The Stables

[Administrator]

Here's where the champions are kept, careful, people snooping back here can get in trouble!

[mason]

Mason stood at the entrance of the stables talking to another man. It was the end of another word day and Mason was ready to get home but he couldn't resist a quick friendly chat with the jockey. You never knew what sort of information you could get simply by talking to the right people.

So far, Mason had managed to get a few good bets in, making a bit of extra money of the side, most of which was being saved for a rainy day or in case he ever needed it to fund some new scheme to get him some place better in life.

"Ah know, ah tink it was dat udder guy! Dat bon rien what did dat," he said, agreeing with the man who was complaining about some of the other jockeys, claiming that he had sabotaged his horse some how. Mason only wondered why he hadn't thought of that before. It was a little extreme in his case but if the price was right, who was he to deny it. Although he wasn't quite there yet, he filed that thought for another day.

Soon the conversation ended and Mason found himself a new friend, someone he could have a casual chat with and learn where to place his bets in the future. Being friendly and sociable definitely had its benefits. Turning around as the man left, he moved back into the stables only to find someone else there..

[Roisin Dubh]

Roisin had finished selling semi-early, and the prospect of a bit of extra time was an exciting one. Since her arrival in New York, she had done little but sell and learn the layout of the borough she now called home. However, she was fairly good with directions, so it hadn’t taken her too long to become somewhat comfortable in finding her way around, which was why she felt it was time to branch out a bit. She decided to head into Brooklyn, as she had overheard some of the boys talking about Sheepshead Bay, and though horses racing was extremely popular in Ireland, she herself had never been to a race before, as the track in Dublin had been in a neighborhood that was on unfriendly terms with her own.

She had heard Brooklyn could be a bit rough, but she figured that if she spent the extra money to take a streetcar, she should be there and back before dark without much trouble. However, when she finally arrived at the track, she was disappointed to learn that she had just missed the last race. Not wanting to waste her money or the trip, she wandered around the emptying track, eventually making her way to the stables. Though she was pretty sure she wasn’t supposed to be there, she didn’t see anyone around, and the lure of seeing the magnificent horses was strong. Surely a moment would do no harm, she thought to herself as she glanced around one last time before darting into the open door.

Her green eyes sparkling with delight, she gazed at the row of stalls and the beautiful animals they contained. She had seen plenty of tired, worn out cart horses, and even some finer carriage horses, but none that she had seen compared to the tall, sleek animals before her. Unable to control her curiosity, she ventured further into the stable and approached one of the stalls.

[mason]

A few things changed in Mason's overall demeanor. First, his head lowered slightly, and eyes narrowed on the form in front of him. Then his thumbs slipped through the bas of his suspenders and he stood a little straight as a smile slowly formed, before making his way up to the beautiful girl that was there.

Most women were beautiful to Mason but only because he was a lover not a fighter, or so he liked to think. Moving up beside her, Mason leaned against one of the beams that supported the stalls and crossed his arms as he looked at her with a smirk.

"What are you doin'?," he asked, though it was obvious she wasn't doing much at all. Despite seeming perfectly harmless, she wasn't suppose to be in here but who was Mason to turn away a pretty girl? No, he couldn't simply tell her to leave, beside she had stopped stopped in front of the stalls with a race horse inside.

"You lak [like] de horse Chérie?" he asked, his accent was far from being lost and Mason never liked the idea of trying to change just because he was in a different place. Assimilation was not something that appealed to him, especially when diversity was so much more interesting.

[Roisin Dubh]

Roisin moved a bit closer to the stall, wanting to see the horse within clearly. She knew better than to try to get too close, as she knew horses, and especially thoroughbreds, could be a bit high strung, and she had no desire to excite the animal. No, all she wanted to do was get a closer look. Intent as she was on the stall before her, a slight shuffle alerted her that she was no longer alone, and she stilled, wondering if she had time to make an escape, as she didn’t know how much trouble being caught in here would land her in. Figuring it would look less suspicious if she just told the truth than if she were to run and get caught, Roisin widened her green eyes innocently as she turned to watch the man approach her.

When he leaned against the beam beside her and smirked, Roisin relaxed just a little. He didn’t look angry, which was good, she thought, looking him over discreetly. She shrugged a bit and gave him a sheepish grin. “Was just lookin’ at the horses, an’ no’ meanin’ any harm,” she said, keeping her eyes on him as she backed slightly away from the stall. Her gaze flickered briefly to the door that was now behind him, and she inched just a little in it’s direction, just in case her initial impression of the man was wrong and she did have to try to run.

That he had voiced another question, Roisin could tell by his tone, but it took her a moment to answer as she tried to sort out the words. The New York accents she was surrounded by were hard enough to understand, at times, though the fact that she heard so many of them on a daily basis had made it fairly easy to acclimate herself to them. But this accent…. She wondered where he was from, but thought it rude to ask. Instead, she smiled again, though this time it was more genuine as she glanced back towards the stall and the horse within it. “O’ course…. Who wouldn’t like such a beautiful animal?” she asked her eyes back on the man even as she inched a little further towards the door, though she knew she had little chance of making it past him, and hoping she’d not need to run anyway.

[mason]

"I see dat, but don' let de boss catch you 'round 'ere," he warned her with the same friendly smile. He didn't mind a pretty girl or two in the stables when it was just him. In fact, Mason would never turn down the company of a pretty thing like her in any time or place.

She seemed a little unsure of him but Mason just smiled at her. He meant her no harm and his demeanor showed that. He didn't need to go out of his way to convince her if she was still wary of him. Mason smiled when she said 'of course'.

"You wanna meet him?" he asked with a smile as a hand brushed against the lock, flipping it open. The boss wasn't going to be anywhere around now that the races were all over for the day so the stables were really all in his hands for now.

Pushing the gate open, he kept an eye on her but he was still smiling and he moved in and led the horse out. The animal was rather still, except for the few steps it took and the way its ears moved around a bit.

"He won' hurt you Cherie, he laks the pretty girls," he assured her, managing to pay her a compliment as he held on to the horse's bridle, to keep it from running off. He knew it wouldn't but it was better to be safe than sorry and Mason didn't need to be getting into trouble for it.

"His name's Magnus," he told her. It was a grand name for a grand horse. Magnus was a favorite around these parts. He had won a few races already and was quickly gaining in popularity. "You can touch him, he don' bite," he said with a grin, urging her to come closer. You can touch me too, I don't bite either, he thought to himself. No, Mason could never resist a pretty girl but he knew how to be nice about it and not go too far, at least outside of his own head.

[Roisin Dubh]

Roisin eyed the door one last time, considering the man’s offer. He, himself, didn’t seem in any way threatening, and that just left the chance of getting caught where she didn’t belong by the boss he had mentioned. But as he clearly had every right to be there and seemed in no hurry to make her leave, she got the impression that maybe, for the moment, she wasn’t in much danger. Turning back to him with an impish grin, she nodded.

Stepping back out of the way to give him room, she studied him as he slipped into the stall to lead the horse out. He’s a handsome one, to be sure, she thought, and not as old as she had first guessed. In fact, he didn’t look to be much older than herself. Her study of him was put on hold as he led the horse out and her attention was drawn back to the magnificent creature. Though he stood still, his ears twitched, and Roisin could see the intelligence in the eyes that watched her.

Her eyes darted back to the man and she arched an eyebrow at the off handed compliment. She smirked a bit, as, though she could believe the horse wouldn’t hurt her, she hardly thought the fact that she was a girl, pretty or otherwise, had anything to do with it. More like his groom likes pretty lasses, she thought, though she didn’t mind, as she’d been known to admire a handsome lad, and this one was certainly that.

“Magnus?” she replied, inching a bit closer. “An odd name, but no’ a bad one…. Does it mean anythin’, then?” At his invitation, she flashed him a delighted grin as she moved to stand beside him. Reaching up, she trailed her hand slowly down Magnus’ neck, marveling as the powerful animal’s muscles twitched lightly under her hand.

“Oh, it’s a lovely one, ya are,” she cooed to Magnus as she reached her other hand up to softly scratch his velvety nose. Though the words were, in fact, meant for the horse, she couldn’t help but dart a glance at the man holding him as she said them.

Roisin knew next to nothing about horses, especially fine ones like this one, but to her, Magnus looked every bit a champion. She turned to the man beside her and looked up, interest in her eyes and a smile playing about her lips. “Does he win much?” she asked, though she thought that even if the answer were no, it would in no way change her view of the animal in question.

[mason]

She was a little quiet this one but that often only encouraged Mason further. The quiet ones were always up to something in his experience. The smirk that came in response to his subtle compliment just made him smile again. She read into that, well good, she should!

"It does," he told her, getting a better look at the girl as she approached. She definitely was a pretty thing. "Means Great," he told her. "And he is," he told her, almost as though he were actually proud of the animal for its accomplishments. He was happy about it, sure, but only because it had never let him down in a race he bet on before.

Mason just watched the girl as she ran her hand over the horse. He kept his eyes on her and his smile in place. Moving forward and around to the front of the animal he continue watch her. She had even glanced his way and that was always a good sign, it was just more encouragement, not that the man needed it.

"He's new 'round here but he wins a lot," he told her girl. Much like him. Mason hadn't been in New York for a very long time but he had luck on his side too.

"I tink he laks you Cherie," he told her, though his eyes were on her and not the horse. Magnus was still fairly calm, as though he were being inspected by a propective buyer or someone of importance. Magnus was a beautiful animal and well-trained too. He may have won a lot of races but beautiful girls won Moson's attention every time.

[Roisin Dubh]

Roisin’s eyes kept darting towards the man. That he was watching her closely, she could feel, and that fact might have alarmed her had his smile not been so friendly. Not to mention the fact that he was handsome enough that she was hard-pressed not to watch him right back in a way that might be considered too bold. Not that Roisin had any problems with that, still, she didn’t know him, and there was no sense throwing the door wide open for trouble right off the get go.

She thought Magnus’ name suited him, for anyone with eyes could see the power and speed concealed in the sleek animal. The lean muscles and long legs, the proud arch of his neck…. Oh, aye, Roisin didn’t need to be knowledgeable of horses to see that this one was a great animal to be sure. She continued to run her hands over his smooth neck, venturing a little higher to scratch gently at the base of his ears.

Roisin smiled to herself. Magnus wasn’t the only newcomer on a bit of a lucky streak. Her luck that had started on the day she found herself on the doorstep of the Queens lodging house where she met Prince had stayed true in the following weeks, and she silently wished that both herself and the horse beside her would continue to enjoy good fortune.

Feeling his gaze still on her as he spoke, her eyes darted to the stranger once more, a mischievous twinkle in their green depths. “How can ya tell, then?” she asked, her eyes drifting back to Magnus. She studied the animal for a moment, noting the well behaved way he held himself. “Perhaps…” she began, her eyes straying back to the man as a slightly teasing smile curved her lips. “Perhaps he is just extremely well trained, and cares no’ one bit for me at all, aye?”

[mason]

"It's my job to know dese [these] tings [things]," he told her with all the confidence in the world. He knew horses well enough but what he knew better was how to figure out which ones to bet on.

Mason was always up to something and should a good opportunity arise, he rarely had it in him to turn it down. Easy money was a thing he enjoyed and he would gladly put in a bit of effort of a big pay off in the end.

"Well then dat's his loss because anyone who meets you would lak you, no?" he replied the smile he had was bordering on a smirk for a moment as he watched the girl.

He didn't know this girl but she seemed fairly harmless. Unfortunately, Mason was never immediately wary of any female, which meant that they could easily trick or manipulate him. It was one of the downfalls that he had to live with but so far things hadn't gone badly in that department.

[Roisin Dubh]

Roisin smirked back at him and gave a rather unladylike snort of laughter. “Well, I don’t know about anyone….” she replied with a shake of her head. “Though some seem t’ like me well enough.” She studied him a moment longer before turning to look around the rest of the stable, her hand still trailing absently over Magnus’ neck. Though the horse beside her was the only one she’d seen, she could tell by the shuffling sounds and the quiet snorts that there were more horses in the stalls further down.

“Do ya take care o’ them all?” she asked, gesturing towards the rest of the stable. It seemed like a pleasant place to work, at least after the races were over. She imagined it could get plenty hectic during the day. But right now it was quiet, and since the man didn’t seem to have anything to do at the moment but talk to her, she thought that if she had a job like this, it would be the perfect place to read. The sounds of the horses were soothing, and if one needed to talk, well, she figured a horse was as good a listener as any, and one didn’t have to worry about them spreading one’s business about.

“I came t’ see the races, but I got here too late. I’ve no’ ever seen one, though the lads at the lodgin’ house say they’re great fun. Bet ya’ve seen a lot o’ them, aye?” She laughed a little at her eager tone as she shifted her weight a bit from side to side. As exciting as the thought of one seemed to her, she figured horse racing was the same as anything else. Once you’d seen so many of them, or they became what one was used to, it lost some of the magic.

[mason]

Mason just smiled at her words, getting much too distracted, he barely paid any attention to the horse at all until it stamped it finally moved a little, nudging him with its head. Mason just laugh.

"Get back in dere," he said to it, pushing it back gentle, leading it back in. The horse was probably just tired of simply standing around with two people just talking but Mason had expected it to do that at some point.

"Most o' de time I do but it's not just me doin' all de work," he told her. He wasn't here all the time, hardly enough to do all the work but he did take care of each of the horses there. He knew them as well as their trainers and jockeys knew them. It was important for him though with the way he managed to earn a bit of extra cash.

"I've seen enough to last a lifetime Cherie," he told her. "Don't come so late next time and maybe you'll see one too," he suggested with a smile. Not everyone had been to a race, he wasn't all that surprised that she hadn't seen one. Most people had to work for a living so races when so much of a priority.

[Roisin Dubh]

Roisin’s attention was brought back to the horse beside her as it stamped a little and nudged the man with it’s head. She chuckled a bit at the sight, her smile widening even more in response to the man’s. She couldn’t help but think that he had one of the friendliest smiles she’d seen in a long time. She watched for a moment as he led the horse back into the stall, then gazed around again, noticing the lengthening shadows.

She nodded. She hadn’t really thought that he was the only one that worked there, though the quietness of the place at the moment made it seem otherwise. But still, even with others, it seemed like it would be difficult in its own way, trying to keep all the horses straight. Not unlike trying to keep the kids in the lodging house straight, she mused, though the atmosphere, at least for the moment, was much calmer here.

Roisin laughed at his teasing tone. “If I get another opportunity t’ get over this way, I’ll certainly keep that in mind,” she replied, returning his smile. She hoped that she would, as now that she’d seen one of the horses up close, she was even more intrigued by the thought of seeing them fly around the track.

Looking around, she again noticed that it was getting darker. She let out a small, reluctant sigh, her eyes on the man. “Thank you for showin’ me Magnus, sir. Was very kind o’ ya. I should get home and let ya do your job, aye?” She found that she didn’t really want to leave the peacefulness of the stable, though she knew she should if she were going to get back to Queens before it got too late.

[mason]

Mason just smiled at the girl. He knew she would be back if she could. The pretty girls always come back when they knew he would be there.. Or perhaps he was too sure of himself. Either way, that smile had never failed him before, except that one back back in Louisiana with that crazy old lady and her granddaughter who.. No, that was a story for another day and a situation that Mason didn't care to be caught in again.

Mason hadn't minded the company but when the girl that she should get home, he took a quick look outside. It was getting a little later in the day it was no where near getting dark just yet.

"Or you could stay help me?," Mason suggested. There was always something to do and it was an excuse to keep her a around a little longer if she wanted to stay. She did say that she 'should' get home and not that she 'had' to and although this was just a subtle little hint, Mason picked up on it quickly.

It was how he managed to do so well here. Putting all the pieces together the way he did. He could overhear two trainers having a conversation about the weather and know if one's a little less than confident about his horse's ability to race. It was a useful skill and so far it had paid off and helped keep him out of too much trouble.

[Roisin Dubh]

Roisin had half turned towards the door when the man’s words registered. Stay and help? She turned back to him, one eyebrow raised, then glanced around the stable again before taking a quick glance down at her clothes. It wasn’t that she minded helping, though she didn’t have the first clue what she would do, but the clothes that she had on, while slightly worn and faded, were still her best, as she had deemed the outing worth dressing up a bit for. She now wished she hadn’t been so frivolously silly and had instead wore the shirt and trousers she so often wore when selling, though, she reasoned, had she done so, he probably wouldn’t be so willing of her company.

“Or, I could stay and help ya….” she flashed him a smirk, her eyes dancing with laughter. She hadn’t really wanted to leave anyway, she just hadn’t wanted to be in his way. And the fact wasn’t entirely owed to the curiosity she felt towards the man, either, though that certainly played a part in it. But beyond that, Roisin was just more than willing to work. She liked new experiences and learning new things, no matter how big or small, and she had never minded rolling her sleeves up and getting dirty just for the sake of it. Her willingness to do so was one of the reasons that even after she grew too old to continue her charade as a boy, the lads back in Dublin had been in no hurry to toss her from the ranks.

Deciding that potentially dirty clothes were a small price to pay for the novelty of what was being offered, she gave the man a nod, the smirk spreading to a full smile. “If you’re sure I’ll no’ be in your way, that is,” she amended, for though she was eager to do something new, she didn’t want to do so at the expense of his patience.

A small part of her did caution that she should, in fact be getting home if she wanted to ensure that she was back before dark, but she shrugged it off, as she figured even if she did linger too long, the streetcar would be safe enough, and once she was back in Queens she really didn’t care. It was only Brooklyn she was worried about, for she had heard plenty of stories about the rough borough, and though she wasn’t one to believe everything she heard, some warnings were better to heed, at least until she found out otherwise. The last of her few reserves put to rest for now, she stood watching him, not bothering to try and conceal her interest.

“What can I do, then, for I’ve no’ spent any time in a stable,” she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.