Once back at the village, we ran into the druid who took one look at my nose, than cast an ugly look at Asterix and the larger man next to me.
"Come with me and we'll get that tended to." He simply said, turning on his heel. I followed him, casting one look back at the two men, the larger one looking really confused while Asterix stalked off in another direction.
Whatever, I'd be leaving soon enough anyway.
I was reluctant to enter the druid's cottage. Where I had come from, only selected people were allowed in the druid's home, and was shown immense respect.
He seemed to catch on however, when he noticed me lingering in the doorway. He stroked his long, white beard and hummed.
"Ah, I've neglected to introduce myself. How silly – my name is Panoramix. No need to stand on ceremony, do step inside." he said, and after watching him carefully, I did as he said.
His cottage smelled of strong herbs, lavender and something else I couldn't place – something peaceful. There were wooden shelves everywhere with bottles of various shapes and sizes on them, as well as a handful of books. He turned to one of these shelves and took down a few of the bottles, placing them on a work bench behind him. Without turning to look, he spoke up again.
"Take a seat, I'll be with you in a moment."
There was another table with chairs in front of the fire, and I sat down on one of these as I watched him work. There was hardly a pause, his hands working expertly with the ingredients, pouring the contents into a small bowl. I was so transfixed by this that I hardly noticed when he started asking me questions.
"Have you been in the area long?"
"No, not very. Only since yesterday."
"You travel, I understand. Outside of Gaul as well?"
"Yes, sometimes."
Here the druid fell quiet as he stared down into the bowl with a thoughtful frown, and then he muttered " just one more thing, that's what it needs." Then he plucked a leaf from a vase full of green herbs, pulverizing it in his hand as he threw it in. It made a strange purplish cloud burst into light before it fell away.
My eyes widened and I sat up straighter. I'd never seen anything like that before.
Panoramix glanced up at me just then, and I averted my eyes, not wanting him to know how impressed I was. It did not do well for me to show my emotions. It never had.
Just like Asterix had with the piece of cloth, Panoramix handed me a similar one – but this one smelled more potent somehow. And when he gestured for me to put it to my nose, I felt a stinging sensation.
But Panoramix just nodded with satisfaction.
"It's supposed to hurt a little – that means that it's working. " he said, smiling jovially as he began working on something else by the bench. Unlike Asterix, he didn't seem to mind the fact that I was a stranger.
"Thank you. You didn't need to do this." I said, and he scoffed, waving a hand in the air.
"We can't have the mysterious village guest gushing blood, now can we?"
I frowned down at the table.
"I'm not staying long."
At this, he just smiled and continued chopping herbs.
"If you say so. The clouds are gathering up again. "
I looked out the window – because surely not. The skies had been clear just an hour ago. But he was right – I could see them coming on the horizon. I bit back a disappointed groan.
"That's fine. It can't possibly get here until I reach the next village."
But right after I said it, I saw the sky get pierced with lightening – thunder echoing in its wake. Behind me, I could hear Panoramix humming happily to himself, and I turned to look at him through narrowed eyes.
"Did you-"
This man must be the worst liar in all of Gaul. He blinked and put a hand to his chest like I had tried to defile his honor.
"Who me? I'm just a simple druid."
I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed.
"Simple isn't the word I'd use..." I muttered, and he just shrugged.
"What does it matter if you stay another night or not? Are you in a hurry somewhere?" which was a good question. And I didn't really have an answer for him. Not one that I wanted to give anyway.
"It's complicated."
He gave me a long look and nodded sagely.
"Perhaps things will look up, soon enough."
I scoffed at that.
"Why, can you predict the future too?" I asked, and he touched his nose and winked.
"Let's keep that our little secret. Now run off, I have important thing to attend to – I'm sure that the same couple who put you up last night shall be up for the task yet again."