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!.
Jamie carefully placed his sleeping daughter into the stroller, having gotten it ready first. He tucked her carefully in a buffalo plaid blanket before he put his navy colored windbreaker on top of his grey hoodie.
He lifted his fitness watch and with a few taps with his pointer finger - it was ready to track the statistics on his run. After checking on Rosa, he pushed the stroller towards the beach.
Jamie started at a brisk walk as he reached the pier - waiting to run until he was more warmed up. He pulled the canopy so that it kept Rosa out of the sun. Despite it being Spring, the sun was out and shining brightly.
As they reached the sand, Jamie began picking up the pace and allowed the movement of the stroller keep Rosa asleep.
Roxanne rarely took that much time for herself but she'd felt the need today. She had finished work early, though she'd felt it only fair when she had gotten up at 5am in preparation to start at 6; she'd had a video conference to attend by 9am, and then back to back meetings after this, and she had wanted to get her afternoon work out of the way before these happened so she was still on top of everything. The company was running well, there had been a boost in sales recently and everyone was a little run off their feet. She had spent time with the investors and the clients to check that they were still pleased with the service but aside from a few things that needed tweaking, everything was looking good. She had started a new project today to check on the employees next; she felt they had been somewhat neglected and wanted to make sure their retention was still okay considering a recent decline, and what they could do to fix that.
But she needed a long afternoon. Things were going well with Rafe and she had plans to see him tonight, but for a couple of hours this afternoon to unwind from the working day. She slipped off her stilettos as she reached the sand, smiling to herself as she dug her toes into the texture. She was still in her work clothes - a nude figure hugging dress, but she didn't mind getting a bit sandy - she'd be heading home and putting it in the wash anyway. Rox was just about to pick a spot to sit when a teenager flew across her path, without even looking - she frowned, managing to stop mid stride to avoid colliding with him - it didn't stop the kid smacking into another stranger who was pushing a stroller. Alarmed and never one to settle for people being inconsiderate, Rox hurried over to the guy and his pram as the teenager picked themselves up and kept running. "Oi!" she shouted after them but they didn't even turn a head. Shaking her head with a tut, she reached the guy. "Are you alright?"
Jamie kept a decent pace - every so often checking on his daughter. Even at such a young age, she was used to her dad pushing her while she slept. It was almost like the movement lulled her to sleep.
He found his mind wandering - thinking of being a widow. It had been quite a few months since his wife had died but it was a topic that his mind often wandered to.
All of a sudden, he felt something or someone run into him. Jamie was quickly snapped out of his thought process and went into protective mode.
"Do you mind?" He raised his voice as the teen fled. The man checked his pockets to make sure nothing was taken, letting out a sigh when everything was where it was.
Rosa let out a scream and began crying. The man sighed and picked up his daughter gently - holding her close to his chest and gently rocking her.
He turned to face where the second voice was coming from. "I'm alright thanks. Doesn't seem like he's taken anything."
"Did he end up running into you as well? Are you alright?" Jamie asked, continuing to gently rock Rosa in hopes she would stop crying.
"Do you mind?" She heard the guy call out - but clearly the idiot didn't mind as he didn't even bother to look back and check let alone stop and make sure the guy and his kid were okay. Rox felt her heart give a little pinch as the child screamed and then cried, worried that she was hurt. Not a mother herself, she still felt that mother-like twinge to hear kids crying. She frowned after the guy but he was already gone, and it was too later to get him back to apologise. Turning back to the stranger, she saw he already had his child in hand and was working on settling her.
"I'm alright thanks. Doesn't seem like he's taken anything." She nodded, though she wasn't so concerned about the pick pocketing - she'd seen people get seriously hurt from stupid stunts like that, let alone knocking over a kid. Sure, they bounced and all but it wasn't always enough. "That's good but I was more worried that he'd hurt one of you," She looked pointedly to the crying child. "Did he end up running into you as well? Are you alright?" She shook her head slightly, "I'm fine, just a glancing blow - people these days can be such idiots, not even an apology or a look to check you were both okay." She sighed and shook her head again. "Just no consideration. Is she okay?" She added as the young one continued to cry.
He considered running after the guy and tackling him but the fact that Rosa was crying took priority.
Jamie took a deep breath and continued to rock the baby to sleep. "Thanks for checking on us. I do appreciate it." He felt like not many people in Hickstead knew who he was which caused him not to have a lot of people to look out for him. Working the Fire Station and looking after Rosa kept him too busy to have some sort of a social life.
The man gave the baby girl a look over to make sure she wasn't bleeding. "She is a tough girl. I'm sure she will have a bruise somewhere in the morning, but I don't see any blood." Rosa's cries started to die down - more sounding like a sniffle.
"It seems like the younger generations are always in a hurry. You would think they would teach people manners in school." Jamie shook his head - he was trying his best to teach his daughter manners, but she was a bit too young for that now. "Do you know him by chance?"
He let out a sigh of relief when the woman said she was fine. "Glad to hear you are alright. Did you want to walk with us? I don't think I'll run until later now." The father set his child into the stroller and pulled out a Kleenex - wiping the tears off of her face.
"Thanks for checking on us. I do appreciate it." She gave a brief smile, "No need to thank me, it's what any decent person would do." Ignoring the fact that other passers-by had not stopped to check either. She honestly wondered about people these days - they could be so selfish and 'in a hurry' to get on, that they forgot about common decency. She saw it all the time these days, people rushing through life and not bothering to say thanks or please or hold a damn door open for someone anymore.
"She is a tough girl. I'm sure she will have a bruise somewhere in the morning, but I don't see any blood." Rox's smile was a little tight as she nodded, the thought of the child bruising over the ordeal unpleasant but hopefully would not be a long lasting effect. "I hope she doesn't," She commented, she knew kids fell over and bounced back pretty well, and that they were going to get bruises and such - even if she didn't have her own - but it still shouldn't have happened. "It seems like the younger generations are always in a hurry. You would think they would teach people manners in school... Do you know him by chance?" Rox sighed and shook her head, "Honestly I hate to agree with you but I certainly did not behave like they growing up - in a hurry or not. I don't know him though, I'm afraid." If she did, he would have wished she didn't. Rox was a confident, strong woman who had no trouble speaking up for herself and others.
He seemed like a nice man, especially to have cared about her given his daughter was the main concern. "Glad to hear you are alright. Did you want to walk with us? I don't think I'll run until later now." She thought on it for a moment and then gave a small nod, "Sure, company is always welcome." Most of the time, but for now she'd take it - why not. "I'm Roxanne, by the way. Sorry it wasn't better terms on which we met."
“We don’t know many people in town yet, so it’s nice to know there are some decent people here.” Jamie was truly thankful. It was rare to find someone who was kind nowadays, he knew he would have to try and protect Rosalie from as much as possible.
Rosalie finally stopped crying and Jamie set her back in the stroller. He shook out her blanket and gently placed it around her - making sure she was covered from the wind. “She’ll need a bath tonight anyway; I’ll have a better look at her then.” He tucked the used Kleenex in his pocket.
“If I acted like that, my parents would have sent me to boarding school!” Despite being raised by a nanny due to his parents' professions, he still had manners drilled into him. “Shame because if you did, I’d use my Fire Chief powers to press charges.” He was sure nothing could be done as no one was truly hurt but it was worth a shot as the town was small enough.
Jamie nodded and began pushing the stroller through the sand. “It’s nice to meet you, Roxanne. I’m Jamie and this is Rosalie.” It felt nice having the company, he had gotten used to being with someone who couldn’t talk yet. “Have you always lived here?” He was sure people could tell from his American accent that he wasn’t from the UK.
"We don’t know many people in town yet, so it’s nice to know there are some decent people here.” Roxanne gave a small chuckle and raised a brow slightly. "Well, if you mean me we've only just met so I've got plenty of time to prove you otherwise." She joked. She just liked to treat people the way she liked to be treated, and there was generally no need to be rude unless something happened to change that. She was nice and all but she was a firm person who didn't stand for any attempt at things like mansplaining or disrespect or arrogance. She didn't get to CEO by patting people on heads and smiling sweetly.
Rox was relieved when the child stopped crying, feeling better to know that she was alright. Rox didn't have kids and she was creeping slowly closer to a point where she wouldn't be able to have them but it didn't mean she didn't feel for a kid when it was hurt or upset. “She’ll need a bath tonight anyway; I’ll have a better look at her then.” She nodded, taking leave from the child's father that everything was okay. He knew best after all, and if something was wrong she was sure he'd have noticed and decided to leave. “If I acted like that, my parents would have sent me to boarding school!” Roxanne's answering smile was tight, still a little frustrated that the guy had knocked someone over and just run off. "You just didn't behave like that when I was younger - if your mother caught wind of anything of that sort you'd be getting a proper clip behind your ear." she shook her head, not that her mother had done so to her - she'd never needed to.
“Shame because if you did, I’d use my Fire Chief powers to press charges.” her eyebrows rose in surprise, though really anyone could have any profession these days and she couldn't say she knew what a fire chief would be expected to look like - older perhaps? "I'll have to take your card or number for if I do manage it." she mentioned - if they could bring some justice it'd be worth it. “It’s nice to meet you, Roxanne. I’m Jamie and this is Rosalie. Have you always lived here?” she smiled and gave the child a small wave. "Lovely to meet you both, despite the circumstances! I have indeed, whereabouts in the US are you from?" she asked. Having worked with many international business people she was good at pin pointing accents but she didn't like to presume.
“That is true, some people do tend to hide their true motives later on.” It was something he learned working with different police officers over the years. The pattern also tended to show up in people committing arson as well. “So, what you are saying is I should be careful?” He played along with the joke. Jamie did try his best to be nice to people, it was part of being good at his job.
He reached down and got Rosa her teddy bear from the basket near the wheels. After gently placing it next to his daughter, allowing her to have a toy while he was still talking away. “Definitely, some parents think it’s a tough way of raising a child but it did teach us to be nice quickly.” Even though Jamie was mostly raised by his nanny, she still taught him a lesson or two in being kind. “I mean, obviously abusing a child over their behavior is a little too far.” There was a fine line with that kind of parenting.
Jamie started rocking the stroller back and forth to try and lull his daughter to sleep. “Oh of course. Do you have your phone on you? It might be easier for me to type it in.” He was usually old school, but he wasn’t sure if a pen and paper were anywhere handy. “I’m not sure how much the police can do. It’s worth a shot though right?”
“It’s nice to meet you too. It’s always nice to meet new people. I feel like I’m always meeting new people when I’m out and about.” Jamie tried his best to remember everyone’s name, it came in handy when the fire trucks got called out for a fire. “Is it the accent that gave it away?” Jamie smiled. He wouldn’t know if he ever would get a British accent or even if his daughter would once she could talk. “I’m from Ohio and Rosa was born there too.”
“What’s your favorite part about living in Hickstead? I’m always looking for new things to do around here.”
“That is true, some people do tend to hide their true motives later on.” She gave a small nod, having met many people who liked to put on a front; that was partly was business was all about. Putting your best self out there so people wanted to hire you or your company. “So, what you are saying is I should be careful?” Rox gave him a sly smile and a quick wink, "That is exactly right, you never know what you're walking into." She joked back, but it was sadly true - you did have to be careful in the world, people were full of surprises, both nice and nasty.
She watched him settle the child with her teddy, and her expression softened. She wasn't a mother, and wasn't sure she wanted to be one, even as time was running out for her, “Definitely, some parents think it’s a tough way of raising a child but it did teach us to be nice quickly. I mean, obviously abusing a child over their behavior is a little too far.” She gave a small chuckle at that, "It's important for people to grow up tough, to be able to face the world." Rox didn't agree with any kind of abuse, but kids had to learn thick skin to be able to handle life.
“Oh of course. Do you have your phone on you? It might be easier for me to type it in. I’m not sure how much the police can do. It’s worth a shot though right?” She nodded and quickly pulled out her phone, "of course!" She handed it over to him to input his number, "it really is, they probably can't do anything but it's worth lodging anyway. They might have had a few logs of this incident before."“It’s nice to meet you too. It’s always nice to meet new people. I feel like I’m always meeting new people when I’m out and about.” Rox smiled kindly, "it can be hard to meet people sometimes, especially if you're on your own and new. The town is pretty friendly but I like branching out," She had no issue connecting or networking and was happy to meet with people to make new friendships and such if she got along with them, most of her interactions ended up being business related.
“Is it the accent that gave it away?” Rox chuckled, "unfortunately yes, that would give it away a little." She joked. “I’m from Ohio and Rosa was born there too.... What’s your favorite part about living in Hickstead? I’m always looking for new things to do around here.” Rox tilted her head in thought; that was a tough one. She was quite the workaholic and rarely did much outside of it. "I admit I am somewhat a recluse... I work a lot of hours.." She pulled a face, "but the local bars are pretty friendly for an adult evening out. Otherwise, I can't promise kid friendly but there's the local pool and a play area, a zoo.. I imagine they make nice days out?"
Jamie had dealt with enough borderline criminals to know that it was the truth. He quickly found the tell tale signs of lying and deception. Thankfully, he had quite the solid upbringing to not second guess himself. “I mean, the mere fact that you made sure we were okay makes me think otherwise.”
He noticed the smile from the woman as Rosa settled in with her teddy. “Do you have kids?” Jamie knew that most people enjoyed them, but there were some people who hated them. He didn’t ever think he would be a father - especially when he was in the Navy. “It’s true, the world isn’t an easy place. Even though, I wish it was.”
After carefully taking the phone, he put in his name and phone number. “Thank you, I don’t have a business card. A business card is not something the Fire Chief carries around with him.” He smiled. Usually, if someone needed his rescue services they called 999. “I am both of those, new and alone. I probably work way too much to get to know people.” It was something he wanted to work on, but he felt terrible leaving Rosa with Cara more than he had to.
“Of course, I feel that I’ll always have the accent to give it away.” He would always have his accent, but Rosa would hopefully have a British one once she started talking. “I’m right there with you, I also am a workaholic. It’s something I want to work on though, having more free time.”
“Thank you, I’ll have to check those out. I’ve taken Rosa to the Zoo and she has several outings with her daycare. I swear she’s seen more of the town than I have.”
“I mean, the mere fact that you made sure we were okay makes me think otherwise.” She chuckled at that, and gave a small shake of her head, "Well, I couldn't help myself." She might not be the most warm person when first approached, due to her business-like nature, but she wasn't a monster, and she felt any normal person would stop and do the same given what she had seen. “Do you have kids?” Rox shook her head, "No, no I don't." She wasn't even sure they were on the cards for her anymore. Once, she had thought it, but then with the divorce, and the lack of luck since, her age was creeping along and she wasn't much closer to the right time. There was Rafe now, of course, but he was young, and this was new. She wasn't even thinking about kids. “It’s true, the world isn’t an easy place. Even though, I wish it was.” She smiled again and shook her head, "No it's not, but then I suppose the good stuff would not be quite as good, if there was no counterweight to balance it."
She smiled and took back her phone once he was done. “Thank you, I don’t have a business card. A business card is not something the Fire Chief carries around with him.” Her eyebrows rose slightly, "That surprises me a little," She admitted, having thought he might be the type to carry one. Perhaps she was out of touch with how things worked outside the business world. “I am both of those, new and alone. I probably work way too much to get to know people.” Rox laughed softly at that, "don't we all - but I imagine you have a very good reason for working as hard as you do," She glanced toward his daughter with a pointed but friendly look.
“Of course, I feel that I’ll always have the accent to give it away.” She gave a quick shrug, "There's nothing wrong with that - keep a part of where you came from, makes you different from the rest." And that aside, nobody here really cared where you came from. She'd found the town pretty welcoming compared to other places she had visited. “I’m right there with you, I also am a workaholic. It’s something I want to work on though, having more free time.” Rox nodded, "it's important, to remember to take a breath, but sometimes it's hard to do so when you feel obligued to keep your head down and busy." Her work rarely allowed her a moments peace, and that was partly her own fault for the terrible boundaries she had set. “Thank you, I’ll have to check those out. I’ve taken Rosa to the Zoo and she has several outings with her daycare. I swear she’s seen more of the town than I have.” She smiled again, "you're welcome. It really is a decent town, with quite a lot of activities for the kids, though I can't say I know all the secrets without having one myself." She admitted.
"I did appreciate the joke." Jamie tended to scare some people off when they heard him yell out orders during a Fire. It was for the safety of everyone though - and the situations often required him to think on his feet, which left no time for nice comments. "I understand, they really do put a wrench in your plans. Don't tell Rosa though, I do love her to death." It was a bad joke for him to make considering his wife had died, but he often wondered what his life would be like if he wasn't a Father.
"Exactly and the hope is that others are more sympathetic towards people during tough times." He was a little optimistic when it came to that - though he had to be with what he saw on a daily basis. "If people need me, they tend to call 999 and get ahold of me that way." He hadn't made any friends as of yet, so there wasn't a need to give out his personal phone number just yet.
Jamie nodded, working at the Fire Station meant he had odd and long hours of work. "It's not like fires just happen during the day, though my sleep pattern wishes they would." Just like other first responders, he learned to sleep in the oddest places. It all depended on when the fire bells rang - signaling there was an emergency. "Most people take offence to the American accent, though it may be the places I've visited before." The fact that he was in the Navy didn't exactly help either - though those days were long over.
"Especially when the town relies on you to keep the town safe. No pressure there though, right?" He chuckled. Jamie wasn't one to take credit for something his firefighters had done - though if he had burn out that would be bad and not just for him. "That's fine, she gets enough activity at her daycare. They do so many things, I can barely keep track." Even though Cara had given him a calendar of what days certain things were happening - he didn't often check until the night before to make sure his daughter was dressed appropriately for the days activities.
"I did appreciate the joke." Rox smiled at that and gave a nod, at least he seemed to be the type who could take a joke. She knew many who couldn't. "I understand, they really do put a wrench in your plans. Don't tell Rosa though, I do love her to death." Rox chuckled at that and glanced down at the young kid, then mimed zipping her lips. "Well it's not quite the same as having a dog or a plant. I'm not sure why they say you should use a plant or puppy as a child tester to check if you won't kill it." She laughed a little at that and shook her head. She did think it a ridiculous notion that people believed if they could water a plant, they could look after a human.
"Exactly and the hope is that others are more sympathetic towards people during tough times." Rox nodded, "You would like to hope so, but I must admit I am somewhat of a cynic." She admitted, knowing that some would call it pessimistic. It depended on the circumstances - at work she was generally positive, but it was because she put in the hard work and the preparation, so that it should run as smooth as possible. "If people need me, they tend to call 999 and get ahold of me that way." Rox smiled and gave a slight raise of an eyebrow, "and what if they want to get hold of you but it's not an emergency?" She asked, alluding to the idea of friends or something similar.
"It's not like fires just happen during the day, though my sleep pattern wishes they would." Rox wrinkled her nose slightly. "Yeah that must be tough, I can't say I would appreciate the wake up call, how rude that they don't wait for the hours of 9-5." Though she did have to wake up at odd times occasionally for meetings with clients in other countries. "Most people take offence to the American accent, though it may be the places I've visited before." She shook her head, "I'm sorry if that's true, people are so fast to judge, it's sad that that's the world we live in." She never understood the need to judge by a cover, though it was such a part of life, she'd gotten used to it.
"Especially when the town relies on you to keep the town safe. No pressure there though, right?" She chuckled, "No pressure at all." She agreed jokingly. It was funny to think how much pressure each job demanded and in what way. She had her own pressures, but they weren't in the same court as Jamie's clearly. "That's fine, she gets enough activity at her daycare. They do so many things, I can barely keep track. So, what do you do for work?""That's good to hear, at least it gives her exposure to lot's of things. I am the CEO of an investment company," She smiled briefly, wondering if it was about to send him running - a lot of guys usually did, powerful women were terrifying after all.
"I assume people say that so people learn responsibility before the child is born? Though, from having a dog as a child I can tell you it's not the same." He shrugged his shoulders. His mother's horses didn't exactly count as his pets as his mother basically took care of them herself with the help of the barn staff. "Do you have any pets?" Jamie was in the debate to get a cat as extra company, but a decision hadn't been made yet.
He tilted his head in confusion, not taking the woman seriously. "Yikes. And why do you think everything is cynical then?" He did try to be an optimist about it, though the things he had seen both in the Navy and as a firefighter made him realize how terrible things could be. "Then it would depend. Realistically, I'm usually at the Fire Station or I'd give them my phone number. Depends on the stage of friendship though." Making friends since moving to Hickstead hadn't quite been a priority yet. "Most of my friends are back home though as I haven't been here long enough to make a new group of friends." Most of his coworkers were younger than him and they defiantly didn't want to spend time with him outside of work.
Jamie chuckled at her time comment, wishing that the arsonists or accidental fire starters waited until daytime to start their fires. "Not a early riser I take it? I'm not either, though with a baby and work, I've learned to be a light sleeper." It wasn't like Ivy was around to care for Rosa anymore anyway - so it was all up to him. "I do promise we aren't all jerks. Just depends on who you meet unfortunately." There were some people he had met that took the stereotype too seriously. His parents taught him quickly to be respectful - even if he was off representing his country somewhere else. "Everyone has their fair share though and as long as the victims get out alive, a house or building can be rebuilt." It was something he thought he would never get used to. Having to make those split second decisions wasn't for everyone.
"I do try to get her out to see things. I'm not sure how she learns best yet but experiencing things teaches a lot." He had spent too much on the flight over to the UK reading parenting books as he also wanted to learn as much as possible. "Sounds interesting actually. Lots of pressure and intense meetings? Or is it not too bad?"
