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!.
"Nah, this is a fish impression." Flynn laughed and then grinned as Liam joined in, catching sight of Bruce's face, then began to imitate him, copying the look. "Careful boys, the wind will change and your face will get stuck that way..." She teased, chuckling as her son immediately stopped doing it and touched his cheeks. She cleaned up the rest of he plate, placing the knife and fork together neatly and then pointing to her son's half full plate, "hey, don't forget your veggies, please," She gave him her 'mum' look and then smiled when he reluctantly stabbed some green and took a bite. "Thank you." She made a point of always being polite about it - she felt it was one thing to be firm but another to go too far and force your kids.
"But I share everything with you." Flynn chuckled, "Expect the duvet half the time - that I have to fight for!" She teased, looking down at her stolen t-shirt and giving him a sheepish smile, "It smells like you," She admitted with a faint blush, glancing at Liam who had gone back to ignoring her for a moment as he polished off his plate. "This is why you need to tell your mum or me when you hear things like that. If that had been a person, like you thought, they would have needed an adult to help them too." Liam looked to his mum as if to check that he should be listening, and Flynn's expression hardened a little, giving him a nod. He had to listen to Bruce as much as her, and he was right. "Besides that, you know I have always told you never to go off on your own, no matter what you see or hear." She had gone through stranger danger with him years ago and made a point of coming back to it regularly.
"I'm sorry," Liam said after a quiet moment, the gravity sinking in a little and his lip wobbled again. "I'm really sorrys." and Flynn softened again, touched her son's cheek gently, "Alrigt sweetie," She didn't say it was okay, that would take away the impact of it, but she released him from the heaviness of the situation, and he put his knife and fork down, plate almost empty but for some leftover veg.
"Careful boys, the wind will change and your face will get stuck that way..." Bruce pulled another face and laughed, though he didn't tell Liam it wasn't true. "hey, don't forget your veggies, please," He looked at the boy's plate, as he finished cleaning his own and placed his cutlery down, he needed to find ways to make vegetables fun, though he was careful to stick to ones that most children ate and away from the ones that tasted like gym socks. "Thank you."
"Expect the duvet half the time - that I have to fight for!" He laughed, knowing that was true, as he often woke up with all the duvet. He gave a wicked grin and opened his mouth to say something, though closed it as he looked at Liam. "That's because it's so warm." He said, instead of commenting that she wouldn't lose it if she slept on his side of the bed with him. "Besides that, you know I have always told you never to go off on your own, no matter what you see or hear."
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorrys." Bruce's heart went out to the boy, but the ball was totally in his mother's court with this one. "Alrigt sweetie," He nodded as he stood up to remove the plates from the table, smiling at the veg on the boy's plate. "I'm sure the chickens will love that." At least with the birds, not a lot went to waste. "Do we want dessert?" The question was directed toward Flynn before he carried the plates to the counter and scraped the left over veg into a container to take out to the chickens.
Flynn laughed and her son chimed in at Bruce's expression, and then Liam did one right back, pulling his lips wide and sticking his tongue out. Flynn rolled her eyes but grinned all the same, "You two are terrible," but she meant not harm as she took a sip of her water and leaned back in her chair. An eyebrow rose at his grin, almost concerned about what he might come out with before he seemed to hesitate and change his mind. She caught the glance at Liam and it was her turn to grin, understanding why he'd held back - and glad of it. Nobody needed to scare the little boy just yet. "That's because it's so warm." She nodded but let it slide, holding back from making her own comments of something similar.
She kissed Liam's head after his apology, and relaxed a little. "Just, never go off like that again, make sure you always come and tell me or Bruce." She didn't want to add anything to that - to say 'if' or 'first' in case he took that as he could do it again. He had to come to them, and she trusted Bruce to handle the situation if her son went to him. Liam gave a firm nod, seeming to understand the gravity of it in this case. "I promise," and Flynn kissed his forehead again before she finally let it go for the night. "I'm sure the chickens will love that." Liam looked at his plate of vegetables. "Can I gives it to them?" He asked; he loved the animals, and Flynn often found him laughing at them as they ran across the garden.
"Do we want dessert?" She stood to help clear the rest of the table, not asking first so Bruce couldn't tell her not to. She took her plate over to the sink, placing it in there and nodded, "Oh absolutely," She was definitely in the mood for something sweet now. "Ice cweeeaam" Liam called from the table, and Flynn gave a small laugh, glancing at Bruce.
"You two are terrible," Bruce grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He knew he was the biggest kid here, and nothing would change that - such a great role model for the young man at the table. "I think the word you are looking for is incorrigible." He suggested with a chuckle. "I promise," He gave Liam a smile, he could tell that the topic was now over and all he wanted to do was make it all better. "Can I gives it to them?" Bruce pursed his lips and shrugged. "Sure!" He whistled for the dog so that Liam would have an escort out to the birds, and he added the vegetables to the rest of the scraps. "Can you make sure that their water if full too, please?" He asked as he handed the boy the container of scraps.
"Oh absolutely," He laughed, as it was the answer he was expecting. "Ice cweeeaam" He nodded. "I got some bananas today, so how about banana splits?" He had an old recipe for a chocolate sauce that he wanted to make too, and it was a great excuse to use the fruit before it got all spotty and wasn't good for anything other than baking..
"I think the word you are looking for is incorrigible." She gave Bruce a look, "Mmmm..." She mused, though he was on the nose with that word for sure - and her son just gave her a cheeky grin to join in. Damn those two were terrible together sometimes - but harmless she knew. She finished clearing the table as she left her son to ask after feeding the chickens - it was nice that he wanted to take responsibility in that way and she stayed out of the way, letting Bruce handle and instruct. "Sure!" She smiled as Giz came flying in; seeing Liam's face light up at the pup too. Bruce really had been true to his word about the dog - the animal was doing well with training and had been thoroughly looked after without that much input from her; Liam had helped plenty, and instead she spent her time spoiling the pup instead.
"Can you make sure that their water if full too, please?" She smiled as Liam nodded, taking his job seriously. "I will," He promised, and then he went to head out the back door with the food clutched in his hands, Gizmo at his heels. Flynn gave a quick anxious look after him but she had a clear view, and this time she would not let him take any detours - not that she thought he would after the ordeal today. "I got some bananas today, so how about banana splits?" Flynn smiled at the idea and nodded, "Ooh yes that sounds wonderful," She agreed, even better than just ice cream on it's own. "Can I play sou-chef?" She asked, knowing there wasn't much cooking involved in that and she was unlikely to mess up too badly. Her gaze flicked to the window where she could see her son out by the chickens, and then back to Bruce's, more relaxed.
"Mmmm..." Bruce gave a boyish grin, knowing that he wasn't helping his own case here, but he was a firm believer that growing up was optional.
"I will," He smiled as he watched the boy head outside. "Make sure you turn the tap off if the trough does need filling." He called after him. He rinsed the dinner dishes and put them into the dishwasher to make sure the countertop was tidy before starting on dessert. "Ooh yes that sounds wonderful, Can I play sou-chef?" he grinned as he took the sundae plates from the cupboard and handed her those and the bananas. "I couldn't ask for a better assistant." He said with a smile as he found a bowl and the things to make the chocolate sauce, taking the ice cream from the freezer so that it could soften. "I'm guessing we want sprinkles too?" He asked as he took the sauce from the microwave and stirred it, smiling at the consistency of it - as he had had to substitute a couple of the home brands that he would have used.
"Make sure you turn the tap off if the trough does need filling." Liam called out a typical almost teenage like 'yeeeahh' as he left, a little dismissive but not rude and Flynn couldn't help but let out a little chuckle at that, glancing at Bruce and pressing her lips together to hide a smile, "you are such a dad now," She teased, hoping he didn't take that the wrong day. Liam was getting so comfortable with Bruce telling him or asking him things, and that dismissive 'whateverrrr' meant Liam didn't care so much about offending Bruce. It meant Bruce would be getting the teenage tantrums as much as Flynn would no doubt about it, and she liked it - a proper family. Her ex, his real father... the fact that he wasn't here spoke volumes, and Flynn didn't even know where he was anymore. Besides, his lack of interest had meant he'd handed over his rights to play father years ago.
She took the bowls and then the bananas as they were handed over to her. "I couldn't ask for a better assistant." She pulled a face at that, "Oh I think you could, but you couldn't ask for a sexier one, right?" She teased, bumping him with her hip gently. "I'm guessing we want sprinkles too?" She nodded and gave him a look as if that was a silly question as she peeled the bananas and placed them neatly in their bowls. "Uhh yes, sprinkles on everything!" She knew it was childish but sometimes if you couldn't still have a bit of childishness in your life what was the point?
Bruce shook his head and laughed at the reply he got, the scary thing is that he would have done the exact same thing. "you are such a dad now," His brows flew up. "Oh no!" He gasped. "Does that mean that I need to be... mature?" He said the word as though it left a bad taste in his mouth. He was ecstatic about the comfortable relationship he had with Liam, as he didn't want to replace the boy's father, but would happily step into the dad-role. He may joke around a bit, but he was also adult enough to know when the time for games needed to be put aside.
"Oh I think you could, but you couldn't ask for a sexier one, right?" He grinned and nodded as he stole a quick kiss. "That's exactly what I meant! I get eye-candy while sorting out dessert." Where she was standing also gave her a perfect view of the backyard. "Uhh yes, sprinkles on everything!" He laughed as he slid the ice cream container toward her. "Ok, my sexy assistant, you need to slice the bananas in half, and then two scoops into each bowl on top of them so that you get kind of a boat effect." He reached into the cupboard again and pulled out all the containers of sprinkles that they had accumulated, as well as some wafers. "Then pour over the sauce and finish it off with the decorations." And while she handled the technical side of dessert, he located the spoons they would need.
She laughed at his expression, "Oh no! Does that mean that I need to be... mature?" She held back her smile, pretending to look serious as she nodded at him, "Oh yes, and not only that but you don't get to sleep in anymore, no more swearing, and absolutely no PDA," She punctuated her words by counting off each one with a finger and then a smile curled the edges of her lips. It wasn't really true, though Liam did tend to come and jump on them sometimes at the weekends he tended to get up and play with his toys, and he'd heard his mother swear plenty of times. PDA.. well, that he still pulled a face at, but before Bruce, the last person Flynn had been kissing had been Liam's dad - and he had been just a baby.
Flynn returned the quick kiss, "That's exactly what I meant! I get eye-candy while sorting out dessert." She gave a delighted grin at that and a little wiggle of her hips, "And I get eye-candy that cooks." She teased back, though it wasn't a lie. She enjoyed watching Bruce plenty. "Ok, my sexy assistant, you need to slice the bananas in half, and then two scoops into each bowl on top of them so that you get kind of a boat effect." Flynn gave Bruce a mock salute, "Yes, sir," She winked, going to slice the banana's in half as directed and picking up the ice cream scoop. "Then pour over the sauce and finish it off with the decorations." She nodded as she concentrated dolling out what was needed, "Perhaps you should handle the sauce part."
He arched a brow at her sudden attempt at seriousness. "Oh yes, and not only that but you don't get to sleep in anymore, no more swearing, and absolutely no PDA," The other brow joined the first. He didn't exactly do the sleep in thing, nor did he swear all that much, but no PDA? A smile curved his lips. "I can live with no PDA." He said with a casual shrug. "Wouldn't want to gross the boy out, or think that it was normal."
"And I get eye-candy that cooks." His brows rose as he looked around. "Really, where? Do I know him?" He gave her a cheeky grin. "Yes, sir," He laughed. "Next time make sure click your heels together." He teased with a grin. "Perhaps you should handle the sauce part.""You calling my saucy?" He asked as he picked up the jug and using the spoon to make sure that just the right amount poured out, he artfully swirled it over the fruit and ice cream, making sure not to get any over the edges.
He looked over as he could hear that Gizmo and Liam were back from the chickens. "Don't forget to wash your hands." He said as he carried the spoons to the table.
She watched the movement of his brows and she pressed her lips together to hold back the grin for as long as she could. "I can live with no PDA." Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Wouldn't want to gross the boy out, or think that it was normal." She was pretty sure he was joking.. he hoped he was joking. She liked the PDA, though she did chuckle when Liam pulled his face about them. She decided to test to see whether he'd hold out of the joke. "Oh really? So you wouldn't mind it if I didn't kiss you in public? No holding hands or hugging? Not even one tiny little touch?" She mused, tilting her head and moving closer to him as she spoke, before going to move away.
"Really, where? Do I know him?" She pretended to think about it then shook her head, "No I don't think you do, we make sure he'd long gone before you get home," She teased, though in all honesty she would never do that kind of thing to Bruce. She didn't condone cheating, she felt people were cowards if they couldn't just admit they weren't in love anymore. "Next time make sure click your heels together." Flynn gave a playful roll of her eyes and a curtsy. "Of course, sir, begging your pardon, sir." She teased.
"You calling my saucy?" Flynn laughed and nodded, "Oh very saucy," She teased, raising a hand and about to swat him on the butt when she stopped and lowered her hand. "Of course, no PDA." She glanced over as Liam bounded in, dog bounding in close behind. "Don't forget to wash your hands." She bit her lip to avoid chuckling, especially when she caught Liam rolling his eyes and huffing a "Yess," Liam caught her eye, and the reprimanding look she gave him for the attitude; and looked a little contrite as he washed his hands and then eagerly stepped forward to grab a bowl. "Thaaaanks you!"
"Oh really?" He nodded. "So you wouldn't mind it if I didn't kiss you in public? No holding hands or hugging? Not even one tiny little touch?" He pulled a face. "PDA is where cooties come from." He told her with a nod. "Of course, sir, begging your pardon, sir." He chuckled, giving an approving nod at the curtsy. "Careful, I could get used to this side of you."
"No I don't think you do, we make sure he'd long gone before you get home," He raised his brows and pursed his lips. "As long as you don't hide him in the garage. It would be horrible if he got together with the lady I keep out there for when you're at work. If they hooked up, it would leave both of us high and dry." In all honesty, he wouldn't be too surprised if he found a body in the depths of the garage, it was still filled with the old owners things when he bought the place.
"Oh very saucy," He grinned. "Of course, no PDA." He nodded and then laughed, opting not to voice his thoughts. "Yess," Bruce's brow's arched and be bit back a chuckle. "I get the feeling that the teen years are going to be a hoot." He said for Flynn's ears only before he returned the ice cream to the freezer. "Thaaaanks you!" Bruce grinned and bowed his head as he took his own dessert and headed to the table with it.
She saw him nod at her question, and then pull a face - well, she didn't think her kissing was that bad. "PDA is where cooties come from." Flynn raised an eyebrow and gave a small nod, "of course they do," She agreed; she'd remind him of this next time he tried to grab a quick cuddle. His chuckle made her smile though, unable to stay serious for long. "Careful, I could get used to this side of you." She gave him a cheeky grin in response, "Do you like being called sir?" She asked innocently, pretending she didn't know what she was doing.
"As long as you don't hide him in the garage. It would be horrible if he got together with the lady I keep out there for when you're at work. If they hooked up, it would leave both of us high and dry." Flynn made a small gasp, touching her hand to her lips, "Oh no, that's exactly where I've been leaving him!" She joked, making sure to scoop the ice cream evenly so there was no arguments on who had the bigger treat.
"I get the feeling that the teen years are going to be a hoot." She let out a low laugh at the words, glancing at her son who hadn't heard. "Tell me about it, I hope you're ready for temper tantrums and door slamming?" She muttered back - not that she had a teenager and could say for sure but she'd heard enough. Flynn took her bowl and smiled at Bruce, "and thank you," She said; ordinarily she would have kissed him but of course... no PDA. She chivied Liam back to his chair at the table, having always been one to prefer eating at a table to eating on laps, and settled back in her own. Gizmo sniffed around them for a moment and then came to plonk his butt by Liam's seat, gazing up at the boy with a wagging tail.
"of course they do," Bruce grinned and nodded. "They do!" At least at schools, it was from friends sitting too close that headlice were spread, as well as the sharing of brushes, clips and hats. "Do you like being called sir?" He shrugged. "That, and the curtsy."
"Oh no, that's exactly where I've been leaving him!" He released a heavy sigh and then frowned in thought. "You think we should be charging them rent?" He asked with a laugh, even though he knew that no one else would find any part of this conversation amusing.
"Tell me about it, I hope you're ready for temper tantrums and door slamming?" He gave a snort of laughter, which turned into a cough to try and cover it. "My sisters learned very quickly not to slam doors. Very hard to slam a door that is no longer there." He was the only child in the house never to have lost his door, as he had three older siblings to learn from. "and thank you," He pulled a face as he followed her to the table. "You know it's only called PDA if you are out in public?" He asked with a wicked grin. "Just a reminder that chocolate will make him sick." He said before he stuck his spoon into his ice cream. "There is a small tub of vanilla ice cream you can give Gizmo when you've finished." Yes, he spoiled the dog, but it was only summer for a short time, and the Collie deserved the odd after dinner treat too.
"They do!" Flynn raised a brow and shot him a worried look, "Now I'm starting to get concerned that you want to live in your own little bubble," She teased. "That, and the curtsy." Flynn gave a little coy smile and tried not to laugh, "I could handle calling you Sir every once in a while, but I think the curtsy's might be pushing it." She joked, Flynn had no trouble with the odd joke but she was an independent woman after all, she only bent the knee to a man on certain occasions. "You think we should be charging them rent?" Flynn laughed at his comment, shaking her head slightly. "I think we should probably be kicking them out, if we've been replaced; and it's time to find a new side piece." though she had no intention of window shopping and her eyes were not interested in wandering.
She glanced at him when he snorted, just about managing to hide it - Liam too engrossed in ice cream to notice their conversation had lowered in register. "My sisters learned very quickly not to slam doors. Very hard to slam a door that is no longer there." An eyebrow raised, "I've not heard of that one before, I'll keep that in mind.. the same goes for if you start slamming doors," She grinned wickedly. "You know it's only called PDA if you are out in public?" She gave him an innocent look, "Liam is here- that counts as PDA... and I figured that if you don't like PDA, you clearly don't like A in general." She pressed her lips together to avoid grinning and giving the game away.
"Just a reminder that chocolate will make him sick." She looked over at Liam as she dug into her desert, where he was just hovering with his spoon about to go down to the dog. A small helping of chocolate sauce included. He looked guilty at being caught and gave a small grin as he put the spoon in his mouth instead. "There is a small tub of vanilla ice cream you can give Gizmo when you've finished." Liam lit up and nodded, "Okay, he can have his own!" He agreed, and Flynn smiled, glad that her son listened.
