Chapter 4

Aragorn stood in the Home Depot, rolling the cart back and forth bored over the grey tiled floor, the wheels squeaking in protest, unable to do anything to stop him. He was watching helplessly as Elrond picked up little paint cards, frowned at them and put them back in their neat little place in the nicely organized paint card holder, unable to make up his mind.

'I thought we were set on white with a green trim?' he said, hoping to speed Elrond up. Elves really did not seem to have any sense of time.

'But what colour green? Besides, we have the rooms to think about too.' Elrond answered calmly, without looking up. He pulled out a few blue cards and frowned thoughtfully.

Aragorn sighed looked over at Legolas who was busily tapping a small screen, seemingly very fascinated. Aragorn boredly pushed the cart over to him and looked down at the screen.

Legolas looked up at him with a smile. 'I'm painting the imaginary houses,' he announced, tapping an unsuspecting house on the screen a vivid orange.

Boromir walked up to them and looked down. 'That's interesting. Can you paint anything else?'

Legolas nodded. 'Yes, you can paint different rooms.' He tapped the screen some more until it came up with a view of a bedroom. 'Now, we can make the walls this lovely green and the trim pink and…'

'Edel, stop playing with it, this could be useful,' Aragorn scolded, pushing him gently aside.

Legolas crossed his arms in indignation. 'That wasn't very polite.'

Aragorn ignored him. 'So, Derek, what colour do we want our room?'

'Which room were we getting?' asked Boromir.

'The big one with the green carpet.'

'Oh.' Boromir frowned as if he were trying to remember something. 'What colour is it now?'

'A sickly yellow,' said Legolas.

'Yellow,' said Aragorn.

'I don't know, I'm not good at interior design.' Boromir shrugged.

'And you think that I am?' asked the ranger.

'Michael probably wants it grey,' said Legolas.

'We could also wallpaper it,' said Aragorn.

'You decide,' said Boromir.

'Are you done being useful yet?' asked Legolas.

'No,' said Aragorn. 'What if we went with the yellow but toned it down a bit to a golden honey colour?'

'The hobbits would be happy,' said Legolas.

'I thought you didn't know anything about interior design,' said Boromir.

'I don't,' said Aragorn quickly.

' "Toned it down to a golden honey"?' Boromir raised his eyebrows.

'I've been reading these little paint flyers, all right?' Aragorn snapped, waving one in front of Boromir's face.

'Okay,' said Boromir incredulously.

'Maybe we should just paint it white and forget about it,' said Aragorn.

'Fine with me,' said Boromir.

'Then it will match the house!' Legolas chirped. 'Are you done yet?'

Aragorn stepped away from the screen and Legolas slipped back into place.

Maybe it would have been better if we had brought the hobbits along thought Aragorn. But I suppose they're happier at home with Gimli. 'Legolas, why don't you stop being ridiculous, and choose something for your and Elrond's room?'

'Elrond says that he likes the wallpaper already on it.'

'What about Gimli's room? He said that he didn't want to leave the walls pink.'

'Fine,' Legolas smirked down at the screen.

'And choose sensibly,' Aragorn warned.

The elf pouted.

Aragorn ignored him and turned to Boromir. 'I wonder what the hobbits are doing right now.'

'Having more fun than we are, that's for sure.'

'So true.'

'And to make matters worse; when we're done here, we have to go clothes shopping,' groaned Boromir, 'can you imagine how long it's going to take them to choose clothes?'

Aragorn sighed. 'I know.'

'Legolas, please, Pippin will love it,' Aragorn practically begged.

Legolas twisted the shirt back and forth. 'I don't know if it's his colour.'

'Edel, answer me truthfully, do you enjoy driving me insane?'

Legolas turned to him in surprise. 'Michael, why would I enjoy doing something like that?'

'Because you are an Elvish imp,' whispered Aragorn.

The elf smirked and dropped the shirt in the shopping cart.

Aragorn shoved his shoulder playfully. 'Imp.'

Legolas rolled his eyes and picked up a pair of blue jeans. 'Do you think these would fit Sam?'

'They should fit him, and if they don't they'll probably fit one of the others.'

'True,' said Legolas. 'Where did Boromir go?'

'I don't know,' said Aragorn.

Legolas turned back to the clothing rack, his fingers flying quickly through the rows of shirts, he might be annoying, but he was definitely a great help, Aragorn admitted to himself, but of course not to the elf. This just was not his sort of thing, and Legolas was so good at sizing up the hobbits, but there again, elves had remarkable memories.

'Now that should be enough for the hobbits,' said Legolas suddenly, dropping some more clothing into the cart. 'It's a shame that there are so few clothes here that fit us.'

'I'm too tall, and you're too skinny,' said Aragorn. 'I wonder how Boromir fared.'

Elrond approached them. 'Are you almost done?'

Aragorn shrugged. 'We haven't really found much that fits us, or Gimli—Henry.'

'That is unfortunate,' said Elrond, 'but it is growing late, we should head back.'

The ranger nodded his agreement; the city and the artificial environment of TJ Maxx were dragging on him.

Boromir walked up. 'I think I found something that might fit Legolas.' He held up a skinny green, cabled pullover. 'It's a bit warm, but it's the best I could find.'

Legolas smiled at him. 'Thanks.'

'What have we accomplished?' asked Elrond.

'We found clothes for the kids and not much else. Where have you been?'

'I have been out searching for clothing that would fit the rest of us,' answered Elrond.

'And?' asked Aragorn.

'I have not been too successful. I have succeeded in finding clothing, however, it does not seem to quite fit the cultural standards that I have seen.'

'So it looks like what you're wearing?' asked Aragorn with a teasing smile.

'Rather,' answered Elrond.

Aragorn shrugged. 'As long as we are done shopping, anything's fine with me.'

Legolas nodded his support. 'I agree completely with Michael.'

'Thank-you, Edel, but in case you don't remember, you were part of the problem,' Aragorn reminded him.

The elf frowned. 'Really, Michael, that is entirely untrue. I care nothing for cities or stores.'

Aragorn and Boromir exchanged glances.

Do you want to beat him up when we get back? Aragorn asked silently.

Is that allowed? Boromir asked with his eyes.

Not at all. Legolas answered with a glance.

'Let us leave, then,' said Elrond.

The drive back was smooth. Aragorn asked again where Elrond had learned to drive, but he still got no answer.

The hobbits greeted them happily with dinner. Gimli seemed to be in good spirits too, but his face fell the moment he saw Legolas.

'We're so glad you're back,' Merry exclaimed. 'We got worried about you, you took so long.'

Frodo nodded. 'We thought that you might have run into trouble.'

'We did, but it wasn't dangerous trouble,' said Aragorn.

'Well, it's good to see you home,' said Frodo.

'Did you get furniture?' asked Merry.

'Yes,' said Elrond. 'But it has not arrived yet, I see.'

'No matter, we can always sleep on the floor again,' said Frodo. 'Did you find any clothes?'

'We found lots of clothes for you,' said Legolas, 'Seeing that you wear children's clothing. Here, I'll show you.' He opened one of the bags and held up a blue shirt. 'I thought this could be for Frodo.'

The hobbits took to searching the bags with great relish.

'What are we having for dinner?' asked Boromir.

'Sam made a beef and mushroom stew,' said Pippin.

'It should be ready,' said Sam, hurrying to the stove. He climbed up on the chair beside it and looked down into the pot. 'Yes, almost. It will be perfect in just a few minutes.'

'Isn't this cute?' said Merry holding up a green shirt with a picture of a laughing monkey. 'Let's see it on Pip!'

'No,' said Pippin. 'I'm not going to wear that!'

Merry chased Pippin around the room with the shirt.

Aragorn chuckled, but noticed Elrond standing looking sadly out the window. He walked over to him. 'What is troubling you, El…Father?'

'Come outside, Estel.'

They stepped out onto the porch together.

'What is it?'

Elrond sat down on the steps and took Aragorn's weathered hands in his. Aragorn sat down beside him and played gently with his fingers. They were long and smooth and strong—and bare. 'Father, where is your ring?' Aragorn asked in alarm.

Elrond smiled gently at him. 'I have left it behind me, in Imladris.'

'But why?' Aragorn demanded, holding his hand tightly. 'And why did you come to us?'

Elrond wrapped an arm about his shoulders. 'That, I can tell you.'