soldier at Nebakov fortress, of Nebakov fortress
“I stand watch and haul wood for lazy bastards. I am the only honest man left in this garrison.”
Things Roger had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Tuesday before Whitsun, at None
Still not a penny of pay since Candlemas. My boots are worn through to the mud. And now the older men say we all must chip in for the forty groschen we owe Klara for winter ale. I drank none of it. I will not pay for other men's gluttony.
Nota scribaeDictated by the well. He spat on the ground three times while speaking.
the second day of Easter week, at Vespers
Hauling water again while Adam and Jan sit on their arses. They call themselves veterans but they are just lazy whoresons. I stay awake on my watch, which is more than I can say for some of the bastards here.
Keep hauling, boy. A strong back makes up for a weak stomach.
the Thursday after St George, at Prime
Geoffrey tried to speak to me in the mess today. I spat on the floor. I will never share a cup with a man who saves his own skin and leaves a sleeping boy behind in the dark. Stislav should be here.
It was pitch black and Adam told us to scatter from the Hungarians. I did not leave him on purpose, Christ almighty.
You slept right beside him in the hay. You knew.
Nota scribaeThe man was shouting so loudly the fortress horses woke.
the Monday after St Gregory, at Terce
I stare at the main gate every evening. If Nicholas had not fallen asleep on guard at the sheep barn, we would have had warning before those horsemen were right on top of us. We ran blindly. It is his fault the boy is gone.
I was not asleep. The wind was howling and they had muffled hooves. God's nails, let it lie, Roger.
the first day of Lent, at Sext
We came back to the fortress without him. Stislav is still out there near the Vidlak ponds. He is not dead, he is just lost. The rest of this mess ran like frightened sheep. I will wait by the gate until he walks through it.
The Hungarians were everywhere, lad. You have to make your peace with it. Up in heaven there'll be no patrols.
Nota scribaeThe speaker looked exhausted and stared at the wall the entire time.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
She threatened to go to Captain Ulrich, Roger. We all hang together or we all get the strap.
Let the captain flog the ones who drank it.