soldier at Nebakov fortress, of Nebakov fortress
“I keep the gate and walk the palisade, but my mind is on my sister Anne. I survived the sickness, but she does not know it.”
Things Andreas had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the second day of May, at Vespers
Andrew will not stop badgering me to carry his messages to his kin. I cannot read, and I am not travelling his way! A man gets weary of hearing another man bleat all day. If he grabs my arm one more time, I will knock him into the mud.
Nota scribaeHe spoke this while holding my arm in a painfully tight grip.
the third day of Easter week, at Sext
Checking carts in the grey light makes a man's bones ache. At least Richard Clark's oat stew is hot, even if it is mostly water. I asked Hugh for dry timber to fix the roof over our bunks, and he looked at me like I asked for the King's crown.
Be glad there is oats in it at all, lad. The roads are not safe for the grain carts.
the Tuesday after St Gregory, at None
I begged Gilbert again to carry word to Anne near Kuttenberg. She must think I am in the frozen earth after the sickness last year. He flatly refused me, saying he has no business there. Christ almighty, there is no fellowship left in this garrison. A truly selfish bastard.
the eve of St Matthias, at Compline
The wind howling through the palisade sounds like men dying in the dark. It puts my mind back to the autumn, when the tithe wagon was taken. I stood my ground as long as any man could, but the darkness was absolute. Old Baldwin's face in that wood still haunts my quiet hours.
We all ran, Andreas. The whoresons came out of nowhere. We could not save him.
Nota scribaeHe stared into the fire for a long time after saying this.
Candlemas, at Prime
Another year walking these stones. My back is stiff from that cursed bunk and the wool blanket scratches like the devil. If only the steward would grant a single day of leave, I could walk to Kuttenberg myself and be done with this torment. But no, we are chained to the gate.
Keep complaining and Hugh will put you on the night watch with the prisoners.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
You are a fine one to talk about bleating, Andreas. We hear of nothing but Anne from Prime to Compline.
Both of you shut your mouths before David and I have to drag you apart again.