PLAYERS AND WHO PLAYS THEM:

Narrator: Salmoneus
Warrior Princess: Xena Warrior Princess
Servant: Joxer
The wife of the Warrior Princess's servant: Gabrielle
Warrior Princess's old partner: Draco
Ghost of Winter Solstices Past: Meg
Ghost of Winter Solstices Present: Jace
Ghost of Winter Solstices Future: Jett
Warrior Princess's old love: Marcus
Thieves: Auto, Lila, and Americe

And other minor characters

Rated: PG
Warning: Xena is mean at first.
Summary: Something like A Christmas Carol, but not quite. I mean, it has the same drift, but some is in my own words and some from the Dickens story.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to - Xena Renaissance Pictures does. Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol.
Authors notes: This will be done in play form. This is all in fun. I hope you enjoy. Merry Christmas to everyone that celebrates this holiday.

Xena's Winter Solstice: Act One

Players in act one:
Narrator
Xena
Joxer

(A heavyset smiling man walks on to the stage.)

Narrator: Welcome one and all to Xena 's Winter Solstice. I hope you enjoy. Xena is known as the Warrior Princess, and everyone fears her. The mere mention of her name brings terror to everyone. But mostly to her servant, Joxer.

(The curtain rises to reveal two people - a woman with long raven hair dressed in leather and a man dressed in a mismatched armor.)

Xena: Joxer! Bring me my drink, and be quick about it!

(He approaches her and, shaking, hands her the drink. She takes a drink and spits it in his face.)

Xena: Do you call this a drink? Why can't you do anything right?
Joxer (nervously) I'm sorry, Mighty Warrior Princess.
Xena: Never mind. Come over here and clean my boots. Now!

(Joxer approaches with a rag and begins to clean the boots but Xena stops him.)

Xena: Don't use a rag, idiot. I want my boots spit shined.
Joxer: Yes, Mighty Warrior Princess

(Joxer takes the boot and places it on his lap and spits on it. He is about to clean it when Xena kicks him in the face and sends him flying. She then jumps up and put her foot on his chest and her sword to his throat.)

Xena: Spit on my boot again, fool, and you will die.

(Joxer says nothing as he gets up. He knew better. He is nervous. He needs a lot of courage to ask her something.)

Joxer: Princess?

(Xena glares at him.)

Joxer: I mean, Mighty Warrior Princess. Tomorrow is Winter Solstice, and my wife and I were wondering if I could still have that day off?

(Xena turns to him.)

Xena: No, you may not. I do not have time for Winter Solstice. You be here tomorrow or you and your whole family will die.
Joxer: But you said I could have that day off. The one time a year. Please, Mighty Warrior Princess.
Xena: Oh, all right. But you be here bright and early the next day.
Joxer: Thank you Mighty Warrior Princess. I will be.
Xena: See that you are. Now go take care of Argo. Be here bright and early.

End of Act One. Curtain closes.

Act Two

Players:
Narrator
Xena
Draco

Narrator walks on the stage.

Narrator: Welcome back. I hope you are enjoying the play. When we last left off, The Mighty Warrior Princess gave her servant Joxer Winter Solstice off. Let's see what happened next.

(Xena is getting her bedroll ready to lie down to sleep. Tomorrow she will raid a village or two, destroy them, and kill a lot of people. As she tries to get to sleep she hears a loud moaning.)

Xena: For the love of Zeus, can't a warrior get any sleep around here?

(The moaning is getting louder and Xena slowly gets up.)

Xena: Whoever's out there - show yourself!

(A man with long black hair and hardly wearing anything approaches. He is not alone. The man had a long row of people dragging behind.)

Draco: Woe is me! I am forced to bear the burden of all the people I killed, for eternity.

(Xena yawns.)

Xena: Well, at least you have your own Congo line.

(Draco looks sternly at her.)

Draco: You have one chance to escape my fate.
Xena: Okay, but can you make this quick? I've got a village to destroy in the morning.

(Draco shakes his head. Boy, was she going to be a hard egg to crack.)

Draco: You will be visit by three spirits of Winter Solstice. Expect the first one after I leave, and the other two shortly after.
Xena: I don't think I want to do this.

(She ran her sword through him, but nothing happened. Draco just rolled his eyes.)

Draco: Without their help, you cannot change and like me will be forced to bear the chain of your victims. My time on earth is up and I must go. Hear me, Xena. Listen to the spirits.

(Draco and his chain of people vanish, but Xena can still hear the echoes of their moaning. Xena shakes it off and lays back down in her bedroll and goes to sleep.)

End of Act Two. Curtain closes.

Act Three

Players
Narrator
Xena
Meg
Marcus
Joxer
Gabrielle
Minor Characters: non-speaking

(The narrator walks back out on the stage, looking at the crowd of people.)

Narrator: Well hello again, glad to see you back. When we last left off, Xena was visited by her old partner, Draco, who warned her that she must change. Now let's see what happened next.

(The curtain opens, and we see Xena sleeping. Suddenly, a very bright light shines in her face.)

Xena: Hey will someone turn out that light? I'm trying to sleep here.
Meg: I am the spirit of Winter Solstices' Past.

(Xena looks up to a spirit who looks like her.)

Xena: Long past?
Meg: No, your past. (The spirit holds out her hand to Xena.) Come and rise and follow me.
Xena: Follow you where?
Meg: To your past.

(Xena takes the spirit's hand and they vanish. When they reappear again Xena stares. She knows this place.)

Xena: Hey - I was a child here. I went to school here.

(She waves to a bunch of children running to their parents.)

Xena: Hello, Herlios; hi, Marco; hey, Saprine.

(But they ignore her.)

Xena: Hey why won't they answer me?
Meg: These are but shadows of what was. They are not real. Come - a child is left alone on the night of Winter Solstice.

(They enter a schoolhouse, where a young girl is sitting alone)

Young Xena: Who needs them. I don't. I can take care of myself. Someday I will be someone that everyone will respect.

(Xena smiled at her young self.)

Xena: You go girl
Meg: Why did you say that?
Xena: Because I did what I said I would do. Everyone respects me .
Meg: Do they? I believe it's called fear.

(Xena glares at her. But the spirit is not afraid.)

Meg: Come, there is still more to show you, before my time is up.

(They vanished again, this time to reappear in front of a barn. As they go inside, they see two young people sitting in the corner. Xena remembers this day. It is the day she chose between her lover Marcus and her army.)

Marcus: Xena, please don't do this. We can be happy together.
Young Xena: This may be all right for you, Marcus. But being a farmer's wife will not get me respect. I'm sorry, but I can't do this.
Marcus: But you can't lead Ares' army, Xena. You're better than this.
Young Xena: Don't you understand? Ares has promised me that if I lead his army, I will get the respect I deserve.
Marcus: Xena, you must choose.
Young Xena: I have chosen. I choose to lead Ares' army.

(Xena screamed as she remembered what happened next.)

Xena: No! Don't do it!

(She leaps towards her younger self to stop her, but all she can do is watch helplessly while the younger Xena plunged her sword into Marcus)

Xena: No!!!!! Why, spirit, why are you torturing me?
Meg: Do not blame me for what has been. You made this happen, not I. Come, my time is short and I have one more thing to show you.
Xena: No, spirit. Please. I cannot bear it.
Meg: One more.

(They travel fast thought time as Xena watch every village she had ever destroyed. Watching her army burn down homes, kill people. Then they stopped at a small village. She stared as a young man who knew nothing about fighting was trying his best to protect his family. She knew it to be her first meeting with her servant, Joxer.)

Joxer: I won't let you hurt my family. I will die first.
Evil Xena: Little man, you amuse me. Tell you what - you beat me in a fight, and I will spare this village. But if you loose I will destroy it, and you will become my servant.
Joxer: What of my family?
Evil Xena: If you win they will be spared. If you lose you will never see them again.

(Joxer looks at his family. He knows he can't win, but he must try.)

Joxer: Please, whether I win or lose, please spare my family.
Evil Xena: Tell you what, little man. You lose and I'll still let you see them once a year. Let's see   Winter Solstice.
Joxer: Okay, let's get this over with.

(Joxer barely got his sword out when he felt it flying up into the air and Xena's sword at his throat. Xena waited for him to beg for his life. But he did not. She lowered her sword, and turning to her men she ordered them to ride out. This village would be spared.)

Evil Xena: You all should thank this man. His bravery saved you. Come with me, little man, you are now my servant, and will wait on me hand and foot.

(Joxer's wife Gabrielle ran forward.)

Gabrielle: Please don't take my husband. I love him.
Xena: Love. You're better off without it. But don't worry - you will see him once a year, on the day of the Winter Solstice. Let's go, little man.
Joxer: The name is Joxer. Please let me say goodbye.

(Xena and the spirit have watched as the scene unfolded.)

Meg: Tell me, Xena, why did you spare his life and the villagers? He showed you no respect.
Xena: Yes, I know but he showed bravery, even though he knew he would die. And besides, I needed a servant.
Meg: Whatever you say. My time is up now and I must go. The next spirit will be along shortly.

(At that the spirit vanished leaving Xena alone.)

End of Act three. Curtain closes.

Act Four

Players:
Narrator
Xena
Jace
Joxer
Gabrielle
Minor characters

(The narrator walks out on the stage.)

Narrator: Well, we are back again. I really hope you're enjoying this. When we last left Xena, she was again alone, after the spirit of Winter Solstices past left. Let's see what happens next.

(The curtain opens, and we see Xena staring at the sky. She is about to leave when she hears the sound of music and sees a very, very bright light coming towards her. The light is so strong that she must cover her eyes and the music is so loud she can't hear herself think. Although her eyes are covered, she knows someone is there, so she yells over the music.)

Xena: I KNOW YOU'RE HERE. WHO ARE YOU?
Jace: Why do chou cover chour eyes, Xena? Why are chou yelling?
Xena: BECAUSE THE LIGHT HURTS MY EYES AND THE MUSIC IS TOO LOUD. CAN YOU TONE IT DOWN?

(The music soon becomes quiet, and the bright light not so intense. The spirit smiles at Xena.)

Jace: I yam De Spirit of Winter Solstice Present. I will show you t'ings that are happening, now. Touch my robe an' we weell be off.

(Xena looks at the spirit. She has never seen anything like him. He is dressed all in red silk from his head to his toes and around his body he wears a long white furry robe. On top of his head is a fiery red wig with a wreath of holly on it. She sighs.)

Xena: Lead on, spirit.

(He waves his hand and soon they are in front of a broken-down farm.)

Xena: Who in Tartarus lives in this pigsty?
Jace: Leesten, and chou will see.

(Xena listens, and soon she hears the sound of clanking armor. She watches as her servant Joxer comes into the yard.)

Joxer: Gabrielle, I'm home.

(A young woman, her sadness giving her an old face, carrying a tiny child, comes out to greet him.)

Gabrielle: Oh, Joxer, I'm so glad to see you. Why are you so late? I was beginning to think you weren't coming.
Joxer: I almost didn't. The Mighty Warrior Princess almost didn't let me leave.
Gabrielle: That witch. I wish someone would run a sword though her.
Joxer: Gabrielle, please don't talk that way. I know something about Xena you don't.
Gabrielle: What is that? Everyone knows she's a blood-sucking leech.
Joxer: She's a really lonely person, Gabrielle. I feel sorry for her.

(Xena is now angry.)

Xena: How dare you feel sorry for me? I have everything and you have nothing. Do you hear me? NOTHING!
Jace: He can' hear chou.
Xena: Why not? This is the present isn't it?
Jace: Dey are only shadows. Pleese pay attenshun.
Xena: I've seen enough. I'm leaving.

(The spirit took out his lyre and began to play it. Suddenly Xena felt warm inside and she smiled.)

Xena: Hey, that's nice. It makes me feel so warm. What is it?
Jace: De music of warmt' an' happiness. I spread eet everywhere I go.
Xena: It's nice. You should bottle it.
Jace: Let us go eenside.

(They go inside, where Joxer is holding the same small, sickly child Gabrielle had earlier.)

Joxer: I believe Timon is getting stronger every time I see him.
Gabrielle: Yes, I believe you're right.
Xena; Are they kidding? That child isn't strong. He's pretty small for a - what? Four year old?
Jace: Hee's six.
Xena: Six? But he's so small. Tell me spirit, will this child see another Winter Solstice?
Jace (Shaking his head): No. He weell likely not.
Xena: Can't they get the child a healer?
Jace: No healer weell come to dem, because Joxer ees your servant.
Xena: Why, spirit? Little Timon is just a child.
Jace: My time grows short an' there ees steell one more t'ing to cho you. Take hold of my robe.

(Xena does so, and they vanish. When they reappear, they are in what seems to be a camp. People are crowded together to try and get warm on this chilly night They are living in very thin tents.)

Xena: Why are they living this way? Their tents aren't strong or anything - a storm could destroy it all.
Jace: Why do chou care? Thees ees chour handiwork. All dese people are what remain of the veellages chou destroyed.

(Xena is about to say something when she hears a noise. She turns to see her army raining down on the helpless people.)

Xena: We must help them. They're defenseless.
Jace: My time ees up. I mus' go.
Xena: We have to help them.
Jace: Thees ees chour doing, Xena. (At that he vanishes.)

(Xena knows she has to do something. She knows she cannot let this happen. So she raises her sword and runs into the fight. Suddenly, everything vanishes except one man, who is standing there with her sword sticking right through him.)

End of Act Four. Curtain closes.

Act Five

Players
Narrator
Xena
Jett: Does not speak
Joxer
Gabrielle
Auto
Lila
Americe
Minor Characters

(Narrator enters from the right side.)

Narrator: Welcome back! Boy, is this getting really weird? Xena just ran her sword though a man and he's still standing. Come on; let's see what happens.

(Xena stares at the man as he pulls her sword out of himself and frowns at it. He is all dressed in black leather. Like the second spirit, he looks like almost her servant Joxer except for his eyes - they are hard and cold. It makes Xena shiver.)

Xena: Are you the Spirit of Winter Solstices Future?

(The spirit nods his head.)

Xena: Will you not speak to me, spirit?

(He shakes his head and points.)

Xena: Spirit, I fear you more then the other two. But if you are here to help me change, then lead on.

(The spirit leads Xena into a small village where there is dancing and singing and a big celebration. People are laughing and having a great time. It looks so wonderful that Xena can't help herself. She soon joins in. She's dancing along with the people even though they can't see her.)

Xena: Spirit, this is wonderful. These people are happy. It the first time I 've seen the people happy. Everything turns out all right. Am I the reason the people are happy?

(The spirit doesn't answer, just moves on and beckons Xena to follow. Xena really doesn't want to leave, but she does, and soon they come to a very dirty place.)

Xena: Spirit, why did we leave the celebration to come to this dismal place?

(The spirit only points for Xena to go inside. She opens the flap and goes inside. There she sees three people together, each holding a bag.)

Americe: Me first, Auto. Look at my stuff first.

(The man takes the bag and empties out what's inside. He studies the contents closely.)

Auto: I will give you ten dinars for the whole bag.
Americe: Ten dinars? It's worth more than that.
Auto: Ten dinars and not a dinar more. I'm much too generous with the ladies.

(The other woman places her bundle on the desk.)

Lila: Open mine now, Auto. I think you will be pleased.

(Auto opens it and slowly takes out a dress breastplate and armor. He stares at them.)

Lila: They were going to bury her in them. What a waste. So I decided to take them. She won't miss them. It not like she'll get cold where she's going. How much, Auto?
Auto: Twenty Dinars, and not a dinar more.

(Lila says nothing. Xena watches in horror as the three people get up and start dancing.)

Xena: Spirit, these people are stealing from a dead person, and they don't seem to care. Please show me someone who cares about a person that has died.

(The spirit walks away, and Xena follows. He stops in front of Joxer's house. It is more run down then the last time. As they enter, Gabrielle is sitting on stool, writing. The door opens and Joxer enters. He looks so tired. He walks over and kisses Gabrielle on top of her head.)

Joxer: I went to his favorite place again, Gabby. I wish you'd come, too. I can actually see him playing in the field, running around trying to catch butterflies. I hope there are butterflies for Timon to chase in the Elysian Fields.

(Joxer breaks down and cries. Gabrielle puts her arms around him.)

Gabrielle: I know you miss him, Joxer. I do, too, but I know he's happy now. He's no longer sick.
Joxer: Why did our son have to die? I loved him so much, Gabby.
Gabrielle: I know, Joxer, I know.

(Joxer and Gabrielle cry in each other's arms for the loss of their son. Xena feels tears in her eyes, too. She looks at the spirit.)

Xena: Spirit, when you first brought me here people were celebrating. Please tell me why.

(The spirit waves his hand and they are now in front of a huge fire, with people dancing around it. Xena knows it's a funeral pyre. But who had died and why were the people all so happy?)

Xena: Spirit, please tell me whose body is upon the fire.

(The spirit points to two people.)

First Person: I can't believe it! We're finally free of her.
Second Person: Yes! I thought no one could kill that witch. But Joxer's wife did - she killed The Warrior Princess.

(Xena shook - she now knew what was going on. It was her death they were celebrating.)

Xena: No, spirit! Please tell me these things can be changed. I'm not the person I was. I promise I will change and help mankind! Please spirit, tell me this can be changed - that I can change.

(The spirit says nothing - just picks Xena up and throws her, screaming, into the fire.)

End of Act Five. Curtain closes.

Act Six: The Final Act

Players:
Narrator
Xena
Joxer
Gabrielle
Timon

(Narrator peeks from behind curtain, then comes out from hiding.)

Narrator: Oh, my - did you see that? Let's go see what happens next.

(Xena twists and turns in her bedroll. Suddenly she wakes up. It had been only a dream, but she now knew the true meaning of the dream. She is so happy she doesn't know what to do.)

Xena: I am so happy. I've never felt this way before. Spirits, I will always remember and keep in my heart what you have taught me. Okay, what do to first? I know! I'll go visit Joxer and his family.

(She jumps off of Argo at Joxer's gate, and goes to the doorway.)

Xena: Joxer! You get out here right now!

(Joxer and Gabrielle gasp in horror. Gabrielle picks up Timon.)

Gabrielle: Oh no! She's come to take you away, and you just got here.
Joxer: I'm sorry Gabby, but if I don't go she'll kill you and Timon.

(He comes out and stands before Xena.)

Joxer: I am ready to go, Mighty Warrior Princess.
Xena: Joxer, stop calling me that. My name is Xena. And I don't want you to come with me. All I want is for you to forgive me for the way I treated you and your family.

(Joxer stares at her, but he feels Xena is telling the truth.)

Joxer: Come in, Xena, and meet my family.

(Xena and Joxer walk in. Gabrielle holds Timon tighter. He wiggles to break free.)

Joxer: It's all right Gabby. Xena's changed.
Gabrielle: How do you know that Joxer?

(Xena steps forward.)

Xena: I don't blame you for feeling the way you do. If you want, you may kill me now.

(She hands Gabrielle her sword.)

Xena: My life is in your hands.

(Gabrielle stars at Xena and the sword in her hand. She knows she should just do it - end the suffering once and for all. But she can't bring herself to do it.)

Gabrielle: No, Joxer said there is good in you, Xena. I believe he is right. Welcome to our home.
Xena: Thank you. Joxer, I promise I'll help you and your family. Your son will have the best of healer's care and he will get stronger. And I promise to help the people I hurt in my past.

Narrator (OS): Xena was true to her words. Timon did not die, but became like a nephew to Xena. Since Xena no longer needed a servant, Joxer was able to make the farm strong and productive again, and it was soon ready to sell. The farm was sold because Joxer and Gabrielle, along with their son, wanted to travel with Xena. They knew she needed their help to get people to trust her. Soon the word passed through Gabrielle's stories. Xena, Destroyer of Nations, was no more.

(Curtain closes. Narrator walks out.)

Narrator: We hope you enjoyed our Winter Solstice play. Please give a big cheer for our players.

(Everyone comes out on the stage and bows, and the people clap and cheer. Xena, Gabrielle, and Joxer smile at each other.)

Xena: Happy Winter Solstice, Gabrielle and Joxer
Gabrielle and Joxer: Happy Winter Solstice to you, too, Xena.

Please take the time to write to Susan at sasondo42@yahoo.com, and let her know how you liked the story!

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER:
Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena, Gabrielle, Joxer, Jett, Jace, Meg, and all other characters who have appeared in the series, together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of StudiosUSA and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement of copyrights or trademarks is intended in the writing of this fan fiction. This story is copyright © 2000 by Susan Owens and is her sole property along with the story idea. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.