The sack that had fallen upon the city of Artalerita, when it passed into the hands of the Yarzat army, gradually shifted into a strange, uneasy coexistence between conqueror and conquered.
By the standards of war, the looting had been almost restrained. This was not born of mercy but of necessity,Alpheo valued speed and momentum in his campaign far more than he cared for the purses of his soldiers.
The Yarzat host had other objectives ahead, and lingering to bleed the city dry would only dull their edge.
Of course, such restraint was only possible because Alpheo commanded a sizeable standing force directly on his payroll.
Men who fought and marched for his banner year-round and owed their livelihoods entirely to him. When the prince said "jump," the only thing they asked was "how high?"
In most armies, if a general attempted to halt looting after only two hours, he would be met with laughter, and if pressed, the soldier could even go to arms.
