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!.
With Wisteria in town now, the man got a little braver about checking out the estate. He had been mildly embarrassed that upon her arrival, when asked, that he admitted to ignoring the Estate and checking it out. Jax had told himself that he didn't want to do it because his mom informed him Wisteria had been coming, and therefore, it would have been better to wait for her. In the back of his mind, he knew it there was more to that - he just couldn't put his mind on it. Maybe it was because he vaguely remembered their father, maybe he was afraid of what he was going to find out, or maybe Jax just had a fear of whatever emotions that may bubble up from seeing this secret life his father had left them before while their mother toiled away in South Carolina. There was a lot to unpack there.
But he knew he couldn't keep on putting it off. This was something that he needed to face, and unlike whatever anxiety and nightmares he felt like he was having lately, this was something that was easier to face and admit to himself than the other thing. Plus, he was thirty five. What grown ass man let one of his sisters deal with paperwork and everything else? There was also that curiosity about the Estate as well. From the photos and description, it was big. Like those big, fancy old historical plantations from back home that the rich folks lived in. And now, technically, he was a rich person like them - which in itself was a weird thought - considering that he was in the military and currently worked at a flower shop to keep his mind utterly busy.
He would have to talk with his sisters on what they should do with it, if one of them would move here full time to keep the place up, or if they were better off selling it. Undoubtfully, Wisteria would want to take it over, but who knew. A low whistle escaped Jax as pulled onto the long drive way now, heading through the neatly trimmed trees that adorned either side before fanning out to display the full estate. It was huge, and beautiful. Parking his wrangler, he stepped out now and stared. Hazel eyes taking in everything and honestly, it didn't feel real. It was like the man had walked into somebody's painting or photograph and he wasn't suppose to be there, "Bet Penny could draw this into one of her books," he muttered to himself.
With the keys in hand, he headed to the door now and was about to pop them in when the grand doors themselves flung open. Jax flinched, taken aback by the sudden movement and he actually scowled, his temper flaring before his hazel gaze fell on the culprit. Anger took to shock at the sight of the scrawny yet lean mousey girl standing before him, "Penny?" What the actual fuck, "Mom didn't tell me you'd be here." But after the initial shock, it was hard to stay angry. A grin soon came to his face, "Well shit, I'm happy to see you."
They say its a suicide mission. I intend to prove them wrong.
thanks aofie!
Thirty Six . Inactive US NAVY . Floral Designer . Crushing
Living in this mansion had been a massive delight. She had bad memories here, but Penny liked being able to rearrange her rooms. Her bathroom has already been retiled and a mural of a massive bird was sketched out. Penny’s wing was officially becoming hers. Wisteria could kick rocks if she suggested selling it. Jax, too. She would fight to keep it.
The sun of the day was bright, and Penny figured she could continue work on the brick and stonework of the fountain in the back. It was close to the pool, but Penny knew the fountain would be turned on first. The pool was going to take some work, mainly checking the plumbing – as it was a saltwater system.
Wanting to grab the newspaper and mail first, Penny – dressed in her robe – went and opened the front door. She was expecting an empty space, but instead – her brother, Jax, and his looming frame were there. Penny looked up at him and smiled. He was surprised, obviously. She had succeeded in beating all her siblings here.
“Took your sorry ass long enough to get here,” she smiled, ushering him in. The paper and mail could wait. “I told mom when I was in town, I guess the message didn’t relay.” In all honestly, she had told mum that she was in the area. Just not that she had already talked to the lawyer for the keys.
Once Jax was in, Penny wrapped her arms around her older brother in a tight hug. As tight as her small frame could allow. “I’ve missed you.” That was true. Penny had missed him since he left ages ago. She was still bitter over it, but he was here now. Her favorite.
“Took your sorry ass long enough to get here,” Typical Penny response, “I told mom when I was in town, I guess the message didn’t relay." Jax simply shook his head, "No, it did not." Granted, he was certain that like the rest of them, their mother had been caught off guard by the turn of events in their lives. And here he had thought Wisteria going from army to socialite had been enough, or Penny's big break in the art scene. This was certainly turning into the family gathering now with three out of the four Shepherd children here. Another thought then dawned on him, without their mom here, it was up to him to do the sister wrangling.
The thought made him want to groan as his youngest sister ushered him inside the large house, no, mansion. No sooner did he cross the threshold did he find himself enveloped in what felt like the tightest hug known to man, “I’ve missed you.” Hazel eyes glanced down at her now warmly. For a moment, it felt like seventeen years ago when he was packing up to drive up to the Naval Academy. He returned Penny's hug as best as he could, given her own arms were crushing his biceps, "I've missed you too, sis'." And that was the truth, while he loved all of his sisters, even Jax couldn't deny that sometimes he felt the closest with Penny. It sucked that his military duty essentially made it impossible to really see his family all of these years.
Something else occurred him now, mainly because as he hugged her, it finally dawned on him that she was wearing a rather fluffy pink bath towel with matching slippers, "Uh...so, this fuzzy bathrobe business. Is this how people dress in New York City or are you...living here?"
They say its a suicide mission. I intend to prove them wrong.
thanks aofie!
Thirty Six . Inactive US NAVY . Floral Designer . Crushing
After they released each other from the hug, Penny couldn’t help but laugh at her brother’s question. “Yes,” she laughed. “Actually, this is pretty tame for New York..but yes, I’ve been living here. I got the keys and took my section of the home!” Jax could scold her later, or even ask questions. She was prepared for it.
“Are you hungry? I also can make some coffee or whatever before I give you the big tour?” Might as well make her brother feel a bit comfortable before adding more overwhelming information.
He wasn't really surprised when a big laugh escaped his youngest sister. Penny Shepherd always seemed one step ahead of the rest of her siblings, and Jax wasn't sure how she pulled it off, but she did. When the young woman announced that she had been living in the house though, his eyebrows arched, "You've been...living here?" A sigh escaped him, "Penny, I'm not sure if that and claiming a 'section' is a good-" But whatever scolding words he had for her were cut off, and in classic little sister fashion, Penny was already trying to divert his attention to coffee and food.
Jax simply stared at her, and while he was tempted to still lecture her, his stomach suggested otherwise, "Damn, you know me well." He might as well settle for minor defeat, and get some food out of it, "Show me the way. Just from the outside, I can already tell that I would get lost here." The man followed after her now, his hazel eyes taking in just the pictures and the hallways, "So...did you talk to the lawyers? Is that how you got the key?" And perhaps, the more dangerous follow up, "You know, Wisteria and Meghan are also in town."
They say its a suicide mission. I intend to prove them wrong.
thanks aofie!
Thirty Six . Inactive US NAVY . Floral Designer . Crushing
She rolled her eyes when her back was toward Jax. Penny happily led him to the kitchen where she had kept a lot of the original interior. Despite the faults of her father and his mistress, there was a sense of decent style in the place. All Penny did was dust and change out of the pieces of artwork. Mainly a lot of gold filigree frames to play on the tones of the kitchen.
Penny was tempted to abruptly stop with the mention of her older sisters, but Penny hid her face for a moment before grabbing the coffee machine to fill it up with water with the swivel spout. “Yes, I spoke to the lawyers. So they gave me the keys first. I was going to be in London for a bit anyway, so it was easy for me to be here.” Despite trying to hide her disgust, Penny wasn’t one who could hide her true feelings from her face. “Took them long enough. I would think Wisteria would’ve made her mark here already.”That bitch.
Once the coffee was going, Penny grabbed some cheese from the fridge to go with the fried eggs and tomatoes. “You want anything for your coffee?”
Even though her back was turned to him, Jax's could feel her rolling her eyes. Call it an older brother's intuition. Guess it was just going to be like the good ole times then, not much had changed. He followed her to the kitchen now, hazel eyes taking in the sights. It was all so...much, "I can't believe Dad lived here," the man mused out loud, "Coming from South Carolina to this?" Jax supposed that people could say the same thing about Wisteria though and her sudden hit at fortune a few years back, but the air in the room made it clear that he shouldn't broch such a topic.
It became clear that he had already crossed a line by brining Meghan and Wisteria up, and while his youngest sister didn't play a game of chicken, she was certainly annoyed with him. Hazel eyes watched as she went through the motions of making coffee, but there looked to be a certain specialty of Penelope Shepherd's famous anger and temper hinted with it. While Jax didn't fear his littlest sister (after all, he was her favorite), he knew when to tread water, "Ah okay. Wait - what were you going to be doing in London? Show?" Like always, Jax felt like he was suddenly playing catch up. Figures.
But even that couldn't take away from the next blow - even though it wasn't exactly aimed at him: "Took them long enough. I would think Wisteria would’ve made her mark here already.” The venom was unmistakable, "Eh, they have lives..." he commented, merely half defending the other two, "I'm not sure if Wisteria is after the house, just...inheritance. I assume she wants to go back to New York as quickly as possible. At least, that's what it sounded like at the airport when I picked her up. She'll be out of your hair in no time." Maybe that would placate Penny just a little, but somehow he doubted it. When she asked how he would like his coffee, he just smiled wryly, "Just black. No poison or anything please." Hazel eyes watched the cup be placed down in front of him now as she went back to work, "So are you still single or do you finally have someone that I get to threaten for being in your life?"
They say its a suicide mission. I intend to prove them wrong.
thanks aofie!
Thirty Six . Inactive US NAVY . Floral Designer . Crushing
