7.06 Bloodlust II

ACT TWO

FADE IN

The court room. Eve is still speaking, her eyes clouding over a little.

EVE:
     We couldn't tell anyone because, in high-class Rome even now, Eli's followers are punished and killed for their beliefs. It's not even a rare thing. And if a Senator's son was found to believe in Eli, who knows what would have happened? Larus, with my help, kept his beliefs secret...but not from everyone.

[FLASHBACK]

A corridor in Livia's home. She is running down it, in a costume in a similar style to her warrior outfit, but made entirely of dark blue cloth.

Livia looking for Larus

LIVIA:
     Larus! I need to talk to you! Where are you?

She runs into the library, rounding one of the shelves as she tries to slow down. Larus is lying on the ground near one shelf, the Elijan scroll open in his hand.

LIVIA (shocked):
     Larus...Larus it's me. Are you okay? (she crouches down by his head, and shakes his body, growing a little agitated.) Larus, wake up! It's me! What's wrong? C'mon, wake up! (nothing happens. Livia sees the Elijan scroll, picks it out of his hands and realizes the awful truth. Throwing the scroll to the ground, she picks up Larus' head and brings it into her lap.) No. No, Larus, Larus, you aren't dead, I won't let you be dead! It isn't your time! Wake up!

We zoom out to see the whole picture--Livia kneeling down against a shelf, with Larus' head in her lap, the scroll to one side. She is leaning right forward so that her head is close to Larus. Then, we cut to her face, which is absolutely stricken with grief. As we watch, a single tear falls from her right eye.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

This shot morphs to an identical one of Eve's face, with a similar tear and expression. We see Gabrielle and Virgil's shock and pity for her, and the barely controlled protective rage on Xena's face. In the back of the room, Ares is looking down. His expression is not readable. Gasps and murmurs head around the crowd and Claudius and Didus look a bit shell-shocked too.

XENA (going to hug Eve):
     I wish I could've been there for you. (she wipes Eve's tear away)

EVE:
     Me too, Mother. Me too.

XENA:
     Go sit down, you're upset. Go and calm down and then, if Didus wants to ask you anything, he can.

DIDUS:
     No--she needs to answer my questions first. She stays until I've finished.

XENA:
     Look, if you want decent answers from her, which I expect you do, then you'll let her get herself together first. (to Eve) Go sit down. (Eve does so, ignoring Didus) Okay, Ares, you can come up here now. I have some questions.

ARES (instantly appears in the now-empty witness box, impressing the crowd):
     Yes?

XENA (not impressed by the act):
     I take it that that was around the time that you first started taking an interest in my daughter--she was fifteen.

ARES:
     Around then, yeah. A few months give or take though. After the boy was killed, she fell into a depression, not doing a lot for a while. Her family was busy with mourning, and no one found much time for her. She pretty much just stayed in bed.

XENA (looks at Eve, who confirms this with a nod):
     And you know all this...how?

ARES:
     Okay okay, I watched her...is that bad?

XENA (not looking pleased):
     I'm not sure...but it's not important. When did she first know you were there?

ARES:
     She always knew. She didn't know it was me, but she could sense me. Just in case you needed proof she was yours...

XENA:
     Not funny.

DIDUS:
     Can we please carry on with Livia?

ARES:
     Where was I?

XENA:
     You meeting Livia.

ARES:
     Ah yes...

[FLASHBACK]

A pretty nice bedroom--the whole villa is nice--with a four poster canopy bed, a shelf filled with scrolls, a clothes cupboard and a dressing table and mirror. Livia is lying among a lot of thin silver and black blankets made of a sheer, silky material. She holds a scroll, but is staring listlessly at the wall.

Ares appears. Livia doesn't move, but looks surprised.

LIVIA:
     Who are you?

ARES:
     Someone who is going to snap you out of this grief thing.

LIVIA:
     A name would be nice.

ARES:
     Ares.

LIVIA (surprised):
     The God of War? What do you want with me?

ARES:
     I'm here to help. (to self) You're not quite up there with her in the brains department, but we have time...

LIVIA:
     What?

ARES:
     Nothing.

LIVIA (sighing):
     What do you want?

ARES:
     Livia, you miss your brother, don't you?

LIVIA:
     Don't you talk about him.

ARES:
     Bear with me. Answer the question...

LIVIA:
     I miss him a lot.

ARES:
     Do you wish he were still alive?

LIVIA:
     What kind of a dumb question is that? Of course I do.

ARES:
     I know why he was killed.

Livia angry

LIVIA (furious):
     If you had a hand in this, I will kill you, god or no god.

ARES (puts a hand up to calm her down):
     Whoa, whoa...no, I didn't have anything to do with it.

LIVIA (still angry):
     Then what are you trying to say?

ARES:
     I was trying to help, but... (starts to disappear)

LIVIA (standing up, obviously going against her better judgment here):
     Wait. (Ares stops) Tell me whatever you came to say.

ARES:
     Your brother--Larus, wasn't it? (Livia nods) Larus--he was an Elijan, wasn't he?

LIVIA (defensive--she is still sworn to secrecy on the subject):
     What does it matter if he was or wasn't?

ARES:
     Livia...Eli's followers aren't accepted here, you know that. (he walks over towards Livia's bed and picks up the scroll lying on it, reading the beginning) Hm. An Elijan scroll...is it yours?

LIVIA (sullenly, finally admitting it):
     It was his. (takes it from Ares' hand, rolls it up and puts it on her shelf)

ARES:
     Now, bear with me here...see if you can connect the dots. Larus was murdered. (Livia nods) And he was an Elijan...and you found him with that scroll, didn't you?

LIVIA:
     How did you know that?

ARES (shrugging):
     Lucky guess? Are you sensing anything...odd about that?

LIVIA (reciting, in the way that a child asked to repeat something they know well does):
     Larus might have been-- (Ares gives her a disbelieving look) Okay, was killed because he was an Elijan. But that can't be why because only he and I knew that--and I didn't kill him.

ARES:
     Wrong. Someone else had to know...but you'll probably never find out who, so forget getting revenge on them. Tell me how you feel about the Elijans.

LIVIA:
     I don't care about them. If they want to get themselves crucified, so be it.

ARES:
     But what about all of their family? Their sisters, their daughters? Would you wish the pain you're feeling right now on all those people? No....you aren't that cruel, I can see it in your eyes.

LIVIA:
     What do you mean "would I wish"? It's not my business what happens to them. Not anymore.

Ares talking to Livia

ARES:
     Livia, I know you've had a bad childhood, that nobody loved you...they were all too wrapped up in themselves. But now...I'm here for you. You're very special, and your family was crazy not to notice that. But I'll notice, I'll be there. I'll say "Well done!" when you do well... I'll protect you from anything that comes to you.

LIVIA (looks tempted--this is the first time anyone has offered her anything resembling love, but resolved):
     I don't need your protection.

ARES:
     You're feeling pretty bad right now, huh? Now, I can't make that go away, but...we could stop it happening to anyone else. The Elijans are...they have no real values or beliefs.

LIVIA:
     Don't you talk that way about my brother!

ARES:
     Did your brother ever fight against something he thought was wrong?

LIVIA:
     Yes. He always did what was right.

ARES:
     Would you abuse his memory by doing any different?

LIVIA:
     No.

ARES (smooth-talking, persuasive):
     Then help me. Help me rid the world of a burden it doesn't need. I will get you anything you ever wanted, and we can make a world of peace, a world of peace through force. Join me, Livia.

He steps closer to her and softly kisses her, before disappearing. We see Livia, with a thoughtful look on her face.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO