ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT. INN CELLAR - NIGHT

The children are seated around Xena, clamoring at her with incessant questions.

ZIGGY

What's that?

(pointing to chakram)

A necklace?

Xena picks up the chakram and tosses a bit of straw into the air. With a swipe, she slices through the hay and sends several toothpick size pieces scattering over Ziggy's lap.

XENA

Yeah. Wanna wear it?

ZIGGY

Whoa!

GIRL

What's your name? That other

lady called you Weener. Is

that really your name?

XENA

(barking)

No!

The kids jump back. They stare wide eyed at her. Xena growls at them. The kids scramble away from her.

GIRL

You're mean!

XENA

(slit-eyed)

Yeah! I am!

So don't you forget it.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREST ROAD - NIGHT

Gabrielle runs along the road at a good pace. It is very quiet around her, and she looks to either side in some concern, aware of how exposed she is in the moonlight on the road.

She looks around her. On either side of the road is a line of prickly hedges.

GABRIELLE

Smart, Gabrielle. How about thinking

next time, and maybe stopping to

get... oh, say, a HORSE to ride?

Suddenly, around the bend in the road ahead comes the sound of hooves. Gabrielle slows, unable to believe her ears.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Don't tell me Argo....

The hoofbeats multiply. Gabrielle leaps off the road just in time, rolling behind a bush as a group of six men ride past.

RIDER

Whoa! Hold up!

There's a spring!

Gabrielle looks behind her, spotting a pool of water less than a foot from her boot.  She looks plaintively up at the sky.

The men jump off their horses and lead them to the pool, letting them drink. One man squats to fill a waterskin. From where he is standing, if he lifts his eyes, he will be looking right into Gabrielle's.

LEAD RIDER

Lookin’ good, boys!

No survivors.

Gabrielle's fingers slowly close on the hilt of her sai.

SECOND RIDER

Yeah! So let's get inside,

and get some beer!

LEAD RIDER

With those walls, we'll be able

to hold off a damn army!

Jagos had a damn good plan.

SECOND RIDER

Yeah! Our new fortress! And

we didn't even have to fight for it!

The riders all laugh.

LEAD RIDER

Much.

(snorting)

Wish we'd found

that hellbitch, though.

SECOND RIDER

Ah, she's dead. C'mon! All the

beer'll be gone ‘fore we get back!

Still laughing, the riders file past Gabrielle's hiding place, one man's boot just brushing the sole of hers. The man pauses, and glances down.

Gabrielle remains utterly motionless, only a splash of moonlight glittering off her eyes.

SECOND RIDER

(cont’d)

Hey, Dork!

The lead rider turns. Gabrielle slowly draws her sai, her hand out of the man's line of sight.

DORK

Yeah? What? C'mon! You were

bitching about the beer! Move it!

The man hesitates, then shrugs and walks on. Gabrielle waits for him to disappear behind the bush before she lets her sai slide back into it's sheath.

GABRIELLE

(whispering)

Thanks, Dork.

Gabrielle cocks her head to listen intently, until she hears the sound of the horses leaving. Then she crawls out from under the bush and stares after the men.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Fortress.

She closes her eyes.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Oh no.

Gabrielle gets to her feet and jumps back onto the road, then freezes, obviously torn. She starts back towards the town, then hesitates again.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Damn it!

Abruptly, Gabrielle turns and breaks into a run again, heading away from the town. Now she is running full out.

CUT TO:

INT. TOWN INN CELLAR - NIGHT

Xena has pulled herself more upright. She looks across the room at the water bin, then attempts to get to her feet. She doesn't make it any further than an inch off the ground before she sets herself back down hastily, her face going dead white.

XENA

Bad idea.

The children have clustered around her again, apparently having lost their fear.

ZIGGY

Does that hurt?

XENA

What do you think?

GIRL

I bet it does. I bet it hurts

more ‘cause you're so mean.

Xena scowls at the girl.

XENA

I'm not mean.

GIRL

Yes, you are.

XENA

No, I'm not.

GIRL

Yes, you are.

Xena takes a breath to yell, then looks into the girl's eyes and decides otherwise. Perhaps there is something familiar there.

XENA

Wanna do me a favor?

GIRL

No. You're mean and

nasty. I don't like you.

Then again, maybe not. Xena looks at Ziggy.

ZIGGY

I'll do it! I'll do it!

GIRL

Suck up!

Xena hands him a wooden cup she found among the sacks.

XENA

Put some water in that.

(beat)

Thanks.

Ziggy beams, and runs off with the cup. A loud crash is heard overhead, and the children all cringe. Xena's head lifts and she listens intently, her brow creasing.

XENA

(cont’d)

Shoulda been done by now….

GIRL

Done with what?

There is the sound of hammering, next.  Xena listens even more intently. Then she slowly reaches up and takes hold of an iron bar. Using only her arms, she pulls herself upright.

GIRL

(cont’d)

What are you doing? Are you

crazy? I think you're crazy

AND mean AND nasty!

Xena grabs another bar, and now is dangling above the ground. She pulls herself all the way up until her head is near the ceiling, the floor of the inn.

ZIGGY

Wow. And strong!

Did you see that! Hey!

XENA

Shh.

GIRL

Why? There's nothing to hear!

XENA

HUSH!

GIRL

You are just a meanie, Weener!

Xena glares at her. The girl reluctantly shuts up. Xena listens.

RAIDER CHIEF
(V.O.)

All right! Enough drinking! Get

your butts out there and start

nailing those logs against the wall!

Xena's eyes widen.

XENA

(mouthing)

Wall?

RAIDER SECOND IN COMMAND

This is gonna be

some fortress, boss!

XENA

Fortress?

(exhaling)

Son of a BACCHAE!

RAIDER CHIEF

Find any stragglers,

kill ‘em like the others!

Xena looks down at the children, and realizes they heard the man. She lets herself down onto her good leg.

XENA

Damn.

The children are panicked. They start pulling at Xena's leathers.

GIRL

What does he mean? Did they

hurt my mama? She told me to

come down here. Is she okay?

Xena sits down in the straw. The children gather around her again.  Xena tries to figure out what to do now. She had not planned on this scenario.

ZIGGY

(quietly)

Are they gonna kill us?

Several of the children are crying. Xena looks at each of them as she thinks.

XENA

(softly)

No.

She looks at the children.

XENA
(cont’d)

You're gonna be all right.

But Xena looks very, very worried.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREST ROAD - NIGHT - SOME TIME LATER

At the top of a hill, the moon shines down on the road. Suddenly, Gabrielle runs into the light, then stops, leaning against a tree as she catches her breath. It is obvious she has been running hard for some time.

Gabrielle wipes her face, then she walks to the top of the ridge and looks over. In the valley, she spots the wagon train from the town.

GABRIELLE

About time.

Gabrielle takes a deep breath, then she starts down the hill after the townsfolk. As she reaches the bottom, she starts to yell, waving her arms.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Hey! Hey there! Hey!

The wagon train does not apparently hear her. It keeps moving, the sound of the wheels drowning out her cries.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

(yelling)

HEY!!!!!

The last man in line turns, then pulls his horse up when he spots Gabrielle approaching. He apparently does not know what to make of her.

MAN

Hello there! Stand clear!

We need no taggers-on!

Gabrielle slows to a halt.

GABRIELLE

I'm not... I've come

from your town!

MAN

My town?

GABRIELLE

(pointing)

Back there? In the hills?

The rest of the wagon train has pulled up, and Balar comes riding back to confront Gabrielle.

BALAR

What is it? Who are you? What

do you want? We have no

time to waste here, woman!

GABRIELLE

Your home has been attacked.

(waiting)

That enough reason to

waste some time in listening?

Shocked, the men circle Gabrielle, clamoring for details.

CUT TO:

INT. TOWN INN CELLAR - NIGHT - LATER

The sounds around the cellar are getting louder. Footsteps are tramping regularly above their head, and shouts can be heard.

Suddenly, the door hatch rattles, as though someone is trying to get in.

VOICE

Hey! Whats'n here!

Can't open 'er!

RAIDER CHIEF

Get a pry!

The children scream, and run to the other side of the room.

XENA

Stop it! Be quiet!

GIRL

They're gonna come

after us! They'll hurt us!

ZIGGY

Hurt us? You stupid girl!

They'll kill us, probly!

Cut our heads off!

Xena grabs their arms and pulls them down into the straw.

XENA

(growling)

If you don't shut up,

I'll beat em to it.

The girl starts to cry. Ziggy starts to cry, but pretends he isn't.

XENA

(cont’d)

(gentler)

Listen to me. They're

not gonna kill you.

GIRL

(blubbering)

No! You are!

XENA

I'm not gonna kill you.

(beat)

What's your name?

The girl looks at Xena.

GIRL

Why do you care?

XENA

(smiling grimly)

I'm a sucker for a cute

face. What's your name?

There is the sound of banging overhead.

GIRL

Ppppatta.

Xena pulls them both closer.

XENA

All right. Listen to me. You're

not gonna die here if I can help it.

PATTA

You're horrible.

XENA

No, I'm Xena. We don't have time

for name calling. We've gotta find

a way out of here before those

big nasties upstairs find a way in.

ZIGGY

I can fight those guys!

Xena looks at him.

ZIGGY

(cont’d)

I can! My dad taught

me to fight! Look!

Ziggy makes fists and starts to flail at Xena. Xena catches his hands and lifts him up off the ground by them. He stops moving and goggles at her.

XENA

Save it. I'll need the help later.

Xena lowers Ziggy to the ground.

XENA

(cont’d)

Come over here, all of

you. We've gotta plan.

The children all crawl over to Xena, and put their heads together with hers.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREST ROAD - NIGHT - LATER

Gabrielle sits in the middle of the ring of townsmen. They are arguing, and obviously in a state of turmoil.

WAGON DRIVER

It's crazy! We just left there! You

can't really mean our town! We

just came down the road tonight!

GABRIELLE

It's the truth. You have to believe me.

The men are angry and upset, worried about their families.

BALAR

But it makes no sense! Why would they

take over our town... our homes! Our

families! Dear gods, what of our families??

Another round of dismay from the men.

WAGON DRIVER

What are we to do!?

Gabrielle has waited for this. She raises her voice.

GABRIELLE

You have to come back with me.

We have to get your town back.

MEN

Town back? She's crazy!

BALAR

But....  What can we do? They're

soldiers... killers....  We're just....

Gabrielle stands, then realizes that doesn't help much. She jumps up onto the seat of a wagon and raises her hands for attention.

GABRIELLE

I can help you.

BALAR

YOU?

The men laugh uneasily.

Gabrielle puts her hands on her hips and exhales in annoyance.

GABRIELLE

Y'know, why doesn't anyone ever

question Xena when she says that?

Is it the leather? The boots? The sword?

That's it.... It's the sword, isn't it?

BALAR

Xena? The great warrior?

You know her?

GABRIELLE

(sighing)

I know her. But listen, that's not

important right now. I can help

you get your homes back. Don't

you want to do that?

WAGON DRIVER

He's right. What can we do?

We're not fighters.

Gabrielle looks at the men. The driver has a point.

GABRIELLE

Maybe not, but I am.

WAGON DRIVER

You? Hah. I'm more that

than you, I'm thinking!

Gabrielle draws her sai and whips it at the man, pinning his coat to the wagon. The metal has passed within a hair of his body.

GABRIELLE

Want to test that theory?

The men stir uneasily. The driver tries to pull his jacket free, and finds he cannot. The sai has been driven to its hilt into the wood.

BALAR

We should go get the prince.

He's the man to stop the raiders.

The men murmur agreement. 

GABRIELLE

You don't have time for that. Every minute

we stand here, they're destroying your

homes. Is that what you want?

The men all stare at her. Gabrielle jumps off the wagon and dusts her hands off.

BALAR

You sure talk a good lot.

GABRIELLE

Yeah, well, I'm a bard too.

(beat)

I've got many skills.

The men still look doubtful. Gabrielle turns and starts to walk back down the road. She turns and looks at them, but keeps walking.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Are you coming with me? We don't have

any time to waste, not if you want to

see your wives and children again.

After a long moment, the men start moving, deciding to follow Gabrielle. Once she is sure of that, Gabrielle turns and marches on with a determined stride.

BALAR

All right. We're with you.

GABRIELLE

Good!

(under her breath)

I just hope I figure out what to

do with you before I get there.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR