AUTHOR'S NOTES: I know that this seems like a new multi-chapter story, and whilst it technically is...it also isn't. You see, I'm taking a bit of inspiration from Bellarsam Chrisjulittle (one of my favourite TSOM authors!) because many of their stories, "Body and soul", "Fulfilled" and "Beginners" (to name a few) are made up of short chapters where each one continues immediately after the last. I quite like that structure and think that it would work well for this story...plus, it helps to cure the writers block.

If you like the structure, then great, if you don't then allow me to apologise in advance :P

So, chapter two has already been written, and I'm going to try and post a new chapter every couple of days! :)

This story is also dedicated to my love of horse riding and all the other equine nuts out there. Horse riding has been my life for so long, and whilst it has given me many painful (and permanent) injuries, I simply couldn't imagine my life without it!

Anyway, I'll be quite now! :P

Riding into the sunset

Chapter one

Georg had only been engaged to his fiancée for a just over three weeks, and yet, she seemed to find a new way to surprise him every day. Sometimes they were simple, innocent discoveries that opened his eyes to yet another delightful layer of her personality – like how she always took her tea with an absurdly large amount of sugar or her shameless love of schnitzel with noodles. Other times, the discoveries were far more intimate, ones that Georg would never admit to anyone other than Maria…and even then, he'd only ever do so in their most private moments. After all, he couldn't exactly take his fiancée somewhere where they'd be surrounded by polite company and then tell her just how soft her lips were, and that one kiss could bring him to his quivering knees; or how her skin was so soft that he often found himself in a daze, wondering how every inch of her body would taste…

However, one particular discovery had surprised him rather significantly. It had been a weekday – he couldn't remember which day exactly – and the weather had been particularly nice, so, instead of swimming in the lake (as he was wont to do), Georg had instead decided to go for a morning ride – since it had been far too long since he'd exercised his horses himself. As expected, the ride had been glorious; and to add to the splendour of the day, when he'd returned to the villa, he'd met his fiancée at the top of the stairs. Upon seeing her, an almost stupid, school boyish grin spread across his face and he was amazed at how giddy he could become from simply looking at her; however, he avoided touching her since he was still clad in his riding clothes.

"Hello, sweetheart," he greeted lovingly – his smile never leaving him, "what have you been –"

But his words were cut short when Maria – quite suddenly – threw herself towards him and wrapped her arms around his middle, and whilst Georg was completely taken aback by her actions, his limbs seemed to take on a mind of their own, for his arms still ended up embracing her and holding her close to him. He waited patiently for her to give him an explanation, but none came, and she instead stayed silent whilst burying her face into his chest and…did she inhale sharply? Gently, and not wanting to force her out of whatever state she was currently in, Georg brought a hand up to caress the hair on the back of her neck, and the intimacy of the action caused her to pull away and look up at him – her eyes becoming heavy with a longing that he'd only discovered after their engagement…and after they'd begun to explore their closeness. After a few long, heady seconds, Maria pulled away and immediately tried to hide her face as her cheeks became flushed with a brilliant shade of red.

"Sorry, I – uh – I just really love the smell of horses" she admitted timidly.

Georg had not been expecting that, and for a moment he thought he might laugh, for in the few moments that she had clung to him, he had managed to convince himself that something was wrong with her or that she had been upset by something; but it seemed as though she just wanted to…smell him? He grinned again.

"That's quite alright, Maria…it just wasn't the sort of reaction I was expecting, that's all"

"Believe me, I don't usually go throwing myself at the nearest stable boy"

"I should hope not" he chuckled.

"It's just been far too long since I've been riding and I really grew to love the smell of horses…" she stopped to ponder for just a second, "…I don't think it's something that people who don't ride can understand – you spend time with horses so I'm sure you can empathise – but once you've been around them long enough, all of the smells that most people would find revolting just become like perfume" she rambled adoringly.

Normally, Georg would've admired her whilst she talked excitedly about one of her passions – it was another one of her traits that he just loved – but there was something he couldn't get off his mind…

"Wait a minute –" he interrupted softly, "—you know how to ride?"

"Oh…" she was blushing again, "…yes, sorry, I thought you knew"

"No, I don't think you ever told me"

"Oh, it must have been one of the children then" she admitted.

"When did you learn how to ride?" he asked – thoroughly intrigued. He also let his arms wrap around her waist again.

"Well, when I – uh – lived with my uncle…" she began – almost reluctantly, and on some protective instinct, Georg tightened his hold of her "…he had a couple of horses, and one of my chores was to exercise them"

"So, he took the time to teach you?"

"Not exactly. He rather begrudgingly took me out once to teach me the basics so that I wouldn't mess it up every time, but I don't think he spent more than half an hour with me…but I rode the horses so often that I think I became quite good…and I just loved it so much – not that I'd ever admit that to my uncle, of course"

"How come you never mentioned it before? I would've taken you for a ride if I'd known how much you missed it"

"Like I said, I thought you knew" she shrugged shyly.

"Well, I definitely know now, and I propose that you and I go riding tomorrow morning"

He watched as her eyes instantly began to sparkle and her whole face lit up, it was a sight that sent a powerful warmth straight to his heart; god he loved her so much and would go to the very ends of the earth just to make her happy and have a chance to see that smile of hers. She was absolutely radiant when she was in mirth.

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

"Really" he confirmed, smiling down at her with so much affection in his eyes.

"Oh, thank you, Georg!" she exclaimed before hugging him tightly – causing him to chuckle.

"I must warn you, though, I ride before breakfast"

"I'd go without sleep for days if it meant I could ride again…besides, I think the children have turned me into an earlier riser"

"Maria, from now on you can ride whenever you want to, you're not the governess anymore – what's mine is yours" he said tenderly – bringing a hand up to caress her cheek.

"Oh, Georg…you don't know how happy this makes me"

"You've given me a pretty good idea" he teased lightly.

"Thank you so much" she said rather seriously.

He was about to respond, but much like before, the words could not leave his lips due to another impulsive action from his fiancée, only this time, it was a kiss that silenced him. As soon as he felt her soft, tender rosebud lips press against his own, he completely forgot about the unborn sentence that had hung on the end of his tongue; in fact, he'd forgotten that the rest of the world even existed, for all he could focus on was the sensation of Maria kissing his so delectably. It had started of slow, of course, as it always did, but when he slowly began to invite her to deepen the kiss, he discovered that it wouldn't take much effort on his part, for within seconds, she was responding to him eagerly.

He didn't miss the soft moan that escaped her throat as he pulled her body flush against his, and when she moved one of her hands to rake through his hair, he was quite sure that he'd forgotten his own name. Perhaps he'd buy her a horse as her engagement present if this was how strongly she felt about them…actually, he could buy her one if he wanted to. The need to breathe was what brought their kiss to its natural end, and for a while afterwards neither of them said anything, instead they just gazed lovingly at each other and savoured the afterglow or such a glorious kiss. Again, he discovered that her eyes had become hooded with her own desires…desires that he knew he was reciprocating through his own gaze. Georg nuzzled the tip of his nose against hers when he finally did speak…

"I need to get changed," he stated, "I'll see you at breakfast"

Reluctantly, they stepped out of their embrace.

"Don't be too long, Captain" she smirked, and she even gave him a wink before descending the stairs and all Georg could do was stand there – his mouth hanging open ever so slightly as he shamelessly gawped at her.

Would she ever stop surprising him?

AUTHOR'S NOTES: There you go, short and sweet, like I promised. Please let me know if you like the structure of short chapters or not so I know whether or not I should use it for future stories.

Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and chapter two will be up in a couple of days so please let me know what you thought!

And, don't worry, my other Mary Poppins and Sound of Music stories will be updated soon...maybe even my Dick Van Dyke show ones too...but I can't promise anything! :P

I'll see you soon! xx