ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. TORIS’ COTTAGE - NIGHT

It is very tense inside Toris' cottage. Gabrielle and Xena stand on one side of the room, Toris on the other. The room itself is relatively spare and simple. There is a bed on one side, and handmade furniture, a small table, and a chest under the window.

TORIS

Damn Jaral for bringing you here.

Xena's eyes narrow. Gabrielle holds up a hand.

GABRIELLE

Wait a minute. He didn't

bring us. We decided to help.

TORIS

Help? YOUR help is the one

thing we don't need here.

Xena snorts.

XENA

Oh yeah, you're doing great.

Toris turns and points at her.

TORIS

Get out of here, Xena.

Gabrielle's peacemaker gene kicks in, reluctantly. Toris has never been her favorite person, and time has not warmed her regard for him.

GABRIELLE

Okay, hold it. We didn't come

here on purpose. We were just

passing through and heard fighting.

TORIS

You should have kept passing.

GABRIELLE

And let those people

die? Not our style.

Toris stares at Gabrielle

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Look, I know it's a

shock seeing us, but....

TORIS

Shock?

(shaking head)

How about nightmare? If there

was one good thing about your

disappearing, it was that you'd

never be back to cause more

pain to my family again.

Gabrielle is taken aback.

GABRIELLE

What? What did I ever

do to your family?

Xena's face changes, as she realizes what Toris means.

TORIS

Not you. Oh, not you, Gabrielle.

You're just the unlucky little

pawn stuck to my sister.

He turns, and stares at Xena.

TORIS

(cont’d)

I watched our mother burn.

Gabrielle steps between them.

GABRIELLE

That wasn't Xena's fault.

TORIS

Don't lie, Gabrielle. It was

her fault, and she knows it!

(pointing at Xena)

Don't you?

Xena's face is grim.

XENA

I....

TORIS

Go on, Xena. Tell me it wasn't your

fault she was taken out, beaten, and

burned to death! Because of you!

GABRIELLE

Toris! We would have

stopped it if we could have!

TORIS

It doesn't matter! Don't you see?

Wherever she is, pain and grief are.

She killed my entire family.

I don't want to be next.

GABRIELLE

But....

XENA

Come on, Gabrielle.

Xena starts to leave, taking hold of Gabrielle's arm.

GABRIELLE

Xena, wait a minute.

This isn't fair.

XENA

(curtly)

Let's go.

Gabrielle has to choose whether to pull herself free from Xena or allow Xena to tow her out of the room. She chooses to leave.

But not without a final word.

GABRIELLE

What about the men who

died tonight? Aren't they on

your conscience, Toris?

Xena and Gabrielle leave. Toris stands looking at the open door for a long moment, then goes to it and slams it closed.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAMPSITE - NIGHT

Xena and Gabrielle are back in their own campsite. Xena sits by the fire, staring into it. Gabrielle is still outraged.

GABRIELLE

How can he say things

like that, Xena?

XENA

(quietly)

Because they're true.

Gabrielle stops pacing.

GABRIELLE

C'mon, you know they're....

XENA

Gabrielle, they are true.

(pausing)

Lyceus, my father....  My mother...

my son. They all died because of me.

Gabrielle comes and sits next to Xena, putting a hand on her arm.

GABRIELLE

Xena.

XENA

He's right. Everyone who

gets close to me gets hurt.

Gabrielle takes a breath.

Xena looks at Gabrielle.

XENA

(cont’d)

Look me in the eye and

tell me that's not true.

Gabrielle does look her in the eye.

GABRIELLE

Life hurts everyone, Xena.

Xena gets up, and tosses a rock into the fire. It sends sparks flying upward.

XENA

Yeah. Well, I guess that just proves

the old saying that life sucks.

Xena walks off into the darkness. Gabrielle is left to stare pensively at the fire.

CUT TO:

EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE - MORNING

In daylight, the village looks even more battered. Jaral walks across the square, and stops, looking around. He shakes his head. Toris approaches him from the opposite direction.

TORIS

We have work to do.

Jaral looks at him.

JARAL

She could have helped us.

Toris is angry.

TORIS

You don't know anything about it.

You don't know her. Thank the

gods we no longer have that

I kept it that way for you.

JARAL

I don't understand.

Toris grabs his sleeve and starts walking towards one of the town's buildings.

TORIS

You don't have to. Gather the

men. I want to talk to all who

were attacked last night.

Something must have been missed.

JARAL

Nothing was missed, Toris! There

were just too many of them! They'll

be back, and we can't stop them.

TORIS

We'll find a way. Go find the men.

Toris gives Jaral a shove towards a side street, and continues on to the building.

JARAL

(under his breath)

I thought we found a way last night.

Shaking his head, Jaral goes off.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAMPSITE - MORNING

Gabrielle is asleep, still covered in furs that appear to have been tucked carefully in around her. The fire has been tended, and the campsite tidied.

It is quiet, and apparently peaceful. Suddenly, however, Gabrielle wakes with a start and half sits up, looking around her in alarm. Xena is nowhere to be seen.

GABRIELLE

Xena!

Xena appears from among the nearby trees. She is obviously just coming from a bath, her hair is wet, and there are water droplets on her skin.

Gabrielle spots her and appears relieved.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

There you are.

Xena sets her armor down and walks over to where Gabrielle is sitting. She takes a seat on a log next to her.

XENA

Morning. I was trying

not to wake you up.

Gabrielle sits up and pulls the furs around her. She is still a little dazed from sleep.

GABRIELLE

Wish you had. I might have missed

that last dream. Been up long?

Xena doesn't answer.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Did you go to sleep at all?

Xena shrugs.

XENA

I heard staying up all night is good

for ya. Thought I'd give it a try.

Gabrielle reaches out and puts a hand on Xena's leg, giving her a comforting pat.

GABRIELLE

Why don't we stay here another

night, instead of heading out?

Xena looks around, then looks back at Gabrielle.

XENA

No. There's no point in sticking

around. We should get going.

Her subtle ploy not working, Gabrielle decides to play her trump card.

GABRIELLE

(reluctantly)

I could use a day off. I think I moved the

wrong way during that fight last night.

Xena's attention is distracted by this. She moves from the log to sit down on the furs next to Gabrielle and begins to examine her in concern.

XENA

Lay down.

Gabrielle complies. She turns over and lies down, putting her head in Xena's lap as Xena looks at her healing back wound.

XENA

(cont’d)

Looks all right, but....

Gabrielle's eyes twinkle, slightly.

XENA

(cont’d)

If it's bothering you, better not

take a chance. We'll stay put.

(looking around)

I can fix some things....

Restock on herbs.

GABRIELLE

(under her breath)

Take a nap....

XENA

What?

GABRIELLE

(grinning)

I said, that sounds like a great idea.

CUT TO:

INT. VILLAGE BARRACKS - DAY

Toris and Jaral meet with a score of others. This is the village militia, and they are a motley group that includes older men, barely adolescent boys, and even two older women.

TORIS

It should have worked.

JARAL

We thought it would. It almost did.

It was like they found us at the last

minute, Toris. We were so close!

Toris paces back and forth clearly upset.

TORIS

That's the third merchant wagon they

got. If this keeps up, we won't be able

to get any traders to come here.

JARAL

We need that trade.

TORIS

(angrily)

Don't you think I know that?

The militia is uneasy.

WOMAN

What if they come here again?

TORIS

We have to build up our defenses.

We need to make the walls

higher, the gate stronger....

JARAL

You think that will keep them out?

WOMAN

What we have now won't.

The people in the room mutter agreement.

TORIS

All right. Let's get to work. Maybe

if we can make it tough on them,

they'll find easier targets.

Jaral and the others nod.

WOMAN

Toris... What about those women

from last night? Jaral said....

TORIS

(firmly)

Forget about them. We'll do this

ourselves. We don't need help.

Toris leaves. The rest of the militia hesitate, then follow him. Jaral and the woman are the last out.

WOMAN

What thing was so horrible that he

hates them more than the raiders?

JARAL

I think he's related to them.

The woman shakes her head as they walk out.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAMPSITE - AFTERNOON

Xena is beneath a tree, working on fixing a piece of her armor. Gabrielle sits nearby, not doing anything in particular. She is chewing on a stalk of grass, just watching nature pass them by.

After a few minutes of silence, Gabrielle clears her throat and speaks.

GABRIELLE

Know what I was thinking?

Xena looks at Gabrielle with a knowing expression. It is one of half amusement, half annoyance, and yet is all loving. Gabrielle does not see it.

XENA

No, what?

GABRIELLE

I think if you and Toris could just sit down

and talk to each other, it might help.

XENA

I think if we end up in the same room

again, talking will be the last thing we do.

Gabrielle turns and leans on one elbow.

GABRIELLE

You'd beat up an old man?

Xena frowns.

XENA

He's only two years

older than I am.

GABRIELLE

Give or take three

decades, sure.

XENA

Hmph.

GABRIELLE

I still think....

XENA

Gabrielle....

Xena pauses, and puts armor down.

XENA

(cont’d)

Listen, I appreciate what you're

trying to do, but some things can't

be fixed. Toris and I never did get

along. Nothing's going to change that.

GABRIELLE

Xena....

XENA

Especially not now. Not after...

what happened to mother.

Gabrielle considers this. She watches Xena's face, which is stormy. She decides not to press the point, at the moment. Instead, she crawls closer to Xena and lies down, putting her head in Xena's lap and closing her eyes.

GABRIELLE

Okay.

At first slightly annoyed, after a few moments Xena begins stroking Gabrielle's hair with her fingers and this seems to work a calming magic.

XENA

Thanks for trying.

GABRIELLE

That's what friends do.

(pausing)

But I'm not done trying.

Gabrielle kisses Xena's knee, then puts her head back down.

Xena smiles. She puts her arm over Gabrielle's shoulders and leans against the tree. Shortly after, her eyes drift shut.

CUT TO:

EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE - EARLY EVENING

The militia is finishing their work. They have greatly enhanced the outer wall with more logs, and built up the gates higher, and wider.

Toris is inspecting the new defenses, and appears pleased. There are also several villagers nearby, pointing and nodded. They also seem pleased.

TORIS

Good job. Tomorrow, we work

on the rest of the wall.

JARAL

We did a lot. I feel better

behind those gates.

CROWD

Yes. At least we have that!

Toris straightens, obviously proud of his idea. He dusts off his hands, scraped and raw from helping with the wood.

TORIS

We can find the answers. Now we're

on the right track. Let's go wash up,

and have some dinner together.

The militia enters the gates, and start to close them. When they are halfway closed, a yell suddenly erupts from the forest surrounding the village and before they can get the gates locked, a group of raiders burst through them on horse back and attack.

CROWD

AIIEEEEEEE!!!!!

Caught totally by surprise, the militia can only scramble to get out of the way as the men start to destroy everything within reach.

TORIS

(desperately)

Get your weapons! Hurry!

Toris picks up a small barrel and throws it at a raider. It hits the man, and deflects him from stabbing an older woman. Other militia members start to try and fight, but the raiders are overwhelming in numbers.

The village begins to burn.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

 ACT THREE