Getafix's mistake

Chapter 23. Late Night Conversations

Hello everyone! Like every week, here I bring you a new chapter of this Asterix story. Honestly, I don't really know what to say apart of that I hope you'll enjoy it. Oh and 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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Cacofonix sat on top of his cabin looking towards the forest. The sun was already hiding in the west beyond the waters of the vast ocean that bathed its coasts, making the sky take on pinkish tones that were becoming more and more purple. This was the fifth night that had passed since that Roman took Asterix and almost Getafix, too. Obelix had gone after that Roman, but unfortunately, there were still no signs that either of the two Gauls would return. Ever since he, Tragicomix, and Geriatrix returned from the forest together with their druid and the sad news of what had happened to the Gaul boy, the atmosphere in the village had been saturated with a strong depression.

Many, if not most, villagers were crestfallen, as if they had no purpose in life. It almost seemed that they had fallen into utter despair... as if they felt the gods had turned against them. Their attitude was so sad that even the little ones realized something wasn't right... something the older ones were hiding from them, but none of them dared ask.

On the other hand, there were some villagers who were still trying to keep the people's hope alive... but it was difficult, especially for those Gauls closest to Asterix and Obelix. And among those closest to the two Gauls, immediately Getafix's image appeared in the bard's mind. Yes, his druid was the one who was in the worst mood. They all knew a feeling of guilt seized him and consumed him, and as much as they had tried to talk to him – to show him their support, to let him know that they were with him, and that they didn't blame him for anything – none of this seemed to have an effect on their druid. At first it seemed the conversation the druid had had with the village's chief had had some effect, but soon after they realized this wasn't true. Getafix remained dejected and blamed himself for what had happened. After all, it was he who had made a mistake in giving the potion to Asterix.

There was also another feeling that had flourished among the villagers: paranoia. Everyone lived with the fear of what if? What if Obelix couldn't rescue Asterix? What if that Roman managed to deliver their warrior to Caesar just as he said he would? What if crowds of Romans arrived and forced them to surrender with the threat that if they didn't, they would kill Asterix? What if the news reached them that Caesar had had the blond Gaul killed? After all that the village warrior had done for them, they weren't quite sure how they could accept news like that. In short, it was questions like those that were constantly on the villagers' minds, making them fear the worst.

Cacofonix sighed as his gaze drifted to the entrance of the village. There, sitting on a rock, was Getafix, waiting to see Obelix appear next to Asterix. The man with the long white beard had done the same every night the two Gauls had been away. Many villagers had begged him to enter the village and go to sleep, claiming they would take turns watching the return of the two friends... but nothing they said worked. Getafix stubbornly refused to move, and the others, seeing it was completely useless to bring their druid to reason, decided that since they couldn't make him change his mind, they were going to join him. They brought him hot food so he wouldn't get cold, and blankets so he would spend his waking nights as comfortably as possible... small but sincere gestures that inflamed Getafix's heart with warmth.