This is my first foray into the wonderful story-world of the Sound of Music. I stumbled upon this fandom by chance and was so impressed by the quality of writing that I couldn't resist trying my own (very rusty) hand at it. I'm a devout Sound of Music fan - but if inaccuracies do pop up, please be gentle. ;)

Liesl has gone through a lot as a young girl, and I often find myself wondering, "what is she thinking?"

The Eldest Von Trapp Girl

She knocked lightly on the door, wanting to see if Maria was ready. She heard answering footsteps, then the telltale rustle of a wedding dress, followed by a loud rrrr-iip. Maria must have stepped on the skirt.

"Ohhhhh," came an exasperated sigh. "Hold on just a minute, Liesl."

"Maria, child, when will you ever…" The refrain was cut short. Evidently, Sister Berthe was trying to hold her tongue today.

Liesl leaned against the aged wooden door and smiled to herself. She loved the way her new mother-to-be sounded. She had a beautiful singing voice, of course – but mostly Liesl loved the way she spoke. Gentle and inviting, all at once.

Nothing made her happier than the morning she learned father was going to marry Fraulein Maria (mother? Mother Maria? She would have to think about that.) Then there was the excitement of planning for the wedding. All the children were asked for their input – Maria and her father, who looked as though he had shed twenty years overnight, had wanted them intimately involved. Liesl was proud and a little bit apprehensive when Maria asked her to be her maid-of-honour and witness.

Now she stood in a lovely cream dress, her hair adorned with a simple garland, waiting to walk with her new mother down the aisle. She had been looking forward to today… so why was she getting so nervous?

She couldn't stay still. She paced back and forth in front of the door, her slippers making little 'pings' against the stone floor. Her palms were warm. She pressed them into the wall, cooling them, trying not to eavesdrop. From Sister Margaretta's frantic tones, the repair sounded like it was going to take awhile.

Rather than wait, Liesl thought she might feel better if she had something to do, perhaps take a walk through the courtyard.

As she walked, she averted her eyes from the distinguished guests who were starting to trickle in, feeling her stomach do uncomfortable little flips. She caught glimpses of beautiful dresses and crisp shirts.

Maybe it's all these people? Her father had felt obligated to invite his high society acquaintances from Vienna, and it seemed most of them had turned up. But Liesl had never been shy before.

It was true, in the years following her mother's illness and death, the house had been very quiet. There had been no gatherings, no parties, no friends. They never went anywhere. Liesl had been grieving over her mother passing and her father's absence, so she had been fine with that.

But school was a different matter. Her father had been adamant no child of his could recover hiding at home – except for Marta and Gretl, of course, who stayed with the nurse. Even in those terrible earlier weeks, Liesl recalled with clarity how she and Friedrich had walked the younger ones from the bus stop to school.

It took a few months before the darkness lifted enough for Liesl to begin noticing the looks they were getting. Sideways glances that shifted quickly when the owners noticed her looking. Whispers about "those children" that might have begun as pity but quickly escalated to gossip. She couldn't escape those.

"Did you hear she left behind seven? Two more at home. Seven! Poor Captain!"

"Those poor motherless children…"

"I hear the Captain can't even bear to look at them, they remind him of her so."

"They'll run themselves ragged in that enormous Von Trapp house, you mark my words…"

"No one looking after them, of course they will."

Perhaps the Captain heard some of this. Perhaps it was his way of dealing with his own grief. But later that year, her father brought out and polished his navy whistle, and hired their first governess.

Liesl didn't mind these changes, even though it took some time to get used to that shrill silly thing. It brought a sense of order and purpose back into the house – albeit of a different kind than when her mother had been alive. It certainly seemed her father had taken a diligent interest in their upbringing, looking in while they did their studies, helping design their new uniforms, timing them while they marched around the grounds. And it stopped those spiteful comments, for awhile anyways.

It had been his indifference that hurt most. Her father was interested in what they were doing, it was true, but he was never interested in them, anymore. He looked over her shoulder often, but never at her. In those early years, his heart had not been in it, and later, he had not been there at all. Liesl, in her own childish ways, had tried to bring him back – small sprigs of Edelweiss (his favourite, she knew) on his breakfast tray, songs on the gramophone, fake telegrams delivered through Franz – all went unanswered.

It felt as though she had lost both her mother and her father, all at once.

Then, gossip of a different sort began to reach them.

"Those children, they're heathens, I tell you…"

"The Von Trapp bunch? I hear they terrorize the governesses something scandalous."

"The last one has nightmares, still!"

"You couldn't pay me to look after those children."

"Oh yes, the older one. She could be a young society woman, but you'd never know it."

"That eldest Von Trapp girl? What a terrible example she sets for her siblings!"

They were always known as "those children," to be discussed with a huff and shake of the head. Liesl was sometimes singled out, but then, it was always as "the eldest Von Trapp girl". Between that and the whistle, she almost preferred the whistle.

After Fraulein Maria's arrival, Liesl sometimes blushed to think of the pranks they used to play on the governesses. She never played pranks – but she didn't stop them, either. Like her brothers and sisters, she actually felt proud when they managed to chase away a governess. Over time, the hours spent scheming brought her siblings closer, and gave them something to laugh about. After all, they could be a happy bunch, and she learned to take the gossip in stride and not to heart.

So no, Liesl was not shy.

She shook her head to clear these darker thoughts. Today was not the day to think about them, Liesl told herself firmly. And with Maria as her new mother and her father as – well, as her father once more, perhaps she would never have to think about them again.

At the same time, she didn't want to make small talk with these affluent guests, so she took the longer route back to Maria's dressing room. It took her along the back of the abby, where the nuns had their gardens. Liesl inhaled deeply, the spring back in her step. It was hard to be sad when two of her favourite people were getting married to each other.

As she rounded the corner, she stopped. It was a strange sight. A man dressed in full formal navy regalia was walking leisurely back and forth along the path ahead, humming to himself. Every time he passed under a certain window, he stopped briefly and stood on tiptoe to glance inside.

Liesl couldn't help her smile at his schoolboy antics as she approached his retreating back.

"Don't you know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, father?"

The Captain turned. Liesl noted with girlish satisfaction that he looked very distinguished and handsome. His eyes narrowed in a smile and made no attempt to deny it.

"Luck? Luck, my very dear Liesl, is for people who don't believe in the strength of what they have." He winked. "When you see her, do tell Maria a certain admirer says she looks radiant, hmm?"

Liesl grinned impishly back at him. This was the father she knew and loved.

"Now, I really must go check up on Max."

"Where is he?"

The Captain rolled his eyes. "Taking a cold shower. At my request."

"A cold shower?" Liesl repeated in confusion.

"Yes, to wake him from his wine induced stupor of last night. We can't have him kneeling over in the middle of the ceremony."

She nodded. Uncle Max's penchance for celebrating "a wee bit early" was legendary. As her father crossed paths with her, he stopped abruptly, turning to face her. "Liesl…"

"Yes, father?"

His smile held a hint of sadness. "No, nothing. Just – you look so grown up. And so beautiful." The Captain reached across his coat pocket to tease free a flower from the pin of blossoms on his lapel. Carefully, he tucked it into her garland.

Liesl didn't need to see it to recognize its fresh scent. Edelweiss.

Every morning you greet me… He hummed it under his breath, but she heard it clearly.

She closed the distance between them the same time he raised his arms in an embrace. He gathered her close, and Liesl turned to tuck her head under his chin, just as she had when she was five. She smiled into his suit even as she felt the prickle of tears in her eyes.

… You look happy to meet me. Her trembling voice joined his as he gently touched her cheek with the back of his fingers, and it was apology and gratitude and reassurance, all at once.

Liesl reached Maria's room just as Sister Margaretta was leaving. The kind nun held open the door, gesturing for her to enter. "She's waiting for you, child. It's almost time."

She slipped into the dressing room. Maria had been standing by the window, but hearing her, she turned. She looked very beautiful in a resplendent wedding gown, but it was her wide smile that captivated Liesl most. Being more careful of her long train this time, her new mother came over and hugged her tightly.

"My dear Liesl."

Liesl laughed and returned the hug, veil, flowers, and all. She now had a father and a mother whom she knew loved her very much. She was no longer "one of those children", to be handled with scorn. No longer three sharp blows of the whistle. No longer just the eldest Von Trapp girl.

She was Liesl.

- La fin. :)

I would love to meet and hear from some of you talented SoM writers! All feedback appreciated! :)