housekeeper at the armourer's, of Kuttenberg
“I keep the master's house on Platnerska street and hold the keys to his heavy chests.”
Things Christine had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the Tuesday after Whitsun, at None
Father Ernest mocks my righteous anger and demands my prayers written on parchment. I cannot write a letter. If a literate man will set down my curse upon Captain Michael, I will give him the master's iron key and the hour the house is empty.
Nota scribaeDictated in a whisper. She kept touching the heavy iron ring at her belt.
the morrow of Saint Mark, at Prime
I left exactly fourteen groschen on the pantry shelf yesterday. When Anna went to fetch the flour, two were gone. She claims there were only twelve and that my mind is wandering. My mind is perfectly sharp. The girl is light-fingered.
the third day of Easter week, at Terce
Because Anna screamed at Sybil over a measure of carp before Lent, neither has spoken since. Now I must send to the upper market for worse fish just to satisfy the maid's stubborn pride. It is exhausting to manage such children.
Sybil cheated us with a short measure! I will not buy fish from a cheat, even if she has the gout.
the feast of Saint Gertrude, at Vespers
A soldier passed through the lower market today. He told me of Nicopolis. My brother Matthew was not just beaten. Captain Michael fled the field and left them to be slaughtered. Matthew's bones bleach in foreign dirt while Michael eats fat meat in Prague.
God rest his soul. It is a terrible world we must live in.
Nota scribaeShe stood perfectly still while speaking, her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles were white.
Candlemas, at Matins
Seven winters since Matthew marched away. I have hidden another penny under my mattress. Soon I will have enough to pay the parish priests for a proper requiem mass to ease his soul in Purgatory. The saving is my duty to the dead.
He was a fool for going for a soldier in the first place, if you ask me.
Nota scribaeDictated before the bells had even finished ringing across the town.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
A curse is a grave sin, Christine. I asked for it written only to show you its ugliness.
Do not give up the master's keys, you will hang for it.