Vladimir stood before the lines of recruits. Looking around, Dimitri was amazed at how mixed a bunch of soldiers they were. Some looked like they had had some training but others looked quite unfit and unathletic. At this rate the General would not struggle to defeat the captains army Dimitri thought wryly.

As the day passed, Dimitri gained a grudging respect for Vladimir though.  In his role as instructor, he was able to identify the recruits relative strengths and weaknesses. Dimitri realised that if there were other instructors like Vladimir then perhaps the General was correct in his concerns.

The sun was setting when Dimitri returned to the home that he and Lia were sharing in the city. He was exhausted. Although the exercises and routines the recruits had done were not taxing, the effort of pretending he was a beginner to them was. With Vladimir's scrutiny on him, Dimitri had to concentrate in matching the cover that he had adopted.

'We have had a message,' Lia said softly when he walked into their bedroom. She was sitting in the darkening room. Her expression was solemn and Dimitri could see the tension in her shoulders. He stopped and stood dead still.

'From the General?' he guessed.

'From the General,' Lia echoed. 'We are to return to the compound. Immediately. '

Dimitri felt his heart sink. It was inevitable he knew but he had hoped for a while longer in the city. Back in the compound it would be almost impossible to be alone with Lia. And there would be the terrible strain of pretending that they were still training partners who barely tolerated each other.

Dimitri walked across to Lia. She stood up and stepped into his arms. Dimitri held Lia tight as the sun set and the room darkened. Their time alone was over.

The trip back to the compound was a long one. Just outside the city, Lia and Dimitri were able to hitch a lift towards the compound but the rest of the journey was a long, hot one. Eventually the grey buildings of the General's compound loomed ahead of them. Lia turned to Dimitri. Her face fixed into a mask to hide her emotions. They were home.

The wind caught Lia's hair as she ran slightly ahead of Dimitri. It had been a week since their return to the General's compound. He had been happy with their intel. Dimitri knew that this would mean that soon there would be an organised strategy to attack the captains but he didn't want to dwell on that thought. Or share it with Lia. There was a sadness in her since their return. Dimitri felt it too. It was hard to see each other daily and the strain of maintaining the facade that they were only training partners weighed heavily on both of them. There had been a few stolen moments where they had been able to embrace and kiss but it was not enough for either of them. The love they shared was not so easily hidden.

After the run, Dimitri and Lia headed to the practise mats in the arena. It was late in the afternoon and the arena was silent and deserted. The other recruits were at dinner in the mess hall.

Lia was slow and out of practise. The time in the city had softened her. Her cover as a farmer's wife had not allowed her to be seen training and she had lost some of her fitness. Dimitri easily dominated the bouts. Eventually after a particularly complex routine, Dimitri found himself over Lia as she was pinned down on the mat. His blue eyes looked down at her. Desire flared between them. Suddenly they were kissing. Lia could feel Dimitri's arousal against her. Heat flooded through her body. Their kiss deepened.

Caught in the moment, neither Lia nor Dimitri noticed the figure of the General standing at the entrance to the arena.