Disclaimer: Little Sister's Keepress is not the writer/creator of the storyline and all its components in The Prince of Egypt. Philip LaZebnik and Nicholas Meyer are. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: Thou shall not steal. Plagiarism is a dastardly deed. Thank you. Apologies for everything wrong in this piece.

Summary: It's inevitable that he will always reach for his brother.

Pardoned Discretions

By Jan J. (P.J.P.), Little Sister's Keepress

He reaches up for him. For the little baby giggling overhead in her arms.

He wants to see him. To play with him.

He tugs on the ends of her wispy attire, but he is ignored. He still follows.

He hopes to get a glimpse of this new person, but the little bundle keeps evading him. So he keeps reaching out. He wants to touch this wiggling little baby—this Moses.

But his new brother is always up above. He jumps to meet him, but the baby might as well be a squirming Sun showering him with radiant energy.

Yet Moses is not the Sun. The Sun scorches. Moses peeks down finally at him and smiles. He waves his little hands at Rameses. Soon Moses is reaching out.

It is then that Rameses doesn't think that his little brother can ever hurt him.

He's reaching for him again, but Moses ignores him. His little brother is running away. It is like clouds are blocking him from the Sun. Rameses cannot feel the light.

Well, if Moses will not heed him, the elder will catch him—reel him in—with the chariot. Moses cannot possibly outpace horsepower.

"Moses!" he yells. Finally, Rameses is acknowledged. He sees Moses' eyes. Moses is trying to reach for him. The dark irises filled with sorrow reach out to him.

He would do anything to make those eyes radiate with joy. With life. He would worship; he would sacrifice so there is no distance—this constant reaching—between them.

He just wants Moses to walk to him. He wants to grasp him. He wants to form a connection of eternity, so he would never see his brother running away from him.

They are finally reaching out for each other at the exact moment.

"Rameses!" Moses calls without a hint of that aching sorrow he had in his eyes the last time they parted ways.

It's been so long since he heard that voice call out his name—his true name. A voice that has never called him "Pharaoh" or "Your Majesty."

But then Moses is not really reaching for Rameses. Moses is reaching out—seeking Rameses out—for his people.

He and Moses are all the family they need.

No one, especially this God his brother speaks of, should come between them.

He would listen if Moses says, "I command."

Instead, Moses says, "He commands."

Rameses refuses to consider this God's words. Something has happened to his brother. This God has twisted Moses, all he holds dear.

Rameses does not trust the Hebrew God.

He trusts Moses, that giggling, squirming baby. The youth who managed to be both his conscience and brother in mischief.

But now Rameses is beginning to doubt.

And then Moses hands back Rameses' heart.

It burns and scorches.

Rameses stares at this man.

He will not let Moses get away so easily.

If Moses really cares, then he will always be coming back to Rameses. He is the one who has the power over Moses—not that God of the Hebrews.

The Pharaoh will not listen to this foolish, defiant little brother before him.

He wants Moses to learn a lesson. Perhaps then Moses will heed him.

He knows Moses will be back.

He cannot lose Moses.

He cannot lose him over nothing. To nothing.

Moses reaches out to him.

Rameses flinches away.

He thought now that he had his heart back it would never stop pulsating. He was wrong.

Rameses buries his heart today.

He lets them all go. He lets Moses leave him.

Rameses does not reach out as Moses leaves. But Rameses' eyes do. They reach out to hurt what was once his.

Oh, Rameses is reaching out, all right. With skewering rage.

He screams, "Kill them! Kill them all!"

It's because of them that he lost everything. He lost his family because of them.

Father sacrificed the male newborns for the greater good.

Rameses wonders if Moses will sacrifice him—his own brother—for the greater good.

When did slaves become the greater good?

Rameses should be afraid.

He doesn't care.

Moses is his to deal with. Just because Moses is through with Rameses doesn't mean that Rameses is through with Moses.

But then the water slices like a knife against a whetstone.

The connection is broken.

Rameses cannot sense Moses anymore. Perhaps his voice will reach Moses.

Moses is reaching for Rameses. His eyes are reaching for Rameses. His heart is reaching for Rameses.

Rameses never sees this.

FIN