July, 1919
Germany sighed in frustration as he shut the conference room's door behind him. "Once again, the meeting ended without us coming to a decision".
His and France's bosses had recently agreed to the creation of a recognized neutral zone on the Rhine. However, things weren't going as simple as they'd hoped.
Without a governing body, the people of the trading zone didn't know how to go on with their daily lives. Government officials had been delegating for weeks to make the town into a joint territory of France and Germany.
Unfortunately though, they hadn't really gotten anywhere in the way of making any decisions.
Germany pinched the bridge of his nose as he could feel the beginnings of a headache. We should've known that something like this would happen. Me, France and… actually, now that I think about it, Gilbert hasn't been involved in any of these meetings. Odd.
The moment the blond got home, he was straight on the phone to his brother.
"Bruder?"
"Uh, hey West. What is it? I'm kind of busy right now".
Germany raised an eyebrow. "Busy? What could make you so busy that you missed the meeting? Not to mention, the ones before".
"Uh, well… I've kind of been taking care of the autonomous region. She's just a little kid, so it's not like she can really take care of herself".
Germany blinked in surprise. "She? The region has a personification?"
"Ja".
The two German nations were silent for a moment before Prussia spoke. "Do you… want to meet her?"
" … Yes". The blond nodded his head. "Yes, I would like to very much".
-XxX-
Waking up from her spot on the sofa, a small brunette yawned and stretched her arms.
"I fell asleep". Hazel eyes blinked in confusion as she saw that the room was empty. "Älterer Bruder?"
Getting up from off the sofa, the autonomous region went to look for her brother.
She soon found him standing near the front door, in the midst of conversation with a tall and muscular blond. She was quite intimidated by him actually. The autonomous region tried to hide from them, however, her brother soon caught the brunette and picked her up into his arms.
"Missed my awesome presence that much, huh?" The albino smirked as she nodded and nestled her head against his shoulder.
Looking at the small girl in the older nation's arms, Germany blinked in surprise as he realised who she possibly was.
"Bruder, is that"…
"The new autonomous region? Ja, this is her. Isn't she cute? Kind of like you when you were a kid".
The blond blushed. "Bruder, I don't need to hear that".
"But West, it's true".
Prussia was going to continue teasing his little brother a little more, that was until he felt a light tugging on his shirt.
"Älterer Bruder, who is that?"
"Who's this? This is my brother, West. Well, he's actually called Germany but I get to call him West. Because I'm awesome".
"Oh". The autonomous region looked up at the albino, she then turned to look at the blond for a moment before returning her gaze back to the nation holding her. "Does that mean he's my brother too?"
"If you want him to".
The brunette was silent for a moment before she made 'grabby hand' gestures towards the older German nation.
Tentatively walking towards her, Germany picked the small girl up into his own arms. Despite them being more muscular, she felt no different in them than she had in her brother's.
"Yes, I think I'd like that very much. I already have a big brother though, so… would it be ok if I called you West?"
"Of course… Schwester".
-XxX-
10th July, 1919
In the conference room, England and France were bickering just as usual.
"Stop touching me you bloody frog! When will you ever learn, no means no! Stupid, lecherous, wine-guzzling wanker".
"And when will you ever learn to get rid of those hideous caterpillars you call eyebrows? Black sheep of Europe".
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!"
Looking on at the two arguing nations, France's officials wondered if it was such a good idea in getting the island nation involved.
It was then, when Germany and his officials filed in, that the room finally fell silent. However, the older nations' attention wasn't on the blond. It was fixed solely upon the small girl his brother held in his arms.
The silence continued on before France decided to be the first to speak.
"Say, mon ami… who exactly is that you're holding?"
"Oh this? This is the cute little autonomous region you and West are fighting over".
"Ah. It's been so long since we've had a new nation around, non?"
England nodded his head in rare agreement. "It has… Hold on a bloody minute! You brought her here to try to make us agree with whatever you want, didn't you?!"
"Of course not. I only brought her along because she wouldn't stop crying unless I did".
"As interesting as there being a new country is, could we please get on with the meeting?" Germany was about to say more, when the conference room's door opened and in walked a very ordinary-looking middle-aged man.
Marching up to the table they were sat at, he slammed down a set of important-looking papers. "We've had just about enough of you lot going back and forth, deciding things for us. We want the right of self-determination. To become the people of, what will hereby be known as, the Free State of Schwan-Schloss. We want to be independent!"
"Like Hell you will!" Prussia snarled, protectively pulling his sister closer to him. "She's just a kid, she doesn't even know how to stand on her own two feet yet!"
At that moment, as if she knew they were talking about her, the sleeping autonomous region slowly opened her eyes.
"Älterer Bruder?"
The brunette blinked a few times to clear the sleep from her eyes. When fully focused, the hazel orbs went wide at how many people there were.
"Ah, the little Sleeping Beauty is finally awake. Bonjour mademoiselle".
"B-bonjour monsieur".
France almost squealed. "And she knows my language too!"
"-AHEM!- Could we please get back to the subject at hand?"
"And could someone please tell me what's going on?"
The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow. "Why should such a little girl concern herself with such things?"
The autonomous region pouted. "I'm not a little girl, I'm a nation!" She huffed and crossed her arms which earned her a pat on the head.
"Hm, how stupid are you?" Prussia sneered. "You want independence yet you don't even know who your nation is. Even though she's staring you right in the face".
Blinking in shocked surprise, he stared up and down at the brunette then cleared his throat in an embarrassed manner. "My apologies, young lady. Um, you wanted to know what we're doing, right?"
"Yes".
"We're deciding on how to make you a joint territory of France and Germany. However, I Astor Adlebert, on the behalf of your people wish to make you the Free State of Schwan-Schloss".
"Schwan-Schloss? That sounds pretty. But, uh… what does independent mean?" The small girl asked, looking up expectantly at her brother for an answer.
The albino went silent for a moment as he tried to figure out what would be the best explanation. "Well, it means you'll get to have your own government and not be ruled by West or France".
"Oh". The brunette's face turned sad as she realised what that could mean. "So I'm not going to live with you anymore".
"Well, no".
"B-but I'll still get to see you, won't I?"
Seeing her eyes start to fill with tears, Prussia soothingly rocked her a few times and stroked her hair. "Of course you will. Won't she, Adlebert?"
The dark-haired man nodded vehemently. "O-of course! Of course!" The man spared no time in getting his stuttered agreement out as he saw the look the oldest German nation was giving him. A look that pretty much said, 'do it or else'.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, the brunette reached up to wrap her arms around Prussia's neck in a small hug before turning to speak to her future boss.
"Ok. If that's what the people want, you can go ahead and do it".