Episode 9
Warrior, Priestess, Tramp
Written by: Adam Armus and Nora Kay Foster
Directed by: Robert Ginty
Edited by: Robert Field

Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena/Priestess Leah/Meg
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle

Guest Cast:
Ted Raimi as Joxer
MacGregor Cameron as Balius
Matty J. Ruys as Dexon
Ted Clarke as Thoracles
Tim Hosking as Blacksmith
Rob Sinkinson as Bystander/Drunk
Megan Nicol as Hestian Virgin #1
Jan Hellriegel as Hestia
Fred Morton as Bordello Girl #1
Jodie Dorday as Bordello Girl #2
Rachale Davies as Bordello Girl #3
Polly Baigent/Bobbie McKay as Xena/Leah/Meg Body Doubles

Synopsis:
Balius is determined to kill all the Hestian virgins and he gets Meg to help him as the Priestess looks exactly like Meg. As Meg believes she is helping the Priestess out, she doesn't object until Balius' intentions become clear. Thankfully, Joxer, Gabrielle and Xena arrive and help the Priestess to save Hestia's servants.

Episode 10
The Quill Is Mightier
Written by: Hilary J. Bader
Directed by: Andrew Merrifield
Edited by: Jim Prior

Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle

Guest Cast:
Ted Raimi as Joxer
Kevin Smith as Ares
Alexandra Tydings as Aphrodite
Alison Wall as Minya
Stephen Hall as Thelonius
Ranald Hendriks as Munk
John McKee as Scaberus
Lawrence Makoare as Barbarian Leader
Chris Auchinvole as Man
Alvin Fitisemanu as Tavern Keeper
Ann Baxter as Woman/Village Woman/Old Woman
Jean Hyland as Priestess #1
Beryl Te Wiata as Priestess #2
Paul Norell as Peddler
Peter Mason as Billius
Andrew Glover as Man #2

Synopsis by Don MacLeod:
Aphrodite is distraught at the rabble defacing her temple with slogans such as `Xena for God'. Ares appears and says that Xena is not the cause of their misplaced adoration so much as Gabrielle, the mythologizing author of the scrolls relating Xena's deeds. Given this food for thought, Aphrodite listens in on Xena advising Gabrielle to try her hand at making something up rather than just document what actually happens. Gabrielle starts to make up a story. Aphrodite casts a spell on the scroll she is using such that whatever she writes will come true. After she finds herself performing for real the mighty feats she has written for herself, Gabrielle realizes that anything she writes will happen.

Seized with her newfound ability to do good just by writing it down, Gabrielle goes about looking for worthy causes. Despite the unfortunate consequences of her first attempts - not everything she writes has the sole effect intended - Gabrielle decides that if she is careful with the wording she can achieve great things. Like ending hunger and bringing about world peace. All she does is rob Ares and Aphrodite of their powers.

The powerless gods, Joxer and Gabrielle discuss how to go about setting things right. Attempting to summon Xena, who was sent fishing by Gabrielle's first lines of fiction, Gabrielle inadvertently writes Minya, the Xena wannabe, into the story. Meanwhile, a warlord and his soldiers are encamped in the woods waiting for a sign from Ares that it is time to attack Xena. In addition some nearby caves are filling up with assorted characters written in by Gabrielle and despatched there when their behaviour did not quite match her expectations.

Joxer seeks love advice from Aphrodite who tells him to try poetry and, failing that, presents. He writes his poem in Gabrielle's scroll. For some reason three naked Gabrielles appear on a balcony behind him. Here's why:

A warrior, Joxer the Mighty,
Asked a boon from the god Aphrodite,
And, what a surprise,
He saw with love's eyes,
Three times...

He was stuck for a final rhyme. Gabrielle is distressed until she reasons that Aphrodite was looking at her while Joxer wrote and that is why "love's eyes" refers to her. Not for the first time, Gabrielle finds the truth too awful to contemplate. The trio of naked Gabrielles are despatched to the caves.

Joxer buys Gabrielle a present of a necklace, ostensibly to say sorry for writing in her scroll. When she hears that he traded his father's scabbard to get it she goes crazy - that was where she hid the scroll overnight, thinking he would never part with it. An itinerant peddler has the scroll and he's headed for the caves, laden with dinars. Eventually, Gabrielle gets the scroll back and writes in it that the scroll goes to Xena. Exit all the caves' occupants.

While Gabrielle and company are following them they meet Xena. She has recovered the scroll. She also has a wagonload of fish which she uses to fight off the warlord and his men who have picked this moment to attack. Aphrodite worded her spell to end "when truer words are written". Gabrielle records the action of the fish fight as plainly and truthfully as possible. Aphrodite and Ares get their powers back, a sign that things have returned to normal.

Gabrielle remarks that there is still some space left on the scroll. She supposes that this means there is something yet to be written. Before she can do any more damage, Xena suggests that she simply writes

The End.

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