"It's not true!" "It can't be!" "Icus, he told me himself." "Oh, but Mother!" "There's no time to argue." "Now, get your coat while" "I pack some food You're bound to get hungry." "How long must I be gone?" "Until it's safe for you to return." "Oh, but mother, I don't understand." "Neither do I, love." "Neither do I." "Icus!" "Run!" "Find a place to hide and stay there." "I'll find you when it's safe." "Oh, but..." "Moth;" "Go!" "How was that?" "Very good you're getting the hang of it." "Really?" "Come on, Gabrielle, you've been wanting to do this for ages." "Just reach under this rock  give it your best shot." "OK." "I did it!" "I did it!" "Where is he?" "Here." "Here!" "Come on." "Let go!" "Didn't your mother ever teach you, it's rude to stare?" "Stay here!" "You'll be safer." "excuse me!" "Enough!" "I don't know who or, what you are." "But this business is none of yours." "My name is Xena, and the way" "I see it, half a dozen men going after one small, defenseless boy kinda makes it my business." "Call it my maternal instinct." "Don't let them take me, please." "No one's taking you anywhere, hmmm?" "What will be, will be!" "This isn't over." "What was all that about?" "That want to take me to be sacrificed." "Sacrificed?" "You mean like on an altar, with a knife?" "Who would do such a thing?" "My father." "I know how it looks, but my father's a good man." "Once,when I was sick, he stayed by my bed, night and day." "He never left till I was feeling better." "He's always been like that." "Then why did he send that thug after you?" "Thug?" "Oh, you mean my brother Maell." "Your brother?" "Nice family." "Maell and his men are very strong in their faith." "He helped my father teach our people new ways to farm." "Now we grow twice as much as we used to." "And your mother?" "You said she warned you." "How does she feel about all this?" "Oh, I don't know." "She's mixed up about all this too, I guess." "It's just, my father's never hurt anyone." "There's gotta be an explanation." "Look, we'll find it,right Xena?" "Xena?" "Xena!" "I'm up here,I found it!" "Found what?" "This cave" "My army came through here a couple of years ago." "I used it as shelter for my wounded men." "You'll be safe here." "So make camp" "I'll be back as soon as I can." "Where are you going?" "To have a talk with your family." "I wanna see for myself what kind of a father would want to kill his own son." "Come on." "Are you telling me you don't have Icus." "Well, at the moment, no." "But, don't worry, my men and I will get him back, even if we have to die doing it." "No!" "There's been too much violence already." "That's not our way." "Well, nor would I choose it." "Father." "But this Xena's left me no alternative." "These are new times;" "they demand new ways." "To follow a path of peace is new." "We teach by example, not by force." "But when the truth can help so many, surely, we're honor-bound to spread it in the most aggressive way we can." "One that includes killing children?" "No" " I said no!" "You better sit down, You don't look well." "My father's health, like everything else here, is not your concern." "Now, just give us Icus and be on your way." "You have Icus?" "How is he?" "Confused" "He doesn't understand how his father could love him one day and wanna kill him the next." "I don't want to kill him." "Surely, he knows that." "Then, why are you doing this?" "Because God has commanded it." "God?" "Which god?" "Ares, or Zeus?" "There is only one true Supreme Deity" "The Almighty God of my father" "The one whose voice speaks only to him." "Uh-huh." "So this all-powerful deity, he told you to kill an innocent boy?" "And I thought Ares was cold." "Why does he want you to do it?" "Our Holy One is not accountable to anyone, let alone a non-believer." "Then you'd better pray he has a change of heart." "Because, until he does, Icus stays with me." "She goes unharmed." "I will pray for guidance, but until I get it, there will be no more violence" "of any kind." "She's gotta die." "But how?" "You said yourself,Anteus forbids it!" "My father is a wise man;" "but also an aging man, in failing health." "No doubt, he doesn't see Xena for what she truly is," "A trial, sent to us, by the Almighty, to test our resolve." "Can you doubt it?" "All you have to do is look at her to see she's unnatural, an affront to God." "A woman with the strength of ten men?" "Out in the world alone, save only her scrawny little companion?" "It's a complete abomination!" "And to think, this,freak, of nature, has my brother,a boy so,innocent and pure, that the All-powerful One has called him to His side at the tender age of 12." "How do you think the Supreme Deity feels about that?" "Leaving his chosen one in the hands of a woman whose gods are as primitive as she is!" "Xena must die!" "Yeah!" "Yeah!" "Then suddenly, the soldiers burst,out,of the wooden horse, surprising eeryone, and uh, and then the,the Trojans turned into,growling,lions, with blood dripping from their lips." "And then, oh, the Greeks- they brought in an army of, oh, fire-breathing, tin-headed Hydras." "And this is very interesting, isn't it?" "Right?" "!" "Oh, yeah,Right." "Huh!" "You haven't heard a word I said, have you, hmm?" "Sorry, you tell a great story." "It's, it's just I can't stop thinking about my father, and wondering why he'd wanna" "Oh, hey, look, there's no use in speculating." "We'll know more when Xena gets here." "I just hope she brings some food." "I'm famished." "Oh, I've got food." "You do?" "My mother packed it for me." "I've got apples and pears and cheese and some" "Is this nutbread?" "Ah, yum!" "I haven't had this since I was home." "Help yourself, I'm not hungry." "Oh, no, I couldn't." "I,Well, if you're sure." "Yeah!" "You don't know what you're missing." "Hestia-- goddess of hearth and home." "It is many years since I've honored you." "But, please, hear my prayer." "Protect my son, Icus." "Don't worry, Icus is safe." "You know my son?" "Where is he?" "Who are you?" "My name is Xena." "Icus is staying with me and a friend until we can sort this thing out." "That's why I wanted to talk to you." "But how did you know I was here?" "Where else would a woman who loves her son enough to defy her husband go?" "" "A shrine to the patron goddess of families." "If Anteus knew I'd broken with His Gods and gone back to the old ones , it would kill him." "Not a tough choice, seeing his God wants to kill Icus." "How can he believe in a God who needs to murder children?" "Well, he never has before." "And what's even stranger, not two months ago, our Supreme One told Anteus to break with tradition, and make Icus our next leader, not our oldest son,Maell." "Does Maell know this?" "I don't know." "Lately, Anteus has seemed so secretive and strange." "I'm afraid he confides more in his own God than he does in me." "That's why you have to try and reach him, Xena, please." "To kill a child, it can't be right, no matter what god you follow." "I'll talk to Anteus." "It's probably better if we went separately." "It might not be good for your health to be seen with me." "Oh, wait, wait, I have a little more nutbread." "Would you take it to Icus?" "I packed some in his sack." "But, well you know how children are about nutbread." "And, Maell had this one specially made, so, I thought" "Maell had this made?" "Uh-huh." "It's one of those special treats he's been bringing Anteus lately." "Still I don't think he'd mind Icus having some, do you?" "Gabrielle, Gabrielle, can you hear me?" "Wake up." "Uhhhhhh." "Here" " You all right?" "I'm great." "I" " I can't see, but, I'm good." "Try using both eyes." "Oh, ah, yeah, that's better, uh-huh." "Think you can stand?" "You mean, I'm not?" "Come on!" "There you go." "By the gods!" "What is it?" "You are,beautiful,!" "Uh-huh." "And you are drugged with henbane," "With henbane, if I'm not mistaken, so the effects should be temporary." "But we've got to get you walking." "Come back here." "Gabrielle, I need you to concentrate." "OK, uh, yep." "But I think this is a big waste of time, because I have been walking since I was one." "This is not about walking, Gabrielle." "It's about Icus." "You do remember Icus, don't you?" "Of course, I remember Icus." "Good." "Do you know where he is?" "Where?" "No, I'm asking you." "Where's Icus?" "I don't know." "Icus!" "Icus!" "I lost Icus!" "I lost him." "I lost Icus!" "I lost Icus!" "Gabrielle, calm down." "Look, I'm sure you didn't lose him." "He probably just saw you pass out and went for help." "By the way, how much nutbread did Icus eat?" "None!" "He, oh, you know, I really wanted to share" "But it was just too good!" "And he said he wasn't hungry." "And, then, the next thing I knew, it was just,gone!" "Like Icus!" "It's OK." "There's no sign of a struggle." "My guess is he went to get his mother." "Aside from us, she's his only ally." "What are we waiting for?" "Let's go!" "The rest of you, follow me!" "Hold it!" "At ease!" "Yeah!" "I've got a better idea." "I'll go and get Icus, while you and the, others try to, um" "Work on our song?" "Mmm, yeah." "Just between you and me, the altos are slightly flat." "Perfect." "Gabrielle, don't let _anyone_ leave the cave." "Understand?" "Stay here, and wait for me to get back." "Have I made myself clear?" "Uh, no.You're a _little_ fuzzy around the edges." "So you keep trying." "You'll get there." "Now I want everyone this side of the cave" "We're gonna keep working till we get it right!" "And I've got _all_ day." "So, let's start with the top!" "Are you ready?" "You!" "You're a tenor." "Get away from the sopranos!" "Hey, hey!" "You're standing like a stone" " Relax." "Hurry, Mother." "I think she's really sick." "She started talking all strange." "And then she fell asleep, and I couldn't wake her!" "All right, I'm coming." "But I'll be no good to this Gabrielle without my medicines, now, will I?" "Here, go get me some bitterwort from the garden." "Oh, oh, Icus, I need some haleanthus too." "Icus?" "!" "Icus, do you hear?" "!" "Mother!" "Don't hurt her!" "I'll go with you!" "Just, don't hurt her, please!" "Make sure she stays here." "Don't give me any trouble!" "Close in behind." "Come on!" "What'll we do now?" "That looks mighty painful." "You really ought to see a doctor about that." "Are you all right?" "Don't bother with me." "The zealots took Icus You've got to stop them." "Where?" "They took him where?" "To the mountain; to Anteus." "...Please..." "I beg you..." "What was that?" "You and you" " Go!" "We couldn't find anything." "Older It's some sort of trick." "Keep moving!" "Hurry!" "Where's the boy?" "He's gone!" "Icus is gone!" "Great percussion!" "Now, from the top!" "And I thought our gods were harsh." "Please, please, Almighty God." "You alone know how I have struggled to follow you always." "I have given you my life!" "To use however You will." "And it is yours even now, to take or leave" "As You choose." "But, my son." "Please, don't take Icus." "How dare you deny Me anything?" "Either sacrifice Icus before the next sun, or I will turn my face upon you and your people forever." "Prove your faith to Me, Anteus." "Prove it to Me above all things." "Father!" "Father!" "What's wrong with him?" "The strain must've been too much for him." "Anteus, Anteus!" "Father, it's me!" "What hap" "Don't try to speak." "You're very ill." "We'll get you home." "You heard it, didn't you?" "The voice" " You heard it." "Yes, but unlike you, I don't believe everything I hear." "This way." "What did you say?" "I asked him." "What did you say?" "That's what I thought." "Thank you!" "I gotta go." "You stay here!" "We'll stop and rest a while." "No sense in killing ourselves-- so to speak." "You don't think much of us, do you?" "I don't think much of your God-- or any god who'd wanna kill a child." "But then, I'm not sure He does." "It'll ease your breathing." "Lean forward." "Anteus, I know your mind is hazy right now, but, did you ever stop to wonder why he'd ask you to do such a thing?" "Every waking moment of every day since it happened." "I keep wondering, Is it me?" "Have I done something, wrong, and he's punishing me?" "Or is this some kind of a-- a test, to see how far I'll go to prove my faith." "Or, is He angry with me because" "He knows how much I love you." "Or does His love demand the best, the brightest" "You see, it, it never stops." "You can stop it." "You're still the leader here" "You don't have to do this." "You're asking me to deny my God." "I am asking you to spare your son!" "And teach him what?" "!" "That faith is just for those times when it's convenient to believe?" "That, that when it gets hard, and, and, and, it hurts to keep faith, y-- y-- you let go-- until it gets easy again?" "What's the good in sparing his life if" "I rob him of the very thing that makes it worth living?" "You know, I'll stop you." "I know you'll try." "God help me, deep down inside, part of me hopes you succeed." "Mother!" "Mother!" "Icus, you're safe!" "Anteus!" "What is it?" "What's wrong?" "Nothing that some rest and a change of diet won't cure." "He's being drugged." "That's why he seems so strange to you lately." "Drugged?" "But I don't understand." "Who'd want to" "Yes?" "Who's there?" "You don't know me." "I'm looking for a woman named Xena!" "Warrior Princess!" "What are you doing here?" "I thought I told you to wait for me at the cave." "I did, and then this rock told me I had to come find you.." "The rock spoke to you." "Oh, yeah, I mean, his voice was a little gravelly, but I understood." "Right." "You see, even she's hearing voices, and all because she ate some of the drugged food meant for you." "Where are you going?" "What's the matter?" "What is it, Icus?" "Come on, I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong?" "What is it?" "You!" "" " It's God's command" "I should die, but, as long as you're free, we can't obey him." "One move, and she dies." "Maell, what are you doing?" "Quiet, Father." "The time for peaceful ways has passed." "You know, he was just outside." "Silence!" "All right, you've made your point." "Now, let her go, and I'll come with you." "You know, she gets to go everywhere." "You could take me." "I don't bargain with savages." "And what are you?" "Drugging your father;" "trying to kill your own brother." "Enough!" "One more move and I'll kill her" " I swear!" "No!" "Stop!" "There's no need to hurt them!" "Then I won't" " As long as they cooperate." "What do you want us to do?" "That's a long way down." "Don't let go." "Just don't let go of my hand." "Come, Father." "God's waiting." "Go ahead, climb up my body." "All right" "OK, now what?" "Now, for the fun part." "Xena, ah, how could you do this?" "Did I hurt you?" "No, no" " Loving every moment of it." "How did we get in here, anyway?" "And, why does my head feel like it was kicked by a centaur?" "Does it?" "Good-- The henbane must be wearing off." "Henbane?" "Long story." "Yeah, well, if we fall, tell it to me on the way down." "I couldn't let others die protecting me, Father" "Not when my death is part of God's plan." "I, Isn't that right?" "Father, let me help you." "No, no, no, it's all, it's all right, lead the way." "Xena?" "Icus, wait!" "Father, what is it?" "Are you ill again?" "No." "I can't do this, Icus." "I know what I said about faith but-- it's too hard." "It's too much to ask!" "I'm old!" "I can't." "Father, it's OK" " Really, it is." "No, our God is a benevolent master." "What is Heaven like, Father?" "I don't know, Son, but it must be glorious." "My stomach doesn't feel so good." "Don't even think about it." "We're almost there-- almost there." "What's next?" "Come on." "I love you, Father." "Anteus, hear Me and obey." "I am your one, true God." "The one who should começ first in your heart." "Yet, you love Icus more." "You always have." "Therefore, you must obey this command." "Tell him to stop." "Make him let Icus go." "Kill him!" "Get that thing!" "Try to stop them!" "You're too late!" "It's already begun!" "You'll never stop the will of our God." "Killing Icus isn't the will of any god." "It's your idea." "Drugging your father simply helped convince him that your voice was real." "You know, for a pagan non believer, you're really quite bright." "Pity." "Your schemes won't work forever." "It doesn't need to." "You see, with Icus gone, Father will have to make me leader." "There'll be no one left to stand in my way" "No one" "May our God show you mercy," "for I never will." "Take my hand." "Let God's will be done." "Hold Anteus!" "Let your son live." "Your faith is enough." "Father!" "Oh, Father!" "Bye, Xena." "Thank you." "Take care!" "Do you think you can talk any louder?" "I don't think they heard you on Mt." "Olympus." "Unless, of course, you're trying to convert to the one true God." "One God" " Although, you've gotta admit, it's a pretty interesting theory." "How's the head?" "Hey!" "Whoa!" "Look , do me a favor, OK?" "If you ever see me take a drug again, just kill me." "You've got a deal." "Still, for someone high on henbane, you do a pretty fair voice of God routine." "What's that supposed to mean?" "Your voice of God impersonation." "Not bad, although, you could improve your timing." "You almost cost Anteus an arm." "Wait!" "Are you saying that you heard it, too?" "The voice!" "And here, I thought it was the henbane." "Although, it wouldn't have been if you had taken much longer getting that loud-talking thing." "Well, that's just it, I never did get the loud-talking thing." "I mean, I tried." "I even had it in my hand, but I lost it." "That can't be." "I mean, come on." "If you didn't do it, then who---?" "manu2005"