Richard Morgan

The Emperor's lip curled. "I pay a mercernary cut-throat by forgiving the murder of an imperial war hero at the hands of a steppe barbarian who can't keep his dick in his breeches. Hardly the stuff of heroic legends, is it?"
Ringil shrugged. "I don't doubt the palace has poets on staff that could embellish the tale to suit, my lord. If a more inspiring account is ever required, for more public consumption."