FADE IN

A village. A crowd of people is standing in the square facing the camera; their expressions are of anger, hate and disgust. Some of them are shouting and pointing fingers toward the camera.

MIDDLE-AGED MAN (his face in close-up, distorted by hate):
     You shouldn't be here, Livia!

YOUNG WOMAN (with a child in her arms):
     We want you out of our sight! Leave now, or you'll wish you never arrived!

Pan over to a stricken-looking Eve, watching the crowd. Xena and Gabrielle are standing beside her, their hands on her shoulders. Close up of Eve's face, her eyes welling up with tears.

EVE:
     I'm sorry... So sorry...

Eve gives a short sob and breaks away from Xena and Gabrielle. She turns around and runs. The camera zooms in for a close-up of her face as she runs, tears streaking down her cheeks.

Slow DISSOLVE to Eve's face, calm but looking very pensive.

GABRIELLE (off-camera):
     Eve?

The camera pulls back for a long shot of Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, Klymene and Darion, traveling down a dirt road that cuts through a field of tall brownish grass. It's a bright day. Insects are buzzing loudly in the air.

Xena is riding Argo ahead of Darion, who is occupying himself by kicking a stone as they walk and occasionally talking to Klymene who is beside him. Eve is staring ahead. The camera zooms closer again to show Gabrielle touching Eve's shoulder.

GABRIELLE (gently):
     Eve?

Eve jumps at the sound of Gabrielle's voice. She stops and turns to look at Gabrielle.

EVE:
     What?

GABRIELLE:
     Are you all right? You haven't heard a word I've said.

EVE:
     I'm... (looks down) I'm fine.

GABRIELLE:
     You don't seem fine to me.

EVE (looks Gabrielle in the eye):
     Yes. I was just...thinking.

GABRIELLE (understanding dawns on her face):
     About...that town we passed through yesterday.

EVE (looks down again):
     Yes.

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     Oh, Eve...if Xena and I had known, we never would have stopped there.

EVE:
     It's not your fault, Gabrielle. Or Mother's. It's mine. I know that.

They start walking again.

GABRIELLE:
     We were really worried about you after you ran off. That's the first time we've seen you...react the way you did. (pause) Do you want to talk about what happened there?

EVE (looks at her doubtfully):
     I'm not sure...

GABRIELLE (gently):
     Come on, Eve. I know it's hard. But I know that's not the person you are now.

Eve pauses and looks away, then turns back to Gabrielle and sighs.

EVE:
     I was on a campaign of conquest with my army. I took over town after town, village after village...

As she speaks, the screen dissolves to a:

EVE:
     It wouldn't have done much for my image. (laughs harshly) Of course, that was back when I still had some standards--before I had become known as the Bitch of Rome. And then... (she pauses) Then my men and I got to this town--Kalkia. That was when-- (she trails off)

GABRIELLE:
     ...when it all started?

EVE (nods sadly):
     Yes. They were determined to resist me.

GABRIELLE:
     And some of the people who survived rebuilt the village.

EVE:
     I guess so...

There is a long pause as Eve stares into space and Gabrielle looks at Eve, concern and sympathy in her eyes.

EVE:
     Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE:
     Hmm?

EVE:
     You and Mother always talk about how important it is to put the past behind you--how there's nothing you can do to change it and all you can do is live with it and try to do good... (Gabrielle nods) Well, I've tried. And I don't know how much longer I'll be able to bear it.

GABRIELLE:
     I don't know what to say to that, Eve...

EVE:
     Maybe there's nothing to say. (She looks ahead at Xena, riding Argo) I wish I could be more like my mother. She has a--dark past, too, and yet--she can hold it together.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head):
     Eve--Xena is the strongest person I've ever known. But there have been times when the guilt almost killed her...literally. But she has survived and you can, too. (she puts her hand on Eve's arm) We believe in you, Eve. You have to believe in yourself.

EVE:
     But it will never go away.

GABRIELLE:
     No, it probably won't. But that shouldn't stop you from trying to be the best person you can be.

EVE (nods):
     Yeah...

She sighs and glances at Gabrielle for a moment, then stops walking and mounts her horse; Gabrielle does the same. They gallop forward a few paces and Gabrielle stops next to Darion, reaching out to him.

GABRIELLE:
     Want a ride?

DARION:
     Sure!

Darion grabs her hand that is extended toward him; she hoists him up on her horse in front of her. Eve looks at Klymene, who nods and climbs up behind her. They ride up next to Xena and Gabrielle looks at Eve.

GABRIELLE (trying to lighten the moment):
     So, Eve, how do you think the Amazons are holding up without you there?

EVE (smiles):
     I hope nothing big has happened while I've been gone. The last thing I need is to get back and find out that we're in the middle of a war.

GABRIELLE (laughs):
     Wouldn't be a very happy homecoming.

KLYMENE:
     I'd better not have a lot of make-up work to do when I get back. I just know that Eriobea is going to have a lot for me to do. (groans) I hate arithmetic!

Eve chuckles.

GABRIELLE (to Xena, more serious):
     How do you think Sabina's doing? She's been there for quite a while.

XENA:
     She has.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm still not sure we did the right thing, leaving her with the Amazons.

XENA:
     What were we supposed to do? Send her back into slavery? Let her run free? The Amazons were the only ones I could trust. (pauses) It's not permanent. When we get there, we'll think of a better plan for her.

GABRIELLE:
     It's got to be tough for the Amazons, though--having a killer warlord around...

Eve shoots her an uncomfortable look and Gabrielle looks back at her.

XENA (calmly):
     We'd better hurry up if we're going to get to the next village before dark. You were the ones who wanted to have dinner at a tavern.

The camera moves back to show the backs of Xena, Gabrielle, Klymene and Eve riding down the dirt road.

CUT TO

A veil of whitish smoke clears to show a desolate-looking village where some of the houses are burning. Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, Darion and Klymene come into view, walking slowly through the streets, looking around in horror. The camera pans to bloody corpses--male and female, young and old--lying on the ground. Darion starts to whimper and Gabrielle quickly hugs him so that his eyes are shielded from the view.

XENA (profound anguish on her face):
     They killed them all...the women, the children--

EVE (quietly):
     Who did this?

FEMALE VOICE (off-camera; the voice is firm, clear and mocking):
     I did.

The camera pans to the warrior's leather boots and then slowly moves up. We see the sword in her hand, dripping blood, then the armor and the blood-red cloak--and then, finally, the face. It's Livia, her lips curved in a chilling sneer.

Close-up of Eve's horrified face, then of Livia's face.

LIVIA:
     Hello, Eve.

CUT TO

A dark night. Eve sits up in her bedroll with a gasp, lifting her hands to her face. Nearby, Gabrielle stirs and lifts her head sleepily.

GABRIELLE (mumbles):
     Eve?

EVE (catching her breath):
     It's all right. Just a bad dream.

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER