chapter 4: seal my fate

Disclaimer: I couldn't help myself; this is all good fun. Based on "Cruel Summer" by Taylor Swift. I own nothing.

And I snuck through the garden gate
Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)

Maria thought she knew what to expect. She thought she knew the extent of his passion. She had heard enough whispers from the maids that the Captain spent much time at sea learning the ways of the world and giggled about the scandalous stories they heard from older maids when the Baroness was still alive.

But Maria had no idea. Despite her limited experience, Maria was not entirely innocent. She grew up on a farm and had one or two boyfriends. Being a naturally curious and passionate person, she had wondered about the pressure between her legs but never acted on it.

Now she knew. Oh-ho, did she know.

Her current predicament was all thanks to the man smiling boyishly at her with his hair falling in his glittering eyes. He was proud of himself, understandably so. He strummed her like a guitar and brought her to the highest ecstasy she did not know existed until she climaxed. He had to clamp one hand around his mouth to quiet her screams while the other was playing between her thighs. He was relentless in his precision and knew exactly what strings to pluck.

Then he did it again with his tongue.

And again, with his cock.

Maria froze when she saw it in its full glory and wondered how it all would fit inside her but was comforted by his assuring eyes and his invitation to touch it first. She was grateful for his self-control while she explored and was fascinated as his stomach muscles rippled and he let out puffs of air. She wanted to please him as he did her, but before she knew it, he pushed her hand away and nudged her back to lie back down on the bed.

As he hovered over her, she noticed the perspiration on his head and the tightness of his jaw and realized how close he must have been, though she wasn't exactly sure why.

But then, all thoughts ceased as he entered her. His cock was so thick and long and filled her to the brim. It made her toes curl just thinking about it, and she could already feel her arousal building again.

She suddenly sat up, startled by her thoughts. A deep flush covered her neck and cheeks like ivy scaling an old wall. Georg noticed the change in energy and frowned, reaching for her bare thigh in assurance.

"Maria? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just need to use the bathroom."

Maria cringed at her uncharacteristically high-pitched tone as she hurried stark naked into the bathroom, thanking God the door to the ensuite had been cracked open. She closed the door with a sigh, trying to push down the shame and embarrassment. The reality of the situation started to set in as she pushed the cool cloth between her legs, cleaning herself as best she could. A horrible feeling settled low in her stomach, smothering the joy she had experienced moments ago, but a quiet knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Maria? You are welcome to use the bathrobe on the door, or I can get your clothes for you, whatever is more comfortable for you."

Maria's eyes shifted to the plush navy robe hanging where he said it was, but she knew they would end up back in bed if she pulled the plush fabric that smelled undeniably like him.

"I would prefer my clothes if you please."

A moment later, the door opened unexpectedly, and Maria frantically pulled on the robe, not expecting Georg to enter. He was just as naked as she had left him and even more devastating in the bright light. The contours of his stomach and the strength of his jawline made her stomach flip. To make matters worse, his scent infiltrated her senses as she suspected it would. He studied her for a moment, her dress and undergarments draped across his arm, eyebrow raised.

"I thought you didn't want my robe?"

"I changed my mind," she lamely responded, but a good-natured smile appeared on his face.

"Ah, I hope you don't expect me to complete the trade by wearing your dress."

A genuine laugh bubbled from her chest as she responded, "I don't think it's quite your color."

"No," he agreed, "but now I feel terribly underdressed."

"Hm, I wouldn't describe it as terribly; in fact, it's rather wonderful."

If anyone else had responded like that, Georg would have interpreted it as mere flirtation, but Maria spoke with a disarming honesty, and he knew it was more than a simple line. The Captain felt a surge of pride, and he wanted to show her again how wonderful his body was. Her clothes dropped from his arm, and he reached out to her.

"You think so?"

"I know so," she brazenly responded, fire flashing in her eyes, alluding to their rendezvous in the bedroom, and that same fire flashed in Georg's eyes. In a second, the air between them crackled with electricity, and no words were needed as he pulled her back into the room, intent on seeing just how well she knew.

Miraculously, Maria escaped to her bedroom undetected before dawn, and Georg had enough time to go on his daily run around the lake. Despite their midnight exercise, he needed to sort his thoughts, and his best bet for success was to run.

Georg couldn't even begin thinking about the situation at hand until he finished his first circuit around the lake, about a half mile. As he rounded a corner, he finally started sorting through his feelings methodically, as he would plan an attack during the Great War.

He was attracted to her, terrified of her, and all-consumed with her. He couldn't control himself around her; a crush was the only appropriate term to describe his feelings. He wanted to show off for her and prove he was worthy of her attention, which was equally dumbfounding and amusing. Usually, he couldn't care less about the attentions of any female, even Elsa. Although it was a reassuring boost to his ego, the attention usually paid to him was surface level.

But not from Maria ––her unabashed nature left no room for superficiality or hollowness. He could tell by how she looked at him it was from genuine intrigue and amazement, which was few and far between given the circles he frequented.

However, he was also aware of the unquestionable scandal that would come up if this indiscretion was uncovered. Despite how tempting it was, he would not be like those old, rotting men in the navy who kept a mistress on the side. He respected Maria far too much for that and needed to protect the children from any potential fallout. His marriage to Elsa would proceed, the governess would return to the abbey, and they would live separate lives.

Their encounter was a mere bump in the road, a mistake fueled by lust. He knew she felt the same way by their brief conversation before she slipped out of his room. They had plans, they had responsibilities, and things to see through.

There would be no more slip-ups or mistakes.

Mercifully, their promise was relatively easy to keep over the next several days. Herr Detweiler dragged the Captain to various functions throughout the day and the evening while Maria completed with the beautiful weather to hold the children's attention. By Wednesday, Maria compromised with the children, who had been moaning and groaning about staying inside during the morning. If the children made it through their reading and math without complaint for the rest of the week, they could spend their science block outside to document various items found in nature.

Maria monitored the three groups the children split up into based on their desired research topic. Friedrich and Louisa waded in the shallows of the lake to find small fish, frogs, and other aquatic life along the bank. Liesl, Brigitta, and Marta took notes on the various wildflowers that bordered the stone walls of the lake. Finally, Kurt and Gretl judiciously documented the various fruit trees and bushes in the orchard behind the gazebo.

Seeing her charges occupied, Maria decided to step out of the sun for a moment and take a break in the shaded gazebo. The birds chirping and the light breeze soothed her. She quietly hummed to herself and the birdsong, aimlessly walking through the trees and foliage to the glass structure.

As much as she liked the energy of the children and their endless noise, it was nice to have a quiet moment to herself in nature. No demands for attention. No questions she didn't know the answer to.

"Fraulein."

The hair on her neck rose, and she whipped her head around in the direction of the deep voice.

"Captain."

His lips shifted into a devilish curve while his eyes glinted in amusement, standing on the edges of the entrance to the garden maze.

"Forgive me, I should have realized you were in your own world."

She gave him a wry smile and shook her head, wondering how he already knew her so well. "It's alright; it is silly to expect a moment alone, even though my charges are occupied with their lessons."

He laughed, a deep, almost adoring sound from his chest. "You do have quite an impact on us von Trapps."

A flush grew on her cheeks, and she had to avert her eyes from his surprisingly open gaze, unsure how to respond. He turned to the entrance of the hedge maze before stopping and murmuring over his shoulder.

"I'll leave you to your moment alone; forgive me again for interrupting."

He disappeared behind the tall hedges when she finally gained the courage to look after him. She shouldn't follow him. The children were nearby and would undoubtedly look for her if something happened.

But on the other hand, she hadn't seen him in days, and the faint burn in her lower belly that had been there since she snuck out of his room grew and pulled her to the entrance.

She headed toward the entrance gate before her conscience could talk her out of it. The maze itself was not large, but several pathways intersected and overlapped with no apparent markers unless one paid attention. There were also several benches throughout and a small secret garden complete with a fountain in the center before another series of pathways led to the small patio space that connected to the ballroom.

Thankfully, Maria's time up in the mountains came in handy, and she easily followed the maze to the garden, knowing the Captain would be there. He leaned back against a far bench and turned away from the garden entrance, facing the fountain.

Although he looked relaxed, Maria could sense his tension from how his fingers fiddled.

She silently walked to his side, and her insides melted at the small quirk across his lips, telling her he knew she was there. Wordlessly, he patted the open spot next to him, and Maria carefully stepped around the edge to slide next to him, heart racing.

"I knew you would find me here."

Desire laced his tone, and Maria crossed her ankles, clenching her thighs to try to release some of the pressure between her legs. Georg set a heavy hand on her thigh farthest away from him and squeezed, causing Maria to gasp. She felt his strong arm pressed against her breasts, muscles flexing under his suit.

"I hoped you would find me here," he admitted quietly, and she could see the storm brewing in his eyes. "Seeing you walk around the grounds, wind rustling your hair and giving me glimpses of your legs—now that I know what they look like—" his voice grew rough, and he cleared his throat, squeezing her thigh again, and she couldn't help but put her hand over his.

His dark eyes glanced down as her fingers traced along the veins that outlined the back of his hand. Before Maria could think through the haze of her desire, Georg pulled her onto his lap, moving his hand from her thigh to cup her ass and shifting her weight against his so her legs bracketed his hips. His mouth immediately attached to her neck, and he inhaled, taking in her scent. She could feel the heat radiating from him, could imagine the tanned skin under his clothing, and felt the beginnings of his hardness pressing against her center. She unconsciously canted her hips against him, and he let out a grunt, stilling her movements with his firm, gentle hands.

"Patience, Fraulein," he murmured against her neck, head bowing closer to her breasts, and his right hand slid between them.

She let out an amused snort. "We both know I don't have that—oh—Captain."

His hand immediately clamped over her mouth, cutting her moan short. "You need to be quiet, too, Fraulein," he chastised.

His command sent another bolt of desire to her center, and she nodded at him, doe-eyed, chest heaving.

Satisfied with her cooperation, he returned his hand to her hip while his other hand traced patterns against her center. It was a battle for her not to cry out, and she found the only thing to prevent her from making noise was to kiss him again.

Georg marveled at this writhing creature in his lap and was intent on making her come at least once before they were caught. Before slipping a finger inside, he pressed his lips against hers to swallow the moan that escaped her lips despite her best efforts. The young woman was far too passionate for her (and his) own good, which spurred Georg on further. He curled his finger inside her before adding another. He wanted to chase her pleasure. His steadying hand on her waist allowed her to rut against him.

"Mhn, please," she rasped out.

"Go on, Fraulein."

Suddenly, he felt a gush between her legs and couldn't help but smirk as her eyes cleared and she came back to Earth, chest still heaving.

"Well done," he praised, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I—"

Shouting from the maze entrance stopped Maria from continuing before

"Oh, the children," Maria gasped, clambering out of his lap, desperately smoothing her skirt.

"Go to them," he instructed, "I need a moment."

Maria scanned him, noting her dampness on his thigh and the strain of his trousers.

"But—"

"Go."

She huffed in annoyance before running her fingers through her hair and headed towards the gate.

A/N: Heh. I'm (sort of) back. Let me know if you enjoyed it. :)