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FADE IN
Xena, Gabrielle, and Autolycus look extremely confused.
XENA:
Your...great-grandmother.
LICHAS (nodding, serious):
Yeah, and we plan on getting her back.
XENA:
I don't get it. Did someone put a spell on her?
CYNTHIA (sadly):
Have you ever heard the story of Niobe?
GABRIELLE (gasps):
Niobe! I heard that she was a woman who suffered the wrath of the gods--
XENA:
They turned her into stone?
LICHAS:
They did a lot more than that.
CYNTHIA (becoming the "bard"):
Nioba was the Queen of Megara, the wife of King Amphion. She had twelve children. Six boys and six girls...
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[FLASHBACK]
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The great city of Megara comes to view. It's your typical ancient Greek city. People are walking around the city streets, shopping or peddling wares or conversing with other citizens. In the background is a great palace with marble columns.
Writing onscreen appears:
FIFTY YEARS AGO
DISSOLVE TO
Inside the palace. We see a table in the main hall. There are twelve people seated at the table, apparently discussing matters of state. At the head of the table is King Amphion, a still-handsome man in his late forties with a black beard and mustache. Sitting next to him his Queen Niobe. She looks just like the statue we saw before, come to life. Her long dark hair hangs over her shoulders; strength and nobility are evident in her bearing. She wears a dark blue dress and a golden necklace with twelve sapphires. She seems to be arguing with one of the men seated at the table.
CYNTHIA (voice-over):
Niobe cared a lot about the people of Megara, and always spoke her mind. She believed people should be in charge of their own lives, instead of blindly worshipping the gods.
Zoom in on Niobe as she argues with one of the men seated at the table.
NIOBE (shaking her head):
Intius, this city can't afford any more temples. There's not enough money in the treasury. You know very well that we're building a new hospital--
INTIUS:
But my Queen, the priestess of Apollo said--
NIOBE (interrupts, sarcastically):
And of course, a priestess of Apollo should have the final word in these matters. (chuckles) Leto isn't even an Olympian! Why should this city honor her with a temple?
INTIUS (scandalized):
My Queen! She is the mother of Artemis and Apollo!
NIOBE:
And I bore twelve children. (smiles with a superior air) All of them fathered by my own husband--not someone else's. Maybe I deserve a temple more than Leto does.
There are gasps of shock around the table.
NIOBE (continues):
We're not building this temple. The discussion is over.
AMPHION (puts his hand over hers):
I agree.
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[END OF FLASHBACK]
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GABRIELLE:
So when Niobe insulted Leto, it angered the gods.
LICHAS:
Especially her two children. Apollo and Artemis.
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[FLASHBACK]
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Niobe's chambers. Niobe is sitting on a chair, looking into an ornate mirror truly fit for a queen. She carefully brushes her hair, watching her reflection. It seems to ease her mind after a long day.
The camera is focused on Niobe's reflection in the mirror; suddenly we see a green flash of light behind her, and a woman's form. Niobe drops her hairbrush and turns around, startled.
The camera pans around to show a woman wearing a golden outfit with a short skirt. Her red hair hangs over her shoulders and covers the bow and quiver on her back. She is the goddess Artemis.
NIOBE (trying not to show fear):
Who are you?
Artemis stares at her silently, with obviously hostility. There is a flash of gold light next to her, and a man materializes. He has short curly gold hair, and looks like he just came from a tanning salon, his dark skin a contrast to his golden vest. It is Apollo, God of Music, Poetry, and Light--and he's obviously not there to sing a song.
NIOBE (forcefully):
Who are you?!
ARTEMIS (viciously):
You will build the temple in our mother's name.
Understanding dawns on Niobe's face.
NIOBE (whisper):
Apollo and Artemis.
They remain silent. Niobe stares at them, then manages a defiant smile.
NIOBE:
I'm not afraid of you.
APOLLO (caustic):
You should be.
NIOBE:
I will not build that temple! Megara has more important things to spend money on than satisfying the vanity of the gods.
Artemis and Apollo look shocked and peevish; they obviously aren't used to having mortals stand up to them.
ARTEMIS (hisses):
Have it your way.
Artemis vanishes. Apollo watches Niobe for a beat and then vanishes as well.
Niobe lets out a long shuddering breath; she was obviously more frightened than she let on.
DISSOLVE TO
Niobe walks over to the window and closes the curtains, getting ready for bed.
LICHAS (voice-over):
Artemis and Apollo were angered by her defiance--so they decided to get even.
We hear a pounding on the door. Niobe walks over to the door and opens it. A guard, looking scared and breathless, stands in the doorway.
GUARD (panting):
My Queen--King Amphion...
NIOBE (fearfully):
What happened?
GUARD:
He's...he's been hurt. You better come quick.
Niobe runs out of her room, following the guard.
CUT TO
The palace garden, lit by moonlight and torches. A crowd of people, mostly servants in the palace, stand gathered around something.
Pan to Niobe as she comes running.
GUARD:
Make way for the queen!
Niobe pushes her way through the crowd as the camera zooms in to show a body lying on the ground. It's King Amphion. He's dead, his mouth open, a golden arrow buried deep in his chest.
NIOBE (cries out):
No! Amphion!
She drops to her knees, sobbing, and cradles his head in her arms.
NIOBE (crying):
Amphion, please--you can't be dead, no... (screaming) No!
MALE VOICE (off-camera):
Father!
Pan to show a handsome, richly clad young man in his mid-twenties standing in front of the crowd. He looks horrified.
PRINCE #1:
Mother--what happened?
NIOBE (weeping):
I don't know.... I don't know! Amphion--
There is a commotion and more voices, male and female, are heard off-camera.
PRINCE #2 (off-camera):
What's wrong?
PRINCESS #1 (off-camera):
I don't know--
PRINCESS #2 (off-camera):
I think it's Father!
PRINCE #3 (off-camera):
He's dead!
PRINCESS #3 (off-camera):
Mother! Oh, Mother--no--
PRINCESS #4 (off-camera, weeping):
It can't be!
PRINCE #4 (a teenage boy, off-camera):
What's wrong? Is it Dad?
PRINCESS #5 (a child, off-camera):
Daddy!
The camera pans to her. She's a girl of about ten, her braided hair half-undone. She rushes toward her parents and screams.
PRINCESS #5:
Daddy!!!
NIOBE (turns to her frantically):
Cassie--no! (to her older children) Please, take her back to her room!
CASSIE (sobbing):
No, daddy--no!
One of her older sisters, a tall young woman of about twenty, grabs her and tries to pull her away as the girl kicks and screams.
NIOBE (looks up in anger and despair):
Who did this?!
Suddenly there is a flash of golden light. Everyone gasps as Apollo appears standing on the banister of a marble staircase leading down to the garden.
APOLLO (smiling wickedly):
Foolish woman. This is what you get for defying the gods.
Niobe rises to her feet, rage filling her eyes.
NIOBE (screams, angry tears rolling down her cheeks):
You bastard! Because I refused to build a temple for that whore you call mother, you had to kill my husband?
APOLLO:
That's only the beginning.
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[END OF FLASHBACK]
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Back in the city streets of Pelius. The camera pans over the faces of Xena, Gabrielle, and Autolycus. All look saddened and horrified.
LICHAS (grimly):
And then, Artemis appeared next to her brother...
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[FLASHBACK]
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There is a flash of green light. Artemis appears, standing at the top of the stairs. There are more gasps and the servants start to back off.
ARTEMIS (mockingly):
Queen Niobe. Not so long ago, you bragged that you had twelve children, and our mother Leto, only two. Who do you think will have the higher score once this night is over?
Close-up on Niobe as her eyes widen in horror.
NIOBE (screams):
Children-- run!
Zoom in on Artemis as she pulls back her bowstring, letting an arrow fly through the air. Quick pan to one of the princesses, a girl of about 18, who clutches at her chest and falls. Pan to Niobe as she screams.
Quick montage of cross-cut images:
* Apollo releases a golden arrow
* The eldest of the princes, Prince # 1, cries out and falls
* a wide shot of the scene as pandemonium reins, the servants and guards dashing about and running away in a panic
* a golden arrow whizzes through the air
* a teenage boy runs desperately only to be struck down
* Apollo smirks
* Niobe screams, raising her hands to her mouth
* Artemis releases another arrow with a gleeful smile
* one of the princesses falls face down, her hand reaching feebly toward her back where an arrow is embedded
* close-up of Niobe's face as she screams, "No!"
* Artemis reloads her bow
* Apollo reloads his bow
* an arrow whizzes through the air
* a prince falls dead
* a princess falls dead
* an arrow whizzes through the air
* another prince falls dead
* Niobe screams
* Apollo fires another arrow
An overhead shot of the site of the massacre. In the distance, the servants can be seen running away. Some statues and vases have been toppled in the panicked stampede. A half-extinguished torch lies in the grass. Niobe, now silent, stands over her husband's body. Apollo and Artemis stand at the top of the stairs. Dead bodies are scattered on the ground.
The camera slowly zooms down. Artemis raises her bow and takes aim.
CASSIE (off-camera):
Momma!
Pan to the terrified girl as she runs toward her mother.
NIOBE (desperate):
Cassie! (she turns to Apollo and Artemis, sobbing) Not her! Not my baby! I've got no one else left! (she drops to her knees and extends her hands in supplication toward the two gods) Spare only one! Please!
ARTEMIS (lowers her bow, smirking):
Not so proud now, is she.
APOLLO (glances at her with a slight frown):
What, you're gonna let the brat live?
ARTEMIS:
Maybe. (pauses) On second thought... (she raises her bow; the camera zooms in on her hand as she releases the arrow) No.
Niobe's scream fills the air as we:
DISSOLVE TO
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[END OF FLASHBACK]
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LICHAS:
They killed them all, even the youngest child.
Angry tears glitter in his eyes; Cynthia has a similar expression.
Pan to Xena, Gabrielle, and Autolycus; they look horrified, disgusted and angry. Gabrielle is teary-eyed.
GABRIELLE:
And then...they turned her to stone?
CYNTHIA:
They must have. In the morning, when the servants dared to come out of the house, they found her-- (gestures toward the cart) like this.
Pan to Xena, her face filled with pain.
XENA (softly):
I'm so sorry.
CYNTHIA:
We're the grandchildren of Niobe's eldest son, Teragon. When he died, his wife, our grandmother, was pregnant with our father. Fearing the wrath of the gods, she left the palace and lived in hiding for years. When Dad grew up, he began to search for the statue but he was never able to find it. He died last year--his dying wish was that we should carry on this search.
GABRIELLE:
It can't be easy searching for a statue all over Greece.
LICHAS:
We had a good description: long dark hair, dark blue dress, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
CYNTHIA:
And the necklace.
LICHAS:
Oh yes, a golden necklace with twelve sapphires. (He sighs) The necklace was a gift to Niobe from Amphion--with one stone representing each child.
XENA:
So you tracked down the statue.
CYNTHIA:
We found a merchant who recognized the description. He told us he had sold the statue to King Philemon of Treus. That's when we hired Autolycus to--get it for us.
LICHAS:
We heard that the ruler of Pelius, Paeonis, had special powers--some said greater powers than those of the gods--and that he wasn't too fond of the Olympians. (Quick pan to Xena and Gabrielle who exchange a brief look) So we figured he'd want to right a wrong the gods had done.
AUTOLYCUS (clears his throat):
That's, uh--quite a story. (clears his throat again and looks away) Look, uh--guys, I think my work here is done. (to Xena) You don't need me any more, do you?
XENA:
Thanks for helping out, Autolycus. (smiles) Listen, I'll--smooth things over with Diana and Philemon.
AUTOLYCUS:
I appreciate that. (strutting a bit) Not that the King of Thieves would ever have to worry about being captured... (He turns to Lichas and Cynthia and slaps them on the shoulders) Well--bye, kids! (nods to Gabrielle) Bye, Gabrielle.
He walks away, whistling a tune.
GABRIELLE (looks at the ground):
Hey, Autolycus--wait, you dropped--
Autolycus has already disappeared into the crowd. The camera pans down to a small leather pouch on the ground.
LICHAS (bends down and picks it up):
Hey, that's--
CYNTHIA (gasps):
Our fee!
LICHAS (looks inside the pouch):
It's all here.
GABRIELLE (grins):
Like I said--a heart of gold.
XENA:
Don't put that in your scrolls--I don't think Autolycus would like that. (her smile fading, she turns to Lichas and Cynthia) So you think Evander can bring Niobe back to life?
LICHAS (mystified):
Who?
XENA:
The man who goes by the name Paeonis.
CYNTHIA (a flash of joy in her face):
You know him? What they say about his powers--is it--
XENA:
Yes, it's true. His powers are real.
CYNTHIA:
Then he's our only hope. (bitterly) Somehow, I don't think we can ask one of the Olympians to help us out.
XENA (gives her a thoughtful look):
Well, we'll see about that. But first things first. Come on, let's go see Evander and try to get your great-grandma back.
CUT TO
Nemesis' quarters. It's a grand bedroom with purple drapes and a window that offers a breathtaking view of the city. Nemesis, as seen in The Rebel (Season 8), sits in a chair embroidering. She is wearing a beautiful long red dress.
There is a knock at the door.
NEMESIS (raises her head):
Come in.
The door opens to show a servant girl in the doorway.
SERVANT GIRL (bowing):
My lady, two visitors to see you. (off Nemesis' surprised look) Xena and Gabrielle.
Nemesis looks rather startled but nods.
NEMESIS:
Send them in.
The girl stands aside to let in Xena and Gabrielle.
NEMESIS (to the girl):
You may leave us.
The girl leaves, closing the door. Nemesis rises to greet Xena and Gabrielle.
NEMESIS (a little warily):
Xena, Gabrielle...I wasn't expecting you. Is this--a social visit?
XENA (smiling awkwardly):
Nemesis...
NEMESIS (slightly nervous):
Is something wrong?
GABRIELLE (softly):
We need to see Evander.
NEMESIS:
He's in his quarters. (worried) What's going on?
XENA:
Two people are in need of his help. It's about their great-grandmother.
NEMESIS (regretfully):
Xena...Evander can't heal people. His powers don't extend that far.
XENA:
It's not that. She's...she's a statue.
Nemesis raises her eyebrow and looks skeptically at Xena.
GABRIELLE (trying to explain):
Years ago, Niobe the Queen of Megara refused to build a temple to Leto. (Nemesis looks troubled) This angered Leto's children, Artemis and Apollo. So...they killed her entire family and turned her to stone.
Nemesis looks shocked and opens her mouth as if she is about to say something.
XENA (look of realization on her face):
You know about this. You were a goddess at the time.
Nemesis looks guilty, as ghosts from the past begin to haunt her.
NEMESIS (softly):
I remember...
DISSOLVE TO
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[FLASHBACK]
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A hall on Olympus. Nemesis is facing Artemis and Apollo.
ARTEMIS:
You don't get it, Nemesis. She insulted our mother.
APOLLO:
She--a wretched mortal--insulted a goddess.
ARTEMIS:
This is justice.
NEMESIS (troubled):
Justice? But--you don't even want me to kill the guilty woman herself. You want--
APOLLO (laughs):
Killing her would be way too easy.
NEMESIS (resolutely):
I won't do it. Not unless Zeus or Hera order it. They're the only ones I have to obey, not you.
ARTEMIS (her eyes glowing with barely controlled rage):
Have it your way. With you or without you--we'll have our revenge.
She vanishes in a green flash, while Apollo lingers a moment.
APOLLO (gives Nemesis a sarcastic look):
You know, Nemesis, you're a softie. Watch out--some day it may cost you your job.
He smirks at her and vanishes in a golden flash. Nemesis stands still, looking thoughtful and troubled.
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[END OF FLASHBACK]
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GABRIELLE:
So they did it themselves...
NEMESIS (nods):
I found out about it afterwards. (sadly) It's bad enough to kill someone out of revenge--but their children... (she shakes her head) So they turned her into a statue? I didn't know that.
XENA:
Her grandchildren have the statue now. They think she can be brought back to life. That's why we need Evander.
Nemesis gives her an anguished look and nods as we:
FADE OUT
END OF ACT TWO
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