She took a deep breath of the Spring air, smelling the new flowers as she stepped onto the balcony of their guest room, and smiling as she watched the sun beginning to rise over a hill. The hills there couldn't begin to compare to the mountains she knew and loved in Austria, but the sight was breathtaking in its own right. Being in England felt strange, surreal, as if she were watching someone else's life play out. She had never begun to dream of leaving her country, never really cared to her whole life, and she was truly seeing more of the world for the first time. She felt so free.

"You're awake early." Georg's sleepy voice touched her ear as she wrapped his arms around her from behind, and she smiled as he held her close.

"I couldn't sleep. My mind is too excitable."

He chuckled, placing gentle kisses against the back of her neck. "What will we do here?"

"I don't know. I suppose I could freely begin work with their navy now. We can find a home, settle our life here, if you'd like to stay?"

"I've only ever been this far away from home. I have no idea what I want." He smiled, holding her closer as they continued to watch the sunrise.

"We've been given permission to stay as long as we need to. Let's play it by ear for a moment, and we'll decide as we go."

"Why, Captain, that's terribly unlike you? Where is the order and discipline in your plan?"

"Well, you see, several months ago I married a woman who doesn't know the meaning of those words. I'm afraid I'm a changed man." She laughed, cuddling into him and looking over the vast, green estate behind the home. There were flowers as far as the eye could see, a large lake some distance away, trees for miles. It was more than beautiful to her, it nearly felt like magic.

"You know, today I feel at peace. I feel as if no matter what happens next, we will be fine. I can't explain it, but I'm overwhelmed with it at the moment."

"I believe that's the feeling of a fresh start, my love."

"God has truly blessed us, Georg. Even when we have hardly deserved it at times." He turned her around to face him, pulling her close to cuddle into his chest. Running his hands over her back, he heard her sigh in contentment.

"God blessed me when he gave me you." She smiled, holding him closely as the warmth of the sun radiated across their bodies.

They stayed silent for quite a while, holding one another as the sun caressed their skin. It was their first new day in a new place, and even though Maria felt incredibly nervous about what the future held, she knew that Georg would make sure they didn't overstay their welcome and were well taken care of. He held her hand on the way to breakfast, giving her a sweet smile and placing a gentle kiss upon her lips before they met the children.

Breakfast was surprisingly lively, the children chatting and their grandparents joining in here and there. Maria quickly determined that John fit the stereotypical description of a "dad" more than anyone she had ever met in her life. He told silly jokes, elaborate stories, and he even gave her a wink when he said something just slightly off color. She adored him immediately, and she hoped to get to know him well during their time in England.

The Countess was less boisterous, but she was still quite fun. She was very prim, but she had a coy kind of air about her that Maria found intriguing. She merely acted as if she were a normal, middle-classed person, both of them did, despite their vast wealth, and Maria couldn't stop herself from immediately feeling like she was home. She wondered if her parents had lived, would they have been so wonderful? She bit her lip, somehow doubting it, but thoughts of them did cross her mind from time to time.

After breakfast, she and the children headed outside to explore the grounds. She had been dying to see what the property had to offer, and she was excited to explore since the moment she awoke that morning.

"Mother, what kind of flower is this?" Louisa held up a gorgeous little flower she had plucked, gently reaching up to tuck it onto Liesl's hair. They shared a laugh as she did so, and Maria smiled at the love between the sisters. They were growing up so quickly.

"I don't know that one, actually." She leaned close to sniff the flower in Liesl's hair, frowning a bit. "I'm not sure it smells as lovely as it looks."

"That would be a primrose." The girls turned to find John walking toward them with a small Corgi wiggling along beside him. Maria felt her heart jump with excitement at the sight of the little dog, but didn't want to seem overbearing. He laughed, sensing her excitement. "Go ahead, she's very gentle."

"I can hardly contain myself." She laughed, quickly falling to her knees and patting her lap for the dog to come over, petting her head and laughing like a child. Some of the children joined her, playing a bit with the dog.

"We have a whole new litter if you'd like to claim one, Maria." She laughed, but the children looked to her with hopeful eyes and a chorus of 'please, Mother.'

"Let's see, they are cute, sweet, and wonderfully kind little things; I guaranty your father disapproves based on those qualities alone." The children groaned, and John laughed at her assessment of her husband. She also wasn't sure how a puppy and a new baby would fit into the same picture at the moment. It sounded like quite a lot of work to her.

The children ran around with the dog, and Maria stood to watch, smiling at the happiness of the sight. She would have to think about bringing up the subject of a puppy to Georg for them, at least.

"You know him well. I've tried to offer him puppies before, and he detests them."

"Anything that can't brood with him…" He laughed, and she found herself smiling along with him. His laughter was infectious.

"You're good for him, you know; for all of them. She would have liked you very much." She didn't have to ask to know who he was taking about. The spirit of Agathe was engrained in the walls of her parents' house, in the eyes of each of the children.

"I do hope so. I'm doing my best to make her proud. Sometimes I feel like she's guiding me with the children." He smiled, Gretl squealing in delight as she was chased by the dog.

"Knowing her, she probably is." He laughed once more, and she smiled brightly as they continued to chat. She was drawn to him, likely for the simple fact that she never had a real father in her life. There was an apparent need in her for a fatherly presence, and she accepted and trusted him immediately without really being sure why.

Georg watched from the balcony as his wife and children played in the garden. He couldn't contain a smile when he saw John and Maria take to one another instantly. He knew they would, they were like two pieces of a puzzle. He knew they would enjoy spending time together, and he was only partially worried about the antics they would get into. He had a feeling he was about to fall victim to some practical joking in the near future.

Being in Agathe's childhood home felt strange without her, but Maria and the children certainly did help. She would ask them all the right questions to share happy memories and stories of their mother; the ones who were old enough to remember her. Without ever saying it, Maria always showed an intention to keep his first wife's memory alive with all of them, never feeling any jealousy or ill feelings in the slightest toward her, which he supposed was another testament to the lovely person she was. She kept the memories alive, and she kept them good.

Squeals of delight rang from the garden below, and he was brought back to reality to find John had scooped up Marta and was running along with them all. He smiled, finally feeling safe and completely happy for the first time in a long time.