(©_SEPTEMBER 15, 1997, PROPHECY: Penumbra 2 by Ann Logan, Manorville New York. Characters from XENA: Warrior Princess, used in this tale, are the sole property of MCA: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/ USA STUDIOS. This story may not be archived without approval by author. That having been said, please enjoy.

PROPHECY: Penumbra 2

by Ann Logan (wilma3)

2 3

Visiting Xena's mother, Cyrene, a weary futuristic friend, Tasha Malone Fidelli, knocked upon a humble birch door. Her shoulders shivered with heavy January snow sticking patches across her latest bear-fur poncho fussing against gusty breezes. "Good day, Cyrene? Xena?"

Cyrene opened the door accepting a dangling pottery pot of rose scented tallow soap from Tasha's pale palm. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Tasha. Hurry in, don't catch cold."

Tasha tossed a few strands of roguish blood-stained hay entwined with her bear skin poncho into a crackling crispy rock fireplace. "Did Gabby get here? We didn't connect, yesterday morning."

At the far side of Cyrene's four room abode, Xena poured bubbling lard over a plump headless turkey. "You're late, New York. Gabrielle arrived last night." She waited watching it cool gelling a paste over the turkey's feathers. "She told me she waited for you well past noon."

"Good, she's fine." Tasha carefully brushed snow off her knees braving for a awkward moment. "Smells good in here."

Nonchalantly, Xena plucked soddered feathers off a large carcass. "Did you get lost?"

"No. Wheat bread right, Cyrene?" Tasha backed warming her hands in Cyrene's fireplace, smiling at her fussing host tossing kindling into the flames.

"Naturally." Xena yanked dark pudding guts from within the bird. "Stop for another nuturing Hercules moment?"

"What's that suppose to mean, Princess? Did you wake up on the wrong side of your rock pile, this morning?" Tasha stepped forward, arms akimbo. "It's childishly easy, Xena. You just say hello, offer me a drink, and let me say, hi, how do you do. Got it?"

Cyrene stood dusting snow flakes off Tasha's back. "Ladies, please. Tasha's here, Xena. That's all that matters. Give her a chance to warm-up."

Taking a deep breath, Tasha pulled off her damp poncho then hugged its fur hiding an embarrassing bulge. "Xena's always picking on me." She whispered to Cyrene, "I've warned her time and time, again, about too much salt during her moon phases."

Cyrene chuckled. "And you're still alive? My-my, daughter, you've finally developed patients."

"Endurance, Mother. There's a difference." Xena punched the wall in front and watched a bedroom door slowly squeak open. "Wake up, Sleepy-head!"

Sniffing for food, Gabrielle marched yawning. "Hey it's Tasha!" She blinked then gazed at Tasha's bulging stomach, with a sunfast smile disguising her surprise. "Too much pasta?"

"Who?" Xena stab a cutting board with a table knife then sauntered carrying a stewing pot full of turkey to Cyrene's fireplace. Glancing at Tasha, en route, she teased, "Who's the father, New York?"

"Sure, I make one mistake!" Tasha meekly explained to Cyrene, "Unwittingly, I had a one night affair with Apollo. But, that was seven months ago. This has to be some kind of bloating." She jogged in place. "I'm working it down."

"Right." Ignoring Tasha blushed cheeks, Xena grabbed an ax laying by the fireplace. "I'll split more kindling. Judging from the rings around this morning's sun, it's promising to be very cold night." She met her mother blocking the door.

"Wait you're no one to cast judgement here." Fanning her hand for silence, Cyrene snatched Tasha's palm harboring a triangular blotch and raised it to her daughter. "This woman is carrying a child." Her hands slightly shook. "Oh me o my."

Gabrielle coughed on a gulp of wine. "What's wrong," She sunk into a chair with her ears honed on their exchange.

Her eyes darted from Cyrene's trouble brow to Xena gingerly resting an ax against the wall, folding folding her arms. Poor Tasha swayed with Cyrene's long study, winking as Gabrielle slurped away an annoying silence. With another hearty swallow, Gabrielle joined the group staring at a fumbling Tasha.

Shyly, Tasha glanced at Xena leering for the truth. "I swear, it was only Apollo. Pregnancy doesn't make sense!" She sat next to Cyrene. "As if my transplant from the Twentieth Centure makes any sense!"

"Let me see your other arm, child." Cyrene twisted Tasha's wrist then pointed to a button-size rash. "That's another one, Xena."

"What," Tasha anxiously asked. "Wait, last night, two idiots killed my horse, then ran off as fast as they came. That's why I'm late. Could account for the bruises." She soit comfort from Cyrene's cheery face growing paler with each new inspection of Tasha.

"Xena, were you attacked coming here?" Cyrene pulled Tasha's collar revealing a bluish ring beneath her chin. "That's the third mark of Apollo. "

Xena flinched. "How did you know?"

"At twilight?" Cyrene raced to her windows, slamming solid cedar shutters against her windows. "A brief assault, two faceless warriors charging in silver shielding?" She glanced back.

Xena curiously nodding yes. "A short engagement."

Cyrene mindlessly asked, "Tasha, did you bed Apollo thinking he was your true love?"

Tasha winked to Gabrielle pouring wine. "No wonder Xena's so uptight. She never got away with anything as a teenager."

Turning with fury, Cyrene pounded her palm on the kitchen table. "Answer me child! Many lives are endangered. His marks cover your body."

With the weight of every eye on Tasha, she shamefully grinned. "He walked to me as a romantic Hercules! It's one of the major reasons, Herc and I broke up. Believe me, I never meant to cheat on him." Mortified, Tasha pushed out her chair heading for the door. "Fine! I'm only damping your shindig, later folks."

"No!" Cyrene grabbed Tasha's shoulders. "Never venture into their night! Without light's protections or its stronger reflections, Hera's ruffians will split your brains for his soul."

"You drive a hard bargain." Tasha watched Cyrene waive Xena aside. "I've decided to stay."

Cyrene waited for Xena's help sliding an oak door brace into twin iron handles. "Watch her."

"I understand."

Louder, Cyrene paced to her fireplace. "I've seasoned holiday logs, stacked in that chest behind you, Gabrielle." Bending down, Cyrene lit a thin wick, racing to her cupboards, igniting several emergency lamps glowing throughout the room.

"What's going on," Tasha demanded. "I can take it. Am I gonna die?"

"Not if we can help it!" Cyrene dropped into a seat next to Gabrielle at the end of a half-set table awaiting a delayed dinner. "Xena, there's a region forbidden to our gods."

"Penumbra." Gabrielle casually reached for an apple, crunching it's skin. "Been there, done that."

Cyrene gawked at Xena splitting wood with her sword by the door. "You've mastered Dagman's pass?"

Gabrielle smiled. "Actually we traversed the warrior's route through Argive Canyon and met folks leading us blindfolded through the pass. Good ole Claudius, the Troglarian slept, like a babe on Antigone's wine. Only, at the time, we trembled with every heart-pounding step."

"Gabrielle!" Xena's cheeks burned red. "Enough, bring me another log!" She quickly studied her mother tearfully watching her. She lowered her voice, calm and steady. "Their monarch, Antigone, paid me to recover something. It was a short trip, Mother. Why must Tasha go there?"

"You said nothing!" Cyrene anxiously swiveled in her chair gulping the last of her wine. "We have enough kinding for now." She poured a second goblet swallowing it in two slugs. When she looked up, Tasha quietly picked corners off a healthy slice of baked meal bread. "You look tired, dear." Then, she glanced at Gabrielle eagerly leaning forward on her elbows. "Dinner should be soon." Finally, she dared to watched her proud daughter. "You're angry with me?"

Xena knelt by her mother's side. "No. Antigone was never that important to either of us. I revere you!"

"Thank you." Cyrene smoothed her loyal daughter's velvet black hair. "Penumbra means the shadows, closest to pure light." Cyrene gulped her goblet and nervously poured a third helping of wine, sipping it slowly. "It's part of who you are. Perhaps, it's one of your truest warrior strengths. Notice, in twilight, dusk, or dawn, you easily conquer foolish enemies foiled by Morpheus. Know your heritage carries a direct line to Antigone's monarchy. This knowledge, I owed you. Though, my past is not your privilege, daughter."

"Agreed." Xena gently squeezed her shoulder. "Antigone's throne means dawdle to me, Mother. Tell me, why I must take Tasha to Penumbra?"

Cyrene almost smiled with her eyes refusing to spill a bitter drop. "All the items I have questioned are signs proving the start of a Mystic's prophecy. Long ago, a traveling Bard shamed our priests, sharing this lore with Zeus's gossiping Fates waltzing among his campfires. Wearing Apollo's marks, Tasha is baring a child-mystic! In the morning, I'll take you through the pass at Dagman's bog. When you reach Penumbra, Antigone will provide all the resources, you are allowed."

With the sun high, the four women rode into a busy main road of Dagman town. Cyrene drove Tasha and Gabrielle in a rickety chuck wagon while Xena casually passed from the rear. Ignoring her friends, she surpentined a search for possible enemies blending with the active traders. With Gabrielle sleeping, Tasha watched an odd purplish ring surround the sun.

She whispered to Cyrene,"Another sign?"

Cyrene looked away. "Keep silent, dear."

Three passersby slowed to stare at Cyrene's curious oil lanterns dangling around the driver's side. She pulled flint stones from her pockets, rolling back her sleaves then shaking them down. With a few quick grates, her flint stones ignited a short oil wick hanging over the carriage.

"What are you doing?" Tasha whispered.

"Silence." Cyrene pulled on the reigns of Tasha's wagon mares. "Good light for trade!"

A young merchant, with green eyes dressed in a long white toga, raised his armload of cotton cloaks. "Five dinar for the lady? A great buy!"

Cyrene nodded no, flipping five full hands with two fingers. "We have quality light to sell. Do you know who needs it?"

The young man yawned spying up and down the street, then opened his palm to Cyrene. "Two for four dinars with one of your lanterns?"

Cyrene glanced into his palm etched with two freckles under his index finger. "We are four with one on the way. Light is our friend, the good prophets say."

She raised her hand pressing her brow, watching the distant side of main street. Four playful ruffians whacked each other with empty scabbards, two others juggled swords attracting Xena's scrutiny. Under Cyrene's heavy cloak, her skin itched for home. Somewhere gazes tingled nervous hairs along her neck.

"Keep your eyes open, Tasha." She whispered.

The young man bowed and whispered, "Eros be praised. I am the courier you seek. Meet me by a Cyprus tree an hour's ride in a wheat field surrounding a pond."

Cyrene lashed the reigns, riding ahead. "Good light for trade, 5 dinars."

Finding the merchant walking with a short staff near a Cyprus tree, Cyrene steered the team into a thin passage winding into Dagman's bog. She waited for the traveler to pass her lead horse, then lightly galloped the team with Xena gallantly protecting their rear. As they rounding a bend, the merchant raised his staff signaling Cyrene.

She yanked the reigns. "Daughter, Gabrielle, make ready!"

Thirteen Draconian soldiers charged from either side, most swinging crooked daggers in a musty rustic odor. Wisely, Cyrene tossed a light coin purse which entertained four.

"Take your profit and let's us pass."

Nine slowly marched licking their lips. With Cyrene's nod, Gabrielle threw a bow and quiver to Tasha then leaped out of the cart with her staff raised for battle.

"YiYiYi Ya!" Xena kicked Argo into a fierce gallop. Fearing for her mother, she clashed her whiping sword across four weak warriors rolling on the ground wishing for the trees. "Argo, now." Xena flipped into the air, slicing two pairs of arms reaching behind her mother.

"Xena, beside you!" Gabrielle kicked another warrior crawling under the wagon.

"Thanks." Hearing war cries, Xena leaped for four more dropping from branches with twirling machettes. "Wanna play rough, boys!

"Gabby! Tasha clicked fingers, pointing to the bushes.

"Got him!" Whirling her staff, Gabrielle mashed an axman aiming at a lead mare. "Ride on, Cyrene!" She fell over his leg, wrestling while another charged from the thick dank woodlands. "Tasha, stay down. I can handle this."

"Okay." Grabbing an arrow from her buckboard, Tasha shot a swordsman crouched in a dead elm then grinned as Xena's chakrum whistled by, killing Gabrielle's attacker. "Get up, Gabby. Xena's not punching your clock."

Cyrene pulled Tasha down. "Watch your child, woman!" She slapped reigns, racing into a wide clearing then stood stealing Tasha's bow and quiver. "Keep your eyes and ears open!" Cyrene aimed away from the fight, firing into a peaceful mountain bolder absorbing her arrow.

"What was that?" Tasha waited but Cyrene lent no answer. "Thanks, my aim's certainly looking much better, now."

Seeing another warrior charging forward, Cyrene froze lowering her bow. "Look out, behind you, Lad!"

Two axmen stabbed the merchant-guide running to aid Cyrene. Seeing a third aiming for her daughter, Cyrene cocked an arrow.

"Mother, no! Keep going!" Xena tossed her chakram killing him, as she parried with three racing for the wagon.

"Trust me, daughter!" Cyrene shot another arrow spearing two of Xena's attackers. Her eyes mourned their sudden deaths. Yet, she cocked Tasha bow for another chasing Gabrielle, pinning his shoulder to a tree.

Amazed, Xena watched her mother's arrow half-exit another warrior's throat. "Gabrielle, head for the wagon!"

"Xena, behind you!" Tasha scrambled to the chuck wagon finding Gabrielle's roadside biscuits, then hurled them close to a dodging bowman stumbling his arrow.

"New York, I can handle this!" Xena twirled her chakrum, piercing six torsos. "You're arms too weak, anyway."

Sarcastically, Tasha shouted, "Hire for higher wages, wench!" Then, she turned to Cyrene, pale and remote, lovingly patting her womb. "Geez, I hope Apollo takes the kid for the teen years. It's one thing having a child who thinks he knows it all, but a teen with a god complex?"

"Yes." Cyrene mindlessly stared at the mountain.

"Oh, Xena!" Tasha waived from the cart, trying to point ahead with her bow. "Company's coming!"

Watched the remaining mercenaries back then run, Xena quickly chanced a peek staring over Tasha's shoulder. "Don't move, New York."

"No fooling!" Studying the cliffs ahead, Xena watched a battalion of white silky-steel warriors gallop from a mystery gap cloaked as a boulder. A hooded female leader surveyed bodies for movement, then peeled a hood revealing a face Xena almost perceived as her own.

Cyrene stood and shouted, "Eros be praised, Sophia!", then reclined watching their tall brunette leader trot ahead from her standing army.

Tasha looked twice, saying to herself, "Lynda Carter?" She scouted for Xena waltzing forward, squinting for details. Tasha grinned whispering, "Rush them right?"

"Knock it off, New York. Tongueless is tasteless gourmet." Xena stepped alongside her, clutching her sword pointed to the dirt.

"I like her outfit." Tasha cupped her mouth.

Elegantly, the leader jumped down, strolling with long satiny vestments billowing freely. "It is good to see you my sister, Cyrene. Eros be with you and your companions."

Xena recognized Tasha's arrow in the leader's left hand. "Sister?"

Cyrene turned to Xena. "Daughter meet your aunt, Sophia. She will guide you to Penumbra. I must go."

Sophia hugged Cyrene. "Come back to us. Antigone misses you."

Cyrene nodded no, clearing her achy throat. "Safeguard my child and her friends. The prophecy surrounds her." She pointed to Tasha nervously watching the battalion separate into three shifting teams. "Apollo's mark shines in her right hand. Though, my home is Amphipolis. Know, my heart warms seeing you again."

Xena stopped her mother. "I can't let you travel alone."

Carefully pacing to Xena, Sophia waived her right hand raising two fingers. A small platoon rode forward.

"Hunt for witnesses in the woods and escort Princess Cyrene to Amphipolis."

1, 2 Next, 3 final

This page has been visited occasions!