Seeing the kind side of Thomas Shelby

Zephyrine was walking the streets of Small Heath, she was trying to get familiar with the area to learn how the lay out was, she didn't get much exploring done the last time she tried to do this. It was the first full day she had off and quiet frankly she was still easily lost in the maze of a town, so she wed taking this chance to become better acquainted with it. She was passing by the boarded up windows that were broken days prior by the raid, her lips turning to a frown as she thought about what happened and the reason it was done.

Zephyrine heard the sound of hoof steps, the woman looking over and seeing the pure white horse, it stood out like a angel over a battle field, striking against the backdrop of smoke and dirt. But the thing about this woman was she was scared of the mighty beasts, she never had to deal around them back in France, the closest she came was trying to pull a woman out from under one who had been outraged by something.

She stepped off to the side but kept walking, she was starting to be able to hear the man speaking to the horse.  That's when she realized it was Thomas that was riding near the Garrison, a loud bang from one of the factories spooking the house, making it rear up and whinny nervously. The sound of the horse made her even more nervous then she originally was.

"Easy.,easy." Thomas said in attempts to sooth the anxious beast. "Easy boy." He made soft shushing sounds as he got off the horse, holding its reins and gently stroking his nose. Zephyrine watched curiously as the man she was warned about was soothing the animal, she's seen him be cold yet with this horse he was remarkable kind and caring.

He leaned closer to the horse. "In France we used to say.. shh." He shushed gently as the horse tried to throw his head again. "In France we used to say, it's just the music Hall band turning up. Shh, it's just trombones and tubas, that's all. It's just noise. Shh," He said repeating the noise a few times as he moved to where his face was on the side of the horses. "It's just noise. Hey? It's just noise. You get used to it. It's just noise. Good boy. Come on." He spoke as the horse moved to where Thomas was looking him head on, before moving to the side and holding his reins, walking beside the horse. Thomas could be seen as a cruel man, he was gentle and kind towards horses.

Thomas saw Zephyrine standing off to the side, her arms hugging herself as she eyed the animal a bit nervously. "Hello, Zephyrine Cain." He said as he walked towards her, leading the horse over as well. He watched her take a step back the closer that he got to her, he partly wondered if she backed away because it was him that was walking closer. "Mr. Shelby." She greeted yet she kept her eyes trained on the horse making sure that the giant beast didn't move closer to her.

"Would you like to pet him?" Thomas offered the woman quickly shaking her head. "No thank you, Mr. Shelby." He arched his eyebrow slightly as he looked at her. "A brave woman like you scared of a horse? And you can call me Tommy or at least Thomas." He knew if he didn't tell her to call him otherwise it would always be Mr. Shelby when she addressed him.

"I have no experience with horses but I've seen one trample a woman." She explained as she moved back further from the man and horse. Thomas nods his head slightly in understanding, seeing certain things could change someone's outlook on that thing.

"Well, Zephyrine they are not to be feared, come here." He spoke in more of a demand then a request, his voice wasn't harsh but not quite soft either. His hand held out, the French woman looking at him skeptically as she placed her hand into his, he pulled her forward. He could tell she was nervous but as her eyes flickered between the horse and their hands it was hard to tell what frightened her more.

Zephyrine trying to keep her body away from the great beast. She could feel Thomas behind her as he placed her hand against the horse's neck. "See it's all okay. He's not going to hurt you." He moved her hand in a stroking motion as she looked at the horse, she still felt nervous but now it was partly the horse and partly the presence behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at him as he continued to move her hand along the horse's neck.

"There you are already facing your fears, ey girl." He spoke a bit jokingly which shocked her. She smiled shyly at him. "I suppose.." she trailed off, she didn't feel like she was facing any fear just put in a position where she had to do it. Thomas glanced around the street before looking back towards her. "Why are you off to all alone?" He asked as he let go of her hand, the girl stepping back to where she could look at him. "Just learning the lay of the city, figure out my way more."

At first he hated her accent, the way it mimicked the country that stole his boyish charm and joy, the place that plagued him with nightmares. The place that reminded him of tunnels, smoke, gunfire, fallen friends and pain.
Yet the more he listened to her speak, specifically towards him, he found he was growing to like it. It was the war sending him a apology, a peacemaker. The sins that stained France's soil was some how washed clean with the woman before him. As she spoke he could hear France saying "We stole who you were but accept our offering of this girl." He felt a softness towards her, a need to protect her from the cruelties that resided in Small Heath.

"I could take you around." He offered, that's when she noticed unlike mostly people be rarely shrugged when making a offering, he was confident in what he did and said and would leave no reason why people should doubt him. "Show you some spots." He tilted his head down to look at her. "I would like that." She agreed with a smile, her green eyes shining in the sunlight as she looked up towards him. Zephyrine noticed the ghost of a smile cross his face before disappearing, a smile would look nice on him she decided. The two starting to walk together, leading the horse. Zephyrine a bit further from the horse.

Grace had heard him and was waiting for him, the woman having to do her best to get close to him. She'd report anything back to inspector Campbell, the copper from Belfast. Thomas looked at the horse, noticing that he was favoring a leg. "Some pain there, boy?" He asked the horse in a rather calm voice, Zephyrine liked how he spoke to the animal, she's heard the coldness he could use towards people. Zephyrine's eyes flickered towards the horse's leg. "If he continues having trouble with it I could make a splint for him." She offered, it would help whatever ailment he had to heal. Thomas looked towards her. "Thank you Zephyrine."

Once Thomas was close enough, Grace threw the left over beer in the bucket out in front of him, fringing surprise upon seeing him yet she was now fully surprised when she saw Zephyrine by his side. Zephyrine stepped back from the beer now laying at their feet. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Shelby, Zephyrine." She said in her soft Irish voice. "I'm Grace, by the way." She introduced herself to him. Thomas looking at the woman. "I know who you are." Zephyrine looked towards him curiously. Could he know who she is? Is that why he seems so kind towards her?

Grace wasn't sure what to say to that so she looked towards the horse. "What's his name?" She asked, leading the conversation in a diffrent direction. Thomas looked towards the horse as well. "He doesn't have a name.' He told Grace as he looked back at her. Grace laughed softly. "Poor boy deserves a name."
"You have something to say to me?" Thomas asked as his eyes flickered around, Zephyrine noticed that he seemed more direct with Grace, so maybe he didn't know the truth about her and she was just a french woman far from home. He was kinder towards Zephyrine, maybe a bit pitying? She wasn't sure what it was yet.

Grace looked at him. "The other night you came into the pub when I was singing. You said singing wasn't allowed. I'd like there to be one night a week when there is singing, don't you agree Zephyrine." She requested Thomas looking away from her with a look that said seriously. Zephyrine looked over at Grace. "I suppose it could be nice but I would have rathered you alert me before pulling me into this." Zephyrine said with a small, joking glare.

"I think it would be good for everyone. Saturday nights. Harry was too afraid to ask you, so.." Thomas was looking closely at her, Zephyrine couldn't help the small laugh at Harry being scared to ask Thomas that. "But you're not."
"I am. But I love to sing." Grace said holding herself high. "You sound like one of those rich girls who come from Dublin to watch the races. Do you like horses?" Thomas asked her as he moved to the other side of the horse, fixing the reins, Zephyrine stepping back to let him do that as she was there but Thomas didn't seem to mind the proximity he was to her. "How would you fancy earning some extra money, both of you?" He asked, a confused and slightly concerned look crossing the women's faces. "Doing what?" Grace asked him, he mounted the horse and offered Zephyrine a hand since he offered to show her around, he saw the nervous look in her eyes but she took his hand letting him pull her up. "Dig out a nice dress. I want to take you to the races." Thomas told her before riding away, Grace staring after him.

Her arms were wrapped around Thomas tightly, her face pressed against his back as she tried to keep calm. She felt the fear seeping deeply through her to where she felt some tears prick her eyes. Thomas couldn't help but chuckle a bit with how she clung to him, her fingers curled up in his shirt. "Relax Zephyrine, I promise you won't get hurt." He told her over his shoulder but he hold didn't loosen a bit.

"Monaghan Boy, 2-1." John said as he stood up by the blackboard in the betting shop. Money being passed back and forth, John writing down any changes on the board as bets came in, as stats changed at the racetrack.

The betting shop was always loud, filled with smoke. Thomas approched the betting shop two children almost running in front of him but their mother pulled him back and apologized to the man. "Hello, Mr. Shelby, how's it going?" Frank greeted Thomas when he walked in. "Hello, Frank, how's the leg?"
"Not bad." He replied as Thomas walked past, the man glancing at the woman behind him on the horse. "That's good.' Thomas told him, walking past some who nodded at him in greeting.

Thomas got off the horse, his hand out to help Zephyrine down. The woman slide off the back of the horse clumsily, Thomas's other arm going around her waist to balance her. "See you rode a horse all the way here and your okay, ey brave girl?" His voice seemed to tease her lightly as he looked down at her, his arm still around her waist. The two standing close together. "I guess so." She said with a small sigh. Yes she was still scared but she was trying to hide the fear but it was still in her eyes. After a moment he stepped away from her and moved towards a shop, she was curious about this being the first stop.

"Morning Charlie. All right, Scudboat, how are we looking?" Thomas asked looking over his shoulder as he entered the building. All the men looking over at Zephyrine curiously as she trailed Thomas like a lost puppy, she would glance around but made sure to stay close to the taller man. "Looking good, Tommy."
"Grand stuff."Thomas was looking at the papers before Scudboat when John ran up to him. "Tommy, they are all here for Monaghan Boy." He said as he gestured to the crowd in the building now it was John's turn to look at Zephyrine, he recognized her instantly, his eyes trailing over her before returning to his brother. "That's what I like to hear, Johnny boy."
"And Aunt Pol wants to see you," John added as he gestured towards the adjoining room. Thomas nodded slightly as he walked towards the door. Zephyrine stood where John was still, she kept where she would see him from the corner of her eye. Polly talking to Thomas in a hushed tone before Thomas rushed out with a angry look on his face and a fire blazing behind his ice eyes.

Zephyrine watched Thomas rush out, a look of disbelief on her face and slight anger. "Sure just leave me here." She grumbled under her breath as she looked around the room of smoke and rowdy drunk men, she wouldn't show fear to a man, she refused. Arthur and John looking at her. The two Shelby boys approaching as she stood up taller. "Not your speed princess?" John asked with a chuckle and smirk. "I have been around worse and I've seen better for that matter." She stepped closer towards him,her hands rested on her hips as she looked into his eyes, blue like his brothers but though he acted tough his eyes weren't as cold as Thomas's were.

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at that quick snap back. "It ain't the place for a pretty girl. You should get goin'" He told her. "Well frankly big guy the man who brought me here is gone and I have no clue how we got here."
"Pretty not smart, clearly." John smirked but Zephyrine stepped to where she was toe to toe with him. John looked at her and kept his smirk but he was shocked by the fierceness in her emerald eyes. "Excuse me? I get that you are not the brains of the operation but I would figure you would know better then to talk to a woman like that. Maybe someone needs to teach you manners." She stared firmly.

John could tell she was sarcastic with a fire in her and no fear towards the Shelby men, he was growing some respect towards her. "Are you going to teach me?" He asked, tone changing to a slightly flirty manner as his eyes flickered over her. "Not the way you are thinking princess." Zephyrine scoffed.

"How do you not know how you got here?" Arthur asked interrupting whatever the hell was going on right there. Zephyrine rolled her eyes as a bit before looking at him with a slightly embarrassed look on her face.
"Because we were on a horse, I was hiding against him." She finally admitted.

John was smirking some as Arthur looked at her. "I'll take ya home." He told her as he looked towards his younger brother. "You're in charge." Zephyrine walked out of the shop as Arthur grabbed his coat. John flashed him a grin. "I like her. She's got fire.' he chuckled. Arthur laughed a bit as well as he shook his head. "She'd make things interesting." He confirmed as he started walking out to the car where she was waiting.

And yes I'm changing personalities slightly