On the third day, they had just passed through another small town which was blissfully free of soldiers when suddenly Kumajirou turned away from the path

"Kuma?" She asked.

"Prussia." He said in return, and then bounded off.

She dashed after him and eventually they entered a clearing.

He was standing near a small pile of stones and sniffed it. Canada entered the clearing and instantly felt like she had just walked into Prussia's embrace. Hungary had shown her pictures of where Prussia was buried, and this site wasn't it. Yet, Canada knew this was where his body lay. Russia had lied.

"Oh, Prusse." She said, laying her face against the rocks as she drew near, almost collapsing on the pile. "He didn't want me to find you, yet here I am."

Silence greeted her, but she knew his spirit was near. That feeling was unmistakable.

"Prusse, I'm searching for the child that Hungary told me about. I want to take her home to Canada and keep her safe, but I'm afraid I won't find her. Help me if you can." She whispered.

A wind blew through the clearing and she stood up. It was only mid-afternoon, but she knew his answer.

"We will stay here tonight, Kuma." She stated, pulling out their supplies.

The bear nodded, curling up next to the unnamed marker as she set up her tent at the edge of the clearing, keeping the Iron Cross tucked under her shirt.

As night fell, so she fell into a deep sleep, one of the most peaceful and dreamless sleeps she had had since the wars began.

***

Morning came and she heard a noise in her campsite. Kuma was still sleeping when she sat up and carefully opened the tent flap.

A small child was near the pile of rocks, eating a handful of fruit from a nearby blackberry cane. On the cane sat a little yellow bird, looking around every now and then and giving a reassuring chirp if everything was alright.

Canada moved out of the tent and the bird gave a cry of alarm. The child began to dash away.

"Wait!" She cried out in the universal language of the nations.

The child froze.

"I mean no harm. I'm here to help." She called out to the child.

At that moment, Kuma chose to emerge, and the bird suddenly calmed down. The child turned around.

It was a girl, with big white curls and albino skin. She had blue eyes, however, and watched Canada with fear.

Canada pulled out the Iron Cross from her shirt and showed it to the child. "I'm a friend."

The girl paused for a moment, and then walked back over, her bird coming with her. Canada smiled.

The girl came close and then spoke in German. "He said to find you and go with you."

She nodded. There was no doubt in her mind who he was."I'm going to take you to a safe place." She said, thanking Prussia for bringing the child to her.

The child looked at her, examining her, and then Canada swooped her up into a hug, startling her, but it wasn't unpleasant. The bird perched on Kumajirou's head.

"What is your name?"

She shook her head. "No name yet. Human or Nation."

Canada looked at the child and then spoke. "May I give you your human name?"

The girl nodded in what seemed like anticipation.

"Maria. Maria Gilbert Beilschmidt."

***

Madeline and Maria hiked to the border between the former lands of Germany and Liechtenstein.

Within an hour, a small female figure approached them. Maria tugged on Madeline's sleeve. "We need to get away from her." She whispered, her voice strained with fear. "She and the man chase me sometimes."

"She's here to help, Maria." Madeline stated. "She's an old friend."

The little girl didn't seem to believe her, but stayed next to her.

Liechtenstein came up to them and nodded. "I've called Vash. The plane is still there, and safe."

"Good. Thank you, Eva." Madeline said, relief filling her when she heard those words.

Eva looked at Maria, who hid behind Madeline. "Hello, little one." She said quietly, kneeling down and giving her a small wave.

Maria looked back and forth between them. Madeline picked her up. "It's okay, Maria."

She didn't say anything for a moment, and then she looked at the bow in Eva's hair. "That's pretty." She finally whispered.

Eva smiled and pulled out another purple ribbon, putting it in Maria's hair. "Now you have one of your own."

After that, Maria decided she liked this other nation, and happily got into the car with her and Madeline. After a few minutes of driving, the young woman spoke.

"Canada, you're going to have to keep her separate from your place. If Russia found any evidence of her existence..."

"I'm aware. I have a safe spot for her once I get home, and she'll never be alone."

Liechtenstein turned around to see the small girl and her bird had fallen asleep in the back seat. "She looks a lot like Prussia."

"Her attitude the past few days however, is more like Germany. And she has those blue eyes as well."

Eva nodded. "If anything happens to her..."

"I won't take any other nations with me. I will say I found her while I visited Prussia's grave and decided to raise her on my own. I won't let anyone else be punished."

Liechtenstein sighed. "I'd help, and Vash would as well if we could, but..."

Canada nodded. "His grip is too firm here in Europe. I will make sure she is safe."

They both glanced back at the child, and then Liechtenstein spoke again.

"I hope she's half as brave as her mother. If she is, I know she won't lose against him, should it come to another war."

It took Canada a moment to realize that she was Maria's mother.

***

Vash had switched cars with his sister at the border, and said nothing to Canada as they drove. He was a speed demon, and soon she realized why.

After they had driven a few miles, they had begun to be tailed.

He swung around a corner and swore. "Hold on tight!"

Maria, silent, clutched to Madeline as she held Gilbird in her hands. Kumajirou was laying on the floor to avoid being thrown around too much himself, and Madeline hoped this experience would end quickly.

"They realized Hungary's been wearing the bracelet and disguising a woman as you about an hour ago. You're going to have a lot to answer for when you get back!" He shouted, swinging around yet another corner.

"I know, I know! I have a plan, alright?" She snapped as she felt the small nation's hands tighten their grip in her shirt, and Kuma gritted his teeth to keep from roaring out his displeasure.

He didn't question her, swinging through traffic. "If we can get you on that jet, she might be safe, but I hope you're prepared for the hell you're going to go through once you land!"

Maria clung to Madeline, looking scared as Vash made his statements. "Shush, it's gonna be okay." She said, trying to reassure the girl.

"GODDAMNIT!" Vash screamed, practically throwing his car into another lane. "Good thing I do this every time they tail me! Otherwise it might look suspicious." He responded as he sped up, putting ever greater distance between them and the vehicles behind them.

"Ever escaped?" Madeline heard herself shout as she held onto Maria.

"Every time." He replied, and then turned onto a back road, speeding up as he did so. They turned into a wooded lane and suddenly he killed the engine.

The cars shot past them on the main road, and he nodded after they had all went past. "Out of the car now. There's an airfield ahead, and the pilot's waiting for you. He'll get you to your plane."

"Thanks Vash!" Madeline stated, grabbing her one bag, and Kumajirou hurried after them. Behind them, she heard him gun the engine, returning to the road as a decoy. Soon enough, the cars came rushing back past, and she and Maria hurried down the lane as fast as they could.

She spotted the plane soon enough and leapt aboard. The pilot nodded, and as soon as they were all fastened in, he guided the plane to the tiny runway, and they departed.

***

They landed in Zurich swiftly, and he taxied right over to her private plane, with the ladder all ready. She high tailed it onto the plane, and once the small plane was out of the way, they were cleared to be the next plane to take off. She swiftly secured everything, and then sank into the chair, trying to calm herself.

Priority flight. I feel like I'm back on Air Force One with Alfred. She thought, joking with herself.

Once they were in the air, she began to relax. They were flying, her child was safe and sound, and they had a head start on anyone following them thanks to Vash and Elizaveta.

That relaxation was a mistake.

"Ma'am," The pilot spoke over the intercom. "We're being hailed to land in Heathrow."

"Ignore it." She said, feeling her body begin to shake as she realized what that might mean. "If the issue is weather, we'll chart a course around it." She responded, glancing over at Maria, who had been busy petting Gilbird.

"Ma'am, I can't. It's not a weather issue." The pilot responded, unease creeping into his voice.

"Who is commanding you to land?" She asked, her trepidation growing as the conversation continued.

"Ivan Braginsky, from Russian Command."

Madeline looked back at Maria, who was terrified. She might not know the name, but she knew something bad was going on.

"Stay here. I'm going to make it alright." Madeline tried to assure the child before heading to the cockpit.

She went forward and grabbed the hailing device. "This is Madeline Williams, ambassador for the former nation of Canada. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?" She said, acting as coy and innocent as she could.

Ivan's voice was tight, yet strangely cordial as he replied. "This is Ivan Braginsky from Russian Command. We are demanding you land in Heathrow Airport to be taken into custody and questioning. Immediately."

Madeline paused for a moment and then spoke to her pilot off the speaker. "Can I get a private line to Cuba? I know the number."

He nodded.

"Standby, Russian Command, we have a Cuban national on board and I must confirm this change in flight with him."

She ended the conversation before he could say anything else, grabbing the phone the pilot had gestured to and calling an old friend. One who owed her a favor.

"Buenas díaz, esto es Carlos Machado." Came a masculine voice when the phone was finally answered.

"Hello, Cuba."

The voice on the other end of the line sputtered. "Canada?!"

"Yes. I'm in a tight spot and I need your help. It has to do with Russia."

She heard scribbling, and then a statement. "It's going to cost you more than what i owe you for that favor. What do you need?"

"I need you to override a command to land in Heathrow. Claim we are carrying Cuban nationals and divert us to Havana. You're still a nation and you can override him. I can't."

She heard more scribbling, and then a statement. "Tell the pilot to standby until I give you the all clear."

She turned to the pilot. "Standby, and that's an order from the Cuban Command. Wait for radio contact."

After a few minutes the radio crackled back to life.

"You have been cleared and diverted to Havana, Cuba." This voice belonged to an air traffic controller rather than Ivan. "Please adjust your course and continue flying."

Madeline sighed in relief and the pilot and his co-pilot's entire bodies relaxed as well. She returned to the back of the plane and collapsed into the seat next to Maria, who was still scared.

"It's okay. I got us to a safe spot."

Maria nodded, and then curled up next to Madeline as she laid down on the couch. "Thank you, mutti."

Madeline felt a surge of pride run through her body. Gilbird landed on Kumajirou's head, and nestled into his fur. She pulled Maria close and sighed with relief.

Soon all four passengers were asleep.

***

When they landed in Havana, she was greeted by Carlos entering the plane, a foul look on his face. Madeline had just tucked Maria and Gilbird under a blanket while they taxied over to their landing strip, and turned to face him.

He was angry, and rightfully so. "My President would like to know why we just caused an international incident for the ambassador of a former nation who was not carrying Cuban nationals onboard."

Madeline looked at him and spoke, fear growing in her face. "Carlos, I need you to keep a secret."

"Why should I do that, Madeline? It's taking all the power I have to keep my police from storming this plane and arresting you." He snarled, but she knew he would.

Madeline lifted up the blanket on the sleeping young girl and Carlos stared in shock. "I just rescued her from Europe. If he finds out I have her, she's dead and I'm dead. She's a new German nation, and she's innocent of anything, but his government is afraid. Only Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Hungary are left, Hungary because she is indispensable, and Liechtenstein because it was the only way to ensure Switzerland would not fight back."

Cuba stood there for a long while, glancing back and forth between her and the sleeping child. "Carlos, please..." She begged him.

"House arrest at a house in Havana for a least a month, maybe two." He said, keeping his arms crossed.

"Maria?"

"Is that her name?" Madeline nodded. "I'll escort her off the plane in my private car. I'll bring her to you later, once I make sure to get anyone in Russia's employ out of the place."

She nodded, and then shook the child awake. Maria yawned and opened her eyes.

"Maria, this is Carlos. He's another friend of mine. I need you and Gilbird to go with him for now. I'll see you again later."

Maria rubbed her eyes and spoke. "Gilbird?"

Madeline blushed, realizing she hadn't asked the child if the bird had a name, and had just been using the name of Prussia's bird. "It's what your vati called his bird, and they looked just like this one."

"Oh."Maria said, and then looked at her little bird. "She likes it."

She. I should have guessed it was a girl. Oh well.

Cuba picked up the child and Canada tucked the blanket around her in a tight cocoon of warmth. "Please keep her safe."

"I promise." He said, moving towards the exit of the plane. "The police will arrive in a few minutes. I was never here."

Madeline nodded, sat down and took a deep breath. "We have to go with the police when they arrive, Kumaji." She said once Carlos and Maria were gone from her sight.

"Who?"

"Canada."