As the door closed behind Sethi, Egypt's commander bowed low, his fists crossed over his chest.

Tired, hungry, and sore after walking all night, Ramesses beckoned for Sethi to join Paser, nodding at the men to sit. Wood creaked as they settled onto the chairs. Silence. Ramesses leaned back in his chair and eyed his commander, noting the tension in his jaw, the dark circles under his eyes.

"Commander. Tell me what you know."

Sethi leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, the muscles in his arms and shoulders flexing, the movements annoying Ramesses.

"My lord," Sethi began, his voice gritty from lack of sleep, "on the night of the feast, I received an urgent message from one of my mercenary captains in Babylon. The Crown Prince of Hatti has been gathering men in preparation for a great battle against us."

Ramesses lifted his brow, surprised. He turned his attention to his vizier. "Lord Paser?"

"Your Majesty," Paser bowed his head, "I have no firm intelligence on this matter. However, yesterday I received word from one of my spies in Tarhuntassa's court of an intriguing development. The High Priestess of Kadesh, King Amunira's sister Rhoha, has taken up residence in Muwatallis's court."

Ramesses stared at Paser. "Kadesh is ours, what treachery is this?"

Paser looked uneasy. "My lord, it is my great shame to have failed you. Rhoha's presence revealed intelligence which has eluded my spies for years . . . "

"Get on with it," Ramesses muttered, resigned. "I'm tired."

"Of course," Paser cleared his throat. "As you know, one month after you and your father captured Kadesh twelve years ago, Muwatallis arrived with his armies--"

Ramesses waved his hand, dismissive. "Yes, and took their gold and food to punish them for becoming our vassal. Then Muwatallis left and never returned. Kadesh has continued to send her tribute every year since then. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because Muwatallis took Amunira's seven-year-old daughter--his only child--with him when he left. Her name is Istara."

A finger of dread touched Ramesses. He had heard that name before. He searched his memory. Realization dawned, cold, sickening. "The same Istara the Hittite ambassador informed us was wed to Urhi-Teshub last autumn in Tarhuntassa?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Ramesses rose. His men came to their feet. He paced, agitated. "Muwatallis was clever to keep Istara's true lineage quiet. Now he has raised her in his court, and married his heir to the daughter of Amunira. Though Kadesh pays lip service to me, there is no question to whom she truly belongs." He moved to the front of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "I will not give up my plans for next year's campaign. I will have Karchemish. Lord Sethi, can it still be done without Kadesh as our base?"

"It is possible, but the news from Babylon has revealed Muwatallis knows of your intentions for Karchemish. He plans to stop us at Kadesh, with the whole of his empire rallying to his call."

Ramesses gritted his teeth. "So be it. If it is a fight Muwatallis wants, then Egypt shall give him one. Paser, find out his numbers and keep Sethi abreast of your intelligence." He turned to Sethi. "How soon can you recruit more men and have them equipped to march?"

Sethi rubbed his hand over his head, considering. "I can ensure we will still leave Pi-Ramesses on the First Day of the Second of Shemu, as originally planned."

Ramesses nodded. A thought crossed his mind. "And the treasury?"

Sethi shook his head. "Not enough for an undertaking of this size. We will have to borrow."

"Then we borrow, " Ramesses said, decisive. "Lord Paser, send out letters to our vassals in Amurru and raise advances from them. When we have received their tribute, write to them again and ask for more."

Sethi and Paser looked troubled. He was asking much of them. Despite the extravagance of his ambitions, he knew he had their support, loyal and unquestioning. Still, he sought to reassure them.

"I have long dreamed of making Egypt as great as it was during the reign of Thutmosis III," he said as he walked to the door. "Let us meet Muwatallis at Kadesh and defeat his rag-tag army. The gods are with us. With the defeat of Muwatallis, it will be no hardship to take Karchemish. By the end of next summer, Egypt's empire will stretch from the deserts of Nubia to the borders of Assyria, and your names, the heroes of Egypt, will be remembered for all time."

Their eyes dark with ambition, Sethi and Paser pressed their fists to their chests. Ramesses nodded, satisfied, and left. War might be coming, but first, he needed to sleep.