soldier at Trosky castle, of Trosky
“I stand my shifts at the gate and keep my head down. A quiet life is a good life, so long as the ale lasts.”
Things Philip had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of Whitsun, at Vespers
Walter is still at it. He reckons he is going to die of a fever before the leaves turn red, and he won't stop pestering me to carry a message to Katchka in Kuttenberg. I told him again, I have no business going that far. She'd probably talk my ear off anyway.
Nota scribaeThe speaker sighed heavily before dictating this entry.
the Tuesday before Ascension Day, at None
Leonard is jumping at shadows lately. I take his shifts on the wall when I can, just to keep him calm. I don't ask what he's got hidden under the floorboards, and he doesn't tell me. Least said, soonest mended.
the second day of Rogation Days, at Terce
Quartermaster Martin handed out our clipped pennies. I took mine straight down to Rose's cellar. A man needs to wash the dust of the road out of his throat. Hynek is still saving his coin for a pasture. Bloody hell, I might be sleeping on wet straw when I'm fifty.
A man needs land, Philip. Ale turns to piss, but a field feeds you.
Aye, but pissing is less work.
Nota scribaeDictated outside an alehouse cellar. The speaker smelled strongly of cheap beer.
the Wednesday of Easter week, at Prime
Julian is still spitting poison about poor Simon, using the boy's memory to beat Hugh down. Simon froze to death in the ditches by the Vidlak ponds. It's a tragedy, but holding a bitter grudge won't bring him back. I just tune it out.
You didn't care for him like I did. Hugh should answer for it.
Leave it be, Julian. Just leave it be.
the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, at Sext
Standing the watch at the main toll gates again. The bread from the cart is dearer than last week, and half as good. There's soldiers on the road, refugees moving about, and everyone is squabbling over pennies. As long as I do my shifts and keep my head down, I'm content.
The bread is like a stone today. I nearly broke a tooth.
Nota scribaeThe speaker leaned on his spear throughout the dictation.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
It is not a joke, Philip. My sister must know before the sickness takes me.
You sneezed twice yesterday, Walter. You are not dying.