Tricks

After dinner, which started off quite unusual, she decided to take a shower. On her way upstairs she couldn't think why a pinecone was on her chair. She thought about her answer towards the captain when she'd jumped from her seat laughing, he said; "it was an enchanting little ritual, and was it something she learned at the farm?" which of cause she answered him, and at the time it sounded good to her, but now didn't, I mean saying it was rheumatism, for a young woman how stupid did that sound.

She walked down the hallway towards her bedroom, which was just down from the children's. The rooms there were also used for guest, which meant she was also close by the captain parents. Maria looking through the window in the hall, noticed the weather had change, it had been so nice and warm all day, but there was a storm starting and looked to be a bad one. Glad to be where it's dry, she carried on to her room.

Maria entered her room and started to remove her cloths, still deep in thought about everything that had happened today, how hurt she was at what her uncle had done, hearing from Georg parents the plan for her life, her parents how she missed them, and how her life had change so much and so quick since their death, ok she was young when they passed away, but she still remembered how happy she was with them, which are her only happy memoires in her life, and knowing them well enough that this is one thing they would have never of done, even if it was a life and death situation, it gave her comfort to know they did love her. As Maria entered the bathroom, switching on the shower and checking that the temperature was just right she didn't notice she had visitors.

As Maria got in the shower she found it relaxed her quite quickly, she started to think about her meeting with the children, and how the captain was so distance from them, shed notice of short he was with his children, and couldn't understand why, I mean after losing his wife wouldn't it be best to find comfort in his children. Still oblivious to what was around her, it was only when she felt something fall on her head, and feeling at the top of her hair, when it moved that she became worried, lifting it off her head, but not noticing how slimy it felt, due to her hands being wet from the shower, she brought it down slow into eye view, she started to scream, throwing the toad to the floor, still in shock of touching the creature. Looking up she started to scream louder, at now seeing there was a snake in the sink, she grabbed the shower Curtin, still screaming and shielding herself from the creatures in the room. Wanting to get out of there fast, she quickly jumped out of the tub, grabbing a bath towel and she fled towards the door, closing the bathroom door behind her and leaning her back against it, she then noticed as there were more insects running all over the room, and a lizard on her bed, screaming again and deciding to get out of there too, she ran from the bedroom, and ended straight into someone's arms.

Hearing the first scream brought attention to the entire household making everyone curious to what was going on, but not the children. As the adults quickly went to investor gate, the captain being first on scene was shocked to find Maria flying from her room screaming and ending up in his arms, shaking and absolute terrified to what had happened. Holding Maria tight to him with her still shaking in his arms, she tried to calm down and tried to get her words out, he understood what had happened insanely, knowing his children all too well, and there previous tricks on the governess that had been staying in the house, but what he couldn't understand was why her.

The captain letting go of Maria, and his father following him into the bedroom went to investor gate, leaving Maria in the hallway with the household staff and his mother. As Georg and Alfred arrived in the room it was just as they expected but far worst then they have ever seen. The children had gone way to far, normally they did there tricks a bit at a time but never all at once, but Georg still couldn't understand why to do this to Maria, she not their governess. "Georg"; said Alfred now walking back out of the bathroom, after seeing Maria in a bath towel he suspected it all stared in there. "Don't even say it", said Georg walking towards the door to leave the room but turning back to his father when he said "but," Georg stopped him before he could get his words out, "No father, I don't want to hear it, I will deal with it", and with that heading back to the hallway, Alfred closing the door behind him to keep everything inside.

As the men got back into the hallway, seeing Maria still shaken and that frau schmidt had now wrapped her dressing gown around Maria. Elizabeth spoke; "Georg, this really has gone too far"; "Yes mother" answered Georg coming up to stand in front of the women and Franz. "Something needs to be done… those children are getting away with murder… and you know it" realization started to hit Maria, 'the children', she thought to herself, 'but why'. As Georg and his mother carried on with their conversation, Maria knew that the children were in for it, so she spoke up, "oh no, it couldn't be the children"; "And how do you explain that" said his mother demanding an experlation. "Well…I...Err…guess it's my fault!" "Yours?" asked the captain looking towards Maria with his eyebrow raised; now wounding how she was going to explain this one. Now having everybody's attention, Maria knew they were all waiting for her to explain. "Yes… well …you see…I Err… left my bedroom window open and well that must be how the… Err… creature's must have gotten in. "what all of them?" asked his mother sounding annoyed and not very convinced. "Well… it is err… a very cold night out, and they probably just wanted somewhere warm to stay", finishing Maria. But getting looks off everybody that she is insane.

Not knowing that down the hall that six children had witness and heard what was said by Maria, they quickly made their way back to their rooms, but not before Louisa asked her older brother why would Maria cover for them, with him answering his sister with a shrug and he didn't know, leaving it at that the children headed back to their rooms.

The captain turned to frau schmidt and asked to prepare Maria another room, she took the ordered, with a "yes sir" and turning away with Franz then getting an order to collect up Marias things and take them to the new room, before he removed the creatures from the room, but Franz not too happy to know he has now got to go catch the disgusting things. "Well I think it's a good idea if we head back to bed, good night Georg, good night Maria", said Alfred. Extending his arm to his wife and walking down the hall, after receiving goodnights from his son and soon to be daughter in law.

Watching the captain parents leave, Maria turned towards the captain noticing that he had an amused look on his face and wanting to say something, so she asked, "what", "o nothing… I…Err… was just wondering, that though all the screaming and wanting to get out of the room, how you managed to close you bedroom window"? Maria was shocked that he had even notice the windows being open or not. "That simple" Maria said, "yes" said the captain pushing her for the answer, she now did not know, "well… I… Err…" Maria now looking everywhere but not at him "well…. The wind... it must blown them too," leaving Maria quite happy with this answer, much better then she gave earlier, this also caused the captains lips to curve into a slight smile, finding this excuse still one of the silliest he'd ever heard, and he heard a lot. Raising his hand and gesturing with it to say that will do and was excused to go, Maria left the captain, leaving him there standing, thinking why the children had done this to her, he also thought about Maria, a list came to his mind, outspoken, interesting, funny, not a very good liar and beautiful, 'oh no, don't go there, you don't want to end up in more trouble' he said to himself and turning to go back into what was and probably will not be Marias room again to help Franz with catching and disposing of the creators.

After Maria was left in her new room and explaining a bit of what happened too night to frau schmidt, and frau schmidt explaining to why the children got excused. Maria went down on her knees, by the bed to pray, she prayed for her aunt, her own health and for the days ahead of her to come, she also prayed for the captain and his family, it was only when she got to gretls name, she noticed liesl sneaking though her bedroom window. Maria was able to stop her from leaving the room by quickly saying whilst still in pryer, "and now dear god about liesl, help her to know I'm her friend, and help her to tell me what she's been up to, help me to be understanding, so I may guide her footsteps", and while crossing herself and saying "in the name of the farther and the holy ghost, amen".

Now looking at liesl for an experlation to where she has been, noticing at the end of dinner, she had excused herself when a young man's name was mentioned.

Liesl now trying to cover her tracks about meeting her boyfriend Rolf started with "I was out taking a walk, and someone locked the doors earlier then usall, and I didn't want to wake any one up, so when I saw the window open to the room, I thought….By watching Maria listen and nod to everything she was saying, liesl knew Maria wasn't convinced, so she quickly shrugged and finished with a "you're not going to tell father, are you"?

"Hmmm"! Maria roose to her feet, and went to close the window. Asking liesl if she was out walking all by herself, liesl answer was a shake of the head, no, but was soon change to a nod when maria looked at her with a look of don't lie to me but you can trust me.

Maria smiling to liesl letting her no it's all right and saying "take your dress in there" nodding to the bathroom door, " and put it to soak in the bathtub, and then come back here and sit on the bed and we'll have a talk". Letting liesl head for the bathroom door with a smile on her face and a nightgown to change into, which luckily Franz had brought Marias things before he returned to finished in her old room with the captain, which was taking a lot longer than they thought would.

After liesl had gone into the bathroom, Maria felt a bit happier to think she might just be able to make a friend here after all. Then the bedroom door flew open and it was gretl, she was scared and Maria could see it, gretl ran to Maria and wrapped her little arms around Maria as tight as she possibly could, but not long after, Marta to was in the door way, both girls were scared of the thunderstorm. After comforting the little ones and telling them to think of nice things, they were dismissed by the captain, who had heard them talking when coming from the Maria's old room, he was not in the best of moods and now seeing his littels ones still up he snapped and sent them to bed. He then turned to Maria, informing her that bedtime is strictly to be observed in this house, and telling her that he will be also leaving for vienna in the morning.

Closing the door behind him, and liesl opening the bathroom door just to peak her head out, to ask if her father had gone, was relieved when Maria said "yes," liesl came into the bedroom with Maria finishing off, "but we'd best be quite, so we can still have that talk." They both shared a smile went to sit on the bed, so the two woman explained their night to one another.

thank you for my reviews i hope you like this one.

i' d like to thank my good reader toons27, for the last review and ideas, i hope i got everything in what you said, if not i'll try get in the next chapter.