March 4th Writing Prompt: Shield
The Shield Festival approaches. During this holiday, the families of fallen heroes bear the shields they wielded when they lived. What is the story of the latest shield to join the festival?
Ideas and questions:
Just because the latest shield entered the festival does not mean that its bearer died in battle. Your story could talk about how the shield served its owner well, allowing them to survive impossible odds. Perhaps they lived to a ripe old age, and the celebration of their life looks much different than it does for those who succumbed to an injury.
The shields might be put to rest under normal circumstances, but it is also possible that the most famous of shields, which served their bearer in ways that could be considered miraculous, might be taken up by another warrior. In this case, they could either be wielded in the same way they once were, or alterations could be affected upon them to serve the new owner.
Do the people celebrating the fallen heroes wield one shield, which previously belonged to their relative? Or do they make copies of the shield to parade them forth?
Are all of the shields in this part of the world intentionally crafted so that they look different to one another? Is that because of how important this ceremony is? Or did the ceremony grow into what it is because of the shields?
What would happen in the situation that a battle went poorly, and a shield could not be recovered? Would there be an additional component to the ceremony?
Challenge:
While we tend to celebrate our heroes, the culture of this region sees them celebrating the item worn by them instead. To that end, place your focus on the shield in your story. It should be just as important to see what journey the shield was on when the wielder was struck down or otherwise separated from their aegis.