washerwoman and seamstress, of Kuttenberg
“I scrub tunics till my hands bleed, trying to survive while the others shout at me.”
Things Helena had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the eve of Ascension, at Vespers
Sarah keeps giving me the evil eye across the cellar. Sakra, I said I was sorry about the gambeson! The rye bread kept us from starving in the winter. What good is a padded coat if you are dead of hunger?
Nota scribaeDictated at the wash-trough. The subject picked at her thumbs the whole time.
the second day of Easter week, at Terce
The soldiers were too drunk to walk last night, so now I have three extra wool tunics to scrub the vomit out of before noon. The lye bites right into the raw blisters on my knuckles. Christ almighty, there must be an easier way to earn a penny.
the Tuesday before Easter, at None
They say Sigismund's Cumans are moving down the roads again, taking whatever livestock they please. If they come to Kuttenberg, there won't be enough cabbage soup in the cellar to keep us alive, let alone groschen for the baker's boy.
The town walls will hold them. God keep us all safe.
the feast of St Gertrude, at Prime
Elizabeth started up again this morning about the camp last summer. I did not kill Bynyek. I went into the dark for the willow bark, but the soldiers were shouting and there was an alarm! I was terrified. Nobody could have found their way back in that mess.
the Monday after Candlemas, at Compline
Lida's boy came for the rent early. We pooled every penny we had, but I am still short one. If I don't finish these mending jobs by tomorrow, she'll throw me out into the snow. Sakra, my hands ache so badly I can barely thread the needle.
Come sit by the lamp, Helena. You can see the eye of the needle better here.
Just pay the boy and be quiet.
Nota scribaeShe wept slightly while dictating, smudging the ink on my ledger.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
You pawned my coat while my back was turned, Helena. Bread or no, it was mine to sell.
I will find the groschen to redeem it when the garrison pays me for the mending!