FADE IN

A zoomed-out shot of a harbor in the morning. People are bustling around the docks, getting onto a large ship. Xena, Gabrielle, and Darion are seen walking through the harbor, approaching the ship, talking briefly to a tall, powerfully built man who is obviously the captain, and then getting on the ship.

CUT TO

Darion running wildly along the deck, with Gabrielle chasing him.

DARION:
     This is so much fun! I love being on a ship.

GABRIELLE (stops, looking a little queasy):
     Wish I could say the same.

DARION (snickers):
     Yeah, Xena told me about how you got sick on that ship when you helped Cecrops.

GABRIELLE:
     That wasn't very funny!

DARION (snickers again):
     You ate squid.

GABRIELLE:
     Octopus.

DARION:
     Can I have some octopus?

GABRIELLE (looks uncertain):
     Uhhh...I'm not sure you'd like it very much.

DARION:
     Well, I want to try it anyway. I want to try everything. (he climbs up on the railing and slings a leg over it)

GABRIELLE (rushes toward him, panicked):
      Darion! Don't do that--it's dangerous! You could fall!

She grabs Darion and pulls him down on the deck.

DARION:
     That's okay. I've climbed trees and I've never fallen. (pauses and scrunches up his face) Well... almost never. (his face brightens) Besides, even if I fell, Xena would just come after me and flip in the air and save me.

XENA (off-camera):
     Is that so?

The camera pans to Xena walking up to them.

DARION (confidently):
     Sure!

Xena approaches and ruffles his hair with a chuckle. Darion puts his elbows on the railing and looks out over the water, watching the waves lap against the side of the ship. Gabrielle stands next to him.

GABRIELLE (with a dreamy smile):
     Isn't the sea beautiful?

XENA (shrugs):
     It's...big. (pauses) And it's blue.

GABRIELLE:
     Look at how the sun glitters on the water...almost like someone's scattered silver on--

DARION (turns to her, interrupting):
     Are we gonna get there soon?

XENA (points into the distance in front of them):
     Look--there it is!

A small green spot is visible in the distance.

DARION (awed):
     That's Cyprus?

GABRIELLE (smiling):
     I believe it is.

CUT TO

A montage: Xena, Gabrielle, and Darion walking off of the ship, then walking through the busy streets of a city filled with street vendors, donkeys and their drivers, warriors, street dancers and other performers, etc.

CUT TO

The three travelers arriving at an inn and entering a murky anteroom. They are greeted by a middle-aged innkeeper.

GABRIELLE:
     We'll need a room for three. Two beds and one cot.

INNKEEPER (looks them over):
     It's just the three of you?

XENA:
     What, you expecting anyone else?

INNKEEPER (looks slightly embarrassed):
     Sorry, but...I'm afraid I can't give you a room.

GABRIELLE (puzzled):
     What do you mean, you can't?

INNKEEPER:
     It's the law... (uncomfortably) It's forbidden to let a room at an inn to a woman unescorted by a man.

XENA (about to grab him by the collar):
     Why, you...

GABRIELLE (stops her):
     This is a joke, right? (points to Darion and laughs) We're escorted by a man!

INNKEEPER (nervous):
     Look here, this isn't funny. I don't like this law any more than you do. It's costing me money. But a king's decree is a king's decree.

XENA (outraged):
     Your king issued such a decree?

INNKEEPER (grumbles):
     He's issued lots of decrees, our king. (in a half-whisper) Some says he's-- (taps a finger meaningfully on his forehead) Anyway, I don't know what his problem is, but he's got a huge grudge against women, that's for sure. (apologetically) I'd love to put you up, believe me. But if the king's men show up with an inspection-- (he spreads his arms in a gesture of resignation)

GABRIELLE:
     That's all right--we don't want to cause you any trouble. We'll just go outside the city and make camp. (to Darion) You like camping out, right, Darion?

DARION (makes a face):
     I'm kinda tired of camping out all the time. (his face brightens as he looks at Xena) Hey, maybe if Ar--

Before he can finish, Xena puts a hand over his mouth.

XENA (chuckles):
     Now, now. We'll be fine. No need to bother--anybody. We'll camp out.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion standing in front of a rather dilapidated-looking shack in a clearing overgrown with tall grass and surrounded by trees.

XENA:
     Looks like we found our lodgings.

CUT TO

Inside the cabin. The three of them are looking around. It's a small, one-room house; everything is dusty and shabby. There are two small beds by the walls, an old fireplace, and a table with two chairs in front of a window. Darion is running around poking at everything.

XENA:
     Probably an abandoned hunters' cabin.

GABRIELLE:
     Actually, it looks a lot like your childhood home, hmm, Xena? (smirks) Though in better shape.

XENA (unflappable):
     It's better all right. No nosy neighbor coming around the corner all the time trying to chat up the owner...

GABRIELLE (laughs):
     I knew you were jealous of Greba!

Xena gives her "the look."

DARION:
     Hey, this is great!

He runs across the cabin and then jumps up, attempting to do a Xena-like back flip and land on one of the beds.

GABRIELLE:
     Darion, don't--

Darion belly-flops on the bed, which groans and collapses with a loud crash.

GABRIELLE:
     --do that. (she winces)

DARION (jumps to his feet):
     Wow! That was cool!

XENA (rolls her eyes):
     All right, why don't we just leave our things here and head back into town?

GABRIELLE (surprised):
     Back to town? What for? We can just stay out here. It's beautiful. So peaceful, so quiet--

XENA:
     We need to find out what's going on with that king.

GABRIELLE:
     I thought we were on vacation.

XENA:
     All right, you two can stay out here and finish tearing down the house, and I'll head to town on my own.

DARION:
     I want to go to town!

XENA (gives Gabrielle a mocking glance):
     Whatever Darion wants, Darion gets.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion walking through the streets of the city. A noise is heard off-camera--it sounds like the roar of a large crowd. Xena and Gabrielle exchange a look.

XENA (through clenched teeth):
     Well, looks like trouble has followed us after all.

GABRIELLE:
     What?

XENA (shakes her head):
     Nothing. Just--something somebody said to me. Let's go check it out.

CUT TO

The same square we saw in the teaser. There is a large crowd gathered in front of the palace, much larger than the first time--mostly women, some banging pots and pans, others holding rotten fruits and vegetables in their hands, but also some men. Their voices can barely be heard above the racket.

YOUNG WOMAN #1:
     We want justice!

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion come out on the square and approach the crowd.

GABRIELLE (to Darion):
     Darion, stay behind me--don't let go of my hand.

He nods, looking a little frightened. They approach a group of people on the edge of the crowd. Shouts of "Down with Pygmalion!" are heard.

XENA (to Woman #2, a woman in her thirties; shouting over the din of the crowd):
     What's going on?

WOMAN #2 (also shouting):
     We're protesting, what does it look like? We're fed up with the king and we're not gonna take it anymore.

GABRIELLE:
     What has he done?

WOMAN #2 (scoffs):
     What hasn't he done! We're saddled with a king who hates all womankind.

WOMAN #3 (in her twenties):
     They don't call him Pygmalion for nothing. He's a royal pig if you ask me!

WOMAN#2:
     He's banned us from public assemblies and the theater.

WOMAN #4 (elderly):
     He's even banned women vendors from the main market square!

XENA:
     Yeah, we had a close encounter with one of his decrees. How long has this been going on?

WOMAN #5 (middle-aged):
     Pygmalion took the throne about a year ago, after his mother the queen died. Ever since then, things have been going to Tartarus in a handbasket!

MAN #1 (in his thirties):
     It's not just the women. The king doesn't care about anything. He doesn't hear the appeals of those who believe they have been unjustly treated by the courts.

WOMAN #5:
     Or who have complaints about officials.

WOMAN #3:
     They say he never shows up at council meetings. He hardly ever leaves the palace lately!

GABRIELLE:
     And no one knows why?

WOMAN #2:
     No, his advisors just keep saying he's busy.

XENA (looks at Gabrielle):
     Well, it looks like we've got our work cut out for us. (thinks for a moment) Why don't you take Darion back to the house and I'll go see if I can talk to this king.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, they said he's not talking to anyone--especially women.

XENA:
     I'll find a way to get in.

WOMAN'S VOICE (off-screen):
     There goes one of the king's servants! Get him!

The camera pans to a teenage boy in a green jacket with a gold-embroidered collar and an image of a golden crown embroidered on the front. He is carrying a basket. Woman #5 raises a hand with an egg in it and throws it at the boy, who flinches fearfully. Xena's hand shoots out and she quickly catches the egg and throws it back at the surprised woman.

XENA:
     Save that for dinner. (shakes her head) Attacking an innocent servant of the king's is not the way to go.

WOMAN #5:
     We're fed up with all of them! The king and his lackeys!

XENA (to the servant):
     Come on, let's get you out of here.

She pulls the boy away from the crowd.

CUT TO

A quiet spot behind a corner. The rumble of the crowd is heard in the distance.

SERVANT (nervously):
     I have to get back there! I need to deliver this basket to the palace--it's cheese for the king's table.

While he's talking, Gabrielle is looking at him thoughtfully.

GABRIELLE (smiling mischievously):
     Xena, I have an idea.

XENA:
     About what?

GABRIELLE:
     How to get into the palace.

A close-up on the puzzled look on Xena's face as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE