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ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. MOUNTAIN VALLEY - DAY
Xena and Gabrielle enter a stunning valley, full of beautiful trees, gorgeous flowers, and pretty waterfalls. It is picture perfect. As they walk through a field of knee high grass, a flock of butterflies takes flight around them, surrounding them with wild color.
Gabrielle stops to watch them.
GABRIELLE Wow.
Xena pulls up next to her and rests her forearm on Gabrielle's shoulder.
XENA I must be getting old. I'm starting to like watching stuff like this.
Gabrielle gives Xena a look, and rolls her eyes.
GABRIELLE C'mon, grandma.
They continue on through the valley. It seems deserted. There are no other people visible, no roads, and no signs of habitation.
GABRIELLE (cont’d)
It sure is quiet out here.
Xena looks around her.
XENA
Never was much civilization around
Gabrielle glances at Xena.
GABRIELLE
That's right. It's not that far away, is
Xena nods. She looks in the direction Gabrielle mentioned, then looks away.
XENA What's left of it.
Gabrielle plucks a stem of grass and chews on it as they walk. They head for a level area at the bottom of the valley, near the banks of a small stream.
When they get there, Gabrielle puts her things down, and walks into the surrounding trees to get firewood. Xena takes their bags down from Argo II's back and starts to set up camp.
Neither speaks. They work together in comfortable silence, performing tasks they have both done now for a long time. Gabrielle kneels and arranges the firewood, as Xena goes to the stream and fills their containers of water.
Xena pauses, and tastes the water. She finds it acceptable, so she fills up the skins, and also a small black pot that she brings back to where Gabrielle is working.
Gabrielle takes the pot. She pats Xena's leg, but doesn't comment. Xena ruffles her hair, then goes to a nearby half buried boulder and sits down on it.
XENA (cont’d)
Water's nice.
Gabrielle finishes lighting the fire. She rests her elbows on her knee and looks at the creek.
GABRIELLE
Sure. My back's a little
A look of concern crosses Xena's face. She starts to get up, then changes her mind and resumes her seat. She begins to take off her boots.
XENA
You could have
Gabrielle looks over her shoulder at Xena. Her face bears a warmly knowing expression, but Xena doesn't see it.
GABRIELLE
If it had been bad
Gabrielle gets up and dusts her hands off. She casually picks up the pot of water, and with a quick motion, douses Xena with it.
GABRIELLE (cont’d)
Race you to the water.
Gabrielle starts running towards the creek, removing her clothes as she does.
Xena sits in a brief shock, water dripping from her hair.
XENA You little....
Xena throws her boots and leg armor down and bolts after her. They both reach the water at about the same time, and in the same relative state of undress, and jump in, causing a healthy splash.
Their laughter is the only human sound to be heard.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAMPSITE - NIGHT
Xena is stretched out on their sleeping furs on her side, head propped up on one fist. She watches Gabrielle write in her diary.
It is late. The stars are out overhead, and crickets are sounding all around them.
XENA
I can see I'm not going to
Gabrielle smiles.
GABRIELLE
Lucky me. Remind me to
Xena gives Gabrielle a look. Gabrielle grins.
XENA How's your back now?
GABRIELLE Fine, really.
Xena's eyes narrow in speculation.
XENA Sure?
GABRIELLE (slightly exasperated) Xena.
XENA
Okay. I was going to offer a
GABRIELLE
Oo... well, you know, I'm kinda
Xena smirks. She gets up and goes to Gabrielle's side, pushing her flat in a gentle motion. Gabrielle stretches out willingly on her stomach, resting her chin on her hands as Xena starts to work.
GABRIELLE (cont’d)
It's nice to be out here
Xena looks pleased to hear this.
XENA Been a while.
GABRIELLE It's almost like a....
A scream is heard, ringing over the trees from moderately far away. Gabrielle stops talking and looks over her shoulder at Xena. Xena looks back at her.
They both sigh simultaneously. Xena gets up, and offers Gabrielle a hand up. She pulls Gabrielle to her feet and they start to throw on their weapons.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) Knew it was too good to last.
XENA
Want to stay here and
Gabrielle gives Xena one of those looks. Xena frowns, but just shakes her head. Xena mounts Argo, then turns and offers Gabrielle a hand up behind her.
GABRIELLE I can run.
XENA Argo can run faster. C'mon.
After this token protest, Gabrielle allows herself to be pulled onboard, and they gallop off towards the sounds of chaos.
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODLAND CLEARING - NIGHT
The clearing is full of men, torches, yelling, and the sound of fighting. It is dark, except for the light from the torches, and it is very difficult to see what is really going on.
Xena and Gabrielle ride into the side of the clearing and stop, sliding off Argo, and then pausing.
GABRIELLE
Okay. Who's the bad
Xena makes a quick assessment.
XENA
Go for the ones
Xena throws herself into the fight. She grabs the nearest grubby thug whacking on someone and slams her fist into his head. The man doesn't budge. Xena is shocked. She pulls back her hand to hit him again, then the man just collapses into a pile of rattling armor.
Xena looks at her fist, then at the man, then shakes her head and goes onto the next grubby thug.
Gabrielle selects her opponents more carefully. She ducks between two men struggling together and turns, neatly tripping the one that seems more aggressive. His opponent is an older man, dressed in non-descript clothes under makeshift armor, and he moves out of the way as Gabrielle boots the rising thug in the jaw with an easy kick and knocks him out.
MAN Thank you!
Gabrielle smiles, but her eyes widen as she sees two men with maces bearing down on them.
GABRIELLE Hold that thought.
The man turns and sees the two thugs attacking. He starts to run towards them, but Gabrielle steps in front of him and he is force to stop or run into her.
MAN Watch it! Get of the way!
GABRIELLE (pointing) Hey, look over there!
The man whirls. Gabrielle is now free to confront the men.
Gabrielle draws her sais and meets the first of the attackers, catching his mace on the one of them and shoving it back up into his face. She turns to face the other, but has to duck as he is propelled over her head by a kick from Xena, who apparently just happened to be nearby.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) Hey!
XENA You snooze, you lose.
Xena somersaults off, kicking and punching as she cuts through a group of raiders and sending them scattering.
GABRIELLE (yelling) I wasn't snoozing.
Gabrielle turns to look for another target, but it is obvious now that there are far more raiders than defenders. More raiders rush in from the far side of the clearing. Gabrielle picks up a spear and catches on of them just as he is about to smack her over the head. The end of the spear gets him right in the groin and he lets out a sound loud enough to break glass.
One of the defenders sees the new attackers.
MAN
There's too many! We have to get
The raiders are grabbing the contents of a wagon and running off now as the defenders scatter. It is too dark for them to be sorted out, and rather than attack innocents Xena and Gabrielle hesitate, coming to stand back to back in the center of the clearing as the raiders escape with their booty.
GABRIELLE
Xena, we can't just let
Xena watches the last of the raiders disappear into the darkness.
XENA
We don't know how many of
Gabrielle gives Xena a look, then she sheathes her sais and goes to help one of the victims stand up. Slowly, the defenders gather in the clearing, some limping, some being helped. Three are beyond help, lying dead on the ground. One of the men, the first one Xena helped, comes up to her.
MAN
Thanks, strangers.
XENA They just after your goods?
MAN
This time, yeah. We thought we'd
XENA Bad idea.
The man looks around, sees the three dead. His shoulders slump.
MAN Jackals.
Xena observes the man's makeshift armor. Several other men gather around them, similarly dressed, along with other men obviously merchants.
MERCHANT Jaral! You promised to protect us!
XENA He was trying.
MERCHANT
Trying? That's all they do is try.
Several other merchants mutter in agreement. Gabrielle and Xena exchange looks.
GABRIELLE Where were you going? Is it far?
MERCHANT
Just over that ridge, to the
XENA We'll help you get there.
JARAL Maybe you can give us some ideas while you're at it. You seem to know what your doing.
Xena half smiles at the faint compliment. Gabrielle merely chuckles and shakes her head.
MERCHANT Any ideas will be better than what we've been doing. It's just not working!
XENA Gabrielle, stay here and help those wounded. I'll get our stuff.
Xena jumps on Argo and rides off before Gabrielle has a chance to protest. Gabrielle starts to say something, then stops. She walks over to the nearest wounded man and kneels next to him, reaching for a piece of cloth to bandage his wounds.
CUT TO:
EXT. SMALL VILLAGE - NIGHT
Xena, Gabrielle, the remaining defenders, and the merchants approach the entrance to a small village, set deep inside the mountain forest.
The gates to the village are made of wood, and though sturdily built they are obviously not meant to hold back any serious attack. On either side of the gate is a burning torch marking the entrance, and a guard nearby dressed as the defenders are.
There is sign of siege about the village. The defenders look drawn and discouraged. Near the gates, and on the walls of the small homes and shops just inside is evidence of attacks. Parts of walls are burned or missing, and one hut is collapsed into itself, materials on the ground outside showing that it is in the process of being rebuilt.
GABRIELLE (under her breath) Thought there weren't any towns around.
Xena hears her. She moves closer. Xena is leading Argo, who is carrying two of the dead bodies.
XENA Wasn't here the last time I was.
GABRIELLE Xena, an entire civilization could have rose and fell since then.
XENA Hah. Hah.
Gabrielle peers at the village.
GABRIELLE Looks like they've been having a tough time. Maybe we *can* help.
XENA Maybe.
The guards open the gates and they enter the town. It is late, but several doors open on hearing them and people come out, dismayed when they see the dead bodies. Jaral leads them to the village square.
JARAL You can leave the bodies here. I have to go get their families.
Xena gives Jaral a sympathetic look.
XENA Tough job.
Jaral looks at Xena, and sees understanding in her eyes. He manages a weak smile.
JARAL I'll go wake the marshal. He'll be very disappointed. He hoped this new idea might work.
XENA Marshal?
The townsfolk are now gathering in agitation. They are frightened, and frustrated.
JARAL He runs our militia. He's tried everything. I just... oh, wait, here he comes.
Gabrielle has been standing off to one side a little, and has a good view of the arriving townsfolk. One is taller than the rest, and starts pushing forward to the center. Gabrielle spots him.
XENA Can't be much of a marshal if....
GABRIELLE Xena.
Gabrielle grabs Xena's forearm in a grip. Xena recognizes the tone of Gabrielle's voice as one that can only mean trouble. Xena moves over to Gabrielle's side, and Gabrielle points to the man heading towards them. Jaral also looks.
JARAL Aye, that's the marshal.
Xena and Gabrielle look at each other, then at the man.
GABRIELLE Xena, that's....
XENA My brother, Toris. Yeah.
Now thirty odd years older than his sister, Toris is a man past middle age, and is dressed in a form of the armor the defenders are wearing. He shades his eyes from the torchlight and looks across the square, right at them.
He recoils in recognition, with obvious shock and anger.
GABRIELLE Uh oh.
XENA Guess it's not gonna to be a warm family reunion.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
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