THE SHIPPER SEASONS XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS VIRTUAL SEASON EIGHT THREE WAY SPLIT Production #XWP172/SS38 Episode #8.14 Story By: Aurora Written By: Aurora and LadyKate Edited By: LadyKate and Amber Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Logline No longer able to cope with the memories of her past, Eve takes drastic measures and requests help from an Amazon shamaness, hoping that she will be able to rid Eve of the memories that haunt her. Airdate June 21, 2003 TEASER FADE IN A village. A crowd of people is standing in the square facing the camera; their expressions are of anger, hate and disgust. Some of them are shouting and pointing fingers toward the camera. MIDDLE-AGED MAN (his face in close-up, distorted by hate): You shouldn't be here, Livia! YOUNG WOMAN (with a child in her arms): We want you out of our sight! Leave now, or you'll wish you never arrived! Pan over to a stricken-looking Eve, watching the crowd. Xena and Gabrielle are standing beside her, their hands on her shoulders. Close up of Eve's face, her eyes welling up with tears. EVE: I'm sorry... So sorry... Eve gives a short sob and breaks away from Xena and Gabrielle. She turns around and runs. The camera zooms in for a close-up of her face as she runs, tears streaking down her cheeks. Slow DISSOLVE to Eve's face, calm but looking very pensive. GABRIELLE (off-camera): Eve? The camera pulls back for a long shot of Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, Klymene and Darion, traveling down a dirt road that cuts through a field of tall brownish grass. It's a bright day. Insects are buzzing loudly in the air. Xena is riding Argo ahead of Darion, who is occupying himself by kicking a stone as they walk and occasionally talking to Klymene who is beside him. Eve is staring ahead. The camera zooms closer again to show Gabrielle touching Eve's shoulder. GABRIELLE (gently): Eve? Eve jumps at the sound of Gabrielle's voice. She stops and turns to look at Gabrielle. EVE: What? GABRIELLE: Are you all right? You haven't heard a word I've said. EVE: I'm... (looks down) I'm fine. GABRIELLE: You don't seem fine to me. EVE (looks Gabrielle in the eye): Yes. I was just...thinking. GABRIELLE (understanding dawns on her face): About...that town we passed through yesterday. EVE (looks down again): Yes. GABRIELLE (sighs): Oh, Eve...if Xena and I had known, we never would have stopped there. EVE: It's not your fault, Gabrielle. Or Mother's. It's mine. I know that. They start walking again. GABRIELLE: We were really worried about you after you ran off. That's the first time we've seen you...react the way you did. (pause) Do you want to talk about what happened there? EVE (looks at her doubtfully): I'm not sure... GABRIELLE (gently): Come on, Eve. I know it's hard. But I know that's not the person you are now. Eve pauses and looks away, then turns back to Gabrielle and sighs. EVE: I was on a campaign of conquest with my army. I took over town after town, village after village... As she speaks, the screen dissolves to a: [FLASHBACK] Livia is riding through a valley at the head of an army. EVE (voice-over): If they submitted to me and agreed to pay monthly tribute to the Roman Empire, I left them alone. That was the usual way I did things back then. I saw no point in killing people unless they resisted me. Otherwise, I'd just end up with a bunch of dead bodies, and dead bodies don't pay taxes. [END OF FLASHBACK] EVE: It wouldn't have done much for my image. (laughs harshly) Of course, that was back when I still had some standards--before I had become known as the Bitch of Rome. And then... (she pauses) Then my men and I got to this town--Kalkia. That was when-- (she trails off) GABRIELLE: ...when it all started? EVE (nods sadly): Yes. They were determined to resist me. [FLASHBACK] We see Livia's army riding into a town as Eve continues in voice-over: EVE (voice-over): They had the nerve to arm themselves... Shots of a crowd of people, mostly men but also some women, armed with clubs, pitchforks and some swords. EVE (voice-over): ...and they got help from some warriors they had hired to fight me. A group of armored men on horseback ride toward Livia's army. EVE (voice-over): Those warriors were the first to die... Shots of Livia's soldiers fighting the warriors. Livia briefly fights one of them, then runs her sword through his chest. EVE (voice-over): ...and the rest followed easily. They were foolish to go up against me--and it cost them their lives. After the slaughter, I had the town burned to the ground. Shots of the town burning; people are running around screaming while Livia's soldiers cut them down. EVE (voice-over): When I was done, not one house was left standing. [END OF FLASHBACK] GABRIELLE: And some of the people who survived rebuilt the village. EVE: I guess so... There is a long pause as Eve stares into space and Gabrielle looks at Eve, concern and sympathy in her eyes. EVE: Gabrielle? GABRIELLE: Hmm? EVE: You and Mother always talk about how important it is to put the past behind you--how there's nothing you can do to change it and all you can do is live with it and try to do good... (Gabrielle nods) Well, I've tried. And I don't know how much longer I'll be able to bear it. GABRIELLE: I don't know what to say to that, Eve... EVE: Maybe there's nothing to say. (She looks ahead at Xena, riding Argo) I wish I could be more like my mother. She has a--dark past, too, and yet--she can hold it together. GABRIELLE (shakes her head): Eve--Xena is the strongest person I've ever known. But there have been times when the guilt almost killed her...literally. But she has survived and you can, too. (she puts her hand on Eve's arm) We believe in you, Eve. You have to believe in yourself. EVE: But it will never go away. GABRIELLE: No, it probably won't. But that shouldn't stop you from trying to be the best person you can be. EVE (nods): Yeah... She sighs and glances at Gabrielle for a moment, then stops walking and mounts her horse; Gabrielle does the same. They gallop forward a few paces and Gabrielle stops next to Darion, reaching out to him. GABRIELLE: Want a ride? DARION: Sure! Darion grabs her hand that is extended toward him; she hoists him up on her horse in front of her. Eve looks at Klymene, who nods and climbs up behind her. They ride up next to Xena and Gabrielle looks at Eve. GABRIELLE (trying to lighten the moment): So, Eve, how do you think the Amazons are holding up without you there? EVE (smiles): I hope nothing big has happened while I've been gone. The last thing I need is to get back and find out that we're in the middle of a war. GABRIELLE (laughs): Wouldn't be a very happy homecoming. KLYMENE: I'd better not have a lot of make-up work to do when I get back. I just know that Eriobea is going to have a lot for me to do. (groans) I hate arithmetic! Eve chuckles. GABRIELLE (to Xena, more serious): How do you think Sabina's doing? She's been there for quite a while. XENA: She has. GABRIELLE: I'm still not sure we did the right thing, leaving her with the Amazons. XENA: What were we supposed to do? Send her back into slavery? Let her run free? The Amazons were the only ones I could trust. (pauses) It's not permanent. When we get there, we'll think of a better plan for her. GABRIELLE: It's got to be tough for the Amazons, though--having a killer warlord around... Eve shoots her an uncomfortable look and Gabrielle looks back at her. XENA (calmly): We'd better hurry up if we're going to get to the next village before dark. You were the ones who wanted to have dinner at a tavern. The camera moves back to show the backs of Xena, Gabrielle, Klymene and Eve riding down the dirt road. CUT TO A veil of whitish smoke clears to show a desolate-looking village where some of the houses are burning. Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, Darion and Klymene come into view, walking slowly through the streets, looking around in horror. The camera pans to bloody corpses--male and female, young and old--lying on the ground. Darion starts to whimper and Gabrielle quickly hugs him so that his eyes are shielded from the view. XENA (profound anguish on her face): They killed them all...the women, the children-- EVE (quietly): Who did this? FEMALE VOICE (off-camera; the voice is firm, clear and mocking): I did. The camera pans to the warrior's leather boots and then slowly moves up. We see the sword in her hand, dripping blood, then the armor and the blood-red cloak--and then, finally, the face. It's Livia, her lips curved in a chilling sneer. Close-up of Eve's horrified face, then of Livia's face. LIVIA: Hello, Eve. CUT TO A dark night. Eve sits up in her bedroll with a gasp, lifting her hands to her face. Nearby, Gabrielle stirs and lifts her head sleepily. GABRIELLE (mumbles): Eve? EVE (catching her breath): It's all right. Just a bad dream. FADE OUT ACT ONE FADE IN The sun is going down. We see a village in the middle of a forest, fenced in by thick wooden posts. A dirt road leads toward the front of the village, where a massive wooden gate stands, two Amazons standing at the watch posts inside the village, surveying their surroundings and armed with crossbows. In the near distance, Eve, Xena and Gabrielle are seen riding along the dirt road. One of the Amazons on the watch posts blows a horn and the gates begin to open. We get a wide shot of the road, the gates opening and a partial shot of the inside of the village as Xena, Gabrielle and Eve ride in. CUT TO Eve is standing beside her horse; Xena dismounting beside her and Gabrielle is off to the side, helping Darion down from the horse. Antiope, Othila and several other Amazons approach them with warm smiles and welcoming faces. ANTIOPE: We're happy to have you back, my queen. Eve smiles and clasps hands with Antiope, then with the other Amazons. ANTIOPE (looks at Gabrielle and Xena): And it's good of you to visit, Gabrielle, Xena. Gabrielle hugs Antiope and steps back. Othila looks at Eve. OTHILA: Eve, we hate to spoil your homecoming with business, but there are some matters that you need to attend to now. EVE (concerned): What is it? What's wrong? OTHILA (quickly): Oh, nothing wrong. Just some issues we need you to decide on, regarding the tribe. The kinds of things the queens must decide. EVE: All right. (turns to Gabrielle and Xena) I'll see you in a little bit, all right? Queenhood beckons. GABRIELLE: See ya. Antiope and Othila walk into the village, Eve following them. Gabrielle looks at Xena. GABRIELLE: Aw, the joys of being queen. I'm glad I've been relieved of that duty. XENA: What, you're telling me you didn't enjoy being in charge? Making all the big decisions? GABRIELLE: Oh, that was fine. It was the little decisions that got on my nerves. (chuckles) Like whether the entire tribe should have pork or venison for dinner. XENA (wryly): What a job. Klymene looks at Darion, who is standing next to Gabrielle. KLYMENE: Hey, Darion, you want to see my toys? DARION: Sure. (looks at Gabrielle) Can I? GABRIELLE: Of course, honey. Just don't forget, we're having supper in two hours. XENA: Pork or venison? Gabrielle chuckles, wrinkling her nose. DARION (to Klymene): Let's go. Darion and Klymene race away, Darion trying to catch up with her. GABRIELLE: Well. Now that Eve is busy discussing tribal matters and Darion is off playing, I think I'll go and talk to some of my Amazon friends. XENA: You do that. I've got a social visit to pay, too. Close-up on Xena's face, hard and rather grim. CUT TO A jail cell with a small barred window. There are two torches on both sides of the cell, their flickering fire casting shadows on the walls. The cell contains a bunk, a small bench and a table. A woman in a short tunic sits in a corner of the room. The door opens with a screech. The woman does not look up. Xena walks in and stops. Her face is unreadable. The camera pans back to the woman, who lifts her head and sweeps her hair away from her face. It's Sabina. As she sees Xena, a sarcastic spark lights up in her eyes. SABINA: Xena. They got you, too? (off Xena's steely glare) Nice of you to come by and check up on your project. You couldn't deal with me yourself so you turned me over to be kept under lock and key by a bunch of warrior women. You think this is a better deal than being a slave in Rome? XENA: There's a big difference between being a slave and being punished for your crimes. Sabina stands up and walks closer to Xena. Xena eyes her but doesn't move. SABINA: What about you, Xena? Were you ever punished for your crimes? Xena flinches but steadily holds her gaze. XENA (coldly): I was always ready to accept my punishment. SABINA (smiles a cold, feral smile): But you still don't want to see me die for what I've done, isn't that right? That's why you brought me here, didn't you? I think that somewhere deep down, you've got this notion that you can save me. (smiles) You seem to think I'm not that different from you...right? Xena doesn't answer; she continues to look at Sabina, her face set. Sabina chuckles and steps back. SABINA: You don't have to answer. (she walks back and sits down) Well, you're obviously not here to chat. So what do you want? XENA: I just came to say that your stay here isn't going to be much longer. SABINA: Oh, is that right. (sarcastic) What have you got in mind for me now? XENA: Another trial. SABINA: Oh, and we know how well that worked out last time. XENA: This time, I'll be there. You won't get anything you don't deserve. I'll make sure of that. SABINA (raises her eyebrows): Really. And what do I deserve? XENA: Maybe hard labor. SABINA: You mean, slavery. XENA (flinches slightly): No, I mean a way to make up for the wrongs you've done. SABINA: You mean, for being a murderous warlord? And you plan to have me tried before a nation ruled by Livia, the Bitch of Rome? (smirks) Good one, Xena. (quick pan to Xena's face, her eyes expressing quiet anguish; then back to Sabina) I wouldn't put it past you to call Ares as a witness against me. He'd probably show up, too, now that you've turned him into your lapdog. (her smile grows more feral) Makes you feel good, doesn't it, Xena? I bet you must be thinking that if you've got the God of War doing the do-gooder gig, maybe you are a good person after all. Xena glares at Sabina, then steps back and turns around, heading for the door. SABINA: I'm disappointed, Xena. Do you really have nothing to say to me? After all, you've got a captive audience. Without replying, Xena knocks on the door to get the guard to open it. CUT TO Outside the jail, a large, solid stone building with a roof of wooden beams. Xena walks out. Two Amazon guards are standing at the door, armed with spears and with swords at their backs. One of them locks the door after Xena. Xena walks away, then stops and turns to look at the jail. Then she shakes her head and walks away. CUT TO Xena is sitting outside one of the Amazon huts, sharpening her sword. A short distance in front of her, Darion and some of the younger Amazons are playing a game, running around and kicking a ball trying to get it into a net that is strung between two huts. They all seem to be having a good time, shouting and laughing going on. Gabrielle is with them, acting as the referee. She is laughing. Xena smiles a little at them and continues to sharpen her sword. Soon, Eve exits from the hut that Xena is sitting beside and comes up to Xena. XENA (looks up at Eve): How'd the meeting go? EVE (sighs and sits next to Xena): Oh, same old, same old. (ticks each point off on her fingers) Today, I had to decide the agenda for next week, decide when and where we will be hunting--oh, and declare the official bedtime for the younger Amazons. XENA (chuckles): Sounds fascinating. EVE (smiles): It seems like while I've been gone, the Amazons have lax about the rules for the youngsters and they've been pretty much doing what they want. Guess I'm the only one who has the authority to tell them exactly what to do. XENA: It's like being a parent. Only to a couple of dozen children. EVE (smiles, then grows serious): So, I heard you went to see Sabina. XENA: I did. EVE: How's she doing? XENA (impassive): A little sick of being cooped up all the time. EVE: We can't keep her in that cell forever... XENA (nods): She has to be properly tried and sentenced. (turns and looks at Eve) Eve, as the queen, you're going to have to preside over her trial. EVE: A trial... (lowers her head) You mean--I'm going to judge her for the crimes she committed as a warlord? Eve looks up and stares at Xena, her eyes full of anguish. XENA (gently): Eve...she can get a fairer trial from the Amazons than from anyone else. EVE: You really want to see her get another chance, don't you. (Xena looks at Eve, her face set; Eve nods) I understand. But do you really believe Sabina is one to take it? XENA: That's up to her, but she can't take something she isn't given. EVE (nods): Yeah, I think you're right. Xena smiles, Eve smiling back, resting her head on her mother's shoulder for a moment. Xena strokes her hair slowly. XENA: It's what any good person would do. There is a loud noise from the group of children. Darion has scored a spectacular point. Gabrielle and Klymene are applauding him. EVE (grins): Fun game. XENA: Yeah--just don't ask me to try and explain the rules. Eve laughs. They sit and watch the game for a moment. EVE: I should put the matter of Sabina's trial before the Amazon Council. XENA: Right. EVE: I'll do it in the morning, then. CUT TO Night. The Amazon village is quiet, only a few huts still have light flickering inside them. Amazon guards are posted on the walls surrounding the village, quietly patrolling along the wall. DISSOLVE TO Inside the queen's hut, Eve is asleep under a blanket of feathers. She's sleeping restlessly, tossing and turning. The camera zooms in on her face; she is frowning in her sleep. DISSOLVE TO A close-up of Eve's face, her eyes filled with tears, as she watches a bunch of villagers throwing harsh words and nasty looks at her. Eve looks at them, completely guilt-ridden. CUT TO A close-up of Livia fighting, her eyes full of fire, as she swings her sword over her head, screeching, and lets it land in a village man who cries out in pain and drops to the ground, dead. We pull back to see that all around her are dead bodies of villagers, some mutilated beyond description. Livia grins sinisterly and holds up her sword in front of her face. She takes her hand and runs it along the blade, covering her fingers in the blood that drips off of it. She grins again and then smears the blood across her face. She looks up into the sky and screams a piercing scream, one that echoes for miles as we pull back to get a wide shot of Livia in the middle of a bloodstained meadow and murdered villagers. The remains of a village still smoldering from the fire, the smoke rising into the air, is all around her. CUT TO Eve standing in front of the villagers. EVE: I'm sorry... The villagers' faces do not change. One picks up a small stone from the ground and throws it at her. Eve gives a short sob and runs off, away from the crowd. A quick montage of scenes that cut back and fourth: * Eve running through a forest, tears streaming down her face * a sword covered with blood, runs through a woman holding an infant, her screams of pain and the baby's cries resonate loudly * Eve runs through the forest even quicker, her cries heard now * Livia's menacing grin, standing over the dead mother and her child, still alive and crying, Livia has a look of mock pity * Eve stubbles and falls to her knees in a bed of leaves, her hands coming to her face, her sobs muffled * Livia is fighting in a battle with Roman soldiers around her. Her opponents are soldiers also but they wear the symbol of Eli's god, a fish emblem * Eve is sobbing in the forest * One of the soldiers charges Livia but she guts him, and laughs CUT TO Eve's eyes fly open; she wakes up and sits up gasping. She puts her face in her hands and sighs, then looks up. EVE: I can't live like this. She lies in her bed for a moment, then quickly gets up and leaves the room. CUT TO Eve walks through the night, toward the edges of the village where there is a hut that is a bit further away from the rest, solitary. She goes up to it and knocks on the door. After a moment, the door opens and an old woman, with gray hair and a wrinkled but still-beautiful face appears in the doorway. OLD WOMAN: Eve. My queen, what have you come for at this hour of the night? EVE: I need your help, Alcinoe. Alcinoe steps aside and lets Eve enter. Alcinoe closes the door behind her. CUT TO Inside the hut. There are many shelves of herbs, potions and other mystical and medicinal ingredients. A fire flickers in a fireplace, a large pot sitting next to it. Alcinoe turns to Eve. ALCINOE: What do you need help with, my queen? EVE: Memories. Memories I don't want to have. (pauses) My mother and Gabrielle tell me those memories make me who I am--but I don't know if I want to be that person anymore. I want to get rid of them--so I can go on about my life without having my past haunt me all the time. ALCINOE: You want me to erase your memories? EVE: Not all of them. Livia's memories. It's like--this other person I have inside me, a person who has done horrible things, and I want her gone. ALCINOE: That's a pretty tough job, even for a skilled shamaness. EVE: Can you do it? You're the only one I can trust. ALCINOE (hesitates, then speaks): There is a ritual I know... EVE (impatient): Yes? ALCINOE: It's supposed to purge you of your past selves. EVE (shocked): Past selves? ALCINOE: Some people's lives change so completely that they truly become a different person. (quick pan to Eve, looking at her hopefully) This ritual is supposed to free you from the other person you were before. EVE: Then do it. ALCINOE: My queen--I have never tried it before. I don't know what the full consequences are... EVE: I'll risk it. I can't go on anymore. Alcinoe walks over to one of the shelves and begins examining the bottles. Eve stands back, watching. After rummaging through several vials, Alcinoe finally picks out one and walks back to Eve. ALCINOE: I'll perform the ritual right now; the memories should be gone by morning. Ready? (Eve nods; Alcinoe picks up a piece of charcoal and draws a circle on the wooden floor) Kneel inside the circle. Eve kneels, a nervous but determined look on her face. CUT TO Eve is asleep in her bed again, looking more peaceful than before. Moments pass; then, two clouds of mist begin to form in the air beside the bed and begin to solidify as we: FADE OUT ACT TWO FADE IN Morning. The sun shines through a window in the hut and onto Eve's face. She slowly opens her eyes, looking sleepily, then quickly sits up and looks around, thinking. After a moment, she sighs in disappointment. EVE: It didn't work... (sighs again) CUT TO Eve is walking through the village when she sees Xena come up to her and then walk right past her. Eve turns. EVE: Where are you going? They're about to serve breakfast. XENA: Well, actually, I was going out and catch my own. (Eve raises an eyebrow) I'm in the mood, okay? EVE (teasing): You'd rather spend your morning out there killing some innocent creatures than have a nice meal with family and friends? XENA (thinks for a moment): Yep. (Eve shakes her head and smiles.) Hunting keeps my skills sharp. Besides, I'm not much for all this Amazon togetherness. EVE (pensive): I've felt like that sometimes. But you know--whenever I get sick of all the Amazon rules and regulations, I just think about how happy I am to have found a place where I belong. (Pause; Xena looks somewhat doubtful) I wish you had a place where you belong, Mother. XENA (with somewhat forced jocularity): I do. The road--there's no better place. (smiles) I'll be back in a bit. Eve nods and Xena walks away. CUT TO A quiet meadow in a forest. Close-up of a rabbit munching peacefully on some grass. Suddenly, it perks up and freezes. We pull back to find Xena behind a tree, a bow in her hand, drawing the arrow back. She has a look of intense focus. Suddenly, loud voices and shouts are heard nearby; Xena loses concentration for a moment and the rabbit bolts just as she shoots off the arrow, which embeds itself in the ground. Xena sighs. XENA (rolls her eyes): Eve-ry time you want to catch some food... She looks around, trying to figure out where the noise is coming from. Then she whistles and Argo comes trotting up. Xena mounts and heads in the direction of the sounds. CUT TO The edge of the forest, a village visible in the distance. A group of about a dozen men and women in peasant clothes are dragging an unresisting woman in an olive-green skirt and top, her hands tied behind her back and a black hood over her face, toward the trees. MAN #1: Hang the bitch! One of the villagers loops a rope over the branch of a tree and ties a noose. The camera pans over to Xena riding out of the woods, and back to one of the men throwing the noose over the woman's neck. XENA: A-yi-yi-yi-yi! She stops Argo and dismounts, flipping in the air, drawing her sword as she lands. XENA: Party's over, boys and girls. WOMAN #1: Get out of here. You don't know what she's done! She deserves to die! XENA: Then she'll get a proper trial. Break it up! The villagers hesitate, clearly intimidated. Xena flips the sword to her left hand, grabs the chakram from her belt and throws it, severing the rope. There is a collective gasp among the villagers as she catches the chakram. With a triumphant air, Xena hooks the chakram on her belt, then flips the sword over to her right hand again and advances toward the lynching party. The villagers turn and run, leaving their intended victim standing under the tree. Xena comes up to her. XENA (starts to remove the hood from the woman's face): Whatever you've done, you-- (as she yanks off the hood, her eyes widen and her mouth drops in astonishment) Eve...? The camera pulls back and we see that the woman is indeed Eve, dressed in her Season 6 outfit. She looks at Xena in obvious bewilderment. EVE: Mother? What are you doing here? XENA (still in shock): What am I doing here? The question is, what are you doing here! EVE: I came to their village to preach the message of Eli. Some of them recognized me (stumbles) from before. (she looks at Xena with sudden belligerence) I didn't need you to save me, Mother. XENA: You mean, I was just going to let them hang you? (she cuts the ropes binding Eve's hands) EVE (looks down): If they think that killing me will bring them satisfaction, then so be it. XENA: I'm not going to let you become a martyr. EVE (raises her voice): It's not for you to decide! XENA (bewildered): Eve, what's gotten into you? And what's this about preaching the message of Eli? (she looks Eve over) I thought you had given up preaching. Why are you dressed like that, anyway? Last time I saw you, you were going to the communal breakfast at the Amazon village. EVE (equally bewildered): The Amazons? What would I be doing with the Amazons? I don't think they'd want me around... (looks at Xena and lifts her hand to her forehead) You know--it's strange. The last thing I remember before this is going to Andros Island and preaching to the people there...and then suddenly I found myself walking through the forest here until I got to this village. XENA (stares at her, then shakes her head): I don't know what's going on, but something is wrong here. (thinks for a moment) Come on. Xena starts to walk, Eve following. EVE: Where are we going? XENA: Back to the Amazons. EVE: You're taking me back there? XENA: Something is happening, Eve, and we're going to find out what. But I can't do that in the middle of the forest. Gabrielle's with them, maybe she'll be able to figure it out. Xena continues to walk forward with Argo, Eve watching her for a moment. She wears a confused and wary expression on her face. CUT TO A village hillside, screams echoing through the air. The camera moves up toward the village to show people running around in a panic. There are several dead bodies lying on the ground. VOICE'S (off-camera): --Livia! --Livia is back! --Run for your lives! We move in closer on the panicking villagers as we see one of them run around a building. A close-up on his face; it's one of the men who tried to hang Eve before. Suddenly, he gasps and his eyes widen. The camera pulls back to show a sword being yanked out of his chest. His body falls to the ground, a bloody wound in his chest. The camera pans to show a grinning Livia in her Roman military outfit and her red cape. She wipes off her sword on her cape and then sighs contentedly. LIVIA: Now that was fun. CUT TO Livia galloping through the countryside. CUT TO Inside a small temple, its décor--the red and the black, the swords on the walls, a throne decorated with images of skulls and bones--clearly showing that it's dedicated to the God of War. A priestess is tidying up the altar. The doors are pushed open and Livia walks in, her clothes spattered with blood. She struts toward the altar. PRIESTESS: Can I help-- LIVIA (raises her sword menacingly): Shut up and scram. I'm here to talk to your boss. The priestess turns pale and backs up toward a back door, retreating. Livia grins and lays her sword on the altar. LIVIA (looks up): Ares! (long pause; she repeats more impatiently) Ares! After another moment, there is a flash of blue light and Ares materializes in front of the throne. He stares at Livia, frowning; his jaw nearly drops open in shock. LIVIA (smiles coolly): Ares. (Ares is clearly speechless) What? Didn't expect to see me? Livia walks toward him; Ares steps back, stumbles a little and sinks down on the throne. Livia walks up to him and puts her hands on his arms. LIVIA (teasingly): Aren't you going to say hello? ARES (regaining speech): Wh-what are you doing in this getup? What's got into you? LIVIA (puzzled): What's got into you? ARES: Me? I'm not the one in costume. LIVIA: Costume? (leans toward him, seductively) I don't know what you're talking about, but it wouldn't take me long to get out of it. (She reaches back to undo the straps of her armor) ARES (grabs her arms): Hey, hey, hey! Stop that. LIVIA (her face suddenly distorted by a grimace of fury): What is it? Mommy dearest? (she pauses suddenly, the look on her face turning to one of puzzlement) It's strange--the last thing I remember is fighting her in some Elijan temple and then-- (she winces a little, lifting her hands to her head) I have no idea what happened, but (smirks) it feels like forever since my last kill...until today. ARES (stares): Today? LIVIA: Yeah, I put on quite a show in a village nearby that didn't want to pay me tribute. (grins) I wanted you to be the first to know. ARES: I'm...honored. LIVIA (grins): Of course you are. She leans down and gives Ares a passionate kiss that takes him by surprise, sliding a hand down his vest. A moment later Ares pulls back, staring at her in bewilderment; before she can say anything, he's gone in a flash of light. LIVIA (annoyed): Don't want it. (A grimace of rage flits across her face again) Mommy... CUT TO Xena and Eve, Messenger of Eli walk through the Amazon village, Eve looking very uncomfortable. Xena leads Argo by the bridle and ties her up to a post at the entrance to a hut. Gabrielle walks out of the hut. GABRIELLE (not noticing Eve): Xena. Eve tells me you went hunting. (Pan to a confused-looking Eve) Did you have a good meal? You should have stayed here. This was the best breakfast the Amazons have had in a very long time. XENA: Actually, I ran into some trouble so I haven't had a chance to eat. GABRIELLE: Trouble? What kind of trouble? Xena points to Eve; Gabrielle notices her and looks confused. GABRIELLE: Eve? Why are you dressed like that? XENA: Gabrielle, she's--she's back to being Eve, Messenger of Eli. She doesn't remember anything that happened after we went to Andros island. When I found her, she was about to be hanged by some villagers...she had gone to them to preach Eli's message and some of them recognized her as--Livia. Something's very wrong with her. GABRIELLE (taken aback): But...but Eve's been here all morning. Xena looks at her in bewilderment. The camera pulls back to show Eve in her Amazon queen outfit approaching. EVE (smiles): Mother, you're back. Catch anything-- She stops short when she sees Eve standing beside Xena. Xena, Gabrielle, and the two Eves look at each other, all in shock. GABRIELLE (looks from Eve to Eve): There's...two of them. Eve I (Amazon Eve) walks up to Eve II, who looks at her warily, and touches her face. EVE (looks at Xena): Well, she's real. Gabrielle shakes her head, trying to take in what she is seeing while Eve I and Eve II examine each other curiously. Xena and Gabrielle step a little away from them. GABRIELLE (looks at Xena): What if this is like Meg or Diana or Leah? Maybe she just happens to look like Eve but it's a completely different person? XENA: No, Gabrielle. This is Eve as she was before we went to Andros Island--before she gave up Eli's way. She has all of Eve's memories--she calls me mother-- GABRIELLE: But--how can that be? XENA: I wish I knew. GABRIELLE (looks in amazement at Eve I and Eve II, who are still staring at each other): This is going to be an interesting day. XENA: I think it already is. (collects herself) Look, they'd better go inside before everyone else sees them. CUT TO Inside the queen's hut. Eve II is sitting on a bench, looking around in bewilderment. Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve I are standing in the middle of the room. GABRIELLE: Where did she come from? Why is she here? XENA: That's what we'd all like to know. The only thing we do know is that it seems she is exactly what Eve used to be. The clothes, the attitude...she's you, Eve. (looks at Eve) She's what you used to be. Eve's eyes widen slightly; she has a look of sudden realization on her face. Then she lowers her eyes. XENA: What is it, Eve? Do you know something? EVE (looks up and shakes her head): No--no, I just--it's just so--strange, to see myself as I used to be... EVE II: So this is what I'm going to become? An Amazon queen? (shakes her head) I can't believe it... How could this have happened? GABRIELLE (sighs): It's a very long story, Eve. (looks at Eve I again, then smiles slightly) At least Darion is going to get a kick out of this. XENA: Where is Darion? GABRIELLE: He and Klymene are down by the creek playing with some other kids... So, what are we going to do? Try and find out how this happened? Blue light flashes in the corner and Ares materializes. XENA (looks at him): Ares... I'm afraid this is not a good time for a social visit. (off his bewildered stare at the two Eves) See what I mean? ARES: There's...two of them. XENA: That's right. ARES (a look of realization comes across his face): I've got news for you. XENA (warily): What? ARES: I just saw number three. (Xena raises her eyebrows) You're not going to like this. XENA: What? ARES: It's Livia. (quick pan to Eve I, her eyes widening in horror) Got a visit from her earlier today--in her old Roman armor, covered with blood and bragging about her latest slaughter in some village. (A close-up of Xena's anguished, horrified face; Ares puts a hand on her arm) It's the truth. XENA (quietly): Livia... ARES: So...what exactly is going on? XENA: I wish we knew. (briskly) Look, we can always figure that out later. What matters right now is that Livia is on the loose. Do you know where she was headed? ARES: No. I didn't exactly hang around and ask questions about her plans. She was a little too... XENA: Too what? ARES (embarrassed): Er--intense. Xena nods, understanding his meaning. XENA: All right. We've got to stop her before she hurts anyone else. CUT TO A clearing outside the Amazon village. Darion, Klymene and five other young Amazons are wading through a shallow creek, splashing around, throwing pebbles into the water, laughing and smiling happily. Pan to Livia riding out of the forest, grinning ferally as she sees the children. LIVIA (to herself): Oh, look. Little Amazons... She dismounts and starts walking toward the children. Darion turns around and sees her. Their eyes meet and Darion's eyes widen in surprise as we: FADE OUT ACT THREE FADE IN On the same scene. Livia comes closer to Darion. DARION (surprised): Eve! Livia stops and looks bewildered for a moment as Darion runs up to her. DARION: Where are you going? (Livia doesn't answer and Darion's eyes widen as he sees what she is wearing) Wow! Cool outfit! (he begins to touch her armor; Livia looks down at him with a bit of annoyance) How come everyone else gets to wear all the cool clothes? This is even better than Xena's armor! Livia looks at Darion curiously. LIVIA: You know Xena? DARION (laughs): You're funny. Do I know Xena! Pan to one of the Amazon girls, who has noticed Livia. She looks surprised. AMAZON GIRL: Queen Eve? LIVIA (looks at her in bewilderment, then mutters to herself): Queen? Pan to Klymene, whose eyes widen in shock as she comes closer to Livia and Darion. KLYMENE: Eve? Why are you dressed like...like that? LIVIA (narrows her eyes at Klymene, curling her lip in a sneer): Tell me something, little girl. Are you a friend of Xena's too? KLYMENE: I--I don't understand... LIVIA (walks slowly toward Klymene): Tell her Livia said hi. She flips her sword in her hand and hits Klymene on the head with the hilt of the sword, knocking her down. The other Amazon girls shriek and run in terror. Darion starts to cry and runs toward Klymene but Livia catches him. DARION (crying and struggling): Why did you to that, Eve? What's wrong with you? LIVIA (grins): Not a thing. (She kneels in front of Darion and takes his tear-stained face in her hands; a close-up of Darion as he stares at her, clearly terrified and confused) You're going to come with me, little boy. Are we going to do it the easy way...or the hard way? Livia takes Darion's hand and leads him into the forest. CUT TO Inside the queen's hut. Ares is now gone; Xena stands leaning against the wall, thinking; Gabrielle is sitting at a table; Eve I stands in the middle of the room, nervously twirling the pendant that symbolizes her queenship; Eve II still sits on the bench. XENA (grimly): Livia. This is just getting better and better. GABRIELLE: It seems like Eve's past selves have manifested as separate people with their own bodies. (shakes her head; quick pan to Eve, who looks away guiltily) I've never heard of anything like this. XENA (very grim): I hope it's not something that's going around. Gabrielle gives her an intensely uncomfortable look, realizing what she meant, then looks over to Eve. GABRIELLE: So far, it looks like Eve is the only one affected. Eve, do you have any idea about why this is going on? EVE I (hurriedly glances up at her): No. Why would I? EVE II (pensively): So I become an Amazon queen. I can't believe it. (rubs her face) And now, Livia is back... (looks at Xena) I know you're worried, Mother. But you've got to have faith that everything will be all right. GABRIELLE: It's hard to have faith knowing that Livia is out there somewhere. EVE II: Maybe having all three of us here is a good thing. GABRIELLE: How to do you mean? EVE II: Well, I'm the pacifist--Livia's the killer--and (nods toward Eve II) she's a combination of the two. Maybe...Livia and I were brought here so we could balance each other out. Everything happens for a reason. XENA (dryly): Fascinating. We can discuss this theory when we don't have to worry about a murderer on the loose. (to Eve II, briskly) You stay here and make sure no one sees you. We're going to try and stop Livia. CUT TO Xena, Gabrielle and Eve II coming out of the hut. GABRIELLE (suddenly looks worried): Darion--and the other kids--they're out there by the creek all by themselves. Now that Livia's on the loose... EVE I: We'd better send someone out to bring them back to the village. GABRIELLE: What are we going to tell the Amazons? Screams are heard off-camera. Gabrielle turns pale. OFF-CAMERA VOICES: -- My queen! -- The children have been attacked! GABRIELLE (whispers): Darion... She races in the direction the screams came from, followed by Xena and Eve. We see the Amazon girls who were by the creek. Two of them are holding up Klymene, who has blood running down her face. EVE I: Klymene! She rushes toward Klymene. KLYMENE (weakly): It's okay... I'll be okay... Eve I starts to inspect her cut. GABRIELLE: Where's Darion? KLYMENE (looks at her guiltily): She took him... I'm sorry--I couldn't stop her... XENA: Who was it, Klymene? AMAZON GIRL #1: She looked just like Eve! Only she was wearing silver armor and a red cloak-- Antiope brings a basin and a washcloth; Eve I starts washing the cut on Klymene's head. KLYMENE (winces): She said...she said her name was (with disgust) Livia. (She pulls back and gives Eve I a wary, puzzled look) What's going on, Eve? EVE I: I'm sorry, Klymene--I'm so sorry... ANTIOPE: Livia! How can Livia be here? Pan to Eve II, who stands, unnoticed by anyone, behind the crowd that has gathered around Klymene and the other girls. She has an anguished look on her face. She turns around and walks away quickly, still unnoticed. Pan back to Eve I, Klymene and the others. GABRIELLE (a look of terror, rage and intense focus on her face; she grips Eve's arm so hard that Eve starts): She's got Darion. We've got to find him. XENA (gently): We'll get him back, Gabrielle. (comes up to Klymene) What else did she say? EVE I (gives the washcloth back to Antiope): Somebody get some balm to put on her cut. KLYMENE (still in shock, looks at Xena): She--she knew that Darion and I knew you... She told me to tell you that Livia says hello. Xena's mouth tightens, her face set. XENA: I don't think she'll hurt Darion--yet. She wants to use him as bait. GABRIELLE (fiercely): We've got to track her down! Close-up on Eve I's face. She is obviously going through an internal struggle, and then makes a decision. EVE I: Mother--Gabrielle--I need to talk to you...alone. Klymene... (strokes Klymene's hair) ...Antiope will fix you up, okay? KLYMENE (does her best to smile): Yeah. EVE I: You're very brave. Antiope leads Klymene away as the crowd starts to disperse. Eve I, Xena and Gabrielle start to walk briskly toward the queen's hut. XENA: What is it, Eve? (pauses) You know why this is happening, don't you? EVE I (nods, looking down, and speaks in a near-whisper): Yes. GABRIELLE (angrily): Why didn't you say something? EVE I: I was so ashamed... It's all my fault. XENA: Your fault...? EVE I (nods): Last night I went to Alcinoe, the shamaness, hoping that she could rid me of my memories...Livia's memories. (Xena gives her a pained, sympathetic look) I wanted them to be gone forever. Alcinoe said she knew a ritual that could purge me of my past selves. But she didn't know for sure what it did. GABRIELLE (angrily): And what it did was send your past selves out into the world as real people. XENA (puts a hand on Eve's shoulder): Oh, Eve... EVE I: And now Darion may die because of my selfishness... I'm so sorry... (she is close to tears) XENA: We'll fix it, Eve. We'll fix it. Let's go see this shamaness and then maybe-- GABRIELLE: No! We've got to track down Darion first. XENA (looks at her thoughtfully, nods): All right--I'll organize a search party. You and Eve go talk to the shamaness. GABRIELLE (harshly): You're not going out there to look for Darion without me. XENA (her voice steely): Gabrielle--you are not going out there to confront Livia. That's my job. EVE I: Or maybe mine. Close-up of Eve's face as she stares at Xena, guilt and bitterness reflected in her face. CUT TO Eve II is wandering by the creek where Livia kidnapped Darion. She stares intently at the ground, obviously trying to read the tracks; then she kneels on the ground, examining tracks, and then rises and walks away into the woods. CUT TO Xena, Gabrielle and Eve I standing outside the queen's hut. XENA: All right--Gabrielle and I will go find Darion. Eve (gently, putting a hand on Eve's shoulder), go on and talk to Alcinoe. Maybe she knows how to undo this spell. CUT TO Xena and Gabrielle riding out of the Amazon village. CUT TO Alcinoe's hut. Eve I knocks on the door; in a moment, it opens, revealing Alcinoe. ALCINOE: Eve. What brings you here again? EVE I: It's about the spell. We need to talk. ALCINOE: It didn't work? EVE I (bitterly): Depends on what you mean by "work." I still have all my memories, if that's what you're asking. ALCINOE: I'm sorry. (looks at her questioningly, sensing there's more to come) That's not all, is it? EVE I: I'm here about the side effects. Alcinoe stares at her worriedly, then beckons to her to come in. CUT TO Wide shot of a green hillside; on the side of it is a cave, its entrance overgrown with roots and hanging branches. The camera moves in on the entrance of the cave and then inside, where it's damp and half-dark. Finally the camera zooms in on Darion, who is sleeping on the ground; he is shirtless and his head is resting on his rolled-up shirt. His face is twitching restlessly. Livia is sitting on a rock nearby. She unhooks a flask from her belt and drinks, then wipes her mouth and puts the flask back on her belt. LIVIA (mutters): Come on, Mommy. Come and claim your prize. (grins) If you can. Darion stirs and opens his eyes; he sees Livia and his face collapses. He sits up with a gasp. LIVIA (gives him a sarcastic look): What's wrong? Had a bad dream? DARION: Why won't you let me go? LIVIA: Because I still need you. DARION (close to tears but trying to be brave): You know, Xena is going to come after me and then you'll be sorry. LIVIA (laughs): Oh, I'm counting on it. What did you think I grabbed you for, little boy--your pretty eyes? And why do you think I left so many clues that even (her mouth twitches in a crooked sneer) Auntie Gabrielle could track me down? DARION: I don't understand... LIVIA: You don't have to. You're just the bait. A rustle is heard outside the cave. Livia perks up; so does Darion. LIVIA: Maybe your wait is over. She walks toward the cave entrance and looks out. We see Eve II walking up the hillside. A close-up of Livia's shocked face. EVE II (stares straight at Livia): Hello, Livia. Pan back inside the cave. Darion sits up, joy flashing across his face. DARION: Eve! It's the real Eve! CUT TO Inside Alcinoe's hut. Eve I is kneeling on the floor inside a charcoal-drawn circle, her eyes closed. Alcinoe, wearing a feathered mask, is walking around her chanting and swinging an incense stick that emits a ribbon of blue smoke. She is holding a small bowl in her other hand. Alcinoe's voice rises higher until she shouts out the last words of the chant and dips the incense stick in the bowl, then sprinkles liquid from the bowl over Eve I. Then she puts down the bowl on a wooden table, takes off the mask and puts it down next to the bowl. ALCINOE: It's done, my queen. Eve I opens her eyes and rises. EVE I: So what happens now? ALCINOE: At the next sunrise, the spell will be reversed--Livia and the other Eve will disappear. EVE I: Next sunrise... (sighs) I just hope that's not too late. FADE OUT ACT FOUR FADE IN Livia standing at the entrance of the cave, staring at Eve II. DARION (off-camera): Eve! I'm in here! LIVIA (regains her bearings): Who are you? EVE II: My name is Eve. LIVIA (sneers): Well, this has been a week of surprises. First my long-lost mother shows up, then my twin sister... EVE II: I'm not your twin. I'm you. (Livia looks at her warily) I'm what you're meant to become... (she shakes her head, looking lost and confused for a moment) At least--for a while. LIVIA (mockingly): And what's that? EVE II: A messenger of love and peace--bringing the word of Eli to people. LIVIA (cocks her head in mock interest): Really. And what do I become after that? EVE II: An Amazon queen. LIVIA (laughs): Well, whoever you are, you sure have a sense of humor. Best joke I've heard in a long time. EVE II: The love of Eli's God has room for everyone--and there's room for him in everyone's heart. LIVIA (sneers and shakes her head): You're going to be so much fun to kill. EVE II: Let the boy go, Livia. LIVIA: Now why would I do a thing like that? EVE II: Remember, Livia, I used to be you. I know what's in your heart. All the rage--all the pain... Your brother-- A grimace of rage flits across Livia's face; she grabs her sword and walks closer to Eve II, pointing the sword at her. LIVIA (screams): Shut up! EVE II (doesn't flinch): Let him go, Livia. I know you have some goodness inside you-- LIVIA (sneers): Goodness? If goodness means turning into a sniveling twit like you--I hope not. (eyes Eve contemptuously) If you were me once, then you should know some fighting moves. Why aren't you defending yourself? EVE II: I don't fight. LIVIA II (makes a face): How boring. (raises her sword) Too bad for you. Just as she prepares to strike Eve II, Eve II dodges the blow, does a lightning-quick flip and ducks past an astonished Livia into the cave. Darion huddles by the wall of the cave, now wearing his shirt. DARION (jumps up, joyfully): Eve! EVE II (shakes her head): I'm not the Eve you know. Come quick--I'll explain later... She extends her hand to a puzzled Darion, who takes it. They dash to the cave entrance and run outside, only to find themselves at the tip of Livia's sword. LIVIA: Going somewhere? Eve II looks at her intently, then suddenly drops down, pulling Darion down with her. Livia swings her sword but Eve dodges it and rolls down the hillside with Darion. LIVIA (pouts and shakes her head): She does know my moves... (grins, raises her voice) Not good enough! She bounds after Eve, who leaps to her feet, pulling up Darion, and starts to run. Near the bottom of the hill, Livia catches up with them and raises her sword. XENA (off-camera): I'm the one you want! Livia turns, grinning evilly. LIVIA: Perfect. Here comes mommy. Pan over to Xena and Gabrielle, coming toward Livia. GABRIELLE: Darion! DARION (his face lit up with joy): Gabrielle! He breaks away from Eve II and races toward Gabrielle. She hugs him tightly and he presses his face into her stomach. She strokes his hair. GABRIELLE: Are you all right? Xena stares in amazement at Eve II. XENA: Eve? What are you--? LIVIA: Auntie Gabrielle. Looks like everyone's here for the party. Ares materializes in a flash of blue light. ARES: Not quite. LIVIA (sneers): Whose side are you on this time? Ares looks her over, with a mix of admiration and unease. Then he draws his sword and walks over to stand next to Xena. Livia shrieks, her face distorted with rage. XENA (without turning her head): Gabrielle, take Darion and Eve and go back to the village. GABRIELLE: Are you sure? XENA: Yeah. GABRIELLE: Come on. She walks away quickly with Eve II and Darion. Xena and Ares stand side by side facing Livia. LIVIA (snarls): How touching. Or should I say--pathetic. She charges Ares and their swords clash. Xena attacks her from the flank; Livia spins and manages to kick the sword out of Xena's hand, taking her by surprise. Xena leaps over to pick up the sword while Livia battles with Ares, in a scene reminiscent of their sparring in the arena in LIVIA, except that now there is a look of rage on her face. She strikes out at Ares, screaming; he parries her blow. ARES (cocks his head mockingly): I see you still have the anger management issues. They continue to spar. As Xena watches them and sees the look of enjoyment on Ares' face, a strange look crosses her face. She charges toward them; Livia does a back-flip and assumes a battle stance facing Xena. LIVIA: So I guess you're not tough enough to take me on without backup from your boyfriend, huh, Mommy? (mockingly) I'm disappointed. XENA (glares): Let me handle this, Ares. ARES (rolls his eyes and slips his sword into its scabbard): Even when I'm playing on your side, you have to spoil my fun. Livia charges Xena. XENA (parrying her blow, to Ares): This isn't a game! ARES (cocks his head mockingly): Well, then--guess I'll go play somewhere else. He vanishes. Xena and Livia continue to fight ferociously, sparring, spinning, kicking, leaping. Xena seems to be clearly gaining the upper hand. She delivers a kick to Livia's midsection that makes her stagger, snarling in pain and rage; without giving Livia time to recover, she knocks the sword out of her hand and sends it flying. Livia shrieks and flips in the air, landing next to her sword and picking it up. Instead of charging Xena again, she eyes her for a moment and then flips again and races away into the trees. Xena runs after her; she sees Livia untie her horse from a tree and get in the saddle. LIVIA: It's not over yet! She gallops away. XENA (stares after her, exasperated): Damn... CUT TO Inside the queen's hut at the Amazon village. Darion is sitting at the table devouring a meal. Gabrielle sits next to him. DARION (speaks indistinctly with his mouth full): I wasn't really scared. Just hungry. GABRIELLE (smiles tenderly): Right. (She strokes his back) The camera pans back to the two Eves who are sitting on a bench by the wall. EVE I (uncomfortably): Thank you--for what you did for Darion. EVE II (sighs): I had to do something. I felt like Livia was my responsibility. EVE I (shakes her head): No, only mine. If I hadn't asked Alcinoe to perform that ritual... I should have known that nothing good ever comes from trying to get rid of your past. It's part of who you are. Overhearing her, Gabrielle rises and comes up to the two Eves. GABRIELLE (gently): Don't be too hard on yourself, Eve. Some memories are so painful that you want to get rid of them at any cost. I tried it too once. EVE I (looks up at her): What happened? GABRIELLE (sighs): It's a long story. I realized that I couldn't get rid of the bad memories without losing the good ones as well--without losing everything that made me who I was. EVE II (looks away wistfully): So at sunrise, Livia and I will just--disappear. GABRIELLE (touches her shoulder): I'm not sure how this works, but I think you'll just go back to being a part of--the real Eve. EVE II (to Eve I, smiling faintly): You'll take good care of me, I know. EVE I (smiles back): I will. (shakes her head) It's so odd...to see myself when I'm not even looking in the mirror. EVE II: You can say that again. EVE I: It's definitely an experience I won't forget. GABRIELLE: I don't think any of us will. (chuckles and shakes her head) It's even stranger than Xena's three identical twins to whom she isn't related. DARION (pushes his plate aside and turns around): Wow--Xena has three twins? That's so cool! Are they all warriors too? GABRIELLE (smiles): Not exactly. The door opens and Xena walks in briskly. GABRIELLE (turns around): What happened? XENA (looks exasperated with herself): She escaped. (shakes her head) It was all my fault. EVE I: Mother--I had Alcinoe perform a ritual to reverse the spell. At sunrise, Livia will be gone. And... (she stumbles a little and looks guiltily at the other Eve) ...she will be, too. XENA (lets out a sigh of relief): Then all we have to do is make sure she doesn't wreak too much havoc before that. EVE I: There's only one village close enough for her to get to before sunrise--the one she attacked today. (rises and walks toward the door) I'll dispatch half a dozen Amazons to protect it--in case she comes back. GABRIELLE: We'll have to post some extra sentries here for the night. CUT TO Inside Sabina's jail cell. She stands by the barred window, listening intently to some Amazons talking outside. Dusk is falling. CUT TO Gabrielle talking to two Amazons near the jail. GABRIELLE: Be careful. This woman is very dangerous. AMAZON #1: But she's not really Livia, is she? She couldn't be. GABRIELLE (hesitates a moment): Let's say--she's just as bad. Don't take any chances. Sabina walks back to the bench and sits down, thinking. DISSOLVE TO The same jail cell at night. Sabina lies asleep on her cot. The camera zooms in on her face. Her eyes fly open at a sound outside. After a moment she sits up, gets up from the cot and walks toward the window. CUT TO Outside the jail; a moonlit night. We see Livia wiping the blade of her dagger on her cloak as an Amazon guard collapses at her feet, dead. She looks around cautiously; her gaze falls on the barred window of the jail where she sees Sabina's face pressed to the bars. Sabina beckons to her. Livia eyes her curiously and approaches. Sabina looks at her in the moonlight, obviously struck by her resemblance to Eve. SABINA (whispers incredulously): You really are Livia, aren't you? LIVIA (coldly, also in a whisper): And who are you? SABINA (smirks): Another warrior who has a bone to pick with Xena. (Livia tilts her head, obviously curious) You know, if I was out of here, we could work together. LIVIA: Thanks, but I'm not really into teamwork. SABINA: Come on, Livia. Even you can't take on a whole village of Amazons and Xena and Gabrielle all by yourself. LIVIA (thinks): You got a point. The camera follows Livia as she prowls stealthily around the jail building. Seeing a guard seated on a bench by the door, she takes aim and throws her dagger at the guard. Struck in the neck, the guard makes a strangled sound and crumples to the ground. CUT TO Inside the jail. Sabina listens intently to the sounds outside. She goes over to the table and lights a lamp. The door is pushed open with a creak, and Livia steps in. She and Sabina eye each other curiously. SABINA: So you're Livia. I always wondered what it would be like to meet you. I've only had the pleasure, if you'd call it that, of meeting the reformed you. And I gotta say, I always knew I'd like you better. LIVIA (with quiet rage): So it's true. I became an Elijan preacher and then an Amazon queen. Pathetic. (sneers) I suppose Mommy dearest did a job on me after all. (puzzled) How did I come back? SABINA: Who cares? The point is, you're here now. Which I think could be to our mutual advantage. LIVIA: Who are you? SABINA: The name's Sabina. I think we have a lot in common. LIVIA (raises an eyebrow): Such as what? SABINA: Xena, for one. We both had it pretty good until she spoiled our fun, didn't we? (Livia scowls) And--Ares. Livia stalks up to Sabina, her face distorted in a grimace of rage; she pulls a dagger and puts it to Sabina's throat. LIVIA: What do you know about Ares? SABINA (unruffled): I know he dropped you as soon as your mother showed up. (Livia growls and grimaces in rage, making as if to stab Sabina. Sabina gives her a mocking look.) You know, you're a great warrior but you've got to get a handle on that temper. Anyway, Ares played that same trick with me--the "use them and lose them" game. Now he's nothing more than Xena's lapdog. LIVIA (lowers her dagger, eyeing Sabina): So. What do you want? SABINA: Oh, I'm just a little tired of being cooped up in here. Got places to be, people to kill... What do you say? She and Livia stare at each other. CUT TO The village. It's still night, but the first light is beginning to show on the sky. Livia and Sabina are prowling through the village, Livia carrying a torch. Sabina is now armed with a sword. Livia takes a swing and throws the torch at the thatched roof of one of the huts, which immediately goes up in flames. Shouts are heard in the distance as the sentries and other Amazons come running. The blaze gives everything an eerie reddish glow. Several Amazons, including children, run out of the burning hut. Livia raises her sword over a cowering teenage girl, preparing to strike her down. Sabina grabs her arm. SABINA: You don't have to do that! LIVIA (snarls at her): You're just another spoilsport. SABINA: Remember the plan! LIVIA (sighs): Right. Go get the horses. Sabina runs off. Livia grabs a screaming little girl, no more than five or six years old, hauls her up and holds a dagger to her neck. The Amazons who run toward her stop, horrified. AMAZON #1 (gasps and lifts her hands to her mouth): My baby! Xena, Gabrielle and Eve come running. LIVIA (raises her voice): All right--listen up. (to the girl, who is still screaming) Shut up and hold still! (to the Amazons) There's nothing I'd like more than to kill the whole lot of you, but (pouts) I guess we can't have everything we want. I guess I'll just have to do with-- Sabina comes up, leading two horses. The Amazons gasp. GABRIELLE: She's escaped! SABINA (mockingly): Very perceptive of you. She gets in the saddle; so does Livia, still holding the dagger to the little girl's neck. LIVIA: As I was saying before--I'll have to do with Mommy and Auntie Gabrielle. If anyone else follows us... (makes a motion as if to stab the little girl) ...you'll be sorry. (nods to Xena, who looks on in horror) See you later, Mommy. Livia and Sabina gallop away. Several Amazons run up with pails of water to put out the blazing hut. OTHILA: What are we going to do? XENA (her face set): You heard her. This is for me to take care of. GABRIELLE: For us. XENA (grimly): Right. AMAZON #1: They've got my daughter! I'm coming too! XENA (whips around angrily): No. You heard what Livia said. Go after your daughter and it's a sure way to get her killed. CUT TO Xena and Gabrielle galloping out of the Amazon village. The Amazons stand looking after them anxiously. EVE: Be careful, Mother! CUT TO A quick montage of Sabina and Livia racing through the forest with Xena and Gabrielle in hot pursuit, the camera cutting back and forth between them. Sabina and Livia ride out of the forest and onto a plain. The sky is now turning light. CUT TO Xena and Gabrielle riding out on the plain. GABRIELLE (looks up at the sky): It shouldn't be too long now--if we can only stall her until sunrise-- XENA: We can't take any chances, Gabrielle. Not when they've got a child as a hostage. GABRIELLE (hesitantly): Xena-- XENA: What? GABRIELLE: This time around--do you think you could kill Livia if you had to? She's not really Eve--the real Eve will still be alive and well-- XENA (looks away grimly): Let's hope I won't have to find out. (urges on Argo) Yah! Yah! CUT TO A large field by a riverbank. Livia brings her horse to a halt; Sabina does likewise. GIRL (crying): Please let me go! LIVIA (irritably): Shut up! (She lifts her hand to slap the child; Sabina reaches up and catches her wrist, and Livia gives Sabina a dirty look) What are you, some kind of do-gooder? SABINA (coldly): I just don't think it's very sporting, picking on little kids. LIVIA (snorts contemptuously): Oh, look--here comes the big game. (quick pan to Xena and Gabrielle galloping toward them) Remember, Mommy's mine. You take Gabrielle. Xena and Gabrielle approach and bring their horses to a halt. Livia throws the little girl off the horse and then, with a loud screech, leaps at Xena; they both go tumbling down on the ground. Sabina and Gabrielle dismount and face each other. Xena flips over Livia, turns around and then kicks her in the back. Livia falls to the ground but quickly gets up, jumps up and aims a kick to Xena's head. Xena catches her leg; Livia launches into a flip over Xena's head. Xena spins around as she lands and pushes her hard before she has regained her balance. Livia hits the ground again. Pan to Gabrielle sparring against Sabina. She does a good job of parrying Sabina's sword with her sais, but then Sabina manages to knock the sai out of her left hand. Gabrielle loses focus for a moment--enough for Sabina to deliver a kick to the stomach that sends Gabrielle staggering back. Pan to Livia charging at Xena, sword drawn. They start sparring. Pan to Sabina, who leaps, spins in the air and slams a boot into Gabrielle's chest, knocking her down on her back. Pan to Xena, who is parrying Livia's blows but is distracted by seeing Gabrielle fall. XENA: Gabrielle-- The camera pulls back for a wide shot of all four combatants. Before Gabrielle can get up, Sabina leaps forward and straddles her, digging one knee into her chest and using the other to pin down her right arm, leaving Gabrielle unable to use her sai. A close-up of Gabrielle; she looks to her left and sees her other sai lying in the grass. She tries to reach it with her left hand but it is too far, and she is securely pinned down by Sabina. SABINA (with a smirk of mock regret): You aimed too high for a sidekick. She picks up the sai Gabrielle dropped and twirls it in her hand. Pan to Xena, whose face has a look of open-mouthed horror. XENA: Gabrielle! She leaps toward Gabrielle and Sabina; Livia kicks out at her, tripping her up, so that Xena goes down hard, sprawling on her stomach. Grinning, Livia raises her sword. LIVIA: I've been waiting so long for this-- Something hits her in the side of the head. She drops her sword and falls down, unconscious. Xena picks herself up, kneeling, and looks at Livia; she sees Gabrielle's sai on the ground next to her. In shock, she looks at Sabina, who is still pinning down Gabrielle. A close-up of Sabina, a mocking smile on her face. XENA: You-- SABINA (shrugs): You saved me from being crucified in Rome. One good turn deserves another. But remember--only one. (she smirks) Doesn't mean I won't go after you next time I see you. GABRIELLE (raises her head): Sabina...thank you. SABINA: You're welcome. As she speaks, she gives Gabrielle a punch in the face that knocks her out. Pan to Xena as she cries out in shock and rage, and makes to charge toward Sabina. SABINA (holds out her sword): Uh-uh-uh. It's nothing personal, Warrior Princess. Just have to make sure you're too busy to follow me. She leaps to her feet and runs toward her horse as Xena rushes toward Gabrielle, who has blood trickling down her face. Xena looks up to see Sabina mount her horse and gallop away. She hesitates for a moment, looking from Gabrielle to the unconscious Livia to Sabina. Then she goes over to Argo, gets a piece of rope from her saddlebag and securely binds Livia's hands behind her back. Gabrielle groans and Xena runs toward her and helps her sit up. XENA: Gabrielle--are you okay? GABRIELLE (tries to smile): For someone who's just had a close encounter with Sabina's fist--yeah. Xena helps her up and leads her toward the riverbank. Gabrielle kneels and scoops up some water to drink and to splash over her face. GABRIELLE (looks at Xena): Sabina's escaped? XENA: Don't worry, we'll catch up with her. GABRIELLE: What about... (she pauses and looks up at the sky) Look--it's sunrise! The orange disc of the sun is starting to rise over the horizon. Xena and Gabrielle turn to look at Livia. Livia looks at Xena with a sneer, tugging at the ropes that bind her hands. LIVIA (with a mock pout): I guess mommy doesn't love me. An anguished look crosses Xena's face. Just then, Livia's body starts to turn transparent. Her lips still move but her voice can no longer be heard, and in a few instants she disappears. Xena lowers her eyes. Gabrielle gently puts a hand on her arm. GABRIELLE: Xena, she wasn't Eve. She wasn't even supposed to exist--she was just...something conjured by a spell. XENA (quietly): A ghost from the past. She looks up at Gabrielle, her eyes full of anguish. They hug for a long moment, then break apart. The sound of quiet whimpering is heard. GABRIELLE (gasps): The little girl! (She rushes toward the girl, who is sitting in the grass crying, and helps her up) Are you all right? GIRL (still whimpering): I want my mommy! GABRIELLE: We'll get you to your mommy right away. (She walks back to her horse, helps the girl into the saddle, and then mounts herself, with the girl in front of her. Then she turns to Xena.) Come on, Xena, let's head back to the village. Xena walks toward Argo. Then she suddenly stops, her eyes widening slightly. XENA: You go ahead--I'll catch up with you. Gabrielle gives her a look of surprise that turns to one of understanding. GABRIELLE: Okay. She rides off with the little girl. Xena stands motionless, her hand on Argo's flank. In an instant there is a flash of blue light and Ares materializes. XENA (quietly): Go ahead, say it. It's all my fault. ARES: You have to be a little more specific. You probably think it's your fault if it rains for a straight week. XENA (looks at him): Sabina escaping...Livia torching a hut in the Amazon village and nearly killing a child...it's all because I refused your help. ARES: Well, you were always stubborn. It's one of the things I like about you. XENA (in no mood to banter): Cut it out. (She is silent for a moment) Ares--when I saw you sparring with Livia, I--I-- (she falters and looks away) It reminded me... ARES (incredulous and clearly flattered): You were jealous? XENA (sighs and looks at him): Look... Back then when I saw you with my daughter...it made me ill that you had turned her into--what she was, but... (she sighs again and lowers her voice) ...it wasn't just that. ARES (gently): Xena--I told you, no one else is like you. Not for me. And if I did see something special in Livia...maybe it was something of you. He raises a hand and strokes her cheek. Xena nods uncomfortably and shivers a little. XENA (quietly): I guess that was the last of Livia. She looks up, and she and Ares stare at each other. CUT TO The Amazon village. Xena and Gabrielle are already in the saddle, Gabrielle with Darion in front of her; Eve is preparing to mount her horse. Klymene, her head bandaged, is standing next to her. KLYMENE: I'll miss you. EVE (strokes her shoulder): I know--I'll miss you too. (smiles) Don't forget your math homework. XENA: You don't have to come with us, Eve. EVE (shakes her head): I do. It's my fault that Sabina has escaped. (She and Klymene hug) Good-bye. I'll be back soon, I promise. XENA (joking to defuse the tension): You'd better be. Someone has to decide on the weekly lunch menu. CUT TO Xena, Gabrielle and Eve riding away from the Amazon village toward the forest. A wide shot of the village is seen in the background. EVE (pensively): You know, in a funny way, Alcinoe's spell really did help. I think it's only now that I can really start putting it all behind me. Livia. Eve, Messenger of Eli. They're both a part of who I am--but they're both gone. (she sighs) I just wish innocent people hadn't gotten hurt because of it. XENA: Eve--lay off yourself a bit. Not everything that goes wrong in the world is your fault. (she smiles wistfully, struck by the irony of her own words) EVE: I think we both need to remember that sometimes. There is a brief silence. DARION: I think that spell was kinda fun. (seized by a sudden burst of inspiration) Can you imagine if there was three of me running around? GABRIELLE: Three of you? (grins) No thanks. Ever heard the expression "too much of a good thing"? She ruffles his hair and kisses the top of his head. The camera pulls back to show Xena, Gabrielle, Darion and Eve riding toward the forest as we: FADE OUT THE END [Eve's discovery of multiple personality disorder puts the "Xena: Warrior Princess" therapy clinic one step closer to opening during the production of this motion picture.]