Sentence The Fourhundredandseventeenth

And while a tale was unfolding to the South of The Eildon Hills where Four members of The Golden Ring were enjoying the help of young Lolly in their ablutions, in the West, where Robyn Macnamara was trying to understand how a US Platoon, long given up as dead and buried had suddenly materialised out of the caves hidden beneath that big old bunch of rock – as one former President might have termed them; and then North-West to the Church of Saint Mary of Wedale, a villatic living, but in a very different time, three other escapees from the Mysterious Hills were being fed and watered by Father Boisel and his charming wife Greta; it was Tavish who told them their strange story, expecting them to be suspicious or even perplexed or - knowing the fears of these times - to interpret them as an example of witchcraft or even Satanism, but Boisel's face spread in a slow smile and when he said: “there have always been tales of strange goings-on around and within the Three Hills, and we can vouch for their veracity and yours, my dear friend and when Tavish looked confused, Father Boisel explained: “it is condign that you have come here, Master Tavish. I have met others, lost souls, wandering and wondering, who are not of this time and place, are not ghosts, but flesh and blood, and I have discussed this with my Brother Bede, for he has met such wanderers also, and we believe that they have come by way of the Great Cavern, of which legends speak - it is too much of a coincidence: the legends tell us that Trimontium is a Hollow Mount, though none have ever found a way in or out; except, of course, my Greta – by a curious happening! of which. perhaps later, but now I ask, whither comest and whither goest thou, my son? speak true or there is nothing I can do for you,” and he sat back and waited; and Tavish exchanged glances with Tammy and Bernie and at length, having taken a decision, he said: “we come from Edinburgh and we go to Edinburgh, for there are certain evil men there who will be the cause and source of evil deeds by their own hands and by those of their sons, and their sons' sons, even unto the seven times seventh generation; they commit every sin it is possible to commit, they rape and murder, they destroy children - it is a form of geocide, perpetrated on the weak by the strong but we have a chance to nip this evil in the bud and cannot pass up that chance - I have already slain two of the ring-leaders and must keep steady until I have dealt with the rest of the ring,” and Father Boisel asked: “are ye self-appointed Judge, Jury and Executioner?” at which Tavish shook his head, “not by choice Father, but of necessity; I know that your beliefs are that evil shall be punished by the Lord God, but I have a chance to prevent evil, and cannot turn the other cheek, whether you are able to assist us or not, I must confront this,” and Boisel clapped him on the shoulder and with a quick word to his wife who, while busy with her baking, nevertheless had also been absorbing most of the conversation; she smiled and nodded, gave her husband a kiss on the cheek and then watched as he led the small group through a door which gave onto an empty yard, at the far side of which stood a cart, leaning against a bare wall; they all helped Father Boisel to move the cart and found behind it, the entrance to a tunnel, which led down to a lower level, a place furnished rudely with several truckle beds and a table with four chairs, but it was the bed furthest from them which caught their gaze, for on it, curled and asleep, lay a young girl; she started as they approached and would have cried out, but Boisel put his finger to her lips and said:

softly“my dear, hush, all is safe, these are friends, they will stay here for a few nights and will be company for you,” the initial fear in her eyes had given way to a look of curiosity, and Boisel turned to the others: “she, too, is not from here, she comes from another land, in the East, and has been ill-used, but we have sheltered her for two months and brought her back to good health; I have also taught her our language, of which she was ignorant, and she is bright and a quick learner, and able to speak lucidly of her past, albeit she still has bad dreams and bouts of weeping for what she has lost – the childhood of which you spake, for sadly she is possessed of a good memory and cannot forget the ill-use she was subjected to before she came here – after spending a long time in The Cavern; you may speak freely in front of her, and she may be able to offer you something of her own history; now, here is wine, and goblets, let us all relax and listen to one another,” and he helped the girl up from the palliasse and onto one of the chairs, while the others sat where they could around the cell; at a nod from Father Boisel, the girl cleared her throat and, looking at each of the three new faces, she began to speak: “my name is Lolly, and I come from the year 2016!”