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What is the significance of the fact that the man who buried his talent was referenced as a Servant?

The term "Servant" doesn't have to denote a "Christian" anymore than the parable of the "unrighteous" judge refers to God as being unrighteous. Parables are simply stories to illustrate points.

And if the talent does not represent some gift or some grace given to the servant, then what is it that was given to him? Something was given and something was taken away when it was not used. What was that?

Everything we have, whether we are slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness our gifts and abilities comes from God. If you would like a Biblical example of God taking away something for abusing it I would call your attention to the book of Daniel.

Dan 5:17-30 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. "O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him....until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes."

"Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified. Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out."

Now this is the inscription that was written out: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.' This is the interpretation of the message: 'MENE'--God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 'TEKEL'--you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 'PERES'--your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians."

Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom. That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

Trouble is Belshazzar saw it too late and never brought glory to God. A kingdom was given to Belshazzar. a kingdom was taken away and given to another.