FADE IN

Thebes. The palace garden at dawn. Xena is wandering about, lost in thought. She passes a large rose bush that grows up the side of the palace walls, the vines intertwining, the rose blooms just beginning to open.

ANTIGONE (off-camera):
     There you are.

Xena turns around to see Antigone walking toward her.

ANTIGONE:
     We're about to have breakfast. Are you coming?

XENA (distracted):
     Sure...maybe later.

ANTIGONE:
     What's wrong?

XENA (hesitates for a moment):
     I think Capaneus may want something more than just the hill and the temple.

ANTIGONE:
     Like what?

XENA:
     I'm not sure... (gives her a probing look) Antigone--do you trust your husband completely?

ANTIGONE (taken aback):
     He's shown himself to be very loyal to Thebes. Why shouldn't I trust him?

XENA:
     I think he's hiding something. (shakes her head) Antigone, go back to the palace. I'll join you later.

Antigone gives her a wary, puzzled look and walks off. Xena watches her thoughtfully.

CUT TO

Haimon's chamber. Haimon is in bed, asleep. Gabrielle comes in, wearing a light blue robe; she is carrying a tray with a jug, a goblet, a plate of fruit and two plates with pancakes and honey. Haimon opens his eyes and sits up. Gabrielle comes up, smiling, and sits down on the edge of the bed.

GABRIELLE:
     I thought we'd have breakfast here. Antigone claims the cooks at the Theban palace make the best pancakes in Greece.

She sets down the tray on the bed.

HAIMON (smiles):
     I guess we're about to find if that's true.

They start to eat. After a moment Gabrielle speaks again.

GABRIELLE:
     Haimon...I'm sorry.

HAIMON (raises his eyebrows):
     For what? The pancakes are excellent.

GABRIELLE (smiles weakly):
     For not having seen you in months.

HAIMON (shrugs a little and smiles):
     Well, with the kind of lives we both lead--it's not exactly like we can schedule regular visits.

GABRIELLE:
     Still... (She trails off and slips her hand into his) I've missed you, Haimon.

Haimon squeezes her hand.

HAIMON:
     Me too. (there is silence for a moment as they look at each other) I've heard you and Xena were in Rome and saved some Elijans from Nero.

GABRIELLE (nods):
     We did.

HAIMON (chuckles):
     I also heard a rumor that Xena retired. The stories people tell...

GABRIELLE:
     Actually, she did. (off his shocked look) Well...for a while. It was...complicated.

HAIMON (smiles):
     With Xena, it usually is.

CUT TO

Xena is still wandering through the garden, thinking.

DISSOLVE TO

Outside the temple on the Areopagus. Ares stands on the steps of the temple, looking down on the battlefield below. He looks very thoughtful.

CUT TO

Haimon and Gabrielle are still sitting together on the bed.

HAIMON (shakes his head):
     Sabina helped you rescue the Elijans? Sabina befriended an Elijan slave girl? Are we talking about the same Sabina?

GABRIELLE:
     Xena changed, remember? Maybe Sabina can too.

HAIMON:
     Xena's one of a kind. (pauses, holding Gabrielle's stare, then touches her hand tenderly) So are you.

Gabrielle smiles. He leans toward her and kisses her gently.

DISSOLVE TO

Xena walks around the garden alone, and stops under a lattice archway, leading toward a small fountain. Beside the fountain is a marble statue of Ares. Xena glances at the statue.

CUT TO

Gabrielle and Haimon pull apart.

GABRIELLE (tenderly):
     It's really good to see you again, Haimon.

HAIMON:
     You know, we could... (he trails off)

There is an uncomfortable silence. Gabrielle glances down at the bandage around Haimon's side. She touches it gingerly then looks into Haimon's eyes.

GABRIELLE (quietly):
     Haimon...you gave me such a scare today.

HAIMON (touching her cheek with the back of his hand):
     You worry too much.

GABRIELLE:
     Just take care of yourself, okay?

HAIMON:
     Okay.

GABRIELLE:
     Promise?

HAIMON (nods, leaning toward her):
     Promise...

He leans forward and captures her lips. They kiss again.

CUT TO

Xena is standing in an isolated spot in the garden, beneath the rose arch.

XENA:
     Ares.

DISSOLVE TO

Ares standing in the doorway of the temple on the Areopagus.

XENA'S VOICE:
     Ares.

Ares straightens up and blue light flares up around him.

DISSOLVE TO

The garden. There is a blue flash and Ares appears beside Xena. He starts caressing her arm and shoulders with his hand. Xena closes her eyes, lost in his touch. He nuzzles his head against her neck and sniffs her hair. He pulls one hand around her waist so that she is leaning against him. He lifts one of her hands up to his lips and kisses it.

ARES (in a husky voice):
     I take it this is business.

XENA (her voice breathy and sensuous):
     Yes...

ARES (nuzzles her again):
     Well...?

XENA (sighs with pleasure):
     I need to know something.

ARES (his tone still very sensuous and far from businesslike):
     What?

XENA (huskily, her eyes still closed):
     That story you told Gabrielle and me...about the temple and the medallion... (Ares bends her back slightly and kisses her neck, making her gasp) is it--true?

ARES (whispers seductively into her ear):
     Yes.

Xena whips around suddenly to face him.

XENA:
     You mean--this medallion can actually give all those powers to whoever wears it?

ARES (smirks):
     Not exactly. The medallion doesn't have any powers.

XENA (frowns):
     But you said--

ARES (grins):
     Xena, I'm disappointed. What I said is, my priest wrote down in a sacred scroll that whoever had the medallion would gain all these powers. I didn't say it was true.

XENA (understanding):
     But a lot of people believed it.

ARES (shrugs):
     Sure. Mortals believe a lot of crazy things.

XENA (fixes him with a steely gaze):
     Something tells me you didn't exactly discourage that belief. Not when it had seven cities going to war over a worthless trinket...

ARES:
     Well, it's not exactly worthless. It's a nice antique. Sentimental value and all that... (a little dreamy) ...big battles fought over it in my name....

XENA:
     Is Capaneus after the medallion?

ARES:
     Oh yeah. (anticipating her next question) See, the scroll was lost for centuries. During that big war, a fire broke out and gutted the temple. A lot of the scrolls burned in that fire. Eventually, everyone forgot why the war was even fought.

XENA (wryly):
     What a surprise. (pauses) And then the scroll with the story of the medallion somehow turned up in Plateia?

ARES:
     Right.

XENA:
     And now Capaneus is obsessed with it. (She looks at Ares sharply) Does Actaeon know about all this?

ARES:
     I have no idea.

XENA:
     I have to talk to him. (She turns away, then turns back to Ares and smiles) Thank you.

Ares nods, almost imperceptibly smiling back at her.

CUT TO

The chamber where Xena and Actaeon first met. Actaeon is pacing back and forth; he seems agitated and preoccupied. The doors are pushed open and Xena comes in.

XENA:
     Actaeon.

ACTAEON (stop and looks at her):
     Xena. (pauses) You didn't join us for breakfast.

XENA:
     I wasn't hungry. (comes closer to him, then stops) Actaeon, why does your father want the hill so badly?

Actaeon shifts his feet, then looks away, visibly uncomfortable.

ACTAEON:
     I told you--it's sacred to Ares. Capaneus thinks that if he can gain control of the temple, his influence--

XENA (comes up to him and looks him in the eye):
     It's not just that, is it?

ACTAEON (nervously):
     What else would it be? You don't know my father. It's just like him to go to war just to boost his ego.

XENA:
     Even if it means losing his entire army? Actaeon, you're obviously convinced that he'll never give up on his quest for the temple--and I believe you. But he'd have to be insane to be that determined to get it if it was just about an ego boost. (She moves closer to Actaeon) And I don't think he's insane. (lowers her voice dangerously) So what is it that you're not telling me?

Actaeon looks away again; then, after a tense pause, he looks up at Xena.

ACTAEON:
     All right. My father believes there is something in that temple--something sacred to Ares...something that will give him special powers if he can get his hands on it. Some kind of amulet--I'm not sure what it is.

XENA:
     And he told you this?

Actaeon hesitates and averts his eyes. Xena intercepts his look; he glances over at the vase from Act One.

Xena charges toward the vase.

ACTAEON:
     What do you think you're doing?

He tries to bar her way but she pushes him aside and grabs the vase.

ACTAEON:
     No!

XENA (holding the vase):
     A family heirloom, huh?

She shakes the vase and hears something rustling inside.

ACTAEON (tries to grab it from her):
     Give it back!

In the tussle, Actaeon is able to wrench the vase from Xena's hands but he can't hold onto it and it falls to the ground, shattering to pieces as Actaeon looks on in dismay.

ACTAEON:
     What have you done!

Among the shards of the vase, Xena notices a rolled-up scroll. Actaeon lunges for it but she grabs it first and pushes Actaeon away, so hard that he slams into the wall and slumps with a groan.

CUT TO

Outside the chamber, Antigone is walking through the hall. She stops in puzzlement when she hears the noise.

CUT TO

Xena unrolls the scroll. As she reads it, she has an angry and disgusted look on her face. Behind her, Actaeon is slowly getting to his feet, still a little stunned.

CUT TO

Antigone walks up to the doorway of the chamber but doesn't go in. She stands back behind the doorframe, listening to what's going on inside.

CUT TO

Xena finishes reading the scroll and whips around to look at Actaeon. She forcefully throws the scroll back at him and he catches it.

XENA:
     You made an agreement with your father? (before Actaeon can speak, Xena cuts him off) So that was your plan all along. Once you became king of Thebes, you would use your new position to your own advantage and would willingly hand the hill over to Capaneus.

ACTAEON (nods, reluctantly and looks down, ashamed):
     That's right.

Xena shakes her head in disgust.

CUT TO

Antigone is still outside the chamber, listening. She looks shocked.

CUT TO

Xena is glaring at Actaeon.

ACTAEON:
     My father arranged my marriage to Antigone for one reason and one reason only--to take control of the temple...and eventually of Thebes. (sighs) He thought Antigone, a young princess with no experience of governing, could be easily manipulated. (shakes head) My father never wanted peace--he just wanted the hill, and whatever's in that temple. I don't know what it is, except that it has something to do with Ares. I know my father thinks that once he gets it, he'll be the most powerful man in all Greece.

CUT TO

Antigone listens to all of this. She looks hurt, betrayed and angry. She stalks off.

CUT TO

Xena is listening to Actaeon. She looks wary.

ACTAEON:
     Please believe me--I hated this whole plan. But my father was intent on taking control of the Areopagus one way or the other; if I didn't agree, he was going to declare war on Thebes as soon as Creon died. I didn't want that; I wanted to avoid senseless bloodshed--so I agreed to go along. I thought it would be the best for everyone.

Xena looks at him, her look softening a little.

ACTAEON:
     After the wedding, I was supposed to talk Antigone into exchanging the hill for a worthless piece of land that belongs to Plateia. But--I just couldn't go through with it. I realized how much the Areopagus means to the Thebans and I couldn't betray them...and besides... (he hesitates) ...I couldn't betray my wife. You may not believe me--but I realized that I was falling in love with her. So I refused to do my father's bidding and he declared war. (looks down shamefacedly) He had me sign two copies of this agreement before we married. He put one of them in this vase and gave it to Antigone and me at our wedding...he wanted something to hold over me. (bitterly) Probably planning to tell Antigone about it if he lost the war.

A long pause. Actaeon looks at Xena, who remains silent.

ACTAEON (vehemently):
     Please believe me, Xena. I don't want to hurt Thebes--I don't want to hurt Antigone. I did what I thought was right.

XENA:
     I believe you. And I may know a way to stop your father.

ACTAEON:
     How?

Just as Xena is about to speak there are voices in the hallway, and the doors are flung open. Antigone storms in followed by a few guards.

ANTIGONE (pointing to Actaeon):
     Arrest him! He's a traitor to Thebes!

Actaeon looks startled as three guards grab onto him.

ACTAEON:
     No! You've got it all wrong! Please, let me explain!

XENA (rushes forward):
     Antigone, you don't understand.

ANTIGONE:
     No, I do understand. I heard everything. (She glares at Actaeon and grabs the scroll from his hands) And I've got the proof right here. (venomously) To think I ever trusted a snake from Plateia. (to the guards) Take him to the dungeon.

The guards haul Actaeon away. Actaeon glances once more at Xena as he is taken from the room.

XENA (gently):
     Antigone...

ANTIGONE:
     Don't try to defend him. (she shakes her head) I--I want to be alone right now.

She storms out right past Gabrielle, who walks into the chamber.

GABRIELLE (dismayed):
     Xena, what's going on? I was looking for you--I just saw some guards leading away Actaeon...

XENA (a pained look on her face):
     Actaeon is accused of being in league with his father.

GABRIELLE:
     What? That's ridiculous.

XENA:
     Gabrielle--Capaneus arranged Actaeon's marriage to Antigone so that Actaeon could hand over the temple to Plateia. (off Gabrielle's appalled look) But Actaeon refused to abide by the agreement. I don't believe he's a traitor.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head):
     All this for some temple...

XENA:
     I'll explain it all later. Right now, I have business with Capaneus.

Xena begins to leave but Gabrielle grabs her arm.

GABRIELLE:
     Do you need any help?

XENA (shakes head):
     If anyone can help me now, it's Ares.

She walks off, Gabrielle staring after her in shock.

CUT TO

A montage of Xena riding out of the Theban gates; Xena riding past the Areopagus; Xena riding up to the gates of a city--Plateia.

CUT TO

A chamber in Plateia. Capaneus, dressed in a lavish embroidered robe of red silk, is sitting at a table, reading a map. A sheepish-looking guard comes in.

GUARD:
     My lord? Xena, Warrior Princess, is here.

Capaneus looks up, annoyed but also intrigued.

CAPANEUS:
     Show her--

Before he can finish the sentence, Xena storms through the door.

CAPANEUS:
     --in. (sneers) Not that she needs the invitation.

He waves the guard away and he leaves. Xena stands in front of him, staring at him probingly.

CAPANEUS:
     You have some nerve showing up here. (mockingly) So, have you decided that fighting on our side will be more profitable? Or are you going to try to talk me into calling off the war?

XENA:
     You'll call it off if you know what's good for you.

CAPANEUS (chuckles):
     Oh, really?

XENA:
     I know what you're after, Capaneus. Special powers.

CAPANEUS (suddenly agitated):
     What are you talking about?

XENA (wryly):
     I have my sources. (Capaneus eyes her suspiciously) Well, take my word for it--special powers really aren't everything they're cracked up to be. More often than not, they're more trouble than they're worth.

CAPANEUS (snorts):
     I can make that decision for myself.

XENA:
     Want to hear more? This medallion you are after (the camera pans quickly to Capaneus' face, which registers shock at Xena's mention of the medallion) has no powers. It's just a piece of metal--good workmanship, to be sure, but there's nothing special about it. Do you really want to waste your soldiers' lives in pursuit of some antique?

CAPANEUS (shakes his head):
     Oh no, Xena. I know what powers the medallion has. (looks at her probingly) You just want it for yourself, don't you?

XENA (rolls her eyes):
     If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe your god.

CAPANEUS (with a crooked sneer):
     Ares? Sure. Ares is going to show up and help you stop a war. (he laughs)

Xena nails him with a steely gaze.

XENA (looks up):
     Ares!

There is a tense moment as both Xena and Capaneus stand, waiting for Ares to appear, as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE