[h1]Kinnisvara[/h1]

The town was in a state of complete turmoil, and Paavo was in the midst of it. It shouldn't have come as a big surprise that news of an approaching enemy host of great proportions would send people into panic, but seeing it first hand could shock even the most hardened soul. He had spent the last few hours desperately trying to direct warriors and commoners to their appropriate places, but the fact of the matter was that things were in quite a sorry state. The other veterans did the best they could too, but without the authority that Kadri held over the populace things were looking grim.

"No, forget that!" he yelled at a passing man who for some reason had decided to try and bring a ridiculously large chest with him, "Leave it! Take only what you need and head towards the fort! There's no time!"

The man stopped in his tracks and stared at Paavo, his tunic turned dark from sweat, trying to find the right words to excuse his actions but looking more like a fish gulping for air. "But" he ventured, "My clothes... they're made from southern silk and-"

"By the dead, man!" Paavo interrupted, "Would you rather look poor alive or fancy as a corpse? There are warriors coming, and they won't care two shits about any of your-"

"Paavo!" Someone called, breaking Paavos rant off mid-sentence. He turned and saw Heino rushing towards him. [i]Oh great. Just great.[/i] In the confusion, the man attempted to slip away with his oversized trunk. Paavo was just about to call out to him again when Heino reached him.

"Paavo." Heino wheezed, breathing hard, "I just got word; the sentries have spotted people coming this way. From the coast."

[i]Shit.[/i] "How many? Were they mounted?"

"A company, the messenger wasn't specific. And aye, they were."

[i]Well that's something, at least.[/i] "It must be the Jarl, then."

Heino looked more than releaved at that. "What do you reckon we should do?"

"Same as we're doing right now." Paavo said, "But better gather some warriors to meet her once she arrives. You go ahead and do that, Heino. I'll stay here and keep things moving."

"Good man." Henino replied and put a strong hand on Paavos shoulder, "Good man. I can see why Kadri likes you."

[i]You don't know the half of it,[/i] Paavo thought and patted Kadris husband on the shoulder in return.

[hr]

Kadri gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath as she came into her hold. The cut in her leg shot spikes of pain through her body at every bump in the saddle, but all things considered she'd been lucky. The charge and the following battle had been rightous but bloody. It had gone smooth in the beginning, but once the invaders'd had time to form up properly the situation had changed. They had managed to kill a whole lot of them, sure, but they had lost a good few too. More than half, as it were. Still, they got a few survivors with them and, best of all, one of the enemy commanders. She hadn't been able to get much out of him on the way back, but he'd talk before long. Heated steel had that effect on men. 

Kinnisvara was in a possibly even worse condition than her band. People were running to and fro, openly ignoring commands from the few veterans trying to organize them. She would have to do everything herself, it seemed. [i]But I suppose that's the way of things. If you want something done right...[/i] A group of warriors came to meet them as they entered the square. She spotted Heino among them.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" he said as she dismounted, "When Paavo said he'd left you there alone, I thought-"

"He didn't leave me," she forced out through clenched teeth as pain shot through her leg when she tried to put weight on it, "I ordered him to. Where is he?"

"Paavo?" her husband replied, looking somewhat taken aback, "He's over there, but I-"

"I need to see him. Take care of the horses and the wounded, and get people going. We need to reach the fort before sundown."

"Yes, of course, but-"

"I will speak with you later."

She left him there and hobbled as fast as she could towards where Heino had pointed. It didn't take long before she spotted the bald veteran through the crowd, waving his arms shouting furiously at a man trying desperately to pick up what looked like a large quantity of fine clothing from an overturned trunk. She went up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What now?" he shouted while turning, "Can't you see I'm- oh, it's you!"

"Indeed," she grunted, still struggling to speak properly through the haze of pain. "We need to speak, and quick. We hit them hard on the beach, but they're coming."

"That's what I reckoned." Paavo replied, "I got everyone working on getting to the fort as soon as I returned."

"Good, but that won't be enough. We can probably hold them there for some time, but we'll need reinforcement. I need you to go upriver and warn the Istung. Make them come here and fight these bastards off."

"What? I'm not going anywhere!" Paavo exclaimed, that same sickening worrying look that he'd had on the ridge above Külake, "Send someone else, send Heino! I'm staying with you."

"No." she began, slowly, "No, you're not. I need someone I can trust to do this. Do you understand? I need you to do this. Pick a handful of warriors and get moving. Every moment counts."

She looked him in the eyes, trying to get the message across. His face was filled with doubt and uncertainty, and she could see his mind was working furiously to find an excuse for him to stay. But she held his gaze, refused to let go, and slowly his resolve began to melt away. He sighed all of a sudden, shoulders going limp. "I suppose you're right." he conceded.

"I usually am. Now go."

But he didn't. Instead he kept looking at her, something else in his face now. She furred her brows. "What is it?"

"I just..." he croaked, "I suppose this is goodbye, then. I..." His voice trailed off.

She took hold of his collar then, as she had on the beach, and pulled him close.

"Aye, it is," she whispered, "But only for now." Then she kissed him. It wasn't deep or long, but hard and passionate. "Now do as I told you and go. We're depending on you. I'm depending on you."

He looked as though he was going to add something to that, but thought better of it. He turned and hurried off without looking back. [i]That shut him up. And now, to clean up this mess...[/i] She turned to get back to her warriors so they could start organizing this debacle properly, and instantly met Heinos gaze. He had a strange expression on his face. She sighed. [i]I guess I'll have to clean that mess up too, then. But first things first.[/i]