I am happy to announce that the overwhelming favorite of the "What do you want next?" poll was a GilbertxLili follow-up. So here it is! THE CUCKOO BIRD! It picks up where Liechtenstein x Prussia: Maiden and Unicorn left off, but you don't have to have read the first story in order to enjoy this (it would be awesome if you did, but still...). Curious about the title? Well, put this story or me on your Alerts, and follow along, my friends; all will be revealed. But for now, let's get started with a little announcement, shall we?

Chapter 1 To All the Nations

Herr Gilbert Bielschmidt

Das Land Brandenburg der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Region Ost-Deustchland

Und

Frau Lili Elise Vogel Zwingli

Das Fürstentum Liechtenstein

Announce the arrival of their daughter

Maria Elise Bielschmidt-Vogel

Das Land Mecklenburg-Vorpommern der Bundesrepublik Deutschland1

No sooner had the nations and German states received the announcements, then rumor flew among the personifications. With each e-mail, text message and phone call, rumor gained strength and speed, new feathers sprouting from her wings, just as new questions and theories rose with each exchange. Had the new entity actually been found in the eastern German state? Many German states remembered that Gilbert had found Ludwig on the battlefield of Leipzig, in Saxony's territory; had he whisked some other little entity away from an adjoining state or nation without anyone knowing? Poland nervously searched his border, and even Denmark questioned his ferrymen about any unusually young stowaways. Monika Hannover, half of the state of Lower Saxony, insisted she had not heard of any sightings of naked toddlers near her state line, but Schleswig and Holstein were unsure; they couldn't pinpoint any exact evidence, but the former Kingdom of Prussia did have a reputation for baby-snatching. After all, that's how he had gotten them from Denmark.

And what about Liechtenstein: why was her name on the announcement? Did the little principality actually think she was going to have a hand in raising a German state hundreds of miles away? Some of the female German states muttered amongst themselves about her cheek. Not because they wanted to babysit for Gilbert Bielschmidt, far from it; but a new entity was so rare, so precious, and they grew so quickly, that they wondered if they would have a chance to knit or sew anything for das Kind before she was old enough to join them at the monthly meetings. And where was the child going to be raised? Obviously, she would need to spend most of her time in her land, but Gilbert was in Brandenburg and Lili was in the Alps, um Gottes willen.2 Who was going to watch her? Did they think they were going to drag the poor little creature around Germany and Europe? What would that do to her education? It wasn't like the old days, when an entity could be tutored at home; Ludwig had outlawed homeschooling.

And speaking of Ludwig, everyone remembered his rage at Lili's plotting with Gilbert behind his back in Gilbert's bid for Brandenburg and the region of Eastern Germany. True, the two brothers were cordial towards each other at national and world meetings; they had even been seen laughing and talking like the good old days of the German Empire. But no one had seen more than icy formality on Germany's part towards Liechtenstein during the past year at World Meetings. Was he actually going to allow her a hand in raising one of his states?

Still, a new entity was a rare and precious thing and the recipients of the announcement studied the photo of the new family carefully. Gilbert had his typical self-satisfied smirk, Lili looked properly demure (and slightly overwhelmed, the cattier states noted) and as for Maria Elise…

Even the most bitter personification had to admit she was a cute child. A very solemn one (or maybe she was just shell-shocked at being taken in from nature and put into clothes and surrounded by other beings for the first time), at least for now. Someone (Lili, of course) had carefully brushed and braided the toddler's amber-colored hair and tied the ends with white ribbons. She wore a simple, slightly old-fashioned pinafore over a red dress and her chubby feet were in matching sandals; Austria approved the timeless charm of the ensemble. She had a lovely complexion, many states noted, and despite the baby fat, one could see she had high cheekbones and a strong chin. A nice little nose, too. But the child's eyes were her outstanding feature: large and round, with dark heavy lashes and a true clear amethyst color. Unusual for a German entity, some mused.

The gifts poured in to Potsdam. Clothes arrived from France and the Italies; the child would be one of the best-dressed in Europe. The Nordics and Estonia sent knit blankets, hats, sweaters, socks and booties. Austria and Hungary sent a magnificent white dress with a note acknowledging that while they knew the child would probably be baptized a Lutheran, at least she could do it in style. Ukraine and Belarus sent embroidered shirts and pillow cases, while Russia sent a lovely set of nesting dolls.

Some states and nations, to Gilbert and Lili's relief, sent practical items. A bundle of cloth diapers and diaper covers came from Belgium and the Netherlands. Switzerland sent a car seat and a stroller; Lili was overjoyed at Vash's unusual generosity. The United States sent baby gates and other safety items, Canada sent a goosedown quilt and pillows, and the United Kingdom sent a rocking horse. Ludwig sent a complete bedroom set for the child. Many other nations and German states sent toys, books and stuffed animals, enough to stock a store.

Gilbert and Lili sat amidst a mountain range of stuffed dogs, cats, and pink and lavender textiles. Wooden puzzle toys and blocks scattered the floor, providing chewing fun for Willi the Pomeranian puppy. They watched, overwhelmed, as Maria Elise concentrated on climbing into a large cardboard box that had recently held a giant panda bear from China.

"Mein Gott, the stuff." Gilbert turned and stared at Lili. He looked as if he had just completed a thousand-mile march. "Where am I going to put all this stuff?"

Lili had been keeping a tally of which nations and states had sent which gifts for writing thank-you notes; she had blanked out at two hundred. She shrugged out of defeat, not indifference. "You'll need to move to a larger place, Schatz. Preferably on the border between Mecklenberg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg."

Gilbert nodded. He hadn't remembered having all these things when Ludwig had been little. The thought of packing all these items away and moving them, along with his own, just was too much to think about now. His hand crept next to Lili's and his fingers laced hers. She squeezed back. He was grateful that her boss had granted her "maternity leave" for two months, and that Ludwig had told him he had a year of parental leave. He still wanted to keep tabs on Brandbenburg, of course, and showing up at the states' monthly meetings was manageable, but he was glad he wasn't expected to worry about childcare during the World Meetings in Paris. Lili would go to them and report the news back to him.

Gilbert and Lili zoned out until an indignant yip startled them. Gilbert focused his eyes and saw that Maria had tipped the cardboard box over Willi. The puppy whimpered and scratched. Lili heaved herself up and tilted the box so he could escape. "Nein, nein, Maria," she chided. "Don't do that to Willi. That's not nice!"

The toddler stared at her and then pushed the box on its side and pulled it over herself. She scratched and mimicked Willi's whimper perfectly. Lili shook her head and pushed the box over, revealing Maria. "Nein, nein," she laughed, wagging her finger. "Don't do that to Maria. That's not nice." The child giggled—her first meaningful sound in the two weeks since they had found her—and pulled the box back over herself. She and Lili repeated the action while Gilbert watched, amused and a little envious at how easily Lili entered into the game.

On the fourth round, Maria didn't laugh at the usual point in the game. Instead she turned to him and pointed. Gilbert smiled, unsure what the silent child wanted. Lili stood by the box, watching him. Maria pulled the box over herself. She whimpered and scratched. Lili gestured for Gilbert to get up; he paused. Maria whimpered and scratched, louder. Gilbert shrugged, tipped the box over and saw the little imp squatting and grinning at him.

Gilbert pointed at Lili and winked at her. "Nein, nein, Muti! Don't do that to Maria. That's not nice." Lili laughed like bells, but it was the little girl's shrill high giggles that charmed him. She held out her arms, his signal to scoop her up.

"Nein, nein, Vati," she said, tapping his nose with her finger. He looked over her head at Lili staring tenderly at them. Maybe this was all they needed, he thought, that and the verdammt box.

So what do you think so far? I'd love to hear from old and new readers and I always respond to reviews!

1 German for Gilbert, Lili and Maria's official titles: Gilbert is the German State of Brandenburg and Region of Eastern Germany, Lili is the Principality of Liechtenstein, and Maria is the German State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

2 German: for God's sake