Her Father's Daughter
by Bluebird88
Disclaimer: The Sound of Music is the property of Rodgers and Hammerstein, 20th Century Fox, and various script writers and producers. No copyright infringement is intended. Several lines from the movie are quoted at various points throughout the story. If it sounds familiar, it probably isn't mine.
Chapter 14: Signs of Danger
In the weeks following the wedding, Louisa decided that she could easily get used to the new, relaxed atmosphere that hung over the von Trapp estate. After the preparations that had occupied so much of their time, she took new pleasure in simply having the opportunity to relax. School had begun again, of course, so the children didn't have quite the same level of freedom they'd enjoyed during their summer holidays, but Louisa and her siblings still spent most of every afternoon outside. With Uncle Max in charge, nobody paid much attention to Father's rule about doing their homework as soon as they got home from school. Instead, they gathered in the back yard, playing games or singing some of the songs Fräulein Maria had taught them.
Uncle Max, it seemed, had been paying more attention to their singing than Louisa had realized. She had heard him pleading with Father to reconsider letting them sing in public, of course, but she hadn't had any idea that he was truly serious. She had always assumed that he was mostly teasing Father, without any real expectation of changing his mind. One night during dinner, however, Uncle Max proved her wrong, surprising them all with an announcement that he had arranged for them all to sing for the committee in charge of the Salzburg Festival.
Immediately, the table erupted into excited murmurs as the children exchanged wide-eyed glances. Finally, though, Friedrich pointed out the problem with this little plan. "Uncle Max, don't you think Father will be angry when he finds out about this?"
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Uncle Max cheerfully. "Besides," he added with a wink, "what your father doesn't know won't hurt him."
Brigitta frowned. "But he'll out afterwards, won't he? I mean, people are sure to mention it."
Once again, Uncle Max waved away her concerns, assuring her, "By that time he'll be so proud of you all that he'll realize how silly he's been about this whole business of you children singing in public."
Louisa wasn't so sure. Somehow, she found it hard to believe that Father would suddenly be open to the idea. She knew from experienced that when Father's mind was made up, it tended to stay that way. Still, though, it did sound awfully exciting. And Father had left Uncle Max in charge, after all. Surely he couldn't be angry with them for doing what he told them!
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Following Uncle Max's little announcement, the children were kept busy with rehearsals. Louisa would have enjoyed this, had it not been for the fact that it was now over a month since the wedding, and the children were all missing Father and their new mother. Even weeks later, it still gave Louisa a little thrill every time she thought of calling Fräulein Maria that. But it had been a long time since they had heard from her, and Louisa was beginning to worry.
Her uneasiness was made even worse by the changes that had begun to come over Salzburg. After the Anschluss, which Uncle Max had explained meant that Austria had become a part of the German empire, just as Father had feared, Louisa hardly recognized Salzburg. Nazi soldiers could frequently be seen marching through the streets, and their grim faces made all the children nervous. On top of that, nearly every house in the neighborhood was displaying the red and black flag of the Third Reich.
Louisa couldn't imagine how angry Father would be if he knew. Part of her, the part that still felt like Father had the power to fix everything, just wanted him to come home quickly and make everything right again. Another part of her, though, was worried at the thought of what might happen when he did come home. She knew how he felt about the Germans, after all, and with the Nazis occupying the city, there was sure to be trouble. Even the youngest children felt the tension, though they weren't old enough to truly understand it.
"What're all the flags for?" Marta asked curiously one morning.
The innocence of the question made Louisa look away, and it was Liesl who finally answered, "That's the Nazi flag, Marta," Liesl told her.
"That's the German party that took over Austria," Kurt added importantly.
"The bed men Father doesn't like?" Gretl asked. At Liesl's nod, the little girl demanded, "Well, why didn't Father stop them?"
"He couldn't, Gretl. Nobody could." Liesl's voice wasn't far from a whisper.
"Silly. Father can do anything!"
Louisa looked at Liesl, throat tight, but her oldest sister only shook her head helplessly.
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The day of the festival, Uncle Max suggested that they go back to the theater to practice their song one last time. Standing on the stone steps, Louisa felt a sudden surge of nervousness. She knew they knew their song well, but what if she forgot something? What if she hit the wrong note in front of so many people?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the approach of Herr Zeller, an acquaintance of Father's. Remembering a comment she had overheard the night of the party, Louisa didn't think Father liked this man very much. Her own opinion of him sank even lower as he approached Uncle Max, clicked the heels of his boots together, and raised his hand straight out from his body in a salute. "Heil Hitler!" Louisa tried hard not to frown, but the phrase made her so angry that she wanted to throw something. She didn't even want to think about what Father would do if he were there.
"Uh, good afternoon, Herr Zeller," Uncle Max said neutrally.
"Perhaps you've not heard. I'm now the gauleiter. Heil Hitler!" he repeated, snapping his arm sharply into the air again.
Uncle Max raised his own arm halfheartedly, echoing the greeting, before awkwardly rubbing his lip.
Herr Zeller told Uncle Max, "I have just come from the house of Captain von Trapp, incidentally the only one in the neighborhood not flying the flag of the Third Reich since the Anschluss, but we have dealt with that situation." What did he mean, they'd "dealt with it"? Did that mean they'd put the flag up themselves? Father would be furious!
Herr Zeller demanded to know when Father would be back. When Uncle Max finally convinced him that they didn't know, the man nodded briskly. "When he does return, he will be expected to fulfill his proper position in the New Order."
Uncle Max agreed, but Louisa exchanged glances with her siblings again. Somehow, she didn't think it would be quite so simple. She knew Father would never join those men, but they controlled everything, now. How could he refuse?
"Why was he so cross?" Gretl asked when Herr Zeller had left.
"Everybody's cross these days, darling," Uncle Max murmured, more to himself than to Gretl.
"Maybe the flag with the black spider on it makes people nervous," Marta suggested.
Liesl glanced at Uncle Max. "Is Father going to be in trouble?"
"Well, he doesn't have to be," he told her. He turned to the rest of the children. "The thing to do these days is to get along with people. I want you all to remember that tonight at the festival."
"Are we really going to sing before a whole lot of people tonight?" Brigitta asked, a note of wonder in her voice.
"Of course," Uncle Max assured her. He pulled out a program and showed them where their names were written.
"Why am I always last?" Gret pouted.
Uncle Max just winked at her. "Because you are the most important!"
"Oooh!"
Brigitta, it seemed, wasn't willing to let the matter drop just yet. "Uncle Max?" she spoke up again as they made their way toward the car, "Are you sure Father will approve of our singing in public?"
"Oh, he'll be pleased and proud," Uncle Max said, in the same dismissive tone he had used whenever any of the children had raised this concern.
Brigitta looked over her shoulder at Liesl. "Liesl, do you think so?"
"Don't you trust me?" Uncle Max demanded, pretending to be hurt."
"No!"
Louisa smiled at her sister's reply. Brigitta didn't miss much, and her blunt way of speaking always made Louisa laugh. Uncle Max was smiling, too. "You're a very intelligent girl."
As they started to climb into the car, someone across the street began calling Liesl's name. Louisa turned to see a blond boy about Liesl's age. He looked a bit familiar, but Louisa couldn't quite place him, not until her sister cried, "Rolf!" Of course! The boy Liesl was so in love with! Louisa didn't think her sister had seen him in months.
Liesl ran over too him, and though Louisa was too far away to hear what they were saying, she watched the conversation intently. She bit her lip as her sister's delighted grin faded. Rolf handed her a folded piece of paper, presumably a telegram, then spun on his heel and left, leaving Liesl standing there looking bewildered, calling after him.
After a moment, Liesl hurried back over to the car, climbing in the back seat. Louisa shot her a questioning glance, but she just shook her head. For a moment, she looked near tears, but then she gave a forced smile. Louisa wanted to demand answers, but of course she couldn't, not with Uncle Max and the younger children right there in the car. Silently vowing to get the whole story later, she settled in the meantime for merely
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As they pulled into the driveway, Friedrich suddenly stood up in his seat, shouting, "Father!"
Louisa caught sight of him, too, and suddenly everyone was shouting excitedly, barely able to wait for Uncle Max to stop the car before they jumped out of it.
"Did you bring us any souvenirs from Paris?" Kurt demanded excitedly, and Louisa burst out laughing at her brother's lack of tact.
Fräulein Maria – Mother! – heard the noise and came out to greet them, and for a moment there was such a confusion of shouts and greetings that nobody could understand anybody. Then Father came back from where he had been talking to Uncle Max. "Well, well, well, we missed you!" he exclaimed, sweeping Marta into his arms.
"We missed kissing you good-night!" Fräulein Maria added.
"We missed all the noise you make in the morning telling each other to be quiet!" Father growled amidst excited laughter.
Fräulein Maria smiled. "Mostly we missed hearing you sing!"
Brigitta grabbed the concert program from Uncle Max, telling her, "Oh, you came back just in time! Look Fräulein Maria – I mean Mother! We're going to sing in the festival tonight!"
"What?" Fräulein Maria exclaimed, looking momentarily confused. They rushed to explain, but trailed to a halt as Father reached over and took the program from Brigitta's hand, turning to Uncle Max with a raised eyebrow. He didn't say a word, but the look on his face was more than enough. That sarcastic little smile was never a good sign.
Uncle Max tried to act nonchalant. "Surprise, surprise!"
Louisa held her breath, waiting to see how Father would react, but he only turned back to them and said, "All right, surprised for you on the terrace."
Immediately, they ran off, anxious to see what kind of surprised their parents had brought back for them. Louisa frowned a moment, noticing that Liesl had hung back, but before she could think about it much more, they caught sight of the pile of presents on the patio table.
They crowded around eagerly, finding the loveliest things: dolls from Paris, toy soldiers, beautifully-illustrated books in both German and English (trust Father to want to make them practice!), fashion magazines, fine Swiss knives for the boys and fashionable knit hats for the girls. And best of all, chocolate! Lots and lots of chocolate!
Louisa took it all in, smiling so hard her cheeks hurt, and sent up a silent prayer of thanks for Father and her new mother's return. Now, she was sure, everything would be just fine.
A/N: Feedback is very much appreciated!