soldiers who are hunting for her, Xena leaves the village with Gabrielle, only to discover that her brother has gone off on his own. Xena tracks him to Malik's camp, where she finds him bloody, beaten and strapped to a large pole surrounded by bales of hay soaked in oil. Knowing full well she's walking into a trap, Xena allows herself to be captured by Malik's raiders, armed with flaming arrows aimed at her brother. Xena and Toris are hauled off to the castle dungeon where they are chained to the wall. While being questioned by Aescalus, who refuses to believe their claim that the king is Cortese, brother and sister team
