“c1″> 

“c1″>"What happened to her?"

“c1″> 

“c1″>"I’m not sure." Xena replied after the
half circles on her breasts were completed to full circles.
"When Cyane was dead Alti entered the clearing. She examined
the dead body. Suddenly she turned around and slapped me hard
across the face. She said 'I told you to leave her heart
unharmed, it’s useless to me now, you stupid fool.' She
continued raving about how I had ruined her plans and continued
insulting me. I didn’t take kindly to insults, so I picked up
Cyane’s sword, ran her through, yanked the weapon free, and
took her head off. The momentum made me turn around once and where
her body should have been, there only was an almost faded column of
smoke. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. I don’t
know if I killed her for good or if it was an illusion I
beheaded."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"What happened afterwards?"

“c1″> 

"I
dropped the blade and left the funeral ground. I stumbled aimlessly
through the forest only wanting to get away from the clearing as
far as possible. I didn’t even think of tending to my
wounds.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Killing always was intoxicating for me, it
elicited a feeling of invincibility, superiority, and joy. I had
expected these feelings to be multiplied tenfold after Queen
Cyane’s death. But I only felt numb, as if something had died
inside of me. Four days later, the scouts found me unconscious at
the edge of the forest and it took three more days ‘til I
came to my senses. More than half of the men had been killed in
battle and the Northern Amazons were
destroyed."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"The jury has no more questions. What about
defence?" The Queen quietly asked, breaking the silence that
had settled among the avidly listening Amazons.

“c1″> 

“c7″>"No, Queen Melosa."

“c7″> 

“c1″>"Prosecution?"

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Yes, my Queen. There’s still something to
clarify. Xena of Amphipolis, what would you do if a god gave you
the power to go back in time and stop your younger self? Would you
accept the offer?"

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Ten years ago there existed no power in the world
that would have been able to stop me. I didn’t listen to
reason but to brute strength only. The only way to stop me was by
killing me but I would do it in a heartbeat to save Queen Cyane and
the council."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"That’s all for now. Eponin, please unfasten
Xena’s restraints and lead her back to her chair. We’re
ready to hear the defending party’s summation
now."