ACT TWO

FADE IN

Early morning. Sabina's camp. The soldiers are milling about in an obvious state of agitation and anxiety as they discuss something, gesticulating excitedly, a discontented buzz in the air. The camera slowly pans to a large, lavishly decorated tent and then takes us inside.

Sabina is sitting at a table, studying maps. The buzz of voices from outside reaches her ear and she looks up sharply.

The flap of the tent is lifted and Peneios comes in.

PENEIOS:
     Sabina. I'm afraid there's a problem.

SABINA (stares at him intently):
     What kind of problem?

PENEIOS:
     A tall dark one--blue eyes, big sword, black leather...

A close-up on Sabina's face, her eyes wide open.

SABINA:
     Xena's here? (she quickly regains her composure) Where?

PENEIOS:
     Inside Corinth, it seems. She has just been spotted on the city walls.

SABINA (almost mesmerized):
     Xena... How did she manage to sneak into the city? (chuckles) Silly question. How does Xena do anything? She just does.

PENEIOS:
     Maybe she was already in Corinth when we got here...

SABINA:
     No. (shakes her head) Too much of a coincidence. (looks up at Peneios) Have any of the sentries reported anything suspicious?

PENEIOS:
     No, Sabina.

SABINA (brusquely):
     Have them questioned. If you find anyone who seems to know more than he's telling, bring him to me.

PENEIOS (bows his head slightly):
     I will.

The rumbling outside grows louder. Shouts and raucous voices are heard.

SABINA (frowns):
     What's going on?

PENEIOS:
     I wasn't the only one to recognize Xena. Word spreads quickly around the camp, they're starting to panic out there.

SABINA (scoffs):
     Cowards. I'll speak to them. (pauses) Bring my horse.

CUT TO

Outside the tent as Sabina steps out. The agitated murmur among the soldiers dies down immediately as they turn to stare at her. At that moment, Peneios comes up leading Sabina's horse, and she leaps gracefully in the saddle.

SABINA (in a loud, clear voice):
     So. I understand that all of you fine warriors are scared of Xena.

SOLDIER #1:
     Show me one warrior who isn't!

SABINA (contemptuously):
     You're looking at her. (pauses for effect) Listen to me. Yes, Xena may be the greatest warrior who has ever lived...so far. But she's still only one warrior. Hector was a great warrior, and Troy still fell to the Greeks. What is it about Xena that scares you so much?

SOLDIER #2:
     They say she once defeated an entire Persian army single-handed! (a loud murmur goes up again) The woman must be invincible!

SABINA:
     The Romans would tell you a different story. They captured her and crucified her.

SOLDIER #3:
     And then she came back! They say she's come back from the dead eight times!

SABINA (smiles coldly):
     Even a cat only has nine lives. Xena's luck is bound to run out some time.

SOLDIER #4:
     She's got a god on her side!

SABINA:
     Has she, now. And what god would that be?

SOLDIER #4 (bewildered):
     Ares, God of War, of course. Everyone knows that!

SABINA:
     Really. Well, sometimes "everyone" is wrong.

A close-up of her face, smiling triumphantly.

CUT TO

Morning. Xena and Gabrielle approach the portico of a temple which has been turned into a makeshift hospital for wounded soldiers, who are lying on thin mats and blankets spread out on the stone floor, some of them moaning in pain. Three women, two in white and one in dark green, are pouring soup into bowls and handing it out to the wounded, along with pieces of bread. As the camera draws closer, we see that the woman in the dark green dress is Eve. Xena and Gabrielle stop and watch her as a small smile appears on Xena's lips.

GABRIELLE (puts her hand on Xena's arm):
     You see, I told you she'd find her own way. Even if she becomes a fighter again, Eve will never lose the compassion she's gained.

XENA (gives her a quick look, then changes the subject):
     Sabina has every main route into Corinth blocked. How much longer do you think the food in Corinth will last?

MAN (behind her, off-camera):
     My question exactly!

Xena whips around to see a burly man followed by three other men and two women. The six of them push their way past Xena and Gabrielle and walk toward the portico.

MAN #1 (to Eve and the two other women):
     What do you think you're doing?

EVE (looks up):
     Feeding wounded soldiers who fought to protect your city.

WOMAN #1 (sneering):
     And did a mighty good job of it, too.

Close-up of the pained look on Eve's face.

MAN #1:
     We have no use for them now. But we do for that food. Unless the siege is broken, the city barely has provisions to last us a week. So I suggest that (growls) you give it up.

He steps menacingly toward Eve as the other two women, and the wounded soldiers, eye her nervously.

Xena moves to intercede but Gabrielle grabs her arm to restrain her. Xena turns to look at Gabrielle, shocked.

GABRIELLE:
     Let Eve handle this.

EVE (softly):
     Your city is fighting against a ruthless conqueror. If you become as ruthless as she, don't you think you're letting her win? Take the food away from these helpless men, and you may save your bodies but you'll kill your souls.

MAN #1 (applauds sarcastically):
     Beautifully said. Too bad we can't feed on fancy words. (moves closer) Now, are you going to hand it over peacefully or are we going to do it the hard way?

Eve puts the large pot of soup and the breadbasket on the floor, then straightens up.

EVE (lowers her voice to a menacing tone):
     Come and get it.

The man comes up but as he moves to take the food, Eve knocks him down with a swift move and he sprawls on the floor, crying out as he lands on the hard marble surface. His face red and distorted with fury, he scrambles to his feet.

MAN #1 (draws a knife from his belt):
     Now you'll be sorry. Are you prepared to die over this?

He charges Eve. She adeptly sidesteps his lunge, grabs his wrist with her right hand and brings her left arm down in a hard blow to his elbow, breaking the man's arm. He drops the knife and falls to his knees, bellowing in pain. Eve quickly snatches up his fallen knife, holding the flat end of the blade against his throat as he looks up at her, his face full of agony and terror. His companions watch, frozen in fear.

EVE:
     Actually, I am. Are you?

MAN #1 (moaning):
     N-no.

EVE (holds the blade against his throat for a long moment, then, as if having to make a conscious effort, takes it away):
     Get out of here.

Cradling his broken arm with his good one, the man scrambles to his feet and backs away toward his companions.

EVE:
     Anyone else?

The rest of the small band stares nervously at Eve. Then, Man #1 turns around, still cradling his arm and trying to suppress his groans, and walks away. The others follow. Eve stands for a moment with a strange, slightly dazed expression on her face. Then picks up the pot of soup and the bread basket, walks to the wounded soldier closest to her, and ladles the soup into a bowl by his side. The man is too weak to move. She kneels beside him and lifts him so that he is cradled across her lap and tilts the bowl so that he can drink from it.

Pan back to Xena and Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE:
     You see? I told you she could handle it.

Xena frowns and sighs, then turns and begins to walk away.

HAIMON (running through the crowd):
     Xena! Xena!

Xena stops and turns back. Haimon catches up to her and Gabrielle.

HAIMON:
     I did some asking around. A general by the name of Kodros is in command.

GABRIELLE (looks up at Xena):
     Kodros? He's an administrator, isn't he? He hasn't seen a battle in thirty years.

XENA (nods grimly):
     What about Gylippus? I thought he commanded the army in Corinth.

HAIMON:
     He was killed three days ago fighting alongside his three regiments.

XENA:
     And Linos, his second in command?

HAIMON:
     Him too. Kodros was next in the chain of command.

XENA:
     Well that chain is about to be broken. (she turns and stalks off)

GABRIELLE (grabbing Haimon's arm):
     Stick close by. This could get ugly.

CUT TO

A large hall serving as a headquarters. Several Corinthian officers gathered around a long, heavy table, studying a map spread out upon it. All of the men are relatively young save for Kodros, a man in his early to mid-sixties and Jason--Kodros' second in command--who is in his late forties. Their conversation is heated, though low and indistinct until Kodros brings his fist down upon the table.

KODROS:
     I'd sooner see Corinth razed to the ground than surrender it to Valeria Sabina!

Xena walks into the room as Kodros is speaking. Haimon and Gabrielle come in behind her.

XENA:
     Big words. I wonder how the people out there would feel about you gambling with their lives. (pauses) Hello, Kodros.

KODROS (gaping at her):
     Xena...there had been talk that you had entered the city. (he nervously rakes a hand through his hair) I trust this isn't to be a--repeat performance?

Xena presses her lips together in a mixture of anger and guilt as she struggles to form a reply.

GABRIELLE:
     We came to help.

JASON:
     Help? (sneers bitterly) No offense to the legendary Warrior Princess, but how can even you defeat that out there? Sabina has got the city completely surrounded. She's cut right through every regiment we've sent out to stop her. In two days, she'll have her catapults in place and the siege will begin.

XENA:
     Corinth won't be able to hold out against a siege. Sabina has cut off your supply lines. With all these people in the city, the food and water won't hold a week.

KODROS:
     I--I've already made preparations to ration the food--

XENA:
     You mean even more than you already are? And then what? People are already starting to panic over the shortages, Kodros. It's only a matter of time before the riots begin. Sabina won't have to lift a blade. Corinth is about to tear itself apart.

JASON (haughtily studies Xena, Gabrielle and Haimon):
     Perhaps that's true for farmhands in whatever backwater villages you come from--but this is Corinth. Our citizens have culture and breeding.

GABRIELLE:
     Will good manners and breeding fill a hungry stomach? You can't reason with someone that's starving.

KODROS (sighs tiredly):
     They're right, Jason. I'm honest enough to know that I'm no warrior. I can't defeat Sabina, but I'm smart enough to take the advice of someone that can. (looks at Xena) Tell us what we should do.

XENA:
     You need to evacuate the women and children now. With that many less mouths to feed, Corinth might be able to hold out against a siege until reinforcements can arrive.

JASON:
     And how, pray tell, do you propose we do that? Sabina has the city surrounded. I don't think we'll be able to just slip hundreds of people through her lines.

XENA (steps up to the table to study the map):
     There's a tunnel (she points) here. We can get them out through there.

KODROS:
     A tunnel? I wasn't aware of any tunnel into Corinth.

XENA (grimaces):
     My army dug it out years ago.

KODROS:
     After all this time, is it sound?

GABRIELLE (nods):
     That's how we entered the city.

JASON (studying the map):
     This tunnel lets out right into the middle of Sabina's camp. That's supposed to be an improvement on slowly starving to death in here?

XENA:
     We can create a diversion here (indicates a spot on the map) at the south wall. Sabina's men will be looking the other way. If we distract them long enough, we can get everyone to safety through the forest.

JASON:
     Distract them with what? Our reserves are gone.

XENA (gaping in disbelief):
     All of them?

JASON (glances uncomfortably at Kodros):
     An attack was ordered this morning. One last effort to break through Sabina's lines.

XENA:
     And?

JASON:
     It failed.

XENA (shakes her head):
     Well, we'll have to think of something else then.

GABRIELLE (stepping up beside Xena):
     What if the civilians of Corinth were placed under the protection of someone that Sabina doesn't consider an enemy? Maybe then they could negotiate a treaty for the safe passage of these people out of the city.

JASON (laughs):
     Name me anyone between Delphi and Damascus that Sabina doesn't consider an enemy.

GABRIELLE:
     So far, Sabina has left the Amazons in peace.

Xena darts an anxious glance at Gabrielle.

KODROS:
     I'm open to the idea but no one here has the authority to speak for the Amazon nation.

GABRIELLE:
     As their Queen, I do.

XENA:
     Gabrielle, this isn't--

Gabrielle cuts Xena off with a wave of her hand.

JASON (rubs his chin reflectively):
     It just might work, Kodros. I can't imagine that Sabina wouldn't be at least somewhat flattered to entertain treaty negotiations with a queen--even a barbarian queen.

XENA (glares at him, sarcastically):
     So much for culture and breeding.

Gabrielle puts a hand on her arm, stopping her.

JASON (looks at Gabrielle):
     You can't go yourself, you know. You'll undermine your position if you go to her. You'll need an emissary.

HAIMON (steps forward):
     I'll go for Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head):
     No, Haimon. It doesn't work like that. There's a code of conduct (glances bitterly at Jason) that even barbarians have to follow. Only someone with the rite of caste can speak for an Amazon Queen.

CUT TO

A close up of Xena's face. Her eyes go wide as she understands the full implication of Gabrielle's words.

CUT TO

Eve mounts her horse and takes a deep breath. She looks down at Xena and Gabrielle--who are seeing her off.

EVE:
     How do I look?

GABRIELLE (reaches out to pat the neck of Eve's horse):
     Like an Amazon Princess.

EVE (gazes steadily at Gabrielle):
     I'm worried, Gabrielle. All these lives are depending on me. I don't want to let them down. (a sheepish look) Or you.

GABRIELLE (smiles warmly):
     You could never disappoint me, Eve.

Xena clears her throat uncomfortably--almost as if to remind Gabrielle and Eve that she is still there.

XENA:
     Eve, don't hang around Sabina's camp any longer than you have to. Once you have her answer, you clear out fast.

GABRIELLE:
     But don't let her think you're running away in fear. Sabina is smart. She's a master at exploiting any hint of weakness.

XENA (glances at Gabrielle out of the corner of her eye and her mouth tightens.):
     Just get back here as soon as possible.

EVE (nods dutifully):
     Yes, Mother.

GABRIELLE (reaches up and pats Eve's hand in reassurance):
     Don't worry. You'll be fine.

Eve nods breathlessly and Xena raises her hand in a signal. Half a dozen heavily armed soldiers take their place behind Eve. She looks over her shoulder at them, then down at Gabrielle, her eyes widening in question.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena--what is this?

XENA:
     Her escort.

GABRIELLE:
     They're supposed to be unarmed! I'm sending Eve to Sabina under a banner of truce. How is it going to look if these men are armed to the teeth?

XENA:
     What makes you so sure Sabina will respect your banner of truce?

GABRIELLE:
     I don't see where we have much of a choice. Besides--as twisted as it may be--Sabina does operate under a certain code of honor. As long as the Amazon Nation poses no threat to her--

XENA:
     Are you willing to gamble Eve's life on Sabina's principles?

Xena and Gabrielle glare at one another in a test of resolve. Finally, it is Eve who breaks the stand off.

EVE:
     Gabrielle is right, Mother. Either they accompany me unarmed or I go alone.

Xena realizes this is an argument she is not going to win. She nods resentfully.

XENA:
     All right.

Eve turns in the saddle to look at the soldiers.

EVE:
     Leave your weapons behind.

The soldiers are clearly hesitant to do so, but something in Eve's look forces them to throw their swords down. Gabrielle ducks her head slightly to disguise the smile on her face and Eve turns back, gathering the reigns in her hands. She looks down at Gabrielle.

EVE:
     I'll see you soon. (she looks over at Xena.) Both of you.

She leads the men out of the gates at a medium gallop. Xena doesn't take her eyes off of Eve's retreating figure as she speaks to Gabrielle.

XENA (in an almost menacing tone):
     If anything happens to her--

GABRIELLE (also not looking at Xena):
     I wouldn't have sent her if I didn't think she could handle it, Xena. It's going to be fine. (Gabrielle pauses a minute, then reaches out and tentatively touches Xena's arm) Trust me.

Xena glances down at Gabrielle's hand on her arm, then up at Gabrielle, forcing a small, though tense smile.

XENA:
     I always have.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO