#writephoto — Heritage

Fandango

2142471b-500f-4489-bbb7-15e0f3631cb6Phoebe was excited when the envelope arrived. Having been adopted when she was just a baby, she knew nothing about her heritage. She dearly loved the couple who adopted her, and they were the only parents she ever knew, but once she turned 25, the void in her life, that of finding her roots, had to be addressed. It was an itch that she knew had to be scratched.

It took nearly four months, but the envelope from the DNA testing service Phoebe had engaged finally was delivered. Her hands were actually trembling as she carefully opened the envelope and read the report.

456459cc-6aaf-443e-b38c-11d398393fffWhen she saw that her heritage was 90% Scottish, it both shocked and excited Phoebe. She decided that she needed to dig deeper and to investigate her family tree. Did she come from peasant stock, the working class, or maybe even the aristocracy? Phoebe had to know; she became obsessed with learning more of her heritage. She paid more money to the DNA testing service and ultimately learned that her ancestry could be traced all the way back to the time of the Scottish king, Robert I, popularly known as Robert the Bruce.

That’s when Phoebe took a leave of absence from her job and flew to Scotland to find out even more. She spent two months going deeper and deeper into her family’s history. It ultimately led her to a cemetery where she came across an old stone sarcophagus carved in the shape of a warrior knight. This knight, who had fought bravely in battle along side Robert the Bruce, was distantly related to her historic clan.

Phoebe was so overcome with emotions when she discovered the location of her most distant relative that she came back the next day and placed a single red rose across the sarcophagus, along with a handwritten note that read, “In memory of a loyal knight of the House of Bruce who gave his life for his king in July 1314.”

Shortly thereafter, Phoebe flew home and told her adoptive parents of her discovery, and then hugged them both, thanking them profusely for their love and care.

Written for Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo Prompt.

16 thoughts on “#writephoto — Heritage”

  1. Sadje January 11, 2019 / 7:02 am

    You wove a great tale around the picture.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Cyranny January 11, 2019 / 7:09 am

    I really enjoyed the story but this comment doesn’t really have anything to do with it. I had something to say about the map… You see me coming, right? Am I really leaving such an irrelevant comment? I think so! So yeah… The map caught my eye because of the little country in the top right corner….

    Sorry. They didn’t find a cure yet. But they are searching! 😛

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 11, 2019 / 8:47 am

      You do become easily distracted on all things Denmark, don’t you? 😉

      Like

  3. Marleen January 11, 2019 / 7:40 am

    It’s a fun story, and my favorite part is the thread of her appreciating the parents who raised her and going back home and hugging them.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. D. Wallace Peach January 11, 2019 / 10:23 am

    Lovely story. I couldn’t read the note in the image, so thanks for sharing that as well as the happy ending. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Sue Vincent January 11, 2019 / 12:21 pm

    A nice tale. I wonder how many people have lived it?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 11, 2019 / 1:54 pm

      I would think that many adopted people would use DNA testing to discover their heritage.

      Like

      • Sue Vincent January 11, 2019 / 2:51 pm

        It does open a new way of discovering one’s roots.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Pingback: Heritage ~ Fandango #writephoto | Sue Vincent's Daily Echo
  8. Pingback: Photo prompt round-up: Honour #writephoto | Sue Vincent's Daily Echo

Comments are closed.