The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•Birmingham.

I. Birmingham.

The three Felton siblings had always been close. Even when the two brothers went to France to fight in the war, leaving their sister behind in London, they remained close through weekly letters. For four years, the three communicated through letters. Even on the weeks when there wasn't much to say to each other, they would still send their letters.

Henry was the oldest of the three, only two years older than Maude, while Daniel was a year younger than her. The two brothers loved their sister so dearly, and even though only one was older than her, both treated her like the baby of the family.

During the four years of the war, Maude waited in London for her brothers to return from France. But they never did. The two men couldn't bare returning to their old lives after all the things they did in France, so they followed a few of their comrades to Birmingham, leaving their sister behind in London.

But the Felton siblings had always been close, and a year after living on her own in London, Maude followed her brothers to Birmingham. Her parents had been long gone and no family was keeping her in London. She only had her brothers left.

Maude was a beautiful young woman, and the second she stepped off the train, bags in hand, all eyes turned to her. Her short black hair was neatly curled and pinned to her head. Her face was polished to perfection with makeup, her lashes long and lushes, her lips painted a dark red, her cheeks a rosy red. She wore a dark emerald green dress, a hat, and pair of heels to match. You could pull the girl through a ring. Like always, Maude looked effortless beautiful, and perfect.

Heads snapped to get a glance at her as she walked through the train station, heels clicking on the cobblestone, dress swaying with her movement. Her plucked eyebrows were tightly knitted together as her ocean-blue eyes scanned over her surroundings. Birmingham was far different than she had expected. Filthy and gloomy, with danger lingering around every turn and corner. It was muddy and rainy and a stench lingered in the air.

She asked around for the pub, The Garrison, her brothers frequently mentioned in the letters they had sent her every week for the past year. A few avoided her question, growing pale at the mere mention of the pub's name. Others warned her against it, telling her only danger and trouble waited for her there. Finally, someone had shown her the way and she was off.

When Maude stepped into the Garrison, the rowdy pub went quiet, all heads turning to the dark-haired girl. From the way she was dressed, to the way she carried herself, everything about her screamed, that she was not a girl who belonged in the slumps of Birmingham.

The man behind the bar eyed her wearily before his gaze briefly flicked towards the small room sat in the corner between the door and the bar. "Sorry love, we don't serve unattended women. "He informed her with an apologetic smile.

Maude's gaze drifted towards the room next to the door, eyebrows furrowing before she turned back to the barman, shaking her head as she approached him. "I am looking for someone, I think I might find them here." She explained as she set her bags down by her feet, nervously glancing towards the men in the pub who eyed her with lustful eyes.

"Who are you looking for, love?" The man asked as he quirked an eyebrow at her, throwing a cleaning rag over his shoulder before crossing his arm.

"Daniel and Henry Felton." She called out and the pub went even more quiet than it did when she had stepped in. She heard only a few soft gasps followed by weary mumbles.

The barman went pale and visibly gulped as he stared at her with cautious eyes."What do you want with the Felton brothers?" He asked, his eyes once again darting to the small room when he heard shuffling inside.