Xena and Gabrielle--Gabrielle in her Season 6 outfit--walk down a quiet street with a lot of lush greenery.

XENA:
     I don't know what we're going to do on this island for two days. It looks like the most boring place in the world.

GABRIELLE (teasingly):
     You mean, it's very peaceful and quiet?

XENA:
     Something like that.

GABRIELLE:
     I think we could use some rest--considering that we may have to take on Odin to get the golden apples. (off Xena's strange look) On the other hand, we could still run into some adventure here.

CHILD'S VOICE (off-camera):
     Excuse me!

Xena and Gabrielle stop and look. The camera pans to a red-haired girl of about ten, in a blue dress, sitting on the porch of a modest but cozy-looking house and staring at the two women.

GABRIELLE:
     What is it?

The girl gets up and sprints toward them.

GIRL:
     You don't look like anyone I've seen around here before... (lowers her voice to a whisper) Are you Amazons?

GABRIELLE (smiles):
     I am.

GIRL (obviously excited and fearful at the same time):
      Really? Listen...I don't know if you can help us or not. But unless somebody does something, my sister Alida is going to die in two days.

XENA:
     What's wrong?

A stout middle-aged man walks down the street toward them and gives them a suspicious look.

GIRL:
     Listen, come inside... I'll tell you everything.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange a doubtful look, then follow the girl inside the house.

CUT TO

Inside the house; the interior is just as modest and cozy as the outside, with a fire burning in the fireplace. The girl stands by the window points to a couple of chairs.

XENA:
     We're not here on a social visit. What's your name? And what's wrong with your sister?

GIRL:
     I'm Teria. Listen--how long have you been on this island?

GABRIELLE:
     We only got here this morning. We're on our way somewhere else--our ship is here for two days while the merchants traveling with us do some trading.

TERIA:
     So you don't really know anything about Elis.

GABRIELLE:
     Why don't you tell us?

TERIA:
     We have a dragon.

XENA (raises an eyebrow):
     A dragon?

TERIA:
     That's right. A big, ugly, slimy green dragon. He's made a bargain with the people of this island. They feed him and he lets them live. Except, once a year, they give him a girl.

GABRIELLE (appalled):
     A girl? You mean, he kills them?

TERIA (sarcastic):
     No, he marries them. What do you think? Actually, nobody knows what happens to these girls. Mr. Slimy just takes them away to his cave and nobody ever sees them again.

XENA:
     And this time, he's picked your sister.

TERIA:
     That's right. (hopefully) Do you think you can help her?

XENA:
     Maybe. (thoughtfully) What's this dragon like?

TERIA:
     I told you. Big, ugly, slimy--

XENA:
     How big?

TERIA (scrunches up her face):
     About the size of that big oak tree out there. (points at the window) Huge claws, huge teeth. Oh, and he's got three heads. Each one of them breathing fire.

XENA:
     Great.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, that sounds pretty serious. (to Teria) Has anyone tried to kill him before?

TERIA (matter-of-factly):
     Sure, lots of people. He killed them all. (off Xena's grim look) But that was a long time ago. I heard about it from Dad. In the past couple of hundred years, no one's even tried.

XENA:
     How long--

TERIA (interrupts, looking out the window):
     Shh! Alida and Dad are coming back from their walk!

Xena and Gabrielle walk toward the window and look outside. A young woman of about twenty, who looks somewhat like Teria but has a softer, less angular face and lighter hair, is coming down the street. She is wearing a light brown dress with a green belt. A middle-aged, gentle-looking bearded man in dark clothes is holding her arm. They are talking and smiling cheerfully at each other.

XENA (turns to Teria and glares at her):
     Wait a minute. You just made this whole thing up, didn't you?

TERIA (intimidated but indignant):
     Me? I never make things up!

XENA:
     That girl isn't about to be sacrificed to any dragon. She's smiling. So's her father.

TERIA (desperate):
     You just don't get it. That's the worst part of it. They're smiling.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange puzzled looks as the door is pushed open, and the young woman and the middle-aged man come in. They stop as they see Xena and Gabrielle.

ALIDA:
     Teria, we have visitors?

TERIA:
     Yeah, they're travelers. I invited them in.

XENA:
     I'm Xena. This is my friend Gabrielle.

ALIDA (smiles pleasantly):
     I'm Alida. This is my father, Victor--and you've already met Teria. We're always happy to welcome travelers to our house.

VICTOR:
     Would you like some wine? Cheese? Fruit?

GABRIELLE (looks uncertainly at Xena):
     Sure.

CUT TO

A little later, in the same room. Xena, Gabrielle, Alida and Victor are sitting around a table, eating fruit and cheese and drinking wine. Teria sits on the floor, staring glumly into the fireplace.

ALIDA:
     Let me guess. You two have traveled a lot and had a lot of adventures, haven't you?

GABRIELLE:
     You can say that again.

ALIDA (pensively):
     I envy you... I've never left this island. And this is such a quiet place. Nothing ever happens here.

XENA:
     Nothing?

ALIDA (thinks):
     Well, we had a measles epidemic last year. But that's not such a big deal.

GABRIELLE (a little timidly):
     But...what about the dragon?

VICTOR:
     Oh, the dragon! We're so used to him--he's been around for five hundred years. (picks up a jug) More wine? (pours some wine into Xena's goblet)

GABRIELLE (even more hesitant):
     But--but we've heard that Alida--

ALIDA (interrupts, looking sternly at Teria):
     Teria. Have you been bothering our guests with your stories? (she shakes her head, then turns to Gabrielle) Gabrielle, I'm very sorry--but could we please not talk about this?

XENA:
     Why not?

ALIDA:
     Because no one can do anything about it.

XENA:
     Sure they could. Kill the dragon.

VICTOR (shakes his head):
     People have tried. Though not for the past two hundred years. I know all about it--you see, I am the official historian of this island.

GABRIELLE:
     What if the whole island got together and challenged him?

VICTOR:
     They tried once. He killed two hundred people in one day, then breathed fire and burned two villages just outside the city to a crisp. (reverently) He's a great warrior.

Xena gives him a startled look.

ALIDA:
     Try the grapes, please. They're delicious.

XENA (absently pops a grape in her mouth):
     So now, everyone just puts up with this.

VICTOR:
     He's really not so bad, our dragon. You know, for one thing, as long as we've got him, no other dragon is going to attack us.

XENA (wryly):
     I can see the logic in that.

VICTOR:
     Besides, he's done some very good things for us.

Pan to Teria, who snorts contemptuously.

GABRIELLE:
      Good things? Like what?

VICTOR:
     Well, just over a hundred years ago the lake where we get most of our drinking water became infected. The doctors asked the dragon to breathe fire on it and boil the water, and it became clean again.

XENA:
     How incredibly generous.

VICTOR (missing the sarcasm):
     Wasn't it? And he did some other good things too--rid us of Amazons, for instance.

GABRIELLE (flinches):
     What?

VICTOR:
     We used to have an Amazon tribe living on this island. He killed them off.

XENA (bitterly):
     Probably knew they'd be too much too handle.

GABRIELLE:
     What's wrong with Amazons?

VICTOR (horrified):
     Are you joking? Let me tell you something--I've never seen an Amazon in my life, but everyone knows they're the most horrible women. We're taught all about them in school. They don't recognize authority. They don't believe in marriage. (lowers his voice) A lot of them don't even like men.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange exasperated looks.

XENA (gets up):
     All right, let me tell you something. After two hundred years, it's about time somebody challenged your dragon. Like me.

Teria looks up, a flash of joy in her eyes.

ALIDA (pleading):
     No--please don't! He's going to kill you and it's only going to make things worse! I'll have to die knowing that someone else died in vain trying to save me.

XENA:
     No. I'm going to kill him.

She is about to continue when a roaring noise is heard outside--the flapping of giant wings and the sound of something huge hurtling through the air.

TERIA (sourly):
     Speak of the devil.

Xena draws her sword and rushes to the window; Gabrielle follows. They look outside to see the green three-headed beast hovering in the air over the street and then beginning a descent.

XENA (whips around):
     He's coming here?

VICTOR (placidly):
     Don't worry. You see, the dragon has lived among us for so long that sometimes he drops by for a visit. We're all used to it.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange puzzled looks and step away from the window. There is a loud knock on the door.

VICTOR:
     Come in, come in!

The door opens. Xena and Gabrielle stare tensely at the door. A rather ordinary-looking brown-haired man with a mustache, in dark green leather armor, comes in.

MAN (smiling broadly):
     Hello, everyone! (to Victor and Alida, who start to rise) No, no--don't stand up. We're all friends here. (to Teria) Hey, kiddo.

Teria scowls, silently picks up a ball and goes outside.

MAN:
     Not very sociable, is she? Hey...I see you have guests. Who are the ladies?

ALIDA:
     They're travelers, sir.

MAN (frowning):
     They're not Amazons, are they?

VICTOR (hastily):
     No, no--of course not!

MAN:
     Well, that's good. (to Xena and Gabrielle, who are still staring at the door) What are you two staring at?

GABRIELLE:
     We're waiting for the dragon.

MAN (laughs heartily):
     I am the dragon.

Xena and Gabrielle look bewildered.

VICTOR:
     You see, my friends, the dragon has lived among us for so long that sometimes he takes on a human shape. Just so we could all feel more comfortable around each other.

XENA (wryly):
     Right.

DRAGON (laughs and slaps Victor on the shoulder):
     Isn't that right! You could say I'm an old friend of the family. Really old. As in, I remember your great-great-grandma when she was this big. (holds out his palm, indicating the stature of a child, then glances at Xena and Gabrielle) Didn't expect me to get all sentimental, did you?

GABRIELLE:
     Er...no.

DRAGON:
     Alida! Come here, darling. (Alida comes up to him) Give me your hand. (Alida does as told) Such a sweet girl. (chucks her under the chin) Keep your chin up. Give me a nice smile. That's good. (he turns to Xena and Gabrielle as Alida goes back to her seat) So, what brings you two to Elis? Are you just passing through or do you have some business here?

XENA:
     Well, we were passing through. But now, I think we actually have some business here.

DRAGON:
     What kind of business?

XENA (icily, with her trademark steely glare):
     Killing a dragon.

DRAGON (turns crimson):
     What did you say?

XENA:
     I'm challenging you to a fight. Is that clear enough for you?

ALIDA:
     Xena, don't!

The dragon clenches his fists, throws his head back and lets out a huge, completely inhuman roar that makes the house shake. A vase with flowers falls off a shelf and shatters.

A puff of smoke erupts, and the dragon's human head changes to a lizard-like dragon head, about half the size of his body, with flames shooting from its mouth. Xena grabs her chakram, ready to strike. There is another puff of smoke, and the dragon's head changes to a human head again, only this time it's that of a gaunt-faced pallid redhead. The man looks taller.

ALIDA:
     It's one of his other heads.

DRAGON (dryly):
     You're Xena, Warrior Princess?

XENA:
     That's right.

DRAGON:
     I've heard of you. You're just as bad as any Amazon. I accept your challenge. You have to be destroyed.

XENA:
     That's easier said than done.

DRAGON:
     You're a worthy opponent. But I have killed one hundred and eighty-five warriors in single combat. And that's not counting a whole village of Amazons, one rebel mob, and one crazy fourteen-year-old boy who didn't like it when I picked his sister as my--prize. (he walks over to the table, pours himself some wine and gulps it down)

XENA (darkly):
     Trust me, you don't want to start comparing body counts.

DRAGON:
     Mine is about to go up by one. (glances at Gabrielle) Or should I say, two. (puts down the goblet) Care to step outside?

XENA:
     Right now?

DRAGON:
     Of course. I said you were a worthy opponent--did you think I was going to give you time to prepare?

XENA (her sword at his throat):
     Then what's to stop me from killing you right now?

DRAGON (folds his arms on his chest and sighs):
     At best, you'd only get one of my three heads. Besides, if I were to return to my true form right here... (looks around) ...it would not be good news for our hosts. And you wouldn't want that, would you?

XENA (lowers her sword):
     All right.

DRAGON:
     If there's anything I despise, it's do-gooders. (heads for the door) Come on out. Trust me, it'll be quick.

VICTOR (rises from his seat, sweating, obviously nervous):
     Sir? I'm sorry, but...you can't do this.

DRAGON (turns around indignantly):
     What did you say?

VICTOR:
     You see...please don't question my devotion to you, sir...but I am the official historian of Elis...

DRAGON:
     What on earth does your job have to do with this?

VICTOR:
     There's a scroll in the archives--an agreement that you yourself signed with a claw print, sir. (off the dragon's glare) Sir...really, she is my daughter, you know...there's nothing wrong with my wanting her to stay alive a little longer, is there?

DRAGON:
     Keep it short. What are you trying to say?

VICTOR:
     It's an agreement...if someone challenges you to combat, the challenger has the right to pick the day and time of the battle. (the dragon glares at him) Not only that, but the people of Elis must supply the challenger with any weapons he or she wants, and no one will be punished for it.

DRAGON (strokes his chin):
     When did I sign this so-called agreement?

VICTOR:
     Four hundred and forty-five years ago, sir.

DRAGON:
     So I was sixty-five years old at the time. I was just a naive, idealistic kid.

VICTOR:
     But sir--

GABRIELLE:
     If you kill us now, the entire island will think you're a liar and a coward.

DRAGON:
     The entire island will never know a thing. These two (motions toward Victor and Alida) will keep their mouths shut.

VICTOR (his hands are shaking; he is obviously making a major effort to overcome his fear):
     I protest!

ALIDA:
     Daddy!

DRAGON:
     All right, then. I guess I'll just have to exterminate you all.

The door swings open and Teria bursts in.

TERIA:
     And they'll still know you're a coward! I've already told half the neighborhood that Xena is here to fight you!

The dragon clenches his fists and lets out another roar, even louder than the last time, making the fire flicker in the fireplace. Once again, a puff of smoke erupts around his neck and his head turns to a huge fire-breathing dragon's head; when the smoke clears again, the man who stands in front of Xena and the others is a broad-shouldered stocky barbarian with long hair and a shaggy beard.

DRAGON (barks):
     All right! When do you want to fight?

XENA:
     How about tomorrow at noon.

DRAGON:
     Fine. Tomorrow it is.

He storms out. The sound of flapping wings is heard outside once again as the dragon flies off with a roaring storm-like noise that makes the house shake.

VICTOR:
     He's gone... (rubs his forehead) That was terribly selfish of me, wasn't it?

ALIDA (sadly):
     No, daddy, it was all right.

VICTOR (gulps down some wine, his hand shaking):
     I think I'll go to my room and lie down.

ALIDA (helps him up):
     I'll help you.

VICTOR:
     No, no--you stay and entertain our guests.

TERIA (comes up to her father, suddenly almost affectionate):
     I'll go with you, daddy.

Victor and Teria go out through a side door.

ALIDA (turns to Xena and Gabrielle):
     You shouldn't have done this.

GABRIELLE:
     Alida, aren't you afraid to die?

ALIDA (shrugs):
     It's really not that bad to die young. At least I'll never grow old.

XENA:
     What about your father and your sister?

ALIDA:
     They'll still have each other.

GABRIELLE:
     Don't you have a boyfriend, or a fiance? (Alida nods) Aren't you sorry to part with him?

ALIDA:
     It all worked out for the best. You see, as a reward, the dragon made Gregor his personal attendant.

XENA (wryly):
     You're right, you probably shouldn't be too sorry to leave him behind.

ALIDA:
     Really, it's not so bad. Warriors sacrifice their lives for something they believe in, don't they? (Xena nods pensively) Well, I'm sacrificing my life for my people. And they'll remember my sacrifice. For three days after I'm... (her voice falters a little) ...gone, everyone on the island will wear black and skip dessert after each meal.

XENA:
     That's quite a sacrifice. (she comes up to Alida and takes her hands) Listen to me, Alida. The dragon has crippled your soul and poisoned your mind. But everything is going to change once I've killed him.

ALIDA (gives her a long, thoughtful look):
     If what you just said about me is true, then it's better for me to die.

Close-up on Xena's troubled face.