ACT FOUR

FADE IN

Stock footage of nighttime Rome. Cut to Eve's jail cell, where she is lying on the bed, staring into space. A light knock is heard on the door, which opens and Virgil, wearing a hooded cloak is pushed in quickly. He pulls the hood away from his eyes.

EVE:
     Virgil...the guard found you then. (smiles tentatively.)

VIRGIL:
     Yeah, he was babbling something about me being your husband--Xena said she'd explain later.

EVE (laughing softly):
     Mistaken identity. And another one fallen for my mother. (speaking suddenly, as if she is not sure of what she's saying and wants to get it over with) Virgil, I know that my mother and Gabrielle both think I'll get out of here, but they don't know the truth of what happened with Augustus. I... You'll hear it all tomorrow, but I want you to know something. (she pauses.)

VIRGIL:
     Is something wrong?

EVE:
     I want you to know that... (shaking head) I don't expect you to ever forgive me, but I want you to know that if I could change one thing about my past as (voice breaks) Livia, it would be that your father could still see the wonderful man that he had for a son.

VIRGIL:
     Eve... (sits down on the bed next to her and wipes away the single tear running down her face.) I--

EVE (interrupting):
     No, don't say anything, please. Even if you did say it was all okay or something, I wouldn't be able to agree with you. And it shouldn't be okay, I just wanted you to know that. That's all.

VIRGIL:
     Do you think they'll find you guilty?

EVE (woodenly):
     I know they will. I did kill him. But like I said, you don't understand what happened.

VIRGIL:
     So make me understand.

The guard who helped them enter opens the door behind them.

GUARD:
     I'm afraid that's all the time I can get for you. Didus needs to see me and I don't trust any of the others to see you back to the inn. (Virgil stands up)

EVE:
     Virgil, tell my mother and Gabrielle that if I am found guilty that they shouldn't worry about me--I will deserve it--and that I love them both.

VIRGIL:
     She's your mother--she'll worry. Trust me. But, I will tell her that.

EVE:
     Thank you. (Virgil pulls his hood back over his face and leaves.)

CUT TO

A large, open room filled with people sitting in rows in pew-style benches. In the front row are Gabrielle and Virgil, who are holding each other's hands for reassurance. There is a stage-like area just in front of them. Eve is seated in the far right corner, facing the crowd, with two guards on either side of her. In the opposite corner are thirteen standing men, all wearing togas that are acting as the jury. Just in front of them is a throne that Emperor Claudius is currently occupying. Facing Eve is a bench with Didus and Xena sitting at opposite ends of it. Next to Eve is an empty wooden stand for witnesses.

CLAUDIUS (stands up):
     Citizens of Rome, we are gathered here for the trial of Eve--formerly Livia--of the Elijans, who stands accused of the murder of our good Emperor Augustus Caesar. If found guilty, as I expect you all know, the punishment for high treason is death by crucifixion. (sits back down) Proceed.

DIDUS (stands up):
     Eve, do you plead guilty or not guilty to the charge? Before you answer, know that if you plead guilty, you may still be interrogated. You still possess property in Rome--villas, land and such. If you plead guilty, they may not be given over to the state if you are found guilty. Dead bodies have no need of expensive houses.

EVE (also stands):
     Then not guilty. For now.

DIDUS:
     What do you mean?

EVE (shrugging):
     If you find me guilty, I'll have to change my plea to avoid my properties being given to the state.

Cut to Xena trying to hide a smile. Laughter can be heard among the crowd.

DIDUS (rolling eyes):
     Obviously she gets the smart-ass gene from her mother.

EVE:
     I'm the one on trial, not her. Keep it that way.

DIDUS (pointedly getting the trial started):
     Is it true that...?

CUT TO

A point much further on in the trial. Didus is now questioning an old woman.

DIDUS:
     And when you saw Livia and Ares and you heard them talking, did Livia seem in any doubt that it was her destiny to exterminate the cult of Eli?

WOMAN (looking daggers at Eve, who is seated and staring at her clasped hands):
     No, she didn't. She wanted to kill them all, all right. Ares practically had to hold her back from going right then in the middle of the night to their temple. I remember she said something about how Eli's followers were crazy heretics who had no place in the civilized world.

DIDUS:
     So, you think that she is definitely capable of butchering innocents?

WOMAN:
     Why, I've seen her do it with my own two eyes!

DIDUS:
     Do you think that even now that she is a member of this same cult--excuse me, religion--that she still thrives on bloodlust and murder and could snap out of her pacifist leanings at any time?

WOMAN:
     Of course.

DIDUS:
     Do you believe she killed our Emperor?

WOMAN:
     I have no doubts of that at all. If the whore could order the deaths of innocent woman and children who had committed no crimes, then I expect she found a very painful way to send the man who promised--and failed to give her--the largest empire in the world to the other side.

There is a trademark, familiar flash of blue light, which clears to reveal Ares standing in the middle of the stage. Murmurs go around the crowd, and we cut to Xena's shocked face as we:

FADE OUT

TO BE CONTINUED...

[Virgil was shocked to find that he had been married to Eve without even knowing it during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 7 Episode 5 Bloodlust I Story By: Amber Written By: Amber Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Eve Adrienne Wilkinson Ares Kevin Smith Virgil William Gregory Lee Didus Chad Thompson Guard Anthony Ward Claudius March Underbridge Michael Charels Measure Augustus Colin Moy Original Airdate October 27, 2001 Virgil was shocked to find that he had been married to Eve without even knowing it during the production of this motion picture. DEDICATED TO KEVIN SMITH All characters and storylines that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess are a copyright and trademark of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement was intended during the writing of this script. All original characters and storylines are a copyright of the respective authors and of the Shipper Seasons. No script may be reproduced on a website elsewhere without the author's consent. © Shipper Seasons www.shipperseasons.com

This script is provided by GDev Resources.