We did not go empty-handed from the village of Tulusa – we were given a small ration each of meat and cheese for the journey, which admittedly wouldn't last long for some of us.

"Obelix..." Asterix said in a tone of reprimand, as the much bigger gaul licked his fingers for crumbs after already eating his rations.

"What? I needed a little pick-me up."

I watched them bicker back and forth with some amusement. It was evident that they had known each other for quite a while.

We were just leaving through the main gates when I felt something tugging at the bottom of my tunic. I looked down to my right and saw one of the children from the village standing there, a little girl. She pressed something small into my palm and closed it with smaller hands, grinning toothily at me.

I blinked at her, confused.

No sooner than she had appeared did she run back to the village, laughing as she did. When she was gone I looked to see what she had given me.

It was a thin piece of leather that had been woven into a small symbol of sorts, with a thin strap decorated with tiny blue beads. I frowned down at it, trying to understand what it was supposed to mean.

"It's for good luck."

I looked up sharpy and Asterix walked up and pointed to the charm in my palm and explained.

"They are said to protect travelers against all harm and illness. You should keep it close to your chest."

"It's such a little thing..." I murmured, not believing a word he said. But I did as he said, more for the fact since it was the first gift I had received in longer than I could remember.

The day's journey was mostly uneventful – at least we were headed in the right direction, south.

Which was also, coincidentally where my birthplace was located – along with the two children, and the people who had kidnapped them. I was certain of this.

While the two gauls hadn't payed attention, I had been keeping an eye on the tracks. The way the earth in the road had been shifted, the way the air smelled, the discarded and tattered bridle on the side of the road – the telltale symbol of a horse carved into the leather -the very same one that had been burned into my skin when I was a child.

Back then, I had been the only one from my family to escape the village alive, before it was pillaged and burned to the ground. It came out of nowhere – the attack.

"Arabel?" the voice sounded so far away that I didn't respond at first. Then I shook my head and remembered where I was, when I was.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, confused. Obelix was looking at me and scratching his head.

"Why are you stopping? You can't be tired already."

"Of course not. Don't be silly."

As evening once again approached, I made mental preparations to leave as soon as the other two had fallen asleep for the night. It wouldn't be hard to loose them in the forest, and I was good at hiding.

We found a clearing that was pleasant enough, and no sooner did Obelix run off to hunt down a boar with eager steps. I watched him run off, fascinated.

"Always hungry, that one..."

Asterix scoffed in response and went off to gather firewood. Wow – I had never met someone who hated me so clearly. I would be glad to be rid of them both, after this night was over. An hour and a large dinner later, we all laid out around the small campfire to sleep.

But there was one thing I hadn't counted on. The damn horse.

I had just risen without waking the gauls and was about to leave the clearing and the two men behind forever when I heard a loud whinny.

"What?" I hissed at it, and it stomped the ground several times, seemingly out of frustration.

"Fine, you can come with me – lets just go!"

While this seemed to soothe it momentarily, as I softly walked through the forest with it in tow, it kept bumping into my back and tugging at my traveling cloak. I growled low in my throat and turned to face it, blowing hair out of my face.

"What is it now?!" I yelled silently and it looked back at me in a way that bizarrely managed to judge me in a way that a horse really shouldn't be able to do.

"You want to go back, then go back! I can't." I muttered and continued to walk. But I couldn't, because now the horse went quickly to stand in my way, looking at me imploringly. I tried to remain angry, but it was late and I was tired. Sighing, I gave up and leaned against him, my temper melting away.

"It's….complicated." I said and petted his long, untamed mane.

That was when I heard unfamiliar voices in the distance.

I had ducked down among the trees and sought out the source of the voices – not far from where we had set up camp. A small group of roman soldiers along with a small envoy was stationed there, weapons on display.

"Are you sure it's them?" Asked the man apparently in charge, wearing white and red robes. A general then. A roman soldier nodded several times, looking nervous.

"Yes, quite sure Centurion, quite sure!"

"It's a dumb idea – they are way too strong!" Another soldier whispered hysterically – but their leader just laughed in a sinister fashion.

"Strong yes, but I doubt that an arrow from my best archer will have any problems taking care of it."

"While they're asleep? Isn't that a bit- a bit-"

"Does it look like I give a damn? Take care of them now."

The archer stepped forward, and if it had just been another roman soldier I wouldn't have worried. But this man looked like a professional, and there was a look in his eyes that I didn't particularly like. He hunkered down not far from where I was crouching, and tightened the bow, readying his first shot.

But he would miss his target.

My instincts kicked in, and silently I approached him from behind, drawing the dagger from its sheath as I did. I let him focus for a moment on the task at hand, before I encircled my arms around his neck from behind – my dagger pressed directly to his exposed throat. I felt the adam's apple bob, a small trickle of blood as a result against the blade.

I kept it sharp, always.

Carefully and slowly, I leaned in and whispered in his ear. He flinched when he heard my voice so close to his ear, and I almost laughed – my teeth flashing in the night.

"Make the shot and it will be the last thing you do before I cut your throat." I whispered, my voice raw and unchecked. He tensed up, the bow still tightened, but his focus was gone – shock hindering him.

"What's going on over there?" The roman general in charge yelled out, and I tightened my grip.

"Heed my words archer, or I will make sure your death will be prolonged."

Slowly but surely then did he lower his bow, arms shaking as he did.

"Good boy. Now throw them to the side."

I let him go quickly after that, pushing him away from me. He turned around to look at me with a sour expression.

"The romans will have your head."

And sure enough, it did look like they were approaching through the trees. There were five of them, and even though I was good in a fight, I wasn't sure if I would win.

I faced the archer with a rueful smile.

"Let them have it, if they can manage."

But they only managed to get three feet away from me when a massive fist collided with the soldier closest to me, knocking him back with such force that it left no room to ponder who had just arrived.

"Romans? For me? " Obelix simpered with delight, while the remaining romans started running for their lives into the night. The situation taken care of, I stooped down in the grass to take a look at the bow and arrow that the archer had dropped.

The arrow had been reinforced at the tip with lead. If any of them had been hit, it would have killed them for sure, magic potion or not.

Chapter notes : fun fact, the good luck charm as well as the symbol of Arabel's tribe are based on actual celtic symbols (with some creative liberties). The charm is based on a "celtic knot" symbolizing eternal life, but also friendship and love. The symbol with the horse can be found on ancient celtic coins.