𝓡𝓔𝓥𝓔𝓡𝓘𝓔 - 𝓟𝓔𝓐𝓚𝓨 𝓑𝓛𝓘𝓝𝓓𝓔𝓡𝓢

7

"You said we were going to the fair," Maura says, fanning her face with a small hand fan that she had stolen when she was younger.

"We have business first. Come on. Bring your wits,"

"I always have my wits Thomas," Maura says. "It's those two oafs you have to worry about"

"Fuck off Maura," John says, rolling his eyes.

"What business?" Arthur asks.

"That's the Lee family," John says as he turns to off his sister a hand to help her get out of the car.

"Tommy!"

"Johnny-dogs!"

"Tommy, how the hell are ya?"

"All the better for getting the city smoke out of me lungs," Tommy says.

"I thought you became a bit too grand for us," Johnny teases.

"I've been busy,"

"Johnny!"

"Is that little Maura all grown up?" Johnny asks.

Maura wraps her arms around the man who returns the hug as enthusiastically.

"I'm riding with the Lee family now," Johnny says to Tommy who nods.

"I heard. Myself, I'd rather live among pigs,"

"Shut up Tommy," Maura rolls her eyes. "We're here to have fun"

"She's right," Johnny says. "So, no disputing So your first fair since France?"

"What do you know about France? You war-shy, gypsy bastard" Tommy says.

"So this is the horse?"

The horse was beautiful. It had a snow white coat and big soulful eyes. Maura gently runs her hand down the horse's nose and it whinnies happily.

"And that's the car," Johnny says, admiring the vehicle the four had climbed out of upon their arrival.

"Hang on a minute," Arthur says.
"You're not swapping the family car for a bloody horse"

"Of course we're not swapping it," Johnny says. "Huh? That'd be mad"

"We're gonna play two up," Tommy says.

They flip the coins before crouching down to see the results. They spit into their hands and shake causing Maura to grimace.

"Here you are,"

Maura sighs as her brother hands Johnny the key to the car.

"I hope he's not expecting five of us to fit on the back of that," Maura says, glancing to Finn who was bouncing happily in his seat.

"Yeah, I knew it," Arthur says. "See, I knew it. Tommy, you bloody idiot"

"Shut up, Arthur, I won,"

"Oh, good," Arthur says.

"I promised Johnny I'd let him have a spin in the car if he lost," Tommy says.

Loud laughter sounds from behind them and they all turn to face the Lee men who were snickering at Arthur.

"Are you Lee boys laughing at my brother?" Tommy asks. "Are ya?"

Tommy steps closer and the Lee boys do the same causing the three other Shelby siblings to move forward.

"Eh? Tommy! Tommy, come on!" Johnny tries to intervene but Maura already knew this was part of a bigger Tommy Shelby strategy.

"I asked you a question,"

"Tommy, come on, it's just the craic," Johnny says. "Get your family out of here, and go and enjoy yourselves at the fair before they start a war. Huh?"

Johnny begins speaking in Romani gypsy.

"They're from good people. Their grandad was a king. Their grandad was a king"

"Yeah, but his mum was a didicoy whore,"

"You had to open your mouth," Maura sighs, reaching into her boot and pulling out a small knife she always concealed in her boot.

As Tommy swings his hat on the man who had spoke, Maura turns to one of the other men who was running forward. Maura spins the knife between her fingers before slashing it across his face. The man falls to the ground, clutching his bleeding eye and Maura grabs his shirt collar and begins punching him harshly. She lets go of his collar and he falls back, clutching at her ankle sending her tumbling with him. Maura grabs her knife and stabs the man straight in the hand that had dared to touch her before she slams her forehead against his nose.

Maura brushes the strands of hair from her face before spitting on the man's face.

"Your future children have seen your actions here today," Maura says in Romani. "May they be born accordingly"

"You fucking whore!" The man roars and the three brothers go silent, turning to face the man.

Their faces were made of stone as Maura steps back, allowing her three brothers to reign hell upon the man who had dared call her a whore.

"Can we go to the fucking fair now?" Maura asks.

"You've got blood on your face," John points.

"Where?"

Before Maura could even try to find it, Arthur had licked his thumb and was scrubbing the blood off of her face.

"Uh Arthur, I appreciate the bath but I don't know where your mouth's been,"

"On many, many women,"

"You're repulsive,"