Norbert looked at the mansion before him, looking the same as ever. The mansion doors just out in front of him as Norbert stared at the snake knocker staring back at him. Norbert did not want to move first, remembering the last time he had grabbed onto one of these handles and getting enough surprised for a lifetime. Trying to swallow the nerves down, Norbert moved his hand to the door, going to the side of the knocker. He rapped his knuckles on the door, the sound echoing inside.
Moving his hand down, Norbert whistled as he waited for a moment. Obsius started to join in when the handle moved. The door opened, swinging inside, and the butler's form stood there in the middle of the double doors.
"Welcome, Norbert; how was your trip?" the butler asked, moving out of the way so Norbert could come in. Norbert stood there for a moment, doing a quick once-over of the place. Nothing was out of place, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood out. Finding no different feeling than the last time he was here, Norbert smiled at the butler, making his way up the stairs.
"Same room as before?" Norbert asked the butler.
"Yes, the same room as before. And please make it down to the main room for a chat with the lady after you’ve rested for a moment." the butler told Norbert before walking off to one of the rooms downstairs that Norbert had never been into.
With a slight shiver from the voice escaping the butler's lips, Norbert walked down the hallway, making sure not to look into the mirror, not wanting to be enchanted by the scenes it would show him.
Stepping past, Norbert made his way to the doorway, quickly opening it up before he could get distracted again. Seeing the chest and bed the same way he last left it. Closing the door, Norbert sees his sword silently lying there on the other side.
Smiling at it, Norbert quickly held it by the handle, still sheathed, feeling the weight in his hands. Slowly and methodically, Norbert raised it above himself, feeling his muscles slightly tense to hold the blade up as he silently went through the few moves he was taught.
Obsius, annoyed by the movement of having left Norbert’s shoulder, headed for the chest as she looked about. She wanted to get into the biscuits; Norbert kept a stash there for later.
Stopping his movements, Norbert popped the chest open, bringing out the sacks from the second coin pouch—the birds—as he gave one to her. Satisfied with her new gain, the bird flew onto the pillow and began making a mess while she ate the biscuit.
Norbert stared at the bird momentarily, shutting the chest with his foot as he continued his dance with the blade. He took the sight of Obsius still eating out of his mind as he moved his body through the swings.
Stopping, Norbert took the sword out of the sheath, looking at its blade, happy that he didn’t need to maintain it. Remembering maintenance, Norbert looked back to the chest with a sigh, unable to perform the needed maintenance on his many daggers and knife. Norbert removed the pack, removed the stone for sharpening and began work.
Closing the chest lid and using it as a stool, Norbert began the laborious and time-consuming task of sharpening the many daggers he used to an edge that could stay lodged inside a person. The biggest thing Norbert was focusing on, however, was all the nicks the blades had experienced on their many journeys flying through the air.
***
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
The sound coming from the door woke Norbert from his trance of sharpening the daggers. Placing the daggers back into his chest, Norbert righted himself as he stepped towards the door, opening it up and seeing the butler standing there.
“The lady would like to welcome you now.” The butler told Norbert before walking off.
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Norbert stood for a moment, looking down at himself. He raised his voice slightly so the butler, who was walking away, could hear him. “Is this okay?” he asked, pointing to his clothing.
“That attire is acceptable,” the butler told Norbert, his voice not raised or strained in the slightest, but the sound still easily reached his ears, like the man was standing right in front of him.
Shaking his head in confusion, Norbert turned to Obsius, who was now sleeping on the pillow.
“Want to come along?” Norbert asked the bird.
The only response Norbert received was the slight rise and fall of the bird as she breathed slowly. Smiling underneath his helmet, Norbert gently closed the door so as not to disturb the bird's sleep.
Walking down the hall, feeling proper once more with the weight of the sword on his hip, finally feeling correctly balanced and ready for what the world had to throw at him. However, he was hoping it wouldn’t be too much as he was still within the mansion that was supposed to be safe.
Making his way down the stairs, he made sure not to touch the railing, not wanting to cause extra work for one of the workers in the mansion. Turning to the double doors under the stairs, he saw them slightly ajar as Norbert pressed his boot at the bottom. The door gliding open as he continued walking in, and he wondered what type of orientation the room would now be in.
Norbert stood there as he gazed at the room—a combination of the few he had seen before. Only a small square table for two was set for eating. The cutlery was laid out, and a silver trolley with domed lids was on the side, with a small handle on top of each one to delicately present the food and move the dishes to the respective plates.
To the left of it, Norbert could see a work table. The wood was almost black, with lines of florescent green growing through the grain. It was slightly moving, reminding him of the trees on the Highlands Plateau, except these had no purple in them.
Norbert walked slightly over, wondering what it was about with the single old tome sitting on it, half open as it slowly flicked from one page to the next. Standing still, Norbert looked around, seeing if someone was there that he had missed on his first go, hiding somewhere and possibly flicking the pages.
Placing his head on the floor to look around, Norbert squinted as he looked under the front of the desk, which had a backing made to hide the feet of someone who would sit there.
Only seeing four legs, Norbert continued to look, feeling someone looking at him, his curiosity peeking as he couldn’t understand his current predicament.
“Having fun on the floor there, Norbert?” Vivienne asked him from behind.
Jumping into the air, Norbert quickly got to his feet as he looked around, finding the source of the noise.
Vivienne stands there, watching him with a smile. The woman wearing a loose top reminds Norbert of the togas the Greeks would wear. Both arms are exposed, and the snakes on each arm look down at Norbert, enquiring about what he is doing there.
Norbert looked at the table, the witch indicating for him to sit down. He took the seat, pulling it out as he sat down. He looked at the three sets of knives and fork on either side, and he saw the trolley on the side with six lids sitting there.
His back to the door as Vivienne sat on the other side of the small table. Taking one of the glass cups to her lips, she drank down the red liquid Norbert hadn’t seen before filling them.
Taking it himself, Norbert moved it to his nose, only to hear it rattle against his helmet.
“You missed it that much?” Vivienne asked Norbert, indicating with her glass that the helmet was still on Norbert’s head.
A sheepish smile was revealed to the witch as Norbert took his helmet off, holding both pieces in each hand, combining them, and placing them on the floor next to his seat. Retaking the glass Norbert swished it under his nose, giving it a smell as the wine came and hit his nose.
Smiling, Norbert took a slight swish of it, smiling as he felt the liquid dance on his tongue before swallowing it down his throat. Sighing audibly at the taste, Norbert went for another sip, taking a gulp instead as he downed the drink. Smiling, Norbert placed it back down on the table.
“Exquisite wine, I must say,” Norbert told her.
Vivienne smiles, “Thank you. Now I heard you had quite a few kids running around down here.”
Norbert nodded; the witch moved over to the table, picking up the first two and setting the dishes in front of herself and Norbert.
“Well, it began when I was stumbling around the city…”
***
Norbert smiled as he sat there, unable to keep his eyes open. The stress finally came off Norbert as he could finally relax.
“Well, I think that was one glass too many. I'd better retire and try to get some sleep. Can you excuse me?” Norbert asked, half leaving the table.
Vivienne smiled as she waved, taking her glass and finishing it off. “Perfect timing, actually. I have some work to do now.”
Norbert nodded as he exited, placing his hand on the door handle to open the door. He made his way up the stairs. Stumbling past the mirror, Norbert slammed his door open with his shoulder, walked forward and tripped on the
“Talk about being a fish,” Norbert heard a voice half say as his dreams were taken up by an old fisherman who wanted to catch the biggest fish he saw when he was a boy.