Training. I needed to move about. My thoughts were racing as my back pressed up against the door to her room.

I close d my eyes briefly and mumbled,  "Breathe..."

I inhaled deeply and rushed off into the direction of the Practicum. Images of what took place in Contessa's room played back as I sped down the hall. Training would definitely help me figure everything out. Practicing my combat manvers should help with the storm of emotions that were stirring inside me. I needed to hurry to the training grounds.

"You are an imbecile. Why would you insist on having her in such a state? This Alex obviously meant a lot to her. She just separated herself from him, then you just go and...ugh."

This was new to me. Not being able to control my emotions. To have my composure complete derail like that. Seeing the person I love show affection for someone else was hard. It's not that I didn't think it would happen after her being lost to us for so long, but knowIng it could happen and seeing it happen are two different things entirely.

"You don't deserve to be next to her if you're going to behave like a crazed animal in heat." I continued to ramble to myself as I sped to the practicum.

A nice long workout would help me calm down. Turning the corner I saw a few of my men walking towards me with drink cups in hand.

One of them locked eyes with me and immediately saluted me.

"Captain! Hello, are you heading to the practicum?" He rambled as the other two behind him quickly followed suit and saluted me as well.

"At ease, gentlemen." I waved my hand to let them know that the salute was unnecessary then looked over at the soldier who spoke to me. " To answer your question, yes. A good workout is just what I need to regain my senses as of right now. In fact, we should have a sparring session with the whole team. Call them to the arena. I will be there waiting for everyone. This could be a good chance to see how you lot are doing with the training regiment."

Their faces lit up and they saluted me again as they shouted,

"Yes, Captain! Right away, Captain!”

I watched them head down the hall whispering to each other. Normally I trained by myself and left the troops training to my second. This was a treat for my men to have some training time with me. At least that is what my second often told me. My band of misfits apparently held me in such high regard it could almost be blasphemy to our Creator. As I stood there watching the three sprint to the others I heard another pair of footsteps approach me from behind.

"Captain Signate, a moment of your time, please."

I turned at the sound of my name and saw him, the man who tormented Contessa when she was younger, her ruthless trainer. My eyes narrowed. The voice was all to familiar to me. It belonged to a person I rather not be around. The thought of killing him crossed my mind often over the past thirteen years.

"General Brenten." I grunted.

He stopped in front of me with his hands behind his back. Poised as ever he stood there and stared at me. His face held no emotion and his eyes no signs of life.

"I sent a messenger of mine to Lady Contessa and the message I received back was a bit perplexing. Would you care to elaborate?" He said.

I smiled a bit and quickly replied,
"Of course, General. To put it clearly, under no circumstances will you be permitted to have an audience with my lady, unless General Zori or I are present. What part of this was unclear?"

He raised an eyebrow as his shoulders stiffened. As he cleared his throat in an effort to keep his composure then replied,

"And what right do you have to give such a declaration? Last I checked I outranked you and if I sent for an audience with Lady Contessa, only she could refuse to see me."

I chuckled at his weak attempt to throw his title and rank in my face. His rank meant nothing on General Zori's land. Plus he wished to speak to a patient who was under the care and protection of Jusye.

I smiled then said,

"Yes, that would be the case if she were medically clear. Unfortunately, for you, she is not and that decision falls on me, her husband."

He waved off my words as he scoffed,

"The two of you were only engaged and that was years ago. Your claim to her hand is null and void."

I could feel my patience running thin as he spoke. The mocking tone he took on as our conversation went on was unsettling. The fact that he was even in my presence told me that the Elders were going to try and take Contessa back. They couldn't let their most prized asset be lost to them again. Plus she was the only one of us that had experience surviving on a different planet. She had now become priceless. All they had to do was help her regain her skills and lost memories. This all boiled down to one thing. A spy was amongst the people of Jusye. Mainly a mole was loose in General Zori's mansion.

"How did the Elders even find out that she had returned?" I asked.

"We have our ways, Captain. There are no secrets that the Elders are not aware of." He canted.

My eyes narrowed as I scoffed, "You think you're clever, don't you. Are they planning to try and take her away from her family again? Plan on sending her back into the abyss so that she can risk her life for a war she is no longer even a part of? Tell me, General, how many more times must we see her vanish before you and the Elders give up on her?"

He rushed forward and grabbed the front of my shirt. His face screwed up as his fist tighten.

"You know very well that accident was not something they could have predicted. It was never our intention to bring harm to Contessa."

I pulled his hand off my shirt and pushed him back. My eyes locked with his as I replied,

"But to send her on that mission there had to have been things that they saw could go wrong. Then when something did go wrong none of them even offered a word of apology to General Zori or to me for our loss. She was just counted as another failed attempt to win the war." I walked closer to him, pressed my finger into his chest and whispered harshly, “Tell me, what are they planning to do now that she has returned? Do you think that she will go back to the front lines and sacrifice herself for a cause she has long forgotten?”

He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I would watch my tone, Captain. You forget yourself since we are on General Mutlon's land, but I still outrank you and should be respected as your senior officer." He whispered through clenched teeth.

I stepped back as I snatched my hand away from him and chuckled,

"You may outrank me on the battlefield, General Brenten, but when we are here on the family land you hold no authority. So run back to the Elders with your tail between your legs and let them know that by law if  her father, or whomever they deemed trustworthy to represent him, is now in attendance when someone calls on her no one shall be permitted to an audience. Since I am still her intended and our families have not once ended the engagement between us, my statement from earlier still stands."

"Are you planning on opposing the Council?" He growled.

"Call it what you may, but I will protect her from you and anyone else who will try to use her for political gain. I am planning to make sure we don't ever lose what we lost so long ago." I canted.

He stood up properly and fixed his hair then his jacket as he replied,

"I see. Well, thank you for clearing up that message. I will be sure to relay it to the Council."

I saluted him then smiled as I said,

"You are most welcome, General. I am glad I could clarify for you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a prior engagement that I am now late for."

I went to walk past him and he held out his arm in front of me then looked at me for the sides of his eyes,

“It would be best if you kept me on your list of potential allies, Captain. She means a lot to me as well.”

“I assure you, General Brenten, if there were such a list I'd have to be near death to even consider placing you on it." I pushed past his arm and walked towards the practicum.

Although I wished to rush back to Contessa's room at that moment, I couldn't. My men were waiting for me to train with them and I still needed to clear my mind of all that transpired between me and Contessa.

Yes... training. A good workout would help me regain my balance and focus properly.