Second Chances

The healer walked in with a med-reader cuff in his hands. The cuff is a convenient and portable way of getting a body reading, though they can only do the very basic examination they were still are very useful.

Placing the cuff on Lixiss's upper arm, the healer program the med-reader to run a blood analysis.

Lixiss's heart was pounding inside her chest. The "purging" honey her mother secretly sent to her, was all used for this purpose.

If she didn't pass this test, Lixiss knew she wouldn't be able to handle staying clean for long and would use her hidden stash.

Thought it was not as potent as the batch of Serenity her father took from her earlier, it would still do the job.

Waiting for the results to come out felt like for forever.

Stress sweat was pooling on her back, and her foot couldn't stop tapping on the floor.

When a beep was heard from the cuff, indicating the completion of the analysis, the healer read the results before walking to Lord Tasar's side.

"My Lord, young Miss' blood shows low levels of Serenity still in her system. Which means young Miss hasn't consumed any more Serenity since her the start of her cleansing."

"How much of the drug is still in her system?"

"About 20% is still left in her system. At this level, it should not affect young Miss' daily functions, with extra detoxing the drug should be flushed from her body."

Expecting to see Lord Tasar's smiling face, what the healer saw instead was Lord Tasar stoically looking at his daughter.

"That is all you can leave."

Closing the door behind him the healer left the room, and Lixiss dropped to her knees.

"Father, please let me out...I miss everyone. I won't do it again." Lixiss' face was covered in tears of pity, hoping to soften her father's heart.

"Lixiss, with periodic check-ups, I'm willing to release you from your cleansing early... "

"Oh! Thank you, father!" Lixiss eyes shown with triumph at seeing her tears still work on subduing her father's heart. However, before she could become too happy, Tasar popped her bubble.

"....but this will be the last time. The clan's laws are in place for a reason, and as the clan head, it's my job to enforce them even if it's on my own children. I have put my title as the clan leader on the line to protect you, but this will be the only time I will do so."

Walking to the door, Tasar stops to look back at Lixiss.

"Don't disappoint me again." Leaving those last words, he left Lixiss' residence.

Indeed, Tasar was tired of playing the doting father role. Maybe if Lixiss had stayed as the obedient daughter of the Udava clan, he could have continued treating her as his real daughter. However, with things as they were he didn't see the need. The best Lixiss can hope for now was to remain as just another clan member.

"Tsk." Lixiss picked herself up from the floor and dusted the dirt off her clothes.

Closing her bedroom door, and entering her bathroom, Lixiss looked for her hidden stash.

Finding it behind her lavatory, she pulled out a little vial. With the small amount of liquid that was inside Lixiss mixed it into a cup of water and downed it in one gulp.

Feeling Serenity taking effect, Lixiss washed her face and made her way to her mother's house.

After not being able to go outside for over half a month, Lixiss was on cloud nine. A bright smile on her face and drugs flowing in her body, Lixiss didn't discern the peculiar looks coming from the other clan members strolling outside.

Reaching her mother's residence Lixiss entered with familiarity, going straight towards Lady Vanya's bedroom.

As Lixiss was about to open the bedroom door, she heard her mother's voice. Thinking to extort some money to buy back the drugs she lost, Lixiss sneakily listened in on the conversation.

"Kendel, I already have everything planned out.....she's at her weakest right now, they won't be able to move her.....yes...I think that's best...you must make sure no one knows it's you...okay...."

Hearing her uncle's name, Lixiss knew her mother was up to something. She just couldn't make out what the was scheme from their discussion.

"Young miss!... What are you doing here?"

"Ahh!" Kerala's voice frightened Lixiss into shouting out loud.

Before Lixiss could answer, Lady Vanya swung her door wide open, inviting them both into the room.

"Your father let you out early...?" Vanya didn't know how much Lixiss heard, but she didn't pay it any mind. She knew how to control her daughter well.

"En.....he said this is my last chance. Do you think he'll really banish me from the family?" There was a hint of uncertainty in Lixiss' voice.

A light flashed in Vanya's eyes for a moment before disappearing.

"No. You are his baby girl. Doesn't he dotes on you the most?" Vanya off-handedly consoled her daughter. She had better things to discuss with Lixiss than the Udava clan's laws.

"Lixiss, have you seen Joanos lately..."

At the mention of Joanos, Lixiss hung her head down low. She remembered seeing Joanos there in her room when her father confronted her that morning but hasn't faced him since.

"He has been spending a lot of time with that girl...what is her name again?.....ah, Miss Mikaela. I think your father wants to marry the two."

Lady Vanya said this comment nonchalantly to Lixiss, but it wasn't lost on Kerala what her Lady was doing.

Taking the hint from Lady Vanya's lead, Kerala mentions how she found Mikaela and Joanos shooting arrows together, and how cozy they looked.

Disgusted that something of hers being taken, Lixiss rushed out of her mother's house and ran towards her father's office.

"My lady, do you think young Miss can convince Lord Tasar?" Kerala asked as she and Vanya watched Lixiss' retreating back.

"No. This move is just a detraction for Tasar and Joanos. Besides, I can always get Joanos and Lixiss to marry later..."