Stories of Old: Hero of the sea

    The sun shined brightly on the quiet street below. It's inviting warmth encouraging the people below to enjoy the day. Normally the children would have answered this invite eagerly. Playing in the fields, riding their bikes down the sidewalks in the city, or perhaps participating in the numerous sports and activities offered to the youth of the modern age. Today however was a special day a day when the children who were finally of the age of four-teen started learning of their family's history in this kingdom. Some were short and could be covered in a day or two, some were long and the children would spend every night of their summer learning of their family, and there others somewhere in between. The story of Nera's family was long, and for the first time in her long life she wished that wasn't so.     Nera sighed and sat her knitting on the small wooden table to her right. She regrated even thinking such things. Knowing as much of her family history as she did was a gift. A gift many in the kingdom would envy. Nera leaned back in her rocking chair letting the motion of the rocking soothe; her much as it would a young child in the arms of a loving parent. There's was never any use in wishing things were different than they were. No use wishing for more time than one was given. Nera had learned these things in her life, but she could feel her independence slipping. It was harder to move, harder to remember, quite simply harder to live the way she always had. Soon she would have to move in with her eldest son, soon after she would have a nurse looking after her, soon after that death would follow. Death always followed the loss of independence in her mind.      To add insult to injury her favorite grandchild (though she'd never let another soul know she had a favorite) had just turned fourteen; old enough to start the tradition of memorizing the family stories. Nera may be able to tell them to her this summer, but she felt in her bones she wouldn't be able to hear her grand-daughter tell them herself as was tradition for a bride before her wedding. Hardly any woman married before her thirties present day and she knew in her heart she would be lucky to see her granddaughter make it to age six-teen. Nera closed her eyes holding back tears. Time was indeed never kind.     "Granny," a quiet voice called. Nera felt a soft gentle hand on her arm and opened her eyes. Her granddaughter knelt by her looking up at her with worried eyes. Nera smiled. "Kira, you're here already?" With a relieved smile Kira stood and helped Nera out of the chair. "If you keep falling asleep out here you're going to worry the neighbors." she chided playfully as they entered the small bungalow Nera called home. "Oh, I couldn't have been asleep that long," Nera said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "besides the front porch is the perfect place to wait for visitors." Kira made and humming sound that was either made either in agreement or simply to pacify her. Nera could never tell.     Nera looked to the clock above her mantle. "It still a couple hours to lunch. Why don't we settle in the living room ? It's time you knew the earliest story we know of our family."