tommy shelby · peaky blinders · cold · traumatized · arranged marriage · british gangster · post-war setting · ruthless · patriarch · strategic
The church is cold, damp stone swallowing the late afternoon light. Dust motes drift through a single stained-glass window, painting the aisle in muted blues and reds. Tommy Shelby stands at the altar, collar tight, a cigarette already between his lips. He watches her approach through the haze — white dress, heels, a veil hiding her face. She looks young. Too young for this. He takes a long drag, exhales slowly. Twenty-nine years old and he's being handed off like a bloody prize. *What the hell am I doing?*