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ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. BOUDICCA'S CAMPSITE - TREE
Xena and Gabrielle hang next to each other. The men have withdrawn, leaving them alone. A few men are doing chores around the campsite; one brings water and bread to the women in the cage.
XENA Was there a point to both of us going through this?
Gabrielle twists, trying to relieve the strain.
GABRIELLE Yes.
One of the women reaches out through the bars to the men.
WOMAN'S VOICE Please... tell us what happened to our children!
MAN Shut up! You'll find out soon enough.
The man shoves the woman back, and walks away.
XENA Nice.
GABRIELLE Yeah, well, we never do fall in with gentler and kinder thugs, Xena. It's always the nasty, smelly, kick-us- in-the-butt-with-our-own-past kind.
XENA (sighing) Didn't expect this particular kick.
GABRIELLE No. Me either. (pausing, then quietly) And for the record, not stowing away in your saddlebag as you went into battle that morning is one of the things I'll regret until my dying day.
XENA (gently) Gabrielle....
GABRIELLE (wryly) However many of those I turn out to have. Is this two or three now?
Xena doesn't say anything. Instead, she smiles reluctantly, acknowledging the truth of the statement.
XENA You're getting a sense of humor in your old age?
GABRIELLE I had to. I married you.
Xena chuckles softly. They are both quiet for a minute.
XENA This might be the one that sticks.
Gabrielle twists again, and grimaces as her shoulder joint pops. In the darkness past the torches, a soft drumming starts up again.
Through the trees, the gleam of moonlight is seen.
GABRIELLE I've learned in my life that there are worse things that could happen to me than dying at your side, Xena.
Xena's eyes glisten.
XENA Likewise.
The drums get louder, and closer. Through the torches, a gathering crowd can be seen.
The women from the village stand up in the cage and watch.
PETI Bet you wish you were back in here!
GABRIELLE (loudly) Bet I don't.
Boudicca and her men step out into the torchlight again. They are dressed now in the tattered remains of what was once the strongly colored fabrics of their homeland.
The men fan out and encircle the tree. Two of them carry drums, which they beat on incessantly.
Boudicca comes to stand in front of Xena and Gabrielle.
XENA Where are the kids, Boudicca?
BOUDICCA Shut up, Xena.
XENA S'matter, you don't want your image tarnished? Those women deserve to know what you did with their children.
Boudicca turns to the men.
BOUDICCA Divide yourselves into four. You will take hold of the ropes that bind her, and all pull in the directions of the four winds.
Gabrielle winces.
XENA Classy.
BOUDICCA (viciously) No more than you deserve, and all of those who had brothers and sons die will get a piece of you.
She gives a mirthless laugh.
BOUDICCA (cont’d) Literally.
The men start to untie Xena from the tree. Xena strains against the ropes, but she cannot budge them.
BOUDICCA (cont’d) I'm sure you wish we'd all died also, Xena. But I'm not going to let that happen. My people will survive, even if you do not.
GABRIELLE By stealing babies?
Boudicca looks at Gabrielle.
BOUDICCA I will enjoy watching you watch your friend be torn to pieces. As I saw my friends torn.
Xena arcs her body and tries to pull herself free. The men yank her back between them, suspending her in mid air.
They pull the ropes hard, and Xena jerks helplessly.
The men laugh.
GABRIELLE Boudicca, it wasn't the way you think it was.
BOUDICCA Wasn't it? I'm not sure it matters anymore.
Ten men are on each rope. Each rope is tied tightly to Xena's arms and legs. The men move to opposite corners and start to pull.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAGE - NIGHT
Peti and the other women watch.
SECOND WOMAN By the gods.
PETI Don't you feel sorry for them.
SECOND WOMAN But I do. They're feeling creatures just as we are, Peti.
PETI You heard the woman!
SECOND WOMAN That woman? The one who had us captured? The one who probably stole our children and did who knows what with them? Whose to say *she's* telling the truth?
The women from the village murmur together.
THIRD WOMAN She's right. These two have done nothing to harm us.
PETI Nothing to help us!
SECOND WOMAN Maybe they were trying... and they got caught! Now they're going to die. Because of us!
CUT TO:
EXT. BOUDICCA'S CAMPSITE - TREE
Xena just barely has time to brace herself before the ropes go taut and she is being pulled in four directions. She clenches her fists and resists the pull, her body swinging wildly.
She is looking up at the sky. As the pressure increases, she lets her head tip back so she can see Gabrielle, whose body is tensed in sympathy.
BOUDICCA Pull!
GABRIELLE Boudicca! Stop this! Xena didn't kill your people. Caesar's army did!
The drummers increase their volume.
BOUDICCA PULL!
GABRIELLE Boudicca!
The men haul on the ropes. Xena grimaces with the strain of holding them back.
XENA Gabrielle! Save your breath.
GABRIELLE (frustrated) For what?
BOUDICCA Pull, all of you! Harder! Now!!!
Boudicca grabs the end of one of the ropes, ands starts to pull with the men. Gabrielle yanks at her bond with almost mindless rage, causing leaves to shower down over the men, and over Xena's suspended body.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAGE - NIGHT
The woman watch, unable to turn away.
SECOND WOMAN Look!
She points - the small boy has reappeared near the hut in the back.
PETI What? Oh!
THIRD WOMAN (calling out loudly) Bettus! Bettus!
The boy sees them.
BETTUS Mama!!
CUT TO:
EXT. BOUDICCA'S CAMPSITE - TREE
Boudicca sees the boy.
BOUDICCA Stop! Go inside!
The boy clings to the side of the hut, clearly torn between fear of Boudicca, and wanting to run to the cage.
GABRIELLE (calling out) Let him go to his family, Boudicca.
BOUDICCA We are his family now! Shut up! (to men) Pull, damn you! She's just flesh!
The men lean into the ropes, the drums get louder, and more insistent.
GABRIELLE Is that what you're doing here? Stealing babies?
The men dig their feet in and haul in earnest. Xena's eyes close and her face contracts in agony.
BOUDICCA Rebuilding my people! Now PULL! PULL!!
GABRIELLE By destroying their families? What does that make you, Boudicca?!
Boudicca looks over at Gabrielle.
BOUDICCA Shut up! This isn't about them. It's about her!
CUT TO:
EXT. CAGE - NIGHT
The women now are shaking the bars together much as Gabrielle had, but with more success since there are more of them working at it.
PETI Is he the only one? Call for them! Call their names!
SECOND WOMAN (loudly) Cassi! Jase! Children! Do you hear us??
Bettus dashes from the hut, circling the tree and heading for the cage.
BETTUS Mama! Mama! Oh, Mama!
Boudicca sees him. She starts to call out, then stops, as the boy throws his arms through the bars and tries to hug his mother.
She turns her back on them.
BOUDICCA PULL!!!!
CUT TO:
EXT. BOUDICCA'S CAMPSITE - TREE
Gabrielle rips one arm loose, the skin on her hand and wrist torn and bloody.
GABRIELLE Xena! Hang on!
Boudicca sees her. She drops the rope and picks up a sword, heading for the tree.
Xena realizes what she's after and reacts, almost convulsing in mid air as she fights the men's pull.
XENA Gabrielle!
The men struggle to control the ropes attached to Xena, suddenly being pulled back a step.
MAN M'lady! Look out!!!
Xena yanks the ropes with all her strength, and she pulls the men back almost enough to gain her feet.
XENA Yeahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Boudicca stops, whirls, and then changes direction, striding back to where Xena is fighting.
BOUDICCA PULL!!!!!!!!!!!
The men lean into the ropes desperately. Boudicca grabs Xena's hair and pulls her head back, raising the sword. Gabrielle redoubles her efforts, shaking the tree.
GABRIELLE NO!!!!!
BOUDICCA This is for my family. The only ones I had left after Caesar's bastards raped us!
Gabrielle freezes, knowing she won't get free in time. Boudicca pulls Xena's head all the way back, exposing her throat. Xena fights the hold, but she can't pull free.
GABRIELLE Boudicca! You took your people to war, for what? Risked everything, FOR WHAT?
Boudicca's eyes are glazed with bloodlust. She turns to stare at Gabrielle, smiling triumphantly.
BOUDICCA For my family. To avenge what happened to them.
She puts sword to Xena's throat.
BOUDICCA (cont’d) To avenge what happened to me.
Boudicca draws her arm back, then starts to lunge forward. Xena pulls against her grip, against the men, against the ropes, a low growl erupting from her throat.
GABRIELLE (desperately) Then how can you condemn Xena for doing the same thing?
The sword tip plunges past Xena's neck, coming to rest with the edge against her skin as Boudicca stares down at her.
Xena stares steadily back.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) She wasn't running from Caesar. She just... had a friend in a lot of trouble.
The drums slowly stop, as the men watch both of them. Silence falls, broken by the creak of the ropes still holding Xena taut, and Gabrielle captive of the tree.
BOUDICCA (tonelessly) Your family?
Xena looks past Boudicca at Gabrielle.
XENA Yes.
Boudicca releases Xena's hair and walks away, turning her back on both of them.
BOUDICCA Release them.
The men slowly relax the ropes, lowering Xena to the ground. Boudicca remains at the edge of the fire, staring into the darkness.
MAN M'lady, if we let them go, they'll know we are here. If they know, others will.
Boudicca nods absently.
BOUDICCA So we move on.
The men mutter among themselves. Xena gets herself free of the ropes and heads for Gabrielle, to help her untie hers.
GABRIELLE What about the children?
BOUDICCA They are young. They would have grown to love us. In time.
XENA And their mothers?
Boudicca walks into the darkness. The men follow her, disappearing into the shadows.
Xena puts her arm around Gabrielle. They walk in the opposite direction.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR
TAG
FADE IN:
EXT. TINY RUNDOWN VILLAGE - MORNING
Gabrielle is sitting in a circle of children, telling them a story. Her hand and wrist is bandaged. Xena sits nearby, with a pensive expression.
Casey walks over and sits down next to Xena.
CASEY I still don't understand. Who were those people?
XENA Don't try to understand. Just be glad they're gone. You can live in peace now.
CASEY (thoughtfully) For a while.
Xena nods, conceding the point.
XENA They were desperate. People end up doing crazy things when they don't think they have options.
CASEY Stealing our children? Our wives? How could they think that would work?
XENA It has before.
Casey looks very surprised. Xena doesn't explain further, so he eventually shrugs.
CASEY Well, as you say, it's peace for now. (sighing) Peace to till our crops, and teach our children.
XENA Right.
CASEY Really, what more can you ask for?
Casey gets up and strolls off. Xena sits and listens to the end of the story Gabrielle is telling, then she smiles as Gabrielle gets up and comes over to join her.
The children get up and start playing, laughing and running around, visibly no worse for wear from their captivity.
GABRIELLE They're good people.
XENA (nodding) They are.
GABRIELLE The kids told me Boudicca was starting to teach them her traditions. (beat) They really weren't slaves.
XENA No. Caesar's legions pillaged Boudicca's lands. (pausing) Killed her family. Raped her. She led the uprising afterward, but she never could manage a campaign.
GABRIELLE She needed you for that.
Xena is silent, then she nods.
XENA I had the plan. Or I thought I did, anyway.
Gabrielle links her arm through Xena's.
GABRIELLE Wasn't our plan. We were part of someone else’s.
She looks away, and exhales.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) But that's water under the bridge that I have no intention of ever drinking again.
She turns and looks back at Xena.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) I hope Boudicca can find what she's looking for.
XENA I think she's just been trying to get home ever since.
GABRIELLE (quietly) I feel sorry for her. For them.
Xena nods again.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) Now that they don't have us strung up like a smoked fish, that is.
Xena smiles. She looks off into the distance with a thoughtful expression.
XENA It was good to have reason win out for a change.
GABRIELLE Well....
XENA Words over swords. You talked, no one ended up fighting.
GABRIELLE Only because I had no other choice. Though chewing through my other arm here had started to become an option.
XENA I know the feeling.
Xena puts both arms around Gabrielle and hugs her. They stand up and begin to stroll through the town.
Gabrielle looks around the village.
GABRIELLE They could use some help here. Want to stick around for a while? Must be some herbs back in those woods somewhere, and these kids could use a few good stories.
XENA And we can be here in case trouble happens.
Gabrielle circles Xena's waist with one arm.
GABRIELLE Xena, we are trouble.
XENA Hm. Good point. Maybe if we're here, no other trouble will happen.
GABRIELLE (chuckling) Don't count on it.
FADE OUT. |
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DISCLAIMER
Xena's conscience was not harmed in the making of this motion
The Staff of the Subtext Virtual Seasons would like to thank all our
readers for helping |
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