FADE IN: EXT. MARKET - DAY XENA and GABRIELLE are wandering through the market, stopping at various booths to browse or pick up a few items. Gabrielle hands them to Xena, who puts them in a shoulder bag she’s carrying. XENA Are we done yet? GABRIELLE Nearly. What’s the rush? You late for a hot date?
	XENA Oh, yeah. I met this cute little pig herder. Come on Gabrielle. You know I’d rather poke myself in the eye with a stick than shop. Gabrielle laughs and takes the bag from her partner. GABRIELLE G’wan, get.  I’m sure you can find something to occupy your time until I’m done. I’ll meet you back at the inn. XENA You’re sure? GABRIELLE I’m positive. Now go before I change my mind. XENA I don’t have to be told twice. See you at the inn. Xena leans over and gives Gabrielle a quick peck on the cheek and then disappears into the crowd. Gabrielle smiles, shakes her head and goes back to her shopping. GABRIELLE Warriors. CUT TO: EXT. MARKET - DAY Xena is now wandering through a section of town that is far more to her liking with shops selling weapons, armor and other ‘warrior’ type items. As she picks up a dagger, it’s clear half her attention is on the dagger and the other half is on all the guards milling around the city. She waves the knife and draws the vendor over. XENA How much? VENDOR Twenty dinars. An eyebrow goes up and the vendor gulps. VENDOR (cont’d) Fif…fifteen dinars? The other eyebrow goes up and she starts to lay the dagger down. VENDOR (cont’d) Twelve? Xena takes in a deep, thoughtful breath and then shakes her head. VENDOR (cont’d) Oh come on, lady. Yer killin’ me here. XENA Ten. Not a dinar more.
	VENDOR Sold. She digs a few coins out and tosses them to his table as she picks up her new dagger. XENA Are you expecting an attack? VENDOR What? Xena gestures around her at all the guards. VENDOR (cont’d) Oh that, no. That’s King Dameus’ guard. They’re always in the streets. A deterrent, I think. The vendor leans over the table and drops his voice to a whisper. VENDOR (cont’d) That’s why prices are so inflated in this town. He taxes us to death to keep his army up. The treasury is always empty because he is constantly supplying his troops with new weapons and armor. XENA A well-prepared army is a good thing to have. The vendor stands back and gives her a disgusted look. VENDOR If we had any real enemies in the area it would be all right, but our closest neighbor is Magara. The king there is a smart man. His kingdom has no power to speak of, but he’s got vaults of dinars. And his son is going to marry the Princess Alicia in a month. Xena nods, knowing how these things work. XENA So he gets part of an army and you get the dinars. A marriage made on Olympus. VENDOR Oh no, Prince Valius and Princess Alicia honestly love each other. XENA Well, that’s a nice change. VENDOR The marriage will be good for both kingdoms and since the Amazons seemed to have disappeared, King Palaemon.... XENA What did you say? VENDOR I said since the Amazons.... XENA No, after that, King Who?
	VENDOR Palaemon. CUT TO: INT. INN - AFTERNOON Xena enters the common room of the inn and her eyes land immediately on their target. XENA Gabrielle! Come on, we’re leaving. Gabrielle looks up from a scroll she has been working on. The look of confusion is clear as Xena crosses the room. GABRIELLE What? XENA We’re leaving; we’re going to Magara. GABRIELLE Why?
	XENA Palaemon is there. He’s the king. GABRIELLE Palaemon? Sumac oil? That Palaemon? XENA The one and the same. GABRIELLE Where do you come up with this information? Gabrielle smiles, honestly amazed and amused at her partner’s ability to get information out of thin air. XENA That’s not important. But we need to go to Magara. Palaemon’s son is apparently going to marry the daughter of this kingdom’s king. GABRIELLE How nice! XENA Yeah, but something’s not right. From what I found out this kingdom could have taken over Magara anytime it wanted, but it didn’t for some reason. And now the kids are getting married.... GABRIELLE Do you know why Dameus didn’t conqueror Magara? XENA I don’t know why, but I know it had something to do with the Amazons. And now that they’re gone, a royal wedding is about to take place. Convenient huh? GABRIELLE I guess we’re going to Magara. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. VILLAGE - EVE As they enter the village, both Xena and Gabrielle take notice of the high walls that surround the village. There are a few guards walking the walls. Some men and some women and all of them have bow and arrows. GABRIELLE I recognize that type of fletching. It’s definitely Amazon. What would Palaemon be doing with Amazons? XENA Maybe he paid the Amazons to protect his kingdom. GABRIELLE And now that they’re gone, he has no protection? XENA It’s possible. GABRIELLE You’re right. We need to find out. Think Palaemon will see us? No pun intended. XENA There’s only one way to find out.
	CUT TO: EXT. PALACE - EVE As they approach the palace, they are quite aware of the lack of guards. Glancing at each other, Xena just shrugs and pushes one of the heavy wooden and iron doors open. Inside one guard meets them and places his hand on the hilt of his sword. GUARD Halt! They stop in their tracks. Gabrielle raises her hands in a placating gesture. GABRIELLE Easy. We’re friends and we’re here to see your king. GUARD I was not informed of any visitors to the palace. XENA He didn’t know we were in the area, but he’ll see us. Tell him Xena and Gabrielle are here to see him. The young guard looks at them and then pulls a cord, which apparently summons a palace messenger. It doesn’t take long for a boy of about 10 to appear in the entryway. GUARD Go tell King Palaemon that ‘Xena’ and ‘Gabrielle’ are here to see him. Without a word, the boy bows slightly and jogs down the hall, disappearing around the corner. CUT TO: INT. PALACE CHAMBER - EVENING A weary looking Palaemon sits at a table. He is watching Vidalus who stands near an open window, watching the sun dip behind the hills that surround the small kingdom. PALAEMON You do understand, don’t you? Vidalus turns and stares at Palaemon. There are clearly tears shimmering in his eyes, but others have fallen down his cheeks. VIDALUS You want to hear I understand, so that’s what I’ll say. Yes, I understand. PALAEMON I want the truth. VIDALUS No, you don’t! He waves an agitated hand in a motion that can only be described as ‘feminine’, causing his flowing blue and golden robes to flourish around him. VIDALUS (cont’d) If you WANTED the truth you wouldn’t be doing this. You wouldn’t deny the simple truth. You wouldn’t want to hide me away! PALAEMON That’s not what we want to do.... VIDALUS Oh, it’s not? Funny... going in search of a woman to play the Amazon mother of our son certainly sounds like hiding me away. Agitated, Palaemon stands and crosses to Vidalus. He stops short and gestures his frustration instead of completing the touch he was about to offer. PALAEMON You know if King Dameus thinks there is anything unusual here he will call off the wedding. Forget what could happen to us. What would happen to Val? He loves that girl. He would be devastated if anything happens. Palaemon reaches out and places a gentle hand on Vidalus’ arm. PALAEMON (cont’d) You’ve always done what’s best for him. How can this be any different? Vidalus, far too overcome with emotion to speak simply moves closer and is embraced by Palaemon, who rubs his back and does his best to comfort. PALAEMON (cont’d) I promise it’ll be okay. They stand like that without moving when there is a knock on the door. PALAEMON Yes! The voice of the boy floats through the closed door. BOY Majesty, the door guard sent me to tell you that Xena and Gabrielle are here to see you. Palaemon looks temporarily shocked, then a smiled spreads across his face and he pulls slowly back from Vidalus and looks down at him. PALAEMON I know everything will be all right now. Come on, get yourself together and let’s go see them. FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE