She engages the Hooded Being, blade-to-blade. Xena feints, then thrusts -- but the Being parries; XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS
THE RECKONING
Episode #8
By Peter Allan Fields
Shooting Draft Rev. Sept 10, 1995 - Pink
Directed by Charles Siebert
CAST LIST
XENA
GABRIELLE
PERANIS (Per-AN-iss)
TERACLES (TER-a clees)
TERESIA (Te-REES-ee-a)
GRATHIOS (GRA-thi-us)
BENITAR (BEN-i-tar)
ARES
AREOLIS' WIDOW (a-ree-OWE-liss)
TEEN SON
PALINIOS (Pal-IN-ee-os)
DORACLES (DOR-a-clees)
SET LIST
INT:
Large meeting hall
Xena's cell
Xena's fantasy boudoir
Corridor outside Xena's cell
EXT:
First site in woods
Second site in woods
Third site in woods
Road near woods/Attacked wagon site
Ravine in woods
Stream in woods
Street fronting meeting hall
Stone jail
Village street
Road
Country road
CHRONOLOGY
Day 1 scenes # 1-6
Night 1 scenes # 7-9
Day2 scenes #10-22
Night 2 scenes #23-33
Day3 scenes #34-34A
TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EXT. FIRST SITE IN WOODS - DAY
Xena rides, Gabrielle walks as usual -- and is trying to see through the wooded landscape on either side.
GABRIELLE
(Frustrated)
I'm gonna go find that road.
XENA
It should be straight ahead, I told you.
GABRIELLE
You told me that an hour ago when
I still had feet.
Gabrielle angles off; will disappear into the woods, during:
XENA
Don't get lost.
Xena continues on her way.
ON XENA
just a little farther now, she brings her horse to a pause.
CLOSER - XENA
as, listening, she hears the faint sound of a man crying out in pain.
RESUME - ON XENA
She spurs her horse forward with urgency.
2 EXT. ROAD NEAR WOODS - ATTACKED WAGON SITE - DAY
A wagon has been stopped in the road. Doracles and Areolis, two of its hefty male occupants, by now lie sprawled, lifeless, on the ground. The third, POLINIOS, still living (and conscious, but slipping away fast), is seated on the ground, looking stunned. The fourth, still (but barely) alive, will proved to be named, TERACLES. Badly wounded, he's seated on the ground, his back against a wagon wheel. Though he's totally defenseless, his attacker -- a tall, cloaked, HOODED BEING (who'll later prove to be ARES) -- is just about to finish him off anyway, as :
XENA
sees this grisly scene and urges her horse forward -- drawing her sword as she goes.
ATTACKED WAGON SITE
The Hooded Being turns from Teracles to give his full attention to the onrushing Xena.
XENA - HOODED BEING - INTERCUTS (AS DESIRED)
In a fluid movement, Xena dismounts.
XENA
You're pretty good against unarmed people.
How are you against somebody who can fight back?
She engages the Hooded Being, blade-to-blade. Xena feints, then thrusts -- but the Being parries;
Xena lashes across his legs, but he adeptly jumps above the cutting sword, and brings his own blade hard toward her head;
Xena shields her head with her blade, but the unusually powerful downward hack of the Being sends her down to one knee for a moment... and on the defensive now, she must parry to left, then right, then thrust with great effort just to get the Being to retreat a step so that she can regain her feet.
CLOSE - POLINIOS
He's been watching Xena's valiant fight... but now dies.
RESUME - XENA - HOODED BEING (INTERCUT AS DESIRED)
Outraged at facing one who seems to be, so far at least, as good at this as she is, Xena ROARS as she throws her whole body into a frontal assault on the Hooded Being...
...who jumps high, OUT OF FRAME, causing her to be assaulting thin air. She regains her balance -- wheels; finds herself facing...
XENA'S POV
...no one. Where the Hooded Being should've landed after somersaulting over her -- there is no one. He's evaporated.
CLOSE REACTION - XENA
Confused disbelief. Beat -- then we HEAR the GROAN of:
TERACLES
Bleeding badly, he still sits against the wagon wheel. Xena ENTERS FRAME to kneel next to him. As she inspects, and then treats him, her hands will become covered with his blood. Noting the sword cut at the base of his neck, she quickly rips away his already torn sleeve, folds it, presses it against the neck wound. She then uses her sword as a lever; its tip under the bottom of the wagon, the flat of the great blade laid hard against, and covering, the now wound-soaked cloth. With her free hand, she brings his hand to press down on the blade where it helps staunch the blood flow from his neck via direct pressure.
XENA
Press down... hard as you can.
WIDER ANGLE
She inspects his badly wounded leg. Looking around quickly, she spots the money pouch attached with leather string to his waist. She rips the pouch off, strips it of the leather string, dumps out the pouch coins, and -- utilizing the string as a leg tourniquet -- uses the pouch (as one would a stick) to turn that tournuquet and hold it in place.
TERACLES
(indicates bodies; very weak)
My... brother...
XENA
Keep pressing down, and...
(guides his free hand to the tourniquet)
...hold this as tight as you can till I get back.
But Teracles, weak but slightly crazed now by his loss of blood, throws off the (now bloodied) sword, and rips away the tourniquet, during:
TERACLES
(weakly)
My... friends...
Just as Xena's picking up her bloody sword:
PERANIS (O.S)
(shouting)
There they are!
OVER XENA'S SHOULDER - LONG SHOT
Several villagers, led by a young, strong-looking fellow named PERANIS, are rushing toward Xena and the wagon scene. Among them is a lovely young woman, TERESIA (whom we'll learn is Teracles' wife), AREOLIS' lovely young pregnant WIDOW and a large, 40ish farm fellow named GRATHIOS. Aside from one or two farm-working knives, they carry only pitchforks, scythes, wooden staffs. These are all big, tough farmers with big scary farm implements.
ON XENA
She rises, absently holding her sword, as she sees them coming.
FAVORING PERANIS, TERESIA AND VILLAGERS
Teresia rushes immediately to Teracles. Peranis, forgetting his pitchfork and letting it drop, will kneel alongside each of the dead bodies in turn.
TERESIA
Teracles.
XENA - PERANIS, TERESIA AND TERACLES - VILLAGERS (INTERCUTS)
To Xena's surprise, Grathios and the other villagers will surround her; level their farm implements threateningly, as :
TERESIA
Teracles... Husband... Can you hear me,
my dearest?
Peranis, his quick inspection of the others finished, comes to kneel alongside Teracles.
PERANIS
We heard the cries, and the swords clashing.
We got here as fast as we could.
TERACLES
(weak gasp)
Teresia... We were... almost home...
XENA
We've got to stop the bleeding.
But as Xena approaches to once more give aid, the grief-stricken Teresia rises quickly to her feet -- blocking Xena's access to Teracles. Confronting Xena, she'll fix her eyes on Xena's bloody sword and hands.
TERESIA
Stop! Keep away from him. Haven't you
got enough blood on you already from our
poor good neighbors?
TERACLES
(last gasp; re: Xena)
This woman...
Teracles passes out.
Now Peranis slowly rises to stand alongside Teresia, with:
PERANIS
(to Teresia)
Don't worry, we'll get him home.
Peranis joins Teresia in riveting his loathing gaze on Xena. Xena, in turn realizes what these looks portend, and:
XENA
(calmly)
Now, wait a minute...
But as one, the villagers with their levelled farm implemant weapons, close in -- with Xena's back against the wagon, as we :
FADE OUT
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN :
3 EXT. ROAD NEAR WOODS - DAY - FULL SHOT - ATTACKED WAGON SITE -
CONTINUING INTERCUTS ( AS DESIRED )
No time has passed. Teresia and Peranis again turn their attention to the unconscious Teracles. The rest of the villagers still crowd slowly in (Trepidatious, but determined) toward Xena.
XENA
I didn't kill these people. There was a
man here with a sword...
PERANIS
(interrupts; deadly)
You're the only one we've seen.
Grathios raises his staff to strike Xena down. She easily catches his wrist; holds it immoble; squeezes just enough to force him to drop the staff, as:
XENA
I don't want to hurt anybody. I fought the
man who killed these people.
Peranis, with Teresia helping, has been lifting the unconscious Teracles; is now cradling him in his arms.
PERANIS
(scornfully)
Fought an invisible man, did you?
Peranis watches Tersia bending to pick up Teracles' blood-soaked money pouch and a couple coins, as:
PERANIS
One who ran away without the money he was
stealing? And left his blood all over your
hands and sword? I don't think so.
GRATHIOS
(pitchfork forward)
Together now. Take her.
WIDE ANGLE
Xena doesn't want anyone else getting hurt, but doesn't want to be captured either. She swings her huge sword around above her head... and the Villagers step back and aside almost reflexively... as she dashes out of the semicircle to her horse. But even as Xena mounts, the Villagers are recovering. As she wheels the horse, and it takes a first galloping step away, Grathios and several Villagers are after her at a frenzied run, farm weapons brandished.
ON PERANIS, TERESIA, AND TERACLES
Peranis and Teresia remain preoccupied with Teracles, whom they'll begin loading gingerly onto the cart, as we go to :
4 EXT. SECOND SITE IN WOODS - DAY - FOLLOWING XENA
Loping along through the woods, looking for:
XENA
(calling O.S)
Gabrielle!... Gabrielle?
5 EXT. STREAM IN WOODS - DAY - ON GABRIELLE
Fully dressed, she's just emerging from a blissful time in the cool stream. Behind her, in middle b.g., is the crest of a small hill.
XENA
(from distance)
Gabrielle!
Gabrielle quickly puts her sandals back on, during:
GABRIELLE
(calling O.S.)
Here! C'mon, this stream is great!
INCLUDING XENA
as she rides into view over the crest of the hill and down toward the stream.
XENA
Time to go.
(reaching Gabrielle)
Climb aboard.
GABRIELLE
(no way)
That horse hates me.
XENA
(still calmly; proffers arm)
There's no time to argue.
FAVORING CREST OF HILL
The Villagers, led by Grathios and coming hard, crest the hill in a horizontal line, "weapons" in hand.
RESUME - XENA AND GABRIELLE
As usual, Gabrielle's a very quick study. One look at the oncoming Villagers, and she extends her arm to meet Xena's. As Xena hoists her aboard.
XENA AND GABRIELLE - VILLAGERS (INTERCUTS AS DESIRED)
Xena will spur her horse across the stream, with Gabrielle hanging on for dear life behind her. As they disappear into the heavy woods on this side of the stream, the Villagers halt on the far edge, looking vengefully after their escaped prey.
6 INT. LARGE MEETING HALL - DAY - FULL SHOT
This is the City Hall of the villager. Later, it'll be used as the courtroom. In addition to the main door at the front, is a side, interior 0door, leading to some other part of the building.
The villager elder, BENITAR, speaks firmly to the large gathering of Villagers. Toward the front of the gathering are Teresia and Peranis, who hugs to him a weeping woman (Palinos' Mother). Three of four other tearful mourners (Including Doracles' TEEN SON and Areolis' Widow) are alongside. Also near the front is Grathios.
INCLUDING HOODED BEING
Unobstrusively, he enters, stands in the rear, and hears:
BENITAR
Grathios? You're sure she's trapped in the
mountain ravine?
GRATHIOS
The only way out is through the pass we've
got covered. She won't get away, even on
horseback.
BENITAR
Good. I'll begin preparations for the trial.
ON PERANIS
He glares around at his neighbors; disapproving and incensed.
PERANIS
Trial? I saw her standing over the bodies,
covered with their blood. We don't need a trial.
BENITAR
She should be heard like any other accused.
PERANIS
(indicates Doracles' son)
Will Doracles' son and daughters care what excuse
their father's murderer may offer? And Areolis...
ON AREOLIS' WIDOW
Hearing her husband's name, she resumes her soft weeping.
PERANIS (O.S.)
...whose young widow carries his child. You
expect us to stand quietly at this?
RESUME - SHOT
Peranis now points his finger at Grathios, with:
PERANIS
Grathios: Didn't Polinios labor in your fields
as a boy? I say we don't waste time with some
useless hearing.
BENITAR
She will have a fair trial.
(off Peranis' scowl)
Peranis, I understand your rage. But we can't
let ourselves become as savage as the
savage we hunt?
CLOSE - HOODED BEING
Watching the goings-on
FAVORING GRATHIOS
More meditative than the fiery Peranis, he nonetheless has come, in his own time, to the same conclusion as Peranis.
GRATHIOS
With respect, Benitar... You weren't there.
You didn't see the carnage.
(suddenly strident; to all)
Neighbors, Peranis is right. We need swift
revenge, not slow justice.
FULL ANGLE
This time more Villagers than before are rooting for vigilante justice, as we hear:
SOME VILLAGERS
(simultaneously)
He's right... Let's do it!.. I'm ready...
We're with you, Peranis!
Most of the Villagers (excepting Teresia, the grieving Palinios' Mother, Areolis' Widow and the other Mourners), rally to, and behind, Peranis -- as he turns to lead them out.
FAVORING HOODED BEING
He's not even seen by Peranis, Grathios and the crowd of Villagers who storm right THROUGH him on their way out.
ON TERESIA
As sad as everyone else, but still understanding the need for a balanced justice.
TERESIA
(quiet understanding)
Go after them, Benitar. No more slaughter.
FOLLOWING - BENITAR
Beat -- then, in agreement, he rushes to follow the vivilante segment of the Villagers. CAMERA STOPS on the Hooded Being -- and we HOLD on him for a beat -- as Benitar, too, goes right past without seeing him.
7 EXT. SECOND SITE IN WOODS - DUSK - XENA AND GABRIELLE
Gabrielle is lying on her stomach. Xena is alertly peering into the woods.
XENA
We'll wait here til nightfall. Then we'll
be able to slip by them in the dark.
GABRIELLE
I don't know what you're worried about. Farmers
aren't going to risk coming after an armed warrior.
XENA
I've seen what can happen to people whose
loved ones are butchered. Their vision gets...
bent and twisted. When people get that
way, there's no telling what they'll do.
GABRIELLE
But you didn't do anything.
XENA
The villagers saw me there; covered with blood.
GABRIELLE
Appearances aren't everything; that's
why they have trials. If it came to that,
we'd just prove you didn't do it.
XENA
(thinking aloud)
That hooded assassin who did do it...
(to herself now)
...fights as well as I do... maybe better.
Strong... fast... then just disappeared.
GABRIELLE
Do you have an idea who it might have been?
XENA
(thoughtful, troubled)
Maybe.
(suddenly)
Gabrielle, if anything happens to separate us,
I want you to get as far away from
here as possible.
GABRIELLE
What do you mean? What's going to happen?
XENA
Just do as I say.
CAMERA now PANS SLIGHTLY, so that Xena and Gabrielle are OUT OF FRAME. Then, it ZOOMS SLOWLY IN TOWARD, and INTO, the dense woods.
8 EXT. RAVINE IN WOODS - DUSK - SLOW PANNING SHOT
The first people we see -- through the foliage -- are Grathios and another Villager, both at work sharpening stakes. PAN further to see three or four Villagers doing the same.
MEDIUM CLOSE ON GRATHIOS AND VILLAGER
His stake sharpened, Grathios now picks up several stakes already at his feet, and begins taking them somewhere. They're vicious looking instruments.
ON PERANIS AND A VILLAGER
Each with a lasso in hand, they start climbing a pair of trees on opposite sides of the relatively narrow ravine.
9 EXT. VAST MOUNTAINOUS WOODED AREA - NIGHT (STOCK)
Establishing the area at night. Beat, before:
10 EXT. MOUNTAINOUS AREA OF WOODS - SUNRISE (STOCK)
Establishing -- early morning.
11 EXT. THIRD SITE IN WOODS - DAY - XENA AND GABRIELLE
Xena rides, Gabrielle walks.
GABRIELLE
Looks like the way we came up is the only way back down.
XENA
(looking around; preoccupied)
Uh-huh.
CLOSER - XENA
She senses something which seems not quite right in the foliage through which they're moving.
GABRIELLE
What's the matter?
Xena continues peering from left to right, trying to see through the dense foliage. Something...
XENA
(calm but not conversational)
Get on the horse.
RESUME - XENA AND GABRIELLE
XENA
Now. Move.
Xena's tone impels Gabrielle to do as instructed without the usual hesitation. She grabs Xena's outstretched arm and again finds herself riding behind Xena.
XENA
More and more wary of what she cannot see but somehow feels is out there.
XENA'S POV
The right and then left side of the ravine. Are bushes moving slightly?...
Was that a bit of leather clothing we just saw back in the shadows?
XENA AND GABRIELLE
XENA
(quietly)
Hold on.
And Xena suddenly spurs her horse forward.
INCLUDING VILLAGERS
Carrying long spikes, they rush forward from the foliage on either side -- just a beat too late to nail Xena and Gabrielle.
FAVORING XENA AND GABRIELLE
as Xena guides her galloping horse around a bend in the ravine -- she suddenly reigns in tightly, stopping the horse on a dime, because:
SHARPENED STAKES
are jutting up out of the ground directly across their path.
RESUME - SHOT
As Xena turns the horse, it rears -- and Gabrielle slides off onto her butt on the ground.
WIDER ANGLE
Before Xena can react, the lassos thrown expertly from the two trees entwine Xena. Despite this, she draws her sword and hacks away the lassos.
ON GABRIELLE AND VILLAGERS
Before Gabrielle can regain her feet, the Villagers are upon her -- pinioning her arms behind her and with a couple of pikes ready to run her through should she struggle.
XENA AND HORSE
With Xena having hacked away the lassos, her horse will dash forward, carrying Xena away from the immediate harm surrounding Gabrielle. But Xena slides off the horse, sword in hand -- leaving the horse to continue its gallop away from the scene.
VILLAGERS SURROUNDING GABRIELLE
She's scared; they're venomous.
INCLUDING XENA
Sword still in hand, she walks back toward the Villagers surrounding Gabrielle. Despite theire number, they're very uncertain about having to face her sword.
XENA
It's me you want. Let her go.
INCLUDING BENITAR
who comes into view from the foliage for the first time.
BENITAR
Then give up your sword.
XENA
(re: Gabrielle)
She's done nothing. She goes free right now, or...
(brandishing sword)
...she goes with me right now.
BENITAR
(thoughtful beat)
So be it.
(to Villagers)
All of you... Peranis... Grathios...
The young girl goes as she pleases.
(beat; to Xena)
You have our word.
Benitar gestures the pikes away from Gabrielle. The Villagers do back off and lower their pikes.
ANGLE
To the Villagers relief -- and Gabrielle's shock -- Xena tosses her sword at 
Benitar's feet.
GABRIELLE
in semi-shock.
GABRIELLE
What're you doing!?
RESUME - SHOT
Xena stands there, waiting for the Villagers to do whatever they'll do. Suddenly:
PERANIS
appears behind Xena and slams a club down on her head. As she falls to the ground unconscious, we:
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT ONE