Grace of a Chance. [Amber/Nick]

[S u N f r O s T ~]

Amber chuckled. Definitely a monster. I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. I look forward to seeing said monster on the track... hopefully getting defeated by my own horses she added silently, with a smirk for good measure. Oh she hoped all the best for Nick Landing, but being who she was she couldn't help but infuse her own competitive thoughts into the conversation. And now it seemed like they had struck a match. One of their exchanges was about to take place and Amber felt very excited. She was energized by this relationship. It meant that while she would have to give something, he would give in return. It was equality and respect at its finest.

She grinned as he followed her line of thought. Oh yes. SOPS is definitely a place for an Anarchi foal to shine. She listened eagerly now, knowing a deal was about to be struck. And when she heard what he wanted...she drew back in shock, shaking her head first in amazement and then in amusement. She restrained her cackles. You had this all worked out didn't you? Oh you are too good. I'm not even going to ask how you knew Wild Flower was open next year. Your sources can remain anonymous. She pondered her options. Wild Flower was no broodmare off the street. She was a Hall Of Fame inductee going for membership in the Breeding Hall Of Fame as well. She was a prolific turf broodmare, truly top quality. And year fourteen was her final year at brood.

You know...next year Wild Flower will be having her last foal... she trailed off. It was too tempting to ignore. She just had to have this Anarchi breeding. You're on Nick Landing. She extended her hand out for him to shake, her eyes glittering. And as long as you tell me the sire of Wild Flower's last foal, I'll tell you what horse and what year I would have in mind for Anarchi's foal. And she truly did have it all figured out in her mind. There was only one horse she could conceive of right now as a good match for Anarchi and she hoped Nick would approve just as heartily of it.

[Cavallo]

Nick had his ways of figuring out information...She really shouldn't be that surprised that he had heard one of her top thoroughbred mares was open for brood. It was his job to find out important information like that. He smirked as she began to see the acceptance of his proposal in her eyes.

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been planning this for a good while... He couldn't help, but enjoy this moment, but he was pretty sure he wasn't the only one enjoying this moment as well. He knew the Anarchi foal would flourish under Amber's touch and he had to admit...he was eager to see it happen. He literally was having too much fun in this moment - history was being created in this moment.

There those certain breedings that were planned out and you could tell had the touch of destiny on them...this was such an occasion. He smiled as Amber officially accepted his proposal. He couldn't help the thrill he felt and the rush of adrenaline that surged through his system. This was happening! He laughed in his excitement and grinned like a Cheshire cat when she demanded to swap information for information. She wanted to know sire information for dam information and he had to admit...he was simply dying to know what devilish plan she had in mind. It hadn't taken her long to process out exactly who the perfect match would be for the cold stallion...But then it hadn't taken him long to process who he was going to pair up with Wild Flower.

Well now...that sounds like a fair swap of information. He finished off the last sip of his coffee and returned the cup to the table and leaned in closer to Amber.

What if I told you that Y14 was the year for the Xenophon bloodline? He knew that only two options would flash in her mind. Either he was proposing Anarchi would be the sire, which of course would be foolish since he had planned the Anarchi x Devil foal or...

He let the reality of his implication dawn with revelation on her face. He smirked, I snagged a Xenophon breeding long ago and now it seems I've found the perfect turf mare to match his caliber. He was too excited for words and now he was dying for her to reveal her end.

Now tell me Miss Black...what devilish match do you have all mapped out in your brain?

[S u N f r O s T ~]

Amber snorted as her thoughts were confirmed. Of course Nick had been planning this for a while. He was just like her in that respect. The similarity was truly astonishing, in a way. But despite what such similarities could mean, Amber found herself ignoring what her intuition was telling her and instead focusing on the moment. She studied Nick closely, was amused by his influx of happiness. He was truly thrilled that she had accepted his proposal, and equally thrilled by her demand for further information. It made her feel happy to make him happy. But then again, didn't doing something nice for another person always make her feel happy? She studied Nick more closely, then decided that this was a different sort of happiness. Hmm. What is going on here?

She leaned in, her thoughts breaking off as she listened conspiratorially Xenophon? But what other Xenophon bloodlined horse is he talking about? Not Anarchi. Does he have a reserve to some other horse? Or... Her face went blank with shock as she realized what Nick was implying. But no...not the horse himself...he was such a legend over at the foreign track where Anarchi's bloodlines had hailed from. A true master legend, a legendary sire and racehorse. To her mare? She blinked, and then gasped as Nick confirmed her thoughts. No...way... She was well and truly shocked...and also excited. This was going to happen! But should she really let such another powerful horse be bred for Intrepid?

She leaned away now, eying Nick with calculation in her eyes. You know...I really am too nice to you... she mused very thoughtfully. This was a situation she had to think about. Why was she letting Nick get away with all of these things? Could it be because...could she possibly like Nick Landing? Her, Amber Black, liking one of her biggest rivals in a way that was perhaps more than friendly? Could that possibly be the reason? Just as she was getting lost in thoughts, she was snapped back into reality as Nick asked for his part of the bargain. Her eyes glittered as she resettled and refocused herself, a small smile on her face as she set aside her thoughts.

Well...I was thinking that in a couple of years, when this mare retires...she'd be a perfect match for Anarchi. Let me think...oh, what was the name of that Canadian Triple Crown winner...Italian Ice? Yes, that's it. She smiled with delight. Anarchi x Italian Ice.

[Cavallo]

He saw different things flicking through her eyes as he was speaking, as though she was getting lost in her own thoughts. She was definitely processing something and he couldn't quite read what she as wrestling with, but he shrugged it off and tried not to pay to much mind to it. He knew Amber was definitely a more private person and he didn't want to force her talk about anything she wasn't comfortable with. He was enjoying her nearness as she leaned in closer to him, his eyes were fixated on her face, mesmerized by her cat-like green eyes.

He had to be careful, or his crystal blue eyes would give away the secret he's been carrying for months now. There was something shifting though in Amber towards him and he grew excited about the direction she was leaning towards. She liked making deals with him, she liked being with him, she liked their sarcastic joking - in general she liked him. But how much did she like him? That was the true question. She brought it up, You know I'm really nice to you... He couldn't help, but smile. Are you implying that I'm special to you?? He arched an eyebrow in mocked surprise, while secretly hoping what he was saying was true.

He didn't wait for the reply, but he let the idea be planted out there that if she was interested in being special to her he was more than ready to make her special in his life - that wouldn't be anything new. He was eager to see what match this plotting woman had in mind and for her Anarchi baby and he had a sneaky suspicion what route she was going to take. He stayed close, his body language communicating his eagerness and the happiness he was feeling right now. Whenever she got excited when she talked, she knew it was something she was passionate about.

Then she dropped the bomb. An Anarchi x Italian Ice pairing was perfect. It was like his Comeuppance x Little Miss Innocent pairing, why not compare the best of two top competitors and rivals. You're devilish. That foal will be it's own new breed. His eyes twinkled with approval.

You know Amber, I really have missed you. He let it be said, so that she knew he really meant it before he plunged into being bold. He hoped he had been reading things right.

I don't know if you know this yet... He paused to smile and measure how she was doing before continuing on. But..there is going to be a Fall Social here at The Wire and I was wondering if you'd be interested in attending with me? There it was. He'd done it. He'd made the first move and the ball was now in her court. His stomach was churning as he waited for her reply.

[S u N f r O s T ~]

Amber nearly choked on her sip of tea when Nick voiced the question. Am I saying that he's special to me? Holy crap. What am I getting myself into here? She truly had no idea how to respond to that statement because she didn't know the answer to his question herself. She knew that when Nick had disappeared from the track, she had been very concerned, and that his lack of communication with her had hurt her very deeply. And when he had come back, like right now, her feelings for him were of strong happiness and, dare she say it, even affection. She liked talking to him, liked talking about their horses and the future and everything else in between. Was that an indicator that she felt something more? How was she to know? She had no idea! But what to say? The silence was stretching out now, a bit awkward in her opinion. And she did not know how to respond. So she pickedthe truth. I have no idea she said in a very neutral tone of voice accompanied by a noncommital shrug. Then she went and hid behind her cup of tea.

She sighed in relief when the conversation finally shifted to the one subject she was never shy to talk about - horses. Oh you bet. Too bad it's so far away though. Won't happen for another three years. But I'm sure we can wait. We need to make sure the world is ready to meet this foal! She grinned broadly, reveling in the feeling that plotting gave her. When she retired from being a full time jockey and became a full-on trainer, she would also become a full-on breeding manager. She looked forward to the day when her attentions could be focused so solely on those two tasks. And now the conversation was veering backto the conversations she didn't feel quite as comfortable talking about. I've really missed you. She didn't know how to respond to that. Wittily or truthfully or something in between? But before she could even consider how to respond to it...Nick Landing dropped the nuclear bomb.

She froze. Had Nick Landing...really just asked her out to the Fall Social here at the Wire? Had this truly just occurred? She gulped, realizing that it had and that he was waiting for a reply from a currently shell-shocked girl. Did Nick Landing like her? Did she like him? She had no idea. But what she did know was that she wanted to find out. It felt so awkward saying it...but it had to be said. It was time to be a bit more firm in her feelings and actions. So she straightened up, took a resolute last sip of her tea and responded. Well Nick...seeing as you've asked so nicely...I don't see why not. And she smiled a little bit at that, very shyly, suddenly feeling like a little girl.