The Lonely Goatherd

by charleybec

In late WWI in the naval port of Pola, The Lonely Goatherd is a seedy tavern run by the elegant Baroness. Here, Maria meets the mysterious and intriguing Captain von Trapp. An AU story that flips the original TSOM on its head. Bits of drama mixed in with some snarky humour. A little different, but please give it a chance. Please R&R!

21. Chapter 21

The Lonely Goatherd – Chapter 21

Turning around, Elsa gasped.

Elsa couldn't believe her eyes, for standing in in the doorway was Georg and Max. Both looking thin and gaunt and they had full, bushy beards and their hair was long. They were still dressed in their naval uniforms, although the clothing was now quite torn and dirty.

"Georg? Max?" Elsa whispered, still in disbelief. "Is it really you?"

Georg nodded faintly as he shuffled forward a step or two. He appeared to have some difficulty walking. Elsa let out a little cry and she rushed to embrace them both. She hugged them both tight several times, like she needed to keep checking that they both were really standing in front of her.

Finally pulling back from them both, she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh I can't believe it! We thought you were both dead."

Georg glanced at Max, like his worst fears were founded then he let out a defeated sighed. "I was afraid of that." He paused for a moment. "And Maria? She thinks we're dead too?"

Elsa nodded slowly. "Yes."

Georg closed his eyes and winced. Elsa could see Georg shaking slightly as he tried to control his emotions. "Where is she?" he asked, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "We went to the hospital first before coming here and it was all boarded up and deserted."

Elsa touched Georg on the shoulder, not knowing quite how to break it to him. "The war's over and everyone's left. I'm sorry Georg, but she's gone."

Georg looked like he'd been punched in the gut. He swallowed hard. "Where?" he managed to croak out.

"Back to Salzburg. I'm not really sure where though. She was going to let me know once she settled but I haven't heard anything from her since she left." Elsa paused. "You know, she never really gave up hope that you would be found alive. She hung onto that hope for months after you were both reported missing, presumed dead. However, as time went on and now with nothing left here in Pola anymore, she had to finally accept the news that you were dead and she needed to move on." Georg nodded faintly, trying to process everything Elsa was telling him. He closed his eyes as he was trying to control all his emotions. He'd gone through a lot over the past few months just to survive and to finally return to find out that his wife thought he was dead and she'd left, it was almost too much for him. He sank down into the nearest chair and held his head in his hands.

Georg didn't say anything else but Elsa could see just how much he was hurting. Elsa glanced up at Max who was looking quite concerned for Georg too. She gave Georg a gentle rub on the back, trying to sooth him, and he gave her a grateful half-smile.

"You know, you both look like hell," Elsa remarked to Max quite dryly.

Max gave a little shrug. "Well, we've been through hell, so not surprising really."

"What happened? All we heard was that your ship was attacked and was sunk and most of the men were killed – Zeller, Franz, Rolf…" at this, Georg's head shot up and he looked at Elsa questionably and she gave a faint nod in confirmation, "and that you both were missing, presumed dead. It's been months now… I don't understand."

"We'll tell you everything," Max said. "But firstly, do you have anything to eat? We're both a bit starving. It's been a long trip back."

Elsa quickly got some food and Margaretta joined them too. She was overjoyed to hear that the Captain and Max were alive when Elsa came and told her the news. Georg's mood seemed to lift somewhat once he'd had something to eat and drink and then they began their story.

"We had been sitting, waiting for days for the enemy when we were suddenly attacked," Georg began. "We managed to sink the first enemy ship but were taken by surprise by the second ship." Elsa nodded, remember the same story that Sister Berthe had relayed to her at the time. "After we were hit several times, I tried to bring the submarine to the surface then I don't remember much after that. There was an explosion and I was knocked out. I owe Max my life. He somehow got me out of the ship though, but I don't know how."

"It almost killed me, to be honest, trying to drag an unconscious Georg up ladders and out of the ship as water gushed in, but somehow I managed to do it," Max said.

"That's because you're incredibly strong, even though you don't look it," Georg remarked. Max gave a little bow of his head in acknowledgement of the compliment.

"As the ship was sinking," Max explained. "There was some wreckage that I was able to grab hold of to keep us both afloat. It was large enough that we could sort of use it as a raft of some sort, but it was difficult. Georg had come to by this stage, but he kept slipping in and out of consciousness. I don't know how long we were on that raft, several days I suppose, but finally we happened to wash ashore onto a small island. It was completely deserted and we were stranded there."

"Both Max and I, of course, knew basic survival skills, like finding shelter and making a fire," continued Georg. "And thankfully there was a freshwater stream in the middle of the island, otherwise I don't think we would have survived. There was just enough food for us to get by on – some shell fish and crabs and some wild blueberries growing nearby…"

Max suddenly made a deliberate cough. "They were strawberries…"

Georg at once let out an exasperated cry. "Max, for the hundredth time!" he groaned, like they'd had this conversation many, many times before. "They were blueberries, not strawberries that had turned blue because it had been so cold!"

Max held his hands up in defeat but winked at Elsa and she knew that Max was trying to get under Georg's skin and wind him up. She gave a little laugh.

"Anyway," Georg said, trying to get back to the story. "We just had to wait it out and keep trying to signal any passing ships until we were rescued. It was an incredibly long and frustrating wait, especially having to listen to and put up with Max's pathetic jokes."

Georg threw Max a look with a small smirk, at which Max just shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, someone had to lighten the mood."

"But then about a week or so ago," Georg continued. "Finally a small fishing boat saw our signal fire and sailed up to the island. They told us the war was over and they took us to the mainland. But it was still quite a distance from Pola so we've been slowly making our way back here on foot ever since."

Elsa let out a sigh. "Well, it certainly sounds like you've been through an awful ordeal, but we are so thankful you're both alive!" She squeezed both their hands. "But you're lucky that you arrived when you did. In another few days, both Margaretta and I would have been gone too."

Georg frowned. "Yes, what is going on with this place? It looks all packed up and you're certainly not in your traditional dazzling red." He gestured with his hand to her unusual attire of pants and an old work shirt.

"Like I said before, the war's over and everyone's gone – I can't keep running a business with no one around." Elsa shrugged. "So Margaretta and I were heading back to Vienna with the baby. I was thinking of opening another tavern with all sorts of wild entertainment and call it something like The Silly Whistle." She smiled and Georg shook his head and grinned, knowing that she was making a little joke at his expense.

"The Silly Whistle?" Max repeated. "Ooo, I like that. Do you think you'll need someone to do all your promotions? I'm sure I could sign a lovely group of singers and dancers and make this new tavern absolutely famous and we'll make a tonne of money!"

Elsa roared with laughter. "Oh Max, you're funny. Expensive but very funny! Of course you can come. The more the merrier! And Georg? What are you going to do?"

Georg looked her straight in the eye. "I'm going to find Maria, of course. You said she went back to Salzburg but it's such a large city. Is there anything else you can tell me, any clues to where she might have gone once she was back in Salzburg?"

Elsa shook her head. "No…" but then she paused as something sprang to mind. "Wait, there is. Maria said she was going to ask the Reverend Mother from Nonnberg Abbey for assistance to get her set up somewhere, so maybe you can start there."

Georg nodded. "Alright, good idea. At least I have the house in Aigen to go to. My sister, Hede, has been staying there during the war so I'll set that up as my base and search from there."

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Several days later, Georg had cleaned up and shaven and Elsa had found him some new clothes to wear. Georg had wanted to get going back to Salzburg straight away but Elsa insisted he stay in Pola longer with them to recover, at least until she was ready to leave for Vienna. Both he and Max were quite weak from their ordeal and they were suffering from malnutrition too. Georg also had some quite infected blisters on his feet that was making it incredibly difficult for him to walk. Margaretta put her nursing skills to work and after only a couple of days, Georg was able to walk again without too much pain and he had started to regain some strength again after several large and nourishing meals.

Georg travelled with Elsa, Margaretta, the baby and Max as far as Trieste before they parted ways – them for Vienna and him for Salzburg. But before he left for Salzburg, he spent some time back at the naval base in Trieste. Even though the Imperial Navy had surrendered, Colonel Elberfeld was still stationed there and as he was in the process of handing over the base to the Allied forces. The Colonel was very thankful to see Georg alive. He did all the necessary paperwork to bring Georg back from the dead, so to speak, and he assured Georg that he would also receive a war pension, which would assist him financially moving forward. Although Georg had no idea what a retired Captain from the Imperial Navy would do now Austria was now landlocked country and without a navy.

The trip back to Salzburg was long and tedious and Georg was thankful to finally arrive. Getting off the train in Salzburg was a strange experience. He hadn't been home for almost four years and in some ways the city seemed to remain the same: the buildings, the squares, the marketplaces, the churches. But in other ways, he felt completely disconnected, like everything had changed after the war. There was a sense of uneasiness and distrust as he walked through the city, which was not to be unexpected especially after almost five years of war and their side had lost. Georg also noticed the large numbers of homeless people sleeping on the streets having been displaced by the war. The war had affected more than just the soldiers who had been fighting it. The level of poverty and despair that he saw in the city was overwhelming and he hoped that no matter where Maria was, that she wasn't living on the streets.

While he was in Trieste, he was able to send a quick telegram to Hede to let her know he was alive and to expect him soon. But as he hadn't been able to wait to hear back from her, Georg had to make his own way from the train station by bus out of the city to Aigen. As the bus travelled along, Georg watched out the window, peering intently at each person they passed in the hope that he'd see a glimpse of a beautiful, golden haired woman, but sadly he did not. He felt tense and agitated thinking about his upcoming search for Maria and praying that he'd find her soon.

Getting off the bus, he made the long walk down the tree-lined laneway from the main road down to the house at Aigen. Coming up to the large, main gates, even though this was his home and he knew it like the back of his hand, the large villa looked imposing behind the metal gates. He took a deep breath and opened the gate.

He rang the doorbell and was greeted by Frau Smidt, the housekeeper. Hede arrived in the grand hallway only moments later, the tears streaming down her face as she was so thankful that Georg was alive, rather than dead, like had been reported several months earlier.

The house looked well kept, even though they were only down to a skeleton staff: just Frau Smidt and a couple of maids, plus the gardener to keep the grounds well-maintained. After a large and hearty meal, Georg recounted to Hede what had happened to him and Max during the final battle and their time being stranded on a deserted island, and that now he needed to find Maria. Hede already knew that Georg had married, as he had sent her a letter months earlier telling her about it, but she didn't know much about the woman who had stolen Georg's heart. But it became obvious during their post-dinner conversation just how much in love Georg was with Maria and Hede vowed to do everything in her power to help Georg find his wife.

Early the next morning, Georg dressed in a suit and tie, in preparation to try and see the Reverend Mother later that morning. Before he left the villa, Georg wandered through the house, re-familiarising himself with the place. From the grand ballroom with the golden, ornate walls and out to the terrace, Georg imagined all the parties and balls he could host with Maria in the future and even visualised dancing with her out on the terrace. Then he walked outside down to the boat landing where the gates to the lake were bookended by large stone Pegasus sculptures. As he stared out to the lake, he could almost see them taking long rides together in the small row boat that was kept in the boathouse further down the lake. He chuckled to himself picturing Maria foolishly standing up in the boat out of excitement and falling backwards into the lake. Then he walked through the grounds to the gazebo on the other side of the garden.

He sat on the stone bench and gazed at the glass building in front of him and he tried to imagine talking moonlight walks with Maria and kissing her passionately within the gazebo and telling her how much he loved her. Georg's heart ached for Maria and he wanted to find her so desperately so that they could start their new life together.

Georg normally wasn't this emotional, although when he reflected on what he had gone through over the past couple of years, it wasn't that surprising. After being completely dedicated to his ship and his military career for years, the disaster of the Agathe and his subsequent depression had caused him to find some new meaning in his life. Meeting Maria and everything that had happened over the past year in Pola had given him new direction in his life. The fact that his military career was essentially over, he didn't care. Now that he had married Maria, nothing else mattered except for her.

Finally it was time to go and around an hour later, he found himself sitting in the Reverend Mother's office. It hadn't been an easy task to talk his way into the Abbey since it was cloistered, and there were masses of poor and homeless people all crowded outside the Abbey looking for assistance. However, after putting on his charm and being incredibly persuasive, the nun at the front gate finally relented and let him in.

"This is most unusual, Captain," the Reverend Mother said seriously, her expression guarded and her hands were grasped tightly together as she sat behind her enormous desk.

"I know," agreed Georg. "But I do appreciated you seeing me." Georg went onto explain how he and Maria had met during the war and subsequently married but then how she had believed him to be dead and how desperate he was to find her.

After hearing his story, the Reverend Mother was silent for a few minutes while she pondered everything Georg had told her. Finally, she spoke. "These are uncertain times, Captain, now that the war is over. There isn't much confidence around anymore. I don't know you. You're a stranger to me. How can I trust you?"

Georg sighed. "I understand, but I'm sure Sister Berthe could vouch for me if you asked her."

At the mention of Sister Berthe, the Reverend Mother's eyes gleamed slightly but she said nothing else. Instead, she stared intently at him for the longest time, her lips pursed, like she was scrutinising him and deciding what to do next.

The waiting was killing him. Georg was getting frustrated and he tried to hold his tongue but finally, when the Reverend Mother continued to stare at him, he snapped. "Reverend Mother," he said firmly, but directly. "I've gone to hell and back just to get here…" At this, the Reverend Mother raised her eyebrows at his blasphemous words. "Sorry," Georg quickly apologised. "but you know what I mean. I'm desperate to find Maria. I love my wife, and I will find her: with or without your help, but without your help will take longer."

Hearing his desperate plea, the Reverend Mother quickly made her decision. She took her quill pen out and dipped it in the ink and quickly scribbled a note, then handed it to Georg.

"She's staying at a small boarding house for war widows near here…"

"…thank you." Georg felt relieved.

"…But I guarantee that you won't find her there. Not during the day, anyway."

Georg looked confused. "But then where?"

The Reverend Mother just smiled.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Georg watched the mountain scenery as the little train chugged up the hill. He had to admit how much he'd missed the mountains around Salzburg and the Untersberg. He loved the sea, but the mountains were in his blood.

Georg had first visited the boarding house that the Reverend Mother had directed him to. It was a dark and dreary place, run down and overcrowded. He couldn't imagine someone as bright and cheerful as Maria coping being cooped up in a place like that. And true to the Reverend Mother's prediction, Maria wasn't there. So he took a punt to check out the other place that she'd thought Maria may be before trying back at the boarding house later that evening.

Part of him wondered whether the Reverend Mother had sent him on a wild goose chase but he knew he couldn't wait any longer to find Maria and so he had to take a risk. Finally, the little train arrived at the top of the mountain and he was the only one who got out at the top. The driver didn't pay him any attention as he blew the whistle to signal that the train was ready to depart back to the city.

Georg looked around, not sure which way to go but he saw a narrow path that led up to the top of the hill and it seemed as good a place as ever to start. The sky was grey and stormy, and the wind was ripping wildly through the trees causing them to sway and flap dangerously in the wind. It was hard to keep his footing as the force of the wind was so intense. He could imagine the wind could be so strong, like the powerful downdraft of a low flying helicopter, that it could easily knock one down to the ground to eat the grass and dirt. He truly wondered whether Maria would be up in the mountains on a day like today.

Georg scanned the horizon and he could see nothing. So he decided to widen his search. Taking a different path that led into a small valley between the hills, the wind had dropped down considerably as the large meadow was relatively sheltered the wild weather. From the end of the path, Georg stood underneath the tree cover and looked for any signs that Maria could possibly be up there.

He couldn't see signs of anyone immediately and he almost was about to turn and leave when he saw something in the distance. As tiny as a dot at first, but slowly it became larger and larger as a figure walked across the meadow towards him. It was Maria! He knew she couldn't see him, as he was still underneath the tree cover and he watched her, his heart almost bursting out of his chest, as she spread her arms wide and spun on the spot.

She began to sing. "The hills are alive, with the sound of music. With songs they have sung, for a thousand years. The hills fills my heart, with the sound of music, my heart wants to sing every song it hears…"

Georg watched silently from his hiding spot as Maria spun and danced through the trees, then picked up several stones to toss into the nearby stream as she continued to sing. Georg wanted to watch her forever, to imprint this moment in his memory forever, but he wanted to be with her so badly that he knew it was time to reveal himself.

He stepped out of the shadow of the tree line and started to walk towards her, singing his own verse to the beautiful sound of her music. "I go to the hills, when my heart is lonely. I know I will hear, what I've heard before. My heart will be blessed, with the sound of music. And I'll sing once more…"

Maria stood completely transfixed, completely in shock at seeing Georg in front of her. As he finished singing. She still stood, paralysed to the spot. "Georg?" she whispered in disbelief.

Georg gave a little shrug, opened his arms slightly and stepped towards her. It only took a second of hesitation, but then she was in his arms.

"Georg, is it really you?" she cried. "I don't know whether I'm dreaming or not. Are you actually here? You're alive?"

Georg nodded as embraced her and buried his head into her neck. He relished the feel of her in his arms as he'd waited a long time to be able to hold her like he was. Maria sobbed in his arms as they hugged for the longest time. Georg then pulled back slightly to look at her for a moment before he leant forward to kiss her. Softly and carefully at first, but then deeper and more passionate as emotions overcame them both. Finally they pulled apart.

"How?" Maria choked, still overcome with the shock and emotion of finding Georg alive.

Georg gave a half smile. "Long story really and I'll tell you everything in time. But short version is Max and I ended up stranded on a deserted island for months before we were finally rescued. I came as quickly as I could."

Maria closed her eyes, whispering a silent prayer of thankfulness and she collapsed into Georg's arms again. "How did you find me here?" she asked.

"Elsa," Georg replied bluntly. "We got back to Pola to find her about to leave to go back to Vienna. She told me you came back to Salzburg."

"But here, on the mountain? How did you know?"

Georg smiled knowingly. "The Reverend Mother. She told me you'd likely be up here."

Maria let out a little laugh. "I think I told her a week ago that I came here every day. Anything to get out of that horrible boarding house for war widows that she'd found for me to stay in. It was so depressing! And I've just felt so lost, you know – mourning for you, that this mountain was the only place that made me feel better."

Georg stroked her cheek tenderly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that: to think I was dead."

Maria nodded faintly. "I always hoped that it wasn't true, that there'd be some way you were still alive. And I'm so thankful you are. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. Trying to get back to you was the one thing that kept me going. That and Max's lousy jokes, of course." He laughed.

"So Max is alright too?" Maria asked.

Georg nodded. "He's fine. He's heading back to Vienna with Elsa and Margaretta and the baby. He's going to be their promotions manager for the new bar. The Silly Whistle – was that name your idea?"

Maria laughed. "No, it was Elsa's idea. Although I liked it. It reminded me of you."

Georg slipped one arm around Maria's shoulders and started to guide her back down the path that led back to the train. "Alright, let's go," he said.

"Where?"

"To that boarding house you've been staying at."

"Oh no, Georg – they won't let you in. Women only. It's a strict rule."

Georg shook his head. "It's alright. We won't be there long. Just long enough for you to get all your things. I'm going to take you home."

"Home?" Maria questioned.

"Oh? Didn't I tell you I have a house? Well, it's more of a villa actually. It has everything you could ever ask for: lake views, a grand ballroom and beautiful terrace, not to mention a lovely gazebo in the garden… It is possibly too large for just the two of us, however my sister Hede has been staying there during the war. You'll like her, I think."

Maria laughed. "Oh I'm sure I will." Georg had spoken about his sister several times when they were together back at Pola. Suddenly, Maria stopped walking, as if something had just occurred to her. "Georg, you said just the two of us…"

Georg looked at her questionably. "Are you worried about Hede staying around? I'm not too sure whether she'll be staying on to be honest, or whether perhaps she'll head back to Innsbruck now the war's over. I haven't had a chance to ask her yet. But if it's a problem…"

"No, that's not it," Maria reassured him. "It's something else. With everything that's just happened, with you turning up here, coming back from the dead so to speak, it sort of slipped my mind."

"What is it?" he asked.

Maria didn't reply straight away but just gave him a knowing smile. "Well, it isn't going to be just the two of us for much longer…"

Georg gave her a curious look, trying to work out what she was telling him until it dawned on him. "Are you saying…?"

Maria beamed and nodded. "Yes, we're going to have a baby. I'm pregnant."

Georg looked at her in amazement. "Maria, that's wonderful," he gushed and he gave her a kiss. "But Elsa… she never told me."

Maria shook her head. "She didn't know. I didn't even know! Elsa even asked me about it once, but it was probably too early to tell. Then I thought I was just feeling tired and off my food because I was missing you so much and mourning you. It's only since I've been back in Salzburg that I've worked it out. I think I'm around four or so months along – probably dating back to the last time we were together before you went missing. I was happy, of course, when I found out, especially because I had thought you were dead. But it's so much better now! I've always wanted a large family – seven children seems to be a nice number."

"Seven children!" Georg exclaimed in astonishment.

"You like children, Georg?"

"Yes," he spluttered. "But seven!"

Maria laughed. "Well, let's just start with the first one and go from there. You did say you had a large house? Haven't you always imagined a brood of von Trap children marching about the grounds breathing deeply and responding to whistle signals?"

"No, can't say that I have. Next you'll be wanting them to be roaming about Salzburg dressed up in play clothes made of old drapes!"

"And having a marvellous time!" Maria laughed before she wrapped her arms around Georg's neck and gave him a sweet kiss. "This is just the start of our new life together. I feel so lucky and blessed. Everything has somehow worked out for the best. You're with me now and that's all I've ever wanted. For here you are standing there loving me, whether or not you should. So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good."

THE END

A/N: So that's a wrap. I've had an absolute blast writing this story and thinking up all the little ways to flip the original story around and repurpose it and to also add in many Julie Andrews references, movie quotes and "Easter eggs". It gave me so many moments of delight and lots of giggles as I thought up something else to add into it. But towards the end, the interest in this story really dropped off. I don't know whether it was because of the massive gap in time between starting the story and finishing it, or whether it was just too wacky and AU for people to enjoy. At times, I did feel a bit disheartened by this, but I am so incredibly thankful to all the reviewers and people who sent me PM's as this was a massive encouragement to me. Any final reviews would be greatly appreciated.

And after this, back to more "traditional" TSOM fanfics...