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!.
She watched him ignore her, trying not to feel irked - which was what he wanted. Always a game with them, back and forth, cat and mouse - it played into fate that they were criminal and cop. Her eyes followed his movements as he looked through her file; surprisingly thick - she was quite proud of herself. Maybe she'd need her own drawer some day. Her own filing cabinet. "ha. good one." She snorted, ignoring the sarcasm. He was really not giving her much today and it was starting to incite her.
The cat was out of the bag now. She'd been trying to keep her son a secret all her life - not for her sake, but for his. She didn't need people prying into who or where he was, she needed him to be safe; safe from her. She didn't need Brook looking into this, digging up old graves. She would go back for her son when she could, but right now it wasn't right for him. She saw the way his expression changed as he leaned forward and she turned her face away, hardening. She didn't want his pity or his softness. "I can try. .if you let me." She huffed, eyebrows drawing together, jaw tightening in anger. "They say that every time, but it's people like you that have added layer and layer and locked door after locked door between us. You'll just make it worse to fuck with me."
His brows furrowed a little when she turned away to avoid his gaze. He listened and pursed his lips and sat back in his chair, narrowing his eyes, his soft expression turning to stone. ”believe what you want about other officers but I would never stand in the way of a child getting back to their mother.” his tone had a frosty edge to it, what she’d said brought up memories he’d spent years trying to bury. He gripped his coffee cup and turned away from her, looking out of the office window at the other officers in the station. As memories of his childhood - his mother leaving him bubbled to the surface, he finished the rest of his coffee then inhaled deeply, pushing the thoughts that swirled around his mind back down to where they belonged before turning back to face blaise. ”fine, you don’t want my help with your son, fine. .but at least let me help you. Sort your life out and be the best mother you can be, your son deserves it.
”believe what you want about other officers but I would never stand in the way of a child getting back to their mother.” She'd pissed him off again, and her lips thinned, hiding the smirk as she pressed them together, too frustrated to be amused. It was her turn to observe him as she turned back to see him turned away. She'd hit a nerve somewhere, she didn't know enough about him to even guess at what nerve it was this time; he had as many as she did, though she hated to admit it. She let the silence spread between them, letting him come back to her and refusing to fill the quiet - he wanted to pry so hard, that was on him but she wasn't going to help.
”fine, you don’t want my help with your son, fine. .but at least let me help you. Sort your life out and be the best mother you can be, your son deserves it. She narrowed her eyes, rapidly trying to build her walls back up as he tried to bulldoze through "Firstly, you don't talk about my son." She leaned forward across the table. "Secondly, what you're asking, is the equivalent of me telling you to trust me, after all the terrible criminals you've known. That I'm different to all the rest. You're saying that you would just believe me, without doubt, that I wasn't going to turn around and burn you?"
She raised her eyebrows, the problem was there was no trust between them, and no reason for that to develop. He might not have hurt her yet, but he hadn't proved himself either. "It's not even that you're asking me to trust you, it's the fact that you're asking me to trust you with my son's life. He's not a part of this right now" She indicated between him and Brook. "There's a reason for that, whether he's out of my reach or not, I choose to keep him away, because I know I cannot bring him into this life. You think I'm stupid or selfish enough to live this life for the fun or it? For the thrill? I do it for my son, everything I do is for my son."
brook watched her carefully and cursed internally. he'd let his emotions get the better of him and overstepped. he sat back in his chair as she leant on the desk, listening as she spoke. he lifted a brow and shook his head. "trust you? no. I barely trust someone i'd call a friend so, definitely not." he didn't trust easily, always guarded on the off chance the rug would get swept from under him again. hell the only one of his co-workers he probably trusted was his boss. "I know you don't do it for fun, i've seen the types of people that do this for fun and you aren't one of them." he picked up a pen and fiddled with it as he looked over the paperwork she'd come in with today. obviously she'd been arrested like usual but this time they had enough evidence to actually take her in to custody for the night. obviously he didn't want that. "then why won't you accept my help? you want to straighten out your life for your son? how? you're in a vicious cycle. .you steal to survive, to get enough money to live but what happens when something sticks? what happens when you get sent down?" it was only a matter of time before her luck ran out, even she had to realise that.
"trust you? no. I barely trust someone i'd call a friend so, definitely not." Blaise raised her eyebrows pointedly. "And you don't think that's the pot calling the kettle black?" She rolled her eyes. "You don't trust me, but I'm meant to trust you... sound's about right." Blaise sighed - they were right back where they started, constantly going around and around in circles over her life and his life and the opposite ends they sat at. "I know you don't do it for fun, i've seen the types of people that do this for fun and you aren't one of them." So had she, though there was the occasional time that had been personal - which had absolutely made it fun. Stealing from her ex, for example, had been the best thrill of her life.
"then why won't you accept my help? you want to straighten out your life for your son? how? you're in a vicious cycle. .you steal to survive, to get enough money to live but what happens when something sticks? what happens when you get sent down?" Blaise ground her teeth together, working her jaw in frustration. "I don't know," She growled through her gritted teeth, hating to admit it. She'd had a plan, years ago, but once you were in it was hard to get out. She was surviving, enough to cover the cost of a place now at least, and she was working her way - but it was precarious, and a hard way to make money; she'd started grifting recently, trying her hand in conning over pick pocketing but it was tough. "I won't get sent down, I'm not that stupid."
And you don't think that's the pot calling the kettle black? You don't trust me, but I'm meant to trust you... sound's about right." Brook ignored the first comment and pursed his lips. It was true trust went both ways but she was just too damn hard to trust and he couldn’t risk it. She’d burned him before and he wasn’t about to let it happen again. He was beginning to get sick of the merry-go round they were on and they needed to come up with a compromise in order for it to stop. "I won't get sent down, I'm not that stupid." He shook his head and slammed his hand down a little too hard on the paperwork in front of him with a frown. ”Dammit Blaise you’ve already been that stupid! We have enough evidence to charge you this time and you’re a flight risk so there’s a chance you may not get bail. You might be held in custody until your court date.” He rubbed the back of his neck, annoyed at his outburst.
They were stuck at this ridiculous impasse and it was driving Blaise insane. "You're infuriating." She almost snarled, but she managed to hold back the snap and turn it into a grumble instead. It wasn't something she liked to think about or admit but they were two sides of the coin. The sooner he understood that she couldn't just trust him, the same way he just couldn't trust her, the easier it would be. When he didn't comment she knew her point had been proven and she made a face that said as much, watching him expectantly.
That's when he slammed the desk and even she flinched a little. Not that she thought he would hit her, but men had proven her wrong before. ”Dammit Blaise you’ve already been that stupid! We have enough evidence to charge you this time and you’re a flight risk so there’s a chance you may not get bail. You might be held in custody until your court date.” She stared at him, working through it and keeping her expression neutral, not letting him see the cogs turning. Well, if everything was going to come crashing down, it wasn't like she had much to lose. She didn't have her kid back, they were never going to give her her son back, what else was there. She knew her lips were turned down at the corners and she was fighting herself to hold it all in, because she couldn't let him see it. She couldn't show any weakness. "Is that so." She said slowly, letting out a soft exhale. A calmness settled over her, the anger and frustrating just... ebbed away. "Okay, so what now? Are you charging me?"
"You're infuriating." He lifted a brow and gave her a pointed look. "Likewise." He regretted slamming the desk the moment he saw her flinch. Involuntary reaction or not, he hadn't meant to make her feel threatened, especially after the way some of the officers in the station had treated her in the past. "Sorry." He muttered with a sigh. He watched her for a moment, waiting for the information to sink in, half expecting her to blow up. "Is that so." He couldn't help but quirk a brow at the calmness that seemed to flow through her. He didn't like it. It was almost like she was giving up. "Okay, so what now? Are you charging me? He gave a short nod and stood up. "I have no choice. .some one will be in momentarily to take your fingerprints and explain what will happen" He left the room to send in another officer to do the paperwork side while he went to check if they had space in a holding cell.
"Likewise." She shrugged, she knew she was somewhat problematic but it took an asshole to know an asshole. Silence descended after his show of anger. For once she didn't really have a witty remark. "Sorry." She gave a slight nod to show she'd take it. She didn't care if he wanted to stomp his feet, the response had been automatic, and she would rather she hadn't - but old habits died hard and all that. She watched him right back, watching her. There was nothing in her left to explode, she was done for the evening, for the day - for the week.
Blaise watched him stand. "I have no choice. .some one will be in momentarily to take your fingerprints and explain what will happen" She rolled her eyes - how wonderful. One of those hard handed morons was going to be man handling her again. Wonderful. She couldn't wait. "At least send the taller one back in, he was friendlier." She said sarcastically - he wasn't, he was the one that pushed her around, but she'd given up with it now. She waited until he left the room, before she let her shoulders slump, momentarily putting her face into her hands. She'd royally screwed this one up. She would deal with it tomorrow, or the day after, and how to get herself out of this shit but really who was she kidding? There was no coming back from her life. She let out a sigh, pulling her hands down her face and sitting back in the chair, folding her arms as she waited for someone to come in. They couldn't see her fall apart.
"At least send the taller one back in, he was friendlier." He shook his head as he walked out of the room. Like hell he was letting either of them near her again. He spoke to one of his female colleagues and sent her into sort out the necessary paperwork. He made his way downstairs to where the holding cells where located. His brows furrowed when he saw both cells were occupied for the night. ”crap.” He sighed and made his way back upstairs and into his office, giving his colleague a smile as she left the room. ”I’m going to have to take you to Willow Bridge Station. .our holding cells are full.” He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and pulled it on then picked up the paperwork he’d need when he got to the other station. ”let’s go. .”
She caught the shake of his head, knowing she was just adding fuel to the fire but unable to help herself. She just couldn't let things rest - she didn't call herself a bitch for the fun of it. The issue was that she had been this person for so long now, it was hard to let go. This hard as rock exterior, the sneering and the jibes and the I don't give a shit attitude, it never used to be her - or at least, not wholly. She had always been fierce and loyal and protective, but she had been softer - once upon a time. Vaguely, she wondered if any of that was still in her, of if she would go on this way until she eventually died - probably at an early age.
She took in several deep breaths to get herself to chill out and by the time the other officer walked in to fingerprint her, she was back to her shit eating grin self. Not bothering to offer any responses to the woman, but she complied, eventually the office lapsed into silence to complete her tasks and then left her alone once again. Just in time to be replaced by her favourite one. ”I’m going to have to take you to Willow Bridge Station. .our holding cells are full.” She frowned, wondering what that meant for her - better or worse. ”let’s go. .” She cocked a brow but actually did as told and stood - there was no point arguing this, she would only make it worse and be back in the cuffs. "You're taking me?" She was surprised at that, thinking he would have rather palmed her off by now. "Can't get enough of my sharp wit and pretty face, huh?" She added, smirking and giving the assholes who had hauled her in a little wave as she walked past - what were they going to do, arrest her?
He clocked her frown and mentally prepared himself for her refusal to move but she surprised him by actually listening. "You're taking me? Can't get enough of my sharp wit and pretty face, huh?" He sighed and shook his head as she couldn’t help winding up his colleagues at they walked past. Brook’s eyes narrowed as their expressions darkened, ready to get up from their chairs only to back off when they caught sight of his stony look. He walked her out of the building and over to his undercover squad car, opening the back door for her to get in. ”I’m taking you because I don’t trust those two to get you there in the condition you left in.” He’d already brought up their misconduct before and they’d been given warnings but that just made them smarter in hiding it.
Blaise heard the sigh and knew Brook was not in the mood to play today. Neither was she really, if she was being honest with herself. The bone aching tiredness still left her feeling cold, and a little lacking of the amusement she normally felt with the frustrating handsome police officer. She caught the look of the assholes who had brought her in look less than impressed and she smirked but walked past without another taunt. Best not rile them further, for now at least.
”I’m taking you because I don’t trust those two to get you there in the condition you left in.” she made a small noise of agreement as she followed him, the most compliant he was likely to have seen her. "at least one of you has some semblance of a brain." she muttered, wrapping her arms around herself as they eventually stepped outside into the cool of the almost Spring air. "Which town are going to?" she asked. She had vacated a few local areas prior to settling in Hickstead, and though it had been a few years it was likely she would know an officer or two if she was unlucky. Depending on the town.
"at least one of you has some semblance of a brain." Brook rolled his eyes and held the car door open for her, closing it behind her once she was inside. He had half a mind to put the child locks on so she wouldn’t be able to try and escape but he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, figuring she wouldn’t be stupid enough to try and flee in the middle of her arrest. It certainly wouldn’t do her any favours. He moved around to the driver’s side and got in, inserting the keys into the engine and holding down the clutch in order for it to turn on. He reversed out of the parking space then put the car in first, driving out of the station and onto the main road, and heading straight for the dual carriageway that connected the town to the city. "Which town are going to?" He glanced at her through the rear-view mirror as she spoke. ”Willow Bridge, frequent haunt of yours?” He asked, unable to stop the jibe from coming out. Not that she didn’t deserve it for the last few things she’d been muttering.
She was surprised he held the door open but she slipped in without a quip - or a thanks. She wasn't going to drag her heels today but she also sure as shit wasn't going to be sweet as pie about it either. She settled in her seat and buckled up reluctantly, waiting for Brook to climb in and get them moving. He didn't take too long, but he didn't seem to be in a rush either - which surprised her. She thought he'd be keen to get all this over and done with by now.
It was a while before they spoke, the car already rolling along when she bothered to talk. She didn't mind quiet, but she was bored and tired and she wanted to distract herself. ”Willow Bridge, frequent haunt of yours?” Blaise raised an eyebrow at the snarky comment but didn't react. "It is actually, can't wait to return." She responded, though she knew there were likely some people there who would be less than pleased to see her again. Wonderful. She frowned up at the sky as the gathering swirl of black clouds finally began to open, letting loose a sudden downpour of rain. Blaise snorted at the miserable turn of the weather. "Seems about right," she muttered - it matched her mood well enough.
