The Red Deer

It was late morning, and a sense of bliss had enveloped my body, preventing my consciousness from struggling to shake off the clinging grip of sleep. Oh, that sensation… a Saturday morning after a week of hard work, and, crucially, a frenzied bout of drunkenness the night before, followed by a sleep until midday, and then the lazy continuation and conclusion of it all — a leisurely day. My sleepy mind failed to notice at once… oddities. The texture of the sheets and blankets was different, the pillow was unusually firm, and someone was sleeping beside me.

Wait… what? What?! An intense surge of adrenaline extinguished my relaxation and contentment. Opening my eyes wide, I frantically scanned the surroundings. A multitude of things caught my attention, but first and foremost, there was myself. I was completely unclothed, lying on an immense four-poster bed, with a young boy of about fifteen lying beside me… also undressed… with a charming face, curly brown hair, and sensuous lips.

"I must have been drunk," I thought.

These thoughts come to one's mind once or twice in a lifetime, and even more frequently when one's life resembles mine. However, this is the first time in my recollection that I have experienced such a «way».

With a slowly subsiding headache, I emerged from the heap of blankets and began to scrutinize the room more closely. The circular walls were constructed of large, gray-white stones with meticulously sealed fissures, while the floor was adorned with carpets and pelts of various animals. A number of chests and cupboards were scattered about. To the left of the bed stood an unattractive, bulging fireplace, which was also quite sizable, above which hung a canvas depicting a rampant black stag on a yellow backdrop. On either side of the hearth were two full suits of armor bearing the image of stags. There were several glazed windows opposite the fireplace, resembling loopholes rather than true windows. Opposite the bed was a massive, double-leafed door adorned with gilded ornamentation and more stags.

Seizing upon an epiphany, I hastened to one of the windows. Despite the fact that the view was breathtaking, I found it quite unappealing. The ocean stretched out before me, reaching the horizon, with dark clouds hovering overhead, as if a tempest were about to descend. A thick wall loomed beneath the window, some distance away, measuring perhaps twenty meters or so, along which armored figures paced in a leisurely manner. Beyond the wall, a patch of forest could be glimpsed, and in the far distance, a low mountain chain.

Retreating, I slowly distanced myself from the aperture. My throat felt parched, and thoughts raced through my mind at breakneck speed, causing my already weary brain to heat up, leading me to abandon all thought and seek a respite.

A cool darkness once again enveloped my overburdened mind, and I collapsed onto the bed I had managed to drag myself towards.

I cautiously opened my eyes, which were closing from a long sleep.

Expectation… I don't know what it is. I was lying on the same

four-poster bed, but this time alone... thank God.

The headache didn't go away, but

I didn't seem to be going to lose consciousness either. There was no one in the room, and

it gave a good opportunity to reflect. Even

We have a lot to talk about. But first…

Without making a sound, I got out of bed and

pulled out the duck… A chamber pot? The plump head

would have involuntarily thought about terminology, if not

for the sake of the look of this "homemade trinket". She's so beautiful, silver…

It is even decorated with an engraving in the form of a deer. When I was done with my little chores, I climbed

back into the crib.

Good. Let's go. Who am I? My name is Igor Nikolaevich

Melnikov, I'm almost forty years old. On

weekdays I'm a hard worker, on weekends I'm a reveller, and I'm also half a biker. Well, these are

those who, observing all the external style and attributes,

prefer to ride in a motorcycle cradle rather than on

a Harley, because you can drink in a cradle, but you can't ride on a Harley

Married. Was. Twice.and both wives had children,

two of them (a girl and a boy). At

the same time, he remained on friendly terms with his exes, and even

children are friends with each other. Someone will be surprised, but that's what I am.

I have always considered this a "moderate" deviation from the norm. After all, I

wasn't some kind of bastard, I wasn't greedy, and

I was always actively involved in parenting. In general, I have a sense

of responsibility with me, but I'm hunting for a woman's body

, I won't deny it. There is, or rather, already "had" its own business

in the form of a car repair shop and a couple of shops with

tools for transportation. The business was booming

no matter what.

In the middle of reflection

I had to take a break to piece together my biography. Her aching head demanded that they just put her on a pillow and leave her alone. I felt that

difficult times were coming.

I graduated from military school, served a certain

number of years and managed to fight in the mountains… And I quit.

At that time, they practically did not pay, "and I

was young and attractive, so

when the opportunity presented itself, I immediately applied. 

In the thirtieth year of his

life, he became interested in reconstructing the events of the deceased

The Middle Ages, since he always suffered from love and

respect for history, and then there was a good

company. 

That's how I became a reenactor.

However, not the most ordinary. 

Yes, I collected armor

and even wore it sometimes, but at festivals I mostly

walked around in a burger costume and drank beer. 

I did not participate in fights and dumps, I participated in

various battles during the second Chechen War, so I

was present solely for the sake of good company and lively,

interesting communication… Well, play the guitar, and look at

the girls in different outfits. In general, I

hope I was a good person. I could have helped, I helped,

I couldn't, but I tried to help anyway, and people responded in kind

. But I could also help personally, if anything, even how, but this

is only under certain circumstances. Violence is the last thing I need.

In a way, I am a pacifist. Or maybe I've already been there..

Why "was" and why is the past tense used everywhere? Yes, I died. Absolutely dead. How? I don't remember, but knowing myself,,

I can paint a picture — there was a lot of alcohol,

light girls and stories... Or broken tents,

medieval costumes, armor, horses, shy girls,

alcohol... or all of them together. After all, the company is practically

the same.

And so. I was reborn, and that's a very strong word. Not into anyone or anywhere, but into the world of a Song of Ice and Fire, and into all this

Renly Baratheon.

How many times have my friends and I not discussed and

laughed at alternative history and popadans,

but to find ourselves in such a situation... It's scary and a little

funny. I'm more afraid, but there's good news. 

I'm pretty familiar with Game of Thrones

— I've watched all the seasons and read two whole books… Okay,

I haven't finished the second one yet. I must admit, when I got to know this

fantasy, a lot of things caused me skepticism and misunderstanding,

but I appreciated a lot, because it is in almost all

the works.

But no, I'm being modest, there's not only one good

news — I'm terribly lucky.

 First of all, Renly, now it's me

or us... You don't know what the hell this is, but we kind of... "merged." If

you look at it from Renly's side, I agree, it sounds

gay, but it is. Now Renly Baratheon is gone, and

Igor Melnik, there is a bas-relief of Regli! Well, or

vice versa… It's not the point that matters.

 The name is an empty sound, but the body is there

Renlivskaya, and if she is killed, I'm afraid it will be the end for me. But

there's nothing new here—I'll figure it out. 

Secondly... Renly. Renly,

damn it! After all, if I had woken up in the body

of a peasant or, worse, a woman, then the time would have come for me.

That would be totally fucked up. In these places, peasants and women do not live

long and in humiliation. 

In the third... Renly. One more time. Because

the body is young and beautiful—I was

a beer lover, but Renly is handsome. 

Shoulder-length black hair, blue eyes, manly chin…

In general, the gay version of Conan. And so

That's where the problem arises. If I was interested in women, Renly

was interested in men....Sort of... yeah. In general, Renly

had a large archive of memories in his head, not the most pleasant

for a committed heterosexual like me. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Renly was the one, the "Sword Swallower". It was! I told you what happened! Because now I won't do it for anything.