S
Sarahonfire333
Guest
"Excellent. That will make things easier." Livia reached in and pulled out the portions of ground leaves. "This is a powder made from the leaves of the plant. Eventually, we'll move onto the berries and the roots, but for now, we start here." She took a coffee cup and filled it with hot water, then she stirred in the powder from today's pouch. "This is all for today. You might not feel too many of the effects from it today and tomorrow, but day three is going to be hell. This is going to build up in your body and you will be incapacitated after the third dose. That's when the hallucinations will start to get intense." She stopped and looked up at him. "Whatever horrors lie in your past, you're probably going to relive them on the third day. You body is going to fight, and it is going to lose on that day, make no mistake. It will start to wind down on the fourth day, but you'll be very nauseous and your speech will be slurred. Try not to throw up during these times, that will just slow down the training. By day nine, we should be ready to move to the berries."
Livia was lucky that her own training only resulted in mild hallucinations of the dreams she saw every night, but she didn't know how often Zephyr had his flashbacks. "This cycle is going to repeat itself when we start the berries, and again when we start the roots. It won't be as intense as your first time, but every third day will be hell. You're not going to want to train or take missions for this month. I probably won't be doing any either, so I can oversee you." The doorbell sounded through out the room and Livia got up to answer the door. She turned to Zephyr as she walked away, "I have to meet with a tailor. Stay in here and drink that. Then don't move for ten minutes. It will take that long to hit the blood stream. We'll see where you are after that."
Livia opened the door to see Ralphie, a short, bald, Italian tailor standing before her. "Miss Livia Jones, lovely as ever I see." Livia winced as he said her name.
"Please, not so loud. I'm using an alias at the moment," she winked at Ralphie. He had been the only person to fit her and her father into clothes since she moved here. He was an honest and kind man who knew all about her father's dealings. "Come in. Let's get started!" she beamed at the man. Once inside, she pulled Ralphie into the bedroom and stripped. Zephyr couldn't see her from her position as she wore only her panties and a strapless bra. "I can't believe the old man is making me attend that benefit tomorrow. I told him I was busy, yet he throws it on my schedule."
"Ah yes, but how could he resist showing off such a lovely daughter?" Ralphie replied, taking her measurements. "I see your bust has grown again. If you keep it up, your father is going to have to use his entire workforce to beat suitors off of you."
"Oh please, as if that would happen. I'm too aloof for suitors," she giggled. "If only you were twenty years younger."
"Ah, my time as a young man is over. However, I do have a son your age if you ever feel like having a drink. He's quite the idiot, romantic though. But he's sweet and means well."
"Well, if he's anything like you, he'd be a gem," they continued to make small talk and laugh as Ralphie took down the final measurements.
"So, we decided last time on the black, satin gown with the rhinestone, plunging neck line. Correct?"
"Yes!" Livia never really cared much for fashion, but everything Ralphie made was amazing. "And I'd like to have a deep slit up the side. Can you add that for me?"
"Your father would take my head and put it on his wall if I were to do that!" Ralphie protested.
"Oh please! I'll tell him I forced you. Besides, you're the best tailor in all of Kardanthia. He values you too much to just kill you," she teased.
"Alright, but I expect twice the payment for today!" Ralphie closed his eyes and turned his cheek towards Livia. She bent down and kissed him twice. "Atta girl. Alright darling. I'll make the final preparations and have it sent to you tomorrow afternoon." Livia walked Ralphie out and closed the door behind him with a smile on her face. That old man made her feel so much better. She used to be scared to kiss him on the cheek, but over time that worry faded away.
Back in the living room, Livia went to check on Zephyr. "How are you feeling?" She looked at the clock and saw that her ten minute appointment had actually taken thirty. Time flew whenever she met with Ralphie. "Sorry, I meant to check on you earlier." Livia wondered if he had overheard any of their conversation. She wasn't usually that bubbly or girly around Zeph.
Livia was lucky that her own training only resulted in mild hallucinations of the dreams she saw every night, but she didn't know how often Zephyr had his flashbacks. "This cycle is going to repeat itself when we start the berries, and again when we start the roots. It won't be as intense as your first time, but every third day will be hell. You're not going to want to train or take missions for this month. I probably won't be doing any either, so I can oversee you." The doorbell sounded through out the room and Livia got up to answer the door. She turned to Zephyr as she walked away, "I have to meet with a tailor. Stay in here and drink that. Then don't move for ten minutes. It will take that long to hit the blood stream. We'll see where you are after that."
Livia opened the door to see Ralphie, a short, bald, Italian tailor standing before her. "Miss Livia Jones, lovely as ever I see." Livia winced as he said her name.
"Please, not so loud. I'm using an alias at the moment," she winked at Ralphie. He had been the only person to fit her and her father into clothes since she moved here. He was an honest and kind man who knew all about her father's dealings. "Come in. Let's get started!" she beamed at the man. Once inside, she pulled Ralphie into the bedroom and stripped. Zephyr couldn't see her from her position as she wore only her panties and a strapless bra. "I can't believe the old man is making me attend that benefit tomorrow. I told him I was busy, yet he throws it on my schedule."
"Ah yes, but how could he resist showing off such a lovely daughter?" Ralphie replied, taking her measurements. "I see your bust has grown again. If you keep it up, your father is going to have to use his entire workforce to beat suitors off of you."
"Oh please, as if that would happen. I'm too aloof for suitors," she giggled. "If only you were twenty years younger."
"Ah, my time as a young man is over. However, I do have a son your age if you ever feel like having a drink. He's quite the idiot, romantic though. But he's sweet and means well."
"Well, if he's anything like you, he'd be a gem," they continued to make small talk and laugh as Ralphie took down the final measurements.
"So, we decided last time on the black, satin gown with the rhinestone, plunging neck line. Correct?"
"Yes!" Livia never really cared much for fashion, but everything Ralphie made was amazing. "And I'd like to have a deep slit up the side. Can you add that for me?"
"Your father would take my head and put it on his wall if I were to do that!" Ralphie protested.
"Oh please! I'll tell him I forced you. Besides, you're the best tailor in all of Kardanthia. He values you too much to just kill you," she teased.
"Alright, but I expect twice the payment for today!" Ralphie closed his eyes and turned his cheek towards Livia. She bent down and kissed him twice. "Atta girl. Alright darling. I'll make the final preparations and have it sent to you tomorrow afternoon." Livia walked Ralphie out and closed the door behind him with a smile on her face. That old man made her feel so much better. She used to be scared to kiss him on the cheek, but over time that worry faded away.
Back in the living room, Livia went to check on Zephyr. "How are you feeling?" She looked at the clock and saw that her ten minute appointment had actually taken thirty. Time flew whenever she met with Ralphie. "Sorry, I meant to check on you earlier." Livia wondered if he had overheard any of their conversation. She wasn't usually that bubbly or girly around Zeph.