The Heart of A Pendragon

I'm Your Familiar

    She parked across the way from Cyrilla. The rain is coming down really hard. I sighed knowing she wants me to stay until she's done telling me what the hell is happening. I shut my eyes feeling exhausted and sore. Did that really just happen? Was I almost killed by a giant cobra?

    "Are you going to say anything?" I asked. 

    "Lily, there is so much to tell you. It'll be hard enough to explain what just happened because you're so accustomed to this reality," she said looking over at the massive gates. "It's hard to look at it. When Lance told me you ended up here, I hated the laws of my world so much more than I already do. All this suffering just because of a war that doesn't even belong to us," 

    "What the hell are you talking about?" 

    "Lily, this isn't your world. You come from a place that humans consider to be a myth. A place where things like that snake exist. Things are happening and they're going to continue to happen whether we like them or not," 

    "You're saying you know who I am?" 

    "Is there something you can do that you know shouldn't be possible?" I looked out the window. 

    What a particular question. Can I do something that I know shouldn't be possible? I looked over at this girl who expected me to answer her question with honesty. Everything coming out of her mouth is unsettling me more than a giant snake attacking me. I mean I've always known I was a little different from the others but I figured some people were just like this.

    "You mean like getting attacked by a giant snake?" she smirked knowing that I wasn't going to tell her. "How do you know me? What the hell are you talking about?" 

    "What do you know about King Arthur?" she asked making me laugh. 

    "Not this s**t again," 

    "Come on. Humor me," 

    "He's the guy that became a king by pulling a holy sword from a stone," she laughed. 

    "There is so much more to it than that," 

    "It's a story," I said rolling my eyes. 

    "What if I told you it wasn't? What if I told you that in seven months all of this is going to look like child's play compared to what you're going have to face. To what you have to do," 

    "I would say you're f*****g insane and you would proceed to try and convince me otherwise. I don't get what you're supposed to be," 

    "It's not about what we're supposed to be, Lily. It's about who we are. My name is Meerlyn. My father is Merlin. He's Camelot's greatest sorcerer. The Era of Arthur and the knights of the round table is coming to an end and as the successors, we have to take our place in what's to come," I laughed. 

    "The Era of Arthur and the knights of the round table? You expect me to believe Camelot is a real place and that you are Merlin's baby girl," she laughed. 

    "Actually, Merlin's baby girl would be my sister. I'm the oldest so I have to carry on the name," I looked over at her to see she's completely serious. She legit believes the words that are coming out of her mouth. I looked away shaking my head. 

    "The woman with the red hair," 

She turned to look at me. "You've seen her?" 

    "Is she like you? Does she believe in what you do?" 

    "Yeah, her name is Aria Mordred. She's...old," 

I shook my head. 

    "Mordred, he killed Arthur and Arthur killed him," she chuckled. 

    "Not exactly. Her father attempted to kill Arthur. They left pretty bad wounds but they didn't die. Arthur assumed the throne and Mordred went into hiding. He resurfaced again when the Red Queen stormed Camelot in pursuit of Excalibur," 

    "Did she find it?" she chuckled. 

    "She found something alright," 

    "What does that mean?" 

    "You'll find out when you meet her," 

    "So, are you going to tell me why you're all here for me specifically?" 

    "Not just you. The girl," 

    "The girl?" 

    "Catherine," 

    "What the f**k do you want with Catherine?" I asked defensively. 

    "Catherine wasn't supposed to leave Camelot. She was lost in a raid. The people who were her parents took her weeks after being born. They were killed by the same Cobra that tried to kill you," 

    "What the f**k? If they weren't her parents who were they?" she scratched between her eyes before taking a deep breath. 

    "Catherine's real name is Rose Pendragon. We thought she was dead," 

    "Rose Pendragon?" I asked and she nodded. "And you also think I'm a Pendragon?" 

    "We don't think. We know," 

    I laughed shaking my head. The serious expression on her face dimmed the humor in all of this but it didn't make it any less funny. Scratch that, this is insane. 

    "Right,"

    "Rose is your sister whether you like it or not. It's why you're taken by her and why she trusts you. I know you feel it deep inside of you. Why you want to protect her, why in such a short amount of time you've grown to really love her without ever loving anyone else before her. I know this is a lot to take in. We have time to settle the details before Excalibur fully awakens,"

    "Excalibur is real? I was completely sober when that snake attacked?" she chuckled. 

    "Yeah, you were completely sober. I think," she looked at me looking me over and nodded. 

    "I'm not taking this well," I announced, she laughed. 

    "I know," 

I took a deep breath and looked over at her. 

    "Thank you," she looked back at me confused. 

    "For?" she asked. 

    "What do you mean? You saved me. I was for sure going to die a death by giant Cobra,"  

    "That's why we're here. When you meet the rest of them, be sure to thank them as well. This isn't the first attack. This is just the one who slipped past us," she smiled.

    "What? How long have you been doing this?" 

    "Not very long. A couple of months actually," 

    "Other snakes?" she shook her head. 

    "Your return to Camelot isn't in a lot of people's best interest. Arthur has done a great job all these years but the time for medieval ideas has passed. Camelot is entering the modern era and it needs a king to protect it. The cobra is dark magic. Magic Mordred, his bloodline, and those who are sworn to him can wield," 

    "What if I don't go back?" she smiled looking over at me sadly. 

    "I'm afraid it isn't an option. When the time comes, the Odessey will claim you. It will take us all back even if we don't want to go. Personally, I'd like to stay here myself. This world is magnificent. It has so much to offer. So much potential for beauty and glory. But at last, this isn't our world," 

    "This is my world," 

    "Lilianna. You've lived your life one day at a time from the moment you were placed in the foster care system. Everything you do here is easy. There is not one single thing about this world that you can't do. Don't you ever ask yourself if there is more out there? Don't you feel like there is something missing in your life? A longing of something beyond all of this?" I couldn't look at her. "You should get some rest," 

    "Do you live nearby?" 

    "No, but I am staying here. Lancelot and Tristan are looking for the Cobra's master," 

    "The man with the blue eyes," I whispered. She looked over at me. She reached over placing her hand on my cheek and pulling me to look at her. 

    "You've seen the snake before. In your dreams," I nodded. "That's him. Those eyes you look at every time you look in the mirror. He's with you. No one, not even your mother is more impatient to see you again. You and Rose are all he has left of his family. You have to remember that this isn't their fault. You are completely entitled to be very angry at the world. You are entitled to the pain you feel inside of you but holding onto it. Holding on to all of that can destroy you. 

    "You are a beautiful kind-hearted woman, Lily. I've seen that rage in you take over. I've seen you cross that line and believe me when I say I've been there myself. Everyone has. You aren't like everyone else though. You are above us all and if you can't control that darkness inside of you, we will all fall to it," 

    "Why me?" she smiled. "I didn't ask for any of this," 

    "I didn't ask for this," she lifted her hand the tips of her fingers lighting up the way they did earlier. "This isn't a gift. It's a curse put on my bloodline. One that I will pass on to my children and them to theirs until the end of time. It feels good sometimes. To be able to use this to help others. But it feels amazing almost liberating when I use to harm someone or something. 

    "My dad hated Arthur. A lot of people thought it was because he was arrogant and entitled. But the truth is that my dad hated Arthur when they were young because Arthur always had the potential to be bad. He could have brought our world to its knees and removed anyone who didn't follow. Yet, he never did. He brings the good out in people. Things just kind of fall into place when he's around," 

    "I'm really confused right now," I admitted. "Am I losing my mind?" 

    "Take this before you fall asleep," she said extending her hand out to me she dropped a small pill into the palm of my hand. 

    "What is it?" 

    "It'll help with the soreness," she promised. 

    "I don't know how to bring people together. I piss people off more than I've ever made them happy,"

    "Cat would disagree with you there," I looked at my watch to see it was almost midnight. 

    "s**t, she's waiting for me,"  

    "Keep her safe, Lily. We wouldn't want you to lose her again," she smiled reassuringly.

    "Thank you," I repeated.  

    I got out of the car and ran to the door trying to get there as fast as I could before I was soaked. I walked in to see that the office light was still on. I went over to see headmistress Khan where she usually sits dressed in her pajamas. She looked up at me. 

    "Off to bed now," she smiled almost like she was glad I had made it back ok. 

    "Sorry, I'm back so late. Thank you for waiting," she swatted the air dismissing me. 

    I walked over to my room and quietly pushed the door open. Cat is sitting on a pile of pillows. Her head dangling forward along with her thick curls. She had been watching something on her tablet. I took it putting it on the charger and setting it down on the nightstand between our beds. I pulled the pillows away and settled here, before covering her with the blankets.

    "I already finished my math cookie," she mumbled in her sleep. I smiled as I began to change out of my wet clothes. 

    "You did good," I yelped looking around trying to find the source of the voice. "Over here," 

    I turned to look by my bed to see the lizard from my dream curled up on my pillow. I turned the light on thinking I was hallucinating only to confirm it sitting there in its beautiful blue and green glory. 

    "You were at the shop today," it nodded. 

    "I am everywhere. Always have been. Your sight is awakening so you can now see and hear me," 

    "Who are you?" 

    "I go by many names," he said stretching out his legs. He shook his body extending his wings. "Your father called me Balinor," 

    "Do I call you that too?" 

    "If you wish," he shrugged coming over to me. 

    "What are you?" it coughed. A little spark of flame came out of his mouth making me jump back. 

    "I am what our realm refers to as a familiar," 

    "A familiar? Not a dragon," it laughed. 

    "Yes, I am a dragon. I am the Pendragon familiar," 

    "What the hell is a familiar?" 

    "Well, we are familiar to one another. I help you. You help me and we live happily ever after," 

    "So, you're like my talking pet dragon?" it growled at me. 

    "I am no pet," he scoffed before going back to my pillow. "I guess if you put it into simplifications yes. I am," 

    "Do I feed you and stuff?" he looked up at me. 

    "I am capable of feeding myself thank you very much but I am not opposed to snacking," 

    "Can other's see you?" 

    "Meerlyn and the knights can see me," 

    "Will Cat be able to see you?" I asked looking over at her. 

    "Meer has told you hasn't she?" I nodded. "Not until she is aware," 

    "Does she have a familiar?" he nodded looking back towards the window above my headboard. 

    I looked out to see a black cat lying on a pile of baby blankets under a makeshift house made of scraps of wood and plastic tarps. It looked up at me. It has the most beautiful green eyes I had ever seen. There is so much intelligence in them. It gave me a nod in acknowledgment before it curled into itself to sleep. 

    "Rose has named her Molly,"

    "Can she talk to it?"

    "Not yet. However, she is drawn to it. She tells it stories and is very attached to her already," 

    "Why couldn't you have been a cat?" it scoffed. 

    "A cat is not fit for a king. You require something much more dangerous," 

    "You look like an iguana," it growled at me again. "You're in my spot," 

    "YoU'rE iN mY sPoT," it mocked moving over to the far end of the bed. "You save her life and she can't spare a pillow," 

    "I'm sorry," I laughed climbing into bed. I pushed a spare pillow and fluffed it before motioning him to get into it. He rushed over and curled himself into a little lizard circle. 

    "You are taking this well," 

    "I was attacked and almost killed by a giant cobra today," it laughed. "This is less insane,"

    I turned around to see a half-empty glass off water and the pill Meerlyn had given me. I sighed feeling all the aches in my body. I picked it up looking it over. I put it in my mouth and drank the water Cat must have gotten for herself. 

    "You're back," she whispered without opening her eyes. 

    "Yeah, sorry I'm late. Go back to sleep," she curled into herself wrapping the blanket around her tighter. 

    "I never thought I'd see her again," the dragon whispered. "She looks just like her," 

    "Our mother?" I asked looking over at him. He nodded. 

    "They are going to be very happy when the two of you return together," 

    I lied back deciding that if I voiced all my questions now we wouldn't sleep. My head is pounding with a migraine starting to take place. So much happened in just a few hours that my head is swarming with doubt and pain. What is real? What the hell is happening? There's a f*****g baby dragon laying on the pillow next to me. A giant cobra tried to kill me. And those two things are the least of my problems. 

    I turned over to see Cat laying in her bed. If it's true. If what they're saying is true and this little girl is my sister... I have a sister. She's tiny and beautiful. Meerlyn said so many things back there but this one she got right. This little girl is the first person I've ever let in. From the moment I saw her. There was something about the way she looked at me that was strangely familiar. I thought it had been because of all the crap we had put up with but it makes sense now. At least, I want it to true.