Day 15: Your character is upset. What about? How does it affect them? Does anyone come to comfort them? Write a scene where your character is distraught.

The day after the funeral, Lemira faced Kalmesh in the training ring. She’d spent the last night crying herself dry and reminding herself again and again that she needed ice armor around her heart. She vowed nothing would affect her again and so she faced the weapons’ instructor across the bare circle of sand, waiting for his tell that he would attack. She tried to watch his eyes through the slit in his practice helmet, but the shadows obscured his face.

Until yesterday, she would have rushed him and attempted to put him on the defensive. But now, armored in the cold ice of her mind and heart, she waited. When he finally moved, his sword was a blur of motion, attacking with a speed and ferocity she had never experienced. She blocked what she could, but felt her internal ice armor slip. Even using both sword and shield, she gave ground against his onslaught until she finally snapped and attacked him full force. All her anger, hurt, and frustration poured into every blow she sent. Less than a minute later, Kalmesh caught her off guard, disarmed her, and left her sprawled on the boundaries of the practice ring.

Lemira knew her emotional state resulted in her loss during the bout and felt shamed. Though Kalmesh would never say it, she could see the disappointment in his body language as he turned from her. He told them repeatedly that emotions had no place in war. She knew no comfort would be offered from any of the instructors or the trainees. If she was going to get up and finish her training, it was her responsibility an hers alone.

That was her choice.