author's note : I've tried to write this with the canon in mind, and since the recent animated film "the secret of the magic potion" shows that there are more gaulish villages across gaul that have not been overtaken by romans rather than there being just one village, thats the information I'm going with. There will be of course, a few additions of poetic license further ahead…
Sorry for this chapter being so short, the next one will be longer!
I did stay another night, much to my own frustration. But Fulliautomatix and his wife didn't seem to mind at all, nor did any of the other villagers -well, except for one.
Instead of eating dinner separately that night, all the villagers gathered in the chief's large cottage around a long circular table laden with all kinds of festive dishes– the occasion? It was the beginning of a new month.
When I asked why this was celebrated, Fulliautomatix just laughed.
"Why not?" he asked in return. Well, I suppose that was one way to look at it.
I did begin to wonder though. How come a village in Armorica – an area of Gaul where the romans had mostly taken over, had such an abundance of food and water, seemingly undisturbed and untouched by roman armies? I thought about this as we gathered to eat around the table, and I also noticed that the atmosphere and the spirits were high – nobody was talking about war, or any incoming threats. Everyone seemed happy, or just busy gossiping or bickering with other people in the village.
The only person who seemed slightly concerned and withdrawn was Asterix, who still shot me inscrutable glances now and then across the table. I tried my best to ignore him.
Wine and beer was readily drunk by all present, including the chief, who got up from his seat and began walking along the table – despite his wife trying to grab him by the cloak and reign him in like a misbehaving dog.
He tried clumsily to get away from her grasp, as he raised his goblet of wine to the roof and began speaking above the din of voices.
" I want it carved into every tree around Gaul – every tree! That I, Vitalstatix is the best chief, and the most graceful one, in existence!" he exclaimed to everyone or anyone who wanted to listen. Most of the villagers just laughed in response, or raised their own goblets in accord.
Fulliautomatix who was sitting next to me, hiccuped loudly and stood up abruptly, wobbling on his feet.
"I'll help you! I'll do it!" he shouted.
"Useless – as if you can even spell all that." a blonde man with long braids muttered, nibbling on a dish made of fish.
"I warn you, if you harm even one single tree that didn't need to be touched, I shall put you under a spell of my own making." Panoramix suddenly spoke up, earning a scared look from the chief as he cowered back down.
It was like sitting at a large family gathering – where everyone, regardless of position or stature, viewed each other equally. It was more than a little odd to witness.
And it made me feel more out of place than I already felt. As soon as I had finished eating, I fully intended to get up and leave the table. But fate had something different in store for me that night.
For quite suddenly, the front door to the cottage burst open, a woman standing in the doorway. She looked distraught and drenched from the rain that was pouring outside, red hair plastered to her head. There was pure panic in her eyes.
"Our children! Retamatix! Someone has kidnapped our children!"