FADE IN

On the same scene. We see a replay of Xena slowly getting up, wincing a little, and looking after the rider with a mix of frustration and disbelief. Xena turns and walks back toward the wall.

CUT TO

Inside Agrippina's house. Agrippina is sitting on the couch and sipping wine from a goblet. Xena strides in; Agrippina puts down the goblet and rises abruptly.

AGRIPPINA:
     Well?

XENA (grimly):
     He escaped. Or she...I didn't see. (shakes her head) Maybe I'm losing my touch...

AGRIPPINA (grips her arm):
     You see? What did I tell you? My own son is trying to murder me! (she lets go of Xena's arm) If they succeed, I hope they strike me here (points to her belly) --where I carried that monster!

XENA:
     You're sure it was him?

Agrippina walks across the room and stands at the window with her back to Xena. She is silent for a moment.

AGRIPPINA:
     Xena... (hesitates) I haven't told you--everything.

XENA:
     What else?

AGRIPPINA (turns slowly toward Xena):
     I have--reason to believe that, while living in Greece during my exile, he was involved with a gang of criminals.

XENA (shocked):
     A gang of--what kind of gang?

AGRIPPINA:
     A gang that went around the Greek countryside robbing peasants.

XENA (disbelieving):
     Why would he do something like that?

AGRIPPINA:
     Not for the money, of course. Just for the thrill of it.

XENA (narrows her eyes suspiciously):
     And this is based on--what?

Agrippina hesitates for a moment, then comes closer to Xena.

AGRIPPINA (in a low voice):
     Two months ago, a man showed up at the palace wanting to see me. He said he had information about the--things Domitius had been doing in Greece...that he had been one of his accomplices. He told me that if I didn't pay him off, he would go to some of Domitius' enemies in the Senate and give the information to them--even take them to Greece to talk to the witnesses. (She pauses)

XENA:
     Well?

AGRIPPINA:
     He showed me evidence...a piece of papyrus on which he said Domitius had scribbled some information about a village they planned to raid. (she looks stricken) It looked like his handwriting. I still didn't want to believe it--I told myself it had to be a forgery. I asked a trusted servant of mine, a freedman, to investigate the man and his story. (She pauses again, obviously struggling with what she has to say next)

XENA (growing impatient):
     Go on.

AGRIPPINA (sighs):
     A few days later, they were both found murdered--the man who tried to blackmail me, and my servant.

She looks meaningfully at Xena. A close-up of Xena's face as she listens intently.

CUT TO

A banquet at Nero's palace. Everyone is lounging about, just having finished their dinner. Nero has a sleepy, surfeited expression on his face. Gabrielle sits across from him, almost fidgety with impatience.

GABRIELLE:
     Domitius, I'm sure your performance alone is going to be worth my trip here, but I was hoping we would have a chance to talk about why I really came. Your mother--

NERO (smirking):
     Io! Io! Fate!
     Another blow, another dreadful blow
     Befalls the tragic house of Atreus--

Gabrielle stares.

Nero gains to his feet and bows gallantly.

NERO:
     Excuse me. My muse beckons.

Cross fade to the same scene. It is obviously much later. Nero performs before the crowd. Darion leans tiredly against Gabrielle's side. She puts her arm around him and hides a yawn behind her hand.

NERO:
     ...She ran from her father, she ran from her man
     She slaughtered in thousands the Greeks by the river
     her tears fell like rain as cold steel took their lives
     At Troy by the banks of Scamander.

DARION:
     Gabrielle? I have to...you know...

GABRIELLE:
     Okay, sweetie.

She gets up and takes Darion by the hand, heading for the door, where a Praetorian guard stands. He holds up an arm to bar the way.

GABRIELLE (lowers her voice to a near-whisper):
     Excuse me. My little boy needs to...go out.

GUARD (likewise in a near-whisper):
     I'm sorry but I can't allow you to leave.

GABRIELLE:
     Why not?

GUARD:
     The emperor has called for the doors to be locked--no one is to leave during his performance.

GABRIELLE:
     Well, I'm answering a higher call--the call of nature.

GUARD:
     You would dare risk insulting the emperor by walking out on his performance?

GABRIELLE:
     Would he be less insulted if my son had an accident right here on the floor?

GUARD:
     I have my orders. No one is allowed to leave during the Emperor's performance--for any reason.

GABRIELLE:
     But we've already been here for hours. How much longer are we supposed to wait?

GUARD:
     Sometimes the emperor can go all night.

In the background Nero can be seen performing, pacing back and forth, gesturing dramatically. Darion turns to look.

NERO:
     It's party time! Let's shout and dance!
     Play the music! Raise the roof!
     Let them think "it's just the chorus" -
     The victim's screams will not be heard.

Darion's eyes go wide and he throws himself against Gabrielle, crying and screaming hysterically.

Nero stops his performance, glaring as Gabrielle's attempts to soothe Darion fail. He finally sighs in exasperation.

NERO:
     Gabrielle, is he quite finished yet? My performance is being terribly disrupted.

GABRIELLE:
     Domitius...I'm sorry...I don't know what's--

Darion sobs harder and Nero rolls his eyes impatiently.

NERO:
     Take him out.

Gabrielle picks Darion up in her arms and rushes him out.

CUT TO

Gabrielle sits beside Darion's bed. He sleeps soundly as she looks on in concern, stroking his face gently. A soft knock falls on the door.

CUT TO

Gabrielle steps outside the door where Nero is waiting for her.

NERO:
     So...how is the boy?

GABRIELLE (resentment is clear in her tone):
     Fine now. Though being locked in during your performance didn't do him any good.

NERO:
     I'm sorry, Gabrielle. But I need to focus when I perform. Locking the doors is the price we all must pay for my art.

GABRIELLE:
     And you expect a little boy to understand--or even care--about your art?

After a moment Nero sighs and looks at her sheepishly.

NERO:
     Perhaps you're right. I might have been a bit...too passionate in the presentation of my craft. (he pauses and reaches out to touch her arm) Perhaps the pressure is finally getting to me.

GABRIELLE:
     Domitius--

NERO (turns away):
     It's just this situation with my mother.

GABRIELLE:
     Right. We should talk about that.

NERO:
     Nothing to talk about, Gabrielle. Mother has wounded me deeply--deeply! She might as well have plunged a dagger into my heart!

GABRIELLE:
     Domitius, I know you think Agrippina was plotting against you. Perhaps we can find a way to bring the two of you together.

NERO:
     Against me? Oh, Gabrielle! Do you think my heart would be so heavy if this was just about me? No...it goes so much deeper than that.

GABRIELLE (puzzled):
     What do you mean?

Nero purses his lips. He is silent a moment, then sighs.

NERO:
     Come with me, Gabrielle. There's something I want you to see.

CUT TO

The inside of a temple. It is ostentatiously decorated, with marble, gold, and precious stones as well as flowers in vases and garlands. Looming at the center of the temple is a large marble statue of a man in a toga with a gold laurel wreath on his head, a large heap of flowers before the pedestal. Nero and Gabrielle enter. Nero strides up to the statue. He turns to Gabrielle, his arms stretched wide.

NERO:
     The temple of Claudius. I commissioned its building not long after my return to Rome.

He glances at Gabrielle expectantly. She looks around, trying to hide her disapproval over the ostentation of the temple.

GABRIELLE:
     It's--it's very...impressive.

NERO:
     Claudius deserved a temple befitting his greatness. I realize now that he was the greatest of all the Caesars--Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus.

GABRIELLE (gently):
     Domitius--we were talking about your mother...

NERO (breaking into a dramatic sing-song):
     Our mother...that vicious monster,
     Enmeshed her husband in a knotted net
     And murdered him, as helplessly
     He flailed his prisoned limbs.
     Her motive was not something you should ask
     An unmarried girl to descry
     Please draw your own conclusions.

Gabrielle stares at him, horrified comprehension dawning on her face.

GABRIELLE:
     What are you saying?

NERO (sighs):
     Ever since Claudius died, there have been rumors that he died at the hand of Agrippina. I refused to believe it--as any loving son would. So I decided to hold my own investigation to put an end to the vicious lies being told about my mother. (he trails off and stares silently at Gabrielle)

GABRIELLE (nervous):
     And--? (off his heavy, rueful stare) You mean--it's true?

NERO:
     Agrippina--his wife and my mother--has not only murdered Claudius--she has tried to murder his reputation as well. And she thinks she can cover her wickedness by appointing herself head priestess of his temple. (Nero shakes his head) Agrippina may have been able to kill the man--but I will see to it that his legacy lives on forever.

A close-up of the Gabrielle's face as she nods numbly.

DISSOLVE TO

The walls and gates of Rome, just before sunrise; the sky is a light grey, turning pink at the horizon. A rider gallops out of the gates. The camera zooms in slowly to show that the rider is Gabrielle, as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO