A/N one shot. Just writing to deal with my own problems at the moment.  If you want to fit this fic into a time slot, I guess it could be a prequel to Friendship is a Light of Hope, but this story stands alone.

Everyone Makes Mistakes

Sometimes this house feels like a prison
That I just can't leave behind
There's so many rules
I gotta follow
Cuz you can't let go

-Simple Plan

Fifteen-year-old Estel walked quickly away from his father's study. He was in trouble, but he was being treated like normal. It was as though he had never done anything wrong, as if he was innocent of everything. The only reason he knew he was still in trouble, was because of the look in his father's eyes.

He had heard that children normally had problems with their parents when they reached adolescence, but he hadn't thought it would happen to him.

It had.

The feeling of his father's kiss still burned on his forehead. He could feel the tears prickling behind his eyes as they threatened to spill. 'I hate this!' he screamed inwardly.

He was so furious that he was letting his temper rule him. 'Deep breaths, Estel,' he chided mentally.

He stormed down the hall and towards the front door. He couldn't be around the house right now, he needed to get outside and go for a walk. It was a full moon, so he knew he would be able to see in the darkness.

"Estel?"

Estel groaned as he heard Elrohir's voice. He turned around. "What?" he demanded shortly. "I do not want anything to do with anyone right now. Go away Elrohir!"

Elrohir was taken aback by his brother's tone and the words he spoke. "Well, excuse me!" he turned around and walked back down the hall.

Estel smiled. 'Good,' he thought.

Estel kept walking and finally reached the front door. Before he could push it closed, however, he heard another person call his name and saw a hand push against the door to keep it shut.

"Estel, what did you say to Elrohir?" Elladan asked. He wasn't thrilled with his youngest brother, but he wanted the story straight before he came to his own conclusions about what had upset Elrohir.

"Nothing," Estel snapped. Why wouldn't the twins leave him alone?!

"Of course," Elladan said curtly.

Estel pulled against the door again, but Elladan was much stronger and kept it shut. "Let me out!" he demanded.

Elladan shook his head. "No, tell me what you said to Elrohir and why you avoid Ada."

Estel dug his fingernails into the fair skin on Elladan's wrist and pushed against the door. He cursed when his brother just continued to glare angrily and allowed the blood to drip from his wrist. "Let me out!" Estel yelled.

Elladan grabbed Estel's wrist and dragged him outside. "You and I are going to have a talk, brother."

Estel glared vituperatively at Elladan and tried to pull his wrist out of Elladan's hold. "What do you want?" Estel seethed.

"I want an explanation," Elladan replied, tightening his hold on Estel.

Estel dropped his eyes to the floor. The pain rushed back to him and a sob broke free of his lips.

Elladan, thinking he was hurting Estel, loosened the hold on Estel's wrist.

Estel took advantage of his brother's lapse and pulled free. He tried to run but Elladan grabbed him tightly and steered him towards the gardens.

"Estel, speak to me," Elladan commanded.

Estel was so angry that he lashed out at his brother. "I am not one of you subjects, my lord, and I do not enjoy being treated as such." Estel stood and looked angrily at Elladan. "Why should you understand?" he demanded. "You, Ada, and Elrohir always turn up when I would like to be alone. I am tired of it, leave me alone, Elladan!"

Elladan was angry with himself for bring rude to his brother, but he was tired of Estel lashing out about simple things. He would get angry about the simple things, but things that matter Estel kept locked away. He pulled Estel against him and wiped the tears from the protesting teenager's eyes. "What happened to make you so upset?" he asked quietly. He put all thoughts of the past days behind him, and looked at his little brother.

Estel stayed stiff against Elladan. He wanted Elladan off of him so he could be alone with his thoughts. He almost said as much, when a dam inside of him broke loose and he began to cry.

Elladan pulled Estel into a hug, but the teenage pushed Elladan away. "Estel?"

"I hate this!" Estel finally sobbed out.

Elladan was brought to attention quickly. "You hate what?"

"Everything! I am tired of this!" He purposely was avoiding what this 'this' and 'everything' was.

Elladan stood up and pulled his brother along with him. "Let's go for a walk. It might do you some good."

Estel nodded and began to walk with his brother. He stayed quiet for a long time. "I lied to Ada."

Elladan stopped short and gasped. No one lied to their father, it wasn't a smart move. "Why?"

"I didn't want to get into trouble," Estel replied evenly. He wanted nothing more than to bury his head into Elladan's chest and let his brother hold him.

Elladan looked at Estel. "Start from the beginning."

Estel nodded and opened his mouth to begin the long tale.

"Why did you do such a thing, Estel?" Elrond asked his son. He had disappointment written all over his face and it was slipping into his voice.

"I didn't want to get into trouble," Estel replied. He was rather bored with the conversation. Glorfindel had already gotten after him about what he had done.

"You are enough trouble right now, young man," Elrond informed his son. "Tell me, why did you lie?"

            Estel shrugged. He didn't care what was happening. He was angry with Glorfindel, but not enough to care.

            "Estel, can you imagine how I felt when Glorfindel informed me that you were lying to me about the horses." Elrond was becoming exasperated with his son. He was tired of Estel acting so childish.

            Estel shrugged again. "I assume you weren't very happy," Estel drawled.

            Elrond's temper was rising. "Estel," he warned.

            "What, Ada?" Estel demanded. "Why can't you just punish me and get it over with? I am tired of these talks, I messed up! I know I made a mistake."

           

            "If you knew that, why did you lie?" Elrond asked again.

            "Why not?" Estel asked.

            Elrond sighed again. "Go, Estel. This conversation is not over, but for your own safety, I suggest you leave."

            Elladan eyed his little brother. "How long ago was that?"

            "About eight days ago," Estel replied. He still didn't care much about what he had done.

            Elladan nodded. "Continue, I would like to know everything."

            Estel shrugged and continued.

            Three days later Elrond called his son into his study. "I would like to ask you again. Why did you lie? Was it because you were afraid?"

            Estel nodded. "Yes, I was afraid you would over react."

            Elrond smiled, now they were getting somewhere. "Why did you think that? If you had only told me that you had hurt your horse, I would have been able to help. Now, he is dead and one of the grooms is out of a job  because you lied and said you hadn't done anything to him."

            Estel felt tears prickling behind his eyes. He had indeed lied about his horse, but he hadn't expected the animal to die. He almost wanted to cry again over the death of such a faithful mount. "I was cruel to him," Estel told his father, his voice choked. "I didn't mean to get the groom into trouble either."

            Elrond nodded. "Yes, you were. Well, he is out of trouble now, but you still have to apologize." He wasn't going to soften the truth. Estel was fifteen and could handle it well enough.

            Estel looked out the window that was behind his father.

            Elrond continued. "Why did you lie, though? Lying is an act of cowardice. Were you too cowardly to say you had messed up earlier?"

            Elrond's words bit into Estel like a whip. He had messed up and he knew that. He felt horrible for what he had done, but why did his father continue to hurt him with words? When he was younger, words had hurt him terribly.

            "Estel, answer me," Elrond commanded.

            Estel glared fiercely at his father. He was not a coward, and he would not admit to being something he wasn't.

            Elrond sighed and stood up. "You are not allowed to read the books Elrohir gave to you as a gift. I will be taking your bow, quiver, and sword as well."

            Estel kept his face impassive. "May I go now?" he pressed.

            Elrond shook his head. "No, you will listen to me." He knew how much Estel treasured his weapons and he knew he was dying to get his hands on the books Elrohir had gotten.

            Estel sighed and stayed in the chair. "Fine!"

            "You are not allowed your books or weapons because you misbehaved, but,"

            Estel drummed his fingers on his leg as he waited for his father to continue. He could live without his weapons; he knew Elladan and Elrohir would just lend him theirs.

            "Elladan and Elrohir are not allowed to teach you. You are also not to leave beyond the lake that you and your brothers are so fond of." Elrond looked at his son. "You will also make a formal written apology to the groom, his name is Telnin." Elrond looked deep into Estel's eyes. "I do not want to take these things from you. I had believed you Estel! I had honestly trusted you were telling me the truth about your horse. It is such a minor thing. Who would have thought it would turn into something so big?"

            'Minor thing, minor thing, minor thing." ran through Estel's head like a broken record.   

            "The trust is gone, Estel. That is your real punishment. The trust is broken and I do not know how we will rebuild it," Elrond informed his son sadly.

            Estel shrugged and got from his chair. It was a dismissal and he knew it.

            Elladan gaped at his little brother. It explained why his father had told Elrohir and himself not to teach Estel. Not knowing what else to do, he gently touched Estel's shoulder.

            Estel flinched visibly and turned away from Elladan. "May I tell you the rest? It feels good to say all of this."

            Elladan nodded. He didn't know how to comfort his brother, but if talking would help, he would listen.

            "This happened today. Only ten minutes or so before you held the door shut." He reached for Elladan's hand but it brushed his wrist and Estel felt something sticky. He looked down to see blood. He winced, knowing that his nails had caused that. "I am so sorry, Elladan."

            Elladan looked down at his wrist, surprised at how bloody it had become. "It is alright, Estel. I have lost very, very little blood and I will be able to bandage it when we return to the house."

            Estel nodded and continued, telling what had happened that day.

            Estel picked up the practice sword that was lying on Elrohir's bed. He knew that Elladan and Elrohir taught three elflings one how to use a sword, but he hadn't expected to find it on Elrohir's bed!

            He picked it up and looked around for the sheath. He didn't want Elrohir to come into his room and accidentally lay down on the practice sword. Though the sword was dull, it was still hard and would leave a bruise if Elrohir jumped into his bed.

            He had come into Elrohir's room looking for the twin, but hadn't found him.

            Estel didn't hear the door open behind him.

            "Give me the practice sword, Estel," Elrond commanded. He was slightly disappointed that Estel had disobeyed him.

            Estel grumbled angrily but handed the sword over to his father. "I was not practicing, I just found it!"

            Elrond gave his son a look of doubt. "Of course," he said curtly. "There have been enough lies between us, Estel." He turned and walked from the room, placing the practice sword on a chair.

            Estel followed his father, protesting that he hadn't been using the sword. "…but Ada!"

            "I am getting rid of it," Elrond declared as he headed towards his study.

            Estel muttered something under his breath that Elrond chose to ignore.

            Elrond walked into his study and began to look through the scrolls.

            "Ada!" Estel cried. "I honestly was not using he sword!"

            Elrond smiled at his son and kissed his head. "Go to bed soon, Estel."

            Estel turned and stormed out of the study.

            "I had tears building behind my eyes. My forehead burned where he kissed it, Elladan. I was so angry that I was seeing red! I hardly ever get that angry!" Estel said.

            Elladan nodded. "What did you say to Elrohir?"

            Estel glared, but told his brother exactly what he had said to Elrohir.

            Elladan sighed. "Well, after hearing everything that happened, I think that you do deserve your punishment."

            Estel nodded. "I know I do, but I just wish that Ada had believed me when I told him I was not using the sword."

            Elladan smiled slightly. "Would you have believed you?"

            Estel looked at his brother and then shook his head. "No, the trust was shattered. I wouldn't have believed a word I said."

            Elladan pulled his brother into a tight hug. "Do not be angry with Ada, he loves you. I know it is hard to accept, but he is doing this for your own good."

            Estel sighed. "I know, I just wish that…"

            "Do not wish, just learn. Learn from the mistakes you made. If you wished you had never made a mistake, it could cost you greatly later in life," Elladan informed his brother.

            Estel smiled and hugged Elladan tightly. "Thank you."

            Elladan nodded. "Oh, Estel?"

            Estel looked up. "Yes?"

            "Do not tell Ada that you were not using the swords, again. It is best if you don't say anything. It is better for you," Elladan told him quietly. It was true. If Estel continued to protest, their father would get angry and punish Estel further.

            Estel sighed. "I know, I will not bring it up."

Elladan ruffled his little brother's hair. "Good, it is a wise choice."

Estel nodded, and the two brothers made their way back home.

Everyone makes mistakes. Both young people and adults lie. You must look deeply into your heart and show what you can offer. Love. Unconditional love is what everyone needs. From their parents, siblings, friends, and everyone else. Unconditional love helps everyone with most situations.