Episode #9 in “The Messenger”
Written by © Caina Q. Fuller
Teaser
Fade
In
Eve
rides over the beautiful, lush countryside of Greece on her horse
Braveheart. The weather has stayed cool
and rainy, and the sky above her is overcast, like her soul. She comes to a stop on a hillside,
overlooking a seaport. Her face is
clouded and we see the pain caused by her recent run in with her past in
Megara. She dismounts and removes
Braveheart’s saddle, then pulls out a roman outfit identical to her old
Champion clothes.
Time Elapse:
We
cut to the sky, and then cut to the ground by Braveheart’s hoofs. A pair of booted feet comes to stand beside
him, and we start from the feet and work our way up Eve’s body. She has the replica of her champion’s outfit
on, and her hair and makeup are the same as they were when she lived as Livia,
champion of Rome. Eve smacks
Braveheart’s haunch, sending him running off, and once he’s gone, she looks
back down to the village.
Eve
I’m going to do right by them.
Close
on Eve.
Fade
Out. End of Teaser.
************
Act One
Fade
In
Eve
enters a tavern full of drinking men and makes her way to the bar. They
immediately begin grinning at her, but because of her Roman outfit, they’re
hesitant to say anything that might insult her. Eve sits at the bar and orders a drink, and it doesn’t take long
for one brave man to make his first try at her. His name is Nilos, and he’s a huge brute of a man. The local bully to be exact. And the entire room becomes dead quiet to
watch the events of their encounter unfold.
Nilos
Hey sweet thing. What’s your name?
Eve
is doing her best Livia imitation.
Eve
Two questions. Do you ever
get
anywhere with that pathetic line
and two, what makes you think
I’m sweet?
This
earns her some laughter from the braver souls in the room. She looks at the men who laughed, silencing
them, and then turns back to the bar to find Nilos doesn’t take kindly to this.
Nilos
Now, there’s no need for a nasty
attitude sweet thing.
Eve
My name is Livia. Not sweet thing.
Nilos
and the others look around at each other at the name Livia. They slowly put two and two together, and
Nilos backs up a step.
Nilos
Livia huh? Didn’t you
change your
name to Eve and leave Rome to
become Eli’s Messenger or
some stuff
like that?
Eve
What if I did? I hardly see
how it’s any
of your business.
Nilos
You don’t act like a peace-lover now.
Eve
I’ve seen the error of my ways and
I’ve decided to work for myself. Now is
this interrogation
over?
Nilos
Not quite…sweet thing.
What are
you drinking?
Eve
None of your business. You
know, if
I wanted your company, I would have
asked for it.
Now
the men are outright laughing, at Nilos, not with him. He reaches over to stroke her cheek, which
is a big mistake on his part.
Nilos
You know, I’ve always wanted to
get a piece of you Livia, and
I’m not
talking about in a
fight.
Eve
A fight is all you’d ever
get from me.
Nilos
I don’t like your attitude.
Eve
And I don’t like you.
Eve
knocks his hand away, and Nilos tries to strike her. She easily blocks the blow, and while still sitting on her stool,
she drives her foot up into his crotch, then punches him across the face. Nilos is huge, however, and it will take
more to get him down than what she’s done so far. Now all she’s done is piss him off, not hurt him.
Nilos
lunges for her again, and she avoids him by doing a back flip up onto the
counter. She drives her foot into his
face then moves to kick him again. This
time he grabs her foot and shoves her backward, trying to knock her off the
counter and into the bar. Instead of falling
she flips, pushes herself off the rear wall with her feet, then flips toward
him. She kicks him in the face several
times in mid air then lands behind him.
Eve
pulls him back and throws him over her like she did with Varia in “Coming
Home”, and he lands on his stomach. She
turns to face him and draws her sword.
She has it in his face before he can get up on one knee. Livia gives him a chilling grin and draws
her sword back, like she’s going to deliver the death blow, and Nilos holds up
his hands in surrender.
Nilos
Mercy! Please, I-I-I’ll
pledge my
sword to you Livia.
Eve
Why would I want your sword?
You’re too easy to defeat.
This
time another man stands up in the crowd.
His name is TALUS and he’s a friend of Nilos.
Talus
Wait a minute. That’s not
true.
Nilos is a very good fighter.
It’s just…
You’re the best we’ve heard of
since Xena or the legendary
Callisto.
Eve
is having the desired effect on the men, for this is exactly what she
wanted. She can’t hope to accomplish
her mission if she doesn’t have some back up.
Eve
Alright. I’ll spare this pig on one
condition.
Talus
What’s that?
Eve
I’m on a mission to retrieve some
slaves that were stolen from me.
Nilos
Well, sure. Where are they?
Eve
Word has it Gurkhan took them to his
palace on Shark
Island.
Nilos
and Talus exchange a worried glance.
Eve
What’s the problem boys?
Gurkhan
is dead. Are you scared of his ghost?
Nilos
moves to get up, but Eve shoves the sword back in his face.
Eve
You get up when I say
you can.
Right. Sorry. Um, the problem is his
brother Zoltar has taken over his
business, and he’s every bit as bad as
Gurkhan ever was. Not to
mention
Shark Island is a former prison.
It’ll be
hard to get to him without an invitation.
How long have the slaves been missing?
Eve
Four years. They were sold from Megara.
Now
every man in the room is laughing. What she is proposing sounds utterly
ridiculous to them. She wants to
retrieve slaves she lost four years before? Impossible.
Nilos
Livia, in four years those slaves have
been long since scattered.
Livia
Then I’ll find them. Like
I said, they were
stolen from me and I want them back.
Talus
Why not just take new ones? We’re
good at uh…acquisitions.
Eve
(over the men’s laughter)
It’s a matter of pride.
Help me
get them back and I will give you
a prize that will never stop generating
revenue for you.
Nilos
Like what?
Eve
Shark Island and everything on it.
Except my slaves of course.
Livia
and Nilos stare one another in the eye as Nilos sizes her up. Finally he grins and nods.
Nilos
You get your slaves back, and you’ll
just give me Shark Island?
Talus
Us, Nilos. She meant us.
Nilos
Right Talus. Right.
I find that hard
to believe.
Eve
I’m not interested in what you do or
do not believe Nilos. This is a reward
that can get you started in your own
flesh business. You can
use it as a base
of operations.
Talus
And if we fail?
Eve
If you fail, you’re dead.
Nilos considers her offer. Is the prize she promises worth
the risk of going up against Zoltar?
Shark Island, it’s said, is a place of magnificent wealth. The possibility of this being legit is too
promising for his greedy heart to pass by.
Finally he nods and offers his hand from the floor. Eve jerks him up and
sheathes her blade, though she never takes her eyes off him.
Nilos
Count me in. How many
slaves
are we talkin’?
Eve
Two hundred souls.
Talus
Shark Island in exchange for finding
two hundred slaves? I’m in for it.
Eve
Excellent.
Cut to: Ocean
Nilos’
boat travels toward Shark Island where the slaves Livia sold to Gurkhan four
years before are rumored to still be housed.
Gurkhan was notorious for training the women slaves to be female
gladiators in the Roman games, and from what Eve had seen, he had been very
good at his job.
However
the likelihood that the male children would still be there were highly
unlikely.
Eve
sits on the deck, sharpening her sword and from the expression on her face, she
is probably thinking back to her past with Megara. Nilos comes up and takes a seat next to her.
Nilos
Livia. Tell me what’s really
going on.
Why would you go after slaves you lost
over four years ago?
Eve
I told you. It’s a matter of pride.
Nilos
No its not. You never
cared about
slaves.
Eve
And you know so much about me,
don’t you Nilos?
Nilos
No, but I know your type.
Eve
My type? What’s that supposed to
mean?
Nilos
Simple. You and me? We’re kindred
spirits.
Eve
(disgusted snort)
Please Nilos. We are nothing
alike.
I don’t know what your reasons for
going after those slaves are, and I
don’t care. You just be
sure to keep
up your end of the bargain and we’ll
be just fine.
Eve
When I have all two hundred of
those slaves on this boat and we’ve
set sail out of here, I’ll leave you to
do whatever you want on Shark Island.
You have my word on that.
Nilos
And if they’re no longer on
Shark Island?
Eve
puts the end of the sword to his throat and leans in to his face. He looks at her, swallowing nervously.
Eve
Then you’ll work with me to find
them. After we’ve found
them, you
can return to your new life as king of
Shark Island.
Nilos
If I find our you’re lying to
me Livia-
Eve
pushes the end of the sword deeper into his flesh, cutting him off.
Eve
I don’t respond well to threats
Nilos. You don’t want to
make me
your enemy.
Nilos
I would never threaten
you Livia.
Never.
He
backs away, very slowly, leaving her to stare at his back in contempt as he
goes below decks.
Int. Below deck
Talus
sits alone at a table, tossing dice and laughing childishly to himself. Nilos
shakes his head at Talus’ juvenile behavior, then takes a seat next to him,
while Talus continues to play.
Talus
Yeah?
Nilos
I’ve got my doubts about
Livia.
Talus
How so?
Nilos
I’m not an educated man, but
I know people. I know our kind of
people. There’s something
missing
behind her eyes. It’s
like…
Talus
She’s hurting inside.
Nilos
It never fails Talus. Just
when I
think you may have the sense
the gods gave a goat, you go and
say somethin’ stupid like
(mocking)
“she’s hurting inside.”
You sound like a girl for the gods
sakes.
Talus
I’m not an educated man either, but
I know guilt when I see it and she’s
got a bad case of it.
Talus
stops playing and the men look to each other with a wicked grin.
Nilos
That’s it exactly Talus.
She looks
guilty. I saw her once,
about
five years ago. She had these dark,
cold eyes. You know, a real hate
behind them. That’s gone
now. She’s
not the same as she was back then.
Talus
It’s like she’s a good girl pretending
to be bad. But what if
we’re wrong
about her? It could cost us our lives.
Nilos
Talus, old friend. I’m
willing to bet
my life that we’re going to Shark
Island for reasons other than what she’s
telling us. Though what
that is, I don’t
know.
Talus
Maybe this Zoltar has somebody she
loves. She thinks that if
she has us fooled
into thinkin’ she’s going to make money
and save face, then we’ll help.
Nilos
I don’t care, as long as we get Shark Island.
I don’t trust her to give it to us Talus. It doesn’t
make sense. Why would she want to give
up an entire island of slaves and soldiers
that would shift their loyalties in a heartbeat
for money? I think she
plans on taking the
island and killing us off.
Talus
That would make more sense. What
are we gonna do if she tries that? We
can’t beat her in a fight.
Nilos
We won’t let it get that far. When we
get to Shark Island, we’ll do the smart
thing.
Talus
Yeah…what’s the smart thing?
Nilos
(rolls his eyes)
There’s a reason they say “Thick as
thieves.” We’ll form an
alliance of our
own with Zoltar. I’m
willing to bet
it would be easier to defeat him and
his men with a few well placed attacks
than it will be to defeat Livia.
Once
we have turned Zoltar against Livia,
and we take out most of his palace guards,
Shark Island will be ripe for the taking.
Nilos
slaps Talus on the shoulder and they go back to the table for another game.
Fade
Out.
End of Act One.
**********
Fade
In-Shark Island-Morning
Judas,
personal servant to Lord Zoltar, enters the main dining hall and bows before
his master. Zoltar is a dead ringer for
Gurkhan, only he is worse in his appetite to impose misery upon his female
slaves. He looks at Judas with disdain
and inpatients when the man fails to speak.
Zoltar
Did you come in here to stare at me
Judas, or do you want something?
Judas
My lord, a ship is heading for our
port.
Zoltar
What ship? I’m not
expecting any
shipments.
Judas
Yes Lord. The flag bears
the crest of…
Livia of Rome.
This
is news for Zoltar. He had a thing for
Livia, and had even plotted to kidnap her and make her his prize toy at one
time. However she’d learned of his plot and sent his cousin’s head back to him
with a message carved on his forehead. “I come to a man willingly or I don’t
come at all.” He’d respected her ever
since.
Zoltar
Livia? Take a handful of my best guards
and greet her at the dock, but we don’t
want it to look like we’re attacking her, but
I want her to know I’m well protected. Roll
out the red carpet, then bring her straight
to me.
Judas
bows and Zoltar snaps his fingers.
Three women emerge from a room behind him and surround him.
Zoltar
Have my chef prepare a feast fit for a
queen.
The
women bow and exit quietly to do his bidding, and Zoltar holds up a dagger,
examining the end.
Zoltar
Livia…
Int. Main Hall
The
doors to the main hall open and Eve enters with Talus to her left and Nilos to
her right, but walking just behind her.
Zoltar bows before her and she returns it, then motions for her men to
remain behind while she moves ahead.
Zoltar
Livia. It’s been a long
time. I see
you’ve cut a few inches off that
luxurious hair of yours some.
Eve
gently pulls his tunic aside and exposes an ugly gash on the left side of his
chest.
Eve
I see that scar I gave you is just as
ugly as ever.
He
laughs and kisses her hand, leading her further into his palace. When they reach the archway to the main
hall, he calls back over his shoulder.
Zoltar
Judas. See to it her men are taken care
of. Come with me, my
lovely. I’m sure
you’re tired from your long journey from
Rome.
Eve
I no longer work for Rome.
Zoltar
Really? I never thought
that would
happen. So you’ve decided to
use
your talents for your own…purposes?
Eve
You know me better than I care for
you to Zoltar.
He
laughs again and they disappear around a corner.
Int. Zoltar’s personal chambers
Eve
lounges on a couch and faces Zoltar. He
snaps his fingers and another woman enters the room, carrying a decanter of
fine wine. When her eyes land on Eve,
she gasps and drops the container, spilling the contents over the floor.
Eve
and the slave, a woman named KAIA (pronounced k-eye-yah), make eye contact, and
Eve’s new ability to remember the lives of those she has wronged in Megara
forces her to see back to the raid on Kaia’s village. She sees this girl struggle with Senetus to save her mother from
being crucified. Senetus slaps her
across the face and tosses her into a slave wagon. The girl stares at Livia as she weeps in the back of the
wagon.
Back
in the present, Zoltar comes up out of his chair in a rage and Livia does the
same, the sight of both of them coming at her all but make the girl faint with
fear. Its too bad Kaia cannot see the
pain and guilt ripping Eve’s heart to shreds.
Zoltar
You incompetent whore! Look what
you’ve done to my Persian rug!
Zoltar
draws his hand back to strike Kaia, but Livia grabs his hand before he can hit her,
and jerks him around.
Zoltar
What the hell do you think you’re doing
Livia?
Livia
I don’t want her face marred.
Zoltar
is unable to understand what she means at first with his mind still reeling
from his anger with the girl. Then a
smile spreads across his face, and thinking perhaps Eve has ulterior motives
for saving Kaia, which are much different than Eve’s real motives.
Zoltar
I see. Your reputation in this area
precedes you Livia. She’s all yours.
Livia
stares at him for a moment, trying to figure out what he means by her
reputation preceding her, but catches on quick and plays along. Where the hell rumors like that had
started about her she had no clue, and right now she didn’t care. Zoltar could think what he wanted as long as
he didn’t harm Kaia.
Livia
Thank you, Zoltar. I
will…enjoy her
immensely, I’m sure. Now,
if you don’t
mind, I’d like to get to my rooms. I
need to freshen up for the celebration
you mentioned for tonight.
Zoltar
Kaia. Show our guest to her
rooms. You
are to please her in every way Livia
wishes. Have I made myself clear to
you?
Kaia
Yes my lord. This way my
lady.
Kaia
leads Eve out of the room. In the hall,
Kaia walks ahead of her, her back rigid with anger. They round a corner, disappearing from sight.
Int.
Hall
Eve
and Kaia round another corner and come to Eve’s rooms. She has been placed in a tower overlooking
the ocean. A good place for Zoltar to
keep an eye on her, no doubt.
Eve
Kaia. Your face looks
familiar. Where
have I seen you before?
Kaia
You raided my village Megara. You sold
me to Gurkhan. Here we
are.
Kaia
opens the doors and leads her in to a magnificent room with rich tapestries
adorning the walls, and a bed large enough to comfortably accommodate four
adults against the rear wall.
Eve
I’d like a bath.
Kaia
I’ll prepare it for you.
Kaia
leaves to prepare Eve’s bath. Once
she’s gone, Eve goes over to the sole window in the room and looks down to the
waves crashing about seventy five feet below.
Eve
Great.
Int.
Baths
Eve
comes up out of the steaming water, glad to wash the dirt of travel off her
body. Behind her, Kaia pulls a dagger
from Eve’s Roman outfit and slips silently into the water behind Eve. Kaia runs her left hand slowly up Eve’s
back, a clear come on.
However,
as she does this, she also raises the dagger high with her other hand. She is just about to strike when Eve turns
to her. Kaia smoothly drops the dagger
behind her back, letting fall into the water before Eve can see it in her
hand.
Eve
What are you doing?
Kaia
Zoltar told me to please you. This is
what I am trying to do.
Eve
I was just saying that for his benefit.
I’m not interested in that kind of
entertainment from you Kaia.
Kaia
begins to look panicked. If Zoltar
finds out that she has displeased Livia, he will kill her. Or worse, he will
make her endure a night in his bed.
Kaia
What have I done to anger you?
Eve
looks away from the fear and panic in the girl’s eyes before Kaia can see her
compassion. She is too late however.
Kaia does see Eve’s concern for her, and she frowns.
Eve
You haven’t angered me. You will
make a good servant, I’m sure, but
not like that. Ok?
Kaia
(suspicious)
Why are you here?
This
question is more of a test of what Kaia suspects: Something has changed in Livia, but Kaia isn’t sure what that
is. However, Eve only confirms it with
a soft voice in response that is meant to sound rude, but comes out deflated
and tired. All of this guilt is tiring
on her soul.
Livia
That’s none of your concern Kaia.
My
business with Zoltar is private. You can
go now. I’ll see you when I get out.
Kaia
I’ll prepare some fresh clothes.
When
Kaia gets out, Eve moves to follow her, but she steps on the dagger, cutting
her foot. Eve dips under the water and
comes out with her dagger, and her eyes go to a nervous Kaia.
Eve
How did my dagger get in the water?
Kaia
(afraid)
I have no idea.
Eve
can see the girl is lying, but she doesn’t pursue it. Instead she tosses it back
to her clothes.
Eve
I must have dropped it in by accident.
You don’t need to stay Kaia. I can bathe
Myself just fine.
Kaia
As you wish my lady.
Kaia
gets out and quickly wraps herself.
Once she is alone, she quickly gets out and follows suit.
Ext.
Arena
Kaia
rushes to the old guards quarters, now used to house the slaves in training to
become female gladiators. Just behind
these quarters is a new arena where Zoltar sometimes holds private games for
honored guests. She enters one of the
rooms to find another woman named JACINDA sitting inside.
Kaia
Jacinda! You’re not going
to believe
who’s come here!
Jacinda
Calm down. Who is it?
Kaia
Livia. She’s come back
here.
Jacinda
reacts in shock and grabs Kaia by the shoulders. Her voice is filled with urgency when she speaks.
Jacinda
Kaia, are you absolutely sure it’s
Livia?
Kaia
Do you honestly think I’d forget her?
She murdered our families and slaved
most of the village women here.
Jacinda
Then this is our chance for vengeance.
Kaia
I already tried that.
Jacinda
What? Are you crazy?
Kaia
Zoltar gave me to her and I tried to
kill her in the baths but she turned
around and I couldn’t. She
saw the
dagger in the water and now she’s
suspicious of me.
Jacinda
She just got suspicious? She didn’t
try to kill you?
Kaia
No. She’s…she’s…
Jacinda
What?
Kaia
Different. She doesn’t
have the same
hate in her eyes as she did when she
came to Megara. She’s…She’s almost
kind.
Jacinda
That’s crazy Kaia. She’s a
monster
and we’re going to avenge our families.
We’re going to avenge ourselves.
Kaia
How? She doesn’t trust me
anymore.
Jacinda
Livia wouldn’t trust her own mother.
Don’t try anything else until I can think
of something.
Kaia
Ok. Jacinda?
Jacinda
Yes?
Kaia
I love you. You’re the
closest thing
to a sister I’ve had since I lost Anysia.
Don’t make me lose you too.
Jacinda kisses her forehead and holds