Animal Instinct | Peaky Blinders [Thomas Shelby]

01 - Jubilee

Herschel had one eye. If it weren't for that one, unique trait, Vivian wouldn't have recognized the name.

As were most of the people outside of Small Heath, Herschel's owner was a poor farm merchant, who happened to get a bad deal from a business owner who was interested in his land. In exchange for half his plot, he was given Herschel, without being told that he was a wild, untamed stallion. When he got word that Vivian was looking for horses to train, he practically broke down right in front of her.

"I need him for work. Without him, my family and I will starve."

He said nothing about racing. If he had, Vivian would've charged him more than eight pennies. Or, at the very least, she would've trained him differently. She trained him to carry heavy loads and drag fertilizer down a field by command. Not running one of Birmingham's highest bidding races.

She trained him two winters ago. Now it was autumn, but the number of customers she's had since Herschel could be counted on one hand. Most who came to visit her had barely more than a loaf of bread to spare, and the horses required weeks of time to truly tame. But Vivian knew the value of a good horse. So, she offered her assistance as best she could.

"Her name is Jubilee. She's so wily, it took twelve men and their horses to drag her into the pastures."

Vivian watched the mare as she jumped into the fence, causing the metal to rattle. Jubilee jumped back with an indignant groan and kicked at the top of it with her front hoof. "She's going to hurt herself."

"We've tried containing her in a barn," Mister Johan said, "She destroyed the stables and injured another horse."

"Before you got her - was she abused?" Although, Vivian didn't need to ask. Jubilee's behavior was unmistakable. Every time Mister Johan even touched the gate, she would scream and buck into the fence.

"We don't know. The only thing we were told was that she came from a group of Gypsy's who couldn't take care of her anymore. They told us she was uncontrollable, but we weren't expecting this." When Vivian didn't say a word, Mister Johan gave a nervous cough into his hand. "We can't pay much. A guinea, to be generous. We used all our earnings on this horse. But my wife offered to cook for you...and to babysit Leo..."

Vivian could hear Mister Johan becoming more and more distraught with each word he spoke. He started heaving in between words, his single lung working overtime to keep up with his heaving breaths. She put her hand on his shoulder to stop him, and he slammed a fist against his chest.

"I'll spent time with Jubilee this weekend, but I can't promise anything."

Mister Johan nodded, his old, war-town face twisting into a grin. "Thank you, Vivian."

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Vivian's home was small, even by Birmingham standards, but at least she had a view. Before his death, during one of his army leaves, the previous owner of the home built it high enough to see over the river from the roof. Even through the haze of smog you could see Birmingham looming in the pockets of land. It looked like a disease, but to the north and west, the untouched hills are a calm reminder. There's always a place to run.

She climbed the ladder up to the house, her hands touching the splintering wood that gave away more and more each day. She dreaded having to buy a new ladder.

Before she opened the door, she yanked off the King's Notice from the door and crumbled it up in her hands, stuffing it in the pocket of her coat. This was the third time this week they left the notice, and she knew her family should be expecting a visitor soon.

Inside, Cecily sweats over the stove, stirring a pot of stew, while Leo curled up next to the roaring fire, his buttons shining. He flipped through a book, skimming over the letters and spaces.

"I'm home," she announced, shutting the door and trapping the cold outside. Cecily answers with a nod while Leo races over towards her, engulfing her in his tiny arms. His clothes and skin were warm from the fire and Vivian buried her face in his shirt to warm her frozen cheeks. "How was your day out of school?"

"It was okay..." Vivian smiled and patted his head. He was probably the only child in the country who actually enjoyed school, and for good reason. Cecily was an excellent teacher and Leo was her best student. He was seven, and could already read better than most in his school.

"We went to the library," Cecily added with a smile, not looking up from the burner.

"Did you now?"

Leo jumped up like he'd been shocked. "The Emerald City of Oz," he said, handing the bundle of pages to her. "Could you read it to me before bedtime? Please, Mum?"

"I thought we've read this one already?" Vivian asked, recognizing the beautiful, green front of the book.

"Only once!" Leo defended. "And it's one of my favorites. Please Mum..."

"Of course, I will," she said, beginning to flip through the pages of the worn and torn pages. "We've probably read all the books in the library by now."

"I wish there were more books." Leo frowned.

"Maybe one day you'll write your own. Just imagine it – written by Leo Carter. A tale of heroism, racketeering, true love..." She swept him off his feet and spun him around.

Leo laughed and pushed free from her grasp, running behind Cecily's hoop skirt before his mother could snatch him back up. "True love? Who enjoys those kissing books?"

Vivian couldn't argue with him. Those books had never been her fancy, either.

"Alright, supper is served." Cecily shooed the little boy from her legs and pulled the stew off the stove. She brought it to the table, and the fumes wash over Vivian and her son.

"It smells great, Miss Cecily," Vivian lied. Although she truly appreciated Cecily's help in watching Leo outside of school hours, it also happened to come with her less than superb cooking skills. Leo was not so tactful and grimaced at the meal.

When the woman turned away to fetch the tea off the stove, Vivian whispered to Leo, "Be polite. I'll make you something before bed."

Leo nodded and forced down some stew.