Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

21.

Ailbhe could practically feel steam coming out of her ears as she walked back to her family's table where they sat with Mr Gold and his men. She kept her tears at bay and tried not to scream in frustration but anyone who looked at her knew she was furious. Her eyes glowered and her lips were pursed, to stop herself saying anything else she might regret.

"Oi, Ailbhe" Tommy called out, pulling out of her scrambled mind and beckoning her over to him.

Reluctantly, she walked over to his side. He was still with Polly, a thaw between them obvious.

"What?" she snapped, a little more harsh than she intended but she was still fuming from her argument with Finn.

Tommy's eyes snapped to hers. He was used to Ailbhe having a short temper but not with him. This was just who she was now apparently and Tommy couldn't help the curl of hatred he felt at himself for being responsible.

"It's about Mr Gold" Polly told her, her dark eyes watching the man in question.

"There's something about him, something I can't read" Ailbhe kept her voice hushed, she didn't want anyone to hear them.

"Ailbhe's right" Polly nodded, watching as Mr Gold stood from the table with his son.

"He wants something other than just money" she continued "I see things, in the air around people. It's not just the tablets. It's real. Ask him what he really wants"

Ailbhe felt reassured, Polly seemed like her senses were coming back to her and she was also embracing her gift, accepting the spirits and the whispers and moving on with them. It reassured Ailbhe that one day she wouldn't find Polly like they found her mother and that maybe Ailbhe wouldn't descend into madness just because she saw more than most.

Tommy pulled out his cigarettes, offering one to Ailbhe but she refused, shaking her head. He lit one between his lips and turned, so his back was facing his family and he was looking straight at Ailbhe.

"I need you to do something for me. Well two things" he told her, not sure if she would agree since she wasn't his biggest fan those days.

Ailbhe didn't make a sound, neither agreeing nor disagreeing she just listened.

"First of all, you and Finn have to stop arguing, you need to call a truce" He told her, watching her closely.

He had seen their argument earlier and how Finn was ready to fly off the handle when he saw how Bonnie Gold looked at her. The anger between them was just going to fuck things up for everyone else and Tommy had enough to deal with without trying to understand what had happened between his brother and Ailbhe.

"I also need you to spend some time with Bonnie Gold" he continued, his eyes letting her know that he had a plan, as always.

"Why?" she asked. She wouldn't do Thomas' bidding anymore without questions, without answers and reason. The last time she had just done what she was told she ended up locked up and losing most of her family, she wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Because I need to know if he can be trusted" Tommy explained, frustration clear on his face. He wasn't used to having to explain himself.

He turned, as if to leave the conversation and leave it at that but Ailbhe spoke again, calling him back.

"Why me?" She asked, her eyes narrowed and her arms folded across his chest.

Tommy turned back to her, taking his cigarette in his fingers and leaning in so only she could hear his next sentence. Perhaps she did deserve to know all the details. Mr Gold and his son had asked for a decent wage for the killings. He had also tried to buy Charlie's yard and something else too that now concerned Ailbhe.