Forbidden Alliances // Alfie Solomons Peaky Blinders

(13) Token of Gratitude

*edited 02/25/23*

Freya went back to the pub and after serving a few more customers, Freddie came back as well with another glass of iced water.

"You gonna tell me what all that was about?" he pondered incredulously, still a little nervous as she had a lot more power than he did. She was his superior in every sense but her remarks about religion and murder made him seriously concerned.

After relieving herself of a full bladder, she felt less intoxicated. She didn't feel as sloppy or wasted as she did before, but everything still seemed to move around her like she was treading through the water. "I," she paused, trying to find her focus again and remember what Freddie was referring to. "Oh." She raised a finger as she took a seat. "I can't stooop thinking about someonnne who my brotherrr's made a deal with..." she prolonged her words in an almost slur-like structure.

Freddie nodded his head slowly, taking in her words as she spoke. "Right, I figured. Most people drown out thoughts of love at the bar, but what is it about Timbuktu?"

"Love?!" she choked on her water. "Huh?" she retorted, placing her glass of water down on the counter a bit harder than she should've. Freddie's eyes got big with realization. As he talked to her, she seemed like an interesting character, but he knew deep down she was just a Shelby, and someone like him shouldn't fraternize with a Shelby.

If her brothers were capable of killing as many people as those on the street say, he could only imagine what she was capable of.

"Oh, right, yes. This man... he took his pistol," she made a gun with her thumb and index finger and raised it to Freddie's head, "and threatened to shoot my brother, yeah? And of course, he didn't, but he wanted to... And then as men do in this business, he said he'd ship poor Tommy off to Timbuktu and I don't want half my brother going to Timbuktu, I want all of him here..." she moaned with a saddened expression. Her lower lip popped out as she exaggerated a frown, but there was something about it that made her look more innocent.

"Well, I'd assume," Freddie chuckled, pausing to take an order from a customer before turning back to Freya who continued to talk even though no one was listening.

"I can't be this involved with him... he's, well I don't know, he's not the good sort to be messing about with... By the angels," she rolled her eyes and pulled her hand up to her forehead. "What the hell am I chatting about?" she questioned rhetorically. "I don't fucking know what I'm talking about... messing about... interested, involved, who the fuck knows?" She thrust her hands out into the air dramatically. "But I do know it certainly ain't love," she laughed. She didn't know what she was talking about or what it was exactly that she was worried about; it fogged up all her thoughts and she couldn't ignore them for the life of her.

Suddenly, there was a soft pair of hands on her shoulders. Freya inhaled and held her breath out of fear. She quickly turned with one hand gripping her glass, ready to use it as a weapon if she needed to. But to her luck, it was just Polly with a drunken smile that hung from her perfect lips like a beautiful fixture.

"Polly!" she smiled. Her hand left her glass and she moved to hug her aunt. She quickly realized she had hardly spent the night with her and that she actually did miss her company.

"Freya," she replied as they held each other in a simple embrace. As they pulled away, Kit appeared behind her with his coat in hand. "I'll be heading home now if that's alright. I do really appreciate you taking me out tonight."

Freya lost herself in her aunt's eyes. Even though Freya had very little to do with how her night went, she hoped it went well. "Of course. Enjoy tonight, Pol, you deserve it." She kissed the side of Polly's face and diverted her attention to Kit. "Oi." Her expression changed completely as she met his gaze. "Treat her well tonight or I'll not only get James to fire you but I'll get all of Birmingham to-"