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Jordan waved her thanks away and nodded at her plan. "It's no problem at all." He ushered her out of the house and followed, ready to head to the stable. "Maybe I'll see you around." He said awkwardly, before turning and walking briskly back toward the barn. . On the whole walk back, Jordan's mind was half swirling and half at ease. He was glad that he had been able to help Hazel and that she was now hopefully out of his life forever, but he was also worried about her. She was so confused and lost, for whatever reason. He felt like he had the obligation to continue helping her, but really wanted to get back to his sketchbook. These thoughts and more pestered him the whole way to the barn. . Jordan was happy to escape his mind as he finished refilling the horses' hay and grooming Henry's personal mounts. Once he was finished with that, he finally let himself sit down and work on his idea. He lost himself in the sketches, notes, and doodles he made, mind now hard at work thinking about how a timekeeping device would succeed. . What felt like hours later, Jordan set down the notebook, stood, and stretched his stiff back. He glanced up at the sun, saw it was nearly noon, and got ready to head back to the house for dinner. Halfway back, a cloud came in front of the sun and made the whole town gloomy. Soon, Jordan felt a raindrop on his head. Then another, and another. Soon it was raining hard, but he didn't mind that much. He liked rain. The way it smelled, and the cool, clean feeling of water washing over his dirty body made him want to live somewhere it rained more often. But he never had the mind for travelling. He was just fine here, with Drew and his inventions, carpentry, and the horses. . Jordan made it to the house and stepped, dripping, inside. He had covered his notebook so it didn't get wet, and placed it carefully on the table in a place he knew the roof wouldn't leak onto it. He heard Drew working in the shop, and headed to the cellar to get food for dinner. |
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Once Hazel left the house, she watched Jordan leave in the direction of the stables. She was thankful for his help, and honestly wouldn't mind running into him again. But she doubt that was going to happen once more. She looked around for a moment, before heading in the direction of the center of town. There was definitely a lot more people out and about now, and she hoped that meant finding some temporary work wouldn't be to hard. She should've asked if he knew of any places that were accepting help... To late now. •~• She dodged around people in a hurry, ladies shopping, children running. Sure she was used to crowds in a city but this felt different somehow. Her grip tightened on the basket when she nearly tripped over two kids running with a bucket. She headed off to the side where it was less crowded to give herself a moment to breath. From there she scanned the area for anything that looked like she might be helpful for. Was there anything to do with art here? Or if someone needed a ranch hand? She'd settle for anything really, but she didn't know what she was looking for. •~• Hazel didn't know how long she spent looking around, until she looked up in time to see the sky darken. Great, rain, definitely what she needed right now. When the drops began to fall she looked for the nearest building and headed for it. She paused for a moment to makes sure it had some form of a sign that she was allowed to just come in. `Floral Fits?` She questioned to herself. At least it looked like the wooden board said that. The rain fell faster, so without hesitating longer she entered. •~• Well that wasn't what she was expecting. The place was slightly bigger then she thought it looked like, with candles flickering throughout the place on high shelves. There were mannequins, or at least some version of them, everywhere with different clothing on each one. There were a few people looking around, with a few others moving back and forth between here and a door on the far side. She didn't get much of change to look around much more before a older woman was infont of her. •~• "Are you the new tailor?" She asked, and it took Hazel a moment to process she was talking to her. "No, I just came in for shelter-" Before she could finish the woman let out a exasperated sigh. "We're short enough as it is, and during a important time!" The woman seemed to be speaking to herself, and Hazel was contemplating slipping out the door before the woman spoke to her again. •~• "You. Do you have any experience with tailoring?" Hazel blinked at her for a moment. Does using a sowing machine to sow up ripped shirts count? "Um... A little?" •~• And that's how she found herself in the back room with a couple other people with the promise of pay. This was just temporary, so Hazel sat down and got to work on figuring out what in the world she was doing. •~• (My brain died doing this one-) |
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(All good) . Jordan selected ingredients for a potato stew and set them on the small, cluttered kitchen table. He began chopping the vegetables and boiling water. About half an hour later, the food was ready and Drew had come in from the workshop to eat. He thanked Jordan for making dinner and took his bowl into the shop with him so he could finish the current order quickly. . Jorda sat at the table, eating and thinking. The food was good, but he had overcooked it a little so everything was too soft and fell apart on his wooden spoon. He didn't really mind though. While he was cooking, he had realized a major flaw in his initial plan for the timekeeping device, and was trying as hard as he could to come up with a way around the block. . After he finished his dinner, he made his way through the workshop, around the piles of scrap wood and broken tools, to Drew, who was sitting on a well-worn stool, chipping away at what seemed to be a wagon wheel spoke. "I finished up everything in the barn, do you need some help?" Jordan asked, looking at the piece of paper that held that day's orders. There were a lot. Drew hummed and replied, "Go check with Henry and make sure he doesn't need anything else before you help." . Jordan nodded, happy to do so. He headed down the wet road, not really caring that it was still pouring out, and found Henry's house. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. Henry's wife opened it and smiled kindly, but worriedly, at Jordan. "Yes? I'm afraid Henry isn't feeling well enough to have visitors, but wha can I do for you?" Jordan asked her to tell him that he had finished the chores and wanted to know if there was anything else he wanted done at the stable. She nodded and let him wait under the overhang to stay out of the rain while she asked Henry. . A few moments later, she emerged and said, "He says thank you so much for doing everything, and that if you've fed, watered, and groomed them you're good to go. He said to give you this as payment for your work." She handed Jordan three gold coins, and he accepted them with a nod of thanks. . Jordan headed back to the house, ready to carpenter the rest of the day away. |
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Hazel didn't know how long she spent in that back room, watching the others so she could somewhat grasp what she was doing. Now she was glad she somewhat paid attention to what her mother had tried to teach her when she was younger. Even if she did zone out from time to time, but at least she knew the basics. So while trying to ignore the second shadow of the woman, Alice she heard one of the others say, she followed what she was told to do. Which for now looked like it was just stiching up some clothes that had come in for the past few days. ~.~ After a few hours she finally finished what she was given, sitting back with a sigh. Alice had checked her work over, muttering it was passable but needed work. Alice had handed her five gold coins, gave her basket back, told her to come back again tomorrow at noon and then hurried her out of the shop. She stared at the door for a moment before looking at the coins in her hand. She had kinda forgotten money in this time was different from what she was used to. Would this be enough for her to get a room at a place for a bit? How much did this equal? She then realized it was still raining and started walking quickly. From what she saw earlier wandered around, there was a inn near the other end of town. She hurried there, trying to cover as much of the basket in her hand as she could to keep the contents from getting wet. She finally got to the inn, and headed in, trying to ignore the stare or two of a few other people currently sitting in the main room. ~.~ Hazel managed to get a room for three nights, one gold coin each night. Once in her room she sat the basket down and looked around the room. Simple straw bed, a small mirror, a desk and chair, and a small storage thing... She was going to have to start learning what things were called back then. She now wished she had asked for a change of clothes or something back at the shop, but to late now. So she went back out and asked for a cloth before heading back and wiping down her clothes a little. Didn't do much, but it at least helped dry a little faster. She sat down and grabbed a loaf of the bread from in the basket, breaking it in half and putting one half back. ~.~ As she ate her thoughts drifted once again to what to do next, but also to Jordan. What? He was the basically the one and first person she met. And it's only natrual she thought of him for a moment. What role did he have in this time? She hadn't gathered much from being in that home... Probably something to do with that side door, and the fact he talked about being busy. She shook her head to clear it, she needed to focus on herself for now. Besides, what were the chances she'd run into him again? Exactly, so no use thinking about it. ~.~ |
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(Sorry, these past couple of days have been super busy) . Jordan sighed as he opened the door to the workshop. Sure, he enjoyed woodworking, but right now he really didn't feel like it. The two things on his mind were his timekeeping device idea, and, for some reason, that girl from the barn. Something about her gave him a feeling of tingling dread and curiosity. She was different, like him. But also not like him at all. . He sighed again, frustrated at all these confusing thoughts. Drew called his head out of the clouds and asked if he could help him sand a chair. Jordan nodded and went over to where it was lying on its side, a few pieces of scrap sandpaper next to it. He knelt, took a piece of sandpaper, and got to work. . Hours later, Drew stood and stretched his back, having just finished the fourth wheel for a new wagon that was being made for the hospital. Jordan was just finishing up a set of elephant toys for a family of little boys who lived across town, and looked up at his master's movement. "I'm all finished for the day," he said in a voice hoarse from all the wood shavings. Jordan nodded. "I'm just about done. Call me when supper's ready." Drew grunted and left the workshop, heading for the kitchen. |
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Edited at August 25, 2025 10:37 PM by Fantasy Horses
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Hazel slowly found herself adjusting within the short time that had passed. for the past few days she had spent the mornings to early evenings in the talior shop, making for fixing the clothes she was given. Which wasn't much at first but was steadily becoming more through Alice, who would check her work and improvement over at the end of the day. And once she learned to somewhat ignore the pain from constantly pricking her fingers, she didn't find it so bad. Plus it so far seemed like a steady way to get money, with Alice giving her five coins each day. She'd spend two for her room at the inn, and save up the others. Expect once to get a resupply of food •~• Hazel than spent the next few hours reading books she had barrowed from some of the residents. After she had worked up the courage to ask, she had found out that people were certainly kinder then she had expected. A tiny part of her had figured Jordan had been simply one of those few. Speaking of Jordan, she hadn't ran into him again so far, at least that she could remember. Maybe she just hadn't seen him, who knows. She'd admit maybe once or twice she had maybe looked around while she walked from one place to another. She was still curious about him, something she couldn't understand why. But she continued to push that problem away and focus on herself. •~• Saturday, she didn't know what time. Sometime past noon she knew at least, the sun had passed the halfway mark in the sky awhie ago. Oh how she wished she still had her phone, she could've checked the time... Or better yet, look up what to do when you time travel to the past. Though she would've needed wifi... Maybe it's better she didn't have it, that'd just be another headache. Currently she sat in a small field a little outside the town, a few books and parchment scattered around her. She was looking over a map she had borrowed as well, which she was having the most wonderful time trying to understand... What were all these names?! Places?! Ugh, how was she ever supposed to go home? She was hoping that maybe heading to the capital she'd find more info. But that depended on if she could even find the capital, and if there even was one. •~• Hazel let out a sigh, falling back to lay in the grass and look up at the sky. She rubbed her face for a moment before letting out a small yawn. She had been staying up late figuring things out and waking up early for work. Maybe a quick nap would help her thoughts straighten out... And she allowed herself to drift off. •~• |
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(Eep! So sorry, I forgot about this!) . Jordan and Drew were kept busy the next few days, more orders coming in then Jordan had ever seen. Henry, the stablemaster, had passed away, and though Jordan was sad for the loss, it was also good in a way. He was hired as a part-time stable worker, cleaning stalls and exercising the horses, and was paid one gold piece per day. He found joy in learning how to ride each horse, and getting to know them personally. . He was slowly growing apart from Drew, as the man was getting older and less friendly, though he still clearly loved the young man. Jordan mostly tried to stay out of his mentor's way, but cooking meals and tidying up the cottage when he had time. Most of his time was spent either in the workshop or the stable. . Jordan hadn't had time recently to work on his timekeeping device, and he was disappointed he hadn't had any more breakthroughs. But, Drew and the new stablemaster needed him, so he shouldn't be complaining. Speaking of the new stablemaster, Jordan liked the man. He was younger then Henry had been, and more energetic. Named Robert, he was a strong, kind, loving man, though he was firm in the wellbeing of the horses and hated slackers. . Jordan was out riding the mare Henry had given to him just before he passed, the one he always used to ride. They were trotting slowly back to the stable from rounding up sheep that a shepherd had lost track of, when he saw a form lying under a tree. He tugged the mare to a walk peering at the figure. When he was close enough, he saw that it was that girl from the barn, Hazel. She was sleeping, and looked like she'd been out there all day. . Jordan stopped his horse, dismounted, and let her graze. He walked up to Hazel and knelt next to her, making sure she actually was sleeping and wasn't dead. He saw her breathing, and was about to stand up and leave her to her nap, when he suddenly felt the urge to... What? Touch her face? Brush that stray lock of pretty brown hair away? Jordan was confused by his own emotions, so much so that he couldn't do anything except keep looking at her, no matter how much he knew he shouldn't. |
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(That's fine lol, least I wasn't to long. If you ever want me to send a reminder every so often just ask ^^) •~• Hazel had it easier then normal to drift off, though it wasn't dreamless. At first she had started dreaming about falling once again, just like when she had before waking up in that forest. But that quickly shifted to before she came back in time. The specific image was of her back in London, back in the library, painting. She hadn't had any time nor the items to do it for awhile now so she wasn't surprised to find herself dreaming about it. Painting, painting, more painting... She didn't even know what she was painting, that wasn't included in her dream. She just was. •~• Expect for one. She found herself painting the stable, adding what she had seen and even adding things she hadn't. Hazel didn't know why this is what she was dreaming now, but she didn't mind it. Was it because that was the first place she had seen besides the forest? Because there had been horses there? Or because maybe that's where she first met someone, more specifically Jordan? She didn't know why he kept creeping into her mind like that... He was confusing her mind, and she'd only talked to him that one time. It's normal to remember someone's appearance so vividly right? •~• Hazel didn't dream much longer, soon her mind decided to finally pull her back to reality. She opened her eyes, blinking for a moment to clear her vision and froze when she saw something out of the corner of her vision. She turned her head slightly and looked up to see the face of the boy she had just been thinking about. She nearly fled right then and there from surprise but figuring that probably would seem crazy, she let out a breath instead and sat up slightly. Double checking to makes sure all the books and maps where accounted for with a quick glance. Before turning her gaze back to his, stopping herself from focusing on them to much. •~• "Jordan? You almost scared me to death! How long have you been there?" •~• She questioned, looking around as if to see if there was anyone else around. Nope just a horse grazing nearby, one that she think she could recall seeing in the stable. Though she hadn't gotten the chance to really look at any of the horses at that particular time. Okay, so it's just Jordan here. That helped her somewhat gather herself as she looked up. The sun didn't look like it had moved that much, so she hadn't been out that long. •~• |
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(Cool! Same here!) . Jordan's mind was swirling so he hardly even noticed Hazel stirring. Then she sat up, and he snapped out of his thoughts. He quickly turned his head away so it didn't look like he'd been watching her. It was half-true. He hadn't been watching her on purpose. Besides, why would he do that? He was just so confused that any thought sounded wrong. . Awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, he replied. "Uh, sorry. My bad. Didn't mean to scare you." He didn't answer the part about how long he'd been there, as he didn't know the answer to that himself. He averted his eyes from hers, unsure why he was being so weird around her now. . He hadn't seen Hazel in a while, not since... When was it? Three days ago? Maybe more? He didn't know why she was still here and why she hadn't left yet, but was secretly glad she was. Though, Jordan thought, he had no idea how she'd been making a living. "Hey, um, I didn't know you were still here. I thought maybe you'd left... Have you found somewhere to work?" . He made himself look at her again, so she knew he actually wanted to hear the answer. But looking into her eyes gave him a weird feeling, so he settled on looking at the grass at her feet. When he looked at her face it felt like... Well, he didn't really have the words for it. He got anxious and shivered a little. It made him want to both be close to her and never see her again. Jordan had never felt anything like it before, and it scared him. . He realized it was the most he'd attention he'd payed to a person since Drew was more friendly. And just that thought, that he was paying attention to her, made him both excited and terrified. He had no idea why he was scared, after all, she was just a girl, a girl who he'd thought little of when he first met her. But, Jordan realized with a pang, the thought of her had been hovering near the front of his mind recently. . He shuffled his feet and licked his lips, anxious to figure out why he felt like this and why she was here and why he couldn't seem to make himself look at her. He stood there awkwardly, knowing he was acting very strange. |
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Hurricane ! Follow Evacuation Routes.
