𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐘 & 𝐒𝐌𝐎𝐊𝐄 | 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒

ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴘꜱᴏᴍ ᴅᴇʀʙʏ

Cliona Burgess had been to a few race days, but the Epsom Derby was nothing like the others. Everyone was dressed to impressed, no matter where they came from. The woman walked through the gates, looking far from the Peaky Blinder she was. Her hair was curled up neatly, a large hat with a ribbon sat upon her head. Her dress a pale pink, was accompanied with a fur coat. Of course, her stockings were still pulled up, with a leather holder filled with her silver pistol. Her heel clad feet strode through the gates with the hoards of others. She marvelled at the scenery, taking everything in. The woman's fashion, the men with walking sticks, and of course the horses themselves. A hand suddenly took hers as she turned around cautiously to meet her sisters warm eyes. She kissed her on each cheek as a greeting. 

"Isn't this wonderful!" Cliona exclaimed letting out a giggle. However, although Grace laughed her face and eyes told another story. Cliona frowned at this. "Grace, what's the matter....." Grace took her hand leading her into the heart of the complex, at the bottom of a set of stairs. 

"I'm pregnant" Cliona's expression fell blank, unreadable. The woman was smart enough to know that the baby didn't belong to her husband. "You haven't told your husband?" Grace shook her head slowly. "Oh, sister you've got to! You have to tell him, and then Tommy because-well-it's his, and I think you've already made up your mind. Tommy's the one, sister, he always has been." Her face then lit up a little. "And I guess I should say congratulations too" Grace laughed shaking her head, hugging her younger sister. At this moment of time, Thomas Shelby walked down the stairs, his mind seemingly occupied. He looked at the two women, acknowledging their presence. 

"What are you doing here?" He questioned towards Grace not expecting her attendance. He stepped off the last step, withdrawing his gloved hands from his pockets. 

"I have to talk to you" Grace shrugged, her gaze upon him. It was clear he had other things within his mind, especially of the things Cliona knew would take place as the race was going on. 

"Cliona, the boys are outside" Was all he spoke, nodding at her. She knew what she had to do. 

"I'll see you later sister" She gave her hand a squeeze, before disappearing into the crowds of race goers.

"Right, boys, plans going smoothly" Cliona called appearing around the corner as the Peaky Blinders hopped off the back of the car, fully armed. John clamped his hand welcomingly down on her back as she gave him a nod. 

"Keep them fucking guns ready." John told the other's withdrawing a wooden toothpick from between his teeth. Cliona's hand pulled out her gun, letting the layers of her dress fall to her knees, throwing the large hat upon her head and the fur coat in the back of the van, replacing it with her flat cap. 

"Coppers ain't moving though. Fucking statues they are" Cliona spoke pulling off her heels with a wince. She was never wearing heels again, as she tied her boots gracefully. 

"Keep your wits about you, boys, all right?" John called to the gang, before they made their way out, across the complex. Cliona's hand outreached into her jacket pocket, pulling out a box of matches, people avoiding getting in their path. 

"Lets have ourselves a wee bonfire shall we?" She mumbled as they reached the front, the boys intimidating the people behind the bookies, before they pulled the gaming licenses off the tables, throwing them on the ground, until a mountain of paper had been collected. A match struck the edge of the box, erupting into a small flame, before the woman's hand let it drop, upon the papers, watching as it erupted into a several large flames, smoke billowing up into the air. Epsom Derby had been taken over by the Peaky Blinders, and Cliona felt fucking victorious.

"So, Grace told you then" Cliona spoke, her hands in the pockets of her dress, walking beside Thomas Shelby, the race over. He nodded slowly, crossing the grass, heading to the gates. "I hope you make the right decision, Mr Shelby" She couldn't help but laugh, as his lips also upturned shaking his head at the girl. Suddenly three men walked out from, seemingly nowhere, armed with guns, Cliona's eyes falling to them. Her hand was already on her own, pulling it on them, cocking it quickly. Thomas hand rose, pushing her hand down, as she looked at him confused. 

"It's okay" Her eyebrow rose, at his calm nature. 

"Step back! Move!" One of the men yelled at her, motioning for her to move back with his gun. She rose her hands in the air, doing so hesitantly. "You are now a prisoner of the Red Right Hand" He addressed to Thomas, and Cliona's heart sank, They were going to kill him, she knew that. Loyalists. They placed a bag over your head and shot you into a ditch. This was Irish business, and all Cliona could do was watch. They took off his hat and slipped out his gun, before placing him in the back of a van. The doors were shut, and the van drove away, leaving Cliona Burgess alone at the gates of Epsom. It's okay. That's what he said. He had accepted he was going to die, and he was not scared. Everything was not fucking okay.

Later that night, Cliona sat her eyes glazed over, between John and Finn in the Garrison. They were celebrating, without the knowledge of where there brother was. 

"We fucking took Epsom! We kicked the Cockneys' fucking arses." John slurred, raising a bottle of whiskey into the air messily. 

"Kings of the fucking world! Isn't that right Clee!? " He cheered knocking glasses with Cliona, who gave a small weak smile. 

"I don't really feel like a Queen, but whatever you say John Boy" She whispered. The door of the bar opened, before the door of the snug opened, revealing a very much alive Thomas Shelby. A glass of whiskey was already in his hand rising into the air, as he gave her a nod, her face full of relief. 

"Right Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to raise a toast! To the Small Heath Rifles! The Small Heath Rifles! The Lee Boys And to the Peaky fucking Blinders! Who's going to stop us, eh? Nobody." He yelled in his thick drawl, as the snug raised their glasses in the air with a loud cheer. "And also .. I'm planning on getting married" Was the last thing Thomas Shelby spoke, before the room fell into a drunken buzz.