TEASER

FADE IN

Daylight. Xena and Gabrielle are riding through the woods.

GABRIELLE (brightly):
     Hey, you want to go to the market when we get to Prytus?

XENA (glumly):
     Oh yeah...that sounds like a lot of fun.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena--can't you just relax a little once in a while? For once, there's no one after us, no bad guys to knock out...why are you so grumpy?

XENA:
     No one after us, no bad guys to knock out...

GABRIELLE (grins):
     Xena...you have such a way to accentuate the negative.

XENA:
     So I've been told.

Suddenly, a piercing scream is heard from behind some trees.

WOMAN'S VOICE:
     Help! Somebody help me!

MALE AND FEMALE VOICES:
     Get her! Get her!

Xena and Gabrielle exchange quick looks and speed up their horses. They reach the edge of a clearing and see a rather disheveled blonde young woman running and stumbling, being pursued by three men and two women on horseback, armed with swords--Egyptians, by their clothes and their looks.

EGYPTIAN WOMAN #1 (tall and beautiful, with many piercings on her face and a tattoo on her right cheek--a pair of curved horns with a circle between them):
     Kill the abomination!

EGYPTIAN MAN #1:
     Kill the sorceress!

Screaming, the young woman stumbles and falls. The tall woman dismounts and stands over her, sword in hand.

EGYPTIAN WOMAN #1:
     My goddess Isis! Your will be done!

She raises her sword. Xena's battle cry echoes through the woods as she throws her chakram and knocks the sword out of the woman's hand. The woman looks up in shock. The young woman is still crouching helplessly on the ground. One of the men raises a spear, prepared to run her through, but Gabrielle throws a dagger, killing him. Xena and Gabrielle fight the other warriors and kill three of them--everyone except the tall, tattooed woman, who has managed to get back in the saddle.

EGYPTIAN WOMAN (desperately):
     You don't know what you're doing!

XENA (battles her):
     Oh yeah? Well, I know what you're doing--trying to kill a helpless unarmed girl. You're a pretty sorry excuse for a warrior.

She prepares to deliver a killing blow but the Egyptian woman deftly blocks it. She stares Xena straight in the eye.

EGYPTIAN WOMAN:
     We will meet again. You may yet be thankful that you didn't kill me.

She turns around and gallops away.

XENA (catches her breath, sheaths her sword and then turns to Gabrielle, chuckling):
     So, what was it you were saying about relaxing, Gabrielle? I'm afraid I missed that.

GABRIELLE:
     You know what is more annoying than a grumpy Warrior Princess?

Xena dismounts Argo and walks toward the girl, who sits up, whimpering.

XENA:
     What?

GABRIELLE:
     A Warrior Princess trying to be a wiseass.

XENA (extends a hand to the girl and helps her up):
     Are you all right?

GIRL:
     Yes, I think so...

XENA:
     Who are you? And if you don't mind my asking, why were those people so pissed off at you?

GIRL:
     My name is Cassiopeia. I'm from the village of Mela, about a day's walk from here. I was on my way to the town of Pryrus to look for a job, and then all of a sudden they attacked me... I've never seen them before in my life!

GABRIELLE:
     Pryrus? That's where we're going! You can come along with us--we'll make sure you don't get hurt. By the way, I'm Gabrielle and this (turns and points to Xena) is Xena.

CASSIOPEIA (looks awestruck):
     Xena? The Warrior Princess? And Gabrielle, Bard of Potidaea? I can't believe it! I've heard so much about you! I've always admired you so much! Xena, you are the most amazing woman I've ever heard of--and to think that you've actually saved my life...

XENA:
     I know, I know--me hero, you damsel in distress. (smiles at the young woman) Come on, Cass. Let's get going.

CASSIOPEIA (puts her hands up, folded in a prayer-like gesture):
     Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me!

XENA:
     I think I have a fair idea.

Xena nods. She gets back in the saddle and extends a hand to Cassiopeia, who takes it gratefully and gets up on the horse. Together, they ride away.

At some distance, behind the trees, the Egyptian woman stares in the direction where they went, an intense look on her face, her hand on the hilt of her sword as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER