Barbara Walteropolis Intro:

I am in a village where women and children live freely, yet each day they awaken to a life of fear. They have no leader. No Queen. But maybe all that will change. Here, today, two women whose courage has literally changed the world will meet with me and discuss their lives, loves and the future of the known world.

Xena Warrior Princess as a young woman had her life turned upside down when evil warlords raided and destroyed her home village of Amphipolis. Her quest for revenge led her on a path of hatred and self-destruction. And Gabrielle, a young, innocent Bard of Potadaiea, seduced by the wiles of the Warrior Princess leaves her safe and loving home to experience the dangerous life on the road as companion and best friend to Xena. Let’s meet these two remarkable women.

(interior X & G’s yurt, X & G are seated closely together on a large chair with several pillows)

BW: Gabrielle, when you first met Xena she was freeing you from slavery. What were your first thoughts of the brazen renegade?

G: She’s hot!

X: Gabrielle!

BW: Please feel free to speak openly. My viewers respect honesty - and smut! They really enjoy the juicy bits! Please continue –

G: My first thoughts actually were ‘how can she fight so well with so little clothing on!’ ha ha ha! Seriously, I knew as soon as I laid eyes on her I wanted her, er, I mean, I wanted to be just like her. She seemed strong, confident, sexy –

X: OK Gabrielle, I think she gets the idea.

G: No wait, it was her eyes. They had an incredible sadness.

BW: Xena, were you sad?

X: Well, I wouldn’t say I had a whole lot to be dancing about at the time.

BW: What were your first thoughts about Gabrielle?

X: That she was a real pain in the –

(Gabrielle pinches Xena hard on her side)

X: Ow – outside, a real pain in the outside.

BW: I understand Gabrielle’s parents weren’t too thrilled with the idea of their lovely daughter running off with the most notorious female warrior in the known world.

X: No they weren’t. But you have to remember, it was Gabrielle’s decision. I didn’t force her to do anything. Hades, I didn’t even ask her to come with me!

BW: Now that you two have been together for 5 years, what changes have you noticed in each other?

X: Well, Gabrielle is now a freakin’ maniac! ha ha

G: Xena! I am not! It’s just different now. I know I used to be more passive and would never consider violence as a solution to anything but I know now that fighting for the ones you love is a necessary evil. And Xena, she’s changed so much that most people don’t even believe she’s the same person!

BW: Lets talk about that Xena. You were considered at one time to be a ruthless, relentless, murdering marauder. You don’t seem too intimidating to me.

G: You haven’t seen her in the morning! ha ha ha

X: That’s funny Gabrielle.

BW: Did Hercules have something to do with your change of ways?

X: Yes, I’ll always be thankful to Hercules, but honestly Barbara – Gabrielle is the single most influence in how my life turned around. She showed me love. She showed me how to love and basically defined what love is and what it means. She taught me how past hatreds become less important than future possibilities.

G: Xena, that’s so sweet.

BW: You speak of love. I know you both have had male lovers. Gabrielle, you were even married.

G: Yes, well, I was very young and -

X: Stupid!

G: Yeah, well, kinda – I loved Perdicus but I didn’t really know myself then. If there was ever a decision I regret, it was marrying that poor guy. Well, actually, I’ve made some other really bad decisions but I guess that could be a whole other show. ha ha . It’s just that after my wedding, when Xena kissed me I wanted to follow her home instead of Perdicus! Oh, what a mistake!

X: Yeah, I remember that night.

BW: And Xena, what of Marcus, Borias, Ares, Caesar, Ulysses – have I missed any?

X: I don’t deny I loved them all for a few moments for some reason or another, but really, I never loved anyone like I do Gabrielle.

BW: And now you have Eve.

X: Yes, Eve! She’s my, OUR, pride and joy!

BW: Gabrielle, I understand you love Eve as if she was your own. You did have a child of you own didn’t you?

G: Yes, another tragic event in my life. (Gabrielle begins to get teary-eyed)

X: Barbara, why do you always have to make people cry?

G: It’s OK Xena, it’s sometimes good to talk about these things. I guess you might say I had quite a dysfunctional little family.

BW: I’ll say, had you any idea that monsters ran in your family?

X: OK that’s enough, interviews over.

BW: I see this is a touchy subject so we’ll just move on. Please, sit down, lets continue - So what do you two do when you’re not being a warrior and a bard?

(long pause)

G: Well, actually, Xena likes to be the bard while I am the warrior!

X: Gabrielle! Great Zeus! Why don’t you just tell her how many times you can -

(Gabrielle puts her hand over Xena’s mouth)

(another pause)

BW: OK, ladies. What do you foresee as far as this Twilight of the Gods that has everyone all abuzz? Does Eve really play and important role in all of this?

X: You know, we don’t have a clue. We’re just taking each day as it comes and hoping for the best.

G: Barbara, we’ve both been dead a couple of times, we’ve seen the worst and best of each other, we’ve literally been through hell and back – we know that whatever we face, we face together. We share our lives and our love, now and forever no matter what.

(Xena and Gabrielle look longingly at each other)

BW: So, Xena, if you could be a tree, any tree, what would you be?

X: Huh? I don’t know, a really BIG tree I guess. I don’t know. What kind of question is that?

G: Does it have to be a tree? How about a lake, or a river, or a vast ocean, or a volcano, or a ….

BW close: And there you have it. Two extraordinary women from two very different worlds sharing a very different kind of life! Thanks for joining me and good night.