Primed for sin // Peaky Blinders

Part 9

To calm herself down, she went out the back door and headed to her uncle Charlie's yard. To hell with what Thomas Shelby said. He'd have to learn she wouldn't just sit and roll over like an obedient mutt.

She'd do as she liked... but she would take the back door so no blinders would alert Tommy of her sneaking out, against his orders.

She took the back alleys there, it was like her brother had eyes in the back of his head and she could never be too careful, not knowing where he was lurking around.

She pushed the gate open to the yard, closing it behind her and walking past her uncles desk. She never really did understand why he had a desk out in the open, she didn't question it though.

"Afternoon, uncle" she greeted as she walked past him.

He smiled at her, tilting his hat in greeting "does Tom know you're here?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes "does he have to know everything?"

He shrugged "suppose not... Curly's in the stables"

She thanked him, running to the back and entering the very noisy stables. She greeted Curly on the way, who smiled and waved at her energetically.

She made it through, all the way to the back stable where her mare was put. Rose could still remember the day she was gifted her.

When Rosella was seven years old, Arthur and John snuck her to the local fair. She was supposed to be tucked up in bed, but being the amazing big brothers they were, they snuck her with them.

When they got there, a mare was to be won. It was the only game Rosella was interested in, having her eyes set on that horse. She fell in love the moment her young eyes fell on the horse.

However, they left the fair empty handed, John carrying a saddened Rose in his arms. She cried into his chest, her own chest heaving up and down with strangled hiccups.

The brothers then made an understanding, they would get their Rose that horse no matter the price, and they would watch as the declining Rose would flourish and bloom.

And they did. She visited Charlie's yard a week later and low and behold, there stood the most magnificent horse she had saw a week prior.

The mare was an Irish draught,honey brown in colour with the blackest eyes she had ever seen. She stood at a tall 15 hands, towering over the tiny seven year old.

Beside her stood a grinning John and Arthur, full blown smiles on their faces as they saw their little sisters eyes glow with excitement. Arthur lifted her up by her armpits, placing her in the saddle.

John took the reigns and walked the horse around Small Heath for hours that day, Arthur keeping his hand on Rose's back the entire time, scared she might fall of.

When they got back to the stables that night, she finally named her. The mare that John and Arthur got her was named 'Heart of May'. Due to the fact she felt like her heart exploded the moment she saw the horse and it was May when she was gifted her. However, she usually just ended up calling her May.

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Rose unlatched the stable door, walking in before latching it again. She smiled at the sight of May, the horse nuzzling her nose into Rose's arm.

"Hey girl" she whispered, rubbing the palm of her hand down her nose "let's get you groomed, eh?"

Rose spent the next hour thoroughly grooming, checking the hooves as well as braiding May's main. Next, she mucked out the stable, laying down new and clean hay and shovelling up the dirty one, also filling up the hay feeder and water bucket.

By the end of it all, she was covered in muck and hay and in due need of a warm bath.

However, when commotion started happening outside, Rose latched the stable door once more and cautiously made her way to the front of the stable.

There stood a frantic Curly and also her brother, as well as her Uncle Charlie who had taken his hat off.

"Shit" whispered Rose, attempting to walk back further into the stable but she was already caught.

"Rose?" Called Tommy. The girl turned around and sent him a tight lipped smile, making her way over.

"What's going on?" She asked, noticing all of their sullen faces.

"The Lee's put a bad seed in the hoof, got an old woman to put a spell..." Curly said, frantic and hurt.

"So those Lee bastards cursed her" Tommy said.

"Whatever it is, he said it's spread to the other feet" Charlie said, looking towards the Snow White horse.

"...what does that mean?" Rose asked cautiously, looking between the three men and the horse.

"It's going to his heart by tomorrow, I'd say" Charlie admitted.

"Seen curses like this twice. Can't take them back Tom, no" Curly breathed out. Rose walked over to Curly, putting her hand on his shoulder to calm him down before she rubbed her hand down the horses leg, lifting to see its hoof.

It didn't look good, even the exterior seemed to be almost...rotting.

"I told you, Tommy." Charlie began,"Better enemies to have than black-blood Gypsies."

"Get out." Tommy breathed. "Get out, Curly."

Rose stayed put, looking in sadness towards the beautiful horse.

"Get out, Rose. Now!" Tommy shouted. Rose nodded her head a ran out of the stables, ran out of the yard and into the street.

She kept running, that was until she heard the gun shot that made her heart drop into her stomach.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, as if the already dead horse could hear her. It was all she could do in that moment. For she felt utterly helpless.