Esmeralda thought the cheers were loud enough when Bonnie did his walk to the ring. As he climbed over the ropes the cheers became louder than she thought possible.
Esmeralda scanned her surroundings. Immediately sitting behind them were men in flat caps. Peaky Blinders. They were all around the arena, she had no idea how many Peaky Blinders there were but it was more than she thought. Her eyes focused back onto Bonnie, who was now sitting in his corner. Her father stood behind him, Bonnie nodded to whatever Aberama was saying to him.
The bell rang and the fight began.
"Want some?" Ada held out a flask towards Esmeralda.
"What is it?" Esmeralda questioned.
"Vodka." Ada replied.
Esmeralda nodded. She looked in her father's direction, he was concentrating on Bonnie. Ada handed her the flask and she took a swig of it. She coughed a little and passed it back to Ada.
Closing her eyes, Esmeralda searched for Changretta again. He most definitely had someone doing his dirty work for him. There's no chance he would pass an opportunity like this up.
Blinking until her vision cleared, Esmeralda searched the room for Thomas. Looking behind her, she watched him come in through the entrance. His eyes were glued to the fight as he walked to his seat.
Esmeralda waited with her father as the bell was about to ring to signal the end of the second round. The sound rang out clear and Bonnie came over to his corner. Aberama jumped up to the side of the ring and asked Bonnie if he was alright in Romani. Ronnie looked over at Esmeralda he replied in Romani that he would take it to the fourth, sending his sister a wink.
Esmeralda closed her eyes and summoned water to hydrate Bonnie. She worked it through the tips of his toes, right up to his head. Bonnie let out a sigh. "Mulțumesc Essie." (Thank you) He said.
"Nici o problema." (No problem) Esmeralda replied.
The bell rang again and Bonnie jumped up.
The feeling of someone watching her made Esmeralda look around. She made eye contact with Thomas. He had been watching her with Bonnie, Esmeralda noticed the curiosity in his eyes. He broke eye contact first, distracted by something his brother said.
"I'm going back to my seat Tată." Esmeralda announced.
"Where are you sitting?" Her father asked.
"Ringside, with Polly Gray." Esmeralda replied, watching her fathers face closely.
"Oh you've met Polly?" Aberama questioned.
"She invited me to sit with her, says she's a friend of yours." Esmeralda tested.
"She is. Right, off you go." Aberama instructed.
Esmeralda walked away. She knew her father would be too focused on Bonnie to pay her any attention. She caught Thomas' eye again and gestured for him to follow her. He stood up a second later and followed her to the back of the room.
"Everything alright?" Thomas asked.
"Yes, no sign of him leaving anytime soon but-"
"Have I told you how pretty you look in your dress?" Thomas asked.
"What? I uh- thank you Thomas." Esmeralda stumbled across her words, a blush rising to her face.
He leaned closer to her so she could hear him better over the loud cheers. "When this is all over, we're going to have a drink." Thomas said.
Esmeralda could smell the alcohol on his breath, he likely wouldn't remember any of this by tomorrow.
"Sounds good Thomas but I need to tell you, I feel like something bad's about to happen. The air doesn't feel right." Esmeralda confided.
"Bloody hell, Not you as well. Arthur's the same but it's the coke that's making him paranoid. Listen, the men here are all locals, familiar faces. The men that came with Goliath were all strip searched, you'll just be feeling a bit of anxiety that's all." Thomas said, attempting to reassure her. Her rubbed his hands up her bare arms.
"I want you to go back to your seat with Polly and Ada and enjoy the fight. Have a drink of something to calm yourself yeah?" Thomas said.
Esmeralda nodded and he let his hands fall from her arms. "Good girl." He said, brushing a curl behind her ear.
Back in her seat, the Shelby ladies were rowdy. Esmeralda took a swig of vodka Ada passed her again, from a glass bottle this time. They were cheering for her brother, who was on the defence, blocking the other fighters punches.
As they danced around the ring, Esmeralda's eyes met Thomas' again. He was sitting directly across from her on the other side of the ring. He appeared to be arguing with his brother.
Arthur stood up and walked off.
Esmeralda watched as Thomas called after him to no avail. He gave up, leaning forward to watch the match again.
The feeling of unease grew, so when she saw Thomas stand a minute later, she decided to follow. Closing her eyes, Esmeralda attempted to locate Arthur, only to find that he was being strangled with a metal wire.
She ran to catch up with Thomas. "He's dying." She said, her voice filled with panic. Thomas began to run, she followed behind. A gunshot made Esmeralda jump but they continued forward.
The next gunshot came from Thomas. The man attacking Arthur had dropped his body and was about to shoot him but Thomas shot the unknown man first.
Thomas dropped to the floor, clutching at Arthur's body. Arthur looked dead. His eyes opened and unmoving. If Esmeralda hadn't of been able to feel his heart beating, she would have thought him dead too.
"Can you do anything?" Thomas asked her, his eyes wild and desperate.
She sat down on the floor next to him. "Not much but I'll try." Esmeralda replied.
"In a minute, Arthur will be dead to everyone out there. "I'll send two men in here to take him away, do what you can until then." Thomas said. He stood up, set Arthur down gently and walked out of the room.
Esmeralda took a deep breath. There was so much blood, everywhere. First she numbed the pain he was feeling, she felt it herself as she took it away from Arthur, it was excruciating.
Esmeralda placed her hands on Arthur's chest and closed her eyes. She summoned all the air she could manage and filled up his lungs. She felt his chest rise and fall, causing her to sigh in relief.
Next, Esmeralda summoned water to hydrate his wounded throat. She jumped as gunshots rang out from the arena, the distant cheers immediately silenced.
Two Peaky Blinders came in a minute later. They silently lifted Arthur from the floor and carried him in the direction of the back entrance. Arthur groaned as they lifted him, the pain Esmeralda suppressed returning as they took him further away.
Esmeralda stood from the floor and hung her bag over her shoulder. Her dress was ruined now. Blood soaked through it. Her arms and hands were just as messy as the ruined dress.
Feeling dazed, Esmeralda walked back through the halls until she got back to the fight.
"Esmeralda!" Someone called. She looked around and saw her father pushing his way towards her.
"Where have you been?" He asked. "I couldn't find you... What happened to you? Are you injured?" He questioned, grabbing her to check her over. As he finally noticed her bloody appearance.
"It's not my blood." Esmeralda replied, her voice dry and devoid of emotion. If her father had any more questions, he didn't voice them. He slipped out of his blazer and placed it over her shoulders.
YOU ARE READING
Good as Gold
Fanfiction"And Esmeralda danced circles around my eyes." in which Thomas Shelby asks for the help of a rumoured gypsy witch. [peaky blinders fanfic] [thomas shelby x oc]
