Hello everyone! How are all of you? I hope you're all fine! Okay, as every week, here you have the new chapter for you all. Obelix followed the Roman but unfortunately, Overanxius managed to fool him. Poor Obelix... again. He thinks he'll get Asterix soon but actually, he's getting far from him. What will happen? How will Obelix manage to find Asterix? All the questions will get their answers in time. If you're enjoying this story, please, can you leave a review? Just if you want. I love to hear your thoughts about this.😊

Well, I'd like to give a special thanks to Drummergirl for helping me editing this story. I'm really, really, really grateful to her, she's awesome!

Okay after say all this, here you have the next chapter of this story, I hope you all will like it!

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The last moments in which the sun bathed the earth with its rays before disappearing over the horizon had already arrived. The sky turned a reddish orange color. The great sun was already hiding and soon the night would make its appearance. The wind blew gently, slowly moving the leaves of the trees – which seemed to sway in time with the breeze – making a soft noise with the movement. It almost seemed the trees were singing a lullaby for all who lived in the forest. All was calm. Land animals gathered in their burrows and other favorite places to spend the night. The birds flew to their nests to spend the night there with their young.

The silence grew everywhere. It was a call to calm the body, soul and mind for every living being. But that tranquility – these moments of peace – none of them were helping to calm Getafix's mind. No, after being rescued, the old druid had been escorted back to the village, where after explaining all that happened to Vitalstatistix, he had been forced to rest, much to the displeasure of the village druid. Honestly speaking, the bearded man didn't feel he could rest without knowing Asterix was coming back... that Obelix would be able to rescue him... that everything was going to be okay...

There was too much at stake, too many chances that everything would end in the worst possible way... or to be exact, how the druid didn't want it to end...

Getafix trusted Obelix. He knew that the red-haired Gaul – though he didn't appear very intelligent and even acted childish at times – was capable enough to bring the blond warrior back home. But there was a growing feeling inside him, like a heavy and constant burden in his heart, that told him something was wrong... that for some reason, Obelix wouldn't succeed... that he wouldn't be able to return with Asterix. The old druid didn't want to think like that... yet his heart continually presented these possibilities to him, as if there were no chance of hope for this situation.

With such feelings in his heart, the village druid was fully aware he couldn't rest even if he tried with all his might. So, instead of staying in bed as recommended, he got up. He put his cape around his shoulders, and after putting on his blue shoes, he left his cabin. The last rays of the sun greeted him outside. The sky was acquiring a dark bluish color, a symbol that the night was getting closer. There were also several faces that looked at him in surprise, and not without reason. At the same moment in which he arrived, all the villagers had gathered around him to know the details of what had happened, and naturally they were all very aware he had been ordered to rest. So, when they saw him come out of his cabin, those who observed him were surprised to see him out there.

Getafix looked sympathetically at all the villagers who stared at him, aware of the concern they felt. But no matter how hard they insisted, they wouldn't get him back inside his home again... at least not immediately. No, until Asterix and Obelix returned, he couldn't rest. He was convinced that only when the two of them returned would he stop having that nagging sense of fear that had gripped his heart. Getafix walked towards the village entrance gate and stood there, looking up at the trees, expecting that at any moment Obelix would appear from the undergrowth carrying Asterix in his arms. He scanned the forest from side to side, noticing every detail. The slightest sound made his head move in its direction, expecting to see the red-haired Gaul appear. But as much as he wanted it, Obelix didn't show up. Getafix let out a sigh, and as he did so, the humid climate mixed with the cold transformed the air that came out of his lips into a small cloud. Seeing this, the druid became aware of how cold it was already. His icy hands were practically numb at this point. He brought his hands to his mouth and breathed into them, trying to revive them... at least enough to regain sensation. After succeeding, he decided to hide his hands inside his beard, as if it were a blanket that would keep him warm. He then proceeded to sit on one of the large stones at the sides of the entrance, gathering himself up as he tried to keep warm.

The night had finally come. The sky filled with stars and the moon illuminated as far as the druid could see with its pale light. Behind him in the village houses, the hazy light emitted by the flames of the chimneys of each house were visible. The night was cool, and that warm color pouring out of every window in every house was a constant invitation to the druid to go into the warmth of his own home. But he didn't do it. Getafix decided to stubbornly stay where he was. He wouldn't move from there... he wouldn't stop staring at the forest for a second. Right now, the wind had stopped. Everything was eerily quiet. There was barely a sound... just the constant chirping of crickets and the occasional owl hooting, but other than that, no strange noise reached his ears.

The druid breathed another sigh as he closed his eyes, his tired body demanding rest, but he didn't feel worthy of it. The memories of how this all began were constantly in his memory, haunting him, reminding him of his incredible neglect of the correct way to proceed. His eagerness to stand out in the next Druid encounter in Carnutos had led to one of the villagers – one of his friends – being in grave danger now. How could he rest when he was responsible for something like that?

"By Tutatis! What are you doing out here, oh druid? " a voice suddenly asked from behind him.

Getafix turned and found himself staring into the village leader's concerned face. He was surprised to find him there, but soon recovered from his surprise and replied:

"Vitalstatistix? Sorry, I just..."

The village chief approached and put a hand on the bearded man's shoulder as he spoke again:

"I understand, but tonight is particularly cold, it would be better if you went in and warmed up, my friend, for the love of Belenos."

The old druid looked sympathetically at the village leader. He smiled warmly at him but declined his offer, shaking his head as he said:

"No... I can't... not until Asterix and Obelix return."

Vitalstatistix smiled, he didn't want to force Getafix, so he simply sat next to him and handed him what he was carrying in his hands while saying:

"I knew you would say that. For this reason, I have brought you this."

The old druid looked down at a bowl filled with hot liquid that was steaming and smelling exquisite. How could Getafix not realize before that Vitalstatistix was carrying that food in his hands?

The bearded man stared at the container full of hot food, he longed to eat, and the mere sight of that delicacy increased his desire to bring food to his body. In fact, the Romans had hardly fed him... just enough to keep him from starving, no doubt a measure to keep him under control and not have the strength to try to escape.

Even though Getafix really wanted to eat something, especially something hot, he felt he wasn't worthy of such a delicacy, not with the guilt that weighed on his conscience. His eyes traveled from the bowl to Vitalstatistix's face, who was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to take the bowl from his hands and begin to eat. The druid smiled again and said to his friend:

"Oh no, by Tutatis, , I can't accept it."

A slight wince of pain crossed the face of the village leader, who presumably didn't expect the druid to refuse his food. Vitalstatistix was well aware that Getafix hadn't eaten anything since his return, and only the gods knew how he had been treated while was in the hands of the Romans. Knowing them, they surely hadn't missed the opportunity to act as predators who had their victim dominated just before eating it.

No, Vitalstatistix was unwilling to allow the village druid to forego eating. Getafix would eat even if he had to make him do it. It was for his own good. For a fleeting moment, the idea of forcing Getafix to eat some food was present in the mind of the village leader, but he soon put those thoughts out of his mind and approached the subject as delicately as possible.

"Sure you can, and you will, Getafix, by Belisana. You may not want to rest, and I know you well enough to know you are too stubborn to listen to reason, but at least you must eat something. I cannot allow you to deprive yourself of food, too. Also... Impedimenta has prepared it with great love. It's her special boar stew, and you know how well my dear wife cooks."

Getafix didn't take his eyes off Vitalstatistix's. He knew the village chief was only trying to help him, but even so... he was certainly very stubborn, maybe too stubborn. In Getafix's opinion, not eating was a self-imposed punishment for not having been cautious enough, not only once, but twice.

The old druid closed his eyes and let out a long breath. When his eyes opened again, his dark pupils stared at Vitalstatistix's orbs with intensity, trying to make the village chief understand his decision.

"I really appreciate Impedimenta's gesture, but I really..." he began to tell him, but could never finish because Vitalstatistix prevented him by saying:

"You better accept it, oh druid, you know how my wife is when she gets angry, and... with everything that has happened... I don't want to see her angry."

The last words that came from the lips of the village leader reached the ears of Getafix with what seemed to be a tone of guilt in them. The druid immediately looked surprised at Vitalstatistix, who had lowered his head and seemed deeply embarrassed about something. Yes, surely the mind of the village leader was disturbed in some way.

His gaze returned to the bowl of food. The vapor it emitted – along with the smell – were a cruel reminder to the druid of how hungry he really was. Knowing he couldn't belittle the food of the village chief's wife, Getafix pulled his hands out from under his beard and reached for the food container. He graciously accepted the food, and once he placed the bowl on his lap, the village druid began to eat it – slowly at first, and then with greater avidity – allowing the heat of the food to reach every corner of his body. Getafix had to admit, no one in town cooked like Impedimenta.

While eating, the druid thought about the man next to him. To be honest, he couldn't understand what could be bothering his red-haired friend. But... from his point of view, it couldn't be something too serious... perhaps a discussion with Impedimenta. The truth is that the disputes between them weren't strange, and although it was clear that both loved each other – they loved each other very much, to the point that either of them would be willing to sacrifice for their spouse – it was also true that sometimes the smallest incident was the trigger for a giant and long-suffering discussion, which had sometimes led them not to speak to each other for days.

With the village chief and his wife, it was certainly clear married life isn't a field of roses, and that those who get married won't live a life free of trouble. Marriage is a hard road that must be traveled alongside the being with whom you are united for life. There will be pleasant moments – laughter, fun – but there will also be pain, suffering, and regrets... they are two sides of the same coin. Joy and suffering are intrinsically linked in married life.

Getafix admired those who chose married life. Truthfully... he also had a moment in his life in which he could have chosen either path – that of marriage, or that of dedicating his life to the service of others as a druid. It was a difficult and decision which took much thought, but he finally chose to be a druid, because his desire to help others was great, and despite being told that being a druid could be a heavy burden, he never regretted his choice.

Despite this, Getafix clearly remembered how the Druid Master – who welcomed him and the other students on the first day – told them that none of them could ever be a good Druid if they didn't consider they could also be good husbands. He clearly told them their choice to be Druids couldn't be based on the action of fleeing a life of marriage. It was true the Druids should be celibate, but their great teacher also taught them they should put the effort into their work they would if they did it for their wives... that is, with all their hearts. They were to give themselves entirely to others and be their servants, just as a husband would for his wife.

All these thoughts wandered through Getafix's mind as he gazed at the grim countenance of the village chief. His face still reflected deep guilt. No, surely it wasn't an argument with his wife that had left him in that state, but then what was it? What had happened to Vitalstatistix that made him look so miserable? Was it perhaps something to do with Asterix? No, that couldn't be... the village leader hadn't done anything that could harm the village warrior... had he?

"Vitalstatistix... what happened is not your fault –" he tried to tell him. Perhaps if he heard someone say it, the attitude of the village chief would improve. But the druid was interrupted again by the village leader, who practically shouted:

"Yes, it is by Tutatis! Asterix... like the other villagers... is under my protection. I am the chief of this village. I must ensure the safety of all. That is the burden I must carry on my shoulders since I decided to accept the position of village chief," Vitalstatistix explained in a serious and sad voice. Certainly, when his older brother left the village after arguing with their father, he left a young Vitalstatistix, who at that time was practically the only candidate to fill the post of village chief.

Vitalstatistix wasn't fully aware of what it meant to lead a village. Truthfully, he never expected he would have to. But after participating in Alesia's battle, the behavior of Vercingetorix – his way of proceeding, how he united several Gaul peoples to fight the Romans for the first time, how he encouraged his troops to continue fighting until the end – it somehow reminded Vitalstatistix of his father. It was after that battle that Vitalstatistix fully understood what it meant to lead a people. As soon as he returned, the first thing the young Gaul did was put himself at his father's feet and ask his forgiveness for all his offenses and for the times he had dared to challenge his authority.

The father of the young Gaul was surprised by his son's display, to the point he believed he was sick or maybe the experience of the battle had been too much for him. It wasn't until Vitalstatistix told him what he had seen and how he'd reflected on it all that his father managed to understand everything. And when he did, he put a hand on his son's shoulder and said: "Vitalstatistix, one day you will be a great leader for these people, and I'll be very proud of you." Needless to say, Vitalstatistix struggled to fulfill his father's expectations, and until now, with the help of Getafix and the magic potion, everything had gone smoothly... until they encountered their current problem. With everything that was happening, Vitalstatistix felt like he had failed as a leader.

Getafix was surprised by his friend's sudden outburst. To tell the truth, he didn't expect Vitalstatistix would react in that way. Getafix guessed it was from the fact that even though everyone knew he was the village chief, he had never actually had reason to truly prove the worth of his actions, so it was no wonder that a deep feeling of guilt was filling his mind. But the village druid didn't blame Vitalstatistix for what had happened. No, if someone had to be blamed... it had to be him. He was solely responsible for everything that was happening to them. It was Getafix's fault it seemed the gods had turned against him. No one but him was responsible for such a crime.

"I'm afraid this time, what has happened shouldn't fall on your shoulders, but rather on mine," Getafix said softly. He couldn't bear to continue staring at the face of the village chief. Perhaps what had happened was the Druid's fault, but even if it were, he couldn't allow the spirits of all the villagers to be so low.

Vitalstatistix let out a sigh that almost seemed the epitome of ultimate despair.

With that simple action of letting air escape from his body, Getafix was able to perceive the village leader had something important on his conscience, which made him realize no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make him feel better... unless he got rid of whatever it was that tormented him.

The village druid opened his mouth to speak to Vitalstatistix again, but before he could utter a single word, the village chief spoke first:

"I wouldn't be so sure, my dear friend... if it had not been for my negligence, Asterix would never have left the village."

Getafix suddenly turned around with his eyes wide open. What did Vitalstatistix mean by that? What could he have done that had given the little Gaul a chance to leave the safety of the village?

"What?" the druid asked suddenly, his voice coming out an octave higher than he intended, making his voice sound like a scream from someone who is lecturing a small child.

Vitalstatistix flinched and closed his eyes at Getafix's reaction. He knew something like this would happen when he confessed what made his heart bitter.

Seeing this, the druid took a deep breath and in a calmer voice asked:

"What happened exactly?"

The village leader kept his eyes closed, as if not looking at anyone would make it easier for him to explain what happened, and partly get rid of the great burden on his shoulders. His body hunched forward and his arms rested on his knees, seeming to hang without force, adding more misery to his general state.

"What happened was that... after you disappeared... we got together to talk about what to do... then my wife offered to take Asterix away, but he... he didn't want to leave. And instead of forcing him to leave, I allowed him to stay... he heard everything we talked about and that's when he decided to go out on his own to find you. Oh, by Tutatis, I am deeply sorry for my decision. I should have prevented it... if something happens to Asterix it will be my fault."

Vitalstatistix's voice faded as he narrated what had happened, to the point that the last part was no more than a whisper. Even so, the village druid heard each and every word of the village chief. For Getafix, Vitalstatistix's declaration felt like a pile of stones falling into his stomach. Asterix had gone looking for him because he had heard he had disappeared... but everyone knew they had to keep a close watch on the little Gaul. How had Asterix been able to evade everyone's supervision and leave the village without being seen?

These thoughts brought back old memories to Getafix of when the blond warrior had gone to the forest countless times. Back then, either because of the benevolence of the gods or because the Romans couldn't imagine the "problems" that Asterix would bring them, nothing had ever happened to him. But now it was different. The Romans knew Asterix, they knew what had happened to him, for they had seen him with their own eyes. Now Asterix could almost be considered as a prize for the Romans, and whoever caught him would surely receive a large reward from Caesar, the druid had no doubt about that.

What Vitalstatistix had just told him was a hard blow. It was one of his worst nightmares come true... but there were still elements that Getafix didn't understand. He was pretty sure Obelix would never have allowed Asterix to go out alone. Information was still missing.

"I'm not going to deny your actions were reckless, my friend," Getafix told him after regaining the speech he had thought he had lost for a few moments, and continued, saying:

"But there are elements that I still do not understand. I don't think even for a second Obelix allowed Asterix to wander the village alone without supervision."

Hearing what the druid was saying, VItalstatistix looked up at the bearded man and then said with a sad smile:

"Oh that... I must admit our dear friend has a knack for getting what he wants," It wasn't that the village chief found it funny, but he had to admit that the blond warrior – despite his condition – had used a strategy very effective to get away with it.

"What do you mean?" Getafix asked somewhat astonished when he saw the shadow of a smile on Vitalstatixtix's face.

"Well... when I said I allowed Asterix to stay at our meeting, it was because he looked at me with the biggest eyes you could ever imagine... and when Asterix wanted to go out on his own... he looked at Obelix the same way. I know I can't blame Obelix for forcing him to decide between taking care of his friend and his duty to stay in the meeting we were having. But... Obelix made the decision to let the little boy leave the cabin only accompanied by Dogmatix, although I will say in his defense that from the moment Asterix left, he didn't stop worrying about him for a moment," explained Vitalstatistix.

The village chief truly felt he couldn't blame Obelix for what had happened. The great Gaul had too generous a heart, and it had already been shown in the past that children were a bit of weakness of his. Everyone had realized the menhir delivery man couldn't see a sad child, much less a crying child. His kindness prompted him to help such children at all costs, and make them feel better.

How could Vitalstatistix blame someone like Obelix for what had happened? The answer was simple. He couldn't. Obelix wasn't guilty of what had happened, nor were his actions the reason the Romans were able to seize Asterix again.

Getafix listened carefully to this part of the story, taking in what the village chief was telling him. Slowly he took one of his hands out from under his long beard, where he had hidden them again after finishing his meal, and with it he began to caress the beard. The truth is, the druid was very aware of what Vitalstatistix was telling, since he himself had been the victim of one of those looks from Asterix. Honestly speaking, the druid had always considered himself fair to children. He played with them if they asked, taught them patiently, and was firm with them when they needed to see him firm, but Asterix's eyes... Getafix had to make great efforts to not succumb to the effect of that look.

"I know what you mean, I myself have had experiences in which our dear friend used this strategy... even so, we must be aware that for having allowed him to do whatever he wanted, he is now in grave danger," Getafix explained calmly. Now that he knew this, he better understood why both the village leader and Obelix had acted the way they did, but this was also an opportunity to correct and advise him so in future situations he wouldn't make the same mistake.

Vitalstatistix lowered his gaze to the ground again, aware that although Getafix wasn't openly lecturing him, he was still reproaching him for how he'd proceeded... though the fact Getafix admitted he himself had succumbed to Asterix's gaze was a shock. It was a surprise to the village chief and it helped him not feel as downcast as he would have if he hadn't known.

Closing his eyes again, he exhaled a new sigh and asked Getafix:

"And what can we do now, oh druid?"

Getafix looked at him sadly. What could they do? He had been asking himself this question, too... but unfortunately, there was nothing that came to mind... not a single idea, not a single memory of all his past experiences seemed to fit his current situation, so the druid said the only thing he could say in response to that question:

"Pray to the gods Obelix can bring him back safely.".

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Aaaaand here ends the chapter. I know this one was boring and without action, but I thought it was good to know how villagers are managing all what is happening. Asnd if not anything else to say. Please let me know your thoughts about what will happen, I love to read your ideas and opinions. This you encourages me to continue writing. 😉

Okay, after say that, I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I also would like to thank you all those who've read this story, those who voted it, those who have it on their reading lists and I'd like to especially thank to Beatlesfangirl15 for all the reviews. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!

See you in the next chapter 😉