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!.
"Nothing is ever set in stone, nothing is truly permanent, But you are wise to recognize that. I do wish you to find happiness my friend, I always do. Understanding can be tricky, but I can see why you want to have a better grasp on things." Eli smiled slightly and gave a small nod. "Thank you, I'm not used to not knowing. Things have always been very set, it's the way I am." He was an adaptable person, having had to be considering his earlier career with the marines, but there was a reason he liked to fix things, and after the upside down's of his life - having his son, losing his wife, he had found the older he got, the harder it was for him to get along with change.
"Then there is nothing more you can do," Eli pressed his lips together and looked back to his friend. "It will make sense to you at some point, and even if it confuses you, all will work out. Time and patience are the world's levelers." Another nod as he finished his tea with one final gulp and stood, following Caleb out to the kitchen so he could drop his own into the sink for washing. "I thought being older meant things weren't supposed to confuse you anymore. I'm meant to have all the answers - or so my son and grandson believe!" He gave a slight shake of his head. He had a lot of the answers but certainly not them all.
"And should you ever have need of more advice, or have other questions you feel you need an answer to, well, you know my door is always open to you. Always." Eli's smile was easy in response. "Thank you." He knew it was an honest sentiment too, which made it all the kinder. "You are a good friend... have you not given thought to perhaps... dating again yourself?"
Eli smiled slightly and gave a small nod. "Thank you, I'm not used to not knowing. Things have always been very set, it's the way I am."
Caleb chuckled softly, "Sometimes life will put a spanner in the works. But I think this is slightly more welcome than if your car were to break down suddenly."
"I thought being older meant things weren't supposed to confuse you anymore. I'm meant to have all the answers - or so my son and grandson believe!" He gave a slight shake of his head.
"Well, you would certainly know more than most," Caleb teased gently.
Eli's smile was easy in response. "Thank you." He knew it was an honest sentiment too, which made it all the kinder. "You are a good friend... have you not given thought to perhaps... dating again yourself?"
Caleb turned his head and coughed again, only shaking his head briefly before washing his hands in the sink again. This time, his smile seemed just that little bit more heavy.
"I don't think there is a match out there for me Eli, if I am honest. Too much of a creature of habit," he said, looking out the kitchen window, "If I am so lucky to find that person, well - then fate has intended for me to be happy. Otherwise, it's very likely I'll remain single for years to come. But don't worry on it too much."
His lips quirked when Caleb chuckled. "Sometimes life will put a spanner in the works. But I think this is slightly more welcome than if your car were to break down suddenly." He nodded at that and blew out a breath. "It is... somewhat of a more pleasant surprise than an unwelcome one, but it had thrown me for a loop all the same." He admitted - it was better than having his car breaking down, but that was more simple to navigate than these uncharted waters.
"Well, you would certainly know more than most," Eli laughed and rolled his eyes but there was no harm done. "Thank you," He joked back, though his joking fell a little flat at his question, seeing the heaviness settle on Cal's face. Perhaps he shouldn't have asked, but his friend deserved his own happiness. "I don't think there is a match out there for me Eli, if I am honest. Too much of a creature of habit," Eli frowned slightly, "There is of course someone for everyone!" He firmly believed that, even if it only happened once in a lifetime. "If I am so lucky to find that person, well - then fate has intended for me to be happy. Otherwise, it's very likely I'll remain single for years to come. But don't worry on it too much." Eli gave a small shake of his head, "Be positive, Cal, there is the absolute perfect person out there for you, but have you thought about going looking for them?" He asked gently, wondering if he might be more likely to find them if he looked.
He nodded at that and blew out a breath. "It is... somewhat of a more pleasant surprise than an unwelcome one, but it had thrown me for a loop all the same." He admitted.
"Thank you," He joked back.
"You're welcome."
Eli frowned slightly, "There is of course someone for everyone!"
"I appreciate the optimism Eli, I do," Caleb said gently.
Eli gave a small shake of his head, "Be positive, Cal, there is the absolute perfect person out there for you, but have you thought about going looking for them?" He asked gently.
"Oh, I've been out there hoping to find someone," he said with a soft grin, "You don't think I spend my nights sitting here on my lonesome do you? I go out to the lounge, I spend a good deal of time there. It's a matter of connection for me, getting to know people, being friends and such - it's how I form my relationships. I don't know how many men I've spoken to at the lounge that were either looking for a night's company or anything to escape their wives."
He leaned on the sink, settling against it, "In time maybe I'll find the right one, it's just a long process."
He turned his head and started to cough again, reaching out for a tissue on the counter beside him to cover his mouth so he wasn't being impolite.
"I appreciate the optimism Eli, I do," Eli wondered if he might have to try and sign his friend up for dating websites just to prove his point. Cal was a ridiculously eligible bachelor, he was good looking and kind and thoughtful and he had his life together, Eli knew that there would be someone out there for him that was good enough to earn the kind of decent man Caleb was. "I'm just being honest," he promised.
"Oh, I've been out there hoping to find someone, You don't think I spend my nights sitting here on my lonesome do you? I go out to the lounge, I spend a good deal of time there. It's a matter of connection for me, getting to know people, being friends and such - it's how I form my relationships. I don't know how many men I've spoken to at the lounge that were either looking for a night's company or anything to escape their wives." Eli grinned in response, glad to hear that he got out and about, if anything his life sounded much more exciting than Eli's did. "Aren't men such a glorious gender," He rolled his eyes, not having experienced that himself as yet but unsurprised that Caleb had; especially when you hit a certain age and men seemed to be married and just want to cheat.
Eli ran a hand through his head and came to rest his hand on the back of his neck. "In time maybe I'll find the right one, it's just a long process." He nodded in agreement, it really was. "I'll remind you of this when I'm giving you the best man speech at your wedding," He joked, and his smile hesitated at the cough. "Is everything okay?" His mind noted that it wasn't the first time Caleb had had a coughing fit since he'd come in.
"Aren't men such a glorious gender," He rolled his eyes.
"Men can be something else to contend with when it comes to emotions," Cal admitted.
"I'll remind you of this when I'm giving you the best man speech at your wedding," He joked, and his smile hesitated at the cough. "Is everything okay?" His mind noted that it wasn't the first time Caleb had had a coughing fit since he'd come in.
Caleb reached out for another tissue and coughed into it for a few moments before nodding, clearing his throat.
"I am fine Eli, honestly," he said, offering a smile, "But a speech at my wedding? I think you are too hopeful. I never truly entertained the thought of a wedding, of being so fully committed to someone."
"Men can be something else to contend with when it comes to emotions," Eli chuckled and gave a nod, he knew only too well from himself and his trouble expressing himself that it could be tough for men. They were taught at young ages that they had to be strong, stand tall, to not cry or be seen as weak - times had changed in that respect, but it still made it difficult to be able to express certain emotions. "That they can, and I'll be the first to admit I'm as bad as the rest of them," He gave a low chuckle and shook his head.
His cough concerned Eli, he wasn't a doctor or even a vet, but something didn't sit right with him. "I am fine Eli, honestly," His brow furrowed, a frown dampening his smile. He didn't see how he could be fine given the sound of that cough. "I don't believe you," After all, friends didn't take rubbish, they took the truth. "But a speech at my wedding? I think you are too hopeful. I never truly entertained the thought of a wedding, of being so fully committed to someone." A ghost of Eli's smile returned, he had great hopes for his friend that he would find the right man for him soon enough. "Okay, maybe not a wedding if you don't want to go that far but... your commitment ceremony then?" He half grinned.
"That they can, and I'll be the first to admit I'm as bad as the rest of them," He gave a low chuckle and shook his head.
"I don't believe you," After all, friends didn't take rubbish, they took the truth.
"Of course not," Cal said gently, "I can promise you that I've gone to my doctor and he's sent me for a number of tests now in an effort to find out what they can and see if it's just something simple, or if its more than that."
"Okay, maybe not a wedding if you don't want to go that far but... your commitment ceremony then?" He half grinned.
Cal laughed, "Don't get me wrong, a wedding is a lovely idea, but that is such a distant thing that I can't and won't get my home up for any time soon. A commitment ceremony though, I can imagine that. And of course, you'd be there - there is no life in a room without you."
"Of course not, I can promise you that I've gone to my doctor and he's sent me for a number of tests now in an effort to find out what they can and see if it's just something simple, or if its more than that." Eli gave a serious nod, his eyes keeping close tabs on his friend, watching his face to make sure he wasn't holding anything back - so much as he could tell. He knew Cal well, and the guy was the least likely to ask for help or to lean on anyone, even if he needed it. Eli didn't want him to go through anything alone, or to feel like he had to. "Just please tell me if you need anything, and what the Doctor says?" He asked, not wanting to push - he was an adult after all - but not wanting him to be alone through anything that might happen.
He grinned when Eli laughed, glad to hear the sound. Whether or not his friend din't think he believed it, Eli did - and the same way that his son kept pushing him to date, he was going to be that for Cal. "Don't get me wrong, a wedding is a lovely idea, but that is such a distant thing that I can't and won't get my home up for any time soon. A commitment ceremony though, I can imagine that. And of course, you'd be there - there is no life in a room without you." Eli smiled at that, "I like that - I should hope I'll be up there right at your side." He said with a nod. He glanced at the time and stretched. "I guess I should be on my way, thank you for the tea - as always."
