ACT ONE

FADE IN

Gabrielle, obviously agitated, paces back and forth across the clearing.

GABRIELLE:
     Ares? Come on! I need to see Xena!

A flash of blue light and Ares materializes, a tired look on his face.

ARES:
     Well, it just so happens, Little Miss Killjoy, that Xena is unavailable at the moment. She's in bed.

GABRIELLE (glances up at the sun):
     Xena is asleep this late in the morning?

ARES (arches his eyebrows meaningfully at Gabrielle):
     Who said anything about sleeping?

Gabrielle reddens and glances at Eve who is staring down at her feet.

ARES:
     So--if you'll excuse me--I've got my own matters to attend to. I'll be sure to let Xena know you send your regards.

GABRIELLE (growls impatiently):
     I mean it, Ares. This is important!

ARES:
     My, my. You're awfully testy for someone that's found a new friend to play with. (he glances at Haimon) Whoops! I forgot the pair of goody two shoes I'm talking about.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm warning you, Ares!

HAIMON:
     In all my years, I have never--

ARES:
     And that's your problem. You know, you really should try it. Maybe then the two of you wouldn't be so uptight all the time.

GABRIELLE (sighs, her patience exhausted):
     Ares, what do you think Xena is going to do if she finds out that I wanted to see her and you wouldn't let me?

ARES (thinks about that a moment and flinches):
     Point taken. (He raises his hand to summon Xena)

GABRIELLE:
     Wait a minute! Is she--uh--is she decent?

ARES (purses his lips and smirks):
     Oh, I hope not.

He waves his hand. A slightly dazed-looking Xena appears in the clearing. She is wearing a black silk robe and has a bunch of grapes in her hand. Gabrielle stares incredulously at Xena while Eve and Haimon look away, intensely embarrassed.

XENA (blinks and shakes her head, then growls):
     Ares?

ARES (raises his hands in a "don't blame me" gesture):
     Sorry. It seems you have an urgent call. (points to Gabrielle)

GABRIELLE (blushing furiously):
     Xena...uh...sorry to interrupt your...whatever. We've got trouble.

ARES (sarcastic):
     Let me guess. A cat got stuck in a tree.

XENA (curtly but with a touch of sadness in her voice):
     Looks like that getting-back-to-work bit is going to happen sooner rather than later.

ARES (rolls his eyes):
     Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not listen to the details of your new humanitarian mission, so I'll say good-bye for now. Unless, of course (he presses his hand to his heart in mock sincerity) you want my help.

XENA (frowns):
     Hmph. I'll be fine. But you'd better get me into... (looks herself over critically) ...something less comfortable.

ARES (smirks):
     Done.

He takes her in his arms and kisses her while Gabrielle, Haimon and Eve look away. In the middle of the kiss, Xena's silk robe is replaced by her warrior outfit, complete with boots, sword and chakram.

XENA (smiles tenderly at Ares):
     Thanks. I'll see you later.

ARES:
     You bet. (he disappears)

XENA (coughs slightly, smoothing over her outfit, then nonchalantly pops a grape in her mouth and turns to her companions):
     Well. What's the trouble?

HAIMON:
     It's our old friend Sabina. She's back--and we think she's gearing up to attack Corinth.

A close-up of the shocked look on Xena's face.

CUT TO

An overhead shot of a vast army on the move through a valley: ranks of foot soldiers and cavalry. The camera slowly pans down to the warrior riding at the head of the army. It's Sabina, with her lieutenant Peneios at her side. A scout rides up to them.

SCOUT (slightly intimidated):
     Sabina.

SABINA (without turning her head):
     What news? Have the regiments regrouped?

SCOUT:
     No, my lady. Your victory is complete. The soldiers are scattered and fleeing for their lives.

SABINA (smiles coldly):
     Good. You see, Peneios? My victory is complete. And you told me I was being overconfident.

PENEIOS (reluctantly):
     May I speak freely?

SABINA (laughs):
     Come now, Peneios; you're far too valuable a warrior to waste for nothing more than a little backtalk. What's on your mind?

PENEIOS:
     I still think it would have been better to wait before taking on Corinth.

SABINA:
     Wait for what?

PENEIOS:
     Wait until we have a stronger army. With the treasure you've taken at Megara, you could have recruited thousands more warriors to fight with us, and--

SABINA:
     And my enemies would have plenty of time to find out exactly what my plans are and to get in my way. Maybe even to wipe out the army I already have. No, we move on Corinth now. We should be there in no more than two days and encircle the city. Then, our backup will arrive with the catapults, and I promise you they won't hold out for long. (she pauses, a dreamy look coming over her face) Who would have thought, when we were fleeing Xena and her militia, that a few months later we would take as juicy a prize as Megara?

PENEIOS (gives her a probing look):
     Xena... Isn't it true that she tried to take Corinth once, and failed?

SABINA:
     Yes, it's true. You know your history. (smiles) But you see, Xena made mistakes. One of them was having a partner who had his own ideas about how to do things. (glances meaningfully at Peneios) I lead alone. (pauses again, her eyes flickering) Except, of course, for...a little divine intervention.

CUT TO

Xena brings Argo to a halt beside a wide, well traveled road and dismounts. Gabrielle and Haimon reign in their horses behind her, with Eve bringing up the rear a few moments later.

XENA:
     We'll stop here for a rest. Gabrielle?

The camera pans over to Gabrielle and Haimon, their heads bent close together. Haimon grins and speaks close to Gabrielle's ear. She laughs and looks up at him, lightly batting his shoulder.

CUT TO

Xena--her mouth is hanging open in mild shock.

XENA:
     Uh...Gabrielle?

Gabrielle looks towards Xena as if jolted out of a daydream. After a moment her smile tightens as she realizes it's back to business.

XENA:
     Let's go check things out and make sure Sabina doesn't have any scouts in the area that might give us a nasty surprise.

Gabrielle nods and squeezes Haimon's arm before walking away.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle in the forest. They walk side-by-side, silent. Gabrielle looks over at Xena and opens her mouth to speak and Xena turns to look at her. Gabrielle stops herself and looks away--masking her unease by focusing on the underbrush just off to their left--as if she has sensed a potential threat. Xena stares at Gabrielle, eyeing her with an odd look of anxiety. After a moment, Gabrielle senses Xena watching her and turns. They stare at one another a tense moment.

GABRIELLE (laughs nervously and makes an awkward gesture towards the underbrush):
     False alarm.

XENA (nods and presses her lips tightly together):
     Right. Can't be too careful.

They resume walking, the air thick with the awkward silence between them. Finally both start speaking at the same time.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, I--

XENA:
     Gabrielle--

They both let out a nervous laugh.

GABRIELLE:
     You first.

XENA:
     You're the bard.

GABRIELLE (glances away and thinks a moment):
     Do you think Eve is right? Would Sabina try to take Corinth?

XENA:
     Hard to believe that after only a few months, she'd have an army large enough to be a threat to a city that size. Then again--it wouldn't surprise me if she was ambitious enough to want to succeed where... (she trails off)

GABRIELLE (softly):
     Where you failed?

XENA (nods grimly):
     I guess we can never really break the chains of our past, can we?

GABRIELLE:
     Maybe we're not supposed to. Our past makes us who we are and who we will be. It doesn't have to be a bad thing.

XENA (muttering under her breath):
     I wish I could share your optimism.

GABRIELLE (sighs in annoyance):
     Okay, obviously something is bothering you. Why don't you stop with the cryptic talk and save us both a lot of time and just tell me what it is.

XENA (looks down at Gabrielle, a hint of anger in her eyes):
     You shouldn't have let Eve come with us.

GABRIELLE:
     Take a good look at your daughter, Xena, she's grown up. Eve can make her own decisions.

XENA:
     You're also her queen. Couldn't you have ordered her to stay behind?

GABRIELLE (nods curtly):
     I suppose I could have. But if I made her do that, then Eve would never be able to make peace with this-- (she draws the sword from the scabbard on her back and holds it up)

XENA:
     I don't want her to make peace with the sword! I just want her to make peace... (she turns away) Eve has been down this road before, Gabrielle. It's not for her.

GABRIELLE (sheathes her sword):
     That's not for you to say. It's up to Eve to decide. An Amazon Princess can't be afraid to lead her people into battle-- (Xena starts to protest but Gabrielle holds up a hand, cutting her off) Or to lead them away from it. Your daughter needs to learn the wisdom between the two. Give Eve the freedom to choose her own path. (she smiles teasingly, in an effort to lessen the tension between them) You've got a lot of strengths, Xena, but allowing people to make up their own minds isn't one of them.

Gabrielle turns and starts back towards the horses. Xena runs to catch up to her.

XENA:
     That's not true! I haven't said a word about you and Haimon.

GABRIELLE:
     No--but you're dying to. And besides--there's nothing to really say. We're friends.

XENA (breathing hard in attempt to keep up with Gabrielle--who is walking at a fast pace):
     You mean friends like you and me? (she rolls her eyes) Gabrielle--you've got to face it sooner or later.

GABRIELLE (stops and spins towards Xena):
     Face what?

XENA:
     Letting Haimon down easy. Come on, Gabrielle. Do you really think you could ever--?

GABRIELLE (throws up her hands):
     Okay, here we go! I knew if I waited long enough, sooner or later you'd start rattling off all the reasons why he's wrong for me! So let me have it. He's too short? Too tall? Or maybe you think I should spend my life waiting around for you to get tired of playing with Ares? Why don't we start a list comparing the faults of both our boyfriends, Xena? Believe me, I don't think you or Ares would appreciate that.

XENA (lets that sink in and slowly a smirk breaks out on her face):
     So you're saying that Haimon is a boyfriend?

GABRIELLE (momentarily taken aback that Xena has verbally bested her):
     I'm just...well let's say that...oh, never mind! (she turns and starts walking again)

Pan over to Xena. She grins as she watches Gabrielle stalk off, then shakes her head and laughs as she follows.

CUT TO

Gabrielle returns to Haimon and Eve, who have just finished feeding the horses. Noting the expression on her face, Eve eyes her warily.

EVE:
     All clear?

Gabrielle nods and goes over to her horse, angrily rummaging through her saddlebags. Haimon watches her a moment then takes a tentative step towards her.

HAIMON:
     Is everything--?

XENA (racing back into camp, breathing heavily):
     Gabrielle, I didn't mean--

GABRIELLE:
     Just leave it, Xena. Please. For right now, just leave it alone.

Xena's expression turns to one of a chastened child. She stares sullenly at Gabrielle a moment. Her head suddenly whips around to the sound of shouting men in a panic, racing down the road in the direction Xena, Gabrielle, Haimon and Eve have just come from. She grabs one retreating soldier by the back of his neck.

SOLDIER:
     Are you mad, woman?

XENA:
     What are you running from?

SOLDIER:
     Valeria Sabina! Three regiments were sent out to stop her halfway between Corinth and Megara and she cut right through us. She'll be inside the gates of Corinth in five days time! We can't stop her. No one can! There's nothing to do but save ourselves.

He takes off running down the road.

XENA (calls out to him):
     What kind of soldier runs away from a battle?

SOLDIER (calling back over his shoulder):
     The kind that's seen what Sabina can do!

Xena watches the soldiers retreat, a bitter, disgusted expression on her face. Gabrielle steps up beside her.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head in bafflement):
     I don't get it. Where would Sabina have gotten a force large enough to rout three entire regiments? Do you think she had help?

Xena stares at her in shock, as if struck and appalled by a sudden thought.

XENA (after a pause, very quietly):
     Maybe she did.

She turns and stalks off towards Argo.

CUT TO

Night. Xena, Gabrielle, Haimon and Eve stand on a hill overlooking Corinth. Below is a vast army camp that encircles the city walls, the torches and bonfires of the camp lighting the night.

HAIMON:
     She's got the city completely surrounded.

XENA:
     We're going to get in.

EVE:
     How? Even if we get past Sabina's troops, I don't think the Corinthians will be in a mood to open the gates to any visitors right now.

XENA:
     I know where to find an entrance to a tunnel that will take us inside the city walls. If it hasn't been sealed, we should be able to get in. There's only one problem.

GABRIELLE:
     What?

XENA:
     The entrance is in a patch of woods that cuts through the camp. Looks like we'll have to go through some of Sabina's soldiers.

CUT TO

The edge of a grove. Four sentries sit by a small fire, facing the grove. Small rocks whiz through the air, hitting three of the men in the back of the head and knocking them out. The fourth sentry is only grazed by the rock; he jumps to his feet, turns around, and sees Xena, Gabrielle, Eve and Haimon. He is about to strike his shield with his sword to raise the alarm but Gabrielle throws one of her sais at him blunt end first, the hilt of the sai striking the man in the forehead. He falls to the ground, unconscious. Gabrielle beckons to her companions, and the four go into the woods, leading their horses with them.

CUT TO

A street in Corinth. In the dim, reddish light of a torch, we see a large stone on the ground moving, shaking, and finally lifting off the ground. Xena and Gabrielle look cautiously out of the opening--only to find themselves staring at crossbows and spears pointed straight at them.

XENA:
     Take it easy. We're here to help.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE