Alexis steps off the aircraft on the Newcastle Airport in Scotland. For her 18th birthday, which is tomorrow, her dad and mom are taking her to go to Hadrian’s Wall. Alexis has at all times been fascinated with historic websites. She had needed to see Hadrian’s Wall ever since she first examine it.After visiting the fascinating Nice North Museum the subsequent morning, they trekked to the closest stays of the wall. They walked alongside the wall for some time, and once they got here to the highest of a hill overlooking miles and miles of breathtaking rolling hills with small white spots of sheep, they stopped to relaxation.Whereas nonetheless catching her breath, her mother places a letter on her lap. Lastly! Alexis was questioning when her mother would give her the subsequent letter from Grandma! For each her 16th and 17th birthdays she acquired a letter from her grandmother – and a pearl necklace for her 16th – and he or she had come to count on one. Alexis tore the envelope open and began to learn the letter.My pricey Alexis,Right now I need to let you know about your ancestor, Blythe. Blythe was born round 118 AD within the Roman province of Britannia, just a few years earlier than the development of Hadrian’s Wall started.Alexis appears up into her dad and mom grinning faces. So, that is why they selected to journey to Scotland this yr!Blythe’s was the daughter of a Roman engineer, Atticus, who was in control of the design and building of the wall. Her mom, Eathelin, was a Britannia native, and the daughter of an area farmer. The 2 of them met someday when Eathelin, on her method again from the market, handed Atticus who was taking measurements for the wall.Throughout her youthful years, Blythe’s household have been at all times on the transfer. Her dad would oversee the wall building, and her mother attended to the vegetable gardens which fed the troopers who have been constructing the wall. When Blythe wasn’t lined with mud from the gardens, she performed within the limestone quarries or the forests the place the troopers minimize wooden to construct the mile castles (forts). True to her title, she introduced pleasure and cheer to everybody round her. The Roman legionnaires have been very keen on her.The northern Caledonian tribes didn’t approve of the wall building – in spite of everything, it was constructed to maintain them out. They have been continuously spying on the wall building. At some point, when Blythe was about 14 years outdated, she was taking part in within the forest on the northern facet of the wall. Whereas attempting to catch just a little butterfly, she wandered too far-off from house. Barbarian spies have been sneaking by means of the forest and seeing her taking part in alone, they took their likelihood and kidnapped her.They despatched a ransom be aware to the commander of the fort, demanding that the Romans cease constructing the wall in the event that they needed to get her again.Whereas they have been ready for a reply, the barbarians stored Blythe in a cage of their village. A red-headed boy, named Niven, introduced her meals and water every single day.At first, the Roman commander tried to barter with the barbarians. They didn’t budge, and because the commander was below orders from Emperor Hadrian to construct the wall, he was not able to provide in to their calls for. Ultimately, he had no selection however to go away Blythe to her destiny.Blythe’s dad and mom have been devastated. They tried many instances to rescue her however to no avail.Because the weeks and months handed, Blythe and the red-haired boy grew to become buddies. Niven was the son of the village chieftain. He didn’t approve of their friendship, however out of respect for Niven, the chieftain made positive that no hurt got here to Blythe.The villagers didn’t agree. They needed blood. One night, the riotous villagers demanded that Blythe be killed. They deliberate to decapitate her and to hoist her head on a pole close to the Roman camp as a warning. The chieftain, now not capable of maintain them calm, agreed that they’d execute Blythe the subsequent night, after their feast.Niven overheard the dialog and began to formulate a plan of escape. As luck would have it (or possibly by his father’s design) the barbarian guarding the cage the subsequent night was recognized for ingesting a tad an excessive amount of after which falling asleep. Niven made positive that the guard’s cup stayed full. When the guard fell asleep, Niven nicked the important thing to the cage from his neck and freed Blythe.They snuck previous the sleeping guard and the drunken villagers and headed into the forest. Niven knew that after the village discovered that Blythe was gone, the villagers would presume that they’d flee south in direction of the wall. He took Blythe west in direction of the mountains.They discovered a small cave far-off from the village and stayed there for just a few months. Niven would hunt and fish throughout the day whereas Blythe gathered berries and nuts. At evening, they made a hearth for heat and to cook dinner their meals.When Niven thought it was protected and that the seek for them should have died down, they began again in direction of the wall, ensuring to keep away from the village. On reaching Blythe’s house on the Roman camp, the Roman troopers arrested Niven, charging him for Blythe’s abduction. Blythe defined how Niven had saved her life and he or she begged them for his freedom. Holding the northern Caledonian boy accountable, they compelled him into slavery.For nearly a yr, Niven labored day and evening within the limestone quarries. The slave grasp was merciless and sometimes let his whip unfastened on him. Fortunately, the person guarding the slaves’ sleeping quarters was form to Blythe, so he appeared the opposite method when she snuck in to convey Niven further meals and to deal with his wounds.On Blythe’s 16th birthday, her grandmother visited them from Rome. As per custom, she gave the string of heirloom pearls to Blythe. Grandma may sense that Blythe was extraordinarily sad. Her granddaughter would solely gentle up when she noticed Niven, however a shadow would rapidly be solid over her eyes to see his struggling. It was Grandma’s flip to formulate an escape plan.Blythe’s grandmother got here from an influential household in Rome. She advised the commander of the fort that she needed to journey to the Fort Pons Aelius (modern-day Newcastle-upon-Tyne) to go to a pal and that she wanted the younger slave Niven to accompany her to take care of the donkeys. The commander agreed however assigned two-foot troopers to escort them. She hid Blythe within the donkey cart below some blankets, and Blythe solely got here out at evening when the remainder of the entourage was asleep.When the celebration was about two days’ journey away from Pons Aelius, Blythe’s grandma bribed the 2 troopers to look the opposite method whereas Niven and Blythe escaped. The troopers solely alerted the commander of the escape as soon as they arrived on the fort, giving Niven and Blythe sufficient time to place many miles between them and the wall.They fled north and at last settled down close to modern-day Aberdeen the place they lived out the remainder of their days. They have been joyful and led a easy life with their 4 kids.Blythe by no means noticed her grandma once more after that evening. Years later, she discovered that her grandmother had left for Rome shortly after arriving in Pons Aelius. She denied that she helped them escape, and with none proof in opposition to her, she was by no means prosecuted. She handed away quickly afterward.The heirloom pearls have been Blythe’s most prized earthly possession. Each evening earlier than she went to sleep, she would take out the Caltured pearls and thank her grandmother’s spirit for serving to them escape and watching over them every single day.Simply because the spirit of Blythe’s grandmother watched over her, so I’ll watch over you every single day. Be sensible. Be robust. Be courageous.Love,Grandma*******Heirlooms are a silent testomony to lives lived, and struggles overcome by former generations. Take a look at our store if you want to begin your personal heirloom pearl custom.
