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The following episode written for The Xena
Warrior Princess Virtual Season is a work of fiction based upon the
television series Xena: Warrior Princess. The original characters are
used strictly for fan purposes and not for profit. There is no intent to
infringe upon or violate any copyrights held by Studio USA, Renaissance
Pictures, Universal Television or any other organization that owns the
rights to this series.
The script, story ideas, and any characters
created by the authors that are not part of the original series are
copyrighted and remain the sole property of those authors. Also, any
original artworks are copyrighted and remain the sole property of those
artists. Permission to use any of the written or drawn works herein must
be submitted to the original author(s) and artist(s).
Xena Warrior Princess Virtual Season
Episode 8.6: Small Sacrifices
Teleplay by: Karen Lines
Written by: Karen Lines, Magenta and
MacavityCat
Illustrated by:
Gina, Kathy Austin, and Vio
Beta Read by: Talice and MacavityCat
TEASER
FADE IN:
1. EXT. LAKE - MORNING
Wavelets lap the shore of a lake. A sand piper
glides down the shoreline and abruptly changes course into a bush.
In the water, bubbles trail to the surface and
burst the quiet day.
Xena breaks the surface heaving and gasping
for breath.
Gabrielle surfaces seconds later, her face
etched with fatigue.
Xena grabs hold of her, and pulls her through
the water. Their gear bags, attached to Gabrielle, float along the
surface behind them.
Her feet find the sandy bottom. With the last
of her strength she drags Gabrielle onto the beach.
GABRIELLE
Where do you think we are, Xena?
XENA
(surveying the area wiping water from her face)
I don't know Gabrielle, but I trust the
guardian when he promised we'd be home soon. How are you doing?
GABRIELLE
Still winded, but I'll be fine. I'd be even
better with a meal and three days of sleep.
XENA
(smiling)
I'm glad all this hasn’t changed your appetite
any.
Gabrielle takes a deep breath and lets it out
slowly.
GABRIELLE
(sniffing the air)
Do you smell smoke?
XENA
Yes I do. You’re getting good at that.
Xena looks around and points at the forest
edge. A billowing cloud of smoke rises into the morning sky.
XENA
Where there's smoke, there’s fire and where
there’s fire, there's people.
(beat)
... and where there’s people... there has to
be a place we can warm up and get out of these wet clothes.
She smiles, her hand wringing out the bottom
of her buckskin jacket. She adjusts the sword sheath on her back.
Gabrielle does like-wise and tugs on her
clothes and gives a tired sigh.
XENA
Come on, let’s go.
They pick up their packs and walk into the
forest, toward the wafting smoke.
CUT TO:
2. EXT. FOREST - DAY
They make their way into the depths of the
woods, through a maze of gnarled oaks and bramble thickets. Xena stops
and puts a fingers to her lips, and whispers to Gabrielle.
XENA
I don't want to surprise whomever it is. They
could be dangerous.
The ground oozes beneath their feet. Xena
looks down at her soggy boots.
XENA
Watch your footing.
Quietly Xena parts the branches for Gabrielle
as they move through the woods.
Muffled voices and light filters through the
bush.
Gabrielle follows Xena to the edge of a
clearing.
Xena peers from the shadows and sees two weary
looking men sitting at a fire. They are wearing traditional Celt
clothing. Xena leans close to Gabrielle and whispers.
XENA
They look like Celts. We must be near Gaul or
Britannia.
She scans the men for weapons and looks around
the makeshift camp. Two horses are tied nearby and rough sleeping rolls
are laid out on the ground.
XENA
Let's go.
In unison they walk from their hiding place.
A collective gasp from the men halts them.
Xena holds out her hands and keeps them visible.
A husky young man rises and draws a sword from
the folds of his cloak. Glaring at Xena, he brings the tip up and points
it directly at her.
MAN
Who are you, and why do you risk death,
wandering in the forest.
XENA
I'm Xena and this is my friend, Gabrielle.
We...
Xena looks at her wet clothes and smiles.
GABRIELLE
Our boat sank in the lake. We could smell the
smoke from a fire, and hoped we would find a place to dry off and get
warm.
The man lowers his sword and points at his
companion.
MAN
I'm Jules and this is Ceanard. Did you see any
Romans in the forest?
XENA
No. Why are you hiding from the Romans?
Jules frowns and exaggerates his voice.
JULES
How could you not know? The rebellion? The
Iceni defeat, two days ago?
GABRIELLE
Boudicea's people defeated? How can that be?
XENA
Can you take us to her. We were allies once,
maybe we can help.
Jules lowers his head.
JULES
Our Queen is dead. Only her daughters survive.
There is little you could do to help us now.
Xena holds her finger to her lips and points
at Ceanard.
She moves to the right of Gabrielle and
casually bends down to tie her boot laces.
XENA
Two behind me and three behind you, lots more
coming. We’ll take care of them, then we get out of here.
GABRIELLE
(whispers with a smirk)
So much for warming up and drying off...
Jules holds his sword firmly and gives Xena an
acknowledging nod.
The soldiers crash out of the bushes and
through the camp.
Xena whirls around and kicks at the legs of a
passing Roman, at the same time, unsheathing her sword.
He slams down onto his back and rolls over
grasping at his knee.
Xena flips to land beside Gabrielle and
absorbs the attack of the second Roman. Her sword clangs as it counters
the soldier's thrust.
Gabrielle turns to join the Iceni men fighting
the three Romans. She high jumps, box kicking one Roman in his face, and
sending him sprawling. As she lands on her feet, she hears Xena call
out.
XENA
Gabrielle, NO! Get the horses.
Xena lets one of the Romans get in close and
tags him with the butt of her sword. He staggers and she brings her
blade down across his collarbone. His arm goes limp and the sword falls
from his hand.
Xena looks over to Jules and Ceanard. They
press their opponents back, with fierce swings and thrusts of their
swords. Ceanard enthusiastically cursing with every swing of his weapon
as the two men back the Romans out of the camp. With final thrusts,
Jules and Ceanard sink their blades into the Romans, and the men slump
to the ground.
XENA
Come on! Let’s move out!
The young man nods, Jules smirks. Gabrielle
hands Jules a set of reins.
Gabrielle brings the second horse over and
Xena hops up and whisks Gabrielle up behind her.
GABRIELLE
It’s been a while since we rode double.
XENA
Don't worry I haven't forgotten how. Remember,
I steer and you sit back there and bounce.
GABRIELLE
Yes, that's pretty much how I remember it too.
They gallop off, weaving and dodging branches
as they plow through the soft ground.
The oak trees thin and the riders burst from
the woods.
Jules leads the way across a field and up a
hill on the other side. They reach the crest and rein their horses up
hard.
Gabrielle gasps.
Xena blinks as a breeze lifts a strand of hair
across her eyes. She brushes it away as she surveys the countryside.
Gabrielle sits quietly behind her, eyes fixed on the scene before them.
Jules and Ceanard wipe tears from their eyes.
The horses fuss and toss their heads.
FADE OUT:
END TEASER
ACT I
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