Shani woke the next morning to someone knocking on her door, she jumped out of her bed and ran into the next room. Shani went to the door and opened it a crack, her maid was standing with breakfast.

"Breakfast miss?"

"Um, could you just give me the tray? Then go on about your duties?"

"Yes miss."

She gave the tray to Shani and left, Shani gratefully sank to the floor in relief. She was glad that she hadn't just walked in and seen Gershom, who had slept soundly through the knocking. Shani stood over him, then nudged him. He groaned and turned away from her nudging, so she took the goblet of water and let it drip slowly on his face. He sputtered and sat up.

"What are you doing?"

"Waking you up."

"Why with water?"

"Seemed like the only thing that would wake you up."

He glared at her and she glared right back, he looked away first, a twinge of a memory of his mother glaring right at him.

"So. Breakfast."

She gestured to the tray that she had set down and he went over and shoved the food in his mouth. She was fascinated but also disgusted, swiping a roll from the tray she went to change into a green dress. Having made sure her bracelet was on, Shani returned to the room where Gershom was looking at the tapestries and rugs she had made.

"Hey Gershom, we need to get you out of here. As much as I enjoy your company, sooner or later someone will notice that you're here. Do you have somewhere to go?"

"Not really, I just came to see where my father lived, without my family."

"You really are a foolish boy."

"Am not!"

"Yes, what kind of person would go off on a whim to see a land far away from his family?"

Gershom hung his head, never thinking about what his actions would have done to his family. Shani sighed and put her arm around his,

"I'm sorry, but I think of your mother, she must be missing you so much right now."

"Probably, she never lets me out of her sight, something with losing her first child."

Shani was curious, "What happened to her first child?"

"She was kidnapped and killed."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! What was her name?"

"Zehira."

The name sounded familiar to Shani, but she couldn't think of where she would have heard a Hebrew name before.

"I'm sorry for your sister, but right now, I'm going to see if there is somewhere you could stay."

"Okay, thank you Shani."

She smiled at him, then left, making him promise to hide should anyone knock on the door. She passed through the long hallways and managed to find a servant who went out to see about ships. Shani went to her fathers chambers only to be told that he was sleeping, Shani didn't want to disturb him so she continued on her way. Returning to her room, she found Gershom hiding underneath her bed, she drew him out and showed him how she made her tapestries.

He was engrossed for a while in watching her hands move, they were fluid like water as they moved across the loom. A knock came upon the door and Gershom dove beneath the layers of pillows and blankets that was Shani's bed. Shani answered the door to find the servant who had gone out about the ships, she was told that one would be leaving in a week and a half. Shani thanked the servant and gave them a gold gold to keep their silence.

"You heard that a ship is going out in a week and a half right?"

"Yes I did."

Shani said, "I don't trust you out alone, so you will remain here until the ship leaves."

Gershom was happy, he liked Shani, she was like the older sister he never had.

A week later, Moses finally got an entrance to the palace as Gideon of Canaan. He waited in the line of others who were speaking with the pharaoh and was glad that he had the speaker with him. He knew that Rameses would recognize his own voice, so he pretended to be unfamiliar with the language and had a feux translater with him. They were finally at the front and they approached Rameses.

Rameses had not changed much, his face was weary and tired, but he seemed fine. He was paying attention to a girl on his left who was whispering in his ear, he laughed at whatever she had said and turned to look at Moses. Moses looked at the girl and was startled to see an almost exact younger version of Tzipporah looking at him, for a moment he stood speechless, then the translator nudged him. Moses spoke to him in Canaan and the translator spoke.

"Pharaoh, this simple man comes from Canaan and is looking for his son. He had been told that his son came this way toward the palace and wonders if he was captured by the guards."

The Tzipporah look-alike stiffened at the translators words, and Moses eyed her. She was looking down at the pharaoh as Rameses tried to recall if anyone had been reported by the guards. He motioned a guard forward and asked, "Was there a boy who was captured near here?"

The girl nervously looked at the guard as he answered, Moses wondered what she was thinking.

"None that I can recall sire."

The girl sighed with relief as the guard went back to his post, and Rameses looked at her curiously. He spoke, "Shani, what has you troubled?"

"Um, nothing Father."

This was Rameses daughter? She looked not much like him, in fact, Moses saw Hebrew in her, but it was hard to tell with the Egyptian clothes and makeup. Rameses turned back to Moses and said,

"I am sorry sir, but no one by your son's description has been found here."

The translator told him, even though Moses could understand, Moses had the translator say his thanks, and was escorted from the throne room. Moses felt his hope deflate, if his son was not here, then where was he?

Shani watched the Canaan man go, confused. She knew that Gershom was Hebrew, but this man was claiming to be Canaan, but Shani knew that that was Gershom's father that she had just seen. It was just as well, the ship left in four days.

But she couldn't get the man out of her head, he was familiar, just as Gershom seemed familiar, and the man had stared right at her a few times, which startled her. She excused herself from the throne room and ran to her own chambers. Throwing open the door, she found Gershom playing with her dogs, he stood up and said, "What is it?"

"I think your father is here, looking for you."

"What? Where?"

"He was just in the throne room, asking for his son who may have been captured, but he was saying he was a Canaanite, and even had a translator."

"Tell me, did he walk with a staff?"

"Yes, he did actually." she replied.

"That was my father! Where did he go?"

Shani said, "I think he left, but I will run out and find him. What do I call him?"

Gershom said, "Moses."

Moses stood outside the palace, just staring at the large stone walls that he had once called home. It had not changed, but there was something different about this place, Moses could tell it was because of the plagues, though everything had been repaired, one could see the cracks and how some parts of the stone was newer. He was still staring up at the palace when a hand tapped his shoulder gently.

He turned to find the princess looking expectantly at him, Moses spoke some words of Canaan to her, hoping she would leave him. He did not want to be captured for being seen with the princess, they would surely know who he was if they did. But she was not deterred, she said,

"How long are you going to speak Canaan? I know who you are Moses."

Moses was silent for a moment, and looked at this young girl with fearful eyes, "Would you have me captured then?"

"What? Of course not, being a Hebrew means nothing to me."

She didn't really know who he was, just that he was Gershom's father, and Moses asked,

"Why do you seek me out then princess?"

"I know where your son is."

"Really? Where is he?"

She replied, "He hides in my room."

Moses was stunned, how had his son gotten into the palace, let alone the princess' room without being captured.

"How did he come to be in your room?"

"He was captured by the guards, but I had him sent to my room, I don't like the idea of younger people in the cells."

Moses knew not what to make of this Egyptian princess, she was much different than when he was the Prince of Egypt. This girl also seemed much different from the people around her, just something about her reminded him of when he was last here, of when he was last truly happy with his family, when his daughter still lived.

"Is there some way I can see him now?"

She replied, "I don't think that I can get you inside without someone noticing, but my balcony is right there. Hold on, I'll yell at him."

She yelled up at her balcony, calling Gershom, and he crept toward the balcony, where he saw Shani with his father. He waved down at them and Moses was so happy to see him that he didn't yell. He waved back, then Shani gestured for Gershom to go back inside. She turned to Moses and asked,

"I can sneak him out tonight, there is a party being held and we should be able to slip away unnoticed. I will bring him to the old Hebrew slums, be on the outskirts of the city."

She turned to return to her room but Moses grabbed her arm, he said, "I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing. You are risking much by returning my son to me."

"If someone took someone precious to me away, then I would want someone to help me."

Moses nodded and said, "I am Moses."

"My name is Shani."

Shani returned to her room and found Gershom nearly bouncing off the walls. He was quite happy to see his father and couldn't wait to return home. Shani said,

"Tonight, we will get you out of here. When the party has every guard distracted, we will go. But, we must move quickly."

Gershom nodded, he was ready to go home. Egypt was not what he had expected, he had been turned away everywhere and treated horribly, with the exception of Shani, and he wanted to go home. He felt like he didn't belong here, and for some reason, he felt like Shani didn't either.

Gershom didn't voice his opinions and was silent as Shani packed clothes and food for him to take along. He drifted off to sleep while she bustled around and dreamed of a cave, one in a desert.

He crept around the rock walls, a sheep was bleating from far away and he followed the sound until he came to a hollow cavern where a burning bush was located, it wasn't red, it was white, and there was not heat emanating from it. Gershom reached out a hand and touched the fire, felt nothing, then a voice entered the cave.

"Gershom, son of Moses. You are to leave Egypt with your father, just as your father did many years ago."

"Who are you?"

"I am God."

God was in his dream? Speaking with him?

"Why would you wish to speak to one as unworthy as I Lord?"

"You are hardly unworthy, you have only done my bidding since you were born. Who was it that sent you on to Egypt? Was it not I who sent the dreams?"

Gershom believed the voice was God, and asked,

"What is it that you wish to tell me Lord?"

"You are in the land of Egypt where your family was wronged. Before Moses led your people out of Egypt, he had a daughter, one who was stolen by the pharaoh."

"What? But why would the pharaoh take a child?"

"Rameses was led astray by liars, and in his anger, told Moses that he had had her thrown to the lions, but Rameses lied."

"Lied?"

"Indeed, for he wanted Moses to feel the pain that he felt. I sent out a plague upon Egypt that killed all the firstborn, including Rameses son. But Rameses did not kill her."

"What did he do?"

"He took the girl as his own, she has lived in his palace as a princess of Egypt, much as your father grew up."

"My father? Why would he grow in the palace? Was he a slave there?"

"No Gershom, your father was sent on the river to be safe, and was met by the Queen, who took him as her son."

"But that would mean that my father was a prince, a prince of Egypt. Making Rameses..."

"His brother, in name only. Which is why the war between them was as harsh as it was. But Rameses could not kill his own brother's child, he gave her a new name and she has been his for her entire life, unaware of her lineage."

"My Lord, if indeed my sister is alive as you say, who is she?"

"The one who has cared for you all this time, unaware that she has a close bond to you."

"Shani is my sister?"

"Yes, but that is not her name, her name is Zehira, a name I proclaimed for her, she was always protected by my will."

"My parents do not know of this?"

"No."

"But they must know now! After everything that has happened, they should know!"

"I could not let Moses remain in Egypt, so I did not tell him, and Tzipporah has always suspected, but never voiced her hopes. I needed Moses for a higher purpose, and now that he has returned to Egypt, the truth must be known."

"When I awake, am I to tell them?"

"No, wait until you are out of the city, when you are certain no one is there, tell your family. This will be the last task I ask of any of your family."

"Thank you my Lord."

"Awaken."

Gershom awoke to Shani shaking his shoulder, no Zehira shaking his shoulders. He looked at her with wide eyes, a new knowledge upon his face. He could see the resemblance between them now, and all the mannerisms that he knew his mother to have. The way she bit her lip as she went about, making sure everything was ready, the way her hands fluttered over every surface, as if looking for something. Zehira turned toward him and said, "I am going down to the celebration for a little while, so that I was known being there, then after dinner, you need to be on the balcony, ready to go. All right?"

He nodded and watched her go with a swish of white cotton. Gershom knew not how he would tell them, he could not blurt out that she was his sister, they would all think him mad.

Shani watched the people trail in and greet her father, anxious for the dinner to begin to that she could leave. Her father noticed her bouncing on her feet and asked,

"Does something trouble you daughter?"

"I'm fine father, don't worry about me."

Rameses turned, but decided to keep an eye on her while they greeted people. Maahes was in the line, and he smiled at Shani, who smiled shyly back. Rameses noticed the exchange and said, "Maahes, sit with us tonight!"

Maahes agreed and Shani was nervous, how could she break away while Maahes, the one who is courting her, is around? They were all seated, Rameses at the head of the hall with Shani at his left, then Maahes next to her. The feast began and Shani only nibbled on some food, desperately trying to think of an excuse to get away. She finally said,

"Father, I'm going to go check on something, I might be a while."

She took off after her cryptic excuse and was glad that she had gotten away quickly. Shani found Gershom waiting behind a large pillar, a sack over his back. They began to creep through the hallways, even thought most were at the celebration, there were some stragglers from time to time. They finally made it to an exit and were outside when Shani's arm was caught. She whirled around to look into the chocolate eyes of Maahes, confusion on his face.

"Where are you going Shani?"

Shani could not lie to him, so she told him, "I am taking this boy back to his family, please Maahes, I do not have much time."

He was still confused, but released her arm. She kissed his cheek, then grabbed Gershom's hand and they were running through the streets.

Moses and Tzipporah were anxiously waiting outside the city with a camel, almost bursting if they didn't see their child soon. Tzipporah asked, "Who is bringing Gershom?"

"The princess herself, Rameses daughter."

"His own daughter is returning our son?" Tzipporah had a million thoughts running through her mind, "Why would the the child of the murderer who killed out first child bring back our second child?"

"I saw the irony in it too Tzipporah, I think that's them there!"

Two figures were dashing towards them, and halted when they came upon the couple. Tzipporah fell upon Gershom, tightly holding him, unwilling to let go with him protests. Shani sank to her feet and was gasping for air, Moses knelt next to her and said, "Thank you for returning our son to us, you have no idea of how great our thanks is."

Shani nodded, unable to form words. She glanced at the mother hugging Gershom and was shocked to see a woman who could have been her own self in many years looking back at her. Tzipporah was also stunned when she saw the resemblance, but said, "Thank you for giving my son back. I don't think I could have lived without him."

Shani was about to reply when many shouts came from the city, she turned to look and saw many of the palace guards running toward them. She shot up to her feet and cried at them to run, the family began to run, Gershom trying to look back at Shani but the guards were to quick and caught the three.

Shani was demanding that the guards release the family, but the guards ignored her. One grabbed her and dragged the unknowing family back toward the palace.

Whoot! Third chapter! Planning on another chapter this week.