More Than Bird And Nation

[Carina Jones]

This is Prussia's first big starring Fic. He wound up split with two of them the other one also starring Germany is incomplete xD
~~~

Title: More than Bird and Nation
Words: >.< Haven’t had a chance to check this one.
Rating: T
Spoiler Alert!!! I’m not quite to where I’m showing off fully in Once In Pride my big sequel starting piece, but if you read this to the end you will get it almost 100% certainty of that.
Summary: I don’t have one that won’t give everything away.
Warnings: A history expert I am not. So I’ll have to warn you that I’ve done my best to research some things about Prussia to help myself out, but due to lack of knowledge and (to an extent) in some parts lack of caring about it, historical accuracy is not a priority. Also keep in mind that all of this is Alternate Universe to both the normal Hetalia verse and the real world, so some things are a little modified because of that.
Other Notes: You may have questions about my OC. They can be answered at the end so as not to over spoiler. Another Original character has shown up.
Disclaimer: Hetalia does not belong to me.

~~~The Beginning~~~

Once upon a time, way back when he was still the Teutonic Knight, and not Prussia or East Germany - or whatever the hell he was now that neither of those existed, Gilbert made a promise to a child he found on his lands…

As far as he could tell the sick little girl was too weak to even survive, he wasn’t sure why he was even bothering to bring her to the people nearby. He had found her after dispatching the group of enemy fighters - where they had gotten her he had no idea, but it was obvious that she didn’t belong to any of them.

At any rate, he was walking the probably dying child to a village, maybe just so that she would be comforted by being near some friendly faces before she died. Or maybe he was hoping that she wouldn’t die, this child that looked up to the blood soaked him, over the corpses of them men he’d just killed, without fear as if he were some sort of savior. She hadn’t said a word since he found her, but when he picked her up to start carrying her she didn’t shy away from him or the gore either. He thought perhaps that she was mute.

Therefore he was shocked when she spoke to him, just as the settlement came into sight.

“Someday when I’m all grown up, I’ll be a strong fighter like you.”

“Sure kid, you’ll have a sword of your own and we’ll fight side by side for this land.” He nearly laughed at the absurdity of it. The child was unlikely to even survive the next week, let alone grow up and as a woman she would never be allowed to learn to use a sword.

“You promise?”

“Sure, I promise. You and me- the awesome Gilbert - at the lead of the Army that will rule the world.”

And then he dropped her at the village and that was the end of that. Gilbert didn’t think on it again, after all what need was there to keep a promise to a dead kid. Little did he know then that those words were going to come back to bite him.

~~~Some Years Later~~~

Gilbert perused the new recruits looking for the most promising to refill the ranks of his personal command unit. Gilbert would only take the best of the best and he would hand train them to know what was expected in his unit. He knew he could have his pick of the best from the more experienced fighters, but they were all indoctrinated with the rules and expectations of the regular units and Gilbert played war on a whole different level. It was inevitable that even with handpicking and training the best of the best that the frail humans would often meet death in his service.

This time there was only one recruit that really seemed to stand out with any sort of skill, if he survived long enough perhaps he could even be brought into a command position to instruct the mortals when he was busy with his own battles. And so he took that recruit and five others, ‘bodies’ who would at least keep the ranks full until they inevitably died because of their lacking abilities, back to his unit. For the next three months of intense training they would breathe, eat, and sleep by his say so. They would learn to attack their enemies with his same ruthless abandon, and to never cross him. And at the end of that they would be fit to fight by the side of their nation, although only vetting by battle would earn them the right to know him for what he was. Gilbert himself couldn’t even be bothered to learn their names, it wasn’t worth knowing until they proved they could survive.

~~~

It didn’t take long for Gilbert’s instincts to be proven right, as they usually were. The five bodies died, and would have taken some of their fellows with them if the newest member of his unit hadn’t taken charge of the fight in his absence. While the other fighters around him were more experienced in battle, he was the only one who seemed to have any grasp on the strategy. When this became apparent the others caved to his leadership. It also couldn’t be denied that he was skilled. He had mastered several different style of fighting before he had arrived where he was today, and when Gilbert had tested them against his own style of fighting he had already midway through the fight begun to try and imitate some of Gilbert’s own unique style.

Gilbert waited for a while to see if he would falter, but instead he took up the challenge and led his fellows to two more victories when Gilbert had to keep focused on his personal struggle with a fellow nation and could not adequately instruct his troops as well. That was when Gilbert chose him to be his protégé, his second in command. Gilbert would teach him his style of fighting, as well as instruct him in the finer points of strategy that he had not already grasped. The only thing left was for Gilbert to inform his chosen.

Which he soon discovered was more difficult than he thought it would be. A small celebration had broken out after this latest victory and Gilbert forgot that he himself announced that they could break out the alcohol to celebrate. He grabbed himself a couple drinks and wandered around looking for the one he was trying to find. Unfortunately, Gilbird, he finally learned the name from one of the other men, was nowhere to be found.

It became apparent after five minutes of fruitless searching that this Gilbird was fairly reclusive about where he spent his free time. Obviously, he couldn’t be very far from their camp. He was close enough that he had never missed a summons yet. Gilbert sighed as he walked away from the camp to locate his chosen protégé.

~~~

By the time Gilbert found him he was more than a little annoyed- and drunk. It would have been simpler if he wasn’t trying to keep this development quiet. He would never hear the end of it from his boss if he learned that he was passing off the command to someone else so that he could run off and fight his own battles by himself. In fact he was so irritated by the time he found Gilbird that he had mostly forgotten the reason he was out looking in the first place.

“Hey you.” At the sound of Gilberts voice the boy immediately snapped to attention. Gilbert smirked that even with his words slightly slurred, a result of consuming more of the alcohol he had brought with him on the search than was strictly considered appropriate, he could still be intimidating.

“Sir?”

“You’re Gilbird right.” It was a statement more than a question. He was, after all, the only person who hasn’t currently laying about the camp celebrating their victory.

“Yes, sir.”

“Strange name for a kid your age. Hell, it’s a strange name period.” The kid didn’t show any negative reaction to the insult, he just seemed to smirk.

“A fitting name for a tribute to an equally unusual man.”

“You’re named after someone.” Gilbert snorted at that thought. “I’m sure they wouldn’t have wished that on anyone.”

“I don’t know about that. Personally I believe he would find it quite amusing, and it’s no one’s fault but my own that I have this name. I chose it myself when I left my old life behind to follow the dream I had as a child.”

Gilbert snorted at that. “You must be crazier than you look then.”

He got a smirk in return. “That I certainly am.”

The sun was going down and Gilbert giggled as the changing shadows and alcohol brought something to his mind.

“You know, in this light you almost look like a girl.”

“Sir, forgive me if I’m being rude, but I think you’ve had too much to drink.”

Gilbert grinned and somehow pulled another bottle of alcohol out of his pocket and opened it.

“Nope, in fact I don’t think I’ve had enough, and if you’re not going to be nice I’m not going to share.”

“Sir, how many of those have you had already.”

Gilbert smirked, “Only five or six.” He chugged this latest bottle down before throwing it on the ground where it shattered. “Or maybe seven now.”

“Sir, I think you need to get back to your tent and sleep this off.”

“Kesesesese. Gilbird, this is nothing.” He looked over and grinned. “You should join me. As my second in command you’ll need to learn how to hold your liquor too.”

“What?”

“Kesesese. Did I forget to tell you? I came here to congratulate you on becoming my second in command. I’ll teach you all I know and you’ll take care of the others when I have something more important to do. And we’ll have your first lesson tonight! How to hold your liquor!”

“Sir, I really don’t think that’s such a good idea you’re not thinking straight right now.”

Gilbird turned around to start walking back to camp, estimating on Captain Gilbert’s strength it would take at least a few of the others to manage to bring him back to the camp if he didn’t want to go willingly. However before he was more than a few steps away Gilbert grabbed his arm and pulled him back over, in his inebriated state he wasn’t in full control of his powers and so three things happened. The first was that he dislocated Gilbird’s shoulder, the second was that Gilbert crashed into him with enough force to sprawl them both on the ground, and the third was that with the physical contact Gilberts –normally restrained – ability as a nation to know his people came into play.

“Gilbird.” They both stood up, Gildbird grimacing and forcing his shoulder back into place.

“Yes.”

“You’re a woman.”

Gilbird looked at Gilbert as if he was insane. “You’ve had too much to drink.” Gilbird started to walk away.

“Ava.” The other froze in place when Gilbert uttered the name and he grinned triumphantly. “You are a woman. What are you doing here?”

“I am fighting in service of my land, and better than most of the men under your command at that.” Something started to nag in the back of Gilbert’s mind, but he brushed it off.

“Kesesese, there are other ways you could serve your land, Ava. Kesesesesesesese~.”

“What the hell are you going on about now, sir?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t guessed.” He leered at her a bit disturbingly. “You were a child when we met and now you are grown and I am unchanged. You’re a smart girl, you’ve heard the rumors.”

“You are the land.” She whispered.

“Kesesese, that’s right.” He walked over and threw an arm over her shoulders, causing her to wince a little. “There are many other ways you could serve the Awesome me you know, kesesesese~.”

She turned her head his was shooting him a glare. “I have been keeping up my end of our promise, Gilbert. I have become strong and I will fight at your side for this land to become great.” Clear grey eyes stared at him from under short dark blond hair, such a change from the distant glassy silver that had looked up at him fearlessly over the corpse of her kidnappers.

“That child was dying.”

“The doctors themselves cannot explain how I survived, but here I am. And I will make you keep your word.” ((yeah I know probably not doctors… but history not so much my strong point))

“You know if the others find out I’ll have to kill you.”

“ I do.”

“Then I guess you’ll just have to make it worth my while not to let them find out, kesesesesese~.”

Ava, Gilbird, gave him another dark look.

“I refuse to do anything of the sort.” Her cheeks pinkened. “You are drunk.”

“I’ll be sober in the morning.”

“Then we can talk about this more then.”

Gilbert pouted, but he allowed himself to be led back towards camp, latching on to her arm when she tried to leave him at his tent.

“Let me go, Sir. I need to get to my tent and you need to get some rest.”

“No. Kesesesese~”

“Sir!”

“I guess I’ll just go get things over with then.” Gilbert said, suddenly marching towards the direction of the rest of the tents.

“Sir, no, please!” She tried to get away, but Gilbert wasn’t about to let her go. “Gilbert!”

He stopped and looked over at her. “So you’ll stay in my tent.” He leered at her before looking up at her with the most pathetic look he could muster. “You wouldn’t want me to be all alone and undefended in my drunken state would you?”

“Fine.” She huffed and Gilbert walked them both back to his tent.

It was unfortunate, he would recall the next morning, that he had fallen asleep before he could try to do anything. On the bright side, even in his sleep he hadn’t let her go so she couldn’t leave. A couple hours later and her personal tent was taken down, without her permission, and he made it clear that Gilbird would be staying with him as part of special intensive training for the second in command. Gilbert rather liked having someone to cuddle with, whether she appreciated it or thought it was just because he was a pervert.

[Carina Jones]

~~~Interlude~~~

Five years to the day Gilbert found out that she was a woman, he was beginning to worry about Ava. His second in command was aging at a rate that was less than a quarter that of a normal human woman. Ava had confessed to him a few years ago that it was an apparent side effect of her recovery as a child. It was no wonder then that Gilbert hadn’t been able to make the connection, not only should Ava have been dead, she should have been older. Gilbert wasn’t certain that she was even human anymore, all he was certain of was that she wasn’t a nation either.

The problem was that Gilbert’s men were beginning to notice as well, and that could mean trouble for the both of them. And that was why they were going out on this mission. This, he told his men, would be the final ceremony for Gilbird to ascend into his co-commander, rather than simply his second. He was, he claimed, taking Gilbird out to find a connection to the land and to share in its life-force as he did. In other words he fed them some cock and bull story about turning his second in command into someone as awesome as himself and they fell for it. Gilbert’s boss on the other hand was going to be pissed if he ever found out about this.

What they did in truth was to go out and perform a simple ceremony pledging their lives to each other. Ava and Gilbert had become quite close since the day when she first became his second in command, and this was as close to becoming wed as Gilbert was likely to be able to get. And finally, finally, Ava relented and let him have his awesome way with her. So well, maybe the story wasn’t cock and bull. “Gilbird” certainly found a connection to the land that night, as for the life-force shit…. Even someone as awesome as Gilbert couldn’t figure that out.

When they returned to the camp three days later it was to cheering. The men had a fierce sense of loyalty to both their commanders, regardless of how strange the two of them might seem to the other soldiers. Gilbert and Gilbird took another recruit to train as the second command in a “less intense” training as there was no need for another co-commander. And from that day on wherever Gilbert went Gilbird was by his side fighting with him to make the land great, even when he fought the other nations.

And with someone as Awesome as Gilbert was protecting Gilbird’s secret, no one ever found out about her secret. Well… no one ever found out her secret and survived at any rate.

[Lorenzo da Firenze (Vargas)]

*drools* So... amazing... I love Gilbird. X3

[Carina Jones]

^-^ He~ Glad you do. I like her too.

~~~Trials (Title needs work… Last Part)~~~
SPOILER ALERT REMINDER!!!

Prussia looked at the house that had been his for nearly a year now. It was a far cry, he thought, from his residence in his days as the Teutonic Knight. But the simple black and white decor certainly just screamed awesome. The best part was certainly however, the one who waited for him when he got home.

“Yo’ Gilbird! Did you miss the awesome me while I was away?”

The little yellow bird rocketed to his head letting out a series of agitated chirps that he easily interpreted as her anger at being left alone in the house. Again. Gilbird glared into his eyes.

<There’s no reason for you to keep leaving me here while you go to work Gilbert. Just because you have a house now is no reason to think that I should have to stay here like some sort of ordinary pet. I am your wife.>

“Yes, dear, I know. The awesome me only wanted to spare you the usual boredom.”

<You think that’s boring! Try being stuck in this house all day with no company for once and we’ll see how you like that.>

“Yes, Ava. I’m sorry, Ava. The awesome me will not leave you in the house again.”

<You’re stuck with me forever mister Awesome and don’t you forget it.>

“Never.”

And with that his wife settled into his hair preening it like she had been doing ever since the first day she awoke in her changed form.

~~~

It was somewhere around two hundred or three hundred years ago, if Gilbert was remembering right. His boss was upset at his taking unnecessary risks again. Unnecessary by his judgment at the very least. Gilbert didn’t much see the point of worrying over it. His injuries he could heal swiftly by force of will and with his own skills in field medicine. He had taught himself what he could, simply to avoid the questions when his wounds inevitably healed faster than was natural. So long as he looked strong and told the men that the blood wasn’t his they would be reassured and he could go heal in peace with only Gilbird to know any different.

But his boss saw things differently, and he was fed up with Gilbert allowing himself to be killed if at the same time he was able to strike the mortal blow on his foe.

“What does it matter, so long as I wake up and they don’t a win is a win.”

Gilbird, his co-commander stood beside him in stony silence.

“Enough is enough, what would we do if you didn’t wake up one day? You will cease this foolishness immediately. Another mortal blow and I swear to you, I will confine you here until you see the error of your ways. It’s one thing to lead the men to bring them confidence and another entirely to go charging off as you please!”

“Hey, the a-”

Gilbird put hand on his arm.

“He may have a point, commander. You must see reason.”

And with that he was dismissed. Gilbert stalked out of the room in silence seething in anger with Gilbird following. He waited until they were in a deserted part of the building before turning around, grabbing her and slamming her into the wall, barely remembering in time to control his strength lest he kill her.

“What the Fuck was that Gilbird.” He hissed.

She remained silent.

“Well?”

She winced as his grip tightened on her arms. “I only wish to try and keep you from getting into trouble with your boss. He’s at the end of his patience Gilbert and if you push him any farther he’ll have no choice but to follow through on the punishment he’s been threatening all these years.”

“Yeah well, the awesome me, can handle anything he could dish out. I can take care of myself.”

“Yes, you’ve obviously proven that so well these last few years. You’ve died what, five times now, six? In this last decade alone? That’s more than double the last hundred years.”

Not long after they were “married” Ava’s growth had slowed even more. She had easily passed the century mark and then kept on going. She had looked to be barely sixteen when they met, seventeen when they married, and even now she didn’t look more than nineteen.

Gilbert gave an irritated growl and released her. He would show her. He would prove to them all that the Awesome Prussia could still take care of himself. As he stalked away he failed to see the look of concern on Ava’s face. There was turbulence in his lands that Prussia didn’t want to admit, but it was affecting him. He would survive it, but it had shortened his temper and his pride had climbed to increasingly worrying levels.

~~~

Ah, now this was more like it. Gilbert grinned madly, laughing as he slaughtered his foes.

“Kesesesese~. You think you can stand up to the Awesome Prussia. Kesesesese~”

He barely noticed Gilbird behind him as he cut his swath of carnage through his foes seeking their leader. There was no nation at the head of this army, just some idiot mortal who dared to think that he could defeat Prussia on his own lands. He failed to see the number of enemy fighters she slew as they tried to reach his otherwise undefended back. He failed to keep an eye on her like he had every time before in battle.

He reached the enemy commander who looked in terror upon his blood drenched form, his hair nearly as red as his eyes. All it took was a single move and the man was dead, how fragile they were. Already there were only two left alive.

“Kesesesesese~.”

“Commander! Look out!” The shout behind him would have come too late for him to turn around and block the blow himself. Instead somehow Gilbird managed to get between him and the mortal assailant fending off the first attack, killing the man, but there was another, and unable to conceive of any other way to block the attack and keep Gilbert from being punished, she threw her body in front of the strike. And all Gilbert could think was that if he had just been paying more attention like he used to, he would have seen that coming to protect himself. And then their second in command was there and the last soldier was dead.

He clutched Gilbird to him, “You shouldn’t have done that, the awesome me would have survived.”

“I’d rather you stay out of trouble. At least this way you won’t have to kill me when someone finds out.”

After so many years it had become something of a joke, both knowing that such a thing would never happen. A feeble grin appeared on Gilbert’s face, even as tears pricked at his eyes, when he whispered his reply.

“I’d kill them a hundred times before I let them kill you.”

There wasn’t anything that anyone could do for her. He held her in his arms, long after she had grown cold, he didn’t realize he was crying until he saw the tears on her face. His men left him in peace. They knew well enough that the commanders were close as brothers.

However that night there was another on the battlefield.

“I could bring her back you know.”

“Who are you?”

“Just someone who seeks your happiness.” The black cloaked figure replied.

“You can bring her back?”

“Yes, for a price.”

“Do it.”

“You’re not going to ask.”

“I don’t care.”

“This will use much of your power, and if your wish isn’t clear enough there’s the chance she will not appear as you knew her”

“So long as she’s alive I don’t care.”

“Very well then. Close your eyes and make your wish.”

Gilbert closed his eyes and wished with all his heart for her not to be dead, but for a moment a different thought intruded in his mind. A half formed thought that if only Ava was a bird, he would be able to keep her away from the battles, keep her somewhere safe. Then for a moment things were very bright and when he could open his eyes both Ava and the figure were gone. But there was a little yellow bird in his hands and it was breathing. And somehow it was Ava.

And then he cried knowing what his traitorous thoughts had caused. The last he knew of the stranger was a whisper on the wind, carrying words of hope.

“She will be human again, someday.”

~~~

The next morning Gilbert had to explain to a very freaked out little bird exactly what had happened. Not an easy thing to do when you’re freaking out too. After all, how the hell was he even managing to understand bird-speak at all? When he finally finished his explanation the little bird stared right into his eyes and he heard a voice in his mind.

<You’re a fool Gilbert. But you’re my fool.>

And while Gilbert sat there stunned she flew up and started preening his hair in a gesture of comfort.

“And I’m an awesome fool too.” Gilbert said with a grin.

Ava let out a trill that he assumed was the bird equivalent to laughter and then went back to getting herself settled in her new “nest”.

It would take the two of them a while to get used to this new situation and learn how best to communicate, but they would survive and they would continue on together.

~~~

Gaia sighed as she looked down on her pale son. She wished that her children would realize that for their happiness she would grant them their heart’s wish should they just ask. All it took was a sincere wish from the heart and faith. Many years later across the wide gulf of the ocean another of her children’s heats would call out to her. And if there was something Alfred had in spades it was faith - faith that his own love had to be alive - because she was still within his heart.

[Lorenzo da Firenze (Vargas)]

D'aww.... I love it. And showing Gaia at the end was brilliant.

[Carina Jones]

^-^ Glad you like.

[Lorenzo da Firenze (Vargas)]

Why aren't other people commenting on this story... it's amazing.

[Anya Braginskaya-Jones]

I've already read all of this stuff, otherwise I'd be commenting on many, many points of grammar/spelling that needed work
K-chan knows I love it~