's elbow knocked it off the side and replacing it immediately before turning to administer to a pot of boiling stew. 

'I never have time.' She said bluntly, lifting the stew from the heat and setting it aside, summoning a cook seemingly out of thin air to administer to it. 'I make time for important things or people. What do you want?'

'I need to talk to you about something important.'

'Then I make time.' She glanced at him, her brow furrowing. 'You look awful. What happened?'

'I didn't sleep well.' Y/N grumbled. Zoya sighed, before shouting in her native tongue over the heads of the cooks to a maid at the side of this kitchen, then turning back to him. 

'I will see you in the corridor in twenty minutes.'

---

When Zoya next appeared, she found Y/N waiting patiently in the corridor outside, his back leant against the wall and his fingers steepled carefully in front of him, deep in thought. He was still grappling fiercely with his mind's inner turmoil, attempting to appease the still sharp feelings of doubt and guilt that were rioting around inside his chest. What would Bela say?  He asked himself accusingly. Must you really betray her like this? 

At the sound of Zoya's approach, Y/N looked up, startled out of his rumination before straightening and making his way towards her, meeting her halfway down the corridor. 

'Now, what is so important?' Zoya asked him, smoothing the folds out of her apron before glancing up at him. 'And why have you come to see me so early?' 

'The Countess and the girls aren't awake yet.' Y/N told her quietly. 'I wanted to talk to you without being overheard.' Wincing, he rubbed at his eyes which were itching badly, and stifled a yawn behind the back of a hand. Zoya raised an eyebrow at him. 

'Did the screams keep you awake?' She asked him grimly, and Y/N nodded, sighing tiredly. 

'They did, and that's what I want to talk to you about.' Y/N took a deep breath. '... I want to free the prisoners.' He said bluntly. Zoya's eyebrow rose higher. 

'Impossible.' She replied. 'There are too many. And besides, her ladyship would slaughter you.'

'I am aware.' Y/N nodded. 'But that's not all I want to do... I want you to to go with them.'

'Me?' Zoya laughed scornfully. Y/N nodded. 

'Yes. You, along with the maids, cooks, groundsmen, every human on the estate who is at risk from Lady Dimitrescu.' Zoya's expression turned grim, but Y/N continued. 'Look, the Countess will eventually kill you all if you stay here. The only way to save yourselves is to get away. You know I'm right.' Zoya sighed, then gave Y/N a pitying smile. 

'Of course I know.' She muttered, shaking her head. 'Do you think any of us would choose to be here if here were another choice? Maids and staff have attempted to escape in the past. All of them failed. No matter how much I wish to leave, to save those girls from the fate that awaits them here, what plan do you propose that is any different to those of our predecessors?' She shook her head despairingly.