The morning after (open)

[Casandra Lightheart]

The ball had been beautiful; in Cas' opinion it had gone off without a hitch. She had ben outside for about another hour after the ball ended. When she finally had gone in to sleep she had not slept well, it was just before dawn and Cas was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt and was in the stables. Kjay was laying in the middle shedrow watching the main entrance.

There was nothing like physical labor to clear the mind, so Cas was in the stalls with a bucket and pitch fork. What was she doing; why cleaning the stall of course. The ball was done, she was home, and when she was home she worked, normaly not like this but work none the less.

She was in Rider's stall and he kept trying to take the pitch fork from her. She stoped a moment and patted his neck.

[Guest]

Ivan woke up early. The poor person who had made that drink in the heart shaped bottle had wasted her talents on him. He had slept alone, though he did find himself writing a letter to someone he had not been very good to. A friend, but one who was upset with him. And when she was upset, he payed a price. He found himself writing this letter with a whole lot of honesty he would have never used had it not been for the drink. He gave the letter to a servant to have sent before he lost his nerve.

So here it was a new day and it was time to move past what he was worried about with that letter. He headed down to the stables. Once he was down there he saw Casandra. He was wearing jeans, a white tank top, hiking boots, and a button down short sleeve print shirt, unbuttoned. He walked over and picked up a pitchfork. "Now you know, this is not exactly where I would expect to find the lady of the house." He chuckled. He took off the button down and hung it on a nail before he started scooping too.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She smiled at Ivan and chuckled when she heard him.

"Where else would I be, there is no Lord of the house and my horses are what keeps Claremount running; besides you know I was not always a Lady. I am working because I have a lot of things on my mind right now.

She put fresh food and water into Rider's stall and moved to the next one.

[Guest]

Ivan laughed. "Touchy touchy woman." Yes, Ivan dared speaking to Casie in such a way. They were old friends. He had met her very shortly after coming to work for Venis. "You know I was just playing with you." He move on to scooping out the next stall. He was still laughing though.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She smiled and shook her head. Ivan was the only one of Venis' employees that would dare speak to her like that and she was glad he did.

"That’s right I'm a woman, and don't forget that this woman has wiped the floor with your butt more than once."

She tied the mare in this stall to the back and patted her neck. She went back to shoveling the stall.

[Guest]

Ivan laughed again. He looked up at her and with the most serious face he could muster he commented. "I let you win, cause you're a girl." He ran out of the stall and hid behind the divider because he just knew she was going to throw something at him or hit him, something. But while he hid he was laughing.

[Casandra Lightheart]

"No girl here try woman."

When he ran from the stall laughing Kjay followed him and jumped on him licking his face and barking.

"Good boy Kjay."

She left the stall got a cup full of water and dumped it all over him.

[Guest]

Ivan was pounced and was laughing as he was rolling in the hay trying to get the puppy with the happy tongue off of him. And as he was trying to escape that Casie dumped a cup of water on him. "Hey, hey, hey, that's cold." He managed to wiggle out from under Kjay and get back up on his feet. So then he took off his tank top and twisted it up to wring it out. "If you wanted me topless, you simply had to ask." He winked at her and then made a half hearted attempt to dodge her and run.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She just looked at him and stared then she laughed.

"Ivan if I wanted to see you topless I would have just asked you to spar."

She was still laughing.

"I really did miss having you around."

She turned and went back to work on the stall she had been in.

Kjay was still wagging his tail and was now following Casie around.

[Guest]

Ivan couldn't resist. As he walked over to hang up his tank top to dry he reached around to get a cup of water himself. "You know you like it." He was of course kidding but it might just have her laughing long enough to pull off what he was getting ready to do. Lucky him, he reached out and poured the water over her head. Was he trying to get her topless? Not at all, that was why it was poured on her head while she was bent over scooping with the pitchfork. That way it would only be her hair that got wet. "Do I need to quit on Venis so I can hang with you while stud-puppy is away. It's always good to have your buds around when you're bored." It was a good thing they were alone. Had anyone else heard that, they may have taken it wrong. But it was purely innocent.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She just laughed and continued working. That was when he threw a cup of water over her head.

"THAT'S COLD"

She stood up and wrung out her hair. She was laughing till he spoke again she stopped but was still smiling.

"Ivan, things between the Marques and I are complicated. He runs a business, he has to be away most of the time."

She looked up at Ivan.

"And, I think I'm falling in love with him, but I know he does not feel the same."

[Guest]

Ivan started laughing hysterically when Casie yelled that the water was cold and then started wringing out her hair. But when she stopped laughing, so did he. "Cas, I wasn't saying that anything was wrong with you guys' relationship. I know how it is. Natalia and I went through this. But she gave up and left, remember?" He smiled as he walked over to her to offer her a hug. Opening his arms to her he heard what she said. "Casie, I can tell by the way that he looks at you that he cares about you. Don't sell yourself short kiddo, you know as well as I do that if it is meant to happen than it will. In the mean time, enjoy the ride, to hell with the destination." He knew he had to figure out a way to get them back to having fun. But she needed a hug first.

[Casandra Lightheart]

"I know you didn't, and I am not even sure why I said that, I have not spoken it out loud before now."

She let him hug her and smiled.

"Thank you, for saying that Ivan, I know he cares but careing and loving are different things."

She laughed softly.

"I will enjoy the ride as you say."

[Guest]

((I couldn't resist, so one little cuss word.))

He hugged her for a moment and even kissed the top of her head. "No worries, everything will be fine. Now, enough of this seriousness, we have shit to shovel." Then he got a wicked grin on his face and used one of the hands that was upon her back to snap her bra strap. Then he rushed to pull himself from her grasp so he could flee.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She smiled as he kissed the top of her head. She laughed.

"Yes we better get to shoveling."

She yelled out in surprise when he snapped her bra, she moved faster than him she planted her foot squarely in his backside.

"If you’re going to help get to work."

Then she moved to go back to shoveling.

[Guest]

He jumped and yelped as her foot made contact. He grabbed his backside and hopped a few times for dramatic effect. "Youch woman. Dang." He picked his pitchfork back up and pointed the handle at her. "Don't make me use this. I will whoop your little behind." He laughed. Was he actually challenging her to a fake sword fight? Yep.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She lauged.

"Work first. We can spar later."

[Guest]

Ivan looked at Casie and stuck his tongue out at her. "Pppppphhhhhhhhttttttttttttttt" He laughed then. "Spoil sport." He smacked her on her hind end with the handle of he pitchfork before she started shoveling again.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas jumped as he smacked her with the pitchfork and began laughing as she shoveled. When they were done with this stall she fed and watered the mare and moved onto the next stall. They worked through about ten of them before Ryan came in.

"Casandra, you should have woken me, I would have come and helped."

Cas looked at Ryan with a smile.

"I have all the help I need."

Ryan looked at Ivan and laughed.

"Oh no not you again, last time you were here Casandra got a bruised behind and you got a broken nose."

[Guest]

Ivan chuckled as he picked up some fresh hay on the pitchfork for the stall from the nearby bail. And as he carried the hay to the stall he pretended to trip and caused the hay to rain down on Ryan's head. "Awe, man, sorry bud." He was laughing again. "You know I missed you too. How ya been Ry?" He walked over and extended his right arm to Ryan for a handshake.

[Casandra Lightheart]

Ryan simply sook the hay from his head and extended his hand.

"You know me, enjoying my work."

Cas looked at them and smiled.

"How about some breakfast Ivan, I think you have earned it."

[Guest]

Once he released Ryan's hand he stretched and patted his stomach. "I don't know Cas, gotta keep an eye on my girlish figure." He winked and then laughed. "Na, I would love some breakfast. Ryan, join us? Or have you already eaten. Maybe Jean brought you some breakfast in bed this morning?" Another wink followed by a laugh.

[Casandra Lightheart]

"I have eaten, and there are still more stalls to finish, thanks for the help, you to Casandra."

He bowed his head to her and then went to pick up where they had left off.

Cas smiled at him and deaded back to the Castle.

"Well come on Ivan, before everyone else gets up."

[Guest]

Ivan smacked Ryan on the shoulder as he went over to grab up his shirts. He jogged to catch up to Casie and chuckled. "Coming dear." He laughed then. Once he caught up to her he walked with her into the castle.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She went right to the kitchen and sat down at the table there. Marsha was busy getting breakfast ready so she didn't talk as she put a plate in front of Cas and Ivan. The plates held pancakes, bacon, eggs, and hash browns. She also set down a couple glasses of OJ and went back to work.

"Well Ivan it looks like there is a big breakfast today."

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