Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
The holiday walk was here and Lilith loved it, despite the business of it. She had most of her shopping done, other than Tobi. He had become quite the friend of hers, and she couldn’t help but think of him quite a bit. Was it a crush? She kept telling herself, no, but her coworkers may have said no. Either way, she liked finding good gifts – and was on the hunt.
Lilith didn’t have to park too far, as she was able to park at the police station and walk over. All she had to do was put the staff card up. They also knew her car, so they couldn’t tow her for illegal parking. After making sure everything was locked and towed away, Lilith began making her way to the main street of shops. There were Christmas lights everywhere and the smell of cinnamon and pine graced her lips.
Needing a pick-me-up, Lilith found the coffee tent and grabbed a cup. As she opened her cup to taste it black, there was a rush of people. She felt her body lurch hitting the back of someone and the sting of hot liquid on her hands. Even though she had gloves on, it was still scorching.
“Ah shoot, I’m sorry!” she said apologetically to the person that was in front of her. Lilith hoped the coat wasn’t ruined. She would obviously pay for it if there was any kind of damage to it.
Brandon only had one person left on his Christmas list. That was his sister - Eva. As she was a teenager, he had no idea what to get her. Someone at the Fire Station had suggested he check out the Christmas art walk.
After working at the fire station, he kept his car parked at the station and walked towards the holiday walk. He buttoned up his navy wool coat and started glancing at the booths that were set up at the closed off street. He let out a yawn, which he covered with his hand. Brandon had worked the morning shift and was in need of a coffee before he started his shopping mission.
He didn't have to stand in line long before he ordered his coffee and stood off to the side as they made it for him. Brandon thanked the barista as he took his black coffee to the side table and poured some Irish cream flavored creamer into it. He snapped the lid on to the cup and began turning around. That's when he felt hot liquid pour down the side of his coat.
Brandon let out some profane words before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Just how I wanted to start my day..." He had already had problems at work too - the firetrucks were in need of their yearly check. Brandon cleared his throat and took his coat off. "I'm alright, I promise. Can I get you another coffee though?" He would have to take his coat to the dry cleaners after his shopping was finished.
thanks aofie!
thirty - part time firetruck mechanic & Sales Yard Stable hand - single (hetero)
Lilith kind of blinked at the profanities that left the person in front of her. Shit. When the person turned around, Lilith couldn’t help but blush. Despite the angry words, this gentleman was quite…attractive. Maybe it was the strong jawline. While not quite like Tobi’s, she would still drop her pants for this man.
“I guess that’s what I get for trying to sneak a sip. The holidays are making everyone run around mad, aren’t they?” she nervously laughed, throwing away her now empty cup. Lilith gingerly slipped off her gloves – the cold air hitting her hard. She could feel the pain of the cold but she hid it. Thankfully, she had a backup pair for reasons like this.
After grabbing some napkins and wrapping up her soiled gloves, Lilith shoved them into a side pocket of her coat and put on the second pair from her purse. “No, no – it’s fine. I hope your coffee survived. Is your jacket...okay? I’ll pay for the damages either way.”
Thankfully, the tender of the cart saw what had happened and sent their assistant to Lilith with a cup as a replacement. They refused payment. Lilith, being smarter about it now, made sure the lid stayed on until the cup made it to the table to pour peppermint mocha in.
Brandon glanced down at his wool jacket. It wasn't soaking wet, but he knew it wouldn't be much help to keep him warm now. As the stranger spoke, he lifted his head, finally glancing a peek at the woman. It seemed she had a light pink blush to her cheeks - hoping it was because of the cold and not due to his presence.
"Yes, I do know that feeling. Though I'm pretty proud of myself that I only have one family member left to shop for." He let out a sigh after, trying his best to release his anger - it was a complete accident, nothing he needed to have a temper over. "The happiness around the holidays is a little annoying, but it's always nice to see the kids be happy." There were kids who came to the fire station during the holiday season, it was adorable to see their faces light up at the sight of the firetrucks.
The dark haired man glanced down at his coffee which seemed to be in one piece. "It seems to have survived our scuffle. The jacket is a bit damp, but it'll be fine. Thank you though." It's what he deserved for wearing his nice coat on this rare occasion - he tried to dress up a bit when he made an appearance in town.
"I'm Brandon, by the way. Would you want some company? I need to get a gift for my sister and I wouldn't mind some female advice." Some people found men difficult to shop for - but he found it women more difficult - especially his mother and sister.
thanks aofie!
thirty - part time firetruck mechanic & Sales Yard Stable hand - single (hetero)
“One person left. That’s good! Look at you go,” she smiled, hoping her words didn’t come off as condescending or anything. Lilith herself could easily let procrastination get the best of her sometimes. But she had been good so far. She had mastered the art of listening and hearing what her family wanted. Now, it was the smaller things – like cards and candy. But she wasn’t against buying something that she liked for herself or someone else. If anything, Tobi was what was getting a bit ruffled up. She knew he rode, but what did you get someone that rode that they already didn’t have?
“Not a holly jolly fellow?” Lilith asked, before taking a sip of her newly intact coffee. It was perfect. “I understand though, not a joyous time for everyone. Hopefully, whatever you do to celebrate is nice.” Lilith never understood the whole massive family thing. The Zoo did guide tour lights and made gifts for the animals. Edible or enrichment things.
“Perfect, but obviously if you need repairs or anything – I will still pay for it.” She took another sip of her coffee and was tempted to spit it out when he mentioned the idea of her joining him. Lilith couldn’t help but smile again. Another handsome man that wanted to give her the time of day? One was rare already, but two? Must’ve been a dream or something.
“Nice to meet you, Brandon, I’m Lilith. And sure! I’m looking for something for someone that rides. I, unfortunately, don’t know anything about horses – so I’m a bit lost! Maybe we can help each other out then? I’m fine with whatever direction you want to head in.”
"I'm usually a very last minute shopper, so this is quite an accomplishment for me." Both his sister and his mother admitted that he worked too much. It caused him to lose track of time, or worse what holiday it was. If it wasn't for the massive amounts of Christmas decorations everywhere, he wouldn't have any idea. "It's not that I don't enjoy celebrating, I'm just married to my work." And with the New Year around the corner - it meant that the Fire Trucks were due for inspection from the Department.
He took a sip of his coffee, making sure it tasted right before he turned. "It was an accident, I can pay for it myself." Brandon had a few other things to get dry cleaned anyway, his mother insisting that he dress up for Christmas dinner. "Likewise, Lilith. You are in luck, I work with horses so I can see what I can do." There were different types of riding, but he could probably figure out what kind of riding the person was doing.
"I'm looking for something for my sister. I don't know what women usually want. Should we head towards the leather goods store first? A rider never says no for a belt." Brandon made sure his lid was on properly and was finally ready to walk, wherever they were headed.
thanks aofie!
thirty - part time firetruck mechanic & Sales Yard Stable hand - single (hetero)
“Leather store sounds good. I, unfortunately, don’t know their waist size, but I guess a gift card wouldn’t be too bad.” That sounded a bit less personal, but it made finding what they wanted much easier. Well, that was her thought at least. She swirled her coffee and took a sip, following Brandon in the direction he chose.
“Sister, huh? How old?” Lilith knew that everyone loved a good bath basket. Something about self-care, but that would also depend on age. If it was a teenager, it would be a bit more difficult. Sure, Lilith was in her late twenties, but the age difference was still there. Teens nowadays are all about social media and looking older than they were. At least, from what she had seen. The only time that teens really bothered her was when a tik tok challenge around zoos became a thing. Trying to break into exhibits and stuff. Now that wasn't very pleasant.
Brandon raised his eyebrows, not realizing he would need her size in order to buy her a belt. As this was going to be one of their first Christmases together, he didn't know his sister that well. "Well now I feel dumb. I don't know her size unfortunately. I don't know about you but a gift card is something you get someone you don't know." Though he did have to admit it was a good idea. Once they approached the store, he opened the door to the leather store - allowing Lilith to enter first.
"She just turned nineteen in the Spring, so she isn't that young. Joined our family recently so I don't really know her that well. We work at together so I'm assuming she enjoys horses too." Though he wasn't quite sure if she really enjoyed them or not. The teen seemed to work well with them though. "What did you ask for when you were nineteen? She doesn't seem super girly though if that helps." He entered right behind her and began looking at the store and what it had to offer. There were bags, belts and jackets galore - Brandon wasn't sure where to begin.
"Do you have any siblings?" He asked, starting to look in the area where the leather bags were.
thanks aofie!
thirty - part time firetruck mechanic & Sales Yard Stable hand - single (hetero)
“Hmm…” she stepped in, and the smell of leather goods wafted through her nose. It was a pleasant smell, like opening a new book or something like that. Her eyes took in all the various goods in the store. It was a decent size, with a few people walking around helping customers that needed help.
“Does she need a new wallet or maybe a key chain? Or is she into wanting a new bag for school if she's a student?” Lilith had to think hard about what she wanted then. “Well, to be fair, I wasn’t exactly a girly girl either. But I was also asking for the newest book of scientific notations and possibly a new light for the tarantula I was studying.” Alright, maybe that was too much information. But it proved that maybe she wasn’t the best person to ask either.
“I have a younger brother, he’s a teen as well. Sixteen now. He’s very into Legos and anything building-wise. So that kind of makes it easy for us to get anything for him.” She stopped in front of some bags that had some intricate details in them. Lilith ran a thumb over some of the embroidery, falling in love with it. She wasn’t shopping for herself, but…she could treat herself, too, right?
The scent of leather was refreshing, reminding him of working at the Sales Yard or his Grandmother's barn back home. It was something nostalgic for him, in a good way. He nodded as the suggestions came from the woman. "I think a new keychain and bag would be good. Not sure if a leather wallet is her thing." The leather wallet was probably something more for him, though from a glance he could tell a few of the displayed ones were for women as well. Once he had decided on the two items, he stopped near the bag section - seeing that Lilith had joined him there.
"Do you work in the science field then if you were interested in tarantulas?" It wasn't a safe assumption as most people grew out of their hobbies and never really turned them into a career - though nineteen was an age where people mostly knew what they wanted. "I don't think she'd like either of those things. Bugs and Science really aren't her thing." He didn't enjoy those subjects either, though he tried to help her the best he could - when she asked for help that was. "That sounds like an easy person to shop for. Does he want to get into engineering then maybe?" From the sounds of it, her brother had awhile until he really needed to decide his next steps in terms of a job.
His eyes shifted from bag to bag, wondering if Eva wanted a backpack or more of a tote bag for school. The backpack was the more traditional school choice, though from what he had seen from dropping her off at school - both were being used quite often by her fellow classmates. "This friend you are shopping for, did you have something in mind already or did you also need some ideas?" His suggestions also depended on if the friend was male or female - along with what discipline they rode.
thanks aofie!
thirty - part time firetruck mechanic & Sales Yard Stable hand - single (hetero)
“I do! I’m an Entomologist,” she smiled. “I work across a few fields, but I mainly teach.” Lilith didn’t know how much more she wanted to disclose to Brandon, but he was showing interest. Something she didn’t know she had in a long time. Not until Tobi. “Yeah, they’re not for everyone. But I do feel for the parents of kids that are. Sometimes the phase never disappears,” Lilith joked. “I’m sure those that have horse kids feel the same way.”
“Maybe, or something like that. His brain is more on the art side of things. I was, unfortunately not blessed with that,” she said, making her way to another display. It was more horse-themed. “Ah, I unfortunately don’t know what disciple he rides – since I think he does both. I was thinking of a saddle bag. I thought of a belt buckle, but I don’t know how common those are still. What are things that equestrians like or would find useful?”
Brandon needed a moment to realize what it meant. "You mean bugs? Do you enjoy teaching or would you rather be out in the field somewhere?" He was more of a hands on person - teaching someone about his jobs was the last thing he wanted to do. Though for some reason, he was always the one stuck training the new people. "I never grew out of my horse phase, I really think once the horse bug bites, you can't get away from it." He knew of so many people that learned how to ride when they were younger and still had something to do with it down the road.
"I don't want to assume, but I take it you don't ride?" Bugs and horses weren't that big of a stretch - there were creepy crawlies around the barn after all. "He has awhile to figure it out, I don't think anyone truly knows what they want to do." He didn't know he wanted to be a heavy engine mechanic until he started his schooling on it. Brandon felt himself walk towards the equestrian themed display as well. "If he does both, then a saddle bag would only be useful for a Western saddle. Maybe a halter? That would work for either discipline." He would get Eva one, but she didn't have a horse of her own yet - neither did he though.
thanks aofie!
thirty - part time firetruck mechanic & Sales Yard Stable hand - single (hetero)
“Nah, never rode. I’ve seen plenty and interacted with plenty – but never took to them like I did the flies. I’m very much happier just watching them from a distance.” She shrugged her shoulders and listened to Brandon’s suggestion of what she should get Tobi. Lilith gave a small nod as she thought more. Maybe a gift card or something was easier.
“Hm, I see. Even if it was for just trail rides? But you are the expert, so a halter would be best. But would a rope version be better, versus a leather one? What’s easier to care for?” There was a love of leather for a lot of the people around here, but did horses also have possible allergies? Did some not like leather around their faces? She obviously had a lot to learn. For once, Lilith was coming off quite uneducated.
Brandon took his time, starting to look at the intricate embossed saddle bags - knowing he would have to get one once he got a horse of his own. "That makes sense. Horses can be a lot scarier than bugs. If you ever want to inspect horse flies, come to the Sales Yard. We have enough of them there." He didn't know if that was an exotic bug that Lilith was interested in studying, though someone needed to know their life patterns by now - bugs were annoying to him, especially mosquitos.
The man raised his eyebrow, he needed to realize that the woman needed a bit more assistance when it came to horse gear. "So think of a halter like a dog collar. It's only really used to lead the horse places. A bridle is what people use when they ride. That's made of leather too." Some people did decide to ride in a halter, using rope reins to ride. Though, if this person was a traditional rider - a bridle was the way to go. "Technically the rope halter, but do you know if he does in hand shows or not? If he does, you need a leather halter then." He didn't even know if this person rode English or Western, but usually riders that competed in trail riding meant that they rode Western. It was the discipline he knew more about anyway.
"Before we get any farther, do you know what kind of riding he does?" His eye landed on another saddle bag, one with leaves and more of a forest scene on it - his hand tracing the impressive leather work.
thanks aofie!
thirty - part time firetruck mechanic & Sales Yard Stable hand - single (hetero)
