FADE IN The rebel camp. Xena is sitting on a tree stump cleaning her sword. Callisto approaches. Xena looks up. CALLISTO: XENA (curtly): CALLISTO: Xena stops cleaning her sword, gives Callisto a wary look and gets up. XENA: CALLISTO (mocking): XENA (impatiently): CALLISTO (pouts): XENA (her face hard): Callisto grins playfully and beckons to Xena with her finger, inviting her to lean closer. XENA: CALLISTO (sighs): XENA (brusquely, her face impassive): CALLISTO (offended): XENA: CALLISTO: XENA: DISSOLVE TO Xena in medium close-up, staring ahead at something as she stands in the woods. Pan to the scene Xena is watching. A large meadow on the edge of a village. Some children, Centaur and human, are playing together, laughing and kicking around a ball. Pan back to Xena, watching them. The look on her face is impassive, clearly concealing deep emotion. Suddenly, she becomes alert, hearing something behind her. She whips around to see a boy of about 15 who has just jumped down from a tree. Close-up on the boy; then on Xena. There is a look of recognition, tenderness, and anguish in her face. XENA (whispers almost inaudibly): SOLAN: Close-up on Xena. Her face reflects a struggle. Finally, she speaks. XENA: SOLAN (warily, resting his hand on the hilt of the sword on his side): XENA: SOLAN (indignant): Xena nods, holding back tears. XENA: She walks past Solan and heads into the woods. SOLAN (off-camera, behind her): Xena stops abruptly and turns. SOLAN (comes up to her, looking excited): XENA (with a wan smile): SOLAN (with resolve): XENA (shocked): SOLAN (passionately): XENA (interrupts): SOLAN (interrupts): Pan to Xena, who seems about to say something, then remains silent. SOLAN (continues): XENA: Solan looks disappointed for a moment. Then, he nods and smiles at Xena. SOLAN: Xena nods back, squeezing his shoulder. After a moment she turns and begins to walk away. Now that Solan cannot see her, her face crumbles and tears well in her eyes. The camera pulls back to show Solan standing behind her, watching her walk away. Zoom in on Solan. Something is obviously bothering him. SOLAN: Quick pan to Xena, in medium close-up, as she stops in her tracks and tries to regain control. She does not turn around. XENA (in a level voice): SOLAN: For a moment Xena looks anguished and helpless. Her lips quiver. A slow-motion shot of Xena turning around. Facing Solan, Xena now looks composed again. XENA (manages to sound casual): SOLAN (skeptical): XENA: SOLAN (nods, unsure): XENA (quietly): CUT TO Xena is walking through the woods alone, her expression grim. Suddenly she stops in her tracks. She has a strange look on her face, as if sensing a presence. She looks around. There is a flash of blue. Ares, God of War, materializes standing by a tree, leaning casually on its trunk. For a moment they stare silently at each other. XENA (coldly): The God of War comes closer to her and stops, eyeing her with obvious curiosity. ARES GOD OF WAR: XENA (snorts): ARES GOD OF WAR: XENA: She starts walking again, only to find Ares standing in her path. XENA: ARES GOD OF WAR: XENA (chuckles): Ares, God of War bursts into a hearty laugh. ARES GOD OF WAR: XENA: She turns and starts to walk away again. ARES GOD OF WAR: Xena stops, her back to the camera. Quick pan to show her face in medium close-up. She looks wary. XENA (her eyes narrowing): ARES GOD OF WAR: He is suddenly right behind her, his arms around her waist, his mouth at her ear. ARES GOD OF WAR (continues): Xena shivers and closes her eyes, leaning back against him a little; then, she opens her eyes and shakes herself slightly to snap out of it. XENA (brusquely): In an instant Ares is in front of her again, his eyes locked on hers. ARES GOD OF WAR: Xena is clearly affected by his proximity but is trying not to show it. XENA: She walks away with a resolute stride. Ares, God of War watches her and shakes his head, laughing indulgently. ARES GOD OF WAR (shouts after her, still chuckling): He vanishes in a burst of blue light. Xena slows down and glances back, looking thoughtful; then turns and walks on. CUT TO Night. The rebel camp. Gabrielle stands in front of campfire, a crowd of people sitting on the other side of the fire. The audience erupts in enthusiastic applause and calls of encouragement--it is obvious that she has just finished a story. VOICES IN THE CROWD: Gabrielle blushes and smiles. WOMAN IN THE CROWD: Gabrielle looks to the back of the crowd, catching Xena's eye. GABRIELLE: The people begin to rise and disperses until it's just her and Xena left. Xena approaches, carrying a mug of ale. XENA: GABRIELLE: XENA: Gabrielle thinks a moment, as if assessing herself, then smiles and nods. GABRIELLE: Xena does and Gabrielle inches closer to her with a soft laugh. GABRIELLE: Xena nods and holds her hands out towards the fire. XENA: Both women stare silently into the fire for a long moment. XENA: GABRIELLE (gasps): XENA (in a hushed tone): Gabrielle looks at Xena a moment then clears her throat and looks away. GABRIELLE: Xena smiles lovingly and brushes the hair from Gabrielle's eyes. GABRIELLE: Xena smiles and lets out a small laugh. XENA: Gabrielle squeezes Xena's hand companionably. GABRIELLE: XENA: Gabrielle turns toward the hut. Xena watches her a moment, then: XENA: Gabrielle stops and turns back. GABRIELLE: XENA: GABRIELLE (smiles): XENA: Gabrielle enters the hut and Xena hunches closer to the fire, blowing into her hands. CUT TO Conqueror Xena and Ares sit at a table laden with dishes and drinks. Two servants, one male and one female, stand silently in the background. CONQUEROR XENA: ARES (glances at her wryly, sipping his wine): CONQUEROR XENA (calmly): ARES: He's interrupted as the doors of the dining room fly open and a guard comes in, looking perturbed. GUARD: A man in an officer's leathers staggers past him into the room and almost falls. He looks dirty and bedraggled; there are blood-stained bandages around his head and his arm. OFFICER (panting): He nearly collapses and the guard has to hold him up. The Conqueror rises swiftly to her feet. CONQUEROR XENA (brusquely): One of the servants takes a goblet of wine to the officer, who drinks avidly. OFFICER (still panting): CONQUEROR XENA (impatiently): OFFICER: CONQUEROR XENA (shocked and furious): OFFICER: Pan to Ares, a quick flash of recognition and hope in his face; then to the Conqueror, whose face shows a flash of fury and fear. OFFICER (continues, off-camera): Pan to Ares, as the hopeful look in his face becomes one of incredulous joy. CONQUEROR XENA (coldly): The man nods and salutes her feebly, then leaves, leaning on the guard. CONQUEROR XENA (to the two servants): The servants bow and leave wordlessly. The Conqueror turns to face Ares. He stands up. ARES: CONQUEROR XENA (contemptuously): Ares purses his lips, staring at her, then nods silently. CONQUEROR XENA (sarcastic): Ares stares at her thoughtfully, then finally speaks. ARES: CONQUEROR XENA: Ares stares at her intently. CROSS-FADE TO The sound of clashing swords and cheering crowds gradually fades in as we see a Roman amphitheater. Two gladiators are fighting. The camera pans up to the imperial box where the Monarch sits in red dress and Tiara. Ares, God of War stands behind her, a hand on her shoulder. Pan down to the arena, where one of the gladiators runs the other through, then roughly yanks out his sword. The defeated gladiator sinks to his knees, then falls dead. The audience erupts in a mix of cheers and cries of disappointment. Pan up to the imperial box for a medium close-up of the Conqueror, who is applauding. She glances up at the God of War. CONQUEROR XENA: ARES GOD OF WAR (shrugs with a condescending smile): CONQUEROR XENA: She rises and raises her arms, commanding silence from the crowd. As the noise of the arena dies down, the camera pulls back for a wide shot of the arena. We see the dead body being removed. The gladiator who won the match remains standing, leaning on his sword. Quick pan to a medium close-up of Ares sitting in the audience, wearing the same brown leathers he did in the scene at the cross. He is leaning back, thoughtfully watching the Conqueror and the God of War. Zoom in on the imperial box. The arena is now quiet. CONQUEROR XENA: She points to the gladiator in the arena. The camera zooms in on him. He is a tall, blond, bearded, fierce-looking man. CONQUEROR XENA: Close-up on Ares, who stares at the Conqueror intently. The camera pulls back for a wide shot of the arena and the imperial box, from Ares' point of view. CONQUEROR XENA: Zoom in on the Conqueror and Ares, God of War, standing next to her. CONQUEROR XENA: Pan to Ares as he stands up. ARES: Pan to the Conqueror for a close-up as she stares at him, her expression a mix of shock, anger and anxiety. There are murmurs in the spectator rows as he walks down into the arena. Down in the arena, Ares stops and looks up at the Conqueror. ARES: CONQUEROR XENA (after a brief pause): ARES: The murmurs in the audience grow louder, with people exchanging puzzled looks. Ares, God of War glances curiously at the Conqueror. ARES GOD OF WAR (wryly): CONQUEROR XENA (reluctantly): ARES GOD OF WAR (curious): The Conqueror turns and smiles at the God of War, having regained self-possession. CONQUEROR XENA: ARES GOD OF WAR (dryly): The Conqueror gestures to one of the attendants behind her and sits down, her face a mask of composure. CONQUEROR XENA: An attendant comes out into the arena and hands Ares a sword. He swings it a few times, then steps up and raises the sword. ARES (raises his voice, a touch of sarcasm in his tone): ARNSKELL (raises his bloodied sword): The Conqueror looks expectantly around the arena. After a moment's silence, the audience erupts in a chorus of "All hail!" After the cries die down, the Conqueror glances at Ares, God of War. CONQUEROR XENA: ARES GOD OF WAR (waves his hand lazily): Ares and Arnskell both turn around simultaneously, their swords clashing hard. They get in a few good moves: Arnskell swings above Ares' head and Ares meets his sword; he swings lower and to the side and Ares meets his sword, again. Arnskell swings toward the right and Ares dodges out of the way, meeting Arnskell's sword with an underhand motion. Arnskell snarls and charges with powerful force, slamming into Ares, pushing him back. Ares shakes himself off, regaining balance. Arnskell attacks again. Ares narrowly escapes the blade as he jumps out of the way. During a moment's pause, he looks at his left shoulder and realizes the blade had nicked his skin and there is blood running down his arm. He attempts to counterattack Arnskell's next blow but when their swords meet, the strength behind the impact nearly knocks Ares off his feet. Arnskell punches him in the face and he staggers back. The Conqueror tenses up, clutching the armrests of her seat as she leans forward slightly. Ares, God of War eyes her with curiosity and suspicion. ARES GOD OF WAR: CONQUEROR XENA (with a somewhat forced laugh): With a bloody nose, Ares shakes himself off, ready to attack again. He twirls his sword with bravado and grins. He meets his opponent's sword and kicks him, once in the side, once in the left leg. This time it's Arnskell who staggers back. Ares charges forward, swinging toward Arnskell, hitting his sword so hard that it throws Arnskell off-balance. ARES GOD OF WAR (glances curiously at the Conqueror): CONQUEROR XENA: ARES GOD OF WAR (folds his arms on his chest as he watches): Regaining the advantage again, Arnskell kicks the sword from Ares' hand and kicks him in the midsection, sending him sprawling on his back. There are gasps in the audience. Pan to the Conqueror, who struggles to remain impassive. Ares, God of War looks on curiously. Arnskell stands over Ares, his feet planted wide on both sides of Ares' torso, and raises his sword, preparing to run him through. Pan up to the Conqueror, whose face flinches slightly. The audience falls silent. Pan back to the arena. With a quick move, Ares manages to slide between his opponent's legs. Then, he flips over and slams his boots into Arnskell's back, knocking him down. The crowd erupts in cheers as Ares jumps to his feet. Pan to the Conqueror, who exhales slightly. Ares dives to grab his sword. Then, just as Arnskell gets to his feet and charges at him, he thrusts his sword forward. Close-up on Arnskell's face in a grimace of shock and pain. Blood bubbles at his lips. Pull back to see Ares yank his sword out of the man's gut. Medium close-up on Ares. His face is harsh and determined. Ares steps back as Arnskell falls dead. After a moment the crowd erupts in cheers. Ares stands still for a moment, panting. Then he walks over to the end of the arena where the imperial box is, and raises his sword in a salute. ARES: After a moment of silence, Ares, God of War claps his hand slowly. ARES GOD OF WAR: The camera pulls back to show Ares walking up the aisle in the spectator rows. He stops a few rows below the imperial box, facing the Conqueror and the God of War. ARES GOD OF WAR (contemplates him curiously, stroking his beard): CONQUEROR XENA (laughs casually): ARES GOD OF WAR: CONQUEROR XENA: She pauses, staring at Ares, then finally speaks again. CONQUEROR XENA: ARES: The Conqueror stares at him heavily. ARES: A brief pause. Ares, God of War, glances expectantly at the Conqueror. CONQUEROR XENA: She pauses and glances up at Ares, God of War; then, back at mortal Ares. CONQUEROR XENA (continues): She motions to a guard behind her, who approaches. CONQUEROR XENA: Ares gives her a look of barely concealed triumph. Then, as he shifts his gaze, his eyes meet those of the God of War, and he fidgets slightly. ARES GOD OF WAR: ARES (coldly, concealing his nervousness): ARES GOD OF WAR: ARES (jovially): Ares, God of War bursts out laughing. ARES GOD OF WAR: Ares bows his head slightly in acknowledgment. DISSOLVE TO Ares is riding down a road, the hills and buildings of Rome behind him, as we: FADE OUT END OF ACT TWO |