Realistic or Modern Concerning Centaurs

[Ixaix]

Name: Blackjack, "Jack"
Species: Centaur
Sex: Male
Age: 30
Appearance: Mixed breed with black coat/hair and feathered hooves, brown eyes

Name: Edward Taylor
Species: Human
Sex: Male
Age: 56
Appearance: Grey hair, blue eyes, average build, glasses

 

[Meredith]

Name: Rhody
Species: Centaur
Sex: Female
Age: 24
Appearance: Appaloosa/Shetland Pony mix. Mostly dark brown with brown and white spotting cresting over her back. Large brown eyes and thick hair midway down her back.

Name: Alois Carthel
Species: Human
Sex: Male
Age: 34
Appearance: Logged soon

 

[Ixaix]

When the Duke of Norshire passed, the common assumption was that his title would be retired and his lands divided among other noble families, as he was the last of the once prosperous line. However, the ton* had forgot to take into account the old man's devious delight in stringing them along only to pull the rug out from under them at the last minute. At his funeral, which was richly attended, it became known that the Duke's solicitor had set out from the City** to fetch the heir. Rumors flew as to how this was possible until those with knowledge of the more arcane laws discovered that there was, in fact, a loophole that allowed a non-blood related heir to be chosen should none of the proper family tree or any of its many offshoots be found. The buzz of gossip began anew, wondering who this new member of the peerage would be-- surely he must be an exotic from the Continent***, perhaps even further abroad than that!

So it was, with a mixture of horror and fascination, that Jack was greeted in London. From the waist up he appeared to be an acceptable enough man, although his skin was far too tanned and his palms far too calloused for a true member of the aristocracy. Still, with his handsome features, the matchmaking mamas wouldn't have had too much of an issue marrying their daughters off to him. The problem truly lay with his bottom half, which was just as well muscled as his upper but had the unfortunate circumstance of being that of a horse. Not just any horse either, but a draft horse, built for heavy farm labor rather than racing or ladies' riding as a proper equine's was. The reality of it was that no matter the breed, Jack--who's proper name was Blackjack--would have been looked down upon for the single sin of being a centaur. Still, it seemed an added insult that he couldn't even be a proper one who bore pedigreed papers and who's bred purpose wasn't menial farm labor.

In London the proper papers were signed, new clothes were ordered, the Mayfair home inspected (and needed renovations for the new Duke's increased size noted), before Jack was being sent to what was now his estate in Norshire: Blackthorne Manor. Because he couldn't ride in a carriage, for obvious reasons, he elected to walk the miles on his own with the agreement that his solicitor would send along his new purchases as they became available. So it was that the new Duke of Norshire, Marquess of Dunlap, and Earl of Bracken arrived to greet his staff covered in dust and with his haunches gleaming with sweat from the long walk in the hot autumn sun. His waistcoat and jacket had been removed, his sleeves scandalously rolled up, and his head was bare of any hat. It would have been easy to assume that he was any other common laborer if not for the ducal signet ring on the second finger of his right hand.

"He's here!" Taylor, who had been the estate's butler for over a decade now, announced to the gathered staff where they were assembled in front of the house, ready to greet their new master who had just been spotted coming up the long drive. "Remember! Despite any personal prejudices, he is now the Duke and we are to serve him as such! I will personally deal with anyone I hear making any less than complimentary statements behind his back." This caused a subtle shifting in the gathered, as all knew that the butler's wrath was nothing to be toyed with. Simply being fired would be a blessing, if rumors were true about what had happened to a certain young footman who had spilled soup on the previous Duke's lap.

*ton is period slang for high society
**the City refers to the financial heart of London, where the original City of London once was and that the Victorian London had at its center
***mainland Europe

 

[Meredith]

The morning had been an interesting one.

Sandra, a cook and friends of hers, had helped her get ready. She was supposed to wear a maid's uniform - and, of course, Sandra had helped modify a few long ago - but today the chef had looked upon her friend and stopped her bustling around.

Rhody's uniform was that of any other maid's but with a few.. changes. The front was cut open from the waist down, the backing modified, making it drape over her back as a top-down skirt. She'd been told to make herself visible to the new lord, but was not conscious of the uniform's oddness until Sandra took her aside, and made a proclamation.
"You look ridiculous. Are you sure you have nothing else you can wear?"

The pony had laughed. "Of course not. Not for work, anyway." How wrong she was.

The chef told her to stay where she stood, went to talk to one of the footmen, and came back with a white collared shirt. Rhody recognized it as one a footman or valet would wear under their suit.
Before she could as much as react, the other woman pulled off her dress, folding it up in her hands. Red rose in Rhody's cheeks, and a hissed what are you doing? was had before she hastily grabbed the white shirt from her friend.

Before a minute had passed, she had slipped it on, and buttoned it.
"He shan't be offended by your back. I hope not, anyways."
"Wonderful."

As she (carefully) moved down the stairs, she buttoned up the cuffs of the sleeves, pulling them up so she could easily move her hands. Though it was slightly big, she left the top fastener unbuttoned, not liking the idea of it being caught in her hair.
Idly, she thought of her hair, running her hands through it. Nobody had ever given her a hard time about her hair being down. It was odd, her position in the house, though she'd learned not to think much of it.

She received a disapproving look from one of the footmen, presumably the one whose shirt she wore, but shrugged it off.
He didn't much like her, anyway.
Personal prejudices. Oh, if only he knew.

She began to walk forward with the rest of the staff, locking eyes for a moment with the Butler, and making to file through the doorway and greet the Duke.

 

[Ixaix]

"...Who even needs houses this big?" Jack murmured to himself as he slowed his canter to a trot to a walk, gazing up at the massive building that now apparently belonged to him. His tail flicked as he attempted to calm the butterflies fluttering around in both of his stomachs. How had he even come to be here?

Just over a month ago he had been working on a farm, an average centaur who pulled a plow to earn his keep and daily bread. It wasn't fun work and he couldn't have claimed to be happy, but at least he was content. Then out of nowhere appeared a man in a suit that cost more than the machine strapped to his back. The man turned out to be a solicitor for the late Duke of Norshire, who had apparently named Blackjack as his heir.

He remembered the Duke, of course, and his young son. Through a set of misadventures, Jack and the boy had become friends for three summers. Apparently that had been enough for the Duke to leave Blackjack everything. A title, several homes and estates, more money than Jack would have ever dreamed of owning even in his wildest fantasies... All for a kindness given to a sickly child years ago. He honestly wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a gift or a curse. A centaur in the Upper Ten Thousand? It sounded like a joke.

Now here he stood, watching as servants filed out to be presented to him as if he were someone special, someone worthy of their servitude. Taking a deep breath, Jack looked down and remembered that he had stripped down out of his fancy clothes to try and ward off the heat. Shit. He rolled down his sleeves as casually as possible, nodding to the butler... Taylor, if memory served.

"Good evening." Jack's voice was deep and rumbling, pleasant to the ear. "My name is Blackjack... Ah, Jack. Starting today, I'll be living here. I hope that won't be an issue."

"..." Taylor cleared his throat, fumbling around for the correct way to respond to it. "Of course that won't be an issue, Your Grace. You are the duke, after all. We are here to serve you. It's our joy to do so."

 

[Meredith]

Oh.
If Rhody was honest, she had hardly expected him to be a draft horse, though..
She supposed that was quite like the Duke past.

That didn't matter. They would do their jobs. Though - at least at the minute - what job she was expected to fulfill, she was unsure, all in all.

A smile pulled up the side of her lip as she listened to the man. His voice was pleasant, she thought idly, dismissing the notion after a moment. He was certainly not a refined member of the aristocracy.
Taylor himself would be as suited to head an estate.

She almost laughed. Held it back.
It wouldn't do to be told off, especially not with Jack's arrival, lest she be fired or worse. Admittedly, she had always worked well, but not as quickly as some of the other servants.
You could only move up and down stairs so quickly as a centaur.

Her attention drifted. Birds were beginning to move gather, and though the Lord only knew where they went, they spent their time here making commotion and merriment in preparation for their grand escape. She herself had thought of a grand escape for a long time, while she worked in the stables, and later as a nurse for a lively and energetic child who more often than not ended up on her back when they went out into the grounds.

It was not abnormal nor surreal for one wealthy family to support many single people, and in fact, she found no fault with this or her inability to marry. She was aware that employment outside of a wealthy house took more time, energy, and pains than that she put forth in her line of work. In truth, there was no better way for her to work as a woman, and certainly not as one of such low social class.

Only one woman she had worked with - one centaur woman - had left from the stables. She had become enamored, and later married to, a field worker. Rhody sent letters when she could spare the time - though they were oft left unanswered - due to what she assumed was both lack of time and money.

She knew of few centaurs with children in this day and age.

Truly, it may have been for the better. In some circles, before she had begged work at the estate in her younger years, she had experienced a sort of cruelty men seemed to have toward those that were useless to them.
Seen centaurs bound and meant to fight off sic'd dogs, used in baiting as a bear would be, a soulless animal. She had been close. Ran off, into servitude, never deluded herself into wants or hopes of a family.

She snapped back to attention.
The servants beside her were beginning to disperse, and one of the footmen had brushed her side as he moved, making her jolt back to awareness. She realized with a small part of panic that she had not bowed, and bent her front knees slightly to do so, dipping her head.

"Apologies. Do you need - what do you need?" She spoke quickly, directed, towards Jack. Her eyes caught on the butler in her side vision and she internally scolded herself. Wonderful start.

 

[Ixaix]

Jack's eye was drawn immediately to the pretty pony-- how could it not be? Among all of the human staff workers, she stood out in more ways than one. She was another centaur, for one thing. And she wore an outfit that was better suited for a man, yet on her fit quite nicely... He only realized he was staring when she spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Ah... I... Could use some water?" Jack quickly collected himself. "And a tour of the house and lands. If you wouldn't mind, much."

Taylor nearly choked upon hearing the new Duke ask a lowly maid whether or not she 'minded' doing her job. Oh, this would be a tough one. He should have known his old master would continue to cause trouble, even once he had passed. Still, Taylor couldn't get too mad. Things had never been boring, that was for certain.

"This is Rhody, Your Grace. I'm sure she'll be happy to fetch you some water. We can have one of the footmen give you a tour..."

"Begging you pardon, sir-- Taylor." Jack corrected himself at the look the butler gave him. "I can get a drink from the well for myself, and Rhody would be the perfect guide for me. She understands already how the world is for a centaur, like where the floor might be a little too weak for our full weight..."

"There is no floor like that in this home, I assure you!" Taylor huffed, but grudgingly agreed to leave the new Duke in Rhody's care. For now.

 

[Meredith]

Rhody stared, looking back at Jack, eyes darting to the butler. Taylor seemed less than thrilled. She watched his expression turn to appalled shock, and spoke quickly, wanting to diffuse. "It's not my place to mind."

Once Taylor (eventually) accepted the duke's words, she gave a soft smile, doing her best to look like the ideal maid.
...The men's wear and bare back likely did little to help her case.

"I know the grounds well, sir, and I of course have time to spare."
She knew full well it was improper for her to traverse the grounds - especially alone - with the Duke. On the other hand, it wasn't like she minded, seeing as she doubted many of her fellows could think worse of hers how it is.
'A horse in the house? Has our Lord went completely ma-" "Enough."

She let out a heavy breath.
"I can take your coat, if you'd like, sir."
She trotted over to Jack, offering to take the jacket in his hands, bowing her head.
"We should walk the grounds before dark. Evening's mistress fast approaches."

 

[Ixaix]

...It was probably improper for him to be alone on the grounds with a female maid, wasn't it? But Taylor had already walked off in a huff, leaving them alone. Jack wished, not for the first time, that he had had a chance to speak to the old Duke about why he had left him all of this. What he was supposed to do with it.

"Ah, yes." He handed his jacket to Rhody, feeling awkward doing even that. She was a house maid-- that made her higher up than him, a mere field hand. Or, it would have made her higher up just a few weeks back. Now, suddenly, he was a Duke and far away from home and everyone was expecting him to slip up or mess up... Taking a deep breath, he pushed away all the panicked thoughts for later. "Of course. Thank you, Rhody. I'd like to start with the stables-- as I understand it, the former Duke had quite a nice collection of thoroughbreds." He wasn't sure if he should keep them or not-- A centaur owning horses felt... strange. A centaur owning much of anything felt strange. But stables, at least, he understood. He had slept there all of his life.

"Are there any other centaur staff?" He asked, trailing after Rhody like a lost pup while she hung up his coat. No one had mentioned any, but that didn't mean much.

 

[Meredith]

Rhody folded the jacket nimbly. She had been expecting to carry it, but looked over her shoulder towards the house, checking the placement of the sun quickly. A larger horse was.. unlikely to need such a coat, for a few hours, at least. She turned to the house, looking back to confirm his following.

"Yes. They're beautiful."

The horses had been her job once. She'd been down to witness a foaling only a few days before, to one of her favorite mares, a pinto pony. There were always births and deaths in the world.

Nearing the house, she moved onto the deck, opening the door and leaving it so while she placed his coat on a side table. One of the footmen - the same as earlier, Henry - caught her eye as he moved in pursuit of his work. She could see disapproval written over his face.
She'd debated asking him what his problem was.. more than once.
Of course, she wouldn't, or hadn't.

She looked back to the Duke, having stiffened up, and gestured up one of the halls. "The master bedroom is up that way. Your study is on the left from the foyer, and the great hall to the right."

She moved fluidly, making it back onto the grass as quickly as she could, and finally answering his question. "No. Not now, anyways. There was one woman who came to work the stable with me but has since.. found love. Moved away."
She smiled, a little sad, and then shrugged it off.

"It's not typical for a centaur to serve in the house. I was a nurse, at one point in my life, so you see.."
She eyed him - looking for words - and finally spoke. "My position is a piece of charity."

 

[Ixaix]

"At least she left for love." Jack suggested, although he could hear the loneliness in Rhody's voice. He had never had to worry about being the only centaur around; he had worked as part of a herd of farmhands before. They at least could take comfort in one another.

At her comment, he was obviously surprised. "Charity? ...Well, it may have started that way, but no one would keep around a bad worker just out of the goodness of their heart. I'm positive you earn your keep." Falling into step beside her as they began the walk towards the stables, Jack glanced over at her, wondering... "If I may be so bold... How did you find yourself working as a nurse to begin with? That seems like an unusual position for one of us, even more so than a house maid." He supposed it helped that she was smaller in build than most of the centaurs he had had contact with over the course of his life. He was born to, raised by, and worked along side large, heavy draft centaurs bred for hard labor and stamina.

 

[Meredith]

Rhody smiled, letting herself be more at ease. "The young master was fond of ponies. He spent much time at the stables, and after a while.. his father decided that my care was adequate."

After a moment of silence, she spoke again, this time more quietly. "It is charity. Ten hard-working centaur laborers are lesser than one lazy man. And I am a woman."
She let her words fall, watched as the estate passed by her, breathing in the scent of fallen leaves.

In the distance, the stable came into view, overlooking the pasture around it. It was a squat building, without a loft, that housed up to thirty-two horses at any given time. It was all sanded wood and brass - visually spectacular - and four of the older stalls had been converted to bedrooms for the stablehands.

She swung open the heavy door. The workers would be out in the field, rounding up horses, at this time of night. About half of the horses - mostly thoroughbreds - were inside for the night already. Her favorite, a welsh pony, was in the first stall to the right with her filly. "This is Lyla. Her daughter is about a week old now."

She looked back at the Duke, wondering what she should say.

 

[Ixaix]

"..." He understood what she meant by that. And something in him stirred. While, before, he had been content to simply live his life as it was-- now he had been abruptly put into a position of power. Where he could make changes, maybe not on a large scale, but at least for those who worked for him... Jack would need to mull over that more and start small, but...

When Rhody shared her story, Jack chuckled. "I remember. He was fond of me, too, though I'm far from a pony. I think the feathers around my hooves were the turning point." Upon being introduced to Lyla, he held out his hand for the pony to sniff. "Hello, Lyla. Your foal is quite beautiful, though of course she doesn't hold a candle to her mother."

The pony, although wary at first, seemed to relax. Horses were calmer around centaurs than they were full blooded humans. He knelt down on all four knees to get closer to the small horse's level, better to see the foal who looked at him with her wide, brown eyes. "Hello to you too, little miss. Does she already have a name?" Jack asked Rhody.

 

[Meredith]

Rhody had moved, grabbing a rough brush, and starting to untangle Lyla's mane. She paused - took a second - and shook her head. "No. The Duke liked to name the horses."

She started to brush the pony, from the neck back, watching the filly spring back, then take a few shaky steps foreward. The little horse nosed Jack's hand, looking for affection, and staring wonderingly at the pair. Rhody smiled. "This place was a blessing in itself."

She found herself lost in the innocence of the filly in her prancing and general lust for life. A minute or so later she looked up. "Would you like to name her yourself?"

 

[Ixaix]

"...Name her?" Jack looked down at Rhody in surprise. "...If anyone is to name her, I think it should be you." He could see how much of an impression the filly had made on the smaller centaur. "Beyond that, I'm terrible at naming. I took care of several chickens I all dubbed 'chicken'." Jack admitted with a small smile.

"Your Grace!" One of the stable hands came in, leading a high stepping black stallion who snorted and pulled against his lead. "Are you going to keep up the breeding program? This is Hades, our prize stud. He's sired seven champion racers so far."

"A breeding program..." Jack frowned slightly. Some people bred centaurs the same way... But. No. These were horses. It was different. "...I'll have to look into things. But I certainly won't be getting rid of any of the current horses." The boy was obviously fond of Hades... He suspected that it was the same with many of the others. Stable workers did get attached to the creatures they cared for. The last thing he wanted was to cause any distress.

 

[Meredith]

"Pamela. I don't like the cute - the pet names."
She gave an awkward smile. The stablehand startled her - though she knew his name and face - and she gave him a half-bow of acknowledgement. Tom looked a bit confused at the unlikely pair, though his hands were full with Hades, for which she was grateful.

She let the duke talk - watched Tom's face fold in confusion - nodded politely. "Is there anything you'd like to do here- or go on? The stables really are lovely, but.."

 

[Ixaix]

"Pamela it is then." Sensing the discomfort, Jack nodded. "Let's continue."

Beyond the stables were the orchards, which at this time of year were just beginning to swell with fruit. The smell was comforting to Jack; more than the false aroma of perfumes or soap that had come into vogue among the aristocracy, the natural scents of nature were far less abrasive to his nose.

"Do you enjoy living here, Rhody?"

 

[Meredith]

Rhody was comforted by the smell of the orchard. Apples were one of her favourite things - she reached up - took one off the branch. Wordlessly, she shined the apple on her blouse, offering it to Jack.

She considered his question.

"I enjoy being alive and well."
It was strange to look at him and try to speak- well, mostly honestly. She should be censored.
She was a house maid, after all, and a unconventional one at at that.

"The city is very.. violent. To us especially. I appreciate my blessings, sir."
She smiled, moving her other hand up and along the wood of the branch in front of her face. It was rough and flimsy between her fingers. "If I was a gambler, I'd wager a bet on you doing the same."

 

[Ixaix]

Jack accepted the apple with a small smile, taking a bite. "Mm... A week or so more and these will be perfect, I think." He offered it back to her; sharing apples was a common enough thing back home. But, of course, then he had been a draft horse, not a Duke. ...Still. He wasn't going to change his being plain old polite.

He nodded in reply to her response, tail flicking. "London is... unsettling. Apparently I'm expected to spend half my year there now in the House of Lords." Jack huffed, stomping one massive back hoof. "Not that I'm complaining about the title that has been gifted me, of course." Looking out over the fields, he commented. "Are the tenants happy living on the land? Any with complaints that you know of?"