ACT THREE

FADE IN

Eve inside Sabina's command tent. Two of her soldiers wait silently behind her. She stands before a table that is laden with fruits, bread and wine. She glances down at the food--it's clear that the rationing in Corinth has taken its toll on her as well. Eve looks away quickly, as if to avoid temptation. After a long pause, she fidgets nervously and quickly catches herself. Taking a deep breath, Eve mentally steels herself and slowly postures herself with the bearing she believes an Amazon Princess should have. After another moment, Sabina enters, followed by Peneios--who takes his place behind her. She takes a seat at the head of the table, casually leaning back. She studies Eve a moment with an almost mocking stare and Eve stares back. Neither woman blinks until Sabina finally chuckles and reaches out for the bread. She tears off a piece and pops it in her mouth, chewing slowly and thoughtfully. Finally she swallows and speaks.

SABINA:
     So--Xena's sanctimonious little sidekick wants to negotiate a treaty with me, does she? I've never been one for negotiating, but the idea of Xena's brat sent to crawl before me amuses me so much that I've agreed to this meeting.

EVE (fixes a cold stare on Sabina):
     Amazons don't crawl before anyone.

SABINA (laughs and throws her leg over the arm of her chair):
     Oh, I know they would never lower themselves before a mere man. (she pops another piece of bread into her mouth) It's true what they say, you know. Sometimes the best man for a job is a woman. Not too long ago, the Athenians and Spartans formed an alliance and sent the Persians scurrying from the battlefield like a bunch of Hestian virgins running from a mob of drunken warlords. What the Greeks didn't count on was me heading the Persians off in their retreat and recruiting them into my army. After that, running over Macedonia was easy. Corinth is where all my hard work pays off.

EVE:
     I'm not here to listen to your war stories, Sabina. The only interest the Amazon nation has in Corinth is protecting the women and children inside.

SABINA:
     Well, that would be a whole lot more believable if the Queen of the Amazons wasn't also Xena's Little Helper--standing against me inside the city right now.

EVE:
     Queen Gabrielle has no intention of leading the Amazon Nation against you. She only wishes to negotiate the safe passage of the women and children out of Corinth and onto Amazon land.

SABINA (smiles coldly):
     And why would I want to allow that? What good is conquering a city if there's no one left inside to rule? I wouldn't expect your idealistic, goody-goody Queen to understand that--but I gave Livia more credit.

EVE:
     Livia is dead. I'm Eve.

SABINA:
     Ah, that's right. I almost forgot about your miraculous conversion to good. Tell me, how does Livia, Bitch of Rome and scourge of the Amazon Nation transform herself into meek and mild little Evie, Messenger of Peace and Amazon Princess? Did you go soft in the head just like Mommy?

EVE (refusing to be baited):
     I started listening to my conscience.

SABINA:
     Conscience? That's just an idea the weak made up to hobble the strong. Well, I'm not about to let a fiction stop me. If it takes a few starving women and children to get the Corinthians to surrender that much sooner, then so be it.

EVE:
     I can't believe even you could be so callous about the lives of innocent--

SABINA:
     Innocent? Who's innocent here, Eve? Let's be honest. The only reason you want the women and children out of Corinth is to conserve the dwindling supplies in the city. The less mouths to feed inside, the longer the army can hold out against me. The siege could drag on for months before Corinth accepts the inevitable and surrenders. You could say I'm saving lives, instead of condemning them to a certain death.

EVE:
     You're awfully sure of yourself, aren't you?

SABINA:
     I already told you. I don't have a conscience to get in my way. That gives me an edge over you and Xena--and gains me the favor of Ares where you both lost it.

EVE (flinches upon hearing Ares' name):
     We didn't lose his favor, we refused it.

SABINA:
     Well, maybe Xena did. From what I've heard, Ares tossed you aside like an old boot when Mommy showed up again. Now it's her turn to be thrown into the scrap heap to make way for the new Warrior Queen.

EVE (shakes her head):
     Your arrogance is going to be your downfall, Sabina. My mother will never allow you another victory.

SABINA (cocks her head and smiles):
     No? (she smiles coldly.) Well maybe she hasn't been given the proper incentive.

CUT TO

Sabina exiting the tent, Peneios is close on her heels.

SABINA:
     Make sure our guest is made comfortable, Peneios. She might be with us a long time.

PENEIOS (nods):
     Yes, Sabina.

SABINA:
     And once you're done, make sure the men are prepared. It's time we sent our calling card into Corinth.

CUT TO

Night. The palace in Corinth. Xena is pacing silently around a room dimly lit with two torches and a few oil lamps. Gabrielle comes in. Lost in thought, Xena doesn't notice, and flinches slightly when Gabrielle puts a hand on her arm.

GABRIELLE (softly):
     Worried about Eve?

XENA (gives Gabrielle a somewhat harsh look):
     She should have been back by now.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, she'll be all right.

Xena walks away toward the window and stands looking out on the city.

GABRIELLE:
     It's not just Eve, is it?

XENA (sighs):
     It's...too many things at the same time. Being back in Corinth...

GABRIELLE:
     Leading an army?

XENA:
     What remains of an army. (bitterly) And no matter what, some people will think I took over the command for my own ambition.

GABRIELLE:
     You know you're doing the right thing.

XENA:
     Yeah. I just wish I didn't have to work so hard to prove it to everyone. (lowers her head)

GABRIELLE (tilts her head to look Xena in the eye):
     That's not all, is it? There's something else bothering you. (in a near-whisper) Ares?

XENA (looks up at her defensively):
     What about Ares?

GABRIELLE:
     You think he's backing Sabina.

XENA (abruptly):
     What makes you say that?

Before Gabrielle can answer, there is the distant sound of a boom, followed by shouts.

GABRIELLE:
     What was that?

The thunderous sound is repeated as the two women stare at each other.

XENA (quietly):
     Sabina.

GABRIELLE:
     You think she's attacking?

XENA (her eyes widen slightly):
     She's got Eve!

The two women stare at each other. Close-up on Xena's face, rigid but her eyes betraying her alarm, and then on Gabrielle's face--she has a slightly guilty look.

XENA:
     Let's go.

CUT TO

Inside the Corinth city walls. People are running around in a panic; several fires are blazing by the walls, and the night sky is unnaturally bright from the reflections of fire. Haimon is trying to direct several people who are carrying buckets of water. From outside, a flaming projectile flies over the top of the walls; it flies further than the others and lands on top of a roof, which starts to burn. An old man and a woman with a small child and another child clinging to her skirt run out of the house, screaming. At the same time, loud thuds are heard as projectiles slam into city gates.

HAIMON:
     More water! Come on, hurry up! (looks around) Somebody get Xena and Gabrielle!

MAN:
     Here they are!

Xena and Gabrielle run up.

XENA (businesslike):
     Sabina's attacking.

GABRIELLE:
     She can't be hoping to break down the gates...

XENA (grimly):
     No, but she wants to demoralize the city...

Another flaming projectile comes flying right at Xena, Gabrielle and Haimon. They barely have time to dive out of its way as it lands next to them. A man with a bucket runs up and pours water on it. The next projectile hits another house and it goes up in flames. The screams grow louder.

XENA (a look of intense focus on her face as she tries to shout over the screaming):
     Or maybe it's a distraction!

CUT TO

The other side of the walls. Sabina's warriors are using catapults to launch flaming missiles over the top of the walls and heavy rocks at the city gates, which are shaking and groaning under the onslaught. Sabina, atop her horse, is proudly and calmly surveying the scene with Peneios at her side. Close-up on Sabina's face, smiling slightly.

SABINA:
     I think we're ready for phase two. Let's give them another little scare.

Several high towers constructed from wooden beams are rolled up to the walls, pulled by horses and pushed along by soldiers. At the top of each tower is a platform with several warriors on it. As the towers are pushed up to the walls, the warriors throw down ropes and start sliding down into the city. As they descend, other warriors climb up the towers, scrambling to the top.

CUT TO

Inside the walls. A group of soldiers has assembled for the defense of the city, mostly men but also some women; most of them have no armor, and while some have swords or spears, some are armed only with sticks. The barrage of fiery projectiles has stopped but the fires are still being put out.

VOICE (off-camera):
     They're scaling the walls!

XENA:
     Come on--let's ward them off before they try to open the gates!

CUT TO

Sabina's soldiers streaming over the walls. The defenders of Corinth, led by Xena, Gabrielle, and Haimon, charge at them and start beating them back. From the top of the wall, about a dozen of Sabina's archers fire flaming arrows at the Corinthians. With a shout of rage, Xena flings her chakram at the archers. A few are hit, others lose their balance and fall down screaming, still others have their bows knocked from their hands. More attackers are coming over the walls, but the Corinthians are doing an effective job of repelling them. Some of the assailants are killed or wounded; others scramble up the ropes to safety.

XENA (stops):
     This is too easy.

HAIMON (breathing hard, a bleeding cut on his arm):
     I wouldn't say that.

XENA (shakes her head):
     Sabina can't expect to take the city this way. There's something else going on.

CUT TO

Another part of the city walls. In near-complete darkness, Sabina's warriors are pulling up long ladders to the walls.

CUT TO

Gabrielle fending off two of Sabina's warriors. She spins and knocks out one of them with a powerful kick.

XENA (a flash of realization on her face):
     I'm going out to alert the patrols. (looks around for Gabrielle and sees her striking down her other opponent with her sword) Gabrielle!

HAIMON:
     What's going on?

GABRIELLE (comes up):
     What is it?

XENA:
     She'll attack the walls somewhere else while we're distracted here. Smart girl, but I know that trick. Come on, Gabrielle. Haimon, you stay here and help defend the gates. (to Gabrielle, who is looking somewhat hesitantly back and forth from her to Haimon) Well, come on!

GABRIELLE (softly, to Haimon):
     Be careful, okay?

HAIMON (touches her hand):
     You too.

Xena shakes her head slightly, lifting her eyebrows. She and Gabrielle walk off briskly while Haimon returns to directing the defense.

CUT TO

Sabina's warriors climbing over the walls in the other part of the city. About two dozen of them are already on the ground. Suddenly, the darkness is illuminated by torchlight, and before the invaders can recover from the surprise, they are attacked by a small group of Corinthians led by Xena and Gabrielle. Fierce fighting ensues, with Xena displaying her dazzling sword moves and Gabrielle fighting with her sword. Sabina's men are falling to the ground, dead, wounded, or knocked out; a few climb up the ropes to flee over the walls. Their comrades who are coming over the walls are quickly beaten back.

CUT TO

The other side of the walls, where the attackers are backing off and climbing down the ladders.

OFFICER (yells):
     Retreat!

Sabina's men start retreating.

CUT TO

Inside the walls. As the last of the attackers disappear over the top of the walls, a loud cheer goes up among the Corinthians. A close-up on Xena's face in the torchlight. She looks puzzled and rather grim.

CUT TO

The city gates, where the fighting is now over. One of the houses struck by the burning projectiles from the catapults is still burning; most of it has collapsed, but the orange flames are still lighting up the night with their sinister glow.

Several Corinthian defenders, supervised by Haimon, are binding the hands of several warriors from Sabina's army who have been taken prisoner.

Xena and Gabrielle come up with the patrol, leading two bound prisoners. A close-up of Gabrielle's face as she sees Haimon; she smiles a little and breathes a sigh of relief. Haimon turns and sees them, greeting Gabrielle with a barely noticeable nod and smile before turning to Xena.

HAIMON (with a touch of awe):
     You were right--they did try to storm another part of the walls! How did you know--

GABRIELLE (smiles proudly):
     It's what she does.

XENA (gives her a quick, doubtful look, then turns to Haimon):
     You've stopped the attack.

HAIMON (shrugs):
     It's more like they stopped attacking.

Off screen, there is a commotion. Xena, Gabrielle and Haimon turn in the direction of the noise and see several Corinthian soldiers running toward them, out of breath.

GABRIELLE:
     What now?

SOLDIER #1:
     There's been an attack on the southwest part of the city!

XENA:
     What happened?

SOLDIER #2:
     Flaming missiles catapulted over the walls--more than a dozen houses have been set on fire!

HAIMON (puzzled):
     What's she trying to do?

XENA (sighs):
     Show us that she can wear us down if she wants.

The defenders of Corinth look dejected.

MAN #1 (throws down his sword):
     What's the use of this? We can't win.

GABRIELLE (turns to him, impassioned):
     That's exactly what Sabina wants us to think! Well, we're not going to give her that. There's always a way, even when things look hopeless. (glances at Xena) Xena has taught me that. Remember one thing: You're fighting for your freedom. They're fighting to take your freedom away. Who do you think has the greater will to win?

Embarrassed, the man picks up his sword.

HAIMON:
     All right--now let's go and help put out those fires! (he takes Gabrielle's arm) Come on, Gabrielle.

They move away with some of the defenders of Corinth. Xena starts after them, then looks at Gabrielle and Haimon walking away together and stops, gazing pensively after them.

VOICE (off-camera):
     Nice speech, but the man was right.

Xena turns abruptly as the camera pans over to one of Sabina's captured men.

SABINA'S WARRIOR:
     You can't win.

XENA (scornfully):
     And why is that?

WARRIOR:
     With Sabina leading us into battle, we are unstoppable.

XENA (sneers):
     Really. Last time I went up against Sabina, she wasn't that difficult to stop.

WARRIOR:
     That was before Sabina had the favor of the God of War.

Close-up on Xena's face. She looks shocked and anguished for a moment, then grimly purses her lips, as if steeling herself for the inevitable, as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE