"Wasn't just pay that was the problem, if that was it, I think we would of still been around." grunted the former sergeant. "It was everything. Unlike cavalry, we crossbowmen need ammunition, and supplies had dwindled to the point that some of the boys didn't even have any bolts left. Hell, clothing and food were a problem too, more then half of the men had holes in there shoes to the point that they were marching bare foot. Poor Jimmy's feet had several blisters."
The sergeant looked up at the General for a secound. "The food was rubbish, nothing more then stale bread and slope. Sometimes if we were lucky maybe potato peel soup."
He then adjusted his hat and snorted. "Funny you'd mention our standards, we didn't have any when we were in the army. If it weren't for my brother, I think those of us left still wouldn't have any standards."
He then muttered somthing, before speaking up. "Don't lecture me on how to follow orders. Been doing it for seven years in the army, and looked where it got me..." His head was stright, his eyes were dull, as his head rocked back and forth. "An' extra stripe on my shoulder and a little more change...not mention half starving and holes in uniform, smelly, dirty, a good deal of my mates were dead, and myself almost died...if it hadn't all been for me brother"
He kept looking forward, he was thinking about the night.
Seemed like the regiment was on it's last leg. He remembered that he was on the battlements, bleeding too. Surrounding him were bloodied men and corpses, oh the corpses. Men were also below, trying to hold shut the gate with whatever they could find. He was almost certain he was going to die there...
Until he heard the hunting horns...
"My brother is the one in charge of my current outfit, he's a hunter you know. Hunters don't do well as soldiers, don't know if you ever knew that. They are much more independent minded when it comes to a business like fighting. Not that they liked doing it" He kinda snapped out of his memory for a bit to glance back up at the general. "You know my brother was raised in Serendipity, as is most of my current outfit. He was raised by a humanoid race called "elves", they half pointing ears and are said masters of the forest. But above they are said to be the best hunters of all the races, if you can believe that."