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ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
INT. SHIP’S GALLEY - DAY
Another month has passed. The atmosphere aboard ship is tense, almost bordering on mutiny. The weather has turned cold and stormy, forcing most of the Amazons below deck for extended periods. Food, water, and patience are growing thin, and the Amazons, never the most peaceable of people, grow more belligerent by the day.
A fair sized group, including Raya, is gathered in the galley, bunched tightly around a small, rickety table as the ship rocks and heaves beneath their feet.
DALMA If we don’t find land soon, I swear I’ll jump overboard and take my chances with the sea. I can’t take much more of this.
RAYA Who says we’ll even find land? None of us even knows where we’re going!
CELEN That’s true! We only have Xena’s word that this wonderful place exists. None of us has ever seen it.
DALMA Seen it? I’ve never even heard of it!
CELEN Nor have I.
RAYA I told you we shouldn’t have trusted her. She’s already murdered an entire tribe of our sisters. How do we know she’s not going to do the same with us?
The Amazons grumble in agreement.
RAYA We’ve followed her like children, allowing her to take us away from our homes, the land we’ve fought and bled for, the spirits of our ancestors! And for what? Months of floating around in an empty sea with no end in sight?
Raya rises from her seat, and unsheathes her sword.
RAYA (Cont’d) I say we take back what is ours! For the Amazons!
AMAZONS For the Amazons!!
The women turn to the door to find Gabrielle filling it, her face set and unreadable.
GABRIELLE You weren’t thinking of doing anything stupid, were you?
RAYA Step out of the way, my Queen. Once you’re away from Xena’s influence, we know you’ll see things our way.
GABRIELLE Well see, that’s where the problem is. To get to Xena, you’ll have to go through me.
RAYA Though it would pain us all to do so, my Queen... that can be arranged.
ADELIA ENOUGH!!
Adelia pushes her way through the crowd until she stands between Gabrielle and Raya. She turns so she is facing the Amazons, her face red with anger.
ADELIA (Cont’d) You’re Amazons! It’s about time you started acting like Amazons instead of crazed Harpies!
She gestures toward Gabrielle.
ADELIA (Cont’d) This is your Queen! The woman you have sworn on your lives to serve and protect!
Several Amazons shuffle their feet, uncomfortable, their zeal lost to Adelia’s passionate words.
RAYA She is under the spell of that witch, Xena.
ADELIA She is under no spell, Raya. She is trying to save what’s left of this nation! And this is how you would repay her? With mutiny?
RAYA What else would you have us do, Adelia? None of us knows where we’re going. None of us knows that there is even such a place! (beat, to Gabrielle) Have you ever been there?
GABRIELLE No, I haven’t, but....
RAYA See?? Even our Queen follows the Warrior Princess blindly into death! She’s under a spell, I tell you!
AMAZONS YES! GET XENA!! FOR THE AMAZONS!!!
Xena appears behind Gabrielle’s left shoulder, her eyes glittering.
XENA (very softly) You want me? Here I am.
The room falls silent once again.
Gabrielle steps into the room, and Xena moves to stand beside her.
XENA (Cont’d) C’mon, Raya. You want me out of the way? Fine. Give it your best shot.
Raya tightens her grip on her sword, jaws clenched, muscles tense. Then, just as suddenly, she relaxes and her gaze drops to the floor.
XENA (Cont’d) I thought as much.
She scans the crowd.
XENA (Cont’d) Anyone else wanna try?
The Amazons avoid her direct gaze, suddenly uncomfortable in the extreme.
XENA (Cont’d) You know, I don’t mind if someone calls me a murderer, or a liar. I’ve been all those things in my life. But when someone calls Gabrielle a traitor, well, I have a problem with that. And when I have a problem with something, the results can be nasty. And I don’t think you wanna see me when I’m nasty.
After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, Celen steps forward, hands empty and raised.
CELEN Xena, we don’t think our Queen is a traitor. (beat) At least, I don’t. It’s just that… we’re cold and we’re tired and we’re sick, and we just want to go home.
Xena’s expression softens.
XENA I know. And you’ll soon have that home. I promise.
CELEN But how can we be sure? We’ve never heard of this place. How do we know it even exists?
GABRIELLE If Xena says it exists, then it exists.
CELEN But how do we know?
XENA I’ve been there, Celen.
CUT TO:
EXT. SEA. FLASHBACK - MANY YEARS AGO
Xena dressed in furs, is standing on the deck of a small ship that is being tossed violently about by a strong storm. Behind her, the crew struggles to keep the ship afloat in the harsh wind and buffeting rains.
XENA (VO) After my time in the Norse lands, I commandeered a ship to sail back to Greece. It was spring, and the storms were intense, hitting us one after the other. The ship was crewed by Norsemen who knew their craft well, but even they couldn’t fight against Poseidon’s wrath.
CUT TO:
EXT. SEA. FLASHBACK - MANY YEARS AGO
Another storm buffets the ship. A huge wave turns the ship almost on its side. Crewmembers fly, screaming, into the sea. The ship is finally righted as another wave slams into it.
XENA (VO) We were blown far off course. Many died. Mostly the men who I’d recruited for a new army.
CUT TO:
EXT. SEA. FLASHBACK - MANY YEARS AGO
The ship continues to sail along a stormy sea. Caught in the valley between two huge waves, the hull is breached when it comes in contact with a sharp reef, tearing the ship almost in two. More men scream as they are thrown into the sea. The ship sinks quickly, leaving only small bits of itself to float on the buffeting waves.
XENA (VO) The ship was destroyed, and I was thrown into the sea with the rest of my men. I was one of the lucky ones. A board floated by and I was able to grab onto it. All around me, I could hear the screams of my men. They were injured, dying, begging the gods for help. Begging me.
CUT TO:
INT. GALLEY - PRESENT DAY
Gabrielle puts a hand on Xena’s arm, her eyes sad.
GABRIELLE Xena....
XENA (smiling slightly) It’s all right, Gabrielle. They need to know.
CUT TO:
EXT. SEA. FLASHBACK - MANY YEARS AGO
Men scream and thrash about in the sea. The water churns and froths. Fins appear, bisecting the water with evil intent.
XENA (VO) So many of us in the water attracted sharks who fed on the injured and the dying. The sea ran red with their blood. One of my men, my second in command floated over to me. I grabbed him, but when I did, he tipped back. There was nothing left of him below the waist.
CUT TO:
EXT. BEACH. FLASHBACK - MANY YEARS AGO
Unconscious, Xena and several of her men float up onto a sandy beach. All are injured, dehydrated, and appear dead. A group of men and women, mahogany skinned with black hair, little clothing, and decorated with feathers and shells, appear on the beach. Immediately, they go to the aid of the strangers, pulling them out of the water and onto the shore, tending them.
XENA (VO) Somehow, we managed to wash up on the beach of a land I’d never seen. Its people were kind, and took us in, feeding us, sheltering us, and tending to our injuries as if we were their own. All without once ever asking us for anything in return.
INTERCUT TO:
Various scenes of the beautiful, bountiful land, its native people, and Xena’s crew as they become stronger as the days pass.
XENA (VO) It wasn’t long before we were back to full strength and exploring the land the Fates had guided us to. I’d never seen beauty like that anywhere, before or since. My men called it “the land of milk and honey”. For one of the first times in my life, I felt a sense of peace, and of home.
CELEN (VO) Why didn’t you stay?
XENA (VO) I couldn’t. As I grew stronger, the rage in me started to return. And I knew that if I stayed much longer, I would turn it against the very people who had saved my life. The native people and the Norse crewmen who had managed to stay alive were experts at ship building. Together we built a ship that would carry me back to Greece.
Several scenes of a ship being built.
XENA (VO) When the job was done, I boarded that ship. In one of the few decisions during that period of my life which I can be proud of, I gave my men a choice. Come with me, or stay on this land that they’d come to love. A few chose to return with me. The rest I let stay, with my blessing. And then I left, to give vent to my rage once again.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. GALLEY - PRESENT DAY
Gabrielle stands close to Xena, one arm around her waist. The Amazons listen enthralled. More than one has tears in her eyes.
AMAZON CREWMEMBER (VO) Land ho! Land!! Land ho!
The Amazons push past Xena and Gabrielle, yelling in excitement. Xena and Gabrielle embrace tightly.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEW WORLD (North America) - DAY
Xena and Gabrielle stand on the shore, watching the Amazons joyfully embrace their new home. Native people smile, and greet the women, welcoming them to this land of bounty and beauty.
Celen breaks free from the crowd and approaches Xena and Gabrielle. Her face is flushed with excitement and joy.
CELEN Xena, Gabrielle, I can’t thank you enough. This place is everything you said, and more. I’m sorry we ever doubted you.
GABRIELLE It’s all right, Celen. I’m just glad you like it.
CELEN Like it? I love it! This is a fitting home for the Amazons. You are truly our Queen. Thank you.
GABRIELLE Don’t thank me. Thank Xena. She’s the one who got us here in one piece.
CELEN Thank you, Xena. From the bottom of my heart. You will always have a place of honor among the Amazons.
XENA Just be happy. That’s reward enough.
CELEN Oh, I assure you. We will.
Celen leaves to join her fellows. Xena and Gabrielle turn to one another, smiling.
GABRIELLE Well, you did it.
XENA (smirking) Yes, we did.
Gabrielle embraces Xena tightly, then kisses her. The kiss grows deeper, until finally Xena pulls away slightly.
XENA (Cont’d) C’mon. I promised you a wedding night to remember.
Gabrielle laughs and the two walk toward the native village, hand in hand.
FADE OUT.
TAG
EXT. SHORE. DAY - A WEEK LATER
Xena and Gabrielle stand at the shore. Cydell stands next to a rowboat, ready to escort them back to the fully stocked and ready ship looming behind them.
ADELIA Are you sure you won’t reconsider? The Nation needs her Queen, and we need our friends.
GABRIELLE I’m sorry, Adelia, but we can’t. Not now. Xena and I have too much journeying left to do. (beat) But we’ll be back one day. I promise.
ADELIA We’ll hold you to that, my Queen. Xena. May the spirits of our ancestors guide you safely home, and return you back to us very soon.
The group embraces, then steps away.
As Xena and Gabrielle turn toward the rowboat, EPHINY appears, shimmering between them.
GABRIELLE Ephiny?
EPHINY Thank you, Xena. You kept your promise and didn’t let the Amazon Nation die. We’ll always be in your debt.
XENA No. The debt is paid. I can’t erase what I did all those years ago. I can only hope that the Amazons will live on in spite of it.
EPHINY Because of it, Xena. It made the person you are now. The person I’m proud to call my friend. (beat, to Gabrielle) And you, my friend, have proven yourself to be the true Queen of the Amazons. You’ve given us a home and a reason to live again. We’ll never forget that. Ever.
Ephiny steps in and embraces them both tightly.
EPHINY (Cont’d) Good journey. And please come home again, soon.
Gabrielle smiles through her tears.
GABRIELLE We will. I promise.
Ephiny fades from sight, and Xena and Gabrielle step into the rowboat. As it pulls away from shore, Gabrielle turns to face the Amazons, who are waving and shouting their goodbyes.
GABRIELLE (Cont’d) I’m going to miss this place.
Xena smiles and puts an arm around her shoulders.
XENA Oh, I have a feeling we’ll be back again.
FADE OUT.
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