Work Text:
New beginnings
Salsburg, Austria in 1938
Qifrey had been at the convent since he was small, having been found near the grave sight, all muddy and lost. His right eye was missing and he was shaking from the cold. The reverend father, Beldarut took him in at once. he was clothed and cleaned. The sisters tried to ask questions but Qifrey knew nothing, so they raised him as their own, teaching him the way of god.
But after 16 more years, his sad and gloomy demeanour had changed into a cheery and cheeky one, the sisters tried to keep up with his antics but most days they would lose him, only the reverend father knew where he’d go when he needed to get away and just… sing.
“The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs they have sung for a thousand years (ah ah ah ah)
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears (every song that it hears)
My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds
that rise from the lake to the trees (to the trees)
My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies
from a church on a breeze
To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls over
stones on its way
To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray
I go to the hills when my heart is lonely
I know I will hear what I've heard before
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music
And I'll sing once more”
The smell of fresh grass and blooming flowers surrounded Qifrey has he danced around his favourite hill, it brought unbridled joy as he sang freely into isolated hills. Soon church bells interrupt his peace. Qifrey’s dreamy smile fades with a sudden realisation, he runs to find his head piece, snatching it than running off to the convent with alarming speed.
“Reverend father”
“Yes sister lulucy?”
“I simply cannot find him” frustration lingers in sister lulucy’s voice as she looks to Beldarut for answers.
“Qifrey? He is missing again! We should’ve put a cowbell around his neck. Have you checked the barn? You know how he adores the animals. Always has a brushbuddy at all times” Beldarut sighs a smile gracing his lips at his fondness for the young man.
“I’ve looked everywhere, in all the usual places” sister lulucy stresses she was only a few year younger then Qifrey but she was already starting to feel the gray hairs, brother Galga had always told her to take it easy but with Qifrey there was no easy.
“Sister, considering it’s Qifrey… I suggest you look in someplace unusual” Beldarut lifts an eyebrow and quirks his lips as he starts to move away from sister lulucy.
“Well reverend.. I hope this new infraction ends whatever uh doubts you may still have for Qifrey’s future here”
“I always try to keep faith in my doubts,sister ininia. After all, the wool of a black sheep is just as warm” Beldarut looks at her in slight annoyance of course Qifrey had his quirks and wasn’t fully fit to become a fully fledged priest due to his free spiritedness.
“We are not talking about sheep, black or white, reverend.” Sister lulucy says walking away to the other sisters.
“He climbs a tree and scrapes hisknee
His dress has got a tear
He waltzes on his way to Mass
And whistles on the stair
And underneath his wimple
He has curlers in his hair
I even heard him singing in the abbey
He’s always late for chapel
But his penitence is real
He’s lways late for everything
Except for every meal
I hate to have to say it
But I very firmly feel
Qifrey’s not an asset to the abbey
I'd like to say a word in his behalf
Qifrey makes me laugh
How do you solve a problem like Qifrey?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means qifrey ?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!
Many a thing you know you'd like to tell him
Many a thing he ought to understand
But how do you make him stay
And listen to all you say
How do you keep a wave upon the sand
Oh, how do you solve a problem like Qifrey?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?
When I'm with him I'm confused
Out of focus and bemused
And I never know exactly where I am
Unpredictable as weather
He’s s flighty as a feather
He’s a darling! He’s a demon! He’s a lamb!
he'd outpester any pest
Drive a hornet from its nest
he could throw a whirling dervish out of whirl
he is gentle! he is wild!
he's a riddle! he's a child!
he's a headache! he's an angel!
he's a boy!
How do you solve a problem like Qifrey
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Qifrey?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!
Many a thing you know you'd like to tell him
Many a thing he ought to understand
But how do you make him stay
And listen to all you say
How do you keep a wave upon the sand
Oh, how do you solve a problem like Qifrey?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?
“You may come in, Qifrey, come come my child” Beldarut beckons, allowing a comfortable air to settle. Qifrey hops in the chair, a downwards expression meeting his usually cheerful face.
“I’m sorry reverend father. I couldn’t help myself the hills were beckoning and before..” Qifrey apologies, he really had tried to better at arriving on time. He loved the abbey and most importantly loved his family that was formed from it. The feeling of disappointment was ever rampant in his mind.
“Dear, I haven’t summoned you for apologises” Beldarut sighs
“Please let me ask for forgiveness” Qifrey begs, leaning forward in his chair.
“If it’ll make you feel better” Beldarut exasperates, feeling the years of youth leave him, no wonder his hair was white, well Qifrey’s hair is also white and he is in his prime of youth but that doesn’t matter.
“Yes, you see,the sky was so blue today… and everything was so green and fragrant, I had to be apart of it. The untersberg led me higher like it wanted me to go through the clouds.” Qifrey says his face dazed in a dreamlike state.
“Now suppose darkness had come and you were lost?” Beldarut questions.
“Father, I could never be lost up there. That’s my mountain. I was bought on it and it was the mountain that led me to you. Watching the sisters at work while up on that mountain, it’s like a dream.”
“Well Qifrey, we’ve always known how special you are and the lord shines down on you every day but it seems to be god’s will that you leave us” beldarut says, holding one of qifrey hands in his own. Fighting a tear from falling, his fondest memories had all been clouded by a smiling Qifrey the thought of him leaving brings home great sadness. To the first time he saw Qifrey, freezing and alone to now a young blossoming man ready to set off.
“Leave?” Qifrey questions his smile turning to a confused expression as he gripped onto Beldarut’s hands tighter.
“Only for a while” Beldarut tries to reassure, he really didn’t want this to be hard but I guess this is like your child leaving you to embark on their first journey.
“No father! Please don’t send me away! This is where I belong it’s my home, my family. It’s my life Qifrey pleads, he was always one for the theatrics which made this even harder for Beldarut to stay firm.
“You know this pains me to say this but I know you are ready for this and if you go out into this world know what we expect of you… you will find out if you can expect it of yourself” Beldarut says, smoothing his hands over Qifrey’s, it always seemed to work to soothe him.
“I know what you expect, father, and I can do it! I promise I can! I can do it if it is god’s will.” Qifrey beams.
“Alright, there is a family near Salsburg that needs a governed until September” beldarut informs, remembering all the details he has recieved.
“September?”
“Yes, for seven children”
“Seven children!”
“Haha yes, I remember fondly of you looking after some, you do like children correct?”
“Well, yes but seven!”
“I will inform captain Von Trapp to expect you tomorrow”
“Captain?”
“Yes Qifrey, a retired officer of the imperial navy. A fine man and brave one. His wife died and he is alone with the children, I understand he has been having difficulties of keeping a governer there” Beldarut finally snaps as much as he loved Qifrey his questions tending to go on for ages.
“Mmm ok, I understand, I will do my best, father” Qifrey says and with that he sets his way to his dorm room, packing his bag and leaving the abbey doors. Watching a year slide down the reverend’s eyes.
I wonder what the difficulties are that father talked about but it’s ok because I have confidence. Thought Qifrey has he skipped with pride to the estate.
I have confidence
They'll put me to the test
But I'll make them see
I have confidence in me.
Somehow I will impress them
I will be firm but kind
And all those children
Heaven bless them
They will look up to me
And mind me
With each step I am more certain Everything will turn out fine
I have confidence
The world can all be mine, They'll have to agree
I have confidence in me
I have confidence in sunshine
I have confidence in rain
I have confidence
That spring will come again
Besides which you see
I have confidence in me
Strength doesn't lie in numbers
Strength doesn't lie in wealth
Strength lies in nights
Of peaceful slumbers
When you wake up, wake up
It's healthy
All I trust I leave my heart to
All I trust becomes my own
I have confidence in confidence alone
Oh, help.
I have confidence in confidence alone
Besides which you see
I have confidence...
...in me
Qifrey is greeted with the Von Trapp’s estate it is huge even huger than the abbey. He opens the doors to the estate and then is greeted with a man.
“Hello. Here I am. I'm from the convent.
I'm the new governor, captain.” Qifrey greets holding a hand out to the man.
“And I'm the old butler, Junge.” The man speaks, looking down at Qifrey’s hand.
“Well, how do you do?” Qifrey smiles, moving his hand down to his side, embarrassed that he had made a mistake already.
“You'll wait here, please.” The man speaks as he goes to another part of the house. Qifrey stands their swaying for a minute until he decides to go on an adventure. He knew he shouldn’t but the house was just so big, it was begging to be explored. He soon find himself in an empty room it didn’t have much in it and it was quite dusty but it was beautiful and ornate.
“Hey what are you doing in here?” A man says, making Qifrey turn around. The man was on the shorter side, only being a few inches shorter than Qifrey, he looked like he had never slept in his life, his hair was dark like the night sky which matched his dark complexion quite well, he was attractive and Qifrey would be lying if he didn’t think so too.
“Oh I um just wanted to explore and found this place” Qifrey explains feeling a pink flush rush to his cheeks.
“Well In future, remember certain rooms
in this house are not to be disturbed.”
“Yes, captain, sir.”
“Why do you stare at me that way?”
“You don't look like a sea captain.”
“I'm afraid you don't look very much like a governor, now turn around.”
“What?” Qifrey questions, how rude was this guy?
“Turn and hat off. Please put on something else before meeting the children.” Olruggio demands, exasperated at another governor coming to his house especially one who seemed like he was stuck in the clouds
“But I don't have anything else when we enter the abbey, our worldly clothes go to the poor.” Qifrey states offended by the blankness this man was giving him.
“What about this one?”
“The poor didn't want it and there wasn't time to make a new dress.I can make clothes.” Qifrey responds
“Alright,I'll see that you get some material today, if possible.” Olruggio says this man was interesting unlike any man he had ever meet, he wondered how long he would last.
“Now, governor”
“Qifrey”
“I don't know how much the abbess told you. You are the twelfth governess who has come to look after my children.
I trust you will be an improvement on the last one. She stayed only two hours.” Olruggio says.
“What's wrong with the children, sir?” Qifrey questions, he had been wanting to ask this ever since the reverend father had told him.
“Nothing is wrong with the children,
only the governesses.They could not maintain discipline,without which the house cannot be run. Drill them in their studies. I will not permit them to dream
away their summer holidays.Each afternoon,they march, breathing deeply.
Bedtime is to be strictly observed.” Olruggio instructs making sure every detail is heard.
“When do they play?” Qifrey asks, a laugh evident in his tone, the captain made them sound like dogs or soldiers.
“You will see to it that they conduct
themselves with the utmost decorum.” Olruggio ignores, as he blows a whistle, children start to march from rooms.