Child of Ice (Thomas Shelby)

Chapter Seven: Just Stronger

In the garrison later that day Tommy had poured her a drink.Ayla stared at the drink in her cup swirling it around watching the golden liquid spiral.traumatised, panicked.for the first time she didn't feel like drinking it. Every ounce of energy in her body had been removed.

Emotionless.She hadn't spoken since they left her house, she was in deep thought thinking of what she would do next. Where would she go? Alone once again. She knew her father would find her eventually but not this quickly. She thought she was but she wasn't prepared for it she really wasn't prepared to see him again. The voices of John, Arthur and Polly became apparent but she didn't look up. She remained silent.

"What happened?" Polly asked tommy, looking between them both.

"Someone's after her" He said quiet but Ayla heard, she heard everything

"Did you see who it was?" John asked but Tommy shook his head.

"Who are you working for!" polly shouted at the silent figure. She didn't even flinch at Polly's words, she simply twirled the drink around in the cup.

"Why aint she talking?"Arthur raised his voice at Tommy

"Something aint right mate" John whispered to tommy. His eyes concentrating on Ayla and how quiet she was being. but he had figured it out.

"Those men-" he lit a cigarette before taking a seat opposite her. "They wanted you?" he raised his eyebrows. She had loads of expensive jewellery but they weren't after them. They were after her.

"Not the jewels but you. You must be more important than them" He blew puffs of smoke into the air. Polly, John and Arthur watched and listened carefully. Ayla pressed her eyes shut.Tommy had figured out who she was there was no point in hiding it anymore. She was giving in, her heart was beginning to pump and she could feel it.

"So who is she then?" Polly asks impatiently 

"The daughter of King Sekin of Turkey, " he said out of nowhere which burned a fire in her heart. Pure anger raging through her body, her breathing getting heavier, her eyes blinking faster.

"its the only thing that makes sense. The jewels, the secrecy, the skills." Tommy thought she had come here to kill him after what he had done to her father

"Little bitch" Arthur tried to punch her but Tommy held him back.

"have you come to kill us all then? hmm was that you're plan?" Polly's voice now filled with spite.She stood up pacing around the pub. 

"If it wasn't for the peaky blinders I wouldn't have been able to escape in the first place" her voice quieter than usual

"What do you mean?" polly asked but Ayla stood up walking around the pub a little ignoring her question, she stopped and hesitated, years of anguish and suffering crossing her mind. Reaching for the small knife in her leg holster, when she turns around with a sudden rage throwing it directly at the wooden door frame of the Garrison a few feet away, passing tommy's right ear. everyone surprised by her accuracy and ability.

"see? if I wanted you dead I would have aimed a few inches to the left" she insists.A few seconds of tension rising between them all. John whips out his gun pointing it directly at her. Tommy's heart skips a beat fearing what would happen next. 

"John put the gun down!" Tommy pleaded

"Do it! you'll be doing me a favour" Ayla plopped down in her seat again finally drinking her drink slamming the glass down on the table when she was done. They all stared at her in amazement. They were surprised at how fearless she was. Something touched Polly's heart. She could see that this young girl had suffered a dear amount. John eventually put the gun down.