hired hand, of Kuttenberg
“I dig ditches for the masters and drink watered ale so my back stops screaming. The Lord knows I am tired.”
Things Michael the Nasty had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
The Monday before Whitsun, at Vespers
Kubyenka the Boar wants his rusty axe back so he can chop wood. I hauled stone on his shift before Easter, and he never paid the groschen he promised. A pledge is a pledge, you whoreson. You will get your tool when you pay what you owe and ask nicely.
Nota scribaeDictated in the tanners' alley. He rubbed his jaw the entire time.
The Tuesday after St John at the Latin Gate, at Compline
If Lambert the foreman ever opened his ledger and paid us our proper wages, I could get my affairs straight with Juliana. Peshek the Horse keeps asking after his war gear. I have not forgotten it, lad. The old bat behind the grille just will not let it go for cheap.
You took my gear, Michael. I paid good silver for that kit. Get it back.
The Wednesday after Easter, at None
I asked Joseph Fuller to carry word south to my brother Kvyetoslav. He refused me to my face. The roads are foul with soldiers, aye, but my brother is out there waiting to hear I survived the winter. Is there no Christian charity left in this bloody town?
I am not walking into Hungarian swords for you or anyone else, Michael. It is madness.
Save your breath, Michael. The boy is too soft for the southern roads.
Nota scribaeThe man was shouting in the street and had to be told to keep his voice down.
St Gregory's day, at Prime
Standing by the lower market in the freezing mist, waiting for Lambert to point his holy finger at us. Drslav twisted his leg on a timber wagon, the careless fool. Now I have to do the lifting of two men while my own back breaks.
It was wet wood and bad luck! Let's see you try it.
The eve of Ash Wednesday, at Sext
The fever nearly took me last week. Christ almighty, my bones felt like ice. I needed ale and physic just to keep breathing. Juliana took the last of what I held as a pledge for the medicine. Better to be deep in debt than dead in a ditch.
Aye, the winter takes the weak ones. Have a drink, Michael.
Nota scribaeHe still looked pale and coughed twice while speaking.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I need that axe to keep warm, Michael. Give it here.
Pay the wage first, Boar.