Lost and found

Choices are the hinges of destiny

Aribella sat in the far corner of the room her feet placed on the table, a cigarette placed delicately  between her lips her eyes stayed on the Shelby brothers,her glare harsh and cold.
"You don't have to ask to sit you know" Aribella stated before puffing out smoke.
Each man took there seats, no one dared make conversation.

Aribella was deep in thought the side of her head throbbed and her knuckles held a dull ache I mean it wasn't the first time she had smashed them to shit. Aribella thoughts were interrupted by the abrupt knock at the door.

"Come in " Aribella commanded
The barman walked in four glasses a bottle of whiskey and a bowl of water and a cloth, two things Thomas could not remember Aribella asking for.

"Thought you might want to clean your hands can't have you losing them can we " Hank spoke placing each item in front of Aribella the slightest smile danced on Aribellas face a she looked up at the barman.
"Now what would i do without you ah Hank" she smirked
Hank chuckled before leaving the room,Aribella placed her hands in the water a small sigh of relief left her lips as the water soothed the ache that travelled form her knuckles up her arm.
"Can't remember the last time I fucked them up this bad "
"Maybe you should have shattered some guys face with your hands then eh " Thomas tried to scold her
Aribella sent a harsh glare towards her dad before careful drying her hands on the cloth
"Firstly that guy tried to rape one of my girls a secondly I wouldn't condemn someone else's bloodied hands unless yours are completely clean"

Thomas rolled his eyes at his daughters statement trying his best to ignore the truth in her words..

Aribella slide the glasses of whiskey to each man before sitting back puffing smoke from her mouth.

'So you didn't know shit about me then" Aribella asked directing her question to Thomas.

"Not until yesterday morning, you mother never mentioned you "

Aribella let out a bitter laugh oh god her mother.

"Don't surprise me the bitch was a whore after all " Aribella smiled towards her father no remorse for the venom she spat about her mother.

"Opening her legs was her only source of communication"
John laughed with Aribella now enjoying the attitude his niece carried.

Aribella settled back into silence allowing her father's eyes to trace her face,Thomas traced the young girls face his eyes landing on the fresh bruise planted neatly on the side of her head,her hair was pulled back her face was littered with little scars barely noticeable if you weren't looking for them her eyes held very little she gave nothing away. But the one thing that caught Thomas eye was the scar that laid from the top of Aribella's neck to the base of her collar bone.
The scar was easy to spot and Aribella had made no attempt to cover it.
Aribella caught her father eyes linger on her scar longer then her face,Aribella never really cared that the scar could be seen easily no one questioned her about it either.

"Street fight "Aribella commented
"He took a blade and sliced said he was disgusted by my blood but would enjoy watching me bleed,fucker put me in hospital for 4 weeks, almost killed me little shit " Aribella traced the scar as she slowly relived the night she almost died.

" Jesus " Arthur commented
" and you still fight "

"Did the lion stop hunting because a deer got away" Aribella responded cocking her eyebrow towards Arthur

Aribella smiled towards her uncle before speaking again.
"You all got names or am I going to have to make them up "

"Arthur"
"John"

Both brothers waited for Thomas to answer the question as did Aribella,she tapped her cigarette in the ash tray. Aribella was not a patient person.

Aribella lent forward blowing smoke into Thomas face.
"Silence is the best reply for a fool " Aribella smiled
Before Thomas replied Hank busted through the doors panting.

"Sorry Aribella but Smiths out here he's starting shit again "

Aribella stood brushing her dress down and stomping on her cigarette.

"Hold my morals boys, God ain't going to watch this "

The Shelby boys followed her out watching as the yelling of men was silenced, all except one man.

" Aribella Stray why don't you come here and show the world the lioness " Smith mocked
" or is she afraid she'll get her little hands dirty" he laughed

" Maybe she'll pull her gun ah blow my head, you shot him did ah you filthy murderer come one hit me I dare you "

Aribella didn't even speak her face didn't change but her fist did. Thomas stepped forward to defend his daughter but with his first step Aribella fist had connected with Smiths face making a inhuman crunch and he fell to the floor.
" Don't fuckin bark Smith if you can't fuckin bite oh and i dare you to underestimate me again it might make me chuckle  " Aribella stood thrown a few notes on the bar before leaving the pub with the Shelby men in tow.

Aribella fumed as she walked down the cobbles of London yes she was use to people making up lies about her but that one lie hurt her though she wouldn't show. Though her father didn't speak she could her the confusion racing through his mind. Aribella turned her head to face her father 

' for the record  i never pulled a loaded pistol on anybody but it got around that it was what i did. it got turned into a lore.It's a myth. There's to much bad gun stuff.' Aribella sighed before continuing towards the orphanage.

There were hundreds of rumours that were created about Aribella the whores daughter, Satan child though non had met her father,but the one that sunk was a filthy murderer, Aribella had blind rage and impulsive violence but she had never murdered anyone and she would never want to. she was many things but a murder was not one. 

Aribellas thoughts had been  consumed in her own mind she hadn't noticed they had made it back to the orphanage.

before entering Aribella found herself speaking words she had never spoken 

'you want to get to know me, seven o'clock tomorrow be at the bottom of those stairs then will talk' without waiting for a reply she had turned on her heel and  walked inside leaving all three men confused an surprised.

Sunday Morning

Thomas hadn't slept at all that night is mind a constant whirl pool of his daughter his own flesh and blood who he had no i dead about who put herself in harms away without a second thought.By twenty to seven he was waiting at the bottom of the steps tapping his foot his gut telling him it had been a set up that she wasn't going to turn that she left,run,never to be seen again. But for the first time in a long time his gut was wrong as when seven came around the orphanage door opened and a small group of children fell out including Aribella and Scud. All dressed in Sunday best ribbons dangling from the younger girls hair as Aribella had hers braided up basket in hand and a large piece of paper. She looked older like this, almost motherly. Children bounced around her and Scub,colourful ribbons flowing through long hair as Aribella straightened coats and dress and Scub tried to straighten the young boys and they yelled an tumbled over each other. it was most defiantly a sight to see as both older children gathered the 30 children in front of the door.

' And here i was thinking you wouldn't show up' Aribella smiled a slight joy sparkling in her eyes

Thomas smiled back his daughter was more comfortable to day then she was yesterday she was more at peace.

'alright you lot lines cant loose any of yous on the way' Aribella called,each kid ran to a line each bouncing on there heels as they went. Where ever they were heading it was obvious they were excited.

'ART ART look look at my dress' Tia squealed before bounding into Arthur's arms her eyes twinkling as she smiled up at him as he did the same.

' Its beautiful Tia my girl go on give us a twirl then sweetheart'