WICKED → thomas shelby

[prologue.]

[prologue.] || "𝒊 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒌𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈..."

𝚆inter was coming.

The grass shined within the light of the dull sun and her weathered boots made the ground crunch beneath her. Her warm breath could be seen puffing out clouds from between her plump lips and her rosy cheeks added color to her pale face. She found herself bundling up tightly within the pea coat she wore, a pair of black trousers that were once her Father's now hugging her body.

She had quickly learned that a dress wasn't an attire to wear to the stables and although it didn't show great manners to dress exactly how the men did, she had no choice. After muddying up her favorite floral ones, she had begged for just one pair to wear around the stables. Reluctant enough, her father gave her a battered pair he normally wore when out to work - a few oil stains were splattered on the leg and there was a rip in one of the hems she kept saying she'd stitch but never had time for.

When she reached the stables belonging to the Davies farm, she lifted a large slat of wood that locked the doors together and entered the dimly lit area. She kept the door open behind her, letting some sunlight in despite there hardly being much. She figured it would help her through her normal routine.

Each morning and night, she'd come to the stables to check on the horses, Ruby and Tallon. Both the horses belonged to her Father and herself. He promised her a horse by the time she was thirteen and with just the right amount of means, was able to purchase a beautiful brown and white one. His coat shined bright to show the care that was given. The coat although coarse was something June couldn't get enough of.

She greeted both horses with a small pat to the muzzle. Ruby huffed happily and practically rubbed into the hand of the girl. She was always such a loving and beautiful mare. Her Father had gotten her from a neighbor that could no longer care for her as she had gotten older and although it seemed like such a responsibility, he loved the bonding it brought to him and his daughter.

She soon made her way to her horse, Tallon, and didn't hesitate to also pat and kiss at his soft fur. 

"Hi, sweet angel." She whispered to him before opening the basket she held in the crook of her arm which held farm grown carrots she had picked out just the day before. The horse took it willingly and had a few longing bites before she had gone to Ruby and done the same.

Soon she had set the basket down and began the cleaning routine - removing any manure that lay in their pens, straightening up hay where needed and adding in more, giving fresh water and brushing at their fur and making sure their tails weren't matted.

She hadn't realized she wasn't alone until a throat was cleared at the door of the pen and her head snapped up.

He wore a long black pea coat like herself, a cigarette hanging from his thinly lined lips. He removed a wool flat capped hat that sat upon his head, revealing dark hair beneath it as a strand had fallen before his forehead. His blue eyes had seemed to bore into her own, maybe even past them to avoid her gaze. 

"Can I help you?" June asked curiously. It wasn't everyday a stranger waltzed himself onto the farm as if he had been here for decades.

"I'm looking for Mr. Davies." He said, accent thick as he spoke, June making her exit away from Tallon to shut and lock the pen door. The man before her removed the cigarette from his lips and blew it out in front of her, a grimace now held on her face.

"Unfortunately, you must've missed the message," June began, grabbing the basket she had come with to take her leave from the stables with the stranger close behind, "he's currently in town for a business meeting."

"Business meeting, eh?" He repeated, following her down the grass drive that led back to the house.

"That's right." She responded matter-of-factly as the stranger held a smirk on his features now.

It took him a moment to speak again but when he did, it seemed he wasn't wasting much time in doing so.

"Beautiful horses you've got back there." He complimented as June glanced in his direction.

"They're not for sale." June said defiantly. She would never be fooled into doing this to the animals that had become family.

The stranger chuckled and took a quick drag from his cigarette before his brow raised.

"And the ones that are available?" He inquired, brow raised as June shrugged and stared off at the large childhood home she could call her own.

Some areas of the exterior were beginning to chip, the siding once white but now turning a gray from the wear it had gone through. The bottom of the staircase leading to the front porch had small weeds sprouting from it and the gravel had become one with the dirt with not much care given to it. It wasn't much, but it did, indeed, have memories deep within.

"Different farm." June answered after looking back to the man, stopping at the stoop of the home. "Should I leave a message for when he gets back?"

"Tell him Thomas Shelby would like to see him tomorrow, this exact time. And I don't like to be kept waiting." He said, moving to stand in front of her and look down to her this time.

She could practically feel herself cowering within his gaze before her head nodded slowly and she licked at her suddenly chapped lips. She had always heard of the Shelby's - constant trouble, up to no good, rambunctious, not the ones to mess with. None of it was ever good news and effecting the business of the Shelby's was the first mistake you could ever make and probably your last.

She swallowed down the lump in her throat and looked down at the toe of her boot, nodding slowly.

"I'll let him know." She murmured as he nodded once, turned on his heel, and took his leave to the vehicle that brought him here.