FADE IN

A luxuriously decorated room in the palace. King Orantes sits on the throne that was once occupied by the dragon. The chief of the guard, a burly man in green leather armor and a helmet stands before him.

KING ORANTES:
     So. How are things in town?

CHIEF:
     Everything's pretty quiet, your majesty. Except some troublemakers keep drawing that round thing everywhere. You know, the weapon that Xena woman used to carry.

KING ORANTES:
     Nonsense. That's not a weapon, it's an O. Stands for "Orantes."

CHIEF (puzzled):
     You mean, if we catch someone drawing one of those we shouldn't jail them?

KING ORANTES:
     I didn't say that. Better safe than sorry. (pauses warily) Do they write anything?

CHIEF:
     "Xena the Dragon-slayer," sometimes.

KING ORANTES (shakes his head):
     What is it with this Xena obsession? Anyway, go on. Just make sure all's quiet tonight for the royal wedding.

The chief bows and walks toward the door. Just then, the door opens and a servant walks in.

SERVANT:
     Your majesty! Your chief counselor Gregor is here to see you, along with Victor, the father of the happy bride.

KING ORANTES:
     Oh yes, very good, very good. Bring them in.

As the chief of the guard leaves, the servant ushers in Victor, followed by Gregor.

KING ORANTES:
     Ah, Mr. Historian. And Gregor. Come in, come in. (Victor approaches the throne and bows stiffly) You know, of course, why you have been brought to the palace. Tonight is your daughter's wedding. Of course, I haven't actually proposed or anything, but we men of state have no time for frivolities like courtship. Still, a king should respect certain traditional formalities. So. You agree, of course, to give me your daughter's hand in marriage?

VICTOR (stammering a little):
     To be quite honest with you, your majesty, I--I don't think I do.

KING ORANTES (barks):
     What? I can't believe this ingratitude. I killed the dragon--

VICTOR:
     I am very sorry, your majesty, but I simply can't believe that.

KING ORANTES:
     What nonsense! Didn't you read the report of the special commission? If I can believe it, then you certainly can.

GREGOR:
     He just doesn't want to. The man is obviously bargaining.

KING ORANTES:
     Well, I can respect that. All right then, you can have a position on the royal council with an annual salary of five hundred dinars. That's on top of your salary as official historian.

VICTOR:
     I'd--I'd rather not take it.

KING ORANTES:
     Six hundred?

VICTOR (shakes his head):
     No, your majesty.

KING ORANTES:
     Then what do you want?

VICTOR:
     Just to be left alone.

KING ORANTES:
     Left alone? Are you joking? What's wrong with the Dragon-slayer marrying the maiden he rescued?

VICTOR:
     Your majesty...this is very difficult. In these past couple of years, I've learned to think for myself. That's not an easy thing at my age. Meanwhile, most of our people are just as quiet and obedient as they were before, and that's very, very sad. (sighs) And now, this wedding...

KING ORANTES:
     Very sad? What are you talking about? (squints suspiciously) Are you planning to foment rebellion or something?

VICTOR:
     No, your majesty...

KING ORANTES:
     Good. Then I assume that you and your daughters are going to look cheerful and happy at the wedding and no one's going to make any trouble. Otherwise--well, you know, we've got a dungeon right here at the palace. (waves his hand) Go on and help Alida get ready for the ceremony.

Victor bows and leaves, looking dejected.

KING ORANTES:
     That went well. (rubs his hands) It's good to be the king. (to Gregor) You know, there's just one thing that worries me...that Xena woman isn't going to come back, is she?

GREGOR:
     Of course not, your majesty. I told you, I have it on very good authority that she was killed more than a year ago on an island in the East.

KING ORANTES (rubs his hands and chuckles):
     Good, good.

CUT TO

The square. Xena and Gabrielle (still in their capes) and Darion are approaching the royal palace. Well-dressed men and women, with pieces of parchment in their hands, are filing into the palace through the massive wide-open doors. Xena, Gabrielle and Darion hang back, waiting for the last of the guests to go in.

GABRIELLE (quietly to Darion):
     All right, you wait here. (points to one of the two dragon sculptures by the steps, the one on the right)

DARION (makes a face):
     All right. I'm sure it's all going to be over in a minute anyway.

He hides behind the statue, peeking out cautiously from behind the pedestal as Xena and Gabrielle approach the front doors where six guards are stationed.

GUARD #1:
     Your invitations?

XENA:
     Here's mine.

She throws off her cape and whips out her chakram, holding it up. The guards gasp audibly.

GUARD #2:
     It's Xena!

The guards freeze in consternation. The chief guard comes down the hallway.

CHIEF GUARD:
     What's going on?

GUARD #1:
     It's...it's her! (points to the chakram in Xena's hand)

CHIEF GUARD (hesitates for a moment):
     Seize them!

The guards step rather hesitantly toward Xena and Gabrielle.

CHIEF GUARD:
     Cowards!

He draws his sword and charges at Xena. Quickly drawing her sword, she parries his blows.

In the meantime, two of the other guards rush at Gabrielle. She uses her sais to deflect their blows and battles them with kicks, quickly knocking down one of them.

Pan back to Xena, who continues to battle the chief guard. Another guard, looking rather indecisive, comes to his aid. Xena spins and knocks him out with a powerful backward punch even as she kicks the sword out of the chief guard's hand. She then leaps, flipping in the air, and kicks the chief guard in the face. He flies backward and lands on the floor by the wall, unconscious. The camera pulls back for a wide shot, to show Gabrielle punching out her second opponent and knocking him down.

XENA (assuming a battle stance):
     Next?

The three remaining guards meekly sheath their swords.

The camera pans to Darion, who peeks out from behind the pedestal of the dragon statue. He runs out, races up the steps and joins Xena and Gabrielle.

DARION:
     Are we going to crash the wedding now?

XENA:
     In a minute. (to the guards) Two years ago, there was a palace guard here named Leonid. Where is he?

GUARD #2 (stammers):
     He's...he's in the dungeon.

XENA (her face darkens):
     The dungeon? We're going to get him out. Who's got the keys?

Guard #2 motions toward the still-unconscious head of the guard. Gabrielle goes over and takes a bunch of keys off his belt.

GABRIELLE:
     I'll get him.

She goes off with Guard #2.

DARION (looks after them):
     You think Teria will be at this wedding? I'd like to meet her. She sounds cool.

XENA (looks at him, amused):
     She is.

CUT TO

The same palace hall as before, now crowded with guests. King Orantes sits on the throne, Gregor stands on the steps of the throne. A priestess in white robes embroidered with gold is standing at the foot of the throne. On the other side of the throne is a scribe holding a huge scroll and a quill.

Two attendants throw the doors open. A group of musicians with lyres and flutes start to play the wedding march.

CUT TO

The dungeon. Gabrielle is fighting two guards, displaying an impressive array of kicks, punches and spin moves. Leonid, looking gaunt and worn-out, wearing shabby gray prison clothes, is clutching the bars of a cell.

CUT TO

The throne room. A somber-looking Victor and Alida (wearing a white bridal gown) enter arm in arm and walk toward the throne along a dark red carpet rolled out on the floor.

CUT TO

Gabrielle unlocks the door of the cell.

LEONID (comes out of the cell):
     Gabrielle! I thought you'd never come. (hesitantly) Is Xena--

GABRIELLE (smiles):
     She's alive--she's here.

CUT TO

The throne room. Victor and Alida stop in front of the throne.

KING ORANTES:
     Ah. My lovely bride. Welcome, welcome, my dear. (walks down the throne steps, approaches Alida and takes her arm; to Victor) Dismissed.

Victor gives Alida an apologetic look and retreats to stand in the front row of the audience.

GREGOR:
     Dear guests! As you all know, two years ago, King Orantes freed us from the cruel tyranny of the dragon. (applause) For five hundred years, we gave our best maidens to the barbarous beast. Surely, we are not going to refuse the same to our beloved liberator! (applause) This scroll (points to the scroll the scribe is holding) bears the names of five hundred unfortunate girls who died in the beast's lair. It is only fitting that the lucky girl who was rescued from its clutches, and is about to marry her brave savior, should be number five hundred and one. (applause) And so, as a symbol of our King's greatness and our island's devotion, the high priestess of Elis will now perform the wedding ceremony.

PRIESTESS:
     Do you, Orantes, King of Elis, take this woman for your lawful wedded wife?

KING ORANTES:
     Out of love for my people, I do. (applause)

GREGOR (to the scribe):
     Write it down!

PRIESTESS:
     Do you, Alida, take Orantes, King of Elis, to be your lawful wedded husband?

A long, tense pause.

ALIDA:
     No.

Another tense pause.

GREGOR:
     Go ahead, scribe--write it down. The bride says "I do."

ALIDA:
     Don't you dare!

The scribe pauses, confused.

KING ORANTES (quietly to Alida):
     You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your little sister, would you?

ALIDA (wrenches her arm free and turns to the guests):
     Please let me speak! Just a few words!

GREGOR:
     Alida!

KING ORANTES:
     No, no--that's all right. Don't shout. This is a wedding, the bride wants to make a speech; that's fine. Go ahead, my dear.

ALIDA:
     My friends--my friends--think about what you're doing! Two years ago, the dragon was going to kill me. Now the dragon is dead and nothing has changed. We had a chance to be free and what have we done with it? If Xena and Gabrielle could see us today, they'd be ashamed. It's as if the dragon never died at all--he just took on a human shape, the way he used to. Only now, he's not one man, he's a lot of people and they're all killing me. Don't you understand?

The guests listen in stony silence.

KING ORANTES (clears his throat):
     Well, now. The bride has made her speech. Let's go ahead and conclude the ceremony.

PRIESTESS:
     I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Gregor signals to the guests.

GUESTS (in a chorus):
     Hail, King Orantes! Hail, Queen Alida!

PRIESTESS:
     Your majesty may kiss the bride.

Tittering, King Orantes raises himself up on tiptoes to reach Alida.

The doors swing open. Xena, Gabrielle and Leonid (in the middle, now dressed in a palace guard's leather armor again) stand in the doorway. Everyone turns around there are scattered gasps and whispers, "Xena, Xena!"

King Orantes, who was just puckering up his lips to kiss Alida, turns in shock.

ALIDA (close-up on her face, filled with incredulous joy):
     Xena! Gabrielle! You're alive--you're back!

XENA (smirks):
     Rumors of my death are usually exaggerated.

The camera zooms in Victor as he breathes a huge sigh of relief, then pans to the stunned, terrified faces of King Orantes and Gregor.

KING ORANTES (manages to get a grip on himself):
     Uhh...Xena. What a pleasant surprise.

XENA:
     I bet. (eyes him scornfully) King Orantes, Dragon-slayer, huh?

KING ORANTES (stammers):
     Well, it was just...just...a bit of poetic license, if you will.

XENA:
     Then I hope you won't mind some poetic justice.

She comes up to him and yanks the crown off his head. The spectators gasp.

KING ORANTES:
     D-d-d-do you...want me to resign?

XENA:
     You're not getting off that easy. (she turns toward a group of guards who now stand in the doorway and points to King Orantes and Gregor) Take them both to the dungeon.

GREGOR (indignantly):
     Me? What did I do?

XENA:
     If I started telling you, I'd miss my boat tomorrow.

GREGOR:
     Excuse me, but if you think about it, it wasn't really my fault. It's the way I was taught.

XENA (grabs him by the collar):
     Well, you didn't have to be such a good student, you bastard. (to the guards) Take them!

King Orantes and Gregor are led away. The guests burst into applause.

XENA (to the guests):
     Hold the applause. (to one of the men) You! I saw you on the square today, yelling "Hail, King Orantes, Dragon-slayer" --with tears streaming down your face!

MAN (embarrassed):
     That's...that's true. But I swear, I wasn't faking it.

GABRIELLE:
     But you knew it was Xena who killed the dragon!

MAN:
     Well...I did at home...but out on the square... (he shrugs helplessly)

XENA (shakes her head):
     What am I going to do with you?

Darion and Teria, wearing a frilly pink dress but unceremoniously holding up its hem, burst in through the open doors.

TERIA:
     Sis! (runs over to hug Alida)

As she breaks the embrace, Xena comes up to her and ruffles her hair.

XENA:
     Hey, kid. Good to see you.

TERIA:
     Thanks, Xena! (grins brazenly) Took you long enough. I had to let them dress me up for the wedding. (points to the frilly pink dress in disgust)

DARION (to Gabrielle):
     She is cool.

ALIDA:
     Are you two here for long?

XENA (shakes her head):
     Just until tomorrow. Like last time.

VICTOR (comes up):
     Xena...how can I thank you?

XENA:
     I'll tell you how. Don't make such a mess of things next time.

VICTOR (bewildered):
     But what's going to happen to the island now that we've got no king?

GABRIELLE:
     You have a queen. (points to Alida)

ALIDA (gasps):
     You expect me to stay married to that--that--

GABRIELLE:
     Of course not. You can have the marriage annulled and stay on as the queen... (looks at Victor) Can't she?

GUESTS (burst into applause):
     Hail, Queen Alida!

Alida hesitates.

GABRIELLE:
     Alida, you have a chance to do something important for your island. But it's your choice.

XENA:
     It's going to be hard work. You'll have to kill lots of little dragons.

ALIDA (bewildered):
     What little dragons?

GABRIELLE:
     The ones inside people's hearts.

ALIDA (hesitates, then sighs):
     I'm not going to pretend I'm not scared. But I'll do it--to honor what you two have done for us.

XENA (to the priestess):
     I think you should do the honors.

The priestess, still looking stunned, takes the crown from Xena's hands and places it on Alida's head. The guests burst into applause.

XENA:
     I can suggest a good new chief of the royal guard. (points to Leonid) He helped me when I fought the dragon, and got thrown in the dungeon for his trouble.

LEONID (approaches and bows his head):
     Queen Alida--if you place your trust in me, I swear I won't let you down.

ALIDA (smiles):
     Orantes threw you in a dungeon and Xena trusts you. That's good enough for me. (to the guests) Please welcome Leonid, the chief of the royal guard. And my father Victor, who will serve as my counselor.

The guests burst into applause. Xena and Gabrielle exchange proud smiles.

GABRIELLE:
     Shall we go out on the balcony and announce the news to the crowd outside?

ALIDA (smiles a little tensely):
     Sure.

Alida, Leonid and Victor head toward the doors, followed by Darion and Teria and then by Xena and Gabrielle.

DARION (to Teria):
     Hey, your sister's a queen now. Does that mean you're a princess?

TERIA (struck by the idea):
     Yeah...I guess it does! Maybe that means I don't have to go to school anymore!

ALIDA (without turning):
     Don't even think about it.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena. Do you ever wonder if we're doing the right thing, playing with people's lives like this? Like the lives of all the people on this island?

XENA (shrugs):
     You mean, we should have let Orantes go on playing with their lives? Or the dragon? (their voices start to fade as they walk away)

GABRIELLE:
     I know Alida's a good person. You think she'll be a good queen?

XENA:
     Sometimes, you have to take a chance and do something. Because doing nothing would be even worse.

FADE OUT

THE END

[No deliberate references to current events were made during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 8 Episode 11 The Beast Within Story By: LadyKate Written By: LadyKate Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Darion Alexander Gandar Teria Julia Cramer Alida Victoria Lans Victor Robert Simms Dragon Theodore Riks King Orantes Wesley Nob Gregor Frank Williams Leonid Jeff Clemet Original Airdate March 25, 2003 No deliberate references to current events were made during the production of this motion picture. DEDICATED TO KEVIN SMITH All characters and storylines that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess are a copyright and trademark of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement was intended during the writing of this script. All original characters and storylines are a copyright of the respective authors and of the Shipper Seasons. No script may be reproduced on a website elsewhere without the author's consent. © Shipper Seasons www.shipperseasons.com

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