Elliot Counters: A Short Story

'Parry, parry, thrust. ' His mother 's teachings chant its mantra in Elliot 's mind.

Elliot 's sweaty fingers coil harder around the foil 's handle. His conscience is drunk on adrenaline and determination, but his mother 's words continue to sing their dulcet harmonies in his ears.

Parry, parry, thrust. His eyes strain to watch his opponent through the black twine of the mask.

Sweat is dripping from nearly every pore on his body and his breathing is labored, but this does nothing to break his steadfast concentration.

Elliot notices an open spot on his opponent 's body: the leg.

His lips curl from behind his mask.

He can do this. After another, hopefully, successful fend, he can go for his rival 's left leg and win. Finally he

Abigail places her hand over her chest and takes a step back in mock hurt. "I did nothing of the sort brother! I merely saw a rabbit running across the glade and made to shoot it, that 's all."

"Then where is the rabbit?" Elliot counters.

Abigail smiles. "I missed."

"Liar!"

"That is enough! Hold your tongues, the both of you!" Frances roars.

The passing animals residing in the land pause before quickly scampering away from the noisy one. Silence falls over the forest.

Frances sighs, realizing her mistake. She has now scared off all the game Abigail and she have been hunting all morning.

'I suppose this wraps up rifle practice for Abigail. ' She muses.

Frances turns back to her grandson. "Whether there was a rabbit or not, Elliot your focus needs adjustment. Starting tomorrow we will begin to train for maintaining your attentiveness in battle." She says and begins to stride back to the manor. Abigail skips after her.

Elliot stands, clutching the rubber grip of his foil. "Yes ma 'am." He whispers.

Elizabeth begins walking back as well, but not before placing her arms around her son 's shoulders and drawing him into a doting embrace.

Without any prying eyes watching him, Elliot leans against her bosom and heaves a relaxed sigh at the

Yes.

Plagued with poignancy? No.

Does defeating their mother in battle really mean this much to him?

"I was only playing a small joke, Ellie." She calls out to him.

Elliot glances up a her with stoic eyes that so much reminded Abigail of her father, despite the difference of color in Elliot 's and Ciel 's eyes. "I didn 't find it all that humorous." He says as he garners his fallen mask.

Abigail pouts, unappreciative of her brother 's way of brushing her off. "I fail to understand why you are so upset, Elliot. It 's not like this is the first time you 've lost—" She pauses when her brother turns sharply towards her.

She suppresses a flinch when Elliot 's booming voice echoes throughout the woodland. "The reason I am upset, Abigail, is because I became very close to defeating mother today and you sullied it!" He hisses.

Abigail swallows thickly, but continues to hold her ground as an act of petulance. "I told you I saw a rabbit! And in any case, why is defeating mother such an important factor in your life?"

Elliot sends her a steely glare for several seconds before sighing in retreat. He glances back up at her with a forlorn expression.

"Do you remember the last thing father said to me before he passed?" He asks, his