ACT FOUR

FADE IN

INT. AUDIENCE CHAMBER - EVENING

Xena and Gabrielle are surprised by the Queen’s shouting and rush to stop her.   Xena puts her hand over the Queen’s mouth and Gabrielle runs to close the door.

XENA

We can explain.

GABRIELLE

Queen Serena, please allow us

the chance to show you proof

that your life is in danger.

Rhea enters the room in a rush, fearful that something has happened to her Queen.  She is surprised at the sight of Xena holding her hand over the Queen’s mouth and turns to call for the guards again.

Gabrielle stops Rhea at the door.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Rhea, we’ve found proof that Cyrus

intends to kill the Queen.  Please…

go out and tell the guards that the

Queen just saw a rat and that

you’ve already killed it.

Rhea looks at Xena, then back to Gabrielle and decides that they are not intending to harm the Queen after all.

RHEA

I’ll be right back.

Gabrielle stands before the Queen and holds out the parchment.

GABRIELLE

This will show you that Cyrus is behind

this threat.  Xena will release you if you

promise to wait until you have heard

us out before you call for the guards?

The Queen slowly nods her head and turns to face Xena when she is released, obviously upset by Xena’s actions.  Gabrielle steps forward and hands the parchment to her.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

I found this parchment in Cyrus’ quarters.

I could feel the impression of words on this

sheet that were made from the pressure of

writing on the previous sheet.  Xena put ash

on this to make the words stand out.

Gabrielle hands the parchment to the Queen.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Many of the words are unreadable, but

you can get the general idea of the letter

by what is left.  Someone has been hired

to assassinate you after the end of the new

moon cycle when the document you signed

giving power to Cyrus becomes effective.

XENA

That’s tomorrow, your Majesty.

The Queen reads the parchment several times.  As she reads Rhea re-enters the room and nods at Gabrielle.

QUEEN SERENA

I am aware of this

threat of assassination.

GABRIELLE

You are?  Then you know

your life is in danger and

that we are here to help.

XENA

How did you find out?

Queen Serena turns to face Xena.

QUEEN SERENA

Cyrus came to me early this morning.

He said he had information that you and

Gabrielle were the assassins and that

you had killed six of my guards when

they came to arrest you at your camp.

GABRIELLE

If anyone killed the guards, it

was Cyrus.  They were alive

and tied to a tree when we left.

QUEEN SERENA

How did you get back

into the castle?

RHEA

I helped them, my Queen.

QUEEN SERENA

So, you are in

with these two?

RHEA

My Queen, you’ve known me for a very

long time.  I would never do you harm;

nor would your staff or castle guards.

They only answer to Cyrus because it is

your wish.  Please… Xena and Gabrielle

are truly here to help you, not harm you.

The Queen absorbs her servant’s words and paces across the room.  She stops and looks out the window noticing a flurry of activity in the courtyard.  She turns to face the three women waiting for her answer.

QUEEN SERENA

Why should I trust you?

GABRIELLE

Queen Serena, what would we

gain by assassinating you?

QUEEN SERENA

Why you could take my lands, rule

my people, take my treasury.  Cyrus

says that Xena has returned to being a

warlord and she is forming a new army.

GABRIELLE

Queen Serena, Cyrus is lying.  He

also stands to gain the same if you

die after tomorrow.  There is only

one way for us to find the truth.

QUEEN SERENA

What would you have me do?

XENA

Summon Cyrus.  Once he’s....

Xena’s words are cut off as Cyrus and a dozen guards burst into the room.

The Queen and Rhea move to a corner of the chamber and out of harm’s way as the guards attack.

Gabrielle and Xena move back-to-back to face the onslaught of the guards coming from both directions and reach for their weapons. 

Two guards rush Xena at once and she parries their swords with her right hand as her left hand punches the guard on the left, knocking him backwards.  She follows through with her left hand, setting it on the shoulder of the second guard and twists into the air, kicking out at the next two guards as they rush into the fray.

Another two guards rush Gabrielle and she ducks below the swinging blade of the guard to her right, flipping her sais so the butt end is forward.  Using the momentum of her duck and turn, she punches the guard that was to her left, and jabs the gut of the guard she’s just passed.  Both guards are now bent over and Gabrielle dispatches them with blows to their heads with the butts of her sais.

Landing back on the ground, Xena grabs the tunic of the guard she used for a lift and spins him into the next two guards.  She looks back over her shoulder to see Gabrielle is now surrounded by four guards.  Xena reaches down for her chakram and sends it careening off the wall and into the helmets of the two closest guards, knocking them unconscious then grabs the returning chakram and replaces it at her waist.

Gabrielle now focuses on her two remaining guards.  She flips her sai points forward and rushes them, catching their swords in the curved hilts.  Using their efforts to raise their swords, she flips between them, neatly disarming them and landing behind them.  Two quick blows with the butts of the sais send them to the floor beside their mates.

Xena turns to face the three guards regaining their balance and grins as she exchanges sword blows with each, backing them into a corner.

XENA

(taunting)

C’mon Cyrus.  This all ya got?

As Cyrus watches the action he realizes that the guards are losing the fight. 

CYRUS

(under his breath)

No, this can’t be happening…

I’ll lose everything.

In desperation he decides to push the action closer to the Queen and Rhea so that they can be killed in the fighting.  Without them to back up Xena and Gabrielle, he knows he can convince the rest of the guard that Xena and Gabrielle killed them.

Cyrus moves behind the Queen and Rhea, drawing his dagger. As he raises the weapon and prepares to stab the Queen a bright point of light appears between him and the Queen causing him to gasp and back away as it develops into Carena.

Xena’s attention is drawn to the light and she sees Cyrus with his dagger at the ready.  She grabs her chakram from her belt and releases it.  It bounces once off the corner wall then hits Cyrus’ wrist disarming him.  Rhea turns and sees Cyrus holding his injured wrist and moves the Queen away from him, but exposes her to the sight of her sister’s ghostly apparition in the process.

QUEEN SERENA

No… it can’t be....

CARENA

Yes, Serena, I am here.  Xena and

Gabrielle are right.  Cyrus is the

one who meant to do you harm.

QUEEN SERENA

Carena?  Carena, is it really you?

Cyrus makes a move to flee, but Rhea grabs a marble sculpture from the table in the corner.  She brings it down violently on Cyrus’ head and sends him crashing unconscious to the floor.  Carena rushes to her sister, holding her in a tight embrace.

XENA

Nice move, Rhea.

Rhea shrugs and drops the statue.  Then she walks to where Xena and Gabrielle are standing as they watch the two sisters.

CARENA

Yes, my sister, it’s me.

QUEEN SERENA

But… you’re....

CARENA

Dead?  Yes, but I have

been watching out for you.

The two sisters embrace once more.  Another flash of light appears between Xena and Gabrielle and takes the shape of Aphrodite, who puts her arms around them. 

APHRODITE

Aww, sisterly love, it so rocks!

The three guards stare at Aphrodite with dropped jaws.  She winks.  They faint.

APHRODITE

(cont’d)

Nice to see I still totally

have what it takes!

GABRIELLE

What are you doing here?

APHRODITE

I thought I’d like, you know,

pop in and see if I could help.

XENA

Help?

APHRODITE

Sure thing, warrior babe.

I still have a few radical

tricks up my sleeves.

Aphrodite reaches for her gossamer garment and pulls, then shrugs.

APHRODITE

(cont’d)

Well, you know what I mean.  Anyway, I

can bring Carena back to life.  It’s that

whole power and purity of sibling love thing,

and since they’re like, twins it’s that much

easier.  When love is this strong, I can do

wonders… if Carena wants to that is.

But it has to be totally her decision.

QUEEN SERENA

You can bring my

sister back to me?

APHRODITE

Only if she wants to.

It’s her decision.

Aphrodite looks at Carena who is weighing the choice seriously.

CARENA

I don’t think I can.

Carena throws up her hand as Serena starts to protest.

CARENA

(cont’d)

No, Serena, you are the Queen.  You’re a

fair and kind ruler and the people love you.

What would they say if I were to return to life?

You know how superstitious they are.  It

wouldn’t be wise and things would not go well.

QUEEN SERENA

But....

APHRODITE

How about a compromise?

Carena and Serena look at the goddess.  Aphrodite addresses Carena.

APHRODITE

(cont’d)

I could put your... soul... into Serena’s

mind and body.  You could both exist,

you know, together.  Your strength

and wisdom would radically balance

Serena’s kindness and fairness.

CARENA

Would we be conscious

of the other?

APHRODITE

Absolutely!  It would be just like you

were standing here side by side.

No one would see Carena, but

you would feel her in your heart.

CARENA

Serena?

Serena smiles and nods.

SERENA

I have hurt too long to be separated

from you again.  Please Carena...

let Aphrodite do this.

CARENA

Thank you Aphrodite.

I accept.

Aphrodite moves to raise her hand.

CARENA

(cont’d)

Wait!  First let me

thank my friends.

Carena walks to Xena and Gabrielle and embraces each of them.

CARENA

(cont’d)

Thank you for saving my sister.

We are in your debt.

Carena then embraces Rhea.

CARENA

(cont’d)

Rhea, you’ve been a faithful

servant for many years.

Thank you for caring for Serena.

RHEA

I shall miss you, my Princess, but

I will be delighted to see joy on

Serena’s face once more.

Carena hugs the old woman once more then moves back to her sister.

CARENA

Are you ready Serena?

When Serena nods, Aphrodite raises her arm sending a flash of light toward Carena causing the apparition to glow and move over Serena where she is slowly absorbed into her body.

Xena pulls Gabrielle to her in an embrace as they watch Serena’s eyes close, then open, her face exhibiting a brilliant smile that has been missing for fifteen years.

GABRIELLE

Ah, now that’s what I

call a happy ending.

APHRODITE

Well, gotta go…lots of

love to spread around!

Aphrodite winks at Gabrielle and disappears in a flash of sparkling lights.

Queen Serena notices that Cyrus and most of the guards are starting to come to.

QUEEN SERENA

Guards, take Cyrus to the dungeon

where he can contemplate what will

happen to him for his crimes against me.

The guards stand sluggishly and pick up their weapons.  They grab Cyrus and exit the room.

QUEEN SERENA

(cont’d)

I hope you will accept the hospitality

of staying with us for the night before

you return to your journeys?

GABRIELLE

Thank you.  A nice soft bed

and a bath would be welcome.

CUT TO:

INT. TAPESTRY LINED HALLWAY - NIGHT

Gabrielle is standing before the tapestry that depicts an extensive labyrinth.  Xena rounds the corner and sees Gabrielle.

XENA

Well, there you are.  I was

beginning to think you couldn’t

find the way back to our room.

GABRIELLE

Nah, two lefts, down two stairs, left,

right, another right, up three stairs, then

left and it’s the second door on the right.

XENA

Yep, that’s it.  What’s up?

GABRIELLE

I’m just fascinated by this tapestry.

It doesn’t look anything like the

room we were in.  There are

walls in this one... see?

Xena traces the path they had taken with Carena as their guide.

XENA

Yep, we went here,

here, then over....

GABRIELLE

But... the walls.

XENA

Right, that’s what makes it so difficult.

All the walls weren’t put into the actual

room so that it would confuse anyone

who may have tried to use the tapestry as

a key.  That’s why it’s a puzzle labyrinth.

GABRIELLE

Well, their great-grandfather

sure liked to confuse folks.

XENA

Just like he did with this castle... all the

twists and turns in the corridors and stairs.

It’s just another series of safe guards he

put in place.  Only those that live here have

a good knowledge of where everything is.

Xena puts her arm around Gabrielle and turns her toward the end of the hallway.

XENA

(cont’d)

C’mon, let’s get

back to the room.

GABRIELLE

Great idea… I think I hear

a hot bath and a soft

bed calling our names.

XENA

(smirking)

Not necessarily in that order!

They both head down the corridor laughing.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR

TAG

FADE IN:

EXT. VILLAGE - MORNING

Xena and Gabrielle are at one end of the village, noting the difference between what it had been and what it now is.

Gone are the guards in every doorway.  Instead, a merchant train has come in and the traders are doing a brisk business with the local merchants, both in the buying and selling of goods.

GABRIELLE

Looks like Carena had a

conversation with Serena.

XENA

I think you’re right.  Look!

Xena points to where a group of people are clustered together.  Gabrielle stretches and strains but can’t see anything but the melee of people.

GABRIELLE

What?  I don’t see anything

but a mob of people.

A pair of hands on her hips pulls a startled squawk from her lips.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

XENA!?!  Wha... oh.

That’s great!

In the midst of the crowd stands Queen Serena, greeting people and looking happier than anyone remembers her ever being.

She sees Gabrielle head and shoulders above the crowd and mouths ‘Thank you’.  Gabrielle smiles and nods in return before Xena lowers her to the ground.

They start out of town unnoticed.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

We did good.

XENA

Yeah, we did.

She wraps an arm around Gabrielle’s shoulders.

XENA

(cont’d)

However, we need to have a

little talk about my ears pulling

kitchen duty for me.

GABRIELLE

They’re cute ears.

XENA

Gabrielle!

GABRIELLE

They heard some important

stuff.  They didn’t mind.

XENA

GABRIELLE!!!

Gabrielle slips out of Xena’s grasp and takes off at a run laughing.  Xena stands still for a moment to make the chase more interesting.  With a smirk, she turns to Argo.

XENA

(cont’d)

C’mon girl.  We’ve got

us a bard to catch.

FADE OUT.

DISCLAIMER

Neither the sensitivity of Xena’s ears nor her questionable

cooking skills were lost in the labyrinth of this motion picture.