einon ab ithel, one of owain's captains, brings prestcote from wales. eliud accompanies them, as einon's groom and as the hostage to remain in shrewsbury while elis returns to wales. prestcote is ill and wounded, and is taken to the infirmary at shrewsbury abbey. while almost everyone in the abbey is at their midday meal, elis tells eliud of his love for melicent and his plan to ask her father for her hand in marriage. elis goes to prestcote's room, only to be ejected from the ward by brother edmund, the infirmarer. as einon prepares to leave, eliud asks cadfael to go with him to recover einon's cloak, which he left behind in prestcote's room. they find prestcote dead, smothered in his sleep.