Little Roe's Trouble (Peaky Blinders)

Stable-hands

(Roe's P.O.V.)
On the road towards the stable there were some long, heavy hills, but we rode the horses carefully and thoughtfully. We never forgot to sit back and give reins as we went down the hill, nor to get down and walk if it became to steep. We kept the horses hooves on the smoothest part of the road. All these little things helped my horse and Ansel's pony very much. Especially if they get kind words into the bargain. We stopped once or twice on the road, and just as the sun was going down we reached the town where the stable was located in. We rode our animals under an archway into a long yard, at the further end of which were the stables and coachhouses. Two stable hands came walking towards us. The head stable hand was a pleasant, little man, with a crooked leg and a yellow waistcoat. The younger hand was tall and skinny teenager. Who looked far to serious than his position actually needed to be. "What's the meaning of this?!" The teenager loudly questioned, immediatly the head raised his hands to shut him up. Showing the younger one he was not in charge. The head then returned his attention to us and in a much politer tone of voice, asked us why we where here. Ansel and I shared a look before I explained. "We are wondering if we could board here for a few nights, in return we'll work". "We don't take in street rats" the younger one sneered, "Jesse go get your bloody dinner" the head said loudly pointing to the house. Now being down with the youngster. Jesse groaned, rolling his eyes before trudging off. I grinned watching him leave before returning my attention to the head, who now had crossed his arms. "You two look a little young-" he looked us up and down. Seizing us up basically, "but, you lot seem like you can handle yourselves". Both me and Ansel smile at each other. "My name's Frank" he introduced, "now, let's get your horses dry and to a stable". While me and Ansel did this, Frank took care of a carriage horse that had came in. I had never seen someone unbuckle harness so quickly as he did. After doing so, Frank came over to see us take care of our horses. "I have never seen someone groom so lightly and quickly" he stated as he watched me as I finished up. Frank stepped forward to feel the horse over before doing the same with Minny, Ansel's pony. He found their coats as clean and smooth as silk. "Well" he said, "I thought I was pretty quick, but you two beat all I ever saw for being quick and thorough at the same time. And I have dome thid for over forty years. Ha ha!" he laughed turning around to grab the carriage horse. With a pat and a good word he led the chestnut to the stables. Motioning for us to follow with our own horses aswell. The long stable block had six to eight stalls, with four horses boxed. "It's good you two got into a habit of being quick, it is just as easy as being slow, easier, I should say; in fact it don't agree with my health to be hulking about over a job twice as long as it need take. Bless you! I couldn't whistle if I crawled over my work as some folks do! You see, I have been about horses ever since I was twelve years old, in hunting stables, and racing stables; and being small, ye see, I was jockey for several years; but at the Goodwood, ye see, the turf was very slippery and my poor Larkspur got a fall, and I broke my knee, and so of course I was of no more use there. But I could not live without horses, of course I couldn't, so I took to the breeders. And I can tell ye it is a downright pleasure to handle an animal like this, well-bred, well-mannered, well-cared-for; bless ye!" He said and motioned to Minny. Ansel smiled proudly of his little fell-pony mare. "I can tell how a horse is treated. Give me the handling of a horse for twenty minutes, and I'll tell you what sort of a groom he or she has had. Look at this one" he stated stopping by a stable and looking inside to the horse. It was a tall horse, with a handsome neck, a ebony coloured coat and two different coloured eyes. My heart skipped a beat - Blue-Eye! I could barely contain my excitement and relief when I saw her. She was here, I found her! I stepped forward and patted her over her forehead, I felt her relax into the palm of my hand. Frank smiled. "She is a good mare" he said stroking her neck, "pleasant, quiet, turns about just as you want her, holds up her feet to be cleaned out, or anything else you please to wish. They are like children, train 'em up in the way they should go, as the good book says, and when they are old they will not depart from it, if they have a chance". During this time we had stabled Minny and the horse I came with and got them some grain. "Now we have a mare coming in later this evening, you two get her settled in and you can sleep in the furthest left side stable" Frank said pointing to the desired stable, "Sadly, I cannot offer you the comfort of the house. We don't have space in there currently". "That won't be a problem for us, Sir" Ansel said closing the stable door after settling in his mare Minny.

Later on in the evening the mare who was supposed to arrive, was brought in by a young man. While me and Ansel were giving some of the horses some fresh water. While Ansel began to groom the horse and take care of her, a second man with a pipe in his mouth lounged into the stable to gossip to the stable hand who brought the mare in. Clearly the hand was annoyed with him. "I say, Jack" said the hand, "just run up the ladder into the loft and put some hay doen into this horse's rack, will you?" He ordered annoyed, before walking out the stable block. Just stopping briefly "and lay that pipe down". "All right" the man said and went up the ladder. I looked up as I filled a bucket with water, hearing him step across the boards to throw down some hay into Blue-Eyes stall, the wrong stall. "He's a bit of an idiot, isn't he Blue?" I said to my mare in Romani. Ansel walked past me and agreed in Romani. Jack soon finished and came down from the loft. Suddenly he greeted someone who I was not expecting to be here. "Mr Shelby?". As soon as I heard my last name being said both me and Ansel froze. I carefully peaked over the stable door to see which Shelby it was. Both of us immediatly ducking down behind some haybales as we saw that it was my father. "Mr Shelby, how can I help you?" Jack asked barely being able to keep it together. I looked between two bales at the two conversing men. "My daughter has ran away looking for her mare, and I believe she is here" my father said carefully. Jack was confused and didn't understand dad's reasoning. "I sold her mare to this stable" dad stated simply. Jack caught on and nodded in understanding. Beside me, Ansel carefully shook my arm wanting my attention. I shook him off, not wanting to leave my gaze from my father. But my friend persisted and I caved in and turned to look at him. I was met with a nervous look in his eyes. "Do you feel different?" He whispered to me. I thought for a second. Come to think of it the air seemed to have turned all thick and choking. I heard a horse coughing and one of the other horses seemed very restless. It was a bit dark and I could see nothing that wasn't beneath a light. The rest of the horses were all awake now; some were pulling at their halters, others stamping. I listened and heard a soft rushing sort of noise and a low crackling and snapping. The rushing sound overhead grew louder, and as I looked upward the ladder and through the trapdoor that was left open I saw a red light flickering on the wall. Then I heard a loud cry coming from outside "Fire!".

Published: 27th of June 2024

Update request:
SuperMagic101
ohmyimagineworld
_ILoveMaskedMen_
ClaudiaAlcaraz7