Day 4: What world does your character exist in? Real or imagined? Scientific? Fantastical? Write a scene where your character is shown in their world.

Lemira knew that Kalmesh trained them so hard only to ensure they survived as long as possible in the war against the Trehakans. He did not encourage and he did not discourage – he existed to teach them basic combat, to forge them into the kingdom’s weapons. The first of several handfuls of girls pulled when the draft men came, she had volunteered. Her parents were confused but supportive. They believed their daughter capable of anything she set her mind to and pushed her to be her own person. She remembered that day – the creak of wagons, the smell of hay and smoke, and the morning chill. She knew her decision then would change and shape who she was to become. She just had no idea it would be this much work.

Every morning at dawn, all the trainees ran through the forest or around the training ring. Rain, sun, or snow, the trainees ran. Sometimes they ran in full practice armor with weighted poles. Sometimes they ran in nothing more than undergarments. The rest of the day alternated between classes and more training, especially the afternoon weapons’ work. Everyone learned basic sword work and in alternating weeks, instructors split each trainee into different projectile weapons courses. Lemira’s arm felt as though it would fall off after spending a week with the spear and her week with the bow had been a blessed relief after that.