The campsite that had quickly become the Golds new home was nothing in comparison to the last. The woods were quiet, but not quiet enough to hear if anyone was trying to ambush them. Milly would know, she planned a hoax ambush the first night they had gotten there and to say the results were poor would've been an understatement.

In fact, they had been so unaware of where the intense sound of heavy footsteps (she wore her fathers boots,) were coming from, the men stood in a circle- all facing outwards, turning every few seconds to make sure they hadn't become sitting targets.

Of course, Milly had received a hounding for such act, that she hadn't even noticed Esmeralda's little disappearing act.

"Dorothea, must you always be such a child!" Aberama scolded as a tent fork was driven into the hardened ground.

Bonnie stood by his sister, leaning most of his body weight against her. The height difference alone was enough to topple her over- let alone the added muscle weight he'd gained over the weeks of fighting dead ash trees that littered their old home.

"She made us realise that this ain't as quiet as we're used to, Gold." One of the men pointed out- quickly pulling his hands up, almost as though he was surrendering.

Aberama fell silent, for once- dropping the conversation from escalating any further. It was a well known fact between those who worked for Aberama that fights between the middle Gold and her father were often far more explosive than gun fights.

Words were often exchanged in jest but things could change as quickly as the direction of the wind.

With no notice or warning, Bonnie grabbed hold of the collar of Millys yellow shirt before he began to drag her away from the campfire. Where? Bonnie hadn't actually figured that out- but he needed Millys full attention and that was difficult in a crowded place. Half of the time, Milly listened to her surroundings instead of those directly in front of her. Bonnie had- for years, blamed that on his mother. She'd told both Bonnie and Milly to listen past those around us, to think deeper than surface level and she seemed to be the only one to take on the advice. Bonnie on the other hand, he focused on his timing and speed. He'd need that more than his ability to pay attention to his surroundings. A fist flying towards his face would always prove to be easier to calculate than miles out of his peripheral vision.

"Where are—" Josettes voice was cut off by a glare, presumably from Nicolette who knew exactly what was happening.

In Birmingham town, anything is possible. Rags have turned into riches once before and with the skill that every Gold possessed, it was just a matter of time.

After a moment or two of perfectly silent walking- or rather dragging in Millys case, Bonnie stopped dead in his tracks in front of an old oak tree. It was large, humongous actually, and seemed to represent something more. It suddenly became more than just a tree, it was what they could become, given the right nurturing soul to guide it through. Or maybe it was just a tree.

"Milly—"
"Bonnie."

Their voices clashed, hers was monotone, his was conflicted, as though he suddenly had the weight of the whole world resting on his shoulders.

"Christ, Bon- what's wrong?" Suddenly she let her facade crack underneath the gaze of her best friend.

Bonnie finally allowed his shoulders to slump. No longer was he poised, puffing out his chest with pride. He was— deflated, his written with too many emotions to truly decipher. He knew something and in her gut, Milly knew it was something that she wouldn't want to know.

"It's about Father. He's working with the Peaky Blinders."

She was right. She didn't want to know that.

Despite living miles and miles away from Birmingham for years, news had always travelled fast between Romani Gypsy communities. From the stolen guns, to most of them almost being hung for their crimes, they weren't people to be messed with. Their peaked caps riddled with blades gave them their moniker and Milly just knew that Aberama and his crew would get them all involved with the infamous crowd.

"With, or for? With, we can't get out of this- but if he's only working for them, we don't have to. We can find other things to do in the meantime, before we can go home." She rambled, trying her best to get her words out before being cut off by a scoff or maybe a shove.

But nothing came.

Milly was, for the most part, thinking with her logical mind. But they hadn't had a permanent home in their entire lives. Home was where the heart was, and hearts- well, they were easily transportable.

"It's no use, we're all in for it whether we want it, or not." A girls voice called out in the place of Bonnies.

Esmeralda had returned from wherever she had vanished to. Her hair dishevelled, bits of twigs within her once neat braid, Bonnie rolled his eyes at her appearance but Milly didn't seem to notice too much.

"What do you mean—" the twins spoke in unison, creeping Esmeralda out instantly.

Esmeralda had all of the answers, of course. She was the eldest of them all, the ring leader- their impromptu mother when they needed it. She did a better job than most would've thought, based on the small age gap between them all.

Silence fell over the three siblings, eyes darting to and fro- whatever Esmeralda had to say, she didn't want anyone else to hear.

And in that family, that meant only one thing.

Trouble.

"You're the barter."

The twins tilted their head in confusion. Was Esmeralda using the right word, did she have her facts right? The blonde stared down at her siblings, watching as the cogs in their brains began to churn. With an amused smile on her face, the blonde once again said nothing until the look on Millys face began to sour. Whatever was running through that girls mind was not what Esmeralda had envisioned.

"Aberama Gold will only work for the Peaky Blinders if Thomas helps Bonnie into the fighting scene, and if he gives you, Milly, a legitimate job within one of his many businesses."

That wasn't good and honest work, not in Millys mind. She wanted to earn her job- not be handed it on a silver platter! She had to show that she was worth it based off of physical evidence, not by a haphazard tale from a menacing assassin.

"What if—" Bonnie was cut off by a glare from Esmeralda who wanted nothing more to do with the conversation.

The blonde began to walk away, leaving two angered siblings to fester in their new found hate, but before she was completely out of earshot, she turned around to look them dead in the eye.

"After we go and ambush a funeral. John Shelbys funeral."

With that, Esmeralda Gold had actually gone back to the campfire, picking out twigs from her hair as she walked, or rather— she limped. Wherever she had been had clearly taken a toll on her.

In Birmingham town would be where the Gold twins faced their first real hurdle. Neither wanted to gate crash a funeral- something so sacred amongst their people, and neither wanted to be the payment for their fathers help. That wasn't a payment, it wasn't fair on every other man who had to put their lives on the line for a group of people who didn't care if they lived or died.

Bonnie gained Millys attention once again by clearing his throat. That hadn't been what he wanted to talk about, but neither of them could think clearly anymore.

"Do you want to go and visit the town? Maybe score some freshly baked goods?" Milly was the first to speak, wanting to put some physical and metaphorical distance between her and her father.

Bonnie, of course, agreed. Free baked goods? Score. Time with his sister away from his father? Even better. He found it easier to talk to her without him around, she was more open and willing to talk. To joke. To be herself.

"C'mon then, haven't got long before we're dragged to crash a—"

Bonnie cut her off with a few words of his own.

"Much rather be crashing a wedding than a funeral."