soldier at the guardhouse, of Suchdol
“I keep the peace and try to stop these fresh recruits from stabbing themselves in the foot. The crown's copper never arrives, and the mud never dries.”
Things John had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Tuesday before Whitsun, at None
Will someone go check on William? The boy got blind drunk, fell down the stone steps and split his head on the frost. I would go look at his fever myself, but if I walk near his cot Standa will start shouting again.
Nota scribaeThe speaker looked very tired and rubbed his eyes.
the feast of St Pancras, at Vespers
I told Frantishek to hold his tongue and wait. You cannot sell a heavy thing before a proper trader even arrives on the road, unless you want the quartermaster asking where it came from. Have some bloody patience.
I want my share of the groschen now. I won't wait forever.
Nota scribaeDictated in a very low voice behind the barracks.
the second day of Easter week, at Prime
I am standing here watching Robert wash his own shirts in the freezing stream because he will not pay Constance the laundress for a spilled bucket. Stubborn mule.
I am not giving her good coin for dirty water. My hands work fine.
Mid-Lent Sunday, at Terce
If David asks me to carry one more message to his sister Felice in Vlasim, I will throw him in the ditch. I am not walking miles in the mud for nothing.
She is all alone there and the roads are full of soldiers. Have you no heart?
I am sick to death of hearing about her too.
Candlemas, at Compline
Standa is looking black at me across the mess table again over his cabbage soup. What happened near Kolin last Martinmas was ugly, aye. But Thomas Black and I slammed the barn door shut so we wouldn't all be cut down by Hungarians. Vitek is gone.
You left him in the dark. I can still hear him.
Enough, Standa. John did what had to be done. Let the dead rest.
Nota scribaeThe man was staring into his empty ale cup the whole time he spoke.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
Keep away from him, John. You've done enough for one lifetime.
Just see that he doesn't die in his sleep, lad.