FADE IN

Same scene as before. Gabrielle stares at Taphius in amazement. The camera pans over the shocked faces of Xena, Eve, and Klymene, and Darion's excited face, before panning back to Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE:
     You want to fight me?

TAPHIUS:
     Yeah. See, a fellow from my town was in Bellerophon's army. He came back with all sorts of stories about how you and your Amazons fought them. You made quite an impression. (Gabrielle stares at him with obviously mixed feelings, both pleased and distressed) And then I started hearing other stories about you. (awed) They say that in Jappa, you killed the warrior who defeated Xena herself!

XENA (through clenched teeth):
     It was a little more complicated than that.

TAPHIUS:
     Oh, I don't mean to question your greatness, Xena. But I'm a forward-looking kind of fellow. Gabrielle...you might say she's the Warrior Princess of the future--the heir to your mantle. She's the one I want to match swords with.

GABRIELLE (with a somewhat forced smile):
     I'm flattered, Taphius. But I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer.

TAPHIUS (piqued):
     Why? I'm not good enough for you?

GABRIELLE:
     I don't believe in fighting--without a reason. Proving something to yourself is not a good enough reason.

TAPHIUS:
     Maybe you're just chicken. (mocking) I mean, if I beat you, that would be a pretty embarrassing one to put down in your scrolls, huh? (looks dreamily into the distance) Up-and-coming young warrior defeats famous Battling Bard...

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     All right--you go on and believe that if it makes you feel better. Sorry, Taphius--I'm not going to play your game.

TAPHIUS (juts out his chin):
     Maybe I'm not going to give you much of a choice!

Gabrielle rolls her eyes.

XENA (with amusement and a touch of pique):
     We're wasting time here. We've got work to do before up-and-coming young warrior here packs me off into retirement.

EVE:
     Right. We need to get some sleep. (to Algiz and Urd) Make sure to escort him off our lands.

ALGIZ:
     Get moving, mighty warrior.

EVE:
     Once he's off our lands, give him back his horse and his sword. And make sure he's not hurt.

TAPHIUS (turns his head as the Amazons lead him off):
     Don't you worry, I'll be back! I'm not going away until I get what I want!

The Amazons lead Taphius away. Xena, Gabrielle and Eve stare after him.

DARION:
     Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE (turns to him, concerned):
     What is it, sweetheart? That man didn't scare you, did he?

DARION (looks worried):
     What if he tells everyone you're chicken because you didn't wanna fight him?

GABRIELLE (comes up to Darion and sits down on her haunches in front of him, putting her hands on his shoulders):
     Don't you worry about that, Darion. You should never do something just because you're afraid of what someone else might say about you.

DARION:
     You mean even fighting?

GABRIELLE:
     Especially fighting.

DARION (doesn't look too convinced):
     But you fight, don't you?

GABRIELLE:
     When I have to. A real warrior is someone who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

DARION (looks at her thoughtfully, then shrugs):
     I guess it's okay. If he goes around telling people you're chicken, no one's gonna believe him anyway, right?

GABRIELLE (chuckles and pinches his cheek):
     Right.

XENA (looks at them, smiling):
     All right, that's enough philosophy for now. Time to call it a night.

CUT TO

Daytime. Xena, Gabrielle (with Darion in the saddle), Eve and Klymene are riding through a grassy field. A village is visible in the distance. As they pass by a grove, Gabrielle looks thoughtfully at Darion and then at Xena, and slows down her horse.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena...

Xena looks at her and slows down as well; Eve and Klymene follow suit.

GABRIELLE:
     I think maybe Darion and Klymene should wait for us here.

XENA:
     Are you sure? Darion might be able to help us--

DARION (eagerly):
     I want to help!

XENA (off Gabrielle's pleading look, sighs):
     Okay. (to Klymene) I guess you two can stay behind and play here.

KLYMENE (indignant):
     Play? I'm not a baby--I want to help you track down the gang! (Eve leans over and whispers something to her; her face changes, and she nods, giving Darion a sympathetic look) All right, I'll stay. Come on, Darion.

Darion looks at Gabrielle and seems about to protest; then he nods and dismounts, leaning on Klymene's hand.

GABRIELLE:
     We won't be long.

Xena, Gabrielle and Eve ride away. Klymene and Darion look after them.

DARION (a sad, earnest look on his face):
     I know why Gabrielle doesn't want me to go to that village. She thinks I'm gonna feel bad about it because it's gonna make me think about how those guys attacked my village...

KLYMENE (squeezes his shoulder):
     Gabrielle cares about you a lot.

DARION (sighs):
     I know. I still miss Mom and Dad...and Lykia.

KLYMENE (reluctantly):
     My mother was killed too.

DARION (looks at her curiously and sympathetically):
     You should try to think good thoughts about her. Gabrielle says people who are gone can hear our thoughts...

Klymene nods a little uncomfortably, then shakes her head, obviously wanting to change the subject.

KLYMENE:
     Race you to those trees!

The children race toward the trees, Klymene obviously slowing down her pace to give Darion a chance.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve ride through the main street of the village. A couple of houses have broken-down doors; a man and a woman are working on fixing up one of them. People come out into the street to watch the three women ride past. Some of them have blood-stained bandages on their heads, shoulders and arms.

GABRIELLE (puzzled):
     This place was raided by the same gang that attacked Darion's village?

EVE:
     That's what my scouts said. A group of men wearing masks, just like the other time.

GABRIELLE (puzzled):
     This is strange... They didn't do nearly as much damage here.

XENA (sarcastic):
     Maybe they've mellowed out.

As they approach the village square, two elders, a middle-aged man and woman in peasant garb, come out to meet them.

FEMALE ELDER (respectfully):
     Are you Amazons?

EVE (gives Xena and Gabrielle a slightly hesitant look, then turns to the woman):
     Yes, we are. We're trying to track down the gang that raided your village.

The camera pulls back to see people coming out of their houses and streaming out onto the square. The women dismount as the villagers surround them, talking animatedly.

The camera pulls closer to catch their conversation.

YOUNG WOMAN:
     They took my fattest geese!

MAN (in his thirties, with a bandaged head):
     All the money the wife and I have been saving up to buy a cow--the sons of bitches took it! And look (points to his bandaged head) what they did to me when I tried to stop them!

YOUNG MAN:
     Such a shame, too. We had such a good time just the day before, when those traveling actors came here and put on their show...

GABRIELLE (tries to shout over the din of voices):
     So they didn't kill anyone.

MALE ELDER:
     No, no... Elis got beat up pretty bad when he wouldn't give up his piglet, poor man, but that was about it...

XENA:
     Did they abduct any women?

FEMALE ELDER (horrified):
     Women? No, the gods help us. As if we didn't have enough trouble here already!

EVE:
     And no houses were burned down?

MALE ELDER (hastily):
     No, no! Is that what they did in other villages?

GABRIELLE (anguished):
     Yes, they did.

The female elder shakes her head in dismay.

XENA:
     Did you see which way they went when they left the village?

FEMALE ELDER:
     Sure. Come on this way, I'll show you.

CUT TO

A wide shot of Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve at the edge of the village, accompanied by the two elders and a few other people, examining some tracks. The camera slowly zooms in.

GABRIELLE (looks at Xena and Eve, puzzled):
     They were much more careful about covering their tracks when they raided Darion's village. Are you sure this is the same gang we're talking about?

EVE (a little doubtfully):
     It could be a copycat attack...another gang that figured wearing masks was a good idea.

XENA:
     Or maybe they've mellowed out and gotten sloppy. (shrugs) Look, whether it's the same gang or not, we've got to track them down. Just because they're kinder, gentler looters doesn't make them all right.

EVE:
     Of course.

FEMALE ELDER (hopeful):
     You'll track them down, then? Myconos and I went to see the magistrate, but he told us the only way he could help us is if we send him a dozen people to organize a search party.

MALE ELDER:
     To tell you the truth, we haven't got twelve people to spare--it's harvest time.

FEMALE ELDER:
     Besides, none of our people have experience in these matters. You ladies obviously do.

XENA (with grim determination):
     We'll find them. Gabrielle, go get Darion and Klymene. We're going to follow these tracks.

CUT TO

Evening. The daylight isn't quite gone yet, but the moon is faintly visible in the darkening sky. Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, Klymene and Darion are making camp in a clearing in the woods.

GABRIELLE:
     I'll go water the horses.

CUT TO

A riverbank nearby. Gabrielle is leading the horses up to the water's edge. As the horses start to drink, Gabrielle suddenly looks up, almost as if she senses something.

GABRIELLE (puzzled):
     Xena?

There is a flash of blue light and Ares materializes standing next to her. The horses neigh in alarm.

GABRIELLE (gives him a surprised look):
     What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be hanging around Xena?

ARES (smirks):
     I'm glad you think so. (Gabrielle looks away, embarrassed) Actually, I wanted to talk to you.

GABRIELLE (suspiciously):
     What about?

ARES (mocking):
     The way you walked away from a perfectly good fight last night. You know, you're setting a bad example for the kid.

GABRIELLE (even more surprised):
     Walked away from a fight? You don't mean that clown Taphius?

ARES:
     He may be a clown, but he's pretty determined to fight you. When someone's that determined to pick a fight--

GABRIELLE:
     Yes?

ARES:
     They usually end up getting what they want.

GABRIELLE (warily narrows her eyes at him):
     Wait a minute...is there some reason you're trying to get me into this? (in an accusing tone) Is this Taphius one of your men?

ARES (chuckles):
     Please. I have my standards.

GABRIELLE (miffed):
     Well, obviously, you don't expect me to have any.

ARES:
     I can choose the people who work for me. I would have thought you'd have learned by now that you don't always get to choose who to fight. In fact--come to think of it--you almost never do.

He flashes a grin at her and vanishes before she can say another word.

GABRIELLE (stares after him and shakes her head in exasperation):
     Gods and their riddles...

CUT TO

The campsite. Gabrielle is kneeling beside Darion, tucking him in while Eve looks on from where she sits cross legged--presumably in a meditative pose--across the campfire.

DARION:
     Gabrielle, are you going to sing my song for me?

GABRIELLE (smiles and glances at Eve a bit uneasily):
     Not tonight, sweetheart.

DARION:
     But you know how I--

GABRIELLE:
     I know we've all had a long day and need to get some rest.

Xena yawns and lies back in her bedroll, tucking her hands under her head.

XENA:
     Right. I'm pretty worn out myself.

DARION:
     I'm not! I could stay up all night and sing! "Oh, Jox--"

GABRIELLE:
     Darion! (she pauses a moment, then pats his cheek) Just go to sleep, okay?

DARION (pouting):
     Okay...

Darion shuts his eyes and Gabrielle strokes his cheek soothingly. Xena watches indulgently for a moment or two after Darion has obviously fallen asleep. Gabrielle remains kneeling beside him, watching Darion as if on guard. Xena cocks an eyebrow at her and sighs with a mix of amusement and annoyance.

XENA:
     Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE (absently and still watching Darion):
     Hmm?

XENA:
     You could probably still see Darion from way over there on the other side of the fire.

GABRIELLE:
     What? Oh, sorry... (she blushes) I was just...

XENA (chuckles):
     Well, you can just do it from your bedroll.

Gabrielle sighs and gets up, stepping over a sleeping Klymene in order to lie down on her own bedroll.

EVE:
     When Klymene first came to live with me, I would lay awake half the night just making sure she was still breathing.

XENA (yawning):
     You're both like a couple of old mother hens.

Gabrielle grins and leans confidentially close to Eve.

GABRIELLE:
     Don't listen to her. She was the same way when you were a baby.

Eve smiles at this and remains pensively silent. A few moments pass and finally Xena can be heard snoring softly.

EVE:
     It's not easy for you to be back on Amazon land, is it?

GABRIELLE (shakes her head):
     No, it's not--but not for the reasons you think. I'm not angry. Well...not much anyway. It's just... (she pauses and looks around, trying to find the words) I've gone through a lot changes over the years. Some good, some bad. But through all of the searching and trying to come to terms with who and what I was--the Amazon's were the one constant in my life, the one thing I never doubted. Now...now I have an idea of what Xena must have felt like every time she came to visit my tribe with me.

Xena snores.

EVE:
     You're still an Amazon, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (laughs dryly):
     To you maybe. But I can see the way Algiz and Urd act around me. They're different now. (her look grows thoughtful) And maybe I'm different too. I feel like I've lost the only piece of myself that I've never questioned.

EVE:
     Gabrielle, once we've--

GABRIELLE (her head snaps up, on alert):
     Shh! (she pauses a moment then continues in a whisper.) Did you hear that?

EVE:
     What? I don't--

Stealthily, Gabrielle springs to her feet. A shadowy figure can be seen approaching from the underbrush and she ducks behind a tree. Eve reaches out and pulls her staff close to her side. The stranger takes one step out into the clearing and Gabrielle bolts out from her cover, a sai raised high above her head, ready to strike.

GABRIELLE:
     Hah!

His hands fly up instinctively in order to protect himself and Xena awakens, instantly jumping to her feet and trying to quickly take in the situation.

HAIMON:
     I surrender! I surrender!

Gabrielle pauses and slowly anger gives way to bewilderment and finally recognition.

GABRIELLE:
     Haimon?

HAIMON (nods, gasping for breath):
     How come every time we run into one another I almost get cut to pieces?

XENA:
     Just a strange coincidence--nothing personal.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else-- (Gabrielle brushes the hair back from Haimon's forehead and strokes his cheek gently.) Are you okay?

He leans forward as if to give her a kiss.

HAIMON :
     Well...I am now.

DARION (sleepily):
     Gabrielle?

Gabrielle spins away from Haimon so abruptly that he loses his balance. Xena shoots her arm out to steady him. Gabrielle races over to Darion, crouching down beside him.

GABRIELLE:
     Everything's okay, sweetheart. You can go back to sleep.

DARION (looking over at Haimon):
     Who is that man? Does he want to fight you too?

GABRIELLE:
     No. He's a friend. Everything's fine. Lie down and let me tuck you in.

Haimon looks on, his mouth hanging open in shock and confusion. He glances at Xena out of the corner of his eye and she claps him on the shoulder jovially.

XENA:
     Congratulations, Haimon. It's a boy.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE