FADE IN The city square. Xena looks fierce, like a wild animal ready to pounce on her prey. Paeonis smiles. PAEONIS (hissing): The camera pulls around to show that Gabrielle is in the crowd closely behind Xena, ready to jump in if necessary. XENA: Xena runs toward the platform, launches herself into a flip and lands in front of Paeonis, drawing her sword. Paeonis extends his hand and Xena suddenly seems to run up against an invisible wall. Her own sword starts to turn toward her. Xena struggles as its sharp end is pointed at her shoulder. Paeonis smiles; he doesn't even seem to be breaking a sweat. The tip of the sword moves closer to Xena's shoulder. With all her strength, she tries to push it back but it scrapes her shoulder, drawing blood. Pan to Gabrielle, who seems ready to surge forward; then back to Xena, who finally manages to wrench the sword away from herself but drops it as she does so. With a flick of his wrist, Paeonis sends Xena flying through the air and landing hard on the boards of the platform. She scrambles to her feet, breathing heavily, blood dripping from her shoulder. Her sword is lifted off the ground and flies toward Paeonis, who catches it and grins. PAEONIS: He twirls the sword in his hand. With a furious yell, Xena takes her chakram off her side and throws it at Paeonis. It flies through the air, then stops right in front of his face. A quick pan over the crowd as the people gape, open-mouthed. Gabrielle looks alarmed. The chakram remains suspended in the air in front of Paeonis. PAEONIS: Then the chakram hurtles back towards Xena at super speed as Xena's eyes widen. She manages to catch the chakram. PAEONIS (laughs): He and Xena slowly circle each other; then, while Xena's back is to the palace gate behind the platform, Paeonis shoots out his hand again; the wave of energy sends Xena flying back. She slams into the palace gates and falls. She's out cold. GABRIELLE: She rushes up the platform steps and to Xena's side. Paeonis watches in amusement. PAEONIS (to the guards): The guards nod and head towards the unconscious Xena. Gabrielle turns around and twirls her sais, prepared to fend them off. PAEONIS (shakes his head): The sais fly out of Gabrielle's hands and then turn around so that they point directly at her. PAEONIS: The guards pick up the still-unconscious Xena and chain her hands; two others grab Gabrielle and chain her up as well. The sais fall helplessly to the ground. PAEONIS (to the guards): The camera zooms in on Gabrielle as the guards hustle her away. CUT TO A cell in the dungeon. It is half-dark, only a little daylight coming in through the barred window; the camera pans over the grimy, damp stone walls. Xena and Gabrielle are both shackled to the wall by their arms. Gabrielle is sitting up while Xena is slumped, still unconscious. Medium close-up on Xena as she opens her eyes and stirs. Gabrielle turns towards her. GABRIELLE (softly): Xena looks up at her, smiling feebly, then looks around. XENA: GABRIELLE (shaking her head): XENA (nods, looking a little bewildered and defeated): GABRIELLE: XENA (bitterly): GABRIELLE: She falls silent as the door opens with a screech. Paeonis enters the jail cell; he is holding Xena's chakram and her sword as well as Gabrielle's sais. He directs his gaze at an unlit torch mounted into the wall, and it suddenly flares up, lighting up the cell. Xena scowls at him. Paeonis smiles as he spins around Xena's chakram, throws it up in the air and catches it. PAEONIS (looks at them): Xena and Gabrielle don't seem too thrilled to be recognized. PAEONIS: GABRIELLE (bitter): PAEONIS (chuckles, looking at Gabrielle): XENA (glances at her chained hands): Paeonis walks towards Xena, staring directly at her. PAEONIS (lowers his voice to a near-whisper): A chain attached to the wall, its other end lying on the floor, suddenly starts to move. Then it flies up and wraps around Xena's neck, choking her. Xena struggles to bring her hands to her neck as she gasps for air. Gabrielle cries out in horror. GABRIELLE (screaming): Gabrielle struggles with her chains. PAEONIS (laughing, looking at Gabrielle): Despite her hands being chained to the wall, Xena manages to grab the chain that is choking her. She struggles as she tries to pull it back, making a little progress. Slowly but surely she manages to get it further away from her neck. Paeonis exhales, obviously letting up the pressure, and the chain falls limp. Xena looks relieved as she gasps for breath. PAEONIS (raising an eyebrow): He walks away from them and towards the door. Then he stops and turns, staring intently at Xena and Gabrielle. Their chains fall off. Stunned, they stare at Paeonis, rubbing their wrists. PAEONIS: He stands back while Xena picks up the sword and slides it into the scabbard, then picks up the chakram and hangs it at her belt. PAEONIS: XENA: PAEONIS (softly): CUT TO The corridor of the prison. Xena and Gabrielle walk out of their cell, Xena rubbing her neck. Gabrielle touches her shoulder. GABRIELLE (softly): XENA: Hearing a noise, she looks up. Two guards are dragging a prisoner down the corridor toward them. GUARD #1 (nods toward the door of the cell Xena and Gabrielle just came out of): The man looks up; it's Straton. GABRIELLE (gasps): GUARD #2: STRATON (desperately): Xena reaches for her sword but Gabrielle puts her hand on Xena's arm. GABRIELLE (whispering): Xena stands still, her hand still on the hilt of her sword, her jaw clenched; it is obvious that she hates feeling so helpless. GABRIELLE (softly): XENA (lowers her hand, grimly): CUT TO A street in the city. It is dusk and there are few people around. Xena and Gabrielle walk along the street, Xena staring pensively ahead of her. GABRIELLE: XENA (staring straight ahead of her, speaks very quietly): She stops and turns to look at Gabrielle, who stops as well and nods. GABRIELLE: XENA: GABRIELLE (aghast): XENA (shrugs): FEMALE VOICE (off-camera): Xena and Gabrielle stop and turn around, startled. Facing them is old woman we saw in the teaser--Paeonis' mother. XENA (looks at her warily): OLD WOMAN: XENA (still mistrustful): BUDEYA (matter-of-fact): Xena and Gabrielle exchange a shocked look. XENA: The camera zooms in on the old woman. BUDEYA (sternly): Close-up of Xena's face, staring at Budeya in shock as we: FADE OUT END OF ACT TWO |