Princess to the Shelby Throne

Chapter 1

"You've got to be kidding me..." I said to myself not realising what the time was while looking at my silver pocket watch as I sat on the banks of the polluted canal that runs through Small Heath. I jumped up and dusted myself off and sprinted as fast as I could a few blocks away to the Chinese markets remembering that I needed to inform Mr. Chang that Tommy needed him in a few minutes.

After running for 5 minutes I finally made it to the markets, which always gave me anxiety by the extreme loudness of sellers trying to lure you in to buy their hand made clothes or food, yet this time it was awfully quite.

I headed over to the my brothers coat maker Mr. Chang, however looking around people were whispering as they watched me moved purposefully through the stores, I was getting even more anxious. I finally walked down the last lot of stalls towards Mr. Chang's shop, as soon as I got a glimpse of him we locked eyes, his face went into total shock making him snatch his daughter's wrist and next thing I know they have ran off through the markets.

I stood there wondering what in the world just happened and why did he take off suddenly with his daughter. When I was snapped back into reality by a loud bang I turned around to find where the noise came from. I noticed shocked faces looking at me, "What are you looking at?" I yelled out to the crowd that had gathered near me, as soon as I yelled out to them they all pretended like they weren't just staring at me and went back to doing their work. I was over all this commotion so I proceeded to walk out of the markets while feeling everyone's eyes drilling the back of my head as I walked out.

As I made my way down the Main Street of Small Heath I spotted Abraham, whom of which helped my brother's during the war and now recently founded the teachings of God. "Abraham!" I shouted out to him as he was preaching the words of the Lord, "Ah, Birdie my dear how have you been?" He responded in a joyful manner. Abraham insists on calling me by my middle name Birdie, I'm not sure why he calls me that or how he knew my middle name was Birdie. "Good, anymore people convinced by your preaching's? I said inquisitively, "Have you seen any of my brothers?" I said with a big smile on my face, "Sure have! Tommy went past on his new horse about 5 minutes ago, some girl had put a blessing on it. He might have taken it to your uncle's farm." He said while pointing in the direction Tommy had trotted off to, That was probably where Mr. Chang and his daughter ran off too I thought, "Thanks," I yelled out while running off in the direction he went.

While running down Sanders Court I knew of a short cut through an alley to get to the Garrison Pub. I darted down the the alleyway thinking about whether Tommy will be at the pub or at home, as I neared the end of the alley I felt myself run into what felt like a brick wall and fell flat on my arse in a muddy puddle. "Well... Well... Well... If it isn't that Shelby girl" I looked up to see Robert Brown, a communist boy and cousin to Freddie Thorne who was from school whom of which hated my entire family, particularly me as I broke his nose in a fight defending a special needs girl that was being harassed by him and his mates.

I stood up brushing off the mud that stained my pants, "Robert, I haven't seen you in a while... How is your nose, broken?" I jokingly said while showing him a huge grin on my face. Without any warning he slammed me up against the wall, which made my head knock on the jagged edge of the brick. I winched at the pain while raising my hand up to my head, I felt small amounts of blood rolling down the back of my neck. "Well that's not a nice way to treat a girl" I sarcastically said with yet another grin hopefully convincing him I have no pain from the blow to my head. His face started to turn bright red like a tomato which I knew was not going to be good, he let out a grunt, at the corner of my eye I saw his fist swing towards my nose so I tried my best to avoid his punch, however, it collided hard with my left cheek making me instantly fall to the floor.

"Next time I'll break your goddamn nose." He angrily said standing over me, I grabbed the side of my face already feeling the bruise coming through. "What is your problem?" I said kneeling on the floor looking up at him towering over me still. "Your family is my problem. Tommy, Arthur, John, Finn... Oh and your whore of a sister Ada are all scum and so are you. You're just a bastard child born out of wedlock to a drunk delusional father that ran away..." he said bitterly towards me, I could feel my blood starting to boil in rage at the mention of my family.

I sprung up off the floor, leant against the wall then pushed myself off making me spear tackle him to the floor. As we both wrestled around for a while I finally got out of his hold, stood up and kicked him as hard as I could into his ribs. I stood back looking at him as he cradled his ribs in a fetal position, "Never talk about my family like that!" I bitterly said after spitting on the ground near him. I ran off after hearing voices nearing the alley making sure not to get caught. As I made it towards the end of the path I looked back at him, "This won't be the last time you see me, Shelby scum!" He yelled at me as he slowly got up off the ground. I turned around trying to compose myself from running back to him to kick his arse again. I shook my head trying to knock some sense into me and proceeded to run off away from the alley.

I didn't want the boys let alone Tommy to see what happened, so I walked with my head down as I headed towards the house making sure no one sees my face or the blood streaming down my neck which has stained my blonde hair. I opened the door to the house and saw Finn my 10 year old brother sitting in front of the fireplace smoking a cigarette, Silly kid he knows not to smoke I thought as he desperately tried to discard it. "Annie, is that you?" He yelled out to me, I didn't respond as I didn't want him to see my face.

I quietly tip toed up the stairs ignoring his question, as I slowly made my way up the stairs I could hear him a few steps behind me, "Oh my God Annie, what happened to you?!" He said in shock, I stopped on the top step as soon as he said that. Shit! I thought as I've been compromised, I slowly turned around "Please don't tell anyone Finn." I begged him as he is known to snitch on me. He looked at my bruise that surrounded my whole cheek and the blood that stained my hair and neck. "The family is having a meeting, if you don't go in there I will tell them myself you tried to sneak in with blood all over you." He said while crossing his arms and tapping his foot. God I hate this boy sometimes I thought, I paused for a few seconds contemplating whether to go in the meeting and try to hide my face or get yelled at by someone for missing the meeting and having to explain what happened. I rolled my eyes in defeat knowing I was not mentally prepared to be yelled at especially not from Tommy but rather be interrogated by everyone if they notice my face in the meeting, well either way I know I'm screwed.

I walked slowly staring at Finn as I took each step. As I passed Finn I whisper "You little snitch.", as soon as I said that he pushed passed me causing me to fall to the side and ran towards the doors to the meeting room where the others are currently conducting the family council meeting. I ran after him and pushed him at the last second away from the door making him fall to the ground causing a loud bang, we both paused for a second as we could hear the creaking of the floor boards as someone was walking to the doors. Shit.