Hello everyone! Here is a new chapter.

I know it takes more and more time to write a chapter. My new job takes a lot of time and I am trying to write two stories at the same time. Finally, since I don't want to bungle the story, I take my time to rewrite three or four paragraphs if I think that it isn't good enough.

And I really think the story will be over in four or five chapters.


Chapter twenty-eight: How I argued with my boss.

Netherlands smirked. Spain had left the room as soon as Belgium started reading the chapter concerning the Romans reprisals. He figured it reminded him some adventures in the new world. Were the nations living there having a difficult time? Netherlands had no doubt about it. Of course, after such an event like the "Noche Triste", Spain's generals had to do something. But did they try to kill that Aztec guy just like Caesar tried with Belgica? Was he already dead? Were there other nations? And actually, that stupid jerk didn't seem really bothered by those reprisals. He was still smiling and there weren't any political troubles in the Iberian Peninsula. The Old Rome, at least, got a backlash with that shadow spreading on his body like the threat of a civil war. The Dutch nation wondered if the Spanish folk knew about what was going on in the New World. If they weren't told, maybe it explained why Spain still managed to have that stupid and innocent smile.

Later in the evening, the oldest brother of the Benelux siblings put Luxembourg and Romano to bed. After checking there were no squirrels in the room, he decided to go out for a walk. But just as he entered into the garden, he heard someone crying. He followed the noise and found his sister. She was hiding in the middle of bushes and tears had ruined her make-up.

"Bel? What's wrong?"

The girl tried to hide her face, but her brother grabbed her wrists and forced her to look at him.

"Bel, what's going on? Tell me!"

She just cried more.

"Has that Spanish jerk done something wrong to you? Do you want me to kill him?"

Netherlands secretly wished it was Spain's fault. Like this, he might have a good reason to kick his ass.

"No, don't hurt Spain. He…"

"It is his fault, right?"

"No! He didn't mean to…"

Netherlands was secretly grinning. He had now an occasion to destroy Spain's pretty face. "It won't be enough to avenge the nations of the new world, but it might relieve them. And it will make me feel good as well." He thought.

Belgium tried to explain.

"He just didn't want to… worry me. So he shouted at me and ordered me to leave the bathroom."

Netherlands grin disappeared. His sweet and innocent sister was alone with the Spaniard in the bathroom?

"I wanted to help him to relax, so I sneaked in the bathroom. But then I saw his back. It had such huge and scary wounds. Spain turned crazy. I think he wants to keep it as a secret. But he should tell us about it. We are supposed to be partners. We can't seriously work together if we keep such secrets from each other. If something is wrong in his country, he must tell us! It may affect us as well."

Netherlands sighed. So, his sweet little sis already knew a few things he didn't, just like the fact that Spain was suffering indeed…

"And where do you think those injuries come from?" He asked.

"The Inquisition, I am sure of it…"

Netherlands remained silent. Of course, that awful institution. And he understood why his sister was so scared. If they were able to do such damages to their own country, what would they do to their vassals and colonies?

"You know, he makes nightmares." Belgium added. "I heard him crying one night so I entered his room. He was sweating in his sleep. When I tried to awake him, he screamed and tried to strike me."

Belgium wasn't realising that all the things she said were only aggravating Spain's case. Netherlands was now thinking of drowning him for almost hurting his sister. He also didn't like the idea of his innocent sister entering that jerk's bedroom.

"He apologised, but he didn't want to say what the nightmares were about. He just asked me to hug him and to stay with him for the night…"

Without knowing that her brother was now planning to throw her precious friend through a window, she continued: "He must feel so alone if he tries to keep all that pain for himself. Being alone is such a sad thing. I am afraid about the future if we can't do anything for him." And she snuggled in the arms of his brother. Netherlands' anger disappeared for a moment. He hugged her tenderly. "It is okay, Bel. We are going to find out something. Just go to YOUR bed and sleeps."

She nodded and went into the house. Netherlands followed her inside a few minutes later, but then headed toward Spain's room. He still wanted to kick his ass.


After that incident, I ran away in the woods for one entire week. I just didn't know what to do anymore and wasn't able to face my staff. I had my head full of contradictory thoughts. Some were screaming for revenge against the barbarians and others were saying all of this was wrong. I knew there weren't my own thoughts but the ones of all the people living under my wings… And day after day, the black curse kept spreading into my body. I had black spots on my torso and my legs. For some strange reason, I still could use my abilities at their fullest, but I didn't want to use them for Caesar anymore.

While I was wandering, I heard a strange noise. A few moments later, a huge boar was charging me. Holy crap! It really wasn't the time. I unsheathed my sword and prepared to strike back.

"Obélix! NO!"

The boar and I both stopped. I could recognize this voice between one thousand. I turned my head and saw the wildcat. She was now incredibly pale and thin… Caesar's doing. My stomach lifted.

"Belgica? Why…"

"Just shut the hell up. You can go to hell! I just want Obélix to stay with me until the end."

My heart raced. She knew how grave the situation was.

"Bel, it is not too late. Caesar wants to kill you, but I don't. I will figure out a way to stop him. Just give up now and let…"

"When will you understand that I would rather die than live at your house?" She replied with disgust. "My best consolation is that you may well follow me very soon." And she pointed her axe toward my cursed hand.

"Bel, don't be stupid. Just come with…"

But I couldn't say another word. A herd of boars arrived and attacked me. Belgica used that diversion to disappear.

I sighed. What could I do to stop all of this madness? I figured I wouldn't solve anything alone in this forest, so I finally choose to return to one of my camp.

For some strange reason, the first camp I found was the one where Caesar was staying. When I arrived, he was talking with some barbarian tribes. For one second, I hoped some Belgian tribes had decided to surrender and that the girl would survive. But the next second, I recognized one of the men and I felt like the world was crumbling under my feet. Damn it! Not them as well! Caesar was discussing with Germanic tribes.

I tried to hide, but I was too late. Some centurions had spotted me and they brought me near my General.

"Thanks the Gods, you're alright. We were starting to fear that traitor had captured you again." My old man said.

"Like if she was able to do something now…" I mumbled.

"Anyway, you have a perfect timing. As you can see, I am receiving some delegations coming from Germania."

And I watched at the tall and blond man. His face was still as stoical as ever. I didn't have any clue about his presence here. The consul explained: "I got a good idea to finish this job faster. We are going to allow the Germanic tribes to plunder the villages."

I looked at Germania. Some kind of scary grin appeared on his face.

"Hm, boss… Can I talk to you in private, for one minute?" I asked. If I wanted to take back the control of the situation, it was now of never. My leader hesitated and looked at his men.

"Boss, I need to talk to you now!" I tried to look impressive.

"We are in the middle of a meeting."

"And that's why I need to talk to you before it goes further."

He nodded and offered some drink to our guests in order to make them wait. He followed me in his tent.

"So, what's so important?"

"What in the hell do you think you are doing? You are not only allowing Germania to destroy Belgian villages. You are allowing him to bring an army on a territory I barely control."

"That's the idea. The surviving Belgian will beg at your feet to protect them."

"I can't believe it. Do you still not get it? They started this uprising because they knew you wouldn't protect them. If you do that, I won't be able to earn her trust ever again."

"Times heal a lot of things…"

"Some never heal, but how can a mere mortal like you understand? What will happen to me after your death is none of your business. I may die in a civil war that you created; it still won't be a matter for you. You just want power and wealth. All those deaths are meaningless for you!"

"That's enough! How dare you speak to me like this?" Caesar was now furious. "I made you the biggest, strongest and most famous country on earth!"

"You turned me in a total bastard and more…"

I knew I wasn't supposed to stand against my boss like this. My instinct was telling me "you are going too far", but if I didn't tell him now that I didn't approve of his action, I would never do it.

"I don't want to have a new dictator. Stop all of this nonsense at once or I will consider you as an enemy."

I can't believe I managed to say it. Me, a nation, succeeded in threatening my boss.

Caesar looked at me with stupefaction. I guess he never expected his country, his pet, to lecture him like that.

"So you as well…" His face turned red. "Since twenty years, I had to stand alone against all those perfidious senators who didn't care about you. I did more things for you in six years than they did in sixty. Is that how you reward me for defending the interest of your borders, your folk against those rich conservators?"

"How did you defend their interest? By sending them die on Gaul's battlefield?"

"They didn't die because of me. They died because of those uncivilised barbarians who can't stay quiet for a year. You blame for taking politic seriously? Please, all your senators play like this. If we are in such a situation, it is because of this republic system which is not a democracy since a very long time. I am just fighting to change it! Do you mean you would rather choose those guys who just want to live in a world where nothing ever changes rather than me who fight to change that rotten system?"

"What's telling me your new system will be better? You are scarifying entire tribes in order to reach your goal. I highly doubt you will respect my people once you become a dictator."

"Just wait and see. You will learn I am the ruler you need."

I sighed. That conversation was going nowhere. I couldn't reason with him. It was no wonder. As a nation, I was the one supposed to be influenced by my people, not the contrary. I knew deep in my heart I couldn't do much more. However, I still could protect my borders. I would do everything in my power to prevent Germania from settling on Belgica's territory.

"If you want to be my ruler, just start by sending the Germanic tribes back!" I ordered him. "Don't let them think they can wander as they want on my new territories. They might get used to it."

"Fine, fine… I will tell them we don't need their help in the end. You didn't need to be so rude to tell me that, you know?"

"Come on? Why in the world do I need that guy?"

"My apologises. You seemed so tired. I didn't want to ask too much about you. And I was right. I can see that you are sick of this war. I just wanted to end it as quickly as possible, so we can think of the troubles in the capital... "

Why in Tartaros was that guy so smart? How did he always manage to find the right words to convince me to follow him? Even if I was still furious against him, I agreed to give him one more chance. I stopped worrying about Belgica. All what mattered at that moment was to know if Caesar was able to save me or not.

Later, I saw him sending back the Germanic barbarian. They were not happy at all. They shouted my boss had fooled them. We had to use force to drive them out of the camp. Some of them shouted some curses in their native languages and after half an hour, they left. I sighed in relief; one source of trouble left. But for some strange reason, Germania still had his scary grin. I had a bad feeling about that.


The explanations concerning the secret agreement between Caesar and some Germanic tribes will come with the next chapter.