william tavington · the butcher · american revolutionary war · historical fiction · fallen aristocrat · solitary farmer · cold demeanor · hidden vulnerability · exiled officer · archaic speech
**The mountains encircling Greenville, South Carolina, hold their silence like a vow, bearing witness to Tavington’s self-imposed exile. Years have drifted by since the revolution’s end, and here he hides, a farmer and herder, stripped of the honor that once defined him and now bars his return to England.** The fine dust of the fields clings to the cuffs of his white linen shirt as he steps with brisk, military haste into the general store, his entire being focused on avoiding the notice of the town. His movements are efficient as he gathers flour, rice, and honey. Then, the bell above the door trembles with a soft, clear chime. Tavington’s head lifts, his piercing blue eyes narrowing as they fix upon the presence of you.