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!.
Atruvan sat in one of the many chairs that lined the room, having taken to the furthest away from the rest of the assembled and broken, eyes tracking every little movement. He was happy to remain in his silence, to remain under the radar and without having to contribute. His eyes dropped a touch as he stewed over the reasons he had to come - they were few and far in between, more neutral reasons than pros or cons to his plight. He was like these men in some capacity - better off than most, but still a washed up soldier who no longer had a place to belong. Perhaps that was harsh of him to lump all of these service men and even the few women that were present into such a category, but he didn't regret it. How was it not true? The army did not want broken things, they wanted fit and new, unbroken and flexible bodies and souls that they could turn over into something productive for the betterment of the rest of the world.
He was on that same list - now semi-broken, no longer fit to purpose and he was here sharing the same space as those who suffered their own demons and issues with life outside of the strict routine and danger. Perhaps he shouldn't have been mulling over the darker thoughts that liked to pass through his mind, but what else was their to entertain? His social skills didn't exist. He had nothing to really strive for other than the faintest and bleakest trace of hope that he might one day find the only sibling he had. But even that was fast fading. Without sharp routine, his life was aimless, boring, dull, empty. Yet he was coming here, and despite not talking to a single soul thus far in the past week he'd been attending, there was something that kept him coming back. Maybe it was the meaningless chatter, a natural white noise that calmed him a little. Maybe it was the fact he wasn't allowed to smoke inside the building. He couldn't say he was keen to see people, far from it really, but it was better he guessed than being sat in his small apartment chain smoking his days away.
“It's calm under the waves in the blue of my oblivion.”
O
rion hadn’t been to a meeting for a minute, mainly because the holidays were picking up which meant work was crazy. He didn’t mind it, actually – going to the meetings. It was one of the few socializations thins he attended. While the meeting was hard, it was the after that was nice. Meeting people that had a similar background of sorts. But it was also in a different setting.
He was running a bit late, mainly because his ride share was stuck – but Orion knew that running late wasn’t necessarily a problem. A few people could show up when they needed, or just not show up at al. No one was particularly forced to go. But there were a few that were told to do so, by families or the government treatment.
His cane worked the tile, his ears following the sounds of rustling feet and chatter. Orion found the room and was greeted by the lead. A few hellos were passed, and Orion could tell he would be forced into the back. He preferred the middle of the front, the action per se, but he would deal with the consequences of poor planning.
Orion guided his cane, a few greetings coming from familiar voices. He made his way through the rows and his cane hit a chair that obviously had nobody in it. Being polite, he asked. “Do you mind if I sit next to you?”
There was a temptation to leave the room, to leave the comforting white noise of chatter, and go back to his abode. Go back and sit in that damned chair that seemed to sucker him into smoking a packet of cigarettes in rapid succession.
“Do you mind if I sit next to you?”
The voice broke that thin relaxing trance as he straightened up, making a gesture without truly making any considerable effort.
"Sure, if that's what you intend to do," he replied, his voice coarse and dry.
It was only after the fact he noticed the cane, that he glanced up at the face of the speaker and realized that he had been foolish a touch foolish. But mentally he shrugged - what even was the point in feeling silly about that? He didn't know the man - sure, he'd seen him briefly come in, and a handful of times before, but that didn't matter right? It could be thought of as strange, given the fact he was usually the one telling people not to bother - which brought on the next thought, why was he even bothering to be courteous to what he fully assumed was a blind man?
“It's calm under the waves in the blue of my oblivion.”
T
hank you, sir,” Orion smiled. His hand found the back of the chair and he maneuvered into it. He felt a bit of a strain, causing a frown on his lips. Then, he remembered he didn’t unbutton his suit jacket. What a silly mistake. Orion adjusted himself, and unbuttoned his jacket, allowing some more comfortable movement.
His ears picked up the lack of echo in the room. “A lot more people today. Must have a few more new members. The noise is a bit more mute,” Orion commented, turning to the man next to him. “Is this your first time, or are you one of those silent – try not to participate continuos members?” Maybe that was a bit rude, but there was no judgment behind it. There was plenty of those here. A lot of them came in, just for the company.
At that, his brow raised slightly. How few people said thanks nowadays. He merely grunted his acknowledgement of the thanks, more than enough in his eyes.
“A lot more people today. Must have a few more new members. The noise is a bit more mute,” Orion commented, turning to the man next to him. “Is this your first time, or are you one of those silent – try not to participate continuos members?”
"Sir? No, not sir. Lost that a long time ago," Atruvan snorted, "Is that so? Sounds about the same to me."
He looked about, casting a quick eye over the assembled. Perhaps there were the odd new faces, but they weren't important.
"I've been here plenty, probably more than I should," he shrugged, "I don't participate. I'm not here to share in my pains and aches and woes like others may need. I just need the noise."
“It's calm under the waves in the blue of my oblivion.”
W
ell, I never was granted that title– if that helps.” There were times when outside people didn’t think that Orion should be at this meeting in general. Since he wasn’t someone who partook in the war in a way. But war trauma was trauma. Even if he didn’t kill anyone, Orion had witnessed plenty of death. Hell, the whole book of his last works – was death.
“I understand. Sometimes the noise is quite comforting. Less time to think about our own silence.” Maybe that sounded a bit too philosophical, but there was no judgment about it from him. “I’ll try my best to not chat your ear off.” Orion offered, with a soft chuckle.
![](https://i.ibb.co/pJW8N0S/tumblr-inline-o1h8lx-Kq-JY1rifr4k-250.gif")
