Scène 9, birthday battle - 1930
October of 1930
Liesl - age 9/10
Friedrich - age 7
Louisa - age 6
Kurt - age 5
Brigitta - age 3
Marta - 2 months old
Liesl her birthday was in a couple of days. The girl couldn't be more excited. She was finally turning ten! Later that they they were going into town to pick up her special birthday dress.
Her father had another errand to run, so he headed the other way, while Liesl, her mother and her siblings were going to the tailor.
"May we please wait outside, mama?" Louisa asked.
"Hm, yes but do not wander too far off," their mother replied.
Friedrich, Louisa an Kurt left the shop and waited outside. Brigitta chose to stay with her mother and sister. The three siblings were occupied with a game of football. They had brought their ball along, in case they had to wait.
"Look, the Von Trapps!" a voice yelled.
Louisa looked up and saw Conrad and his accomplice Ernst. She couldn't stand those boys. Conrad was always picking on other kids and after she beat him in a game he was now picking on her as well. Ernst was in the same class as her and Conrad was a grade above her, in the same class as Friedrich.
"Go bother someone else or something!" Louisa yelled back.
Conrad ignored Louisa, walked over to the three siblings and kicked the football far away. Kurt ran after it to retrieve it.
"What did you do that for?!" Friedrich said aggravatedly, while he walked over to Conrad, trying to intimidate him.
"Go cry about it," Conrad mocked, closing the space between them.
That was it for Friedrich. Conrad had been bothering his sister for quite some time now and he was sick of it. He grabbed Conrad by the collar and shoved him against the wall, like he had seen older boys do.
"Last chance, quit being an asshat and leave me and my siblings alone," Friedrich said, trying to copy his father's authoritative voice.
"Or what?" Conrad spat.
Something in Friedrich snapped and he started pushing the boy towards the ground. Conrad punched Friedrich in the face. He could taste blood. Friedrich returned the action.
Louisa and Kurt started to intervene. "Stop!" Kurt yelled.
Ernst tried to pin Louisa against the wall, but she was stronger and smarter so she managed to escape.
Now Kurt was Ernst's new target. Louisa tried to mingle herself between Friedrich and Conrad. Both boys were wallowing on the ground. She grabbed her brother by his shoulders and pulled him off of Conrad.
Conrad got up quickly and turned his attention to Louisa. He might have been stronger than her, but she punched him hard in the stomach and he stumbled onto the ground.
"What do you think you are doing?!" their mother asked, hands on her hips.
Conrad quickly got up and ran away with Ernst following suit.
"I swear this is not what it looks like!" Louisa defended, holding both hands up in surrender.
"Well, elaborate, what does this look like to you?"
Louisa was at a loss for words and suddenly found the ground very interesting.
"We're sorry," Friedrich said, trying to ease the tension.
"I fear that that is not going to be enough this time," their mother said with her hands on her hips.
"Explain yourselves right this instant."
"Conrad and Ernst are real nitwits, they're always picking on someone. We were just playing a game of football and all of the sudden they started bothering us," Friedrich explained.
"So you thought you could solve the problems a little more hands on, did you?" their mother said exasperated, looking up to the sky as if she were calling out for help.
"Something like that," Friedrich said at the same time as Louisa said, "But they started it!"
"Frankly, I do not have time for this right now," their mother sighed.
She turned around towards Liesl and said, "Watch Brigitta for me please, I will be back soon."
Their mother grabbed the three of them and yanked them across the street towards the church. The siblings looked at each other in confusion.
Once they were inside she placed each child on a different pew in the middle row. She pointed a finger at them. "You'd better stay right here and think about what you have done in silence until your father comes to get you. Do not leave your pew or try to communicate with each other. Keep your eyes ahead of you," their mother warned.
"I hope that some time in God's house will do you good and will give you new insights on how to behave properly," she continued, while she gave them a stern look. They all looked down at their laps.
She sighed and threw her hands up in exasperation. "I mean, look at you! All bloodied and bruised up!"
Before they had the chance to react she had already left the church.
Both of their parents were raised religiously. Georg his faith had dimmed firmly throughout his younger years. After the Great War, his brother's death and everything he had seen during his time in the Navy, his faith was nonexistent. He did go to church for his wife.
Following their mother's orders was a harder task than expected. After fifteen minutes or so they got bored and played rock, paper, scissors.
Louisa found a lost glove in her pocket and they played catch for a bit, until Kurt came up with the amazing idea to play wedding.
Friedrich and Kurt started discussing who should be the priest.
"I think Kurt should be the priest, because we are not allowed to leave the pew and otherwise the bride and groom can't hold hands," Louisa pointed out.
Their mother had placed Friedrich in the pew between the pews Kurt and Louisa were seated in.
"Alright then," Friedrich agreed.
After Georg heard what his children got into he made his way towards the church. He watched the three in silence and had to suppress a chuckle when he saw that they were saying their vows. They all stood on the pews, Kurt facing his way and the other two had their backs turned to him.
Suddenly Kurt's eyes widened as he saw his father in the doorway. He was at a loss for words and tried to shake his siblings's arms to communicate that their father was there.
Friedrich turned around and also froze when he saw his father. Both boys jumped down and quickly sat back down.
"What are you looking at, losers?" Louisa asked, confused.
Georg decided to make his presence known by opening the door with a thud. "That would have to be me, I'm afraid," he said as he walked over towards them with his hands in his pockets.
Louisa also jumped down and took a seat.
Georg walked over to the pew Kurt was seated in and leaned on the wooden railing with his forearms. He stared at each one of them, daring them to break the silence. As anticipated Louisa caved in.
"I don't know what mama told you, but I promise it wasn't that bad!" the girl defended.
"Hm, you just bumped into a lamppost and that is why you are all battered, the three of you?" He raised his eyebrows. Louisa fell silent at that.
"If the three of you are man enough to get into a fight, you should be man enough to take responsibility for your own actions."
Louisa crossed her arms and scoffed. "Men aren't even brave enough to be in the same room as their wives when they're giving birth."
"Alright, you are correct. The three of you should 'woman up' instead," her father corrected. Louisa nodded in agreement.
"Now, tell me what happened," their father said after a bit of silence, straightening himself.
The three siblings started talking at the same time.
"One at a time!" The siblings stopped talking.
"Friedrich, I want to hear the truth from you," their father said, motioning with his right arm that his son could speak. He had carefully chosen his eldest son to do the talking, he was a terrible liar. Louisa was by far the best one at lying, though he could usually catch whenever she was.
"Well, we were playing football while we were waiting and Conrad and Ernst came up to us and started bothering us-," Friedrich started explaining.
"Hmpf, to put it mildly. They are assholes!" Louisa interrupted.
"Did I say, Louisa, tell me what happened? No that is correct, I did not. So you sit right there and stay quiet unless I tell you otherwise," he said, pointing a finger at her.
Louisa glared at him. He raised his eyebrow and she lowered her head.
"Friedrich, continue."
Friedrich continued and explained what had happened.
After that Georg walked over to his children and one by one studied their battered faces, taking their chins, in his hand.
"So, who was the first one to attack?" he asked after he had checked the three.
None of them answered. "Kurt, enlighten me. Who was the first one to attack?" he repeated his question.
Just when Kurt started to open his mouth Louisa intervened. "Conrad started and Friedrich defended himself."
Georg turned towards Louisa and lightly smacked her upside the head. The girl immediately reached back and rubbed the spot. "You didn't have to do that," she muttered.
Georg nodded at Kurt, indicating that he could talk.
"Conrad kicked the ball a-away and was rude to Friedrich. Friedrich p-pushed him against the wall and then onto the ground. B-but Conrad hit Friedrich first," Kurt remembered. Louisa rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"What does the other boy look like? Worse than you?" their father asked Friedrich, leaning back down on the railing of the pew.
The siblings were surprised at the question. "Uh, yes, sir," Friedrich answered unsurely.
"You see, the thing is that you are not supposed to get into fights, but you are not supposed to let someone else walk all over you either. Understood?" their father said.
"Yes, sir," the siblings echoed.
Their father straightened himself and clapped his hands together. "Up you get."
"Aren't we in trouble?" Louisa asked as they got out of the pews.
"O ho, yes you are, but that is for your mother to decide."
Louisa threw her head back in frustration. "Ugh, but it wasn't even our fault," she whined.
Her father ignored her whining and directed them out of the church.
𖡼
After the family reunited Agathe and the children headed back home, while Georg stayed in town. After a lot of pleading Louisa was allowed to come with him.
"So, you are going to be my business partner for the day, eh?" her father smiled down at her, holding her hand.
Louisa nodded eagerly, trying to keep up with his larger steps and sometimes hopping along.
After they had picked up a package at the jewellery shop Georg asked the girl if she was hungry. They headed towards the market and bought two apples.
"Look, if you take these stairs up you will have the best view of Salzburg," he said, leading his daughter up the stairs in the Nonnbergstiege.
Once they reached the top, Louisa ran over to the edge to enjoy the view.
"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed.
Georg smiled and sat down on a bench. After a bit Louisa sat down next to her father, her legs swinging merrily.
"Promise not not to tell anyone that this is my favourite spot in town. The view is stunning and if you are in luck you can hear the nuns singing. It's meant to be a secret between us," her father said.
"I pinky promise!" Louisa said earnestly, holding up her pink. Her father shook hers with his pink.
Georg watched the girl take a bite out of her apple. He shook his head and couldn't help but smile. It was quite comical to see his daughter eat an apple so innocently, in a coat too big because she insisted on wearing her brother's old one, when she was beating up boys older than her just a moment before. Frankly, he was quite proud of her for doing so.
Louisa wrinkled her nose and looked up at her father. "What?" she asked.
Her father shook his head and smiled proudly. "No, nothing. You just keep going."
Louisa studied her father for a moment before she continued eating.
After a bit she leaned against her father, who wrapped an arm around her.
"Papa?"
He hummed. "Yes, Loulou?"
"Well, I was just wondering if you could tell me a story from when you were young. Did you ever get into a fight?" she asked, taking another bite and continuing swinging her legs.
"What is it with you wanting to know everything about my childhood, eh?" her father grinned, jabbing his fingers into her sides.
Louisa shrieked and tried to get away from her father's fingers.
"I don't know! I just like hearing stories about you from when you were young!" she laughed, trying to push his hand away.
"Hm, you just like hearing stories about me, do you?" her father asked, not stopping the assault.
"Yes!"
"Are you certain you don't just like to hear about the trouble your old man got into when he was a boy?" her father asked, stopping the attack.
Louisa thought. "Well, maybe," she shrugged.
Her father continued jabbing his fingers into her sides. "See! How many times have I told you not to lie to me, eh?"
Louisa couldn't keep her laughter in. "I don't know! You tell me that all the time!"
She stood up and put some distance between them. Her father raised his eyes.
"Oh well, it is sort of interesting to hear about your misbehaviour. I can't think of you like that. You're always so…" Louisa waved with her arms, trying to find the correct word.
"Stiff? Stern? Stoic? Strict?" her father filled in.
"That were a lot of S words," she grinned.
She continued, "But yes, something like that I suppose. Though you're not really like that with us all the time, just with other people, you know? I just wonder what you were like when you were young."
Her father nodded in understanding. "I understand, I wonder the same thing," he smiled.
Everyone always told Louisa that she and her father had the same characteristics, which made her want to know everything about her father so she could point out and compare their similarities. When she found out they had the same scar, she was stoked. Her siblings enjoyed listening to their father's stories too, but not in the same way as Louisa did.
Louisa walked over to the bench and sat back down. Her father wrapped an arm around her and squeezed her shoulder.
"Well, I did get into quite a lot of fights, growing up. The main reason my parents enrolled me in boarding school was because I had gotten into a fight at school, once too many times, and my parents and the headmaster had had enough."
"They sent you away, just for fighting?!" the girl asked, shocked.
Her father shook his head. "Not really, no. Like I told you before, I was quite the troublemaker and that was simply the straw that broke the camel's back."
Louisa nodded in understanding. "How old were you?" she asked.
"Nine or ten, I believe," he responded absentmindedly. Louisa cocked her head and looked at him.
He couldn't imagine sending his oldest daughter away, like his parents did with him. Liesl was still a child, one that still was very much in need of a parent's love and the safe environment of a home.
Louisa leaned against him. He gently stroked her hair. "Was it bad?" she asked.
"Hm, was what bad, darling?"
"Boarding school."
He looked down at his daughter. Why did this little girl understand him so well? Perhaps she didn't comprehend it all, but it still impressed him.
"Boarding schools aren't necessarily bad, but the one I was sent to was not pleasant at all. The teachers and headmaster were sadistic and narcissistic people, always finding a way to make our lives miserable."
He never talked about his experiences until he met Agathe. As a boy he always looked forward to the holidays so he could go back home. Though often his father sent him back already after just a few days. The teachers and headmaster had it out for him, always making up reasons for him to get punished. He was glad when he could leave for the Naval Academy.
"Is that why you won't send us away?" the girl asked, casually taking another bite.
He nodded. "I suppose so, yes."
Louisa wrapped her arms around her father. "I don't ever want to be away from you."
Georg buried his face in her hair, while gently squeezing her arm. "Me neither. I would miss all of your banter way too much." Louisa giggled at that.
They continued eating their apples.
"I finished eating, can I throw my apple down?" his daughter asked.
The corner of his mouth rose up a bit. Of course she would ask him that.
"No, that could hit someone on the head," he responded. Louisa sighed and threw her head back in frustration. Clearly she had been looking forward to throwing it down.
"But you let me throw it away sometimes," she pointed out. He took his hat and placed it on her head, pulling it down so that it covered her eyes.
"Yes I do, but only if there is grass around for a tree to grow," he explained.
Louisa pushed the hat upwards, so that it didn't cover her eyes anymore. "Can I take it home then, so we can grow apple trees?" she asked.
"If you would like to, you may," he said, smiling.
Together they walked down the stairs, and towards the bus station.
Georg glanced sideways at Louisa, noticing how similar they were. It was the bad side of himself that she might have too, that worried him.
𖡼
Luckily for Friedrich, Louisa and Kurt they didn't get in too much trouble. They got a quick lecture about having to be kind and caring rather than mean and violent from their mother.
They also had to write an essay about what would happen if everyone decided to get physically violent very quickly and what kind of world that would be. Kurt was allowed to draw, with some short sentences here and there, and explained what he meant, considering he just started learning how to write.
The next day, after school had ended, Liesl appeared to be dejected. Her dress was wet and mucky, which made her worry about what her parents would think.
Liesl despised having her parents be upset with her and did everything she could to be perfect. It was not really that she was worried about the trouble she would get into if she misbehaved, just that adults would think less of her.
Her siblings seemed to never mind, they got in trouble all the time and seemed to get on with their lives as if nothing had happened. If she got scolded or got into trouble she would get that awful feeling which didn't seem to go away for days. At nighttime when the house was silent and there was nothing to distract her from it, she would mull over it for hours and hours.
Compared to her siblings she was a little more sensitive. They were all sensitive in a way, but one stern look from an adult could get her to tears.
"Liesl?"
The girl snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at her brother. "Yes, sorry, I didn't hear you, Friedrich."
"Isa, Kurt and I were wondering if you would like to go outside with us and practise some fighting skills."
"Thank you, but no I can't. I'm not feeling too well," she said.
"I'll get father!" her brother responded.
She wanted to tell him that he shouldn't get him, but he was already off towards the study. Liesl sighed. Her stomach hurt and she was a bit nauseous.
After a bit her brother returned with their father, who raised his eyebrow at seeing his daughter. Liesl felt like she was going to throw up. He was upset with her and if he wasn't yet, he would be.
"What is the matter, my little lady?" he asked gently.
He was definitely upset with her. Her father just called her 'little lady' to show that she hadn't been a proper lady.
Liesl wanted to answer but she was unable to.
Her father placed his hand on the back of her neck and led her towards his study, the way he often did whenever her siblings had gotten themselves into trouble. Liesl could feel her muscles tightening. Had she been so bad?
Once inside the room her father sat down in the armchair and motioned for her to walk over. He studied her for a bit, his eye catching the state of her dress.
"Give me a twirl then, eh?"
Liesl scolded herself for not being more like her sister Louisa. The girl was younger than her and she certainly wouldn't have been on the edge of tears.
Unsurely she slowly turned around. She bit her lip and started plucking the skin around her nails.
"None of that," her father said, taking ahold of her wrists and pulling her onto his lap.
He sighed and shook his head. "What has been going on today, eh?" he asked her.
Liesl sat up and frowned. Did he really not know what was going on? Or did he just want her to confess herself?
"I-I ruined my dress," she said quietly as she leaned back into his chest.
"Well, that is a bit dramatic, don't you think? It is nothing a good washing can not fix," her father said, squeezing her hand.
"You think so?" the girl asked.
"Oh ho, I know so. Have you ever seen the state of your siblings' clothes?" her father said theatrically. Liesl chuckled.
"Enlighten me, what is really going on? It can't all simply be because you got your dress a bit mucky, can it?" he asked, shifting so that he could look at her. He gently stroked her cheek.
She was quiet for a bit as she collected the courage and the words to tell what was on her mind.
"I-It's… I don't want y-you… to be angry or u-upset with me," she choked out, tears starting to drop down her cheeks.
Georg could smack himself right now. He absolutely hated seeing his children upset, let alone when he was the cause of it.
Perhaps they had overlooked Liesl a bit. She was always so well behaved and never had a problem with her. Maybe that was the problem. Louisa's outbursts were by far easier to notice, she would eventually literally scream for their help and attention.
But Liesl, Liesl was always making sure everyone else was doing well and therefore she didn't always take care of herself. How could he have been too foolish and occupied to notice?
In combination with stress from school and her upcoming birthday it wasn't weird for her to have a breaking point.
"No one is angry or upset with you." Liesl looked a bit sceptical at him.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Who is it?" he asked.
The door opened and Agathe appeared in the doorway. "Friedrich told me that you weren't feeling too well, so I brought you a cup of tea, darling."
Liesl sat up and wiped away her tears. "Thank you," she whispered.
Her mother handed her a cup and sat down on the settee. Liesl stood up, afraid she might spill the hot tea on her father, and sat down next to her mother on the settee.
She didn't notice the silent conversation her parents were having.
"Tell me what is going on, dear," her mother said, squeezing her upper thigh.
"I-I got my dress dirty, and I was afraid that you w-were going to be a-angry or upset with me."
Agathe looked at her daughter empathetically and shook her head. "Oh, Liesl… Why would we be upset about such a thing?"
Liesl started crying again. Agathe took the cup of tea from her daughter's hands, placed it on the side table, and wrapped an arm around her.
"I-I don't know... I was just s-scared," Liesl sobbed.
"We could never be angry with you, perhaps we would not agree with certain choices you have made, but I promise you that we will never actually get angry with you," her father said, leaning forward in his chair.
"It is only natural to make mistakes, your father and I, we, would not think any less of you. Consequences are not supposed to be fun, but they are not meant to make you so afraid of making a mistake either. We use them as a tool to teach you something. You are allowed to be a child, have fun, get into trouble, learn from it and make mistakes again. The world will not end. Do you understand that?" her mother asked, reaching out and using her thumb to wipe away her tears.
Liesl nodded slowly. "I think so."
"Good… Tell us what it is that makes you scared of getting in trouble, darling. There is nothing you can say that will make us upset, we only want to help you," her father said emphatically.
Liesl shrugged. "I'm not really afraid of you or anything… It…It just feels like a waste of time… Like I'm wasting your time…and mine… You have the younger ones that require your attention and I don't want to make things harder for anyone."
"You are nine, almost ten, you are growing up, but you are still a child. Us, adults, are supposed to take care of you, it is our job. You do not have to take care of your father and I, and your siblings. It is not your task to worry about such things," her mother said, stroking her hand.
"Do you understand what we are saying, Liesl?" her father asked.
Liesl looked up at him and nodded. "Yes, I understand."
"Good… good," her father said while he nodded and leaned back a little.
"I never thought that I would encourage my child to get into trouble, however I do think that it is good for you to realise that you will be just fine after a scolding. Perhaps you need to talk to your siblings about that," her father winked.
Liesl grinned. "I suppose I should."
"That is right. We need you to come to us if you are feeling like this. Perhaps a notebook could help you as well, so you can write about what you are feeling," her mother suggested.
The girl nodded and hugged her mother tightly. After a bit she released.
"Don't you dare forget about me. I'm in need of a hug too," her father joked playfully.
Liesl laughed. "How could I forget you? You would never allow me to leave without giving you a hug first."
Her mother smiled. "Indeed, your father is a big softie on the inside that needs hugs."
The girl grinned and made her way towards her father. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, inhaling his cologne.
"I love you," she said softly.
Her father stroked her hair. "I love you too, Selly."
𖡼
Georg looked through the window in his study. He frowned when he saw Friedrich and Louisa wallowing on the ground.
By the body language of Liesl and Kurt he could tell that there wasn't a dispute. He chose to see what they were up to and made his way outside.
As he walked towards his children he observed them. Friedrich fake punched his sister slowly.
"Good practise, but your technique is not really correct," he said. Soon four pairs of eyes landed on him.
Friedrich and Louisa straightened themselves and frowned.
"See, make sure your thumb is not on the inside of your first or you will break it," their father showed. The siblings nodded and hummed in understanding.
"You throw a punch by using your core and by rotating, rather than throwing back your arm and using your arm as the main force," their father showed.
Their father taught them more tricks to improve their technique and form.
They practised by taking turns in punching their father's hands.
"Left. Right. Left. Left… No, that is right, son," their father scolded Kurt by gently smacking the back of his head. Kurt grinned.
"Oi! You can't let your guard down, Kurt!"
Kurt straightened up and returned his arms to defend himself. They continued.
"Alright Friedrich, you are up," their father said. The boy made his way towards his father and got in position.
"I want you to hit me," his father said, indicating for him to hit him in the face. Friedrich frowned.
"Come on."
Unsurely he aimed for his father's face, but his father caught his arm and pricked him in the ribs. Friedrich grinned, up for a challenge.
At one point the boy stumbled back and almost fell onto the ground. His father reached for his hand just in time and straightened him.
"Liesl, your turn," their father said, motioning for his daughter to walk over to him.
After everyone had gotten the chance to practise with their father he clapped his hands.
"You know, if you are going to practise there should be an adult with you to supervise."
"We're not in trouble for that, are we?" Louisa asked, scrunching her nose and looking up at her father.
"Not if you can take your old man down, you're not."
They didn't waste a second and immediately tried to chase him. Eventually they managed to tackle their father to the ground.
"I think we should end this session for now and get ready for dinner," he said, earning groans from his children. He pushed them off of him and straightened himself.
"I want to be a fighter when I grow up! I will be a soldier and I am going to fight everyone and win!" Kurt exclaimed excitedly.
Georg smiled at his son's innocence and ruffled the boy's hair. He wished that his boy could stay young forever. His children experiencing the horrors of war was something that was absolutely not on his list.
𖡼
The day Liesl had been waiting for had finally arrived. She was officially ten years old! Frankly, she thought that she would feel a big difference, but she felt the same as she felt yesterday.
Before breakfast started she was given her presents. Her mother gifted her a beautiful necklace with a small pink tourmaline pendant. Her mother explained that the she had bought the necklace when Liesl was born and that the tourmaline was her birthstone.
"When the rest of you turn ten, you shall receive yours as well," their mother explained.
"I'm not a girl!" Kurt said, frowning.
"Your mother gave me this necklace when we got engaged, and I have not taken it off ever since," their father replied, raising his eyebrow. He showed his children the necklace that was carefully tucked underneath his shirt.
"Ohh," Kurt said, nodding. Liesl chuckled. Her brother could be so silly sometimes.
Her father walked over and handed her her next present. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Here you go, my sweet birthday girl."
Liesl unwrapped the gift. Inside she found a card and a pair of ballet flats. She read the card and her face lit up.
"Really?! Will you really let me take ballet classes?!" she gasped excitedly.
She looked up at her parents who smiled and nodded.
"Your first class is next week, together with your friend Theresa," her father said.
"Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" she replied, running to her parents to hug them.
Georg buried his face in his daughter's hair.
His little girl was growing up and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
𖡼
A/N: I know that some people might think that the way Louisa her mind works in the scenes where she talks with her father about his youth is way too mature for a six-year-old. Truth to be told, yes it isn't how an average child would think, but there are children who do think like that and who can comprehend bigger things like these (because of intuition) around that age.
I view Louisa as a strong-willed and creatively gifted child (unlike Brigitta, who'd be intellectually gifted), therefore she's connecting their childhoods and their similarities. Her mind connects all her knowledge, whether it'd be something she's read, heard or seen, to each other. Example: her "…men aren't brave…" sentence in response to "…man enough to fight…".
Because she's creatively gifted, she's bored at school and doesn't perform exceptionally well. People don't really understand her, because her mind works 'out of the box' and her thinking goes very fast, which could lead to her feeling stupid, when in reality she is not. Georg however is one of the few people who understands her, therefore she enjoys his company.
Finished: 7/October/2024