The night of the party arrived and the children watched from the side terrace doors into the ballroom. Everyone was pretty in their outfits and enchanted by the glamour of the guests around them. There were gold accents everywhere and the orchestra made the room alive with sound. The couples were like dancing paintings that glittered and swished in tempo with the music.
"The women look so beautiful" Brigitta was in awe.
"I think they look ugly" Kurt added
"You just say that because you're scared of them" Louisa mocked her brother
"Silly, only grown up men are scared of women" Kurt retorted.
"I think the men look beautiful" Gretl remarked
"How would you know?" Louisa laughed at her sister and Gretl turned her nose in the air.
At the other set of doors Marta sighed "I wish we had a party like this every night"
"Maybe if we ask fraulein Maria" Brigitta said wandering over
"She didn't make the arrangements, it was baroness Schrader" Friedrich shut her down.
"Who told you this was all her plan" Brigitta asked
"Frau Schmidt" he responded
"How does she know?" Louisa added
"She got it from Franz"
"How does he know?" Marta grinned
"He was listening at the door."
Liesl had begun wandering about the terrace swaying with the music. She began to imagine herself in a glamorous ball gown with roses in her hair and a handsome young man asking her to dance. She was surprised so she curtsied and began to waltz with her imaginary partner.
"Liesl, who are you dancing with?" Brigitta wondered
"Nobody" she replied dreamily
"Oh yes you are" the girl grinned as Friedrich walked to his big sister and tapped her on the shoulder.
"May I have this dance?" He bowed
"I'd be delighted young man" she curtsied.
The rest of the children watched them, thinking they were ridiculous. Maria came out from the garden and began to watch.
"Why didn't you children tell me you could dance?" She was impressed and all the children were surprised because they didn't see her.
"We were afraid you'd make us all dance together, the Von Trapp Family. Dancers" Kurt responded and spun around.
Everyone laughed and the music began to change.
"What's that they're playing?" Gretl asked
"The landler, it's an Austrian folk dance" Maria answered
"Show me" Kurt walked up to Maria
"Oh Kurt I haven't danced since I was a little girl"
"Please" he begged
"Oh alright" she reached for his hand "now you bow and I curtsey and now we go for a little walk this way." Maria guided him through the steps. Brigitta noticed her father walk out just as they had begun, Liesl noticed as well but pretended not to.
"Like this?" Kurt was a bit nervous
"Fine" Maria assured
After a few more moments
"Uh may I?" The Captain asked patting his son on the shoulder. Kurt walked backwards to join his siblings as he didn't want to miss anything.
Liesl thought about how it was nice that they laughed if they messed up and seemed so natural.
Friedrich was amazed, as this was typically out of character for his father to be so bold.
Louisa gazed as she watched them dance so easily and hoped they were thinking what she wanted them to be.
Kurt was firstly frustrated that his father cut in, but ultimately found it nice to watch and was a little taken aback as he noticed different things after his conversation with his siblings.
Brigitta was unbearably jittery she wanted to shout from the rooftops about how obviously in love they were and how she absolutely had to do something about it.
Marta thought they looked like a prince and princess they heard of in stories.
Gretl didn't understand why her father acted so differently around the baroness and Maria compared to everyone else.
The waltzed and Maria was at first shocked yet at the same time she relaxed. They had grown so much into good friends. It was lovely to dance and twirl and get lost in his eye-then it hit her. This was too nice. She got a funny feeling in her stomach and the more she looked at the Captain the more she couldn't handle it.
The Captain was pleased. Elsa was so strict, but even though this was not perfect it was still graceful. Maria might not have had the most ravishing party grown yet she still had an air about her that radiated. The Captain was enjoying himself, more than he cared to admit and as he looked at her, thinking about leaning in she broke the moment by speaking.
"I don't remember anymore" she stepped away
"Your face is all red" Brigitta blurted
"Is it? I guess I'm not used to dancing"
The Captain and Maria stared still and the children watched on the edge of their seats. Friedrich and Liesl shared a knowing look.
"Why that was beautiful" Baroness Schrader interrupted. The children's heads snapped towards her as no one had noticed her arrival "What a lovely couple you make"
The Captain clenched his fists "well, I think it's time the children say goodnight"
"Yes" Maria nodded herself back into reality "we've got something very special prepared" she clapped "right?"
"Right" the children responded
They ran off through the garden maze and Maria trailed behind the children but Brigitta chose to stay in step with the governess.
"I don't like Baroness Schrader" Brigitta said brutally, remembering how she interrupted the dance.
Maria stopped in her tracks "What?" She asked
"She's too high strung and I don't think she likes anybody" Brigitta was honest
"Come here" Maria said reaching out her arm, Brigitta obeyed and the governess leaned down to her.
"It's very important that you children like her" Maria explained
"Why?" Brigitta let go and crossed her arms
"Because I think she's going to be your new mother"
"See, that's ridiculous. He obviously cares for you more"
Maria stood up straight "Brigitta you don't know what you're talking about" she defended "run along" Maria nodded. She began to question what the girl had said, but she was only ten, how much could she truly know?
Maria shook the thought out her head and ran to the ball room
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the children of Captain von Trapp wish to say goodnight"
Meanwhile the children were getting in their places.
Maria watched from the side and they occasionally glanced at her for some reassurance. The Captain thought his children were positively adorable, especially Kurt. As Maria was about to join them upstairs she was grabbed by Max. She was still dazed and only understood that Max was offering her to stay. He knew Maria could convince Georg to put the children in the festival.
"I'm not suitably dressed" Maria tried to get out of it.
"You can change" the Captain assured "wear that dress you were wearing the other night, it was lovely" he said casually
Maria nodded and went up to her room. The Baroness following not long after.
Liesl was in charge of making sure the kids got to bed that night. She just finished checking on the older two girls and was about to head to the little girls to read them a story. As she opened the door she saw the Baroness across the hall coming from the direction of Maria's room. She thought this was odd, but didn't say anything and went to read the little girls a story.
She was heading to her room since the little girls had fallen asleep and sighed as she saw her father come from the dining room.
"Goodnight father" she leaned over the rail and spoke to him. He looked at her with confusion
"Have you seen fraulein Maria?" He asked
"No father, I was in charge of the kids tonight"
"Are you sure?" He raised an eyebrow
"Yes, I haven't seen her at all" she answered
"Maybe she's on the terrace" the Captain said to himself. Liesl became increasingly worried and scurried down the stairs as quick as she could.
He was still looking around and she turned to look and didn't see her but saw something on a table in between two doors. Propped against a plant was a piece of paper. The Captain had joined his daughter.
"Look over here" Liesl said as she walked to the table. Her father followed. He picked up the note and began to read it. Liesl examined her father's face to see if she could tell anything by his reaction. He was concerned then had a look of sadness for a brief moment then became stoic as she folded it and placed it in his pocket.
"What is it father? Is it from her?" Liesl asked
"Yes" he replied without moving
"What did it say?"
"She's gone" was his solemn reply
"What! Why?, h-she-why?" Liesl was flustered and brought her hand to her chest.
"She said th-" the Captain began but was interrupted "Georg come on, they're starting without you" the baroness approached. She eyed Liesl who was tearing up but was a tad more composed.
"What's wrong darling" the baroness said, touching the Captain's shoulder. He reached for it without looking at her. "Nothing just some business" he said quietly
"Father!" Liesl gritted her teeth. She knew it wasn't her place but she couldn't contain herself.
He turned to her "We'll figure it out" he was sincere as he nodded. He then turned back to the baroness and became a little more composed and stiff, as if her were an actor and was forced to play a role for her. He linked arms with her and walked into the dining room. Liesl still saw the piece of paper in his pocket.
Liesl couldn't believe she was gone. The one person who has brought her family back to life. She made her father happy and warm, made her little siblings feel like they had a mother, let the older ones know they had someone to confide in, made everyone cheerful, made her feel like a kid again. Gone. But why?
Heyoo long chapter. Love it tho
So wish that they kept the extended scenes. Also i really love that Brigitta spills the tea in the stage musical so this was the best way i could have both.
Thanks for reading!💛💛