garrison guard at Raborsch, of Around Raborsch
“I lean on a spear in the rain and wait for something to happen. It mostly doesn't.”
Things David had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Tuesday before Ascension, at None
The wind is coming off the hills cold enough to crack bone. Stood my watch with Prokop. He gave me half an onion, which is more charity than a man usually finds in this sodding garrison. Edmund walked past and wouldn't even turn his head.
Nota scribaeThe guard was shivering while he spoke and asked to stand near the brazier.
the third day of Easter week, at Vespers
Zdenyek bought ale at the tavern and acted like the king of Bohemia tossing pennies around. I asked him where he found the coin and he told me to mind my business. We both know where he found it. If he doesn't square up soon, I'll stop being quiet about it.
Keep your mouth shut, David. The ale is bought, just drink it and thank the Lord for your good fortune.
It's not my good fortune if I haven't seen a groschen of it, Zdenyek.
the eve of St George, at Compline
I cannot sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see the woods, and I see that poor bastard's face when he realized nobody was coming back for him. Edmund was supposed to hold the line. He ran. And now he tells the corporal that I left the rear open. I had no orders for the rear! Bloody coward.
Watch your tongue, boy. If the rear was secure, we wouldn't have been flanked. You panic, and then you blame your betters.
Leave it be, David. The corporal won't care who said what if you both start shouting. Keep your head down.
Nota scribaeDictated in a rush. The man was picking furiously at the rivets on his harness until his fingers bled.
the Monday after St Gregory, at Terce
They say the king's brother has brought more Cumans into the region, or maybe it's just mercenaries. I don't care, so long as they don't march down this road. We have barely enough pottage to feed ourselves, let alone an army. Stamped my feet for four hours at the gate today.
If they come, lad, we just nod and open the gate. That's what a guard does when an army shows up.
Candlemas, at Sext
Father died ten winters ago and left us nothing but a leaky roof and frostbite. I took this garrison lease because they promised a dry bed and a full bowl. The bed is wet straw and the bowl is mostly water and turnips. Still, it beats freezing in a ditch. Barely.
It's honest work, lad. And the turnips are better than the beatings you'd get working for the miller.
I suppose so, Havel. But a bit of meat wouldn't kill the quartermaster.
Nota scribaeThe guard sighed heavily before beginning.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
You can have the other half tomorrow if you stop complaining about the cold, lad. We all feel it.
I had duties to attend to. A guard looks forward, not sideways at every boy who wants his hand held.