Maria struggled to sleep that night, and she was up well before her alarm the following morning. She tossed and turned in bed for a few more minutes before realizing that her efforts were futile. Stretching, she stood from bed and picked out her clothing for the day. After pulling the duvet up, she gathered the clothes and walked to the bathroom to change. With that task finished, she wandered down the stairs, nearly bumping into Georg who was just starting up the steps. Maria noted that he was wearing his riding clothes, a look she always appreciated. With some difficulty, she forced herself to look at his face. He smiled widely at her. "I could not sleep, so I decided to go for my ride a bit earlier than normal."

"Oh." Maria swallowed hard and forced her brain to work again. "I couldn't sleep either."

"Must be something in the air," he declared with another wide grin. After a quick peek up the stairs, he leaned forward and pressed a short but sweet kiss to her lips. "I will see you at breakfast. I have some good news that I think will lead to seven very excited children, and I would love your help settling them."

"You truly think they will accept this?"

"I do. They love you. All seven of them."

"As their governess. I don't know how they will react to me as the woman who's marrying their father."

"Once they realize that means you will stay with us permanently, I suspect all doubts will be erased." Maria was not nearly so certain, but she decided not to tell him so. There was no reason to ruin his good mood. Instead, she glanced over his shoulder at the sun just rising over the horizon outside.

"I think I will go take a walk to clear my head."

"An excellent idea."

Maria took a quick shower after her walk before preparing for the day. Once she had delayed with her preparations as long as she could, she went to wake the children and help them prepare for the day. She found all of them already awake, and the oldest five were nearly ready for breakfast. Liesl stared at Maria suspiciously when she entered the room. "You seem. . . nervous," she said. "Is Father okay? Did something else happen to him?" Louisa looked anxiously at her governess as well, and Maria hastened to reassure them.

"Your father is fine. I just did not sleep well last night." That was true enough, and it seemed to satisfy the girls' curiosity. Maria left quickly before they could ask too many more questions, She dressed Gretl and Marta and started down for breakfast. Gretl had recently begun insisting on walking down stairs on her own–upright, not crawling as Maria had tried to teach her–which made the journey take quite some time. Eventually, however, they made it down, and Gretl dropped Maria's hand to run ahead to the dining room. Marta and Maria followed behind more slowly. They found all the others already in the room waiting on them. Georg gave Maria a small smile as they all sat down. The silence was broken only by the clinking of silverware for a few minutes before Friedrich asked about their plans for the day, a question which started a lively debate among the children. Maria did not join in, instead watching Georg to try and figure out when he was going to tell the children their news. He caught her eye, winking at her. She blushed.

Brigitta was the first to notice Maria's lack of attention. "What were you planning, Fraulein Maria?" she asked, breaking Maria from her focus on Georg.

"Uh. . . I am happy to do whatever you and your siblings would like to do." That comment started another lively debate among the children. Maria truly tried to pay attention to what they were saying, but her focus continued to return to Georg–her fiance, she realized with a start. Or, at least, her fiance assuming the upcoming conversation went as well as he seemed to think it would. He seemed to realize she was watching him, and he shot her a small smirk.

Eventually, all the children finished eating. Louisa was the first to ask to be excused, but Georg cleared his throat, glancing briefly at Maria before saying, "Actually, before you leave, I have some news." Six heads turned to him expectantly, and Maria was grateful their attention was not on her.

"You're not going away again, are you, Father?" Friedrich asked.

"Not immediately, no," Georg told them though given what he had told Maria two nights before, she expected he would need to leave sooner rather than later. That was a concern for another time, however. He cleared his throat, and Maria noted he looked a bit nervous. That surprised her, for she could not remember ever seeing that particular expression on his face before. "This is actually happy news," he said, glancing at Maria again. "I have realized in the past few months that our family does not feel quite complete, and I learned last night that I am perhaps not the only one to feel that way." The children looked at him, confusion etched on their faces. He obviously realized he was bungling the announcement, for he took a deep breath and asked, "How would you feel about a new mother?"

Multiple children talked at once, most of them voicing some version of the question, "Who is it?" Maria noted, however, that Liesl gave her a curious look, and she suspected the eldest girl had already guessed the identity of Georg's intended.

Georg held up a hand for silence before standing, walking to the other side of the table and placing a hand on Maria's shoulder. "How would you feel about having Fraulein Maria as your new mother?" he asked. Again, there was an outburst of talking. Georg finally put an end to it by telling the children they could each ask one question at a time, starting with Liesl as the oldest. She contemplated the couple for a moment before finally asking her question.

"How long have you been courting?" Maria felt her face flush again, and Georg cleared his throat noisily.

"We have never officially courted. We just discussed the marriage last night."

"Along with the fact that we care greatly for one another," Maria added upon seeing Liesl's frown.

"Shouldn't you court before getting married?" Liesl asked.

"Normally, that is the way it is done so two people can get to know one another better, but Maria and I already know each other quite well, so it was less necessary in our case," Georg explained. "And that is two questions, so it is Friedrich's turn now."

Friedrich frowned at his father. "What makes you think we need another mother? Things were going just fine!" Georg seemed taken-aback by the venom in his tone, but Maria was not as surprised. In truth, she had been expecting some pushback from the children, especially the older ones who might feel that she was trying to replace their mother.

"I don't intend to replace your mother," Maria assured him quickly. "And our relationship can continue as it was if that is what you like. Nothing has to change between us."

"But if you and Father become a couple, that means you will be spending time with just the two of you, so that's less time for us," Louisa remarked. This time, it was Maria's turn to be surprised, for she had not anticipated that particular objection though perhaps she should have given how closely the children guarded their time with their father.

"We will spend time with just the two of us, but we will also spend time all together as a family, and I will work to make sure that I have some time with each of you regularly where it is just you and me. I am sure Maria will do the same." He looked to Maria who nodded quickly.

"Does this mean you're going to start kissing and stuff like they do in the books?" Kurt questioned, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Maria blushed again, and Georg fortunately fielded that question. "Perhaps during our private time together, but our behavior during our time together as a family should not be noticeably different."

"When are you getting married?" Brigitta wondered.

"We have not determined that yet," Georg answered. "Soon, most likely."

"Why?" Liesl questioned, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"It's Marta's turn to ask a question," Georg deflected.

"Does this mean you stay foreva?" Marta asked, looking up at Maria, hope in her eyes.

"Yes, it does," Maria answered, smiling at the small girl who immediately jumped from her seat and threw herself in Maria's lap, hugging her tightly. It seemed that at least one child had accepted their engagement easily enough–two counting Gretl, for the toddler had never known her birth mother and thus had easily accepted Maria's loving care.

"Why are you marrying soon?" Liesl asked, displaying her father's stubbornness.

Georg sighed and glanced at Maria before answering carefully. "There are some people who are saying. . . not so nice things about Maria. The sooner we marry, the sooner they will hopefully stop."

"What kind of not so nice things?" Friedrich pressed.

"The kind that do not bear repeating in polite company," Georg said firmly. All of his children knew from his tone that he would not permit further questioning on the subject.

"Are you going to have more kids?" Louisa questioned.

"That is something we still need to discuss, but I would not rule out the possibility."

"Will Maria stay in her room?" Kurt wondered.

"No. After we are married, she will move into the master suite with me."

"Then who will we go to if we need someone at night?" Kurt asked. He had just gotten over a spate of nightmares, likely spurred by a series of ghost stories his brother read to him.

"You can still come to me; I will be just down the hall," Maria assured him. Georg looked as if he wanted to object, but he remained silent.

"Why did it take you so long to decide to get married?" Brigitta asked.

"We've only known each other a year," Georg said, obviously confused.

"But you've been in love for so long!" Brigitta insisted. Georg looked to Maria who shrugged. Brigitta truly did notice everything though she suspected that the young girls' favorite fairy tales had contributed somewhat to that particular observation.

"I suppose it took us longer to figure that out than you," Georg finally said.

All eyes turned to Marta who simply cuddled deeper into Maria's lap, obviously content with what she knew so far. Liesl took the opportunity to ask her next question. "Can I help plan the wedding?" Maria was happy to hear her eager tone. It seemed that Liesl supported their engagement as well. That would likely go a long way to helping her siblings get used to the idea though Maria expected it might take some time for Friedrich and Louisa to come around to the idea.

"I would love the help," Maria assured her. The oldest five continued to pepper the couple with questions for the next few minutes until Georg finally put a stop to the interrogation by telling them he needed to leave for a meeting. He promised them that he would answer more questions later. With that, he kissed the girls on the head, ruffled Kurt's and Friedrich's hair, and gave Maria the half smile she had come to realize he reserved for her before making his way out of the room. Seven sets of eyes stared at her expectantly, and she immediately relaunched their discussion of plans for the day, determined to show them that nothing had to change.

Though Maria managed to show the children that nothing had changed, she realized that night that there were certainly a few things that had. She had automatically gone down to Georg's study after putting the children to bed to find him already waiting for her, a not unexpected outcome given that the older children had taken the opportunity of bedtime to pepper her with more questions about her upcoming nuptials. What was unexpected, however, at least at first, was his greeting. Instead of the normal half smile, he crossed the room, taking her in his arms and kissing her deeply. She lost herself in the kiss for a few moments, and when he finally pulled away, she swayed slightly on her feet. He shot her a devilish smirk as he steadied her before leading her to the couch. She took a sip of the soda he already had waiting for her, giving her a chance to calm her rapidly beating heart. "You met with your contact today?" she confirmed, and his smile slipped slightly.

"I did," he confirmed, sitting back on the couch.

"What did you find out?"

He hesitated, and Maria wondered for a moment if he was going to go back on his word and refuse to take her into his confidence after all. However, after a few seconds of silence, he finally began to speak. "They're afraid this is just the beginning, that there will be other attacks, and I am inclined to agree with them. One of the known Nazi leaders, a man named Zeller, is living right here in Salzburg, and he is giving a ball in four days. We suspect that many other Nazi supporters will attend and that the ball is partly being used as cover for them to discuss future plans. They want me to attend as well and determine what those plans might be."

"And you do not want to attend?" Maria guessed.

Georg frowned. "Even before Zeller became a Nazi, he was. . . not a pleasant man. He and I have butted heads more than once over the years."

"Will you even be invited to the ball then?"

"Oh, I already have an invitation. We are of similar social standing, so custom demands nothing less."

Maria would never understand the strange social conventions of the upper class, but she knew it was not the time to wonder about those. Something was still bothering Georg, and she suspected it was more than simply needing to attend a ball hosted by an old enemy. "I assume you have needed to attend balls such as this one before," she remarked.

"Yes, but. . ." He stared at her for a moment before sighing, obviously realizing she would not give up until he had told her everything. "The invitation clearly states to bring a guest, and my contacts are worried about the implications if I do not follow those instructions. In the past, I have gotten away with solo attendance, using my grief as an excuse, but we all agree that excuse will not work in this case. Zeller is notorious for ensuring a balance between women and men at his parties." His scowl deepened as he spoke the last sentence, and Maria suspected there was more to Zeller's insistence than he was telling her. However, she decided she did not want to know what it was.

"Could they send someone else?"

Georg shook his head. "I am their highest-ranking contact in Austria, so I am the only one who received an invitation."

"Surely they have someone they could send with you," Maria reasoned. "This can't be the first time they have run into such a situation."

Georg appeared to be considering his next words carefully. "They do," he finally said slowly.

"I don't mind if that's what you're worried about," Maria assured him quickly. "I know it's just part of your job." He did crack a small smile at that.

"I appreciate your support, but that was not what worried me. Josephine–the woman they want to accompany me–well, I am not entirely sure where her loyalties lie."

"You think she's a Nazi supporter?"

"I think she is too easily swayed by the promise of money or power."

Maria spent a minute digesting his words. A wave of fear had swept over her when he first spoke, surprising in its intensity. She had accepted that she loved him, but she had not realized just how strong those feelings were until faced with the prospect of him walking into danger. Now, she realized that she simply could not lose him, for it would feel too much like losing a part of herself. She was determined to do anything it took in order to ensure his safety. "Why don't I go with you?" she finally suggested.

He startled. "Maria, I don't know that that's the best idea. This ball could be very dangerous."

"Exactly why I need to accompany you," she told him, warming to the idea. If she were there, she could protect him, a job she entrusted to no one else. She may not have been a spy or decorated war hero, but her childhood had its share of hardships that had prepared her better than most for facing danger.

"Maria. . ." He trailed off, meeting her eyes.

"Georg, I can't lose you," she admitted, unable to keep a slight waver from her voice. He stared at her a few more seconds before finally nodding jerkily, pulling her into his arms. She wondered a moment at his easy acquiescence before realizing that he understood the loss of a loved one better than anyone.

"I can't lose you either," he told her, his words slightly muffled since he had pressed his mouth into his hair. "So if we're going to do this, I need you to listen to everything I tell you. If I say run, you need to run and not look back."

"Georg, I don't-"

"Promise me, Maria!" he insisted, pulling away and gripping her shoulders so tightly it stung. "I lost one woman I loved already. I'll be damned if I'm going to lose another."

Maria clearly saw the anguish in his eyes. "I promise," she agreed.

"I will tell Allan tomorrow," Georg said, moving back into business mode. Maria watched, fascinated by how quickly he could switch between passionate lover and efficient spy. It was almost like he was two men and yet he merged the two together so effortlessly that it did not seem at all unnatural. "He will not like it, but once we announce our courtship, you will have to be the one to accompany me when needed anyway. It would be too suspicious otherwise." Maria simply nodded, a bit dazed. She had not considered that argument. "Speaking of the announcement, I was going to keep the news among family for awhile, let us all get used to it without needing to worry about the vicious rumors that are sure to spread. But if we appear together at a ball, people will talk, and we will likely need to make the official announcement sooner rather than later."

Maria swallowed, forcing herself to speak. "That's fine. I can handle the rumors." He peered at her for a moment, his eyes blazing with such intensity that Maria's heart began to pound.

"It's not just the rumors that we need to worry about. As soon as we make the announcement, you will not be able to stay under my roof until we are wed."

"What?"

"You've heard some of the current rumors. They will be ten times worse once people know we are marrying. Most will probably assume you are with child."

"But I'm not! That should be easy enough to prove in a few months."

"Then they will simply find something else to condemn us for. The only way we are going to even have a chance of stopping them is by showing that we are above reproach throughout the engagement."

"What about chaperones?"

Georg snorted. "Highly ineffective." He said it with such authority that Maria felt he had some experience in the matter, but she decided it best not to question him.

"Where will I go?" Maria asked. "I don't have any relatives or friends who could take me in."

"We can talk to the Reverend Mother. I'm sure that given the circumstances, she will let you stay at the Abbey until the wedding."

Maria snorted. "I suppose surrounding myself with nuns is a good way to ensure I am 'above reproach.'"

Georg grabbed both her hands in his. "I am sorry it has to be this way," he said earnestly. "But I refuse to allow anyone to think poorly of you, and I cannot think of another way to do so."

"They will think it anyway." Georg pursed his lips but did not contradict her. She sighed, knowing he was correct even if she did not want to admit it. "Okay but could we at least wait until after the ball?"

He relaxed, bringing her hands up to his lips to press a kiss to the back of each. "Of course. In the meantime, you will have to tell me more about the escape routes you used when you needed to get out of the Abbey. Perhaps they can be used in reverse, too." His grin was feral, and Maria realized that perhaps it was good they would be physically separated for the engagement.

A/N: I know most stories have the children very excited about the marriage, but I feel that it would take at least some of them a bit of time to come around to the idea-especially if you don't have Elsa around to show how good they would have it with Maria as their new mother. I've got the next chapter nearly written, but then it will probably be a couple weeks before I post another since I won't have internet (thus the reason for so many right now!)