FADE IN

The unicorn comes up to Isabella, bows its head and nuzzles her. With tears in her eyes, she strokes its head and its mane, and touches its horn.

ISABELLA (whispers):
     Run...save yourself...

Four more unicorns emerge from the mist, heading toward her.

ISABELLA (looks at them wistfully):
     I hope Xena can save you...

Loud hoof beats can be heard coming from the direction of the trees. As the unicorns look up in alarm, menacing shouts and hoots are heard. Isabella stands back, tears rolling down her cheek, hands joined at her chest as if in prayer.

Three hunters come into view, riding toward the unicorns. The animals neigh in fright and dart toward the water but the hunters cut off their escape and pursue them down the beach.

Close-up on Isabella's tearful face.

CUT TO

Further down the beach. The unicorns are galloping fast in a desperate attempt to evade their pursuers.

Xena's battle cry comes ringing from the woods, piercing the air. The hunters turn, startled.

HUNTER #1 (from the teaser):
     What was that?

HUNTER #2:
     Never mind! I got him!

He steadies his bow, preparing to shoot an arrow at one of the unicorns.

Quick sequence of shots:

* Xena comes galloping out of the woods, a look of intense focus on her face;
* The arrow leaves the bow and flies toward the unicorns;
* One of the unicorns neighs in terror;
* A close-up of Xena's hand shooting out to catch the arrow;
* The hunters staring in shock;

Xena turning toward them with a gleeful grin.

XENA:
     Didn't anyone tell you poaching was illegal?

HUNTER #1:
     Not if you're working for the king. I suggest you stay out of our way.

XENA:
     You know, people keep telling me that (with a mock frown) but I never listen.

HUNTER #2:
     Too bad for you.

XENA:
     No. (grins) Too bad for them.

The men charge her, drawing their swords. Xena throws her chakram, knocking the swords from the hands of two of them; disoriented, the men look around and then dismount to pick up their swords while Xena catches the chakram just in time to parry the sword of Hunter #1. They spar briefly but he is clearly no match for her. With a deft movement, she slices at the harness of his horse and the man's saddle slides down, leaving him hanging upside down with one foot caught in the stirrup.

Xena dismounts, grinning.

Close-up of Xena's face from below, as seen by the man dangling from his saddle.

XENA:
     You're still alive. I suggest you quit while you're ahead.

She knocks him out with a punch, then cuts him loose. The other two men, who have retrieved their swords, run up to attack her but she quickly parries their blows.

CUT TO

Further down the beach. As the unicorns gallop away, four more hunters, Oswald among them, charge out of the woods, cutting off their path.

CUT TO

Xena makes short work of the two men attacking her; one is knocked out when she hits him on the head with the broadside of her sword, while the other is punched in the face and flies back, landing hard on his back.

A loud, terrified neigh is heard off-camera. Xena whips around and sees one of the unicorns being lassoed in the distance. With a furious look on her face, she leaps in the saddle.

The camera zooms in on the unicorn; the man who has lassoed him is Oswald, who has dismounted and is prepared to strike the unicorn down. The other three hunters are closing in on the unicorns as well.

Ares strolls out of the woods, rather casually twirling his sword.

OSWALD (glares at him):
     What do you want?

ARES (nonchalant):
     Just to help out an old friend.

He comes closer and swings his sword, cutting the rope of the lasso. Neighing, the unicorn shakes itself and gets up. Oswald glares at Ares.

OSWALD:
     The king will hear about this!

ARES (smirks):
     I outrank him.

He spars with Oswald, easily parrying his blows and attacking; just as Xena approaches, he flips in the air and kicks Oswald down, knocking him out. The camera pans quickly to one of the hunters, who is about to strike down a unicorn, and to another hunter who is about to make a kill as well. Xena, who is catching up, throws her chakram at one of the hunters while Ares simultaneously throws his sword at the other. Xena's chakram knocks the sword from the hunter's hand; Ares' sword goes through the other hunter, killing him. The remaining hunter looks from Xena to Ares and back, then gallops away at breakneck speed.

Xena and Ares look at each other, smiling almost imperceptibly. It is clear that at that moment they feel their bond as warriors. Ares comes up to Xena and puts his hand on her knee; she puts her hand over his.

XENA (looks at the dead hunter's body, the small smile fading from her face):
     You didn't have to kill him...

ARES (rolls his eyes):
     You're welcome.

XENA (sighs, her face softening, and dismounts to stand face to face with Ares):
     Ares...thank you for helping me out.

ARES (shrugs):
     No big deal. I guess someone had to fill in as your sidekick.

Xena chuckles. They are distracted by the sound of neighing. As they turn, they see the four unicorns standing by the water's edge, the water lapping at their golden hooves, their horns glistening in the sun, the breeze stirring their cream-colored manes.

Isabella comes running, slightly out of breath.

ISABELLA (to Xena):
     You saved them!

She runs up to the unicorns. Xena watches, obviously moved, as Isabella strokes their muzzles and their manes and they nuzzle her. Then, after a few moments, the unicorns turn and trot off into the mist. Isabella watches them, smiling through tears.

XENA (quietly):
     They are beautiful.

ISABELLA (comes up to Xena):
     I don't know how to thank you... (looks at Ares) You and your friend--

XENA:
     Don't thank me yet. They may come back. We have to find out if Gabrielle's part of the plan has worked.

GABRIELLE (off-camera):
     Without a hitch!

Xena turns around, smiling. Gabrielle has just ridden out of the grove onto the beach; Darion is in the saddle with her.

DARION (grins broadly):
     Ares!

He scrambles down to the ground and runs toward Ares, who looks visibly embarrassed.

GABRIELLE (also dismounts, smirking):
     After what happened in the city square today, I don't think too many people in Eborac will be in the market for unicorn horns.

ISABELLA:
     But what about other cities?

GABRIELLE:
     Don't worry, we'll get there too. But just in case, if you have a few maidservants you can trust--you should send them out to other cities and have them spread the rumors. (grins mischievously) I'll tell you exactly what they have to say. Believe me, it'll work.

DARION (turns to her):
     Hey, Gabrielle! You still haven't explained that whole thing to me. (Gabrielle looks down, blushing furiously)

XENA:
     Explained what?

DARION:
     She told me that if I played along with everything she said, she'd tell me what it was all about. The story she told about what happened to her husband after he took some unicorn horn powder. All the people who were there looked like it really scared them. (thinks about it for a moment) Especially the men. But I didn't get it and she still hasn't told me.

XENA (glances mischievously at Gabrielle):
      Really. I want to hear this story, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (intensely uncomfortable):
     Oh, I'll explain it to him. I guess it's time somebody told Darion about the facts of life...

ARES:
     The facts of life? Like what, "Kill them before they kill you?"

GABRIELLE (glares at him):
      No.

ARES:
     Oh, you mean those facts of life! Come on, kid, I'll--

GABRIELLE (growls):
     Don't you dare!

Ares chuckles.

XENA:
     All right, time to get out of here. (to Isabella) We'll take you back to town.

ISABELLA (stares intently into the mist):
     Wait...I think the unicorns are coming back!

DARION (excited):
     Yea!

Movement can be seen inside the mist; finally, a unicorn becomes visible, with Cordeilla seated astride it. The unicorn stops so that it and its rider are still within the veil of mist.

GABRIELLE (gasps):
     Cordeilla!

ISABELLA (cries out):
     Cordeilla! (she runs into the water and toward Cordeilla, oblivious to the hem of her dress getting soaked in the surf)

CORDEILLA (reaches toward Isabella):
     Hello, child. It's good to see you again. We've missed you.

ISABELLA (ashamed):
     You wouldn't be glad to see me if you knew what I've done...I helped lure the unicorns to be killed.

CORDEILLA (with deep sadness):
     Why?

GABRIELLE:
     It wasn't her fault, Cordeilla. Her adoptive father, King Meliadus, forced her to do it.

ISABELLA:
     He made me feel so guilty because the unicorn's horn can cure diseases--like the one that killed my real parents... Can you ever forgive me?

CORDEILLA (smiles):
     Of course, child. (turns to Xena and Gabrielle) On behalf of all of Avalon, I wanted to thank you. You saved the unicorns. You saved the forest, and you saved Avalon.

DARION (curious):
     What would have happened to Avalon if the unicorns had been killed?

CORDEILLA (ponders this a moment, as if deciding whether to tell the truth and finally taking the plunge):
     It would have floated back to shore and become part of the land again. Its magic would have been lost.

GABRIELLE (bewildered):
     You mean, you would have been reunited with the rest of humanity?

CORDEILLA:
     That's right.

GABRIELLE (glances back at Xena, who stares at Cordeilla, her face grim and set):
     And you didn't want that?

CORDEILLA (sounds almost apologetic):
     We're used to the lives we lead. Most of us want things to stay the way they are.

XENA:
     And what happens now?

CORDEILLA (calmly):
     When the enchantment was cast, one of its conditions was that if Avalon remained an island in the mists for thirty summers, it would remain that way forever and drift out to sea. That day is almost here.

GABRIELLE:
     But you said you couldn't have any children as long as you lived on Avalon. That means you will die out.

CORDEILLA:
     As long as we stay on the island, we have the gift of great longevity. We hardly age; my hair was already white like this, and my skin wrinkled like this, when Avalon was created. We will go on for hundreds of years. (nods to Xena and Gabrielle) Thanks to you. Believe me, you did the right thing. (to Isabella) Do you want to come back with me?

GABRIELLE:
     Isabe--

XENA (puts a warning hand on Gabrielle's arm):
     Let her choose.

There is silence as Isabella ponders the offer, and then finally shakes her head.

ISABELLA:
     I'll always miss you, and Lionel, and the other people of Avalon... (her voice drops) ...and the unicorns. But my place is here.

CORDEILLA (nods wistfully):
     Good-bye, child. Have a good life.

She turns around and rides off slowly, disappearing into the mist. The camera lingers on Xena, Gabrielle, Ares, Darion and Isabella as they stare after her.

CUT TO

A path in the woods. Gabrielle, Darion and Isabella are riding ahead; Xena is walking some distance behind them, leading Argo, with Ares at her side.

ARES:
     We make a good team, don't we?

XENA (thoughtfully):
     I guess we do. (glances at him, struck by a sudden thought) You didn't use your powers.

ARES (shrugs):
     Where's the fun in that? Besides, we're not really supposed to use our powers on other gods' turf.

XENA (glances at him):
     What is that, part of the Olympian rulebook?

ARES:
     Nah. More of a gentleman's agreement. (off her amused look) I know, I know. You never would have figured me for a gentleman.

XENA:
     Actually, that's not what I was going to say.

ARES:
     Then what?

XENA (playfully):
     Just that maybe one of these days, we should go and have an adventure together on some other god's turf.

ARES (gives her a long stare, then smiles slyly as he catches her meaning):
     I'll hold you to that.

He vanishes abruptly. Xena stands still for a moment, staring at the spot where he vanished, then shakes her head with a small smile and walks on.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion walking through the streets of Eborac.

GABRIELLE (thoughtfully):
     So the island wasn't going to die...it was going to rejoin the rest of humanity.

XENA:
     I thought it might be something like this.

GABRIELLE (glances at her, surprised):
     You did? Why?

XENA:
     Remember when three of the unicorns were killed? The mist around Avalon thinned and we were able to get through to the island.

DARION:
     Right, I remember that!

XENA:
     And when we got there, Lionel and Cordeilla were really worried that the mist was gone.

GABRIELLE (awed):
     That's true... (glances at Xena) So why did you decide to help them? Don't tell me you got all sentimental about unicorns.

XENA (smiles rather dreamily):
     They are incredible, actually... (tosses her head as if to snap out of it) Lots of reasons. The whole forest might have died if the unicorns had been killed, and who knows how many people depend on that forest for their livelihood. Besides, the king was only in this for himself. The unicorn's horn could have given him a lot of power. Who knows how he would have used it.

GABRIELLE (thoughtfully):
     And the people of Avalon...

XENA (shrugs):
     Maybe it's justice for them, too. Thirty years ago, they ran from Dahak instead of standing up and fighting with the rest of humanity. Now they'll remain separate forever.

GABRIELLE:
     They built a beautiful world...

XENA:
     A useless world. No one except them will ever see it again. No one from outside will be able to get in, and they won't have any children. (after a thoughtful pause, she glances at Gabrielle and grins) Speaking of which, you were going to tell Darion about the--

DARION (pointing):
     Gabrielle, look!

Xena and Gabrielle turn. The camera pans to a vendor's stall where, among other trinkets, there are many figurines of unicorns.

DARION:
     Look at those unicorns! They look so--real! (runs up to the stall to look at the unicorns, then turns back to Xena and Gabrielle imploringly) Can I have one, please? Pretty please?

Xena and Gabrielle start to walk toward the vendors' stall; their voices begin to fade as the camera pulls back.

GABRIELLE (sighs with obvious relief):
     Oh all right. But it's the last thing we're buying...

XENA (finishes wryly):
     ...at least while we're here in Britannia.

FADE OUT

THE END

[The unicorn's reputation was damaged during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 8 Episode 12 Horns, Magic and Mist Story By: Aurora and LadyKate Written By: Aurora and LadyKate Edited By: LadyKate and Tango Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Ares Kevin Smith Darion Alexander Gandar Isabella Brittany Huston Meliadus Cameron Price Lionel Jeff Cromwell Cordeilla Liz Fredric Oswald Greg Tuscan Original Airdate April 15, 2003 The unicorn's reputation was damaged during the production of this motion picture. DEDICATED TO KEVIN SMITH All characters and storylines that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess are a copyright and trademark of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement was intended during the writing of this script. All original characters and storylines are a copyright of the respective authors and of the Shipper Seasons. No script may be reproduced on a website elsewhere without the author's consent. © Shipper Seasons www.shipperseasons.com

This script is provided by GDev Resources.