Chapter 49) The Honour of Women

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All the magic that had manifested around the small bonfire was gone the next morning. Maria was stirred awake by Tommy. Her eyes lazily opened, glazed over with the remnants of a pleasant dream. Or maybe it hadn't been a dream at all; as the last bits faded and became impossible to reach, she remembered not being scared for the first time in weeks due to the strong arms holding her.

It didn't take more than one glance at her travel companion to ground her back down to earth.

Tommy was checking his revolvers, re-inserting the bullets while sucking on a half smoked cigarette. There was a small trace of cocaine powder stuffed underneath his nostrils, giving away what he'd had for breakfast. He must have been up for a while, because the campfire was out, the car was packed and he'd draped himself into a fresh set of clothes.

Focused, impeccable and in a chemical state of alertness, he ushered her to get up and ready.
They drove off as the sun came up, Maria's hands trembling around the wheel and Tommy's fingers twitching around a cigarette.

Tommy made her stop at one of the many creeks of the midlands. While he washed his hands and face, Maria carefully stepped into the icy water until it was up at her knees. Ignoring the awkwardness, she pulled her skirt up to her waist and kneeled down to wash off all the blood from her thighs. She then leaned forward to dunk her short hair underneath the surface and shivered when she stood back up, feeling the ice cold water trickle ran down her back. Still ignoring Tommy, she walked to the back of the car and changed into her formal black dress. She used her dirty clothes to rub her hair dry and used her finger as a comb. The wound still ached and the stitches pulled with every step she took, but there was no sign of infection; clearly the old lady had done a good job at patching her up.

Continuing their travel, Maria was granted a cigarette, usually that wouldn't do for breakfast, but given the upcoming danger her stomach was filled with a dozen heavy stones.

"Tommy, be honest with me. What will happen when we reach the gypsy camp?" Maria asked.

She won't hurt you, Tommy signed but the way his jaw clenched and shoulders tensed did nothing to reassure Maria.

"And what about you, will she hurt you?" Maria continued and felt another stone drop on top of the pile inside her stomach when Tommy mechanically shrugged and snorted another line.

They passed the small town Huddlesfield when Tommy pointed to the cloud line of smoke coming from the hills nearby. A steep and slippery journey followed, in which the pile in her stomach grew until Maria was sure she felt the last stone hit the back of her throat.

"Tommy, I might throw up," she choked out, sensing how her stomach started to clench together. The mere thought of her defiling Zilpha Lee's shoes as she'd done to the boots of the copper, made her stop the car and duck her head between her knees.

Tommy gave her a moment to get her breath back under control before he pulled her back up by her shoulder and tipped her chin in his direction.

Look at me, he signed when her eyes shifted back towards the tip of her shoes. Bothered by her anxious demeanor, he grabbed both her shoulders and made her sit up then tilted her chin up.

Don't be scared. Granted, Zilpha is a fucking storm you don't want to underestimate. She's an amazon, could ride a horse before she could walk, knows more ways to cut a man's throat then I do and can make the average bloke shit his pants with one look. But she's a gypsy and has honour. She's kin so she can't kill me.

"She can't kill you, even though you've done her wrong?" Maria asked quietly.

Tommy nodded; it's an honour code, one Zilpha respects and therefore is well respected among her people. She's vicious, but only to those who shit on our code. She once cut a man's cock off for touching her daughter, made him bleed out in the middle of their camp. Everyone watched, but no-one stepped in, Tommy tapped against the side of his head, remember that, honour above all else.

"Your lot is mad in the head," Maria said dumbstruck, "mad as a March hare."

.-.-.

The Lee camp sprouted out like a rural fortress. Tire tracks were deeply imbedded in the soil, which made it difficult to keep control of the car. The first caravan Maria spotted had its wheels stuck in the mud and was an immovable obstacle. There was no other option than to continue their journey by foot, which resulted in them being sucked deep into the dirt as well. Rain had not been kind to the hills and due to the campers; most of the grass had vanished and turned into brown puddles of soil and horse shit.

Slipping on her polished Mary-Jane's Maria did what everyone else seemed to be doing; taking her shoes off. The cold damp earth tickled her toes as she followed Tommy like his shadow.

The other caravans were strategically placed in a circle. Tents and fireplaces were set. Children were playing in the mud, rewarded with curses from their mother's. Dogs barked a dwarf was practicing his juggling; a woman Maria's age sank into a split and then bent her back all the way down. The smell of soup and baked bread filtered through the earthy scent of the woodland.

In a way the nomads weren't that different; there was a sense of peace and solidarity.

It was odd how none of the Lee's acknowledged their presence, it was impossible to miss. No-one spoke a word to either of them, which made Maria wonder if that was a good or bad sign.

The door of the largest most flamboyant caravan slammed open. Zilpha Lee stepped into view and all the hairs on Maria's neck immediately spiked up.

Although the lady let out a cackling laugh, her kohl circled eyes told a whole other story. It seemed as if an ancient beast lived inside those eyes and it spat venom.

"Thomas Shelby," Zilpha Lee exclaimed, stepping down the three steps of her caravan. She wasn't too bothered by the mud, "you've got more balls than brains coming here!" Seething, she spat towards their directions. It seemed to be the sign for all other's to abruptly stop in their tracks and gather around their leader and the two intruders.

"You sold me a curse," Zilpha continued referring to the boxing ring, "my men are still locked up because of you, good men, honorable men, who would never sell their kin to the pigs." Zilpha pointed her finger in Tommy's direction: "this is the second time your family insulted me. I've forgiven Arthur because his act was purely based on emotions he's unable to control. But you, Thomas Shelby, you are an entirely other breed!"

Maria glanced petrified to Tommy who started to sign to her.

"Zilpha Lee, as Tommy's speaker I'd like to tell you that-"

"-Silence!" The gypsy queen exclaimed, taking a few more steps into their direction, "you speak when spoken to bloody gorger child," a wry grin formed upon her face and she looked Maria over from head to toe, "I've heard of you though, doing Tommy's speaking for him. You've got quite a name; some of the working girls even refer to you as a saint. Given the rumours, I wonder, are you able to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? I must warn you child, I've been blessed with the third eye."

Tommy caught her gaze, able to keep his face neutral his jaws clenched: whatever you do, don't lie to her!

Zilpha tksed and moved closer like a serpent closing in on its prey; "given you are his speaker, I can only imagine you know all his dirty little secrets, schemes and sins. Did Tommy know the Wolverhampton would be raided by the pigs?"

Blood was pounding in Maria's ears, remembering vividly how Tommy explained to Arthur why they were selling the Wolverhamptons to the Lee's, she doesn't know about our business with the coppers and she doesn't have to. The moment we sell it to her, we'll drop our deal with the pigs. We will sell her a sinking ship for a prize and she won't even know it. If the coppers break the place apart and shut it down, her rage will be on them, not on us.

Well, apparently someone at some point must have slipped up, throwing Tommy's bold plan into the bin.

"Yes," Maria whispered throwing her gaze down towards her muddy feet, "Tommy was very much aware of the risk you'd be taking when he sold you the boxing ring.

Next to her, Tommy let out a sound which could have been a moan or a choke, Maria didn't dare to find out nor did she dare meet his gaze.

"So the rumours about you are true," Zilpha stated bluntly, "now be honest, has Tommy ever lied to you?"

Maria could only nod to that question, scared of the sound that would come out of her mouth. The pile of rocks inside her stomach started to tip out and she feverishly prayed that she wasn't going to throw up.

"At least your gorger has some sense of honesty," Zilpha stated, probably aiming her she-devil eyes at Tommy. But Maria would never know because the safest place for her to look was still her feet.

Zilpha therefore caught her completely off guard when she slithered her fingers around Maria's neck and squeezed it tight. Golden bracelets decorated with trinkets jingled when Maria winced back.

Reflexively, Maria's head snapped towards her side and her heart dropped when Tommy remained uncharacteristically frozen to the muddy floor.

Zilpha's death grip grew tighter, forcing Maria to stare up at the woman slowly choking the life out of her.

"Would you trust him on his word child?" The gypsy queen questioned.

"Yes," Maria gasped, "yes!" she repeated again in desperate need of air.

Zilpha's hand only squeezed her tighter, sinking her nails into the soft skin of Maria's neck.

"Do not lie to me, I can feel your heartbeat jitter and your eyes tell tales of great betrayal," Zilpha stated with a dead-pan stare. "Would you trust him on his word?"

Maria closed her eyes in defeat and let out a soft whimpering: "no," before being freed from her death lock and sucking in much needed air. Her legs gave in and she nearly went face first into a deep puddle if it weren't for her arms that caught her. Her action caused laughter and sniggering from the crowd and the dwarf even clapped his chubby hands.

"Then why should I consider listening to someone who's betrayed his kin and his delicate right hand?" Zilpha questioned venomously.

Maria rubbed her sore throat, eyes zigzagging over the crowd. She noticed the knives flashing and guns being pulled. An awful thought crossed her mind. What if Tommy went too far with his Wolverhamton skeem? What if Zilpha wanted revenge and nothing but revenge?

"Zilpha Lee," Maria gasped, pulling herself out of the mud, "I reckon you can't trust Tommy's word, but I can promise you, you can take mine, "wiping the caked earth off her hands she took a step into the direction of the gypsy woman, "I hope you consider a woman's word as valuable as a man's," she added, spitting in her hand and extending it.

From the little information she'd been given by Tommy, Maria hoped the amazon would at least consider her offer.

"For what it's worth, I've cut a man's cock off too and I'd do it again if it would prevent me from being defiled," Maria whispered so softly, only Zilpha Lee was able to hear.

Zilpha raised a dark eyebrow and scoffed: "you've got more balls than the average bloke does." Her statement seemed to ease the crowd.

"Maybe I should be making deals with you rather than the Shelby men," Zilpha continued humouredly and motioned towards her caravan, "come child, let's see what's in your cards."

.-.-.

Zilpha's caravan was clouded by incense and myrrh, making it hard to breath and filled up Maria's eyes with tears. The dim light made it possible to see the humble bits of furniture. Maria stiffly sat on a handmade chair while Zilha held out the cards.

Hesitantly, Maria took her first pick, having difficulty to recognise the symbols on the cards.

"Ah, the wheel of fortune," Zilpha stated. "Upright it stands for change, cycles. But your card is reversed, which is a parallel. You've had a series of bad luck in your past haven't you? No control over your own fate, therefore still clinging for control in the present. Now for your future, pick another."

Maria took another card and showed it to the fortune teller.

"Queen of swords, again reversed. It stands for anger, impulsiveness and recklessness. Interesting pick I must say. The gods must have some wicked path for you planned out, because you don't strike me as hateful, as you've been named to be a saint," Zilpha shuffled her cards, "pick your last one."

Maria did and when turning it around, she saw a knight riding on a white horse, the knight however, had a gruesome trait, it had a skeleton head.

"Death," Zilpha stated solemnly, "it can either stand for changes, for letting go or losing. Either way, your future won't be what you expect it to be."

Maria swallowed thickly, recalling how scared she'd been when Polly read her tea and hand. According to Polly, one of her loved ones was going to die, which had kept her awake for many nights. But many nights had passed since and her sister and mum were still in one piece and breathing. So this superstition of gypsy witchcraft startled her but it didn't scare her.

"Thank you," Maria whispered it wasn't just for the fortune telling; mainly she was grateful for Zilpha's change of heart. She was very much aware that the lady in front of her could have easily given a signal to the angry horde to tear her and Tommy to bits.

"So, what is it you want?" Zilpha questioned, pushing her cards back in the deck.

"Tommy wants to buy the Wolverhamton back and pay handsomely for it. You are his best ally, as well as kin. He wants to make you his main exporter and create the biggest cocaine empire in England."

Zilpha rewarded her answer with a predatory smile; "that's not what I asked you child. What do you want?" Zilpha repeated when Maria gave her a troubled expression.

"A simple life." Maria stated without giving it too much thought.

"A simple life," Zilpha spoke out low, "you want a simple life yet you're far from your home, making amends for Tommy Shelby, in the caravan of the matriarch of the Lee clan."

"God works in mysterious ways, I must say," Maria reacted, "but at least I'm on English soil, a few weeks ago I was held at gunpoint in Amsterdam. And a few days after that I had to face the Chinese mafia. And just yesterday I had to cut up my own skin to save the lives of two coppers," she pulled up her skirt, revealing her scar.

"You saved the lives of two pigs?" Zilpha questioned raising her eyebrows.

Maria nodded stiffly, knowing very well what relationship the gypsy woman had with law enforcement; "Yes and I'd do it again if I have to."

"You are an odd little thing," Zilpha spoke blunt, making Maria wonder if that was a good or a bad thing.

"You have my respect, which is more than I have for Thomas Shelby," Zilpha added, "too bad I don't do business with gorgers. Unless…" her voice traveled of, "are you willing to make a sacrifice?"

"Yes," Maria answered without knowing the consequences. It didn't matter though, because if Tommy wouldn't get back on Zilpha's good side, the Peaky Blinders would lose their biggest exporter, which would mean their cocaine could not be sold properly. Which would inevitably lead to debt to their distributor. Tommy's bold plan was chipped together like the tiny wheels inside of a pocket watch. If one stopped, time ran out. And then money would run out soon too.

"Excellent," the gypsy purred, "After dark, I shall introduce you to the wicked way of our world."

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A/N: dunn...dunn….dunnn! Many thanks for all the kind words. I still don't have a lot of free time, but the time I have I spent well. I loved working on this chapter, because GIRLPOWER.

For the readers who'd like to specically know what Tommy's skeem was, it's all explained in chapter 11, 'New Directions', in case you'd like to refresh your memory.

So who run the word? girls girls, who run the world? GIRLS!

Leave a comment in the tipping jar, pretty please.

Xoxoxo Nukyster