ACT FOUR

FADE IN

Athens, the same room in the government building where we saw Tydeus and Pausanias conferring in the first scene. Now, Mardonius and several of his officers are gathered around a table, looking at some maps. There is a knock on the door.

MARDONIUS:
     Come in.

A soldier enters.

SOLDIER:
     My lord, there is news of the Athenians.

MARDONIUS (turns around, looking very interested):
     Go on.

SOLDIER:
     We still don't know where their army went, sir. But the civilians have all taken refuge on the island of Salamis.

MARDONIUS (with a satisfied smile):
     Salamis! Once our naval forces arrive from Thessaly, it will take us but a day to get to the island. And then, if the Athenian army finally decides to show up, we will have an added weapon against them in our arsenal.

OFFICER #1:
     This is wonderful news, my lord.

MARDONIUS:
     Excellent news. Go and send word to our ships to leave without delay.

OFFICER #1 (bows):
     Immediately, my lord. The wisdom of your plans--

MARDONIUS (interrupts him impatiently):
     Go on!

The officer bows again and leaves with the soldier.

CUT TO

A brook outside the Athenian army camp outside Eulesis, in a flowering meadow with luxuriant trees at the edges. Xena sits by the brook, lost in thought, occasionally throwing pebbles into the water. She looks troubled. Gabrielle comes up and sits down next to her.

GABRIELLE:
     Isn't it amazing...such a beautiful, peaceful meadow, full of fragrant flowers and warbling birds, just outside an armed camp.

XENA (absent-mindedly):
     Amazing.

GABRIELLE (smiles):
     You don't care much for nature, do you.

XENA:
     I care for nature. I just don't have a need to make up poems about it.

GABRIELLE (laughs):
     Thank the gods for that.

Xena says nothing. Still lost in thought, she picks up another pebble and throws it in the brook, watching the ripples spread.

GABRIELLE (softly):
     What are you thinking?

XENA:
     The last time I fought the Persians...I nearly lost you.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm not the little girl I was then. I can take care of myself now... (in an attempt at humor) Look, I even have my own armor.

XENA (smiles feebly):
     I knew you were going to say that. Still, I can't help thinking-- (she trails off and pauses) We have some tough battles ahead. I know what war does to you.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, you shouldn't let yourself get distracted. By worrying about me, or-- (gives her a probing look) by anything else. (Xena lowers her eyes) It's not just that, is it? You're thinking about Ares.

XENA:
     The last time I was with him, it was my army sweeping across Greece.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena... (she shakes her head a little) When are you going to forgive yourself for your past? You have changed and--I never thought I'd say this, but so has Ares.

XENA:
     Don't worry about me. I'll be all right. (she perks up suddenly, her face changing) Go on back to camp. I'll join you soon.

GABRIELLE:
     Okay. Don't forget, we're having dinner with Tydeus.

XENA:
     Yeah.

Gabrielle gets up and walks away. Blue light flares and Ares flashes into view, standing next to Xena. He sits down at her side.

ARES:
     You know, Blondie has a point.

XENA:
     Eavesdropping, were you?

ARES:
     I never eavesdrop. I just happen to overhear things.

XENA (smiles in spite of herself):
     Anyway, since when do you agree with Gabrielle about anything?

ARES:
     Ever since we both became members of your fan club. (he caresses her shoulder, letting the knuckles of his other hand touch her face) She's right--it's time for you to forgive yourself. (pauses) It wasn't all your fault, anyway.

XENA (gives him a sharp look):
     Don't tell me you're feeling guilty.

ARES (with a look of mock horror):
     Guilty? Now, let's not take this change thing too far...

Xena chuckles, then grows serious.

XENA:
     I never had to follow you, Ares. I always had a choice.

ARES:
     So you're not going to blame me for everything, then?

XENA (smiles):
     Not everything.

They look into each other's eyes. Ares leans over and lightly kisses Xena; then their kiss deepens.

CUT TO

A messenger pigeon flying high in the air, a small rolled-up scroll attached to its leg. The camera follows the bird as it flies over the Athenian army camp and then starts its descent. Some of the soldiers notice it and look up, pointing at the pigeon and gesturing excitedly to each other. Outside the command tent, the pigeon flies down into the hands of one of the soldiers, who carefully detaches the scroll from the bird's leg and goes inside the tent.

CUT TO

Inside the tent, Tydeus and Gabrielle look up as the soldier comes in.

SOLDIER:
     A message from Sparta, sir.

TYDEUS (eagerly):
     From Sparta! Quick, let me read it.

The soldier hands him the scroll and leaves. Tydeus unrolls the scroll and starts reading. The camera closes in on his face as the look of excitement gives way to one of shock, disbelief and dismay. He looks up at Gabrielle. A close-up of Gabrielle's worried face.

GABRIELLE:
     What is it?

CUT TO

Xena and Ares are lying down on the ground near the brook, their arms around each other, locked in a passionate kiss.

GABRIELLE (off-camera):
     Xena!

Xena sits up hastily.

ARES (rolls his eyes):
     I see that some things never change.

The camera pans over to Gabrielle, who is racing toward them.

XENA (looks worried):
     Gabrielle, what happened?

GABRIELLE (runs up to them, out of breath):
     They just got a message from Sparta.

ARES:
     Bad news?

GABRIELLE:
     You know the Spartan army that was supposed to be on its way here? Well, it isn't.

XENA (shocked):
     What? They had an agreement!

GABRIELLE (catching her breath):
     Pausanias, the Spartan commander, made the agreement with Tydeus. When he got back to Sparta, he was overruled by the governing council. Xena, they still mistrust the Athenians...they don't want an alliance. Instead, they're getting ready to repel the Persian invasion by fortifying the city walls.

XENA:
     Fortifying the walls...The fools! Neither army is strong enough to challenge the Persians on its own. This will mean the destruction of Athens and Sparta...perhaps all of Greece.

GABRIELLE:
     Unless we do something.

She looks from Xena to Ares as we:

FADE OUT

TO BE CONTINUED...

[Xena and Ares' cat-and-mouse game ended during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 7 Episode 19 Of Love and War I Story By: Aurora Written By: Sally Edited By: LadyKate and Tango Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Ares Kevin Smith Tydeus Michael Bell Pausanias Jim Hawksworth Nicosias Dudly Brooke Mardonius Keith Heitmann Athena Paris Jefferson Darphus Matthew Chamberlain Man Anthony Bailey Solider Sam Dudek Officer #1 Ricky Gray Original Airdate May 10, 2002 Xena and Ares' cat-and-mouse game ended 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.