Moon Song- A SOM Fanfic
Description: Maria Rainer has just become the governess of 7 rowdy children. She has gotten their father to love them again; she feels that she is complete. One evening she can't sleep, but is everyone else in the Villa asleep?
A/N: So, thanks to my band teacher, I am OBSESSED with this movie. I watched it for the first time in 5 years yesterday and I bawled like an emotionally disturbed child when he confessed his love to her. But a hopeless romantic such as me can't help it… in fact; I think it was utterly necessary. So enjoy!
Maria stared at the ceiling. Her arms were bent so that her head rested on her hands. She took in long, deep breaths and flexed her eyebrows in thought. That day's activities were all that was on her mind. The yelling and singing still made her head hurt. That song she had taught the children while their father was away. She was surprised that he knew that song, the song that she often hummed to herself in solitude, the song that often got her in trouble at the abbey. His voice was… well, nothing short of angelic. Maria had no idea that he was able to sing like that, especially on first impression. And then he hugged and kissed each and every one of his children, it made Maria's heart flutter with warmth. He had gotten the message. Her gaze had met with that of the baroness' and her heart had stopped fluttering. The captain looked up at her, and she had slinked back, he noticed her. She had made her way up the stairs and heard footsteps.
"Fraulein, I want you to stay. I ask you to stay," he had told her after apologizing. Maria couldn't sleep with that thought in her head. Had there been a reason he wanted her to stay? Of course; it was for the children. They needed him, not her. But she could sense that there was some other reason. Either way, she would not be asking the captain about it. She closed her eyes and got under the thick, luxurious, and amazingly warm blanket. She found herself getting much to warm, so she kicked the blanket aside. Now it was too cold. She stretched out her limbs, for they had started aching. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling again. She sat up and stared at the door across from her. Perhaps a cup of tea or warm milk would help. She remembered one night while the captain was in Vienna, when Marta had wandered into her room; tears ran down the poor girl's cheeks. Maria cuddled the girl close and soothed her. Then she prepared a glass of warm milk and tucked Marta back into bed. She remembered distinctly what Marta had said as she drifted off.
"Goodnight mother," the thought warmed Maria's heart as she thought about it. She knew it was an accident, but it still made her heart flutter. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and put her feet into her slippers. She took the silk dressing gown that Frau Schmidt had given her on her second night and slipped it over her thin summer nightgown that she had brought with her from the abbey. She crossed her arms over her stomach underneath her breasts, only untangling her arms to clutch the door handle and pull open the door, shutting it gently behind her as not to wake anyone else.
Maria made her way down the stairs as quietly as she could, holding tightly onto the stair rail, taking in the fact that the marble was cooled. She winced as her slippers made soft echoing noises in the foyer. She entered the dining room, and from there the kitchen. Even in the darkness she could see a tall sturdy figure, standing over something. The figure obviously heard her enter the room because it turned and she was met by enticing blue eyes that glowed in the moonlight that came through the window.
"Ah, Fraulein, it's only you," the captain's deep voice said. Maria tried to slow her breathing and she nodded in response. The captain held a cup in his hands, and out of it hung a string to a tea bag.
"I'm sorry captain, I had trouble sleeping and I thought that perhaps some tea or warm milk would help," Maria explained. The captain nodded and stepped aside, revealing a pot of water on the stove. Maria made her way over to the pot and got a cup from the cabinet above it. "Could you not sleep either captain?" she asked quietly, trying to fill the silence.
"Uh, yes, it seems the evening air is either too warm or too cold," he said, sipping the liquid from the cup in his hand. Maria put a tea bag in her cup and faced her employer.
"I know how you feel," she admitted. It got silent again.
"Would you like, to uh… sit in the living room?" he asked. Maria nodded and followed him out of the kitchen. They sat next to each other on one of the couches and sipped their tea. "It seems that I can't stop thinking about what happened this afternoon," the captain stated. Maria chuckled to herself.
"It might be the reason I can't sleep either," Maria said. The captain's blue eyes met hers. "I really am sorry about what I said. I was way out of line."
"I told you before Fraulein that the fault was entirely my own. No governess before yourself has ever had the courage to do what you did. You brought music back into the house and made me realize the way I treated my own family was unacceptable," he said. Maria could feel her face heat up. She took a long drink of her tea and winced as her tongue began to burn. She set the cup on a table nearby, and tried to fan her tongue. "Is everything alright Fraulein?" the captain asked worriedly. Maria looked up at him and ran her tongue over with her top teeth before responding.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you captain, I fear that I burned my tongue," Maria said. The captain set his cup aside and stared at her. His eyes widened in the darkness.
"May I see?" he asked. Maria swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat.
"I'm… sorry captain?" she choked out.
"Your tongue, may I see?" he asked. Maria's face took on a look of shock.
"Why do you want to see my tongue?" she asked.
"You said you burned it, yes?" he asked. Maria's eyebrows creased together in confusion.
"Yes captain, but that is hardly worth examining," Maria said. The captain raised his eyebrows. He turned away and picked up his tea cup again.
"If you say so Fraulein," he muttered. Maria took a deep breath through her nose and let it out as she attempted to take another sip of her tea. Her tongue was swollen by now, but sitting here next to the captain, it just felt so… right.
"So, the baroness," Maria said, turning to the captain. He stared at her, waiting for her to continue.
"Yes, what about her?" he asked. Maria laughed to herself.
"She is very beautiful," Maria complimented. The captain smiled in the darkness.
"I agree she is," he muttered.
"I think she'll be a wonderful mother to the children," Maria continued. "They seem to respect her and I'm sure over time they'll come to love her like one."
"Yes, well truthfully; they seem to love you like a mother and it has only been a couple of weeks, tell me your secret Fraulein," he said, looking at her with a very intrigued expression.
"I have no secret captain. I respect them and they respect me, it's that simple," Maria said, gesturing with her hands to emphasize her point.
"Well, I would like you to stay around for a while Fraulein. I'm positive that if you left, that you would be missed dearly," the captain said. Maria nodded. "Tell me though. Is life here any better than it was at the abbey?"
"I miss it if that's what you're asking," Maria said, setting aside her empty cup.
"No, no, no, what I mean is… are you happy here?"
"Oh very much captain. I can assure you that," Maria said with a smile.
"I'm glad to hear that Fraulein."
It grew silent between the two adults again. Maria let out a yawn, covering her mouth to silence it with the best of her ability. The captain smiled and then yawned himself.
"It is late, I must be getting back to bed," Maria said.
"Georg," the captain stated as she stood. Maria looked into his eyes.
"I'm sorry, what did you say captain?" she asked.
"You may call me Georg, but only when we are alone," he reiterated, standing himself. "You don't have to if you don't feel comfortable. But I feel like I bonded with you tonight Fraulein Maria, and I would like that bond to grow," he said.
"Very well ca—Georg," she said, trying out her employer's new title. It felt different, but she kind of liked the feel of it. "Good night," she said, leaving the sitting room and making her way up the stairs. She walked into her room and removed her dressing robe and slippers, getting back under the covers. He asked her to call him by his name, why was her heart fluttering? This feeling was so new to her. It was a shame that he was with the baroness.
Georg fell back into the seat and watched as Maria left his sight. He felt something when he was with her. But the baroness… there was a different feeling. He knew right then that this wouldn't be the last late night meeting they shared.