ACT TWO

FADE IN

Virgil walks into the small house and Eve follows him. They enter into a room with a fireplace right of the door, a kettle sitting next to it. In the next room are two beds and a window next to them, a tattered piece of cloth hanging across it. In one bed lies a young girl and in the other, a young boy. They don't look that sick except for a few red spots on their skin.

Eve's face grows sad as she walks slowly over to the sick children. Virgil stays behind, watching, apparently still a little wary of her. The children are asleep and Eve kneels down between the two beds and puts her hands on both children, careful not to wake them. She sighs quietly and closes her eyes, mumbling under her breath.

Virgil watches from a distance as she prays. A few moments pass and finally he decides to join Eve in prayer. He kneels down next to her and she briefly opens her eyes, glancing at him--a slight hint of surprise on her face. He puts a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiles, showing that he trusts her. She smiles back and they close their eyes once more. When they finish praying, they stand.

EVE:
     Virgil, I'll need some water now to make an herbal tonic. It's something that I learned during my travels in Indus and Chin. I have some pouches of herbs here-- (points to her satchel)

VIRGIL (surprised):
     It can cure the plague?

EVE:
     No, but it will help keep down the fever and help with some of the other symptoms--help them make it through the illness until the worst is over. I'll need some time to prepare it and let it settle, though. Until then, Eli will take care of them.

VIRGIL:
     I'm glad.

Virgil and Eve start to leave the room when they hear the voice of the little girl.

GIRL (sleepily):
     Virgil?

VIRGIL:
     Yeah, Kara?

KARA:
     I'm hungry.

BOY (yawns):
     Yeah, me too.

VIRGIL (in an anguished voice):
     I'm sorry...we don't have much food to spare. With the war, food has been hard to come by. What we have, we may need to stretch over weeks to come.

EVE:
     Wait. (reaches into the satchel that she is carrying and takes out two pears and two small pieces of bread) Here. (hands them to the children) You need these more than I do. You need to keep your strength up if you hope to get better.

The two children take them and begin to eat. Eve walks closer to the beds. The boy looks up.

BOY:
     Thank you for the food, miss.

EVE:
     You're welcome. What's your name?

BOY:
     Theon.

EVE:
     Well, Theon, you and your sister are very lucky to have a big brother like Virgil. He's acted like a father to you and I hope you know how much he cares for you, (looks at Kara, smiles) both of you.

Theon smiles and then starts to cough. Eve reaches to feel his forehead.

EVE:
     You feel warm. Virgil, why don't you get a wet cloth to put on his head?

Virgil nods and heads out the door. Eve rubs the children's faces gently and smiles. Virgil soon comes back with a wet cloth and Eve puts it on Theon's head.

EVE:
     There you go. We'll be in the next room if you need anything.

Virgil and Eve walk out of the room. Eve goes to sit down at a table but Virgil grabs her arm. She glances back.

VIRGIL:
     Eve, I just want you to know...that I've forgiven you for what you did. I know that, at the time, it wasn't the real you. Now, I've seen the real you and I know that you would never do something like that.

EVE:
     You don't have to say that. You were right to be angry with me, enough to want me dead. I caused you a lot of pain and I will go to my grave regretting what I did.

VIRGIL:
     Well...I'm glad you're here now. Thank you.

EVE:
     Anytime.

A little tearfully, they smile at each other.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle are standing in the city government building, in a room with many windows. In the center of the room is a large table with a very detailed three-dimensional terrain map. Cleon, second in command in the army of Athens, stands next to it.

XENA:
     So, this is a map of Athens?

CLEON:
     And its territories all over Greece. The Spartans are here (points to a large open field to the west of Athens). They are led by a general named Brasidas, who is said to be a great and ruthless warrior. They plan to attack any day now. We have to be prepared.

XENA:
     What are their numbers?

CLEON:
     The Spartan army has about ten thousand men. We started out with the same numbers, but we have lost many men to the plague and more when we suffered a terrible defeat in the battle at Peloponnese.

GABRIELLE:
     How did the war start?

CLEON:
     Athens was trying to make agreements for seagoing trade with Corinth and Megara, Sparta's allies. The Spartans wanted to stop these deals from being made, and so the war erupted. They began to attack and pillage the land around Athens, destroying crops and devastating the land, forcing villagers to leave their fields and stay inside the city walls for protection, and disrupting our contacts with our trading partners.

XENA (points to a spot north of Athens):
     Why is this town circled in red?

CLEON (looks at map):
     It's the only one outside of Athens where the plague has spread. It was besieged by the Spartans, and when we sent our soldiers there to break the siege, the plague spread to the town itself. Thankfully, no other Greek city has suffered yet because of the lack of contact.

XENA (shocked):
     But that's--

GABRIELLE (gasps):
     Potidaea. Lila and Sarah are there. I have to go there to make sure they're all right. (to Cleon) Is the town still under siege?

CLEON:
     The siege has been broken but the town is now sealed off because of the plague. It might be hard to get in.

GABRIELLE:
     I have to make sure they're okay. I'll find a way.

XENA:
     I'm sure you will, Gabrielle. But please be careful.

CLEON:
     We can give you a fresh horse from the city stables of Athens if you like.

GABRIELLE (nods to Cleon):
     Thanks. (to Xena) Xena...you don't mind my leaving you on your own to deal with the war, do you? I just have to make sure Lila and Sarah are all right.

XENA (hugs her):
     I'll be all right, Gabrielle...good luck. I'll meet you there as soon as I can.

Gabrielle nods and walks out. We see her leave the city gates and gallop off for Potidaea as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO