| ACT I
3. EXT. AMPHIPOLIS - DAY
FADE IN.
GABRIELLE
Xena, What’s going on here?
XENA
That’s exactly what I intend to find out.
Gabrielle again reaches for her money, while watching Xena walk
toward the inn. As Xena moves closer, the inn’s door opens and out comes Leandra, in
her late 20’s. She is full figured, raven haired and joyful.
LEANDRA
Xena! I was told you might come.
XENA
Who are you?
LEANDRA
I’m Leandra.
XENA
(disbelievingly)
Leandra? Mom told me about you ... and your ... sister?
LEANDRA
Yes. Sister. Oh, that’s right. Ioannina was born just before
you ... er ... disappeared.
XENA
What are you doing here?
LEANDRA
Father wanted to show the children what Winter Solstice in
Amphipolis was like.
XENA
Your father? Is he here now?
LEANDRA
Yes, he’s up in his room, resting. It’s been a long day
for him.
Gabrielle joins Xena and Leandra, wearing her new coat. Xena looks at
her and gestures toward Leandra.
XENA
Gabrielle, meet Leandra, Toris’s daughter.
Gabrielle extends her hand. Leandra shakes it.
GABRIELLE
Oh, so the children ...
LEANDRA
You’ve met my children?
GABRIELLE
Sort of. They bumped into me earlier.
LEANDRA
Yes, they tend to do that.
(shouting)
Xena, Lyceus, come meet your great aunt!
Leandra runs after the children. Gabrielle looks at Xena and smirks.
GABRIELLE
Great aunt, huh?
XENA
Don’t you start!
GABRIELLE
So, is your brother here too?
Xena nods.
GABRIELLE
And, how do you feel? I mean, about meeting him again?
XENA
I’m perfectly okay with it. Why wouldn’t I be?
GABRIELLE
(doubtfully)
No reason.
Leandra comes back with little Xena and little Lyceus. Their faces,
hands and clothes are covered with mud. Leandra tries to rub the mud off the
children’s faces with a piece of cloth. She finally gives up and pushes little Xena
forward.
LEANDRA
Xena, meet your great-niece and namesake.
Little Xena looks at Xena suspiciously.
LITTLE XENA
How come you aren’t dead anymore?
LEANDRA
Sweetheart, I’ve already explained this to you. She wasn’t
really dead, we only thought she was.
(to Xena)
I’m sorry about that.
XENA
It’s okay.
LEANDRA
And this is Lyceus.
Xena kneels to look at little Lyceus eye to eye. Little Lyceus looks
at her coyly, half hiding behind his mother.
XENA
(extending her hand)
Hello. I’m Xena, your grandfather’s
sister.
LITTLE LYCEUS
(stepping forward)
I’m Lyceus.
LEANDRA
(happily)
He must really like you. He’s usually very shy with people he
doesn’t know.
Xena keeps talking to the children, for the first time looking like
she is enjoying herself. Toris appears from behind her. He is now 60. His hair is almost
entirely gray and is receding, but he still wears it long. He also has a bit of a belly.
He looks tired.
TORIS
Xena!
XENA
(turns around)
Toris?
Toris and Xena embrace. Leandra and Gabrielle watch them, looking
pleased. Toris and Xena examine each other, clearly thrown by the age difference that has
been created between them.
TORIS
Xena, you look ... wonderful. You look just like I remembered you.
XENA
And you ... have two grown daughters and two beautiful
grandchildren.
TORIS
Soon to be three. My younger daughter, Ioannina, is about to give
birth any day now. My wife is staying with her.
XENA
(still shocked)
Your wife ...
TORIS
I wish you could meet her. Ioannina too.
XENA
And I wish you could meet my Eve. It’s a shame she
couldn’t be here.
Xena looks at Gabrielle, who smiles sympathetically.
Toris looks lovingly at his grandchildren, who are chasing each
other around the village, screaming.
TORIS
It’s their first real Winter Solstice festival.
XENA
You know what they say; you never forget your first one.
TORIS
Nobody could ever forget yours, that’s for sure.
XENA
Was it my fault that they didn’t secure the shed properly?
TORIS
It was your fault for trying to climb it.
Toris and Xena smile at the memory, watching the children again.
Suddenly Xena turns back to look at Toris.
XENA
Wait a second, weren’t you the one who was supposed to be
watching over me that day?
TORIS
Come on. What could I have done? You were always a menace.
Xena and Toris laugh.
TORIS
And the look on Mom’s face when she saw you ...
Xena’s expression changes at once.
Long silence.
Little Xena approaches Toris, a large flower in her hand.
LITTLE XENA
(pointing at one of the merchants)
Grandpa, look what this nice man gave me.
TORIS
(patting little Xena’s head)
It’s beautiful, Xena. I hope you remembered to thank him.
LITTLE XENA
I did.
Little Xena runs off happily.
XENA
She’s adorable. They both are.
TORIS
Yeah. I never realized what a joy grandparenthood was.
A short silence. Xena looks preoccupied.
XENA
Did ... did Mom get to see much of your children?
TORIS
As much as was possible. We do live almost all the way across the
country.
XENA
I really wanted her to be involved in Eve’s life, you know?
Experience the joys of grandparenthood, just like you said.
TORIS
I’m sure she knew that.
Silence. Xena looks around, searching for Gabrielle, but Gabrielle,
Leandra and the children are nowhere around.
XENA
So when did you get here?
TORIS
This morning.
XENA
How was your trip?
TORIS
Longer than I had remembered.
Short silence.
XENA
So have you had a chance to look around the village?
TORIS
A little.
XENA
How did it look to you?
TORIS
What do you mean?
XENA
I just can’t get over how lively it all looks now. Last time I
was here ... I thought it was lost forever.
Toris puts a reassuring hand on Xena’s arm. Xena recoils.
TORIS
Well, as you can see, it’s fine now.
Xena looks around in silence. Toris keeps looking at her.
XENA
(without looking at Toris)
Leandra said you were staying at the inn.
TORIS
I am. Aren’t you?
XENA
Yes, I suppose. There was never a question before ...
Short silence. Xena turns to look at Toris.
XENA
So what is it like now, the inn? What does it look like?
Toris puts his arm around Xena.
TORIS
Why don’t you see for yourself?
Toris walks Xena toward the inn.
CUT TO:
4. INT. INN - DAY
Xena and Toris enter the inn. Leandra, Gabrielle and the children
are already there. Xena examines her surroundings thoroughly. The inn looks very much like
it used to, only newer and with Solstice decorations all over.
XENA
They did a great job.
TORIS
Yes, they did.
Xena touches the walls and the furniture. She looks impressed.
XENA
These are good materials.
GABRIELLE
(enthusiastically)
Did you see the counter yet? It looks almost like ... the way it
used to be.
Xena’s expression becomes melancholic as Gabrielle speaks.
Gabrielle realizes she has said something she should not have said. The last part of her
statement is deflated.
There is a short and tense silence.
Xena walks to the counter and sits on a barstool. She takes out some
coins from a side pouch and puts them on the counter.
A female hand puts a goblet in front of her. She looks up and sees
Cyrene.
CYRENE
Xena! By Zeus, you have the table manners of a bacchae!
XENA
Mom?!
Gabrielle appears from behind Xena, putting her arm around her
shoulder, leaning her face against hers.
GABRIELLE
Xena? Are you all right?
Xena grabs the goblet and starts drinking quietly. Gabrielle tries
to make Xena look at her, but fails. She points in the direction of Leandra and the
children.
GABRIELLE
I’ll be right there if you need me.
Xena does not reply. She takes a small sip from her goblet.
Gabrielle walks away. Xena looks up and notices the woman behind the counter, a short,
stubby woman in her late 50’s.
XENA
Maiandra?
MAIANDRA
Xena, it’s good to see you. You haven’t changed at all.
Xena smiles a sad, self-conscious smile.
Maiandra puts down the dish she is holding and gestures at the
walls.
MAIANDRA
I hope you like what we did with the inn. We weren’t sure how
to contact you.
XENA
(flatly)
Yes, it’s very nice.
MAIANDRA
I think your mother would have liked it.
Xena does not respond, but her expression becomes even gloomier.
MAIANDRA
I hope you know how sorry I am, how sorry we all are for what
happened.
Xena does not look at Maiandra. Instead she takes another sip of her
drink.
MAIANDRA
Your mother was a good woman.
XENA
(staring into the goblet)
That she was.
MAIANDRA
I wish there was something we could do. But you have to understand:
You weren’t here, you can’t possibly know what it was like. None of us were
thinking clearly. None of us could. These demons ...
Xena gets up and places the empty goblet on the counter. Without a
word she walks away and joins Gabrielle, Leandra, and the children.
LITTLE XENA
When can we go outside already?
LEANDRA
In a minute. We’re waiting for your grandfather.
Gabrielle pulls Xena away.
GABRIELLE
Are you okay, Xena? You don’t look so good.
XENA
I’m fine.
GABRIELLE
Who was that woman you were talking to?
XENA
Just a girl I grew up with.
GABRIELLE
What did she say to you?
XENA
Nothing. We were just catching up.
GABRIELLE
You seem upset.
XENA
I told you I was fine!
Xena breaks away from Gabrielle and runs into Toris. For a minute
she looks unsure of herself, but her expression soon changes to one of determination, as
she looks Toris straight in the eye.
XENA
Did you know what was going on here while I was away?
TORIS
I’d heard rumors.
XENA
You’d heard rumors? Didn’t you come visit Mom?
TORIS
I wrote to her.
XENA
You wrote?
TORIS
I couldn’t come just then. I had to ...
XENA
(disdainfully)
What? What did you just have to do?
TORIS
It doesn’t matter. She wrote back saying that it was nothing,
that I shouldn’t come.
XENA
(heatedly)
And you listened? What’s wrong with you? They burned her at the
stake!
Leandra hastens to cover little Lyceus’s ears.
GABRIELLE
Xena!
XENA
They took our old, defenseless mother, tied her up ...
GABRIELLE
(more forcefully)
Xena!
XENA
... lit a fire under her and let her scream for ...
Gabrielle squeezes Xena’s shoulder.
GABRIELLE
(shouting)
Xena! That’s enough!
Xena finally stops as she notices little Xena staring at her in
terror. She shakes Gabrielle’s hand off her shoulder and storms out of the inn.
Gabrielle looks at the door, contemplates following Xena, but turns
to Toris instead.
GABRIELLE
You have to understand, she ...
Toris walks out without saying a word. Gabrielle and Leandra
exchange worried looks. Then Leandra takes the children by the hand and they all go
outside as well.
CUT TO:
5. EXT. AMPHIPOLIS - DAY
A parade of carts, filled with merry, brightly dressed townspeople,
passes by Leandra and the children. The townspeople play musical instruments, drink wine
and call out to the crowd.
LITTLE LYCEUS
Look, Mommy, the carnival’s started.
Leandra pats little Lyceus’s head and looks worriedly at Toris,
who is standing a few feet away from Xena. Both Toris and Xena pretend to be looking at
the parade, but it is obvious that their thoughts are elsewhere.
Gabrielle approaches Xena and stands by her, looking at the parade.
GABRIELLE
You were right. I really haven’t seen anything quite like it.
XENA
(emotionlessly)
It was my favorite time of year when I was growing up.
Silence. Gabrielle places her hand on Xena’s shoulder. They
turn to look at each other.
GABRIELLE
I know how you feel, but ...
XENA
Do you?
GABRIELLE
My parents were also murdered while we were gone. It broke my heart
when I found out. I was furious. I wanted revenge. But you know as well as I do that
there’s nothing any of us can do now. And there’s no point in taking it out on
other people.
XENA
He knew what was going on here and he just let it happen. Cared more
about his own behind than ...
Xena stops and looks at the parade again. It is obvious that Toris
has heard her, even though he has not moved his gaze from the parade.
Gabrielle puts both her hands on Xena’s shoulders, making Xena
turn to her.
GABRIELLE
She told him to stay away. She probably would have done the same
with you.
XENA
(shaking her head)
I wouldn’t have listened.
GABRIELLE
You seem to forget how willful Cyrene was. She always got her way.
Xena, she just wanted to protect him. She didn’t want him to die too.
XENA
I would have taken the risk.
GABRIELLE
But, Xena, you weren’t here.
Gabrielle looks a little startled by what she just said.
XENA
(agonizingly)
Don’t you think I know that?
Xena turns to walk away when she bumps into little Lyceus.
LITTLE LYCEUS
Auntie Xena, look!
A cloud of dust rises from the direction toward which little Lyceus
is pointing. The sound of hooves is heard.
FADE OUT.
END ACT I
ACT
II
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