TEASER

FADE IN

A small clearing surrounded by a densely wooded forest. Gabrielle and Eve are having a practice bout with staffs. They parry, but Eve is only halfheartedly deflecting Gabrielle's blows. The less enthusiastic Eve becomes, the harder Gabrielle presses her, becoming more and more frustrated at Eve's lack of interest. Gabrielle is about to deliver a hard, winning strike when Eve tiredly lowers her staff.

EVE:
     I can't do this.

GABRIELLE:
     Yes, you can! You have to! Now come on. Focus. (takes a defensive posture)

EVE:
     Gabrielle--

GABRIELLE:
     Eve, someday you'll rule over the Amazons. You need to be able to protect yourself.

EVE:
     I'm not afraid to die.

GABRIELLE (lowers her staff):
     Eve, this isn't about you. It's about the people who will follow you. As queen, it's up to you where you lead them.

CUT TO

A shot of the lower half of a body charging forward on a battlefield, all that is visible are legs and the blade of a sword. A cry of "forward!" is heard.

CUT TO

Gabrielle and Eve in the clearing.

EVE:
     You're saying I have a choice about whether I fight or not?

GABRIELLE:
     I'm saying you have a choice about how you fight. You think a leader has to be cold blooded to lead soldiers into a battle.

EVE:
     There's a side of me that should never be unleashed, Gabrielle. You should know that better than anyone.

GABRIELLE:
     You can temper strength with mercy, Eve.

CUT TO

The same shot of the lower half of a body and the blade of a sword halting its advance. A bloodied soldier falls into frame on his knees, holding up his hands and looking up at his attacker.

SOLDIER:
     Mercy!

The hilt of the attacker's sword flashes across the screen, hitting the soldier across the side of his head. He falls out of the shot, unconscious.

CUT TO

GABRIELLE:
     Your mother has learned that lesson.

EVE:
     I'm not my mother!

GABRIELLE (smiling knowingly):
     You're not all that different, you know. I see the same good--

EVE:
     --and the bad too. Don't forget the bad.

GABRIELLE (frowning):
     If that's the way you see it. But you can learn to balance--

Eve's head jerks up as if she's heard something. She suddenly flips over Gabrielle and into the trees. It takes Gabrielle a moment to react. Just as she's about to charge into the trees, someone stumbles out and falls to the ground. Eve emerges and quickly levels her staff at the prostrate figure.

EVE:
     If you even breathe wrong, I swear you're going to regret it!

GABRIELLE (mutters to herself):
     Well, that's not quite what I had in mind, but it's a start.

The camera pans over to the person on the ground. We see that it is Haimon.

HAIMON:
     I surrender! I surrender!

GABRIELLE:
     Haimon?

Haimon casts an anxious glance up at Eve who has her staff positioned against his chest, then looks towards Gabrielle.

HAIMON:
     Gabrielle? Thank the gods!

GABRIELLE (walks over to Eve and moves her staff from Haimon's chest):
     It's all right, Eve. He's a friend.

Eve steps back, clearly disturbed by her use of violence. Gabrielle pulls Haimon to his feet. They clasp hands, staring at one another a moment, then Gabrielle throws her arms around his neck.

GABRIELLE:
     It's so good to see you! What are you doing here?

HAIMON:
     I was in Tegea when I learned that you and Xena were fighting together with the Amazons. When I heard a rumor that an Amazon Queen had been killed I was afraid that you--

GABRIELLE (glances at Eve):
     No. That was...I was wounded but I'm healing.

HAIMON (reaches out and touches her shoulder gently):
     Thank the gods for that.

Haimon and Gabrielle exchange a deep look that becomes more and more awkward until Haimon looks away.

HAIMON:
     Anyway, I was headed north towards Amazon land when I came across hundreds of war refugees fleeing Megara.

GABRIELLE:
     Megara has been invaded? By who?

HAIMON:
     Take a guess.

GABRIELLE:
     Sabina? (Haimon nods) How is that possible? Her army isn't nearly big enough to hit a city that size.

HAIMON:
     That's what I thought. Turns out Sabina has been hitting smaller sized Macedonian cities along the Ionian Coast and building up her army.

EVE:
     If her army is large enough to take Megara, Corinth will be next.

HAIMON:
     What makes you so sure?

EVE:
     Because it's what I would do.

GABRIELLE (turns to look at Eve, as if just remembering she is there):
     I'm sorry. Haimon--this is Eve...Xena's daughter.

Haimon and Eve grasp arms in greeting.

HAIMON:
     I'm a...very old friend of your mother's. I owe her my life. (Haimon looks around) Speaking of which, where is Xena? She needs to know that Sabina is on the loose again.

Gabrielle and Eve exchange uncomfortable looks.

GABRIELLE:
     Umm...well...I'm not really sure. But I think I know how to find her.

CUT TO

Xena crouched in a defensive stance, sword in hand, amidst a severe rocky landscape with only sparse trees. She is obviously listening intently for signs of a possible attack. The camera pans to a warrior in a dark crimson and silver outfit leaping down from a rock. With a fierce cry of "Yah!", Xena swings her sword upward, knocking him out with a broadside blow. Three more warriors in similar outfits, two men and a woman, jump down at once, seemingly coming out of nowhere, and the woman manages to knock the sword from Xena's hand. Two of the warriors swing at Xena but she dives down and rolls on the rocky ground, evading their blows.

With her battle cry, "A-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!" she leaps high in the air, does a spectacular flip, and knocks out the woman and one of the men with kicks to the head. The other man remains facing her. Xena picks up her sword and charges. She and the man fight in a dazzling dance of flips, kicks, steps forward and steps back, their swords weaving and clashing in the air and making sparks fly.

As Xena begins to prevail, the camera pans over to yet another figure rising from behind a rock, behind Xena's back. The new attacker creeps up toward her and raises his sword but just then Xena swings around and kicks him in the midsection, sending him flying, even as she parries a blow from her opponent.

After some more sparring, she holds the tip of her blade to his neck as he lowers his sword. Suddenly, there is a smile on his face, and in the next moment he morphs into Ares, in his usual leathers. The unconscious bodies of Xena's other defeated opponents vanish without a trace. Xena chuckles.

ARES:
     Told you I'd provide all the entertainment you need.

XENA:
     That? That was just a light workout.

ARES:
     Oh yeah. Barely enough to get your pulse racing. (he pulls her closer and kisses her. She responds passionately as they both drop their swords and draw their arms around each other. Then, Ares breaks the kiss and grins mischievously) I think it's speeding up.

XENA (seductively):
     Hmm... You know what I could use right now?

ARES:
     Let me guess. (he reaches to kiss her again)

XENA (pulls back teasingly a moment after their lips touch):
     A swim. You know any nice beaches?

ARES:
     A beach. (thoughtfully) Aren't you worried it's going to look too much like a honeymoon?

XENA:
     No. Are you?

Ares stares at her, then smiles tenderly and shakes his head.

CUT TO

The calm sea glittering in the sun. Xena comes up for air with a gasp. Ares surfaces a few moments later, his hair dry. Smiling at Xena, he gathers her in his arms and kisses her. The camera pulls back to reveal a green island not very far away.

XENA (closes her eyes, then pulls back):
     Hm-mmm... It's not exactly a fair contest--you can hold your breath underwater forever.

ARES:
     That can come in handy sometimes.

XENA:
     Oh yeah? Meaning what?

ARES:
     Meaning I have a surprise for you.

XENA (looks at him slyly):
     A surprise. (smirks) All right--I'm waiting.

ARES:
     Race you back to shore.

XENA (gives him a mildly surprised look):
     All right.

They swim toward the island, splashing at the water.

CUT TO

The island, overgrown with lush tropical vegetation. Xena is sitting in the grass naked, facing the water, her arms wrapped around her knees. Ares' hand comes up behind her and begins to emanate a red glow, drying her wet hair. Then the camera pans over to Ares who is sitting next to Xena, also naked.

XENA:
     You're finally putting those god powers to a good use.

ARES:
     And you're finally admitting that my god powers can be of some use to you. (pauses) So...your surprise.

He holds out a clenched fist and opens it. There is a large, luminous pearl lying on his palm.

XENA (with an incredulous, pleased laugh):
     Ares! (after a pause) It's good to see that you think I can appreciate a present, which doesn't...kill anything.

ARES:
     Don't push it. I just think it goes well with--the chakram.

He closes his fist around the pearl; currents of light can be seen dancing inside his hand. When he opens it, the pearl is hanging from a thin silver chain, which he fastens around Xena's neck. There is a dreamy smile on her face.

XENA:
     Thank you.

Ares puts an arm around her shoulder and closes his eyes. They sit in silence for a few moments as Xena strokes his hand.

XENA:
     It's amazing...

ARES:
     What?

XENA:
     That things can be so peaceful with you around.

ARES (chuckles):
     Do you mean that as a good thing?

XENA:
     Yeah. At least for a while. (after a pause) But you know what's going to happen eventually.

ARES (looks up a little warily):
     What?

Xena turns around and throws her arms around his neck, staring into his eyes. The smile on her face is loving and a little wistful.

XENA:
     Sooner or later, we'll both have to get back to work.

Their lips meet in a tender, passionate kiss as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER