The Spoils - Part 6

The generosity of his offer was made evident by the cheers of the men. There were only two thousand of Karstly's men present, with the others still guarding the Lonely Mountain, but from the noise of them, an observer would have thought there to be five times that number.

"For General Rainheart's men, who, with their brave charge, secured us another few important rungs on the ladder that led to our victory, you are awarded the sum of three months' extra pay," General Blackwell said.

The cheers came, but there was a degree of disappointment in them now, as they looked enviously at General Karstly's troops, and compared the rewards that they had received compared to what they had been given.