"Previously, on tut... within his own palace, we maneuver against him." "King of kings..." "He has risen." "You told me at the pyramids" "You want to be remembered as a great pharaoh." "The mitanni are still a threat." "You cannot defeat them without me." "I will have to." "We both think we know how this is going to end," "And one of us is wrong." "Stay close the vizier." "He must be handled." "We are running out of options." "More and more of my people succumb to this illness." "It must end here." "Your parents have come to thebes." "Then i must find them." "Only if sete is with you." "Go inside." "I trust you will reveal to no one." "You have my word." "May the gods honor you." "Sete!" "Sete!" "death awaits us all." "no..." "No." "Whom can i trust?" "No one." "* *" "* *" "Apologies, my lord." "Suhad hasn't been seen in several hours." "Several hours?" "The palace has been searched." "Perhaps she went into the city to another market?" "No, no, she knows better than to leave without my permission." "Exactly the reason she would have done so." "This isn't her world." "She's shown in the past her independence." "I'm sorry to interrupt." " What is it?" " There's a guard." "He saw suhad leaving the queen's chamber earlier." "Where is she?" "Where is who?" "Suhad." "She was seen leaving your chamber." "Hours ago, yes." "She spoke to me about seeing her parents," "But i told her that it could wait until the crisis was over." "In amurru?" "The girl was swept from her village" "With little time for good-byes." "Perhaps feeling the pressure of so much expectation..." "Why would she come to you?" "Because you are the pharaoh, and i didn't think" "That you should be bothered with such trivial matters" "When thousands of your citizens are about to be burned alive." "Was i wrong, brother?" "No, you weren't." "As i said before..." "Silence." "Have the elite guards search every street in thebes." "Every market, every temple, everywhere." "I want every guard in this palace questioned," "Including the queen's." "I'll lead the effort myself." "Physician, why am i still being held prisoner?" "You are not." "You are well enough to go," "But your father wants you to stay." "He doesn't control me." "What are you doing here?" "do you know where she is?" " Go back to sleep." " Is she in trouble?" " She's of no importance." " I like her." "I'm not in the mood." "She's the only one in the palace" "Who isn't scheming to be someone she's not." "I include myself in that..." "And you." "she's with child," "And you know there cannot be an heir." "Then you've answered my question." "No, i haven't." "I don't know what's happened to her." "That's the truth." "Your truth has always been" "A matter of perception, father." "* *" "General horemheb," "You carried out your massacre flawlessly." "Choose your words carefully, high priest." "They were chosen deliberately." "Enough." "The people must know we stand together on this," "That it was not done without purpose." "If that is your wish, pharaoh," "Then that is how they will perceive it." "You saved lives, the city, the very kingdom." "Hold it." "Some of them are still alive." "And still infected." "Orders are to burn them and bury them in pits." "By order of the pharaoh," "Help me get this woman off this cart now." "king tushratta knows this game well." "If you are right about his numbers," "He will move his forces out" "Into the open desert where i cannot defeat him." "You're certain he's allied himself with hittites?" "Yes, lagus said he witnessed kadesh assembling as well." "These are nomadic tribes" "Concerned only for their own interests." "Which they will now have in common, to destroy egypt." "They will follow him to that end." "There may be another way." "Why not at least prepare what we have?" "As i've said, the mitanni will only respect a show of force." "the disease took so many." "We have no force to show them." "My lord." "Inside." "What is it?" "She is in grave condition, my lord." "Hardly any breath," "But she is alive." "What happened to her?" "She was in the quarantine" "About to be carted off to the pits" "With the other bodies." "I've treated the burns as best i could," "But her lungs have been scorched from the inside." "I see little chance she will survive." "The baby, for the moment, still lives." "Did you know about this?" "No." "Expand your interrogation to anyone near the quarantine area." "Someone knows." "You cannot afford any more chances." "I cannot afford?" "I did not send her into the flames, my queen." "Yes, you've insulated yourself as you always do." "Can sete be trusted?" "Can you?" "I'll always protect you," "You know that," "But this must be done my way, no loose ends." "No, ay." "Sete would give his life for me." "I will see to it that the pharaoh's guards" "Do not get to him." "Do you understand?" "But why must i leave the palace?" "The pharaoh is determined, sete." "But i'm trying to protect you." "No one else knows." "Who?" "Someone with the power to silence you." "The vizier?" "The man will have me killed." "I've arranged for you to go" "Without the vizier or any of the pharaoh's men knowing." "No one will ever know what you've done." "Thank you." "Your queen will always be grateful." "You have served your kingdom." "Tonight you will be with the gods." "* *" "My lord, prince tis'ata of the mitanni." "I am here as the voice of my father," "The great king tushratta of the mitanni empire." " He has requested words." " Granted." "The mitanni and its allies outnumber your army five to one." "With great compassion, my king has withheld invasion." "He feels it's senseless to waste so many lives." "You are aware, as is my king," "That you have no chance of defending your kingdom." "Outnumbered or not," "I have an army that will fight to the death." "That's exactly what it would be." "To the death." "You know that." "King tushratta knows it," "But he is willing to offer terms of peace." "And what is his offer?" "Relinquish your capital." "All territories south remain yours," "But thebes and the great river it rests upon" "Will no longer carry the weight of egyptian rule." "The citizens of egypt will be treated with respect" "And may stay within the new mitanni empire if they choose." "If you do not agree to these terms, however," "King tushratta and his allies" "Will obliterate the city and kill them all." "I will consider the king's terms." "Silence." "In the meantime, the pleasures of thebes" "Will be yours as long as you remain my guest." "Leave us." "You as well." "General horemheb." "He speaks the truth about his numbers." "I know of no strategy to defeat him in open battle." "You advise we capitulate?" "No, but it will be a fight to the death, as he said." "Then they will take thebes," "By their terms or by force." "Which means whatever choice i make," "The light of this kingdom will be extinguished." "I wonder if she is not in the more enviable position." "What is it that makes you so drawn to her?" "There is no answer for that, not unlike you and ka." "Then you must love her" "More than anything in all the world." "You are not here out of concern for her." "No." "What's your answer to the mitanni?" "I will reveal that to the prince." "Am i no longer your confidante?" "This is our kingdom, brother, not just yours." "You will have to learn to trust my judgment." "I'm trying to." "I have debated with my advisors," "The gods," "And most importantly, myself." "King tushratta holds the advantage," "I cannot deny that," "But we are proud people," "And i would rather let the nile river run with blood" "Before ceding it to you without a fight." "Silence." "So instead," "I offer my own peace terms." "We have suffered from illness, that much is true," "But the mitanni have suffered worse" "From drought and starvation." "Your people are suffering and dying." "Inform your king" "That he will receive 100 carts stocked with bread," "Millet, and wine..." "Enough to feed his people until the rains come again." "Your last gift was not received as well as you had hoped." "My last gift was for you, prince tis'ata." "This one is not." "This is for your people." "Tell your father he has misjudged me." "If he refuses," "Egypt will stand against all the armies of the world," "And when we can no longer stand," "I will burn the fields." "I will burn our grain." "I will burn the water itself." "Ask him if he wants a war" "With no victor." "I make no promises." "Tell your father i have made mine." "See him from this room." "Have the carts made ready." "What?" "And feed the very army he intends to send against us?" "Yes." "You intend to poison them?" "No." "He'll test the food." "It must be clean." "Oh, so you intend to hide my men under the bread and grain" "Or march up to his gate before the gift gets there?" "Tell me, what is your plan" "Now that you have eliminated their one disadvantage?" "It is not their only disadvantage." "Bring me your best commanders, general, no more than 40." "What good are 40 men going to do against a..." "I know another way into the mitanni palace." "They will not see us coming." "Have your men made ready." "Lagus," "Arrange for plenty of wine" "Among my gift to the mitanni." "Pardon, pharaoh," "The gods must be satisfied before you face this challenge." "You speak to the pharaoh of tribute" "When we face annihilation?" "The gods watch you." "They know your thoughts." "They know your heart." "They give you rain, sun," "The very crops you now give away," "But most of all, they will give you victory" "If you prove your devotion to them." "When this war is over," "High priest," "The gods themselves will be devoted to me." "That will be all." "Lagus, a moment." "Yes, my lord?" "What is your counsel?" "The high priest moves against you in your absence." "He should be arrested." "That will not quell his influence." "It might only prove his words." "The high priest and his army" "Are more powerful than horemheb's entire infantry." "I will deal with him soon enough, carefully." "One enemy at a time." "The high priest," "He's right." "The gods and past pharaohs" "Will watch as i leave for battle tomorrow." "They'll see if i'm the first to lose this sacred land." "Yet here, here is my tomb." "Tell me, am i deserving of such a monument?" "The gods favor our victory." "You will be considered the greatest pharaoh" "Egypt has ever known." "Tell me the truth," "Not what you think i want to hear." "Truth is a matter of perception, my king," "And in this case there's no way to answer your question." "Only history will tell." "That one there, being built for a wealthy nobleman," "A man of common blood," "And no matter how it is dressed or fashioned for the gods, 1,000 years from now it will have vanished." "The ground will cover it." "Another tomb will be built over it." "No one will know it was here." "No one will know he was here." "Now, should he be forgotten and not i?" "Yes." "Yes." "The gods decided that long ago, long before you were born," "Long before your grandfather was born." "Your blood is theirs." "I will be sent to the gods in a tomb such as that." "You will be risen as a god." "Who will guard me in the afterworld?" "The gods of the high priest amun?" "Or aten, like my father wished?" "You're treading a dangerous path." "Not if amun and his army of priests" "Are no longer able to manipulate my people." "You will see this through, ay," "Whether i return or not." "Exiling the high priest will not be enough." "How bold, that he remains so confident of his resting place" "When he is on the verge of losing the entire kingdom." "This can no longer be settled peacefully." "That won't be an easy task." "It's been done before." "Akhenaten's support had diminished." "Tutankhamun's popularity grows." "The will of the people is controlled by the gods, vizier." "The gods speak through me." "You would do well to remember that when you take his place." "* *" "I must leave you, my love." "When i return, i will make you my wife," "And we will raise our son as heir to my throne..." "And we will once again visit the pyramids." "* *" "Tutankhamun." "Pharaoh of egypt." "To conquest." "To victory." "To make our kingdom whole." "But our nation cannot be whole" "If tutankhamun fulfills his promise" "To honor aten as himself." "The fields will become dry." "The great river will cease to flow." "Your people," "Who pay tribute by the blood of their hands, will perish." "* * the pharaoh will strip the temples of your wealth." "The pharaoh will strip you of your power and influence." "The pharaoh will remove your gods" "From the people of egypt." "amun-ra has spoken through me." "Tutankhamun is not a god amongst the living." "He cannot be allowed to commit this blasphemous act." "The festival of ra awaits him." "It is then, when the people are delirious with drink," "That amun-ra will speak to all." "It is then that he will strike down this heathen lord" "Through you, his true believers." "It is then" "That tutankhamun will be removed" "From this world!" "* *" "I have mourned, and he has sacrificed what?" "Nothing!" "He continues to gain while i continue to bleed." "Wounds that will heal." "No, ay, wounds that will be ripped open when she wakes." "She shows no signs." "The gods will take her, my queen." "Calm yourself." "You cannot expose yourself again." "Ah!" "My queen." "My queen, do not." "It just happened, my lady." "I'll find the doctor." "Leave us." "What's...what's happened?" "Why am i here?" "You were badly injured." " Injured?" " You don't remember?" "Your baby is fine." "Then what happened to me?" "You were found in the quarantine, the fire." "Do you have any idea why you would have been there?" "Why would i possibly be in the quarantine?" "There's been no answer to that question." "Lie down, my child." "There, now." "The gods have answered the pharaoh's prayers." "Where is he?" "He'll be back soon." "Rest, do as the doctor says." "You're safe now." "It isn't the first time i've bled." "Let the girl rest." "Let her mind clear." "Then we will know what memories pose a threat." "She is a threat regardless." "Yes, but if she can't remember," "Then we do not need to act in haste." "Do not expose yourself needlessly again." "Do you understand?" "Yes." "It's already beginning to heal..." "My queen." "* *" "* *" "The boy king feeds the very army" "That will soon destroy his kingdom." "Allow the men to feast." "* *" "* *" "This one is spoiled." "Stop!" "Resin." "Fire." "* *" "Fire." "* *" "It's the egyptians." "Send in the guards." "* *" "Fire." "We know now how this ends." "Fight like a god." "* *" "* *" "can you still fight?" "I'm fine." "Then go finish this, my lord." "Finish it!" "* *" "I was expecting you," "But your sword will soon be dripping with your own blood" "As well as mine." "It is all lost." "The mitanni people will never bow to you." "They will never have to." "We must return to thebes." "Thebes can wait." "You think the high priest waits?" "My lord, that bone is broken." "Without proper medicine it will become infected." "No." "No, we will ride through dawn," "And you will help me stand." "You have your army now, my lord." "You have us all." "Rise, my friend." "My lady, you're still too weak." "I will get you the water." "I want to see sete." "Sete's gone." "Gone?" "I was told he went to care for his family in koptos." "Then please tell the vizier that i would..." "Madam?" "Vizier." "I need to tell you..." "I remember what happened." "It was you." "I'm sorry?" "You were trying to protect me." "My parents came to see me here in thebes." "You offered to look for them yourself," "Bring them back to the palace," "But that the pharaoh should know nothing about it," "That he wouldn't approve." "Are my parents here?" "No, but there was a misunderstanding." "To be certain, i sent a messenger to amurru," "And they're there." "They're safe." "Then why would i think that they were in thebes, vizier?" "I believe the message was simply" "That they intended to come, another misunderstanding." "I left the palace to find them." "I..." "I remember being mistaken for others" "Who were being taken into the quarantine." "After that i can't remember anything." "If you're concerned that the pharaoh" "Will hold you responsible," "I will tell him the truth." "The pharaoh will be angry with you" "If he learns you put yourself in harm's way." "I will tell him i encouraged you to go." "I will pray for mercy." "He will grant it," "And that will be the end of the matter." "I know why you're doing this," "To once again try and protect me." "When the pharaoh returns," "I will say nothing about any of it." "It will remain a mystery." "That will be the end of it." "Out." "She knows." "She told you?" "No, she's too clever for that." "She puts the blame on herself, but she was testing me." "She knows what happened." "She's going to reveal it all to the pharaoh." "Are you sure that you're not being paranoid?" "Did she implicate me?" "Perhaps she's telling the truth and she knows nothing." "I saw it in her eyes." "As you so valiantly told me..." "We mustn't expose ourselves needlessly." "I don't think she's that clever." "my lady?" "Nahkt." "I didn't mean to scare you." "What are you doing here?" "You'd rather i leave?" "No." "No, i'm happy to see you." "I'm just surprised." "I wanted to see how you were feeling." "We're friends, i thought." "We are." "Nahkt, will you help me?" "Anything." "I need to deliver a message to the pharaoh" "Before his return." "Only my father has permission" "To send correspondence to the pharaoh." "But you could find a way." "You're the vizier's son." "What is the message that's so important" "That it has to be sent now?" "I don't want to tell you." "Does your father really control you" "The way he controls everyone else?" "Of course he does." "Not if you don't want him to." "I carry the pharaoh's heir." "I'll be made queen." "Nahkt, please." "You will not tell him?" "I will not tell the vizier most of all." "You seek prayer?" "You've made your proclamation." "It is the will of the gods." "It is the will of the people." "My priests are ready, vizier." "Are you?" "I am here to reaffirm past promises." "Akhenaten's religion dies with tutankhamun." "You will keep your temples and your priests." "They will be yours to command." "This pleases the gods." "You will be well rewarded." "But this cannot be done alone." "Others have reason to see the pharaoh removed from power," "Others who can be used to our advantage." "You speak of general horemheb." "His ambitions are not consistent with my own." "Once it is done, he too can be removed." "You have the general's ear?" "I will." "Do not make a move until i say it is time," "You understand?" "The festival of ra will be in place?" "A day we will all celebrate for years to come." "Suhad asked me to have this delivered to the pharaoh." "Do you know what it says?" "Should i read it to you?" "Lies." "No, they're not." "Then why didn't you send it?" "Are you going to kill her, like she says," "To ensure there is no heir when you kill the pharaoh?" "You think i would plot to kill our king?" "Are you going to kill her?" "Yes, i am." "For reasons you fully understand." "Like you killed my mother." "I loved your mother." "Did you kill her?" "No, son." "You despised her for what she did." "I despised myself for not giving her the happiness" "Of a child." "She hated herself more for what then happened." "She took poison." "That's how she died." "She took her own life." "She wouldn't have left me." "She wasn't of sound mind." "She was not of sound mind." "You're still my son." "You'll be by my side," "Together." "What are you going to do?" "I was raised by you, father." "Do you really think i was her friend?" "I liked her," "But how could i be her friend" "When she carries an heir?" "The queen will never have a child," "Which leaves only me when you are pharaoh." "I will need your help." "* *" "* *" "Yah!" "Yah!" "Ohh!" "* *" "* *" "No." "No." "No." "* *" "I am so sorry, my lord." "She passed from this world only a short time ago." "This cannot be." "This cannot be the will of the gods." "What happened?" "What happened, ay?" "Look at me!" "You will get on your feet." "Get on your feet!" "I've been repeating" "A thousand lies to myself, brother." "But i'm tired of lying." "I was protecting us." "You were protecting us?" "Our blood," "Our dynasty," "Just as you did when you killed ka." "Ka left me for dead." "She did the same thing to me" "The moment she came into this palace." "She was with my child." "Were you to have a mitanni heir?" "Was that to be your dynasty?" "I loved her." "When has that ever mattered?" "You know in your heart" "That you could never be with her." "You are wrong." "She was all i had left in my heart." "Imprison her." "When the festival is concluded and the people of this city" "Once again bask in the glory of their kingdom," "They will bear witness to your execution." "No!" "No!" "No." "No, no." "Lagus." "Stay close to him, please." "I will not leave his side again." "Such a thin line" "Between life and death..." "A reminder of just how fragile we are." "So much vibrancy, youthful energy." "Seems so little next to the will of the gods." "If this was indeed the will of the gods," "All the more reason to abandon them." "Or to heed their wrath." "This is proof they do not sit idle." "Nor will i, while you turn my people against me." "They are not against you, my lord." "They merely stand for something that transcends us all." "And soon they will be free from your subjugation." "Protection, pharaoh tutankhamun." "Shame it was not offered to her," "But then..." "She was not a person of faith, was she?" "Yes, she was," "But it was her own..." "Not imposed by a false prophet." "You speak blasphemy." "Then tell your gods to strike me down!" "Tell them i am waiting!" "Until they do," "Continue your preparations for the festival." "And pray to those gods for your own protection." "No." "I will pray for yours," "As i always have." "He would have known..." "Even if he hadn't seen the bruises." "I said i would protect you." "Protect what?" "He'll never look at me the same way again." "Soon that may not matter." "Whatever you're scheming..." "There are forces at work beyond even my control." "You did what you had to do." "So must i." "Do not hurt him, ay." "He's already a wounded man." "There are some wounds that cannot be healed." "You cannot continue to stand on this leg, my lord." "I have little choice." "Then you are choosing between life and death." "He's right." "You must rest." "Let the medicine work." "He will be carried." "The pharaoh is in grave danger." "Yes, he is." "There can be no delay." "Is everything in order?" "Yes." "The people yearn to celebrate their king's victory." "They need to see you are unscathed from battle." "Except he's not." "Ay is right, lagus." "This only works when the high priest" "Makes his move." "I cannot show any weakness." "By nightfall, this will be over." "By nightfall, you will be dead." "I'll have the litter ready." "Cover the wound." "No one can know." "I don't share your trust in him." "I know his ambitions," "But we cannot do this without him." "Now come, help me dress." "It's a very simple question, general." "Do you want him dead?" "That's not a simple question, priest." "You will bleed if he remains in power." "You've heard what the vizier said." "He has not forgiven you for treason." "He intends to move on us both," "And we must strike first." "Once he's gone, you'll have your army." "The question remains." "Do you want him dead?" "Do you want me to kill him?" "It will not be enough to kill only tutankhamun." "Everyone loyal to him..." "Ministers, personal guards, servants..." "They must all be eliminated simultaneously." "Do you agree?" "General?" "Agreed." "you will strike against the palace." "My priests will converge on the pharaoh." "He will see you coming." "I don't think you appreciate" "My unique position within this city." "My priests are one with the people." "But the pharaoh must be exposed." "I've already seen to that." "Will your men carry this out?" "Will yours?" "It's one thing to take a man's soul, priest." "Quite another to take his life." "My priests are more versed than you think." "The festival begins shortly." "Try and stay sober." "Timing is everything." "* *" "* *" "* *" "* *" "Creator of the staff of life," "Arbiter of the final breath," "Dread lord of extinction." "Your greatness, the pharaoh has arrived." "Secure the entrance." "Report to me when he's in position." "* *" "Blade of endings," "Judgment of the true gods." "* *" "It is done, my lord." "They're all dead, high priest." " My priests!" " All of them." "My priests!" "all of them." "My people are no longer under your control." "I speak for the gods." "I am their voice." "You are..." "You no longer speak for anyone." "As your life slips away from you," "Know that your body will be disposed without ceremony," "Exiling you to eternal darkness." "Stay here." "Find the physician." "You stay with us, my lord." "It's not your time." "We've gone too far." "Stay with me." "There is no way to save him?" "He is in the hands of the gods." "Then give him peace." "You as well, lagus." "I will not leave him." "Bring me ankhesenamun." "Do this for me, my friend." "My lord." "If it is time for you to join the gods," "Then know..." "That you have left this kingdom" "Free from all her enemies." "The most treacherous enemy of all" "Is the one no one knows." "I asked you whom i can trust." "Do you remember what you said?" "No one." "I am soon to face that truth." "You will face it as well." "There is no real truth in this world..." "Only one's perception of it." "There is not much time." "I know you haven't forgiven me." "But i'm grateful that i'm allowed to see you." "You are still my blood." "You are still my sister." "What have i left for this world?" "For what purpose?" "I was not a builder of great monuments," "Not a conqueror of great lands." "I will be forgotten" "In the sand and time." "You will be remembered as a pharaoh" "Who understood the dignity of other men," "A pharaoh who would not waste" "The blood of his own" "To steal the riches of others," "A pharaoh..." "Who ruled not for himself" "But for his people." "That is the ideal" "Of a great and lasting king," "And that is how you," "Pharaoh tutankhamun..." "My brother..." "Will be remembered." "Will you stay with me until the end?" "Yes." "* *" "* *" "* *" "* *"