Disclaimer. Not mine. My first SOM story so please be lenient. It's a one shot and inspiration did strike me, I should be rather working on my urgent tax problems but instead I spent the last hour working on this so excuse any mistakes. This is inpired by the song Dama del Amanecer of Juan Bau. English is not my native tongue.
Vignette: Lady of the dawn
Captain Von Trapp walked down the stairs and with a decided stride went into the garden, looking out for Maria. The night was warm and calm, the most beautiful he had even seen in a long long time.
It was almost immoral of him to do this like five minutes after breaking up his engagement, but he was very worried about Maria. The way she had been silent and sad during dinner, how he looked at her and she wouldn't return his glance, like her old self used to. It was to no use that Elsa had been trying to cheer up the table and the kids didn't help because they were more worried about their dinner than about checking the tense air among the adults. Georg had been aching to ask Maria was she was going to do after she left his home for a second time. He was wretched at the thought that she would decide to quit the abbey. Because it would mean…. That he had a chance with her. To lose her for a second time was completely unthinkable. He just couldn't stand the very thought and it was what had pushed him to break up his engagement. By the time he had finished supper he was anxious to talk to Elsa about it. And he had done it.
Georg wondered how he would approach Maria, what he would ask her, if he wasn't wrong, she also loved him. Why else would she have returned? Why did she leave in the first place? And to return in the way she did: so out of spirits, so sad. George remembered how painful it had been to hear her say that she was to leave soon again, as soon as arrangements for a new governess were made.
It just didn't make sense. Unless, she came back for a reason, a reason that ceased to exist when the kids told her about his engagement…
This idea gave him more confidence, and he finally spotted Maria, she was seated in a bench, near the gazebo. It hurt him to see her to down, so crestfallen. He had never seen her depressed before, but it was what it looked like. She was hunched and looking at her hands. He felt like embracing her and healing her pain and doubts with tenderness. Georg had to steel himself not to show in his face the hurt he shared with her.
"Hello! I thought I just might find you here," he said in a good humor, trying to relax Maria.
"Was there anything you needed?" Maria answered jumping up from the bench. Sadness etched in her features and voice.
"No, no, no. Sit down, please. Please." He signaled to the bench and she complied reluctantly. "May I?" she nodded and he sit near her.
"You know I was thinking and I was wondering…two things, why did you ran away to the abbey and what was it that made you come back"
"Well, I had an obligation and I- I came back to fulfill it," retorted Maria.
"Mm. Is that all?" Georg knew he had to press her to let her open up.
"And I missed the children," she was fast to reply but he wasn't done with it.
"Only the children?"
"No! Yes!", Georg feel his hopes rocket at her confusion. Smiled tenderly and sat closer and started singing softly and sadly:
An afternoon I saw you arrive,
Lonely sad and without warmth
Like a lost bird looking out for love
Maria's eyes glistened with tears. So he had seen right through her. Right through her pain. She realized now that he probably also knew about her feelings. He heart raced and hurt. He continued:
Without knowing what to do nor where to go
For destiny odds,
When you crossed my way I asked you
Tell me what your secret is,
Lady of the afternoon
How should I call you, I don't know your name?
Maria felt her mask fall and let out her frank nature. She would tell him everything. She felt that even if her feelings were unrequited, she had a good friend in him. A soul mate. He wouldn't hurt her on purpose. And she needed, wanted, almost hoped against her best judgment… that he would feel something that somehow mirrored her broken hopes and dreams. She replied to his song:
My name is loneliness, sir
Sadness and anxiety
My best dreams are lagging behind
A new life I must start
But I don't have faith
Georg's heart stopped for a second. She was indeed leaving the abbey and her project of life. He had read correctly her heart. He came closer to her and had to hold to his hands so he wouldn't hold her arms. He listened on.
My name is disquiet, sir
Melancholy of days
That no matter what won't come back
In the gray afternoon my pain rocks itself
I met love at long last
Maria's eyes had tears falling and her glance had met his. Her eyes told him that it was him whom she loved. Georg couldn't stop himself another second and he took her in his arms and lowered his lips closing his eyes to kiss her. He felt the salty flavor of tears on her lips and he kissed her with more strength wanting to obliterate her pain forever.
Maria kissed him back and clung to him for dear life. Did it mean what she thought it meant? He wanted her back? She dared not to really embrace that fact. It would be too hurtful to realize it wasn't true.
Georg let her go a little and looked down at her. "I love you." He said full of fervor. He said it as it was the fact and the truth that would never change in the universe and Maria had to gasp. He held her head to his shoulder and she hugged him for dear life for long minutes.
"The reverend Mother says that when God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window," she said. Georg laughed a little and held her closer.
"What else does the reverend mother say?"
"That you have to look for you life" she replied without hesitation.
"Is that why you came back?" He had to know this for sure. It would make all the difference not only to his and her life but to the life of all his family.
She nodded happily. "I know I have found it."
Georg smiled and continued the song, now full of joy:
A morning I met you full of sun and life,
With the eyes lost in the blue
Filled with candor, a flower on your bosom,
The cheeks radiant,
And on the lips a smile full of love
Tell me what your secret is,
Lady of the dawn
How should I call you, I don't know your name
Maria smiled. Not sure that she deserved such poetic terms but she realized that the love he felt made her be like that to him. She just realized how beautiful was to be loved and how it made everything different. She replied in the same way,
My name is youth, sir, tenderness and friendship
Today all my dreams I made come true
In my chest nests a new dream
Today I met love
My name is heart, sir, I walk sky and sea
Today I discovered joy
The landscape is clad with song
Today at last I met love
"Today at last I met love," Georg joined her to finish the song. They both held hands and kissed passionately. Everything was perfect, nothing could have been better in any universe he thought.
"Maria is there anyone I should ask for permission to marry you?"
"Why don't we ask," Maria said, "The children." They both finished with a laugh. Hugging they knew that even if life wasn't meant to be perfect or pink colored, they would cherish every moment, if they were together.
Maria closed her eyes happily leaning over her love's chest.