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!.
”Definitely! Horses with character are the best!" She grinned, glad the woman agreed. Whilst the mild one's were excellent for teaching and real troopers for putting up with things, she just enjoyed the unpredictability sometimes and being kept on her toes. She did demand respect from her horses, you had to especially with a stallion, but a little quirkiness was always good fun. "No need to have it too easy, right?" She joked, even if her two weren't particularly naughty - the odd buck but generally more likely to rear, it was always excitement and the very occasional one from attitude.
”Hopefully it was just a freak accident. .but if it was arson I hope they lock them away for good.” She nodded, her eyes glancing to the sweet mare behind her owner. "I hope so too, I don't think they know much yet about how it was started so it hasn't been ruled arson just yet." But it was looking a lot like it. "I never understand how people can hurt animals," it was like the dog shelters, full of all types and ages, she would save them all if she could.
"Nova is actually pretty loving when she wants to be, besides the boredom escapes she's been the best mare I've had so far." Katerina smiled as she glanced to the mare in question, watching her glance to the chatting humans as if wondering what they were discussing. "The quirky one's always are the best," Not that wanting to escape was quirky, but she found the one's that had a little bit of 'something' about them tended to be the one's that did the best, had the talent or the drive to go far. Her's weren't particularly quirky either but they had the breeding and training to be naturally talented without too much crazy.
She grinned back at Riley. "No unplanned pregnancies please madam." A small laugh but a nod in agreement. "I will agree with that, thank you." Not that it would be such a ball ache for her, but it would make things complicated - and a little awkward. Her heard dropped a little to talk of the fire. "I don't know how someone could be so cruel and evil" Kat nodded, whole heartedly agreeing. "I don't understand it either, any lover of horses would never do such a thing. It had to be a random attack." Though it felt targeted, she didn't understand how or why someone would do it.
"Yeah, if she was out alone she tends to get bored and go looking for trouble.” she smiled, glancing at the mare with a knowing look. "don't we all," she agreed, though she couldn't say she'd been causing trouble since moving to England, back home she had always been on the lookout for adventure when she'd been bored. She was getting braver in this foreign country as exploring, though it would be nice to have friends to do it with. She couldn't say she was a troublemaker, though the odd trouble did occasionally follow in her wake.
”Ah an easy life’s over-rated. .I’ve had mares all my life and they’ve all been tetchy” Kat smiled and nodded an agreement. "My other horse is a mare, and she can be somewhat more temperamental but she is the easier to handle " though both her horses had manners and were well behaved most of the time, her mare was more likely to do as she should from the word go, but did argue back when she was told off for not listening properly. ”Nice to meet you too Katerina. . if Croatian is as handsome as his name I get why Nova took a shine to him.” she grinned and nodded again. "I am perhaps a little biased but she has picked herself the finest looking man in the stable." ”Ahh of course the fire. . I’ve been away for a while and only just heard about it. . did all of the horses get out okay?” Her smile fell to think of the fire and all it had caused. "Luckily yes, everyone was able to get out with only minor injuries but it is still such a shock. An awful thing to happen." and the fact that they thought it to be intentional...all the worse.
"Nope but i've had a few suitors jump over barrels for me" Katerina laughed, delighted to find that the stranger had a sense of humour - much better than if she'd accidentally put her foot in the situation by making an inappropriate joke. "As they should," She agreed, forget wrapping around your finger, that was far too low key. "Yeah that could work. .hopefully there was just a railing down and she spotted a chance to explore." Kat nodded, "I'm not sure what was the cause, perhaps even something going on that riled her up enough to go for it?" She didn't know the mare so could only guess, but if the yard was busy hers often got excited and were prone to idiot moves.
She smiled easily at the look of relief, not that she would have held anything against the woman anyway - they were horses, things happened, and this was the drama with having a stallion anyway. "oh good, i'm glad." Kat shrugged, "It's fine, if I wanted an easier life I should have gotten a gelding," she said lightly, though he had been a gift from her father and was a fine stallion. "I'm Riley, houdini here is Nova. . have you boarded here long?" Her smile widened at the introduction. "Nice to meet you Riley...and Nova. I am Katerina, her new boyfriend is called Croatian, he's just down the barn." Though far enough away that the mares stables nearby weren't an issue. "I actually board at Blue Acre but.. for obvious reasons... I am temporarily here."
”I’ve been telling Lily those fences aren’t high enough for years. .ah yes that would be my mare, much like her mother, loves a good tease” Kat laughed lightly, "I hope you do not feel the need to hop fences for it however?" She joked back. The fences were in good repair luckily, and her stallion's field was the correct height - which was likely why he hadn't been able to get through to her - but perhaps some of the other post and rail needed a little extra on top. "It might be worth adding a line of electric tape around the other fields, much like the stallions have," It certainly stopped them from thinking about jumping.
”Is your horse okay? Not too wound up I hope.” She nodded with an easy smile. "He is fine, just a superficial cut - no harm done." which was lucky, considering stallions, but hers was generally one with better manners than she'd seen in other males. ”No, you’ve been a trouble-maker, no treats for you” Katerina chuckled and stepped forward to offer the mare a pat, glancing at the other woman to check she was alright to do so first. "I'm Katerina, by the way." She realised it might be worth giving a name, to make this less awkward.
Katerina smiled past her mother's make up comment; she had only dabbed on a little to make herself look fresh, and stepped forward to take their coats, reaching in to give her father a kiss on his cheek. "He will be with us shortly, he is working." She'd been disappointed when he'd pulled away to roll out of bed early this morning, but she'd gotten up to make a start on the day; reluctantly. Her father frowned and Kat bit back a sigh, wanting to get in quickly before her father could dwell. "How was your journey?" She asked, putting their coats up on the hanger, just at Milo appeared. She tried not to look relieved.
"Katerina, do we have company?" She turned to him, a sweet smile already on her face and she nodded. "Yes, please meet my father, and mother." She introduced, though they all knew each others names. Her father took the offered hand with a firm shake. "Milo Jaeger, senior De Luca." "Pleased to meet you," He took back his hand and then had a look around the entryway, as his wife was already doing. "You have a lovely home." Kat's mother complimented, her English a little more stilted. Both her parents spoke good English - her father was better than Kat, and she was better than her mother. "Would you like to come through?" She asked them, trying not to cringe at how awkward and stiff this felt. She was putting on a show, and she hated it.
Kat took a moment to watch the drift of the white clouds across the spring sky, the setting really was so beautiful she hoped they could come back to this spot again. Though she didn't know if the food stood up to good standards yet, surely the scenery could make up for it if not. She had always loved countryside, it was one of her favourite things about home, the incredible views. England had it's own charm, and she hoped to find more of it as she explored more of the country.
"Feelings - especially feelings of lust fueled by alcohol - can be deceiving in the morning. I didn't want to do something either one of us might have regretted," Katerina mulled over his reasons, and then gave a fair nod. "I can agree with that," He made sense, she would not have wanted him to think he was taking advantage, though she did not think she would end up regretting anything they might get up to.
"I want you to be sure - us to be sure - that the feelings are true and mutual. Our meeting is not conventional and it adds its own issues." Kat took a sip of her drink to gather her thoughts, which wildly jumped back and forth as his responses brought her own questions to mind. "I know that it is a big deal," She looked back to him, wanting the use of eye contact to show she meant he words. "But I want you to know that I trust you, and whilst this has been far from conventional, it makes our story just as interesting as if we'd met making curious eyes across a park." She smiled, teasing a little. "We could always role play." She raised an eyebrow curiously.
Katerina had checked everything about three times already, but once more didn't hurt. She was nervous, incredibly so, and it showed in her anxious energy and the slight shaking her hands as she checked the casserole cooking merrily in the oven, and ran her clean hands over her pretty dress - smoothing it out... again. Everything had to be perfect. It was funny, at home, she had often run away from her responsibilities at home, spending days whittling away hours at the barn or in town, hiding away somewhere on a random hilltop painting the countryside where her parents couldn't find her, or laughing as her horses galloped along grassy paths and the wind whipped around her. Not caring how she looked or how she cooked. Her mother had dragged her in every night and forced her to learn things that her husband would expect her to be good at - play an instrument, sing, cook, clean. Very boring really, though she had come to enjoy some cooking now she was on her own with it. She liked to put songs on and sing along as she cooked, sometimes dancing.
She had cleaned the entire house from top to bottom, and she'd made fresh bread for the morning's breakfast, and a casserole for their evening sit down dinner, knowing her parents would like it and checking with Milo the same for his. She knew this mattered to her, and that was why she was scared. Milo's parents opinion of her mattered, this would be the first time they met. It mattered that everything went well with both families, that her parents were proud of her, and most importantly, it mattered for Milo. She didn't want to embaras him. It was why she'd made sure everything looked spotless, including herself- not a hair out of place, not too much make up. Her mother would pick holes in something, of that she was sure, but she would do her best.
Kat let out a quick exhale and glanced at the wall clock, running another hand over her hair and trying to rearrange her features into less of a 'bunny in headlights'expression. The doorbell went. She swallowed, and plastered a warm smile on her face, going to open the door to greet whoever was on time first. Her smile widened as she saw them, and she no longer needed to try so hard. "Mama! Papa!" She was enveloped in a tight hug first from her mother, and then from her father, melting a little into their embraces as their familiar feel and scent overwhelmed her. She had missed them, she couldn't deny it, even without their restricting hands around her neck. "Please, come in." She stepped back to allow them entrance. "Katerina," Her mother said warmly, touching her cheek and then removing her coat. "nascondi il viso dietro tanto trucco" She gave a quiet tut and then her father was in, shutting the door behind him. "e dov'è Milo"
Translation - "you hide your face behind so much makeup" and then "and Where is Milo?"
She half smiled as she caught his look - she liked surprising him, it amused her. She knew he was hard to read, and that perhaps she might be more difficult that she thought too - she had come to England shy and timid, but that wasn't her real self. She had always been a little bit wild, had always loved a challenge and been the first to adventure. Her brother had been the grounded, serious one. A new country and a town full of strangers and the warnings ringing in her ears from her family of how she was to behave - meak and mild and to behave for her husband, made it hard to know how to act sometimes. But the more comfortable she felt around Milo, the more she stuck her head out of her shell.
Glancing up at the cafe, she thought it looked quite quaint, and she was looking forward to something to eat. "Let's get seated before we breach that topic, shall we?" Kat nodded, agreeing that being sat and settled would be a good idea. She headed inside first, as he was always so chivalrous, and following the waitress over to a lovely table with a beautiful view of the river. "This is wonderful," she commented, a soft smile on her face as she enjoyed the feeling of the somewhat warm sun on her skin, tilted her face to take it in. She took a glass and had a sip as the menu's were placed and they were left alone.
"I...I am sorry I hurt you," Kat took his gaze and held it, her confidence was rising in herself and she preferred eye contact, she knew it could be seen as challenging, but the more she got to know Milo, the more she felt he wanted it that way, and not her looking down all the time as her father had told her to. "I hope you know it was not my intention." She didn't understand how he had jumped to that conclusion. "You did not hurt me, quite the contrary." Kat flushed, rose blooming on her high cheekbones at the memory of their night. "Why would you think that?" She glanced down at her drink for a moment. "I have feelings for you, I enjoyed our evening... I want it to be.. natural," She glanced back to him, hoping he understood what she meant - she didn't want them to hold back in worry or question everything. It had felt natural to kiss him, they should do that if they wanted to.
"Of course. There are a few lovely cafes on the way - I think one of them would be quite pleasant," Kat smiled and nodded, stepping through the door before him as he held it open and took in a breath of the hopeful Spring air. "That would be nice," she agreed, there was enough warmth in the air that the walk would be nice and it might even be nice enough to sit outside for a brief minute.
She felt better now that she had the ring, it felt more set - but it didn't scare her anymore, she was starting to know Milo now, she liked him, she was attracted to him, and she'd been able to pick the ring herself. He knew her too, he was attracted to her too, and it felt like they were becoming a more natural couple. She relaxed, settling into his company.
"This way," She smiled again and took his offered arm, slipping hers around his and drawing a little closer as they wandered through the quaint street. "This is lovely, thank you," she said, knowing she didn't need to thank him but she was enjoying herself. She could see this in the future - the two of them going out for afternoons, the sun warm on their backs, just enjoying each others company. Her mind slid through a few different topics as they strolled, "Should we... talk about the other night?" She asked curiously, knowing that it was still sitting there awkwardly between them, a small elephant.
Kat saw the other woman's slight frown and hoped for a second she hadn't just overstepped the mark. She had spent her first few months at Hickstead keeping to herself, trying to adjust to England and it's customs and cold, before branching out - the arrival of her horses had helped get her out into the world more, and her naturally chatty and outgoing self which had been somewhat squashed was beginning to reappear, but she was still unsure and still hesitate about upsetting someone. She had to live here, she didn't want to make life difficult for herself, but back home in her little village she was used to just talking to everyone and anyone. She forgot that England wasn't always such an open place.
”I leave you alone for a couple weeks and of course you get into trouble the day I come back. .what did she do?” The tone was friendly and Kat relaxed a little, her smile widened a little, liking the amusing reprimand the woman gave her horse - it sounded like something Kat would say to hers, in fact it was like what she was just saying. "Just a little field hopping, the grass is always greener. Unfortunately she decided to tease my stallion, who was most frustrated about the fence between them." She laughed lightly, after all there was no harm done from it.
"Stai fermo, amore mio. Ho quasi finito." She muttered to the horse as Croatian snorted and shuffled, shifting away from where Katerina crouched by his feet, checking out a small cut he'd managed to give himself having wonderful fun in the field. One of the mares had managed to clambour into the paddock next door, and being a typical stallion, Croatian had pranced about like an absolute moron trying to show off. He'd started striking at the fence between them and ended up slicing his foreleg in, what luckily appeared to be a superficial cut. "Stupido sciocco" But she said the words affectionately as she finished cleaning it and left the dirty swabs in the warm water. It wasn't bad enough to need anything more now that she'd cleaned it out, it would be best to leave it open to air. She hoped it didn't swell, and stood up with a sigh, bucket in hand.
She gave the stallion a quick pat on his bulging grey neck, smiling when he turned his great head to blow on her face. "Sì, mi ami davvero, vero." Rolling her eyes, the Italian slipped naturally from her lips and she left the stall with all her medical supplies, ready to clean up. It was weird, being in another stables, but they had all been quite welcoming so far and she'd had no trouble - accidents happened, like today, she didn't hold it against the yard. Speaking of... as she headed down the barn with the bucket of dirty water and swabs, she caught sight of someone outside of the offending escapees stable and she paused. "She's probably tired herself out after such a busy day, visiting other paddocks." She added a smile so the woman would know there was no malice, her voice soft, the English words lilted with her Italian accent.
"If it makes you happy," Kat nodded, looking down at the ring again and picturing showing it to people - it fit, she had always liked simple designs, it was more about meaning to her, not money or size. "I don't honestly need a huge rock," She said lightly, knowing she had joked about it - she'd been a little worried he would take it to heart and come back with something similar to the heart of the ocean in Titanic, but thankfully not. "Can we have the first ring? No tags - I believe my fiancée is long overdue for one. I will have the box on the side." She blushed faintly, it was technically overdue but their engagement wasn't the usual way of doing things - you didn't normally show up to a stranger's house already engaged.
"Of course sir," She smiled at the woman and gave a polite but genuine, "Thank you." she'd been very professional but kindly, not pushing. Some places would nudge you toward the most expensive they could find if they knew you had money, she'd found that before. She leaned closer to Milo, inhaling his welcoming, homely scent and peering up at him. "I believe the wedding bands you'd like will be at the other vendor, It's a bit of a walk but if the weather holds, it should be nice. Are you hungry?" She nodded, knowing that he would have a better understanding of the places to go, and now he knew her taste. "A little," She admitted, "Perhaps...lunch?" She asked, thinking it might be nice to make this a day whilst he wasn't working.
"Would you like to look at some others?" Kat nodded, thinking it was probably best to look at others anyway - she'd always been told it was best not to buy the first thing you saw. She felt she was likely to come back to this one though, there was something about it that felt like her. "Please, you can be honest with me. Don't look at the price - I want you to like it when you look at it." She gazed up at him, caught by the blue intensity of his gaze. He knew her already- the price was a huge factor when looking at these rings. She knew that he could afford it, but that didn't mean he needed to pay it. She'd take a plastic one out of a cracker if it had sentimental value; not that her parents would allow it.
"I do quite like this one," She admitted, blushing faintly and dropping her eyes. She couldn't look at him too long without remembering what it felt like to kiss him, and thinking that she might quite like to do that again. "It feels like... me?" She hoped that didn't sound ridiculous, but she wasn't flashy, and this was pretty even with it's simplicity. Kat glanced over the other options that were brought out for her to check out, taking them in and pursing her lips curiously, but none of them pulled her eyes quite like the other one and she glanced back over to where it was, comparing. "The first one still, I think."
She felt Milo at her shoulder, hyper aware of his presence behind her and she tried not to react - focusing instead on the ring on her finger and how it looked there. It seemed to fit, more than she'd thought it would and though she was trying to ignore the expensive price tag it was certainly less than most of the others. She was the same with her jewelry, she liked simple pieces, nothing too in your face or ridiculous - her dad had brought her a lot over the years but he'd seemed to know what she liked and she'd been able to stop returning them to the stores for being too outlandish and had taken to wearing them instead.
"May I?" She shivered slightly to find his lips so close to her ear, the warm brush of his breath made her feel something akin to the other night together - and now was not the time or place. She cleared her throat slightly at the touch of his hand on hers, she really needed to get a handle on herself before he noticed; if he hadn't already. "Questo ti fa piacere?" His Italian was improving and she smiled softly, glancing from the ring back to him, realising their faces were closer than she realised and looking back down again to avoid thinking of the last time they were so close. "Si, it's beautiful." She murmured, admiring the ring a moment longer before slipping it off to return it.