~*~

The sun woke hot and vengeful, raising to the dismay of the slaves instructed to build Cape Colony for the Dutch. Slaves busied themselves pulling, pushing, and working, occasionally being whipped by an overseer. They pray silently to the gods they praised when they were free, the ones the Dutch have made illegal.

Meanwhile, to gain control, the Dutch are pulling out the Afrikaner people and forcing them to worship their God. If they refuse, their children are killed first. 

A woman, clad in tribal wear, cries silently at the dismay of the people she was representing and "protecting". She looks down upon her child in her arm, then looks upon the child she rescued. "My time has come. It is no longer the tribal era for this country." 

The child looks at her in dismay. "You mean... you're gonna.... Die?" 

"Yes. It is certain. This is something not foreseen by our Gods." She looks at the baby. "She is the new era. This is why our Gods blessed me with this child. We must deliver her to the river. When she grows, she will deliver our People."

"Alright. Let us go, then." The child takes her hand, picking up a basic basket big enough for the child from a little shop that was once a friend's. He takes the woman's hand and tugs. "Let us go, Catori."

The woman runs with the bundle in her arms, finally coming to the calm rivers. She kneels, the basket in front of her, wrapping the child in one of her own cloths. "My daughter, there is nothing that I can give, but chance that you may live." She kisses the top of her head. 

"Hush now, my baby, be still, love, don't cry,

Sleep as you're rocked by the stream,

Sleep and remember my last lullaby, 

So i'll be with you when your dreams,"

She sings quietly, tears pricking the edges of her amber eyes. She has to do this. She can't let her child die so young. She is the next protector of this land. She must live. She wades into the stream, and with a heavy heart, continues to sing lightly.

"River, oh River, flow gently for me,

Such precious cargo you bear, 

Do you know somewhere she may live free?

River, deliver him there,"

She turns on her heel, but the child that lead her here isn't behind her. In fear, she look toward the stream, where she sees him following the basket as well as he can on the banks. Her heart weighs down heavily as she sighs. She must go confront the Invaders. She will never see her daughter again. Nor the child that helped her. She will leave this Earth not knowing what became of her own child. 

"Please. Deliver us, my child." She whispers, running back toward the village.

Meanwhile, the child following her on the banks witnesses as the basket flows gently to the banks of where the Dutch landed. He gasps as he witnesses a child point to the basket, her green eyes dancing with delight. She crouches, pulling the basket out of the water while her blonde hair dances around her. 

She opens the basket and pulls the baby out, smiling as she coos and stretches. She plants a kiss upon her forehead and walks, as calmly as she can, to her big brother. He smiles at her, and takes the child. He rubs her hair and smiles at the baby.

The boy smiles. He sings he own lullaby to the baby before he must go back and find Catori. 

"Sister, you're safe now,

And safe may you stay,

For I've got a prayer just for you,

Grow, baby sister, and come back someday,

Come, and deliver us too."

Turning on his heel, he runs back to the village on his side of the river, hoping his prayer shall be answered.

((A/N: 

I based this chapter heavily on the opening scene of  The Prince of Egypt, the video is not mine, the picture belongs to Dream Works and it's animators, and all of the music belongs to it's creators. They are geniuses.))