BROKEN CROWN • tommy shelby

002

—— BROKEN CROWN, act one

I will never be your chosen one

CHAPTER TWO

Naomi Lovell had heard about the Shelby family, or the Peaky Blinders as they were better known as. But besides having seen them once, at John and Esme's wedding, she had only seen John more than once. She didn't mind, she would mind her own business like she always does, but what thing that never sat right with her is cheating out people on speaking to their deceased loved ones.

Polly Gray had two children, neither of them were currently living with her and for the past month or so, she had been dreaming of a girl which would be roughly her daughter's age. She went to the most hidden medium in Small Heath, in the darker part of town where she hoped no one would recognise her. But in the morning when Naomi went to sell some of the clothes her sister made, she overheard someone boasting how they had a Shelby at the table who believed the lies.

Naomi knew Mrs. Price was a fraud, she had often heard how the people at her table were always family members, everyone was in on it except two people. Who would be scammed out of money and told something the person already believed. Because Naomi wanted to do the right thing, she went to Esme, telling her everything she knew and to warn the woman who came to see Mrs. Price. "Do you know why she went?" Esme asked. "Something about a child" Naomi said remembering slightly what was said. Esme nodded and decided to warn Polly, which she didn't take well.

What Polly did take well was Esme's recommendation, to seeing Naomi out of town in her bowtop caravan. Naomi was surprised to see the woman visit her, and Polly was surprised to see Naomi, if she had been honest. She expected an older woman, it was often older women who became mediums. But Naomi was young, not much older than John and Esme were. She wore a silver necklace around her neck, covering some of her collarbones, which was made out of silver coins she had collected during her travels. And 6 silver rings on her hands, 3 on each, which looked to be home made.

"Polly Gray I assume" Naomi said as the woman was invited into her caravan. "Esme said you could help, better than Mrs. Price" she said. "I can, if you want me to" Naomi said, and Polly sat on the small wooden bench her caravan had. "Want anything to drink?" Naomi asked. "No, I want you to get straight to it" Polly said, but she wasn't going to tell anything Naomi could use to trick her. "Very well" Naomi said and held out her hand.

Polly gave her hand and Naomi saw a boy and a girl, the boy looked about 18 and the girl looked around to be 16 maybe younger. She had long brown hair and it was wild. She was surrounded by the sun, like she was in a warm foreign country. "There is a girl and a boy. He's about 18, and she's a little younger" Naomi said. "Her hair is dark brown, straight but wild. She's surrounded by the sun" Naomi said. "What about the boy" Polly asked. "I see horses, and a small house. Like he lives on a farm" Naomi said. "Are they alive?" Polly asked. Naomi looked at the children, the dead often presented themselves to her as dull and grey but these two were lively. "Yes, both of them." Naomi said. "Anna and Michael" she said. Polly looked at her.