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!.
"I feel the same, I never.. expected to get this.. in my life. I always... knew I would have my life.. arranged for me."
He tilted his head, not quite sure what to make her comment about her life, but he didn't like it.
"No one should ever arrange the life of someone else," he said quietly, "Not unless they are prepared to deal with the repercussions of those arrangements."
"P-please, will you.. c-come here."
He saw the change, it was immediate and watching her cry was something so utterly unforgivable. He wanted to hurt Rhett more for the pain he caused. Accident or not, he was the one at fault.
"Of course," he said, carefully shucking off the heavy coat he was wearing, "Just give me a moment and I'll lay right with you. I'll be gentle, I promise."
He let his coat slump into his chair, followed promptly by slipping out of his boots and took care to move wires and lines so he didn't hurt her or ruin the doctor's work, eventually finding a narrow space to lay. He immediately cradled her head with one arm, the other laced in her hand, rubbing his thumb over her fingers.
"No one should ever arrange the life of someone else, Not unless they are prepared to deal with the repercussions of those arrangements." She managed a tiny smile, knowing that he was one of the few people who would understand; other people didn't. They thought she was lucky to have her life, that she shouldn't complain and should just get on with it. All she'd ever felt is trapped - a bird in a cage. Rhett made it bearable, but Grey set her free. She knew she owed him an explanation, and that he may feel it was too much, especially now with her current situation. It felt like a mess.
She wasn't sure if he would say no, but of course he didn't. "Of course," Cora saw him remove his coat, trying to stem the sobs that racked her bruised and broken body but they weren't ready to be done. "Just give me a moment and I'll lay right with you. I'll be gentle, I promise." She didn't care if it hurt, "I just.. n-need you." It was all she would ever need. She tried to make him some room, the beds were not built for two, but with some manouvering she found herself tucked into him, her fingers interlacing with his as she cried it out. "We'll make this work. But first, we need rest." She swallowed, the tears slowly subsiding to hiccups, each one hurt and she winced, but there was nothing she could do to stop them.
"I don't.. want t-to sleep." It was true. She was afraid of it right then, she just wanted to be awake and alive, with Grey wrapped around her, protecting her as he always did. "I need.. to tell you s-something." She was able to manage when the tears finally gave out and her breathing steadied. Her head hurt worse than ever, her body aching all the more and she felt spent, but at some point soon this would come to fruition and Grey would be blind sighted. She took a moment to compose herself, taking a deep breath and letting it out slightly. "I.. have not been.. entirely honest." Which was true, a lie by omission was still a lie. "T-the reason for.. many things you may h-have picked up on.. is that I am a part.. of the r-royal family." She cringed to say it, shuddering slightly. "N-not in line to the throne.. aside from a ..dramatic tragedy but.. a Lady, in my own.. right." She held her breath, worried for his reaction.
He nodded and gently kissed her cheek. He mightn't have been in an accident, but he was tired. Mentally, emotionally exhausted from everything that had happened and he knew it wasn't fair for him to feel that way.
"I'm here."
"I don't.. want t-to sleep."
"You should so you can heal," he murmured, "But I understand it."
"I need.. to tell you s-something."
To that he tilted his head, curious and slightly confused about what she wanted to say.
"I.. have not been.. entirely honest. T-the reason for.. many things you may h-have picked up on.. is that I am a part.. of the r-royal family. N-not in line to the throne.. aside from a ..dramatic tragedy but.. a Lady, in my own.. right."
He frowned slightly as she spoke - not entirely honest? Part of him wanted to bristle up but nothing came of it as he laid there with her. But he immediately relaxed and assumed it could only be the pain meds that she was on that made her say such a strange thing. He shook his head slightly.
"Alright your Majesty."
He chuckled softly, not believing that at all but he knew better than to question it right now, he was willing to accept it and humor until she was more lucid and in less pain.
"I'm here." She knew that he was, that he wasn't going anywhere but logically it felt better for her to hear the words. She settled again, curling up closer to him. Her heart monitor picked up for a moment to be with him, and then calmed as she relaxed in his hold. "You should so you can heal, But I understand it." She shook her head carefully, "I can heal.. awake." That dark threatened the edge of her vision but she fought it, not ready to return to that heavy, oppressive feeling. The real world hurt, in many ways, but at least she knew what was real, she knew where she was and what was happening now.
His silence for a moment worried her, was he about to leave? Was he upset? It was a big thing to process, it once again spun their relationship it's it axis - it made a difference, as much as she didn't want it to. At some point, he would have to meet the family and they him, at some point he would catch himself in a newspaper and it wasn't fair to just spring that on him without warning. It had almost happened once. "Alright your Majesty." She caught the chuckle and she sighed, not surprised but also a little frustrated. It did sound far fetched and out of the blue. "I wish I was..joking." She admitted. "I always.. wanted to be normal.. you made me ... feel normal." She yawned, trying to hide it.
Her eyelids felt heavy. "My parents are.. Prince Richard and P-Princess.. Charlotte.. of Hampshire." She didn't know if he would even know them, it was better if he didn't, she'd never understood people's obsessions with the royal family. "I am the Gr-reat-grandchild.. or the Queen of England." It sounded insane, she knew it did and she cringed as how ridiculous she sounded, she hated her formal titles. "You can ..google me as.. Lady Coralina A-Astley. Enjoy..all the... scandals..."
"Uh-huh. Right. Well, we're going to look at a nap together yeah? Nap and cuddles sounds really good."
Perhaps he was pushing the rest too much, but he did just want the best for her and that seemed like best thing aside from knowing that she was ok. Or at least, relatively ok.
"I wish I was..joking. I always.. wanted to be normal.. you made me ... feel normal."
"Made you feel normal? Odd thing to say."
"My parents are.. Prince Richard and P-Princess.. Charlotte.. of Hampshire. I am the Gr-reat-grandchild.. or the Queen of England. You can ..google me as.. Lady Coralina A-Astley. Enjoy..all the... scandals..."
He nodded slowly, still not entirely convinced, "Well, that doesn't matter to me. Princess, angel, demon, cultist - it doesn't matter. You are you and that's all that matters me. Who gives a flying fuck about scandals? Cause I can safely say I am not someone the Royal family would want hanging around. But that's tomorrow's issue sweet heart."
"Uh-huh. Right. Well, we're going to look at a nap together yeah? Nap and cuddles sounds really good." She managed a small smile, it faintly amused her the way he went around trying to get her to sleep. "Cuddles are al-ways... good." She agreed quietly, "especially.. yours." She added, always feeling her best settled with him. She just seemed to fit and when he wrapped an arm around her, she felt safe and protected. Like nothing bad could happen. Even now, when something awful had happened, she felt like with him there, everything would be okay. She yawned again all the same, her body urging her to get more sleep.
"Made you feel normal? Odd thing to say." She was too tired to talk it through, and it would take a lot of explaining. Instead she gave a small sigh, "My title.. is my.. job, and my.. life. I don't.. get to go out.. and do what normal people do." Was the easiest way to say it. Her whole life had been about etiquette, and politics, how she was to conduct herself, what she would be doing when she took over from her parents, who she might marry and how many kids she might have. She paled to think of that last part.
"Well, that doesn't matter to me. Princess, angel, demon, cultist - it doesn't matter. You are you and that's all that matters me. Who gives a flying fuck about scandals? Cause I can safely say I am not someone the Royal family would want hanging around. But that's tomorrow's issue sweet heart." She took in his words for a moment, wondering if he was just trying to humour her. "I want you... hanging around." She mumbled, another yawn as her eyes slid closed without her choice. "Just don't.. let them take.. me back." She whispered, afraid to lose the life she'd begun to build here.
"Cuddles are al-ways... good, especially.. yours."
"Glad to be of service," he smiled.
"My title.. is my.. job, and my.. life. I don't.. get to go out.. and do what normal people do."
"Well, I suppose when you put it like that."
"I want you... hanging around. Just don't.. let them take.. me back."
He nodded, "There is nothing anyone can say, do, or threaten that could make me move an inch away from you. Now rest please. I'll be right here when you wake up."
Cora let Grey lull her to sleep, her eyes already drifting closed with the touch of his lips on her cheek. She felt safe, wrapped in his arms, and though the pain was not taken away, it was eased just a little by his being there with her. His comforting words swirled around her brain, beating off her circling worries from what the doctor's had told her. Maybe they could get through this together, maybe it would be okay if she couldn't have kids. She wasn't sure yet, but Grey had made her feel more secure about the possibility of it, and her last thought as she drifted off was how much she loved him and how thankful she was to have him. She swore to herself that she would be sure never to take advantage of him.
***
It was obvious something exciting was happening by the arrival of the limo and an entire host of police. Everyone was alarmed as secret service hustled inside to clear out as many of the civilians as possible. They would have liked more time, but the Prince and Princess had not given them a choice; they wanted to see their daughter, and they wanted to see her now. Ideally, they wanted to move her - back home where she belonged. They had known this was a bad idea, to let her run ragged. It was time to remove the wild from the child and settle her in her rightful place and role as royalty. Richard strode into the hospital, Charlotte firmly at his side. They had already been informed of the room number, and the way, the hallways clear and hushed as they tipped their chins high and glided along. There was no preamble, no gentle knock and the poking in of a head - that just wouldn't do. An agent opened the door to Cora's room for them, and the pair swept in like they owned the place, critical eyes taking in the room, the bed, their daughters prone form, and the half naked man curled around her within a moment. "And who, on earth, are you?" Richard demanded in a commanding voice, following quickly by his wife as she added, "Get away from her at once."
Grey stayed put with Cora, keeping his promise not to move away from her - save for the use of a bathroom at one point. He'd gotten comfortable, forgoing his shirt to be more comfortable beside her on the bed. He dozed lightly on and off, at times just laying there and watching her and mentally yelling at Rhett for his carelessness for this whole situation. That man still had yet to feel his wrath.
Even as he dozed, he was grateful for his senses - they told him even with his eyes closed, when someone was around. It made his skin prickle and most of the time there was no warning bells that accompanied it. But this time it was different, the alarm bells brought him to a fully alert state even before people were in the room.
"And who, on earth, are you?"
"Get away from her at once."
Strangers. Hostile voices, two - male and female, ordering him to identify and move? That got his back up. He turned his head to look at them both with his dark grey eyes, assessing them. Didn't like them, decision made. He stretched lazily, subconsciously flexing his muscles and cracked his neck.
"You're both ruining a perfectly good nap," he growled back quietly, "My name is irrelevant to you asshole. And you don't tell me what to do. I am staying right where I am and there isn't a god damned thing you can do about it. Now, you both seem lost - the psyche unit is the next floor up, better get moving before the orderlies put this place on lock down looking for you both."
He didn't care who they were, or what they thought they were, but he'd made a promise to Cora and nothing was going to shift him from his spot. Aside from being comfortable, he felt the need to protect her from whomever these people were. His eyes continued to wash over them before catching the briefly glimpse of Will standing outside the door looking guilty as hell. He would be serving him a piece of his mind too at some point.
"You're both ruining a perfectly good nap, My name is irrelevant to you asshole. And you don't tell me what to do. I am staying right where I am and there isn't a god damned thing you can do about it. Now, you both seem lost - the psyche unit is the next floor up, better get moving before the orderlies put this place on lock down looking for you both." Cora's parent's both bristled, her father drew himself up impossibly taller, her mother took on a haughty, unimpressed expression and her lips puckered in displeasure. "How dare you." She was able to utter, still shocked that this stranger had spoken to her in such a way. "Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" Richard reached out to place a placating hand on his wife's arm. "I think it is clear, that he does not." Though it did not make things any more okay. "Get on your feet boy, and bow as you should." He frowned, "You are not addressing some commoner off the street, and I do not think this is appropriate attire or manners of which to speak with us."
Alerted to the raised and abrupt tone, a couple of additional bodyguards came in, warily looking back and forth between the young man and the royalty. "I will ask you politely once more, and then if you do not move, you will be forcibly remove. Get away from our daughter." Charlotte said firmly, pursing her lips as she glared at the man, looking him over and deciding that he was not good enough, not worthy enough, not the sort she would allow her daughter to entangle with. The rumble of voices broke through Cora's deep and restful sleep, and she slowly began to stir, shifting a little and smiling softly to feel the warmth of Grey still tucked around her - safe and secure... and yet, something was wrong. She frowned slightly, trying to pull herself from her sleep. Somehow she managed to blink her eyes open, and though they were bleary, she wondered if she was dreaming still. "Mum... Dad?"
"I think it is clear, that he does not. Get on your feet boy, and bow as you should. You are not addressing some commoner off the street, and I do not think this is appropriate attire or manners of which to speak with us."
"I will ask you politely once more, and then if you do not move, you will be forcibly remove. Get away from our daughter."
Grey watched the posturing and preening with a raised brow, far from impressed. Slowly he got off the bed and stretched out to his complete height and looked them directly in the eye as every bit of his frame flexed, his jaw tightening as they poked him all the more.
"Couldn't care less whom I'm talkin' to doll-face," Grey sneered, "You both waltz in unannounced and expect me to yield to your pom and frill or whatever the fuck this is? Fuck that, think again. I don't know who you are, I couldn't give to rat's ass' about you both to be frank - you're irritating me."
He rolled his shoulders, cracking and popping loudly, "The only bowing I'll do is to a porcelain god with a cracking hangover, or if my girlfriend asks me to. So I don't know where this 'boy' comes from, but you're walking a fine line, because I am more man than you both combined. Now, I'd like to see your little lap dogs try to remove me from this room, because it won't happen. The only person that will make me do anything is laying in that bed, so spit and threaten me all you like." He raised a brow. "Your daughter, my girlfriend - bite me. She goes nowhere."
He stood tall, ready, defense, ready for whatever challenge they were about to issue. Whatever good grace he might've had was long gone with their petty insults, but he was ready to bite back at whatever they had to say.
"Mum... Dad?"
He looked back at Cora, his face softening a touch as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, leaning down to kiss her forehead gently, "Morning Pigeon. It would appear your folks are here."
His tone was a touch lighter, but still tense as he glared back at them.
"Couldn't care less whom I'm talkin' to doll-face, You both waltz in unannounced and expect me to yield to your pom and frill or whatever the fuck this is? Fuck that, think again. I don't know who you are, I couldn't give to rat's ass' about you both to be frank - you're irritating me. The only bowing I'll do is to a porcelain god with a cracking hangover, or if my girlfriend asks me to. So I don't know where this 'boy' comes from, but you're walking a fine line, because I am more man than you both combined. Now, I'd like to see your little lap dogs try to remove me from this room, because it won't happen. The only person that will make me do anything is laying in that bed, so spit and threaten me all you like. Your daughter, my girlfriend - bite me. She goes nowhere."
The speech did nothing to impress the parents, it only soured their expressions, and Charlotte picked up on that important word like a vulture, even letting out a small laugh of incredulity. "Girlfriend? I don't think so." There was no way her daughter would be touching the boy with a barge pole, whether she already had or not. "You can forget all those notions of dating, Coralina will be returning home with us, and you will be returning to the gutter from which you came." She added, turning her nose up as if he smelt. Richard left that talk to his wife, he was not in the habit of handling the matches in the family, though he attempted to make connections with other royalty to get his children the best opportunities. There was interest in Cora, there always had been, but she was somewhat difficult to handle.
Cora felt a wave of emotions in those few moments from waking - the pain at first returned, and then came relief that Grey was still with her, and then panic and a strange sense of fear to see her parents. They couldn't be here, this wasn't right. She wasn't ready to deal with this. Before she could process it, Grey pressed a kiss to her forehead and she turned her attention to him. "Morning Pigeon. It would appear your folks are here." She shifted slightly, looking warily at Grey and then to her parents, trying to push herself upright. "I'm sorry," She said to Grey first of all, knowing this was about to be bad - if it wasn't already. "Coralina, you had us both so worried. What on earth happened? This is exactly why you should not have been here in the first place." Her father went from worried to scolding in a switch, and she barely had a moment to breath. "Will, remove this boy from the room. It's not appropriate for him to be here." Her father added, waving a dismissive hand at Grey. Cora shot upright in panic, and then winced. "No! He s-stays."
"I think I'll continue to entertain my depraved mind thanks, And the gutter? Really, worst insult you can muster?" Charlotte put a hand to her chest in outrage. "How disgusting," She curled her lip slightly at the man, not liking the fact that he hadn't moved from her daughter's side as instructed. She didn't want him near her, someone of his low status, and clearly he was only using her. She would not allow it, in any way.
"Don't apologize." Cora glanced to Grey and shook her head slightly, she had to, for how this was going to play out. She knew her parents would drag her away again eventually, back to the life behind bars that she hated, but she'd hoped for a little more freedom, a little more life before it had happened. She wished she'd warned Grey earlier - he didn't deserve this treatment. "I should have... warned you." She admitted, earning a frown from her father. "Warned him? Of what, your family?" He shook his head, a slight pinch of hurt appearing between his eyes. "We love you Coralina, we only want the best for you. This is not it." Her father looked to Grey and Cora knew he thought he was being kind, but he was wrong. "Grey is... the best for me." Which only earned pitying looks from them both - as if she were still a child that didn't know better.
"I think we're at an impasse here." It wasn't quite that far, and Charlotte raised a brow, "our daughter does not always know what's good for her, but we are here to decide that. There is no impasse, whether she requests you to stay or not doesn't matter. You will be removed." She waved a dismissive hand and glanced to their outside company expectantly. Both parents were taken aback as Will appeared. "Your Royal Highness', Grey is harmless... I vetted himself once I learnt where Cora was running off to." Richard narrowed his eyes, "yes, we'll deal with you later. The fact that you've known this was happening and did not inform us of it is troubling, and against your duties as her head guard." He shook his head. "Perhaps it is time your duties were removed from you." Cora's eyes widened, her heart monitor had already picked up in worry and now it doubled. "This is not Will's fault!" She gasped at the rush of pain as she sat upright. "It is partly his fault. He has failed in his promises." Richard said simply.
"That's what you think. Lay back sweet-heart, please, I will not be going unless you tell me to." Cora shook her head, too worked up to lay back. She put a hand to her abdomen as the stitched wound pulled sharply, and she let out a hiss between clenched teeth, her face paling. "I can't s-stop them.. if they... take you ... I'll never see you... again." The thought terrified her.
"How disgusting," She curled her lip slightly at the man.
"I should have... warned you." She admitted, earning a frown from her father.
"Warned him? Of what, your family?" He shook his head, a slight pinch of hurt appearing between his eyes. "We love you Coralina, we only want the best for you. This is not it."
"Grey is... the best for me."
Grey visibly tensed, everything about him suddenly very ready to fight, his voice suddenly very calm despite the bitterness in it, "Want what is best for her? Really? Because what I see isn't best. What I see from you is a pair of self-righteous assholes. This is the twenty-first fucking century and you are all but selling your daughter like she's a piece of meat. I'm sure in your time that's all you knew, but times have moved on and Cora is her own person, not a chest piece to shuffle around at a whim."
Charlotte raised a brow, "Our daughter does not always know what's good for her, but we are here to decide that. There is no impasse, whether she requests you to stay or not doesn't matter. You will be removed."
"Your daughter is not a robot, she is not a slave and not a dog that lays at your feet," he snarled.
"Your Royal Highness', Grey is harmless... I vetted himself once I learnt where Cora was running off to."
Richard narrowed his eyes, "Yes, we'll deal with you later. The fact that you've known this was happening and did not inform us of it is troubling, and against your duties as her head guard." He shook his head. "Perhaps it is time your duties were removed from you."
"This is not Will's fault!" She gasped at the rush of pain as she sat upright.
"It is partly his fault. He has failed in his promises." Richard said simply.
"I can't s-stop them.. if they... take you ... I'll never see you... again." The thought terrified her.
"I'm going nowhere." Grey pressed a kiss to her forehead as he reached across to hit the nurses' button to call them in. This was getting nowhere fast and it was only stressing Cora out, something she didn't need.
"I think its time you two leave, because in less than thirty seconds nurses will be in to shoo you out," Grey smiled, but it was a dangerous, threatening action, "You are not helping her to recover by being the local Stonehenge. Another day we might talk, but no more."