FADE IN

Inside the hut. Darion is showing Gabrielle around.

DARION (points to a wooden chest in the corner of a room):
     And this is where I keep all my toys.

GABRIELLE (trying to hide her emotion):
     It's a nice room. (pauses) Darion--have you been happy here?

DARION (putting on a brave face):
     Great. (after a brief silence his expression turns sad) But I miss you. (after another pause) And Xena, and--Argo...and everybody. (after a pause) And Haimon.

GABRIELLE (pained):
     Oh, Darion... (she strokes his hair)

DARION:
     So can we go on an adventure?

GABRIELLE (with a forced smile):
     We'll see. (after a pause, she sighs) I've missed you too.

There is a short and slightly tense silence.

DARION (trying to lighten the mood):
      Hey, you came just in time for Lykia's... (he frowns, trying to remember the word)

GABRIELLE (smiles tensely):
      Initiation.

DARION (shrugging):
     Yeah...whatever. (with sudden vehemence) I think it's stupid, anyway.

Gabrielle gives him a long, concerned look.

CUT TO

Night. Amazon ceremonial hut--exterior view. The chanting can be heard coming from inside.

CUT TO

Inside the hut. Gabrielle, Eve, Cyane, and Lykia all stand in the center of the hut. Gabrielle is fastening the back of Lykia's brown leather top. Strands of beads and feathers are placed in Lykia's hair. Lykia is breathing hard and looks very nervous.

Eve is standing in front of her, with a small bowl containing a red ceremonial paint. Eve dips her fingers in it making a small swipe on her forehead through the middle of her eyebrows. She then makes two swipes on her cheeks under each eye. She smiles, seeing Lykia's nervousness.

Cyane then walks up to Lykia, with a delicately crafted Amazon sword in her hand. She is holding it horizontally by letting it rest on both of her hands.

CYANE:
     Your sword, Lykia.

Lykia nods and grabs the handle of her sword tightly, her face reflecting in the blade.

The camera pans over to Gabrielle, who looks a little unsure about seeing Lykia with a weapon.

CUT TO

Amazon village square. The Amazons continue dancing as Lykia, Gabrielle, Cyane, and Eve all exit the ceremonial hut. Lykia has her sword strapped onto her back. Eve walks up to a large wooden podium, overlooking the area. She stands in front, watching as the ceremonial dancing continues around the fire. She holds up her hand for them to stop, which all of the Amazons do and bow down to their Queen.

EVE (hiding her smile, to the Amazons):
     Amazons you may rise. (they all get up off the ground) We have all gathered here to celebrate the initiation of a new sister, Lykia!

The Amazons all cheer.

EVE (looking off to the side):
     Lykia, you may step forward.

The camera pulls over as Gabrielle smiles and removes her hand from Lykia's shoulder. Lykia takes a deep breath and walks up the podium, kneeling before Eve. Eve smiles as Cyane walks up next to her holding a large bowl filled with water.

Eve cups the waters in her hands.

EVE (softly):
     As children, Amazons are baptized to symbolize new birth within the tribe. (she lets the water run down Lykia's face) As an adult, your initiation symbolizes rebirth not only for the tribe, but for you as well. You will now be looked at forever more as a sister, and an Amazon. (shouting to the Amazons) Amazons, behold your new sister, LYKIA!

All of the Amazons cheer and begin chanting and dancing again. Antiope rushes up to the podium and pulls Lykia down forcing her to "dance." You can tell she is embarrassed, but she has a smile on her face the whole time.

The camera pulls over to Xena and Gabrielle, both of them smile.

DISSOLVE TO

Later. Some of the Amazons are still awake celebrating Lykia's initiation. The camera pulls over to Eve's hut.

DISSOLVE TO

The Queen's hut. Eve is sitting at a large table, browsing through scrolls sprawled out all over the table. She stops for a moment and looks up.

The camera pulls around to show Xena and Gabrielle entering the hut.

EVE:
     I'm so glad you came. It means a lot for Lykia and Darion...and me.

Eve sighs.

XENA (concerned):
     Eve, what's going on?

Eve sighs, and nods her head. She motions for Xena and Gabrielle to sit down.

EVE:
     About a month ago, after I returned from Moesia, a group of farmers came and settled on our hunting lands. I went with a couple of the elders and talked to the farmers. (sighing) They had no intention of moving. All we asked was for them to move off our hunting lands, just a little further down. I've tried compromising with them but they don't want to have anything to do with us.

XENA (understanding the situation):
     They want you to leave.

EVE (nodding):
     Exactly. (angrily) These lands have been part of the Amazon tribe for years, and I'm not about to lose them... (frustrated) To make matters worse, they're clearing so much land that they've driven off most of the game. And what they haven't driven off they hunt for themselves. It's going to be a lean winter if we don't do something.

GABRIELLE (warily):
     How are the other Amazons taking all this?

EVE (shaking her head):
     They're angry. A few of them think we should attack the village and force them off our lands, Morai especially.

Xena looks to Gabrielle, not knowing who Morai is.

GABRIELLE (filling her in):
     Morai lost her sister in the battle at Corinth against Sabina. She made things...difficult for me when I was Queen.

XENA:
     Well let's hope that calmer heads will prevail. I'll go to the village in the morning and see if I can talk some sense into the farmers.

Eve nods.

EVE:
     I hope you have better luck than I had. (standing up) After that I'll have to meet with the Amazon Council to discuss our next step.

XENA:
     Well, then I'll just have to make them an offer they can't refuse.

Eve nods and smiles uncomfortably. It's obvious she's not convinced Xena will be able to deliver on her promise.

XENA (to Eve):
     We'll see you in the morning.

Xena and Gabrielle exit.

EVE (sighing):
     I hope this turns out okay...

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle's cabin. It is just before sunrise. Xena and Gabrielle are still asleep. A cry of distress is suddenly heard and both Xena and Gabrielle sit bolt upright. Another cry is heard.

GABRIELLE:
     Darion!

Gabrielle flies out of bed and out of the room. Xena follows.

CUT TO

Darion's room. He is thrashing violently in his sleep. Gabrielle comes over to him and sits on the edge of the bed. Xena hangs back in the doorway. She reaches out to touch his shoulder.

GABRIELLE:
     Darion? Hey--

DARION (swiping with his fists):
     Raise the roof! Raise the--

Gabrielle pulls back, catching his wrists.

GABRIELLE:
     Darion! Wake up. Come on. (She shakes him awake) Darion!

His eyes fly open and he glances around in confusion and terror. Slowly he focuses on Gabrielle.

DARION:
     Gabrielle?

He falls into her arms and she holds him tightly. Gabrielle kisses the top of Darion's head and holds him a little tighter, almost uncomfortably tight.

GABRIELLE:
     It's okay...it's okay.

Xena frowns and exchanges a worried look with Gabrielle.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle's room. The sun has risen. Xena is seated on her cot, lacing up her gauntlet when Gabrielle shuffles in tiredly.

XENA:
     How is he?

GABRIELLE:
     I got him back to sleep. (she frowns) He's having nightmares again. I thought once Domitius was... (she shakes her head as if to shake off a memory) I knew something was bothering him but I...

XENA:
     I'll go talk to the settlers. You should stay here with Darion and make sure he's okay.

GABRIELLE (sighs in appreciation):
     Thank you.

Xena nods and smiles thinly, obviously more concerned about Darion than she is admitting to.

CUT TO

A small village that looks like it's still under construction. Villagers are busy helping carry large pieces of wood and raising barns. There seem to be a good fifty villagers.

The camera pulls around as Xena walks out of the forest and into the village. She scans the area, noticing the chopped down trees and now barren lands. She walks into the village, getting curious looks by many of the other villagers.

An old man walks by her, pulling a cart.

XENA:
     Excuse me. Where can I find your village leader?

OLD MAN (suspiciously):
     Who wants to know?

XENA:
     I've got some business with him.

OLD MAN (sizes her up and sneers):
     What are you? One of those Amazons? If so, then you're wasting your time. We're not going anywhere.

XENA:
     Thanks for the warning. But if it's all the same to you, I'd rather talk to someone in charge.

MAN (off-screen):
     That would be me. I'm Teras.

The camera pulls around to show a man, Teras. He is a tall blond man in his mid-thirties, in regular villager clothes but very neat, well-groomed and clean-shaven.

XENA:
     Teras. I'm here to try to work out the problem between you and the Amazons.

TERAS (laughs):
     There's nothing to work out. We aren't going anywhere. (forcefully) So unless you're here to tell me that you and your tribe are leaving, I want you out of my village.

XENA (angrily):
     These are their lands!

TERAS (smirking):
     By whose decree? The Amazons are little more than squatters. Officially, this was all unclaimed land until King Melodic came along.

The villagers all around them nod and mutter in agreement.

XENA (becoming frustrated):
     Look, all they're asking is that you move off their hunting lands, if you go a little further down the river--

TERAS (puzzled):
     You speak of them as "they." Are you not an Amazon?

XENA:
     No. I'm a friend.

TERAS (looking her over):
     You don't look like any of the women around here. Who are you?

XENA:
     The name is Xena.

Gasps are heard among the villagers, and Teras looks nervous, clearly regretting his earlier cocky stance. Then he clears his throat, stands up straight and tries to appear confident.

TERAS (impressed):
     The Warrior Princess. Of course. I've heard all about you. You fight for the common people--for the Greater Good. Well, let me ask you something, Xena. Should a barbaric tribe of warrior women be allowed to stand in the way of progress? All the Amazons do with this land is hunt on it and pick it clean. We're cultivating it. So who's really serving the greater good?

The camera zooms in on Xena's expression; she seems taken aback for a moment.

TERAS (quietly):
     We don't want to hurt anyone or to cause trouble. We just came out here to make an honest living. As will countless others...

XENA (shocked):
     Others?

Teras pulls out a scroll from under his belt and hands it to Xena. She unravels it.

TERAS:
     This village is only the beginning. King Melodic of Ascania has ordered the creation of several more throughout these lands.

Xena looks over the scroll, her eyes widening as she realizes the situation at hand.

TERAS:
     I'm sorry, Xena. The king doesn't have anything against the Amazons, but if they resist he's prepared to send an army here to protect us.

XENA:
     You mean--to crush the Amazons.

TERAS (defensively):
     They're free to go elsewhere, or to stay and cooperate. No one wants to destroy them--

XENA (angrily):
     No, just their way of life.

CUT TO

A riverbank in the woods. Darion is wading in the water, bending down to watch and listen for fish, Xena-style. Lykia and Gabrielle are sitting on the bank watching him. The camera zooms in them.

LYKIA:
     I can never thank you enough for what you did. Being there for Darion--

GABRIELLE (shaking her head, softly):
     Lykia, you don't owe me any thanks. Darion is like my own...

Lykia glances at her and Gabrielle trails off into an awkward silence, then finally speaks.

GABRIELLE:
     He's having nightmares again.

LYKIA (nods):
     I know...

GABRIELLE:
     They're bad--as bad as they were before.

LYKIA:
     He's young. Children have nightmares--

GABRIELLE:
     Not like this. (she pauses) It's all the violence.

LYKIA:
     He's seen a lot. But I've really been practicing my fighting. He won't ever have to be scared again. (a cocky, almost challenging smirk) I bet I'd even be a match for you.

DARION (yells off-screen):
     I got one!

Quick pan to Darion as he throws a fish toward Gabrielle and Lykia.

LYKIA (wonderingly):
     He's really good at this... (glances at Gabrielle) Did you teach him?

GABRIELLE (smiles):
     No, he picked it up from Xena...better than I did. He's a quick learner.

They watch Darion as he returns to fishing. Gabrielle turns thoughtfully to Lykia as the camera zooms in on them.

GABRIELLE:
     Lykia, do you really think being a warrior is the right path for you?

LYKIA (after a brief pause):
     I'm an Amazon now...Amazons are warriors.

GABRIELLE (shaking her head):
     You're also all Darion has left. I think that's a little more important than--

LYKIA:
     I agree. (her fist clenches unconsciously) I'm not about to let anything happen to him. I'll do anything I have to to protect him.

GABRIELLE (softly):
     And that might end up hurting Darion most of all.

Close-up on Gabrielle, looking worried, as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE