Chapter 21

It was now after lunch and Georg was buzzing around the house trying to make sure everyone was getting ready to head out the door and to the church. The children were beginning to try his patience, but he was determined to stay calm with them. Maria would know just how to handle them a gentle, but firm manner. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Frau Schmidt standing at the entrance to the boys room, eying him with something akin to mixture of pity and amusement.

"Captain," she began, "You need to go and finish getting yourself ready. I'll see to the children. If you don't then it may be the first time that the groom has kept the bride waiting."

He gave her a relieved look and his eyes spoke volumes as to how grateful he was for her help. "Thank you Frau Schmidt. I think the boys will be fine. It's the girls that always need the most attention. Liesl will help you."

"Not a problem, Captain."

He turned and walked back to his room and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the mantle and stared at a picture of Agathe. When he looked at it he no longer felt pain, but was overwhelmed with the joy of happy memories. "I'm getting remarried today Agathe, but you will always be my first love and the mother of my children. I know you would want me to be happy and I am. Maria is a wonderfully gifted woman and I'm sure you would have liked her and I love her a great deal."

He turned back towards his bed where his uniform was laid out and a small feeling of melancholy came over him for just a moment. He reached for it, knowing that this may possibly be the last time that he donned the uniform. He was a proud Austrian and had served his native land with distinction and it brought pain to his heart to know that it would soon no longer be recognizable to him. He shook his head, this was suppose to be a happy day and he didn't want to think about such things.

He changed into his dress uniform and then stood in front of the mirror. Checking himself over, he straightened his bow tie and brushed a few stray strands of hair back into their proper place. The years had been surprisingly kind to him, despite the amount of stress he had been through. With the exception of slight graying around the edges, he still looked younger than what he was and he felt like he was twenty something again. He gave most of the credit for that to the vivacious, fun loving, young woman who he was about to make his bride in the next couple of hours.

He grabbed his sword, resting on the mantle and gave it a once over, making sure it was polished on all sides and then slid it into its holster. He then straightened his shoulders upright and standing at attention, inspected himself one more time before picking up his shako and heading out his bedroom door. Upon reaching the main foyer he saw all seven of his children standing there looking up at him with smiles on their faces.

Liesl spoke first, "We're all ready to go father."

He stood in front of them for a moment, looking them over, his eyes shining with pride. He was blessed to have such great children. "You all look wonderful. You're mother would be so proud of you."

"...and you look so handsome father," declared Brigitta.

"Thank you Brigitta."

"I wonder what Fraulein Maria is doing right now," said Kurt.

He smiled at the thought of her and his heart skipped a beat at the thought of watching her make that trek down the middle aisle of the church. He couldn't wait to take her hand in his and make her a permanent member of their family. "I imagine she's getting dressed about right now and it's probably time for us to be on our way. Let's go, everyone out the door and into the car."

He was right, Maria had a team of sisters swarming around her. She had never heard them make so much noise before. They were generally a very quiet lot, but now as they worked every once in awhile a small joyous giggle would escape their lips. They helped Maria get into her dress and button it up and then placing a crown of leaves on her head they carefully set the veil in its place allowing it to flow freely all around her.

She heard the church bells ringing and she new it was time for her to make her walk across the courtyard. As she entered the hallway she was greeted by the Reverend Mother who gave her a blessing and Maria began walking to the church. As she walked she was followed by an entourage of nuns who were excitedly waiting for the opportunity to get a small glimpse of the ceremony from the back of the church, the closest they could get to witnessing a wedding.

Maria approached the gate and looked back at the Reverend Mother who was smiling at her reassuringly, the closing of the gate behind her signified an end to one journey and the beginning of another. She turned around and smiled at Liesl, letting her know she was ready and then she looked up and straight down the middle of the church and her heart began to pound in her chest at the sight of the man she was about to marry.

He was standing there, very handsomely regal, staring down the long aisle at her with the most intense gaze she had ever seen. His deep blue eyes filled with love, told her to trust him and she felt a magnetic pull urging her to take that first step towards him. All of her nerves were calmed in an instant and suddenly it was only him that she saw while everyone else in the church faded away.

Georg stood nervously waiting to get his first glimpse of Maria. For all he cared she could have been wearing the dress he first met her in and he would still think she was the most prettiest woman in the room, but when he saw her walk through the gate at the back of the church, his breath caught in his throat. She was the most exquisitely beautiful woman he had ever met. The dress fit her perfectly in all the right places he couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she walked what seemed to him the longest voyage ever.

She finally started her ascent up the stairs where Georg was waiting for her. Eager to feel her touch he reached for her hand before she even climbed the last step, his gaze unable to leave her face. He marveled at how fortunate he was that she was his bride.

The ceremony seemed to drag on, but the moment they were both waiting for finally came. They were pronounced man and wife and he was given permission to kiss his bride. He lifted her veil and their lips met for the first time as husband and wife. They then turned to the congregation and made the trek back down the aisle together.

Once outside Georg ushered his bride into the waiting car and they were off to the Villa for the reception. Once alone in the backseat of the car Georg couldn't contain himself any longer. He reached up and gently put his arms around her and kissed her long and passionately, sending chills down Maria's spine and finally causing him to end it while gasping for breath.

He finally spoke to her while looking straight into her eyes, "I love you, you know."

"and I love you," she finished. "That was possibly the longest walk I have ever taken in my whole entire life. I thought I was never going to reach you."

"Oh oh, well at least you got to move somewhere. I just had to stand there and wait for you. I was halfway wishing that you would just take off and run to me."

They both laughed, "Believe me, the thought did cross my mind."

He reached up and caressed the side of her face with the back of his fingers and could feel the small intake of her breath as he did so, "When I first saw you come through that gate I was absolutely captivated by your beauty. You are absolutely stunning and you took my breath away. I still don't understand how it's even possible for me to be so fortunate. I've done nothing to deserve your love."

"Oh but you have Georg. You have shown me what being loved really is. You make me feel protected and like I'm the most important person on the earth. You've allowed me to be a part of a family, something I've never had and I love you for all of it. You've been kind gentle, and charming with me and you made it impossible for me to not fall in love with you. I've been just as blessed as you have."

He searched her eyes and found himself drowning in them. He slowly leaned forward and captured her lips with his own in a more slow and deliberate kiss that purposefully showed all of his desires for her and left her swimming in a whirlwind of bliss.

He slowly broke away from her as a wicked grin spread across his face, "Do we have to go to the reception, can't we just skip that part?"

She playfully shook her head and looked down in her lap, trying to hide the shade of red that was slowly creeping over her face. "I think we would have some very disappointed guests."

"I think they would hardly notice after drowning themselves in champagne."

She laughed, "Maybe not, but the children would miss us and I need a little bit of time. I'm not sure I'm ready for...um...er other 'activities' yet and it would be a shame to not go and enjoy all the hard work the Frau Schmidt put into it."

He reached up and gently turned her head towards him. "Maria, I don't know what those society ladies have been telling you, but I promise you, I only want to please you and I would never force you to do something you weren't comfortable with or be rough with you. I want it to be just as special for you, and even more so, as it is for me. I will never do anything that would cause you to lose trust in me."

"Oh Georg," she exclaimed, "I could never lose trust in you, but I'm just nervous that's all."

"Well if you want to know the truth, so am I."

Her face lit up with a surprised expression, "You are?"

"Maria, my darling, this may not be my first time, but it will be my first time with you and I am very nervous because all I want to do is make you feel at ease with me and I don't want to scare you at all."

"I'm not scared of you, I could never be scared of you. It's just that in a matter of a few months I went from almost pledging my life to being a nun to falling in love and getting married. Every thought that I have about you is new and exciting, but at the same time sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach."

"There will be so many new experiences for both of us, but the best part is that I get to experience them all with you." He tapped her nose playfully and then pulled her into a tight embrace. He sighed, "I guess you're right though, we should go to our own reception."

She smiled up at him as the car came to a halt outside of the villa. "Georg?"

"Yes, my love."

"Thank you."

"For what sweetheart?"

"For everything, for being the kind of man who is strong, yet gentle. For staying with me when I was sick and for making me a part of this family. I love y ou so very much."

"Oh Maria, it's I who should thank you. Your sweet voice brought music back into our home and woke me up to what I was missing with our children. I promise you, Maria, I will always take care of you and you will never want for anything no matter what life brings us."

"We will face it all together. I will support you and love you and will never leave your side Georg." He smiled at her and with one last kiss they exited the car and entered the reception arm in arm, ready to face anything that was thrown at them, as one.

FINE!

A/N: Thank you all for going on this journey with me that started at the beginning of summer with a response to a story prompt on the proboards. Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It makes me happy to know that others enjoy something that I've created. You all have been incredibly kind and supportive with your responses and if I've missed thanking someone along the way, my apologies. I really do appreciate all the reviews and kind words. Thanks everyone!