I - Reincarnation
The wall that separated them was agonizing and painful. There were no haunting screams in the night. Instead there was silence; uncomfortable and awkward. The man on the other side had looked like someone he knew many years before. Perhaps it was his brother; born anew. But there was nothing left of it.
There was no Prussia. He gave it away to Germany. And now, Germany was split; the scars across his back told him so. The land and borders that Prussia had were no more; it was Germany's land.
Every day the same question would haunt Ludwig Weillschmidt: why had he been given the land of his deceased brother, Gilbert…Prussia?
The answer was probably quite simple even if he would not know.
He had even consulted his neighbour, Switzerland, who replied with: "I think he wanted you to handle his stuff seeing as you're a country and he isn't…I guess he wanted his little brother to have something to do…while he's gone."
When Switzerland had told him that, he began to piece things together. It meant that Prussia had not really left him; maybe temporarily but not permanently. Come to think of it, he never once saw the man on the other side of the wall. All he heard were rumours that it was "East Germany". It made sense, for they all called him "West." However, this new figure had not attended any meetings, at least whenever Ludwig was around.
This wall that divided them had not been opened in any way. Germany tried to call out to the other side; greeted only by the sounds of footsteps; hurried and rushed.
He tried again the next day; only to see his attempts fail.
By the third day, hopefully with luck on his side, he called out to "East Germany". His ears try to pick up sounds; he was greeted with pounding on the wall and a familiar voice.
"Hallo, West!" The greeting is raspy with age.
"Is that you, Prussia?" he replied. His voice was wary.
"Oh please, Ludwig, don't you remember me?"
Ludwig, surprised by the answer, smiled softly to himself. "Of course," He tried to press a question that only Prussia could ever answer. "How's Fritz? Have you seen him?"
There was no reply for a few moments. But then, the person on the other side answered. "Ja, I've seen old Fritz. In fact, he told me to take care of you here."
Germany was taken aback by the answer. "Then, why did you die?"
"Nein, I didn't die…Nations only die when nobody considers themselves part of a country. I have many Prussians lurking in these areas. Guess I'm too awesome to die."
Ludwig chuckled, it was indeed Prussia. He asked one more question; the one that had been eating at him for several years. "Tell me, bruder, why have you sacrificed your land and money to help me…?"
"Ludwig, it was for the sole reason that I wanted you to live. I didn't want you to die, so I left you with what I had left of me. Something noble…"
Switzerland had turned out to be correct in some way. Prussia wanted his younger brother to live; to serve some purpose in this world. He may have no power, land or nobility, but, he passed it on to Germany. His younger brother was more important than him.
Germany bade him farewell and returned to his small house.
He lay in bed at night, his mind went through the conversation he had. He could not remember Gilbert's face, but it was his voice that brought an image into his mind; it was the face he saw when he laid the man to rest; silvery grey hair and burgundy eyes shut tight. He had been wearing his blue military uniform with his cross by his side and his sword from the Teutonic days.
Ludwig may not carry Prussia's burden anymore but he had land and money. Land was just land but he could use the money in some way. He could make Germany whole again; a promise he made to Prussia the night he was buried.
