Production #V713 - Episode 13

WRITTEN BY
Melissa Good

DIRECTED BY
Denise Byrd

PRODUCED BY
Carol Stephens

SCREENGRABS
Judi Mair

ARTWORK
Lucia

EPISODE TITLE GRAPHIC
Linda (Calli)

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. ROAD TO ITHACA - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle stroll along a well-tended road. They pass a few others going the same way. Their fellow travelers seem friendly.  They wave at Xena and Gabrielle as they go past.

GABRIELLE

Ithaca. It's been a long time, hasn't it?

XENA

A lot longer for them than for us. We got it
good - we get to see all our old friend's kids
grown up, and we don't have to get old to do it.

Gabrielle chuckles.

GABRIELLE

Yeah, that's true. Still, I’m glad we heard about
Ulysses' daughter getting married in that old
port town. Wonder if he'll remember us?

XENA

Probably not. It's been a lifetime for him.

Gabrielle gives Xena a look.

GABRIELLE

Oh, I bet he remembers you, Xena, no
matter how many lifetimes it's been.

XENA

What's that supposed to mean?

Gabrielle walks on, starting to whistle as she walks. Xena rolls her eyes, and shakes her head.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY OF ITHACA - GATES - LATE AFTERNOON

Xena and Gabrielle approach the city gates. They are among a crowd of people headed in the same direction... some in wagons, some on foot.

Xena notices that the walls seem to be newly repaired, and that the gates are patched in several places.

XENA

Looks like everyone else heard
about the wedding, too.

Gabrielle dodges a cart, narrowly avoiding getting run over.

GABRIELLE

Yeah. Doesn't look that
different though, does it?

Xena turns in a circle, examining the city. A man bumps into her, and reacts, reaching for his weapon. 

MAN

Watch it, you....

Both Xena and Gabrielle outdraw him, and he thinks better of it. He removes his hand from his sword hilt and backs up.

MAN

(Cont’d)

Hey! Sorry!

The man slips away. Xena and Gabrielle relax.

GABRIELLE

Touchy, huh?

Xena looks around. She notices the nearby buildings seem patched and battered.

XENA

Looks like they've had trouble.

GABRIELLE

(thoughtfully)

And we weren't here? Amazing.

Xena winds a finger into Gabrielle's heart necklace and leads her on.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY OF ITHACA - TAVERN - LATE AFTERNOON

Xena and Gabrielle find a tavern. Gabrielle buys Xena a mug of ale. They sit at the bar, drinking and watching the crowd.  The bartender leans on the bar next to them and watches, too.

BARTENDER

Look at ‘em.

Xena and Gabrielle look at the crowd. They don't see anything really interesting.

GABRIELLE

What are we looking at?

The bartender points at a group of people. They are standing together, looking around with suspicious faces.

BARTENDER

Keffalonians.
A moon ago, they were fighting us.
Now look at ‘em.

The group moves on, pointing at some of the buildings and laughing.

BARTENDER

(Cont’d)

Bastards.

Xena notices a group of city men following the Keffalonians at a cautious distance.

XENA

You were at war with them?

BARTENDER

For years.
Still would be except for the truce.

GABRIELLE

A truce? That's good to hear.

The bartender watches as the Keffalonians walk back past them.

BARTENDER

If you can call it that.
More like Ulysses bought peace.

XENA

What do you mean?

BARTENDER

You new around here? He traded his
daughter to the Keffalonians to stop the war.

Xena and Gabrielle look at each other in consternation.

XENA

Doesn't sound like the Ulysses I know.

The bartender shrugs and walks off.

GABRIELLE

You think he's telling the truth?

XENA

Let's go find out.

Xena and Gabrielle down their ale and start to head off. Before they can get far from the bar, a loud horn blares, and soldiers start clearing the road.

Xena pulls Gabrielle to one side, and they watch as a troop of people mounted on horses trot by. The man in the lead is tall, handsome, and young. He is dressed in rich velvet and silks, and his horse has gold trimmed tack.

The bartender walks up behind Xena and Gabrielle.

BARTENDER

Speak of the Bacchae, and there he is.

GABRIELLE

Who?

BARTENDER

Prince Kelvin of Keffalonia.
Here to pick up his bride.

XENA

Nice clothes.

BARTENDER

Bought with the advance on his dowry.

GABRIELLE

But… What if the wedding falls through?

An older, heavyset man who had been listening to them now leans closer and interrupts.

OLD MAN

Then it's back to war, lassie, and we'll
strip that silk off his back and send
him home to papa in a burlap sack!

The crowd around them nods in agreement. There is some grumbling.

BARTENDER

(under his breath)

That wedding better go through. Or else.

Xena and Gabrielle look at each other, and we....

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER

ACT ONE