13. EXT. INN

Xena's hand reaches for the rough hewn surface of the door, pauses before touching it, and retracts.

The Warrior Princess, looking annoyed, heads back to the stable. As she makes the turn, she sees the smithy taking the horses to his shop.

She enters the stable and makes her way toward their gear. Shaking her head, she puts the saddlebag down on the floor and reaches into the bag containing their cooking utensils.

A strange look comes over the warrior's face as she pauses in her search and spins around with an angry expression.

ARES!!!

14. INT. STABLE

The war god is leaning on a post, a self-satisfied grin on his face. He's tossing a bottle up and catching it when it comes down.

Lose something?

Ares, don't you have anything better to do than haunt me?

With a shove of his muscular shoulder, he pushes himself off the wooden support.

No, not particularly.

I don't have time for your stupid games. Gimme that!

Xena makes a quick grab for the bottle, but Ares is quicker, and pulls it out of reach.

You of all people should know by now that I don't...

... play games

Be careful, Xena, you might hurt my feelings.

Zeus' lightning bolt! Your whole life is a game! You're the playboy of the gods and we're your toys!

And feelings?

Don't make me laugh. I'm not in the mood. Now, gimme that and get lost!

Ares flips the bottle in the air and catches it before Xena can.

Playboy, huh? I like the sound of that.

What's in this thing, anyway?

Ares uncorks it - takes a whiff - yanks it violently away from his nose and recorks it.

Gag a Centaur!

That's worse than a thousand dead fish in the sun with rotting mortal corpses!

Is this what you're using on your poor little bard?

You really think THIS is going to make her better? I'm surprised it hasn't killed her.

Xena makes another grab for it. Ares pulls it back.

No, no... I don't think so. This little bottle is giving me a lot of grief.

I knew you were behind Gabrielle's troubles!

With a swift and agile move, Xena removes the dagger from her boot and lunges at the god of war. She pins him to a pillar with a sinewy forearm and shoves the dagger threateningly beneath his bearded chin.

The god of war could smell death... his own... on that dagger.

A bit touchy, this evening, aren't we?

Ya think?

You have no idea just how close you are to oblivion, right now!

Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Xena...

Ares winks with a seductive grin, his hand runs down her curves.

... I know exactly how close I am...

Xena jams the dagger even closer to his throat, pinning him even harder against the beam.

Put the bottle down, Ares...

The knifepoint threatens to pierce his skin.

No, Xena. You won't do it...

Xena eases off on the pressure long enough to slam the god's head back against the pillar.

He gags and coughs. His dark eyes boring into hers.

You won't do it, Xena. You and I are too much alike. You haven't got the nerve to kill me. It would be like killing yourself...

... or that bard of yours...

You just try me!

Ares sees the hesitation, feels the shift in her body weight and he vanishes, dropping the bottle as he disappears.

It hits the floor and shatters before Xena can regain her balance and catch it.

The dark-haired warrior kneels down to pick up what was the bottom of the bottle, hoping that some of the elixir remained. But it had all spilled out into the dirt. Xena sighs, her jaw muscles clench, as she realizes what this means for Gabrielle.

Damn you, Ares!

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15. EXT. INN

Xena, saddlebag thrown over her left shoulder, steps onto the porch. She takes a deep breath before placing a hand firmly against the door. She hesitates for a moment before pushing it open. The door creaks, as do the floor-boards, when she steps inside.

CUT TO:

16. INT. INN

Xena spots several young boys toting buckets of steaming water up a flight of creaky steps to the second landing.

The innkeeper glances in Xena's direction and then makes a nod to the far end of the dining area.

It also empty, except for a flaxen-haired young woman seated at a table by the fire.

Xena acknowledges the innkeeper with a nod of her own and makes her way over to Gabrielle.

The table is laden with bowls of food, most of it still steaming.

Hope you don't mind, Xena... I was starving.

I ordered you some stew and a little wine...

Uhmmmm... delicious.

Where is everyone?

She places the small, shard filled cloth on the table. It goes unnoticed by Gabrielle who takes a loaf of bread, and with her hands, breaks off a piece for herself and Xena.

Oh, that. Their prices were so high, that people were just leaving.

But business should be improving soon.

The door creaks open. A man and woman enter. As they approach the innkeeper, we see the wife stick her head out of the kitchen to watch and listen. The innkeeper smiles at her. What she doesn't see, is him rolling his eyes at her as he opens the guest book and gives the man a quill.

See? Guest registering!

What do you mean, the prices were high?

Well, I think I convinced the innkeeper's wife that good prices would help boost business...

Xena smiles and shakes her head as she bites off the piece of bread with the stew juices.

Oh, and I got us a good room too. Even has a bath. They're bringing up the hot water now...

Yes, I saw that...

Yeah. And I think we're the first customers they've had in a long time...

How much is the royal treatment going to cost us, your majesty?

A mere 63 dinars.

THAT's a bargain?

It was originally going to cost us 150 dinars...

Oh, well... in that case... good work.

Gabrielle puts her tankard down. It brushes against the cloth with the shards. The sound catches her attention. She carefully pulls back on one edge and looks up into Xena's troubled eyes.

Is this what I think it is?

Xena nods.

What happened?

Ares happened!

Ares. I should have known. He doesn't give up, does he?

It doesn't look that way.

Hey. It's no big deal. That stuff tasted awful anyway and smelled even worse. We'll be fine... I'll be fine...

I couldn't save any of the elixir...

The bard reaches out and curls her fingers around the warrior's. Her green eyes lock onto the blue orbs.

Xena... it'll be all right.

He makes me so angry, Gabrielle. I wanted to kill him. Tear him into little pieces even the Gorgons couldn't find!

I know... but we'll get through this... We're survivors. Remember?

I was this close...

I had the dagger with the Hind's blood to his throat! And I couldn't do it! What's wrong with me?!

Nothing's wrong with you, Xena... you're just not the old Xena anymore...

A young woman comes to the table carrying a bowl of fruit. She leans down to place the bowl on the table and whispers in Gabrielle's ear.

Is that Xena... the Warrior Princess?

Xena, this is Gayla. She's the innkeeper's daughter... Her brother was killed in battle at Troy.

Gayla extends a hand in greeting. Xena shakes it politely.

I'm sorry... I know how it feels to lose family...

The last message we received from him, was that you had joined to help them. He was excited and confident that we'd win the war...

Anyway... I just thought that I'd say thank you for making my brother's last days exciting and thank you for staying here.

Father sometimes won't listen to reason. Mother says it's because he really doesn't want to work... but Gabrielle was very persuasive... And at least we'll be able to pay the help this night.

Yes... Gabrielle can sometimes be very persuasive when she wants to be...

A man and woman enter the dining area and take a table.

It was a pleasure meeting you...

Xena nods and watches as the young woman leaves to attend the other guests.

Oh... I forgot to tell you... they're also going to put a plaque up on our room after we leave saying Xena Slept Here.

WHAT?

Relax... I'm only kidding!

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