ACT TWO

FADE IN:

EXT. CASTLE GATE - DAY

Once safely in the town square, Gabrielle finally speaks

GABRIELLE

So, Carena is the one

wandering the castle halls.

XENA

Right.

GABRIELLE

Why doesn’t she appear to her

sister and tell her she’s in danger?

XENA

Like Rhea said, she’s fragile.

GABRIELLE

Yes, she certainly lost it when

we mentioned Carena’s name.

Gabrielle turns and looks at Xena.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d, sighing)

I can understand how the

death of a loved one can

affect you so strongly.

Xena stops and takes Gabrielle’s face into her hands.

XENA

Yeah.  We both understand

that, don’t we?

Gabrielle smiles and turns her head to kiss the palm of Xena’s right hand.

GABRIELLE

Yes, we do.  So, do we

leave or do we stay?

XENA

We stay.

Xena releases Gabrielle and looks around the town.

XENA

(cont’d)

C’mon, let’s see what

we can find out.

FADE TO:

INT. CASTLE - DAY

Cyrus is standing by the window watching Xena and Gabrielle leave, a cautious look on his face.  A knock on the door diverts his attention.

CYRUS

Come in.

The two gate guards enter and bow.

BOTH GUARDS

M’lord.

CYRUS

I gave orders that no one was

to be allowed into the castle!

FIRST GUARD

But, M’lord… the small

one is a visiting Queen.

Quickly the second guard speaks up.

SECOND GUARD

Yes, M’lord.  She’s an Amazon

Queen and she wanted to speak

to Queen Serena.  Visiting royalty

is always permitted entrance.

CYRUS

Does this Amazon Queen

have a name?

SECOND GUARD

Oh, yes, M’lord.  It’s Gabrielle.

FIRST GUARD

And her bodyguard is Xena!

CYRUS

(surprised)

Xena, eh?

SECOND GUARD

Yes, M’lord.

CYRUS

Have Rhea come to see me.

He waves a hand at them in dismissal.  After they exit he looks out the window, watching Xena and Gabrielle walk down the road.

CYRUS

(cont’d)

Well, well.  Now why are you

two here?  No matter.  I’ll

make sure you don’t interfere.

Another knock on the door begs his attention. 

CYRUS

(cont’d)

Enter.

Rhea enters the room with her head bowed low, but a look of distrust can be seen in her eyes.

RHEA

You asked to see me, M’lord?

CYRUS

What did those women

want with the Queen?

Head still bowed, Rhea shakes her head.

RHEA

I wouldn’t know, M’lord.  I just

escorted them to the Queen’s

chambers as they requested.

CYRUS

Oh, come now Rhea.  You

mean to say you left strangers

in the room with the Queen?

RHEA

Yes, M’lord.  The

Queen dismissed me.

CYRUS

And you didn’t overhear

their conversation?

RHEA

No, M’lord.

CYRUS

Have Captain Bigos

report to me.

RHEA

Yes, M’lord.

Rhea backs toward the door, head still bowed. 

CUT TO:

EXT. TOWN MARKET PLACE - DAY

Gabrielle and Xena decide that the best place to get information is at the town market.  Gabrielle moves from stall to stall, inspecting goods while Xena inspects the townsfolk.

XENA

These people aren’t hostile.

They’re scared.

Gabrielle looks around at the vendors and town folk.

GABRIELLE

You’re right.

XENA

Let’s go over there.

Xena points to a stall selling dried fruits.

GABRIELLE

Sure.  We can replenish our supply

and maybe get a little information.

Arriving at the stall, Gabrielle looks over the fruit and selects several pieces while questioning the shopkeeper.

GABRIELLE

Nice town.

SHOPKEEPER

Mpf.

GABRIELLE

Not very friendly though.

SHOPKEEPER

We just mind our own business.

GABRIELLE

Doesn’t seem like a good

way to make money.

SHOPKEEPER

There’s no one to

sell to but townsfolk.

XENA

Why?

The shopkeeper just shrugs his shoulders and wraps Gabrielle’s purchases, refusing to say anything else.  They walk away, ignoring the stare of the shopkeeper.

GABRIELLE

You may have to put the

pinch on someone to get a

straight answer around here.

XENA

(growling)

Don’t tempt me.

Gabrielle’s stomach rumbles loudly.  Xena and Gabrielle both laugh and look around the market place.  Xena points to the inn and they head toward it.

CUT TO:

INT. INN - MIDDAY

Xena and Gabrielle find a seat in the back near a window facing the alley.  They look around the interior of the room, and Gabrielle points to an Amazon ceremonial mask on the wall.

GABRIELLE

Hey, look at that.

XENA

Not something you’d expect

to see in a place like this.

A smiling young innkeeper approaches their table and takes their order.  She returns with two mugs of cold cider and a plate of bread, cheese, and assorted fruit.

GABRIELLE

(pointing)

Where did the

mask come from?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

Ah, that would be my grandmother’s

mask.  She was an Amazon.

GABRIELLE

Really?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

I would have loved to know more

about the Amazons but my

grandmother died before I was born.

Seeing an opportunity to gather more information, Gabrielle smiles graciously.

GABRIELLE

Maybe I can answer a few

of your questions.  I’m

an Amazon Queen.

YOUNG INNKEEPER

(smiling)

No kidding?  I thought they

were all gone!  You really are?

XENA

Yep, she’s the real

deal all right.

GABRIELLE

Why don’t you sit down

with us for a while?

The young innkeeper looks around the room.

YOUNG INNKEEPER

Might as well.  Business

isn’t exactly overflowing.

GABRIELLE

Have you lived here all your life?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

Nah.  I’ve only been here about a

year.  This place belongs to my

grandfather.  I came to help out

when he fell off the roof fixing a leak.

GABRIELLE

Have the town folk always

been so unfriendly?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

Only with strangers.  They don’t

talk much around visitors.  I asked

my grandpa Arius about it and he

said things used to be different.

XENA

How so?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

The Princess, that would be Queen

Serena now, used to come down into

the market herself.  Even came in here

to eat.  But then her parents died

suddenly and she became Queen.

GABRIELLE

So, she had to stay in the castle?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

Oh, no.  At first, she would still come

down, but then her advisor, Cyrus,

told her it wasn’t wise to mix with the

people.  It’s a shame too.  Queen

Serena was always well liked and fair.

I used to see her occasionally when

I first came here, but now I never do.

GABRIELLE

So why do you think

she stays in the castle?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

My gramps says that she was never

the strong one and that she lets

Cyrus make most of the decisions.

XENA

Never the strong one?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

Yeah, I guess she had a twin sister

that died or disappeared or something.

Gramps said she was the stronger of

the two.  He said things would be

different if they had ruled together.

There would be more trade with other

towns and we wouldn’t be so alone.

Business isn’t that good as you can see.

GABRIELLE

Really?  Why would he think that?

YOUNG INNKEEPER

Gramps feels that Carena would have

ruled with her head and Serena with

her heart.  They would have been a

good balance for each other and would

have helped them to create better

relations with surrounding villages.

XENA

So, tell us about Cyrus....

FADE TO:

EXT. RIVER CAMPSITE - EVENING

Gabrielle finishes eating and stands up clean to their plates.  As she cleans, Xena pokes at the fire with a stick.

XENA

Well, it certainly sounds like

Cyrus has an agenda.

GABRIELLE

What a set up.  Keep the town isolated,

and then when he takes over, open up

the borders to trade.  The people will

be overjoyed with him and forget

all about poor Queen Serena.

XENA

Exactly.

GABRIELLE

Yes, but how does he expect

to eliminate the Queen without

arousing suspicion?

Xena ticks off the points on her fingers.

XENA

One, get her to commit suicide.

Two, use her grief over Carena

to drive her nuts.  Three,

have her assassinated.

GABRIELLE

Well, my bet’s on the number

three, but would he try to

assassinate the Queen himself?

XENA

I don’t think so.  He doesn’t sound

like the type that would want to get

his hands dirty.  We need proof

that he’s up to something.

A gust of wind stirs the ashes forcing Xena and Gabrielle to turn away from the swirling ash.  When it stops and they look back at each other they see Carena standing by the fire.

CARENA

Please, you must go back

and help the Queen!

GABRIELLE

What’s wrong?

CARENA

Cyrus….

Their conversation is interrupted by a noise in the bush as Cyrus’s guards enter the campsite.  Xena and Gabrielle reach for their weapons and turn towards their attackers.  Xena glances over her shoulder to see that Carena has disappeared once more.

Three guards rush them from the right and three more from the left.  Xena and Gabrielle turn to face them as they slide into battle mode.

XENA

I’ll get these guys.

GABRIELLE

And I’ll get these!

Gabrielle raises and crosses her sais as the first guard tries to send his sword toward her head.  Deflecting it easily, she kicks out with her right leg and hits the man squarely in his crotch sending him immediately to the dirt.  The other two guards rush her at the same time and she catches each sword with a sai and turns and twists their swords out of their hands.  She then flips the sais over and punches both in the head with the butt ends.  The guards’ heads snap back and they slump to the ground.  Gabrielle walks over to her the first attacker and knocks him over the head with the grip of the sai.  He falls forward, still clutching his crotch.

Xena’s attackers rush her at once, each with their swords poised to hack at her head.  She flips her sword sideways and catches their downward thrusting swords.  With a great heave she pushes their weapons back into the air and out of their hands, then jumps up and kicks the two outermost guards in the face with her boots sending them unconscious to the ground.  The center guard continues toward her as she remains in the air after completing the kick.  Xena allows him to come forward and immediately wraps her legs around his head, her weight and the force of her momentum drags him backward to the ground.  Sitting on his chest, Xena reaches forward and gives him the pinch.

XENA

You know who I am?

The guard nods as he begins to choke.

XENA

(cont’d)

Then you know the drill.

The guard nods again.

XENA

(cont’d)

Who sent you?

GUARD

Cy…Cyrrruuss

Gabrielle has now joined Xena and is kneeling next to the gasping guard.

GABRIELLE

Why?

GUARD

He…he said you were here

to assassinate the Queen.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange glances.

GABRIELLE

Really?  If we wanted to assassinate

the Queen, wouldn’t we have done

that when we were at the castle today?

The guard obviously is not the brightest candle in the box and he shakes his head.

GUARD

Don’t kkknnnoww.

Xena releases the pinch and punches the guard into unconsciousness.  She gives her hand a little shake.

XENA

Ooww.  Not too bright, but

he sure has a hard head.

Gabrielle reaches over and takes Xena’s fist, placing a gentle kiss on the knuckles.

GABRIELLE

(grinning)

All better?

CUT TO:

EXT. RIVER CAMPSITE - NIGHT

Xena and Gabrielle are inspecting the knots on the rope tying the six guards to a large tree.  The men are still unconscious.

GABRIELLE

Think they’ll be able to

find their clothes?

Xena grins evilly as she reaches down and grabs their packed gear.

XENA

C’mon.  Let’s get back to the castle

before daybreak.  We need to find

something that will prove to the

Queen that her life is truly in danger

and that Cyrus is behind it all.

GABRIELLE

Sure wish Carena would

reappear.  I think she could

help us get the proof we need.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE