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!.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
Aofie couldn’t exactly believe his words of him being okay. But maybe it was a Jack thing. They hadn’t know each other for too long, but Aofie told herself she was a bit too old to not enjoy herself. Maybe it was her brain state, but she wondered what Jack looked like undressing. How the clothes would slide of his broad shoulders. How much ink did he have under there? Was he fully covered; did he have chest hair? Thank God for the fact her dogs kept her in check.
She could feel Jack looking at her, wondering how she looked to him. Did she read attractive? She could technically slip off the robe she was wearing and be in her birthday suit. All damp with sweat. A familiar warmth rushed over her as she went into the downstairs bathroom to set up the bathroom. There were towels already, as Aofie was always prepared to host. The hamper was empty. Her hand turned the knob to start the water, letting it warm up – before turning it to the shower setting.
After closing the door behind her, she walked back into the open space. She didn’t know why, but she just found herself wrapping her arms around Jack once more. Her cheek pressed on his chest, as her hands explored his back. Fragile fingers gently massaged, almost to give him some comfort, before she pulled away. “Take your time,” she said. “I’ll get the dogs fed. I think I’ll need to freshen up again,” Aofie added, with a soft smile. “Can I get anything else set up for you?”
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
The questions weren’t hard, but Aofie wondered what she looked like right now. She couldn’t lie about how the man knew her, or all that. Aofie just agreed, when the officer asked if she knew him – claiming that his face was unrecognizable. Told Billings about his wife, but that was that. The officer didn’t show any kind of emotion on her face, but Aofie felt like the lump in her throat was just ever-growing. She didn’t know how people did this, being questioned in a manner like this.
Minutes ticked by on the sunburst clock, and after a brief silence – Billings held out a sheet of paper. “Thank you for the answers, Ms. Walsh.” Aofie nodded and stood up as well, reminding herself of the damp spot her hair created on the couch.
She followed the officer out, to see Patrick was already being hauled into the ambulance – and a cleanup crew for the blood working on the deck. A few neighbors were out and about – meaning something would happen tomorrow. Or the local neighborhood group newsletter on social media would be buzzing. It made her nervous, but there wasn’t anything she could do now. Aofie had given partial truth, something she would lose sleep over. But she had to keep telling herself, that he deserved it. Patrick was a monster.
“Thank you for your time, folks. I hope you have a good rest of your evening.” A quick snap of his booklet bled into the wind. “If anything else pops up, please give us a call.” A business card was handed off, and with the tip of their hats – the officers were off.
Not knowing, Aofie had blindly found Jack’s arm, her fingers death-gripping him out of nerves. Soon, the lights disappeared and Aofie released the breath that she was holding. Her head was pounding now, the smell of cleaner and the sound of brushes not helping.
“I’ll get a shower started for you. You can put your clothes in the hamper,” Aofie let out. “I’ll re-order something.” She released his arm from his death grip, but still held onto him – to help her keep her balance. Her body was numb. The adrenaline was wearing off again, and Aofie felt like she needed to be put out of her misery. “He didn’t hurt you; I hope?”
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
Patrick could feel the blows on his face. Iron dripped into his mouth and down his throat. He was motionless by the second hit, almost like a rag doll now. It didn’t take a lot for someone his size to be pummeled, even by someone closer to his weight. The swelling was happening, but he could still kind of breathe. He lost now. Lost his ego. Lost everything.
Saliva and blood gurgled in his mouth, as bruising began slowly creeping on his face. He knew his nose was broken now. “E-Er-yx..” Patrick choked out. He didn’t say the last name. There were probably a lot of people with that name, right? Patrick wriggled more, attempting more movement but he hurt now. Was it all worth it?
Any further movement was broken when the front door was opened. Aofie stood there, in her bathrobe. Her hair was wet, puddling at the neckline. Her eyes examined the scene in front of her. She wanted to wince at the sight of Patrick’s bloodied face. The porch light caught some of the splatters on her house and the two men.
“Jacob,” she started. Lying wasn’t in Aoife’s blood, but she wasn’t about to drop Jack’s name out like that. “I heard some - Oh my god! Is that man, okay?” Aofie could feel her grandmother scolding her for lying. Aofie was aware of what had happened. She had seen it all. Her hand was about to pull out her cell phone to call the police, but it appeared they were already called as a cruiser had pulled to the end of her driveway.
Aofie gave a glance to Jack. It was a bit of a stern look, telling him to let her handle this – and to also let go of Patrick. Gently. In her slippers, she went out and met them – as if she was going to lead Julius and Caesar into the house. “Hello, ma’am. A neighbor called and said there was a suspicious car parked a few blocks away. They said it was one they had seen before, driving slowly – especially around this house. Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?” That sentence made Aoife’s spine shake. Was Patrick...watching her?
“Yes,” she started. “A man just showed up at my house a few minutes ago. My boyfriend, Jacob, got home and tried to help him, but he became defensive. He must’ve gotten into a gnarly fight before he stumbled up.” One of the officers looked over her shoulder to see two figures. He nodded slowly and began walking up to the porch, Aofie following, signaling the two pit bulls to come inside. Her ears could pick up the other officer calling for an ambulance.
“You were in quite the fight, mate. Jacob, I presume?” the officer nodded toward Jack. “Can you explain the events that happened when you got home? And Ma’am?” he looked at Aofie. “Do you mind waiting inside? Officer Billings will be in shortly to ask you some questions.” Aofie nodded and didn’t look at Jack. Not wanting it to be caught as suspicious.
Once the dogs were in, Aofie – kept the front door open. She was nervous, but Patrick deserved this, right? He deserved to be pummeled for scaring her. It was a good thing that she hadn’t eaten anything. It would be all over the couch now. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Officer Billings to walk in and begin her slew of questions for Aofie.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
Patrick could his body want to shrivel even more. But he remained strong. He was close. More words would’ve slithered out of him, but he felt himself be picked up like a rag doll. Dress shoes were lifted off the porch – as if gravity wasn’t there. Hands gripped at the wrists of the man. If it was true, then Aofie had a fucked-up interest in men. This guy was huge. Patrick, being nasty, could only imagine the train meme. He couldn’t help but let out a giggle at his toilet humour.
But his emotions were cut short again. It was as if he didn’t have time to process anything. Patrick didn’t know who was more threatening. The man in black, or the person in front of him. His finer nails began to dig into flesh. “And why would I tell you that? A man can’t have hobbies. It’s not an addiction. You sound like my coworkers and my stupid wife.”
Patrick struggled as if the pressure on him was mounting. Even though he was upright, his chest hurt. The flight wasn’t in him. Did he risk fighting him? What else did he have to lose? “You’ll have to beat that info out of me; you freak!” Patrick swung a leg, foot scraping at Jack’s left side. He didn’t even know if it hit. If Patrick was loyal to anyone, it was the shark that put him in this place. Because...who else would fund him? His eyes ran crazy, almost becoming little voids. He was crashing. Any ounce of humanity was gone.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
Patrick could feel his stomach in his throat. The sound of growls in the dark made him wince. She did have dogs, three of them. They were massive and he knew he was screwed. But Patrick being Patrick, tried to play it cool. But that time didn’t come. The person who belonged to the headlights was not Aofie. It was a man, with two large dogs. His body was of a war god, painted in his battles.
He let out a laugh. “And who are you, huh?” The sound of bones popping made Patrick want to shrink away. This guy could beat him up if he wanted. But no. His meal ticket was inside, and Patrick, like a drug addict, would do anything for that ticket. “Aofie has no man. That chick hasn’t had a boyfriend in years. You lost or something buddy?” he sneered, making himself feel a bit taller – before spitting at Jack’s feet.
Patrick was a slender man, with well-kept hair. He wore glasses, making him approachable and kind. He knew how to make it work. Be kind and gentle at work – but inside, he was a menace. Darkness crept over his face, as he thought of his current plan. This man, whoever he was, was not going to get in the way.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
Aofie nodded and watched Jack, her comfort, leave into his car. When he left, she closed the door and locked both the back and front door. She was feeling exhausted again, her head feeling light. Feeling like she couldn’t stand – Aofie opted for a bath. A nice, long soak in hot water with some bath salts.
She made her way upstairs, dogs following behind her. As she ran her bath, she noticed five missed calls from Patrick. Aofie rolled her eyes and didn’t even wonder. She didn’t care for what he had to say to her.
Once the bath was full, Aofie slipped in and let out a deep breath. Time slipped past her, and when she heard her doorbell go off – Aofie reached over to see if it was Jack. But it was Patrick. She was thankful that she had the volume low, but she didn’t need the loud sound to see his panic. He looked like a wreck, sweating and screaming. He was pounding at the door – screaming that he knew she was home. There was something about his wife leaving him and everyone dropping him. She wanted to look away but couldn’t. It was like a dark horror movie.
Aofie could feel her stomach churn, but she was safe, right? Patrick didn’t have a key – she was also on the second floor. He didn’t know the layout of her house.
“Aofie! I know you’re home. I see your fucking light.” Patrick continued to beat at the door. He couldn’t believe his wife was leaving him. That she couldn’t believe he didn’t have a problem. Why would he have a problem? She liked to spend money on home décor, so why couldn’t he spend money on gambling? He was angry now. All the rest of his co-workers turned him away. But sweet little Aofie wouldn’t right? That cute little thing. If he wasn’t tied down. He wasn’t now, was he? He could leech off her. Tell her a fake story. Borrow money and claim to pay it back.
Crocodile tears flowed after Patrick pinched his skin. If only she would open the door. “Aofie!” he screeched again. His attention was only turned when he felt the warmth of headlights on his back. Was it her? Maybe she wasn’t home. A snarl crossed his lips as he turned around. But things weren’t as they seemed.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
Aofie looked at him again, eyes twinkling at the thought of five dogs in the house. “Well, I’ll never say no to more dogs!” she smiled. The bed might be crowded, but it was one of the reasons she had a king. Thankfully, her dogs often slept on the floor or on their own custom bed that Aofie had rigged up with a cradle pad. But with the upturn of emotions, she knew they would be close by. If anything, she was more nervous about having Jack beside her. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, of course, but she hadn’t shared a bed with someone in years. She already enjoyed the couch snuggles, but a bed was a more intimate matter.
“I will, I promise,” she nodded. Even if it meant keeping a notebook by her bedside table. Aofie was notorious for waking up suddenly and writing things down. Some of them often leads to some of her best children’s books.
“That would be lovely,” Aofie said, standing up. Her legs were tired, but she had to at least stand up for a moment. “I eat anything, so you choose? I’m sure I look like a hot mess, so I can shower while you’re out and maybe look a little less of a hag.” Tilly got up on the couch, not needing to jump, and pawed at Jack for some attention. Her brothers looked up from where they were sitting and just huffed back down.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
“Yes,” she said sheepishly, wondering where it all came from. Her cheeks were pink from blush and not raw from blowing her nose. “Only if you want to, of course! I know you have two dogs at home.”
Talking about dogs, her three were laying close. It didn’t take long for Tilly to rest her head on Aoife’s lap whining. Aofie smiled at her dog and gave her an ear scratch. “What? You want to see your boyfriend. Or boyfriends I should say?” If dogs could roll their eyes, Tilly most definitely did.
Aofie stayed put, not in a particular rush. She sat and pondered Jack’s question. “I, unfortunately, didn’t notice a lot of features sadly. But they were very well dressed. Kind of like the Men In Black. You know, the movies? I think one of them had an eyebrow scar. I know it isn’t a lot…I was just wrapped up. Maybe in the morning, I’ll remember more?”
She was tempted to ask why he wanted to know, but Aofie didn’t have the energy to question it. Her stomach growled, but she ignored it for now. It was probably going to be a frozen pizza kind of night, and maybe a massive mug of hot cocoa.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
She was a bit embarrassed, feeling jack lift her as easily as he did. To be fair, she was almost a quarter of his size. But even then, it was odd but also comforting. Aofie just hoped her dress didn’t do a weird flip, even though she had shaved just yesterday.
The two were an interesting sight, especially to those that didn’t know them. A small, delicate kind of woman and a man, painted like a Grecian God. Jack’s words were soothing, lulling Aofie to lean into him. She took his handkerchief and dabbed her eyes. She would clean the mascara and eyeliner off as soon as she could. Her lips were feeling dry, cracking from the cold weather and heavy breaths.
Aofie sat on Jack’s lap, silent for a moment. She allowed herself to follow his heartbeat again, calming her chest. It felt like ages before she felt herself finally get back to a feeling of normal. Gosh, she could only imagine what she looked like now. But…he was still here. He didn’t run or show any disgust. Jack really did manage to catch Aofie in some of her worst moments. It reminded her of how they first met, in the rain – needing to replace a tire.
An exhaled breath was let out before she continued. “My co-worker Laura was with me when it all happened. They were looking for my co-worker, Patrick. We knew he was having money issues, as his wife is very pregnant. We were all thinking he was a bit stressed and wanted some extra hours before his baby was born.” Aofie stopped, catching her breath – fiddling with the fabric in her hands. “The men were very intrusive about their questions. Claiming he owed them a lot of money. We thought it was because his wife couldn’t work…but it was because he had gambled and borrowed money he didn’t have.” Aofie frowned, angry at Patrick for putting not only his family but everyone else around him in danger.
“I told them, I didn’t know where he was – or his schedule for the next few days. My adrenaline must’ve made me a bit braver, as I threatened them back. Saying I would happily identify them to the authorities…Then they reached for Laura, and I…shoved him. After that...it was all a blur. Witnesses said they left, annoyed.”
Aofie sighed, pressing more into Jack if it was scientifically possible. “We closed early. I made sure Laura got home safe. Her husband picked her up. I drove to the police station and had an officer follow me home...I just...” Her head ached, and she winced at the sudden twinge of pain.
Eyes looked at Jack’s face, as Aofie blindly reached for a hand. “Stay with me tonight?” she asked. Her words lingered, not quite knowing if it was the correct thing to say.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
The tea was shakingly poured. Time slowed down again, only to be picked up with the knocking. She jumped, scalding herself for a second when the tea leaped out of her cup. Aofie cursed at herself but was happy to see Jack’s barreling chest in her digital doorbell camera.
“Coming!” she called out and answered the door. Mere seconds after letting him in, Aofie had her arms around him – face into his chest. She was extra mousy now, just taking in his scent, his warmth. It was like every pulsating heartbeat that pounded into her ears and calmed her breathing. Aofie stood there, silent as ben, minus a few hiccups, of course.
She finally looked up at him, eyes red and most definitely looking like a raccoon. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Some men…” she choked. “They came into work, a-a-and started threatening everyone in there.” Her words were stammered, trying to hold back more tears that were welling up. “I’m afraid,” she wailed. “Th-they scared children...making them cry, and I—"Aofie’s attempts to hold back left her, like fresh air. Wet hiccups, snot. She released him, hands reaching for her hanker chief to wipe her face. The now slowly growing red spot from her tea, stinging.
October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.
It took a lot for Aofie not to cry all the way home. Work ended on a note that she could never fathom dealing with again. The security couldn’t do anything, other than make sure she got to her car okay. How could a co-worker’s gambling addiction become a problem for those around them? Aofie knew Patrick was dealing with money problems, often snatching up extra shifts at work. Everyone knew his wife was pregnant with their first child which was due soon. But no one would ever guess that it was because he had entered a boiling cauldron.
Her instincts kicked in and she drove to the city police station, requesting an officer follow her home to make sure no one-tailed her. They thankfully obliged, and Aofie would write the station a lovely letter and send some cookies for their time.
When she got home, Aofie barely made it behind her front door. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the flight response was settling. Her body shivered and ached. The poor dogs knew something was up when Aofie slipped off her shoes and flopped onto the couch.
Her face was now all scrunched, wet, and becoming puffy. Her brother was out of town, but there was someone that could come over, right? Aofie picked up her phone and dialed. It wasn’t too late, and she wasn’t expecting him to answer anyway. “Jack..” she whispered when she was sent to voice mail. “Can you please come over after work? I..need you..please.” Aofie didn’t know if he could hear her sniffling, clogged-up nose, or if she was even understandable.
She ended the voicemail and told herself she had to get herself together. Warm. She needed something warm. Aofie started the kettle and sat back down. Her chest hurt from the heavy breathing.
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