Hello everyone! How are you? I hope you're all fine! Okay, as every week, here I bring you the next chapter! 😊 What do you think of the previous one? Did you liked to see Dogmatix point of view? Did you expect something like this would happen? Okay, for this one, we'll continue with Overanxius and Asterix, I've to say like in the previous chapter, here appears a minor OC, it is irrelevant, but kinda necessary in this part of the story. I hope you'll like him. Also, as always, 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 sky was already full of stars, and the moon, despite not being full, shone very brightly, lighting the way enough to be able to continue without the risk of suffering an accident. The cart, pulled by the two horses, now traveled at a speed not too fast, but rather, much slower than one would expect for draft animals such as horses. This was partly due to the reduced light, illuminating the route and making driving difficult, and partly due to the fact the animals supporting the weight of the cart were already near the limit of their strength. They had overexerted themselves in a master-induced mad dash away from an unusually fast pursuer. With their obvious body mass, and the fact they hadn't had a break – excluding the one at the crossroads where they had encountered a Gaul driver – they were exhausted after all this time... and all for what? To bring a prisoner to Rome who was just a child? Sometimes being animals in the service of the Roman Empire was very exhausting.

The driver of the cart, Overanxius, naturally noticed the exhausted condition of his draft animals, but to his misfortune, they were on their way in the middle of a great plain and with no prospect of any town or house in the vicinity. He thanked the gods at least his prisoner hadn't broken into hysterical screams or deafening crying, because if so, he didn't know if he could have endured it. Perhaps the words he had spoken to him had had an effect on the little Gaul far greater than the senator had expected.

Caesar's envoy took a quick look at the Gaul boy. There he was, sitting and chained, with his legs tucked against his chest, despite the metal links. His head was propped against his knees, stubbornly refusing to look at his captor... or perhaps he had fallen asleep, for it was very late.

Whatever the reason, Overanxius smiled, pleased. If the attitude shown by this little Gaul was truly that of a hopeless person, then there was very little chance he would try to escape. Caesar's envoy looked forward again, towards the space that stretched out before him – the immense plain cut by the path they were traveling. The truth was, he too was beginning to feel very worn with the long road they were taking. Indeed, he needed to rest, but unfortunately there was no place where he could do that, at least not as far as he could see. What was he going to do? The last thing he wanted was to sleep in the open air, and in such distant lands, no less. Who knew who he might meet?

Overanxius lashed out at his horses again, urging them to pick up their pace, but apparently that didn't produce the expected effect, for both animals were exhausted, and their speed was becoming slower rather than faster. It was like trying to get a snail to go at the speed of a hare... impossible.

The Roman senator let out an exasperated snort. If he didn't find something soon, he would be left standing in the middle of the road, and he had nothing to help him. But all circumstances seemed to be against him. The night was neither very hot nor very cold. It was the ideal temperature to sleep in the open air. In the area where they were, he could hear no noise... only the sound of crickets that seemed to be singing a good night lullaby for everyone who wanted to hear them. And the soft, slow rattle of the cart in which the Roman was riding almost seemed like the arms of a mother rocking her baby to sleep. In short, everything around him was making it extremely difficult for him to stay awake, and that could lead to him becoming a danger on the road.

His eyelids seemed to get heavier and heavier, as if someone had attached a large quantity of marble fresh from the quarries around Rome to them. He was barely able to stay awake anymore, so when he spotted a light in the distance, he almost thought it was a figment of his imagination in his exhausted state – an optical illusion produced by the sluggish state of his brain and all the emotional stress to which he had been subjected these last few hours. That was what he thought until he realized the light didn't disappear. On the contrary, it was getting bigger and bigger and also more defined.

Overanxious could hardly believe his eyes. An inn! There was an inn right there! Apparently, the gods weren't entirely against him. When he saw the inn, his heart filled with joy, for that meant they weren't going to sleep outside after all. It also meant they weren't running the risk of being mugged. He looked at his prisoner again, and then a thought struck him. He couldn't show up at an inn – probably full of mostly Gaul guests – with a three-year-old child chained up like a criminal. The senator wouldn't be able to explain that. Nor could he risk leaving the boy alone in the cart all night, more than likely to be discovered by someone... that would be even more disastrous. No... although he didn't like the idea, Overanxius knew he had to request accommodation for himself and Asterix. Also, he was well aware he would have to remove his bonds so that no one would suspect him. He only hoped having him chained for so long hadn't left marks on his bare arms, although that was... unlikely.

The senator suddenly stopped the cart, causing Asterix to look up. Apparently, the boy had been awake all the time. He seemed to have a lively attitude and not a shadow of fatigue on his face. This surprised Caesar's envoy a bit. Being such a small child, it was more likely he was already asleep at this time of night. On the other hand, everything that had happened to him in the last two days had probably allowed him to resist falling asleep. The senator had to admit it was something really admirable.

"Why did we stop?" Asterix asked, surprised at what his kidnapper had just done.

The little Gaul had said nothing since his last conversation with the Roman. There were vast tracts of land and practically no trees as far as his eyes could see. His head still hurt, but he didn't want that Roman to have another reason to hurt him, so he endured the pain as best he could. That man had already hurt him enough with his words, and although Asterix was no longer sure whether his friends were going to come after him or not, he was sure he didn't want to be with that Roman. No, if he was to be a prisoner of Rome, he would be a very bad prisoner.

Overanxious looked at the boy a little surprised. The boy's words had sounded a bit angry, and not full of fear, which was what the senator really expected. Perhaps this boy was braver than he had imagined despite his age. Shaking his head and concentrating on why he had stopped, Overanxius crouched at Asterix's eye level and said to him:

"I've found a place to spend the night, but first there is something I must do, my little friend," he offered the boy a cheerful smile, as if he really wanted to be friends with Asterix, but the blond Gaul looked at him with a frown and answered:

"You are not my friend!" What was this Roman thinking? He separated him from his home... his family... his friends... did he expect them to be friends? This wasn't going to happen, not if Asterix had anything to say about it. No, he would never be friends with a Roman. It was never going to happen, Gaul's honor.

Overnaxius seemed irritated at the audacity of his prisoner, since Asterix was just that... nothing more than a prisoner... a gift for the Emperor of Rome... a Gaul whose destiny would surely be in the arena of the circus. And if that was so, the senator wanted to make sure he had a front row seat when the boy was thrown to the lions or to face the gladiators, or whatever fate Caesar had in store for him.

Overanxius stood up in anger. The words and tone of voice Asterix used still echoed in his mind. This boy was clearly an adventurer, and he could understand why. Despite his size, the post of village warrior had been appointed to him. Only brave and determined people like this boy seemed to be was worthy of occupying a position of honor like that.

But regardless of his bravery, the senator was unwilling to allow a Gaul, a future slave of Rome, to speak to him in that way. His face turned red when he thought again on the words of the Gaul boy. How dare a simple prisoner speak like that? He had to make him understand his place.

"I know that, Gaul, by Venus! It was just a figure of speech!" he practically yelled at him. His outburst made the horses jump in fear, and Asterix shuddered too, though the senator couldn't tell if it was because of what he had just yelled at him, or his body's natural reaction to the sudden breeze that had begun to blow. Honestly, he liked to think it was the first option.

Anyway, fatigue was beginning to take its toll on his body. He needed this Gaul to cooperate with him as soon as possible. Taking a deep breath, he decided to address the main point of the whole matter on his mind.

"Well, there is something I need from you before we go there," he explained to Asterix while pointing a finger at the inn that thank the gods he had glimpsed. Asterix followed the place where the senator was pointing with his eyes, but given his short stature, all he could see was the inside of the cart. Although, he remembered his abductor had said something about a place to spend the night, so the blond Gaul imagined the man was pointing towards that place. But even if he were, Asterix didn't like the idea of doing something for this Roman. He didn't want to help him, even if it was for all the wild boars in the world. He simply wouldn't. He looked again at the senator with a frown and said:

"I'm not going to give you anything Roman. By Tutatis, you are a very bad man."

Overanxious lowered his arm upon hearing the child's words. How could someone so small be so arrogant at the same time? How could such an attitude fit into a body as small as that? It seemed unheard of.

Even so, the senator wasn't intimidated. He would achieve his purpose at all costs. Pretending not to be affected by the words of the blond Gaul, he said in an indifferent yet almost smug voice:

"I don't care what you think of me, by Mercury, and what I want is not something tangible. What I want is for you to promise me one thing." The child must do what the senator wanted, that was the only thing that mattered. If the senator had to choose between fighting a hundred Gauls or bending the will of that child, he would rather choose to bend the will of that Gaul. To fight against adult men was to grant them an honorable death... to make them heroes for their people and their successors. On the other hand, if he achieved his purpose, he would be defeating his enemy from within... not by weapons, but with intelligence. That was a much greater achievement – a battle more wisely won.

Asterix's frown relaxed when he heard the Roman's words, and an expression of deep surprise appeared in its place. Did that Roman not want him to give him anything? But he had just said he needed something from him. Asterix carefully reviewed Overanxius' words. The Roman had said he wanted him to promise something. Asterix still had a headache, and that pain prevented him from thinking clearly... when he tried to concentrate the pain intensified and he soon lost his focus, like when you try to shine a candle in a dark space but it burns out and you are no longer able to see anything. At this time, Asterix's mind was acting in a similar way, which prevented him from fully understanding everything his abductor was telling him.

"What?" the little Gaul finally asked confused. Although he was having a hard time understanding what his kidnapper was saying, he hoped if he explained it to him, he would at least know what he meant exactly.

Overanxius looked at the blond Gaul a little exasperated. How could a person not understand what he was saying? In his opinion, he wasn't speaking in an extremely complicated way. Perhaps this was because Asterix was a child... one more reason why he didn't like children. One couldn't talk to them in the same way as when talking to another adult. Children have to be spoken to with extremely simple language, as if life were a play with explanatory posters on the sides. This was infuriating.

The senator was tired. All he wanted was a place where he could spend the night... a place that was right in front of him. But he couldn't go with a chained child. Thinking about how he was going to tell his idea to the little Gaul, the senator closed his eyes, trying to make everything around him disappear... that is until another wave of fresh wind hit his face. This couldn't be good. The temperatures were beginning to drop. He could feel how the cold atmosphere of the night was settling on his skin, causing him to shiver slightly, although he tried not to let his prisoner see it. Even though his situation was the present one, he wouldn't allow a mere Gaul child to see a Roman appear vulnerable to the weather. But on the other hand, if they didn't enter that inn quickly, they would soon be freezing, and it would no longer matter at all that he wanted to pretend the weather didn't affect him. Overanxius took a deep breath and said:

"I want you to promise me you won't speak, and also that you won't try to escape." His gaze met Asterix's eyes. He knew the young Gaul was trying to appear brave, but his eyes were betraying him. It seemed true that eyes are the window to the soul, since his prisoner was clearly scared to the last corner of his heart, but when the senator spoke these last words, he noticed a change in the look of his prisoner. The blond boy now only showed determination with his eyes. There wasn't a hint of fear in them. How could such a change have occurred in just a few seconds? It was like when you lit a candle that turned a room from dark to fully lit.

To finish completing the situation, Asterix's expression hardened, showing nothing but anger.

"I don't want to promise that, by Belenos! I'll never stop trying to escape from you!" he said with an angry voice.

The little Gaul didn't understand why that man wanted to make him promise such things. That man had never shown any intention of wanting to be nice to him, so why would he do what he asked him so quickly? No, Asterix was a Gaul, but he wasn't willing to let himself be used in this way. He wasn't going to promise such a thing. If the opportunity presented itself to him, by Tutatis, who would miss it? He would escape from that bad person at any cost.

Asterix continued looking at his captor with determination. He temporarily forgot his headache because the blond Gaul understood his situation was difficult and a simple headache shouldn't be an obstacle to combat it.

On the other hand, although Overanxius' blood boiled at Asterix's audacity, he did his best to control himself. More than that, he adopted a stoic attitude, such as when he played dice with his friends and wanted to give the impression of good luck. He acted as if he didn't care about anything.

"Oh, are you sure? It's just that, I had decided to remove those chains if you agreed to comply with what I told you," he said with an indifferent voice, as if he really didn't care to free his prisoner.

Asterix looked at Overanxius with wide eyes. Was he really thinking of releasing him? It was hard for him to believe this could be true... there had to be something else... something his captor wasn't telling him.

Another blast of air, this time stronger and colder, swept through the space, causing Asterix to shudder at the sudden wave of cold that invaded his body. He was shaking uncontrollably, something he detested right now. It made him appear weak and vulnerable in Overanxius' eyes. But right now, what could he do not to shiver from the cold?

What bothered the little Gaul the most was that the Roman who was taking him away from home had undoubtedly realized what was happening to him and how he was shaking. It was like when his mother changed his clothes despite him believing he could change by himself... it was practically humiliating! Although this time it was worse, because the one watching him was his enemy. It was for this reason his gaze drifted back to the floor of the cart. It bothered him knowing this senator's offer was very tempting and it would ease the pain he was feeling... but at what cost? He would have to promise not to run away, and when a Gaul makes a promise, he has to keep it.

Caesar's envoy smiled, amused at the attitude of his prisoner. It was clear the little one was debating whether to accept his offer or not. He just needed another push, and the Gaul would finally succumb to his will.

"Also, if you do this, you'll be able to sleep in a soft, warm bed... and not out here with this cold wind that has begun to blow," he said in a way similar to that used by a salesman who tries to get people to buy his products. It was as if he was offering the boy a candy, a promise that if he accepted his terms, it would be the best decision of his life.

Asterix – when he heard Overanxius' words – raised his eyes immediately. The idea of sleeping in a warm bed was truly tempting, but... he couldn't be fooled by the sudden kindness of that man. If it weren't for him, Asterix wouldn't be here now. The little Gaul didn't know what to do. It was getting colder and colder, and thinking so much was making the headache he had managed to almost forget return with more force. Asterix closed his eyes to the sudden pain. He just wanted it to disappear... he wanted to be able to feel safe... and one thing was for sure, being chained in a cart and in the open air wasn't the best way to be safe.

The blond Gaul didn't like what he was about to say at all, but what other option did he have? His mother had warned him many times if he didn't sleep in a dry and warm place, he could become ill, and Asterix didn't want to be sick. That wouldn't help him. But then the boy came up with an idea... an idea with which he could satisfy the demands of that Roman and at the same time promise something that wouldn't prevent him from escaping in the future.

"Okay, I won't talk or run," he said, pretending to be defeated. Asterix was sure that when he grew up, he could dedicate himself to acting or... perhaps he could already dedicate himself to that, because according to Getafix and Obelix, he was already an adult, although it was difficult for him to understand or accept it as a fact.

Overanxius didn't seem to realize the little trick Asterix had made in his promise, for his smile widened, believing he truly had achieved a triumph over his little prisoner.

"Great, by Jupiter! Now we're going to take these off of you." he said cheerfully.

Immediately the Roman senator proceeded to remove the chains from the blond Gaul. To tell the truth, he was a bit surprised when touching the boy's skin. He found it was a little warmer than it should be. But for the moment he ignored it. He would worry about that later. The next step was to make sure the boy wasn't going to fall. Having done that, he forced the horses to move again and approached the inn. Once there, he got out and took Asterix by the hand, guiding him to come with him. He then approached the door and knocked on it several times. It was a long time before he heard movement inside, and shortly after he heard this noise, a small window in the door opened, and behind it appeared a hairy Gaul with a brown mustache that matched the rest of his mane. Of course, his height was a little taller than that of the senator. He was dressed in an evening gown, and his face reflected he was somewhat annoyed that someone dared to bother him in the middle of night.

Furthermore, it was very clear from his reaction that seeing a Roman on the other side of the door did nothing more than compound his annoyance. It almost seemed as if he had witnessed the gravest affront anyone could suffer. This obvious annoyance and rejection were confirmed as soon as the Gaul spoke:

"Who are you, Roman, and what do you want?" asked from inside his home. As far as Overanxius could tell from his clothes, this man had already retired to sleep when he'd arrived. It wasn't that he cared much about whether or not he had woken up the Gaul, but it did help him understand his attitude, which gave him strategies to use if he wanted to sleep there that night.

"Who I am doesn't matter Gaul. And as for what I want, I only want accommodation for myself and my little companion," said Overanxius, and to emphasize his interest in accommodation, he picked up Asterix by the armpits and showed him to the inn's owner.

Needless to say, when the Gaul inside the building saw the little boy shivering, his eyes went wide. What was a Gaul child doing with a Roman? He knew many of his compatriots had been sold as slaves to the Romans, but he would never have imagined that one of them could have such a young slave. That was the height of Roman injustice.

Guestix, the innkeeper, frowned as all the possible scenarios that could have led to a Roman having such a small child in his possession crossed his mind. Naturally, none of the possible reasons seemed to be the result of altruism on this Roman's part. In Guestix's imagination, all the scenarios that occurred to him were the result of a kidnapping, or of buying him, or simply having found him lost and alone and deciding to take advantage of the chance to have a new servant.

"Is it possible to know what a Roman like you is doing with a Gaul child as small as this one?" he finally asked when he got tired of guessing. If the occasion presented itself, he had thought of opening the door and only allowing the young Gaul to enter, thus rescuing him from the hands of that despicable Roman.

Guestix had seen many people in his life, and had learned to distinguish people only by their appearance. That Roman radiated prepotency and a large dose of arrogance. Without a doubt, he believed himself superior to those around him, something that nauseated a Gaul such as Guestix. There was nothing worse than finding someone who considered everyone around him to be like stones on which to trample. These kinds of people were despicable.

"This child is an orphan. I'm just taking care of him until I find him a new home," the Roman senator hurried to say to the question he had asked. He was well aware the Gaul innkeeper had already conjectured his own hypotheses about the reasons why a Roman like him was traveling with a child like Asterix, so he wanted to turn the matter in his favor, and make that Gaul believe he was really trying to help the blond boy.

Asterix looked at Overanxius in surprise. He wanted to reply... to say that what that Roman had just said was a lie... but he had promised he wouldn't speak, and now he couldn't break that promise. He really regretted having promised such a thing. Overanxius felt the little Gaul look at him, and as he lowered his eyes to him, even if only for an instant, he was surprised to see the pained expression on his prisoner's face. What had that been? Overanxius shook his head, now wasn't the time to get carried away by feelings.

Furthermore, it seemed the explanation of Caesar's envoy couldn't deceive Guestix. The innkeeper continued to look suspiciously at the Roman in mistrust mixed with increasing anger. It was clear the Gaul couldn't bear to be lied to, and from his expression, Overanxius could tell the innkeeper truly believed what he'd just heard was a huge, blunt lie. This thought was confirmed as soon as the Gaul innkeeper spoke again.

"You'll say that until someone like one of your compatriots decides to buy him as a slave!" The words came out of Guestix's mouth as if he were throwing poison the way desert snakes do. There was such contempt in his voice that even Overanxius felt uncomfortable... something unusual for him. The Roman senator had learned long ago to ignore what those around him said. But... for some reason... the words that Gaul said left him a little stunned... although he did his best to ignore that and was quick to reply:

"The gods save me from allowing someone so small to end up as a slave!" on this occasion and he didn't know the reason. The Roman senator seemed to feel as if a thorn was stuck in his heart... as if he knew what he was doing was wrong, and his heart warned him of it. But now that it had started, he could no longer stop. He couldn't let any regret spoil all this effort.

Guestix looked suspiciously at Overanxius, knowing everything Romans had done in their lands... and being aware many of his compatriots had been sent to Rome to be sold as slaves, he found it hard to believe a Roman would help a Gaul. It was... impossible, like trying to mix the water and oil.

"How can I know that you are not lying?" he asked with a hard expression. "Let this boy be the one to speak!" He wanted to know the truth, and he didn't trust the Roman, No, surely he was lying, because Guestix didn't miss the puzzled and hurt expression of the blond boy. The innkeeper was sure that the boy could tell him the truth, and confirm what he already knew in his heart... that this Roman was the enemy.

However, and to his disappointment, it wasn't the little one who spoke, but the Roman again. Apparently, he had an excuse and an answer for everything. He must have studied rhetoric or something like that. If not, it wasn't conceivable he could have so much gab.

"Oh, he won't speak... he is too affected by his parents' death," said the senator, adopting a tone of sadness in his voice, as if he really felt sorry for the boy. "He saw them die in front of him, and they also would have killed him if he hadn't hidden in time," the Roman finished explaining like someone who tells an adventure story to some children.

Guestix looked sympathetically at the little Gaul. If it was true his parents had been killed in front of him, then it was logical the boy didn't speak, but... there was something in the innkeeper's mind that made him doubt the Roman's words. How could a man like him know what had happened to the parents of a Gaul boy? Usually, the Romans didn't care at all about the Gauls, or their problems, so... the older man was missing a part of the story. How could he know so much about what had happened to that child?

The innkeeper's mind searched for various possibilities that would show him how it could be true. Why would a Roman help a Gaul child who couldn't speak because of the trauma caused by seeing his parents die? No, a Gaul would never willingly go with a Roman. Perhaps that Roman was the cause of the death of the little Gaul's parents, and now he was trying to hide his crime. Yes, it must be that, and the child could be afraid if he didn't do what he was told, he would end up dead like his parents.

The more he thought about this possibility, the more Guestix became convinced that was what had happened, and thus, that Gaul boy was a hostage... he had to free him as soon as possible from the hands of that Roman! But first, he had to know all the details... he needed to know if that Roman could continue lying to his face the way he had been doing so far.

"How do you know that Roman?! By Tutatis! Was it you or one of your people who killed them?" he asked pointing his finger accusingly at Overanxius' face. The innkeeper wanted to at least know if the Roman was capable of admitting his crime or if he was also going to lie about it.

"Oh no, no, no way, by Mercury! The murderers were bandits... I saw it from afar, but as soon as I arrived it was too late. This boy's parents were already dead and he was alone and scared. He hasn't spoken since then." Overanxius defended himself.

Apparently, convincing that Gaul was proving to be more difficult than anticipated, but what else could he do? He had made Asterix promise not to speak, so the boy couldn't say what was really happening and put their trip in danger. It could be said that for now the boy was behaving, but at the insistence of that innkeeper, the Roman senator had been forced to make up this whole story, just to hide the true purpose of his trip. According to him, this story was quite convincing, but his interlocutor didn't seem so convinced of it.

He observed the man looking suspiciously at Asterix, who was still trembling like a leaf, probably from the cold, and furthermore, his face continued to show fear, although the Roman couldn't confirm if it was fear of him, or of the innkeeper who wouldn't stop screaming.

The Roman looked back at the innkeeper, and by his expression, he saw his time was running out, he must act quickly, or everything would be wasted. He had to play his last cards.

"It's for this reason that I decided to take him in. I couldn't see such a small child suffer from cruelty like this," he explained next. He tried to make his voice sound as convincing as possible, but Guestix's face didn't change in the least. He continued to look at Caesar's envoy like one who looks at a hideous work of art, with contempt.

Exasperated by the treatment he was receiving; the senator grew weary and practically yelled:

"Oh, for the love of Venus, Gaul! Are you going to allow us to freeze out here? Especially him?"

He lifted Asterix to Guestix's eye level as he asked that last question. The innkeeper was surprised when the Roman's vision was abruptly interrupted by the trembling and frightened figure of the little Gaul. That action caused a compassionate look to appear in the innkeeper's eyes. Seeing him so small and needy, the adult Gaul abruptly felt remorse for not having opened the door earlier so that the child at least would not get cold.

He still didn't like the idea of hosting a Roman at all, but that was a subject he could wrestle with throughout the night. For the moment, the most important thing was to make sure the boy didn't get sick, if he wasn't already. When he had the chance, he would speak to him alone, and confirm whether the Roman's story was true or not.

Breathing out a sigh, the innkeeper closed the small window and instantly opened the door so that Overanxius and Asterix could enter. Letting a Roman stay at his residence wasn't the best thing a Gaul could imagine, but actually there was nothing he could do.

Guestix accompanied his two new guests to one of his empty rooms. It was already very late, so he considered talking to the Gaul boy the next morning.

Overanxius, very correctly, thanked the innkeeper for his hospitality. Then he looked down at his little prisoner and saw he was still shaking. This wasn't a good sign. He needed the boy to be healthy to present him to Caesar. What kind of gift would he be if he weren't?

"Excuse me, Gaul, would you happen to have some hot broth? I think my little friend has caught cold during the trip, and I wouldn't like him to get sick," said Overanxius when Guesix was about to close the door.

The innkeeper stopped short and stared at the Gaul boy, who was still trembling slightly. The Roman was probably right, and the boy was shivering with cold. Guestix still didn't trust this Roman, but the fact he cared for a Gaul surprised him. Was it a genuine concern, or did he have some ulterior motive for doing so? He couldn't know, but until he found out, he wasn't going to allow a child to fall ill because of him.

His gaze went back to Overanxius, who was crouched next to the blond boy and looked expectant, waiting for an answer to the question he had just asked. Seeing his face, it seemed to bring Guestix out of his stunned state. Quickly shaking his head answered:

"Yes of course, why wouldn't I? I think there is something left in the cauldron we made for dinner. I'll go see." He was about to close the door when he was interrupted again by the Roman's voice.

"Could you also bring me some water a clean cloth? Perhaps it's my imagination, but he may have a fever." Guestix looked at the little Asterix again and realized that he indeed seemed to be somewhat pale and sickly. Without a doubt, he could have a fever just as that Roman had said. Directing his gaze again to Overanxius, he said:

"Yes, of course, I'll bring everything right away," and then the innkeeper closed the door and hurried off to find what he needed.

The Roman senator saw him disappear, but waited until he heard he had gone far enough. When he was fully sure he could no longer hear him speak, he smiled, turned to the blond Gaul, and said cheerfully:

"Well little one, you've done very well, and as I promised, now you can sleep in a warm bed. All you have to do is keep being silent."

Asterix nodded meekly. To be honest, he felt too tired to reply to whatever Overanxius was saying. The only thing the little Gaul wanted was to lie down and sleep... to forget – even temporarily – what was happening to him. He wanted to avoid reality... imagine he was at home, in the village... the place he shouldn't have left and that now he regretted having escaped. In addition, his headache kept increasing with every second that passed, and his mother had always told him that in situations like that, it was best to go to sleep and the next day everything would be fine... although... given his current situation, the little Gaul didn't expect his situation to improve much.

The Roman senator guided the little Gaul to his bed and sat him there while he waited for Guestix to return with food for Asterix. Leaving him there, the little Gaul settled himself, almost looking like he was yearning to lie down, but before he did, the Roman wanted to make sure the boy ingested something warm to see if it would get him to stop shaking. Also, and he didn't understand why, he was worried that the blond Gaul would get sick. He certainly didn't understand it, and the more he thought about it, the less sense it made. How could one of the most important men in Rome be concerned about the welfare of a mere child... of a gift for his sovereign? Even more, how could he be concerned about a Gaul who was actually one of the empire's worst enemies? It was something he couldn't grasp.

A soft knock on the door interrupted the course of Overanxius' thoughts. Focusing again on the situation that mattered to him, the Roman senator went to the door and opened it. Behind it stood Guestix with a steaming bowl of broth. He was also holding, with a bit of difficulty apparently, a water jug with a cloth draped over the top. When the senator saw him, he let him into the room and the Gaul approached the small table between the two beds. He put the bowl of food and the jug of water on top of it. Then, turning to the little Gaul, he was relieved to see his trembling had lessened, presumably from being in a warm room. In addition, he noticed the little Gaul seemed extremely exhausted. He certainly needed to sleep, so, taking the food, he knelt in front of the boy and proceeded to try feeding him, but to his surprise, Asterix shook his head and stretching out his arms. He picked up the bowl and began to feed himself.

This also surprised Overanxius, who didn't know whether to attribute this to the fact Asterix was actually an adult, or that he was a very, very clever child. He watched silently as the boy drank practically everything in his bowl, and by the time he finished, he hardly seemed able to keep his eyes open. Furthermore, a yawn escaped his small mouth, although he tried to hide it – unsuccessfully – with one hand. The senator immediately approached the two Gauls, pretending to want to help, but when he saw the boy and his tired appearance, he stared at him with... truly... concern? He didn't know now. All he knew was that he had to help Asterix to bed, so he covered him with a blanket and told Guestix he would take care of the rest.

The Gaul innkeeper seemed reluctant at first to leave the room, but seeing the Roman was truly taking charge of helping that child, he slowly left the room. He decided, however, he would keep a close watch on that man, because although he didn't seem to be mistreating the blond Gaul, something told him he couldn't trust him. He walked out the room and closed the door slowly, leaving the two travelers alone inside.

When they were finally left alone, Overanxius released the breath he had inadvertently been holding. He still didn't understand what was happening to him, why had he suddenly started to feel a weakness for the boy who was now sleeping peacefully in bed? What was happening to him? By Jupiter! The Roman senator touched the boy's forehead and frowned when he realized his body temperature was a little higher than he would like. Without wasting time, he took the cloth, dipped it in the water and after wringing it, he placed it on Asterix's forehead trying to lower his fever.

After doing so, he stared at the little Gaul as he slept. His mind kept reeling with the same thought as before, why? That question constantly hovered in his mind.

Why did he feel he had to protect the child?

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And, here ends the chapter. What do you think about Guestix? As I said, he's irrelevant, but necessary if Overanxius and Asterix wanted to sleep in an inn. On the other hand, what is your opinion about the fact Asterix fall ill? Did you expect that? I'll be honest, I did it for a reason that will be shown in future chapters. I hope you liked it. If so, could you leave a review sharing your opinions about it? To read your reviews is what moves me to continue writing, so, you may are helping others to enjoy this kind of stories. 😉

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 😉