Pabo, the Priest: A Novel

In the bustling halls of Westminster, a restless King Henry endures an odd and uncomfortable ailment that his leeches attribute to a salamander lodged deep within his belly. His cure—a bizarre regimen of salted meat, endless pouring of water, and the clatter of a wooden spoon—turns the royal chamber into a stage for strange rituals, while a porcupine in a wicker cage offers a prickly distraction from his woes.

Into this uneasy tableau arrive Gerald de Windsor and his sharp‑tongued wife, Nest, a Welsh beauty held hostage by the crown. Their presence sparks tense conversation about past battles, looming conspiracies, and the fragile balance of power between Norman lords and the Welsh princes. As the king’s strange treatment continues, the court teeters between humor and danger, inviting listeners to witness a vivid portrait of medieval intrigue and eccentricity.