This was her home.

Despite all of the luxuries, jewels, soft materials and love that being a daughter of the Mirkwood King got her, Gilrien felt most at home in the stables, surrounded by the animals that knew her just as well as her family did in her eyes, in some cases even better than some of her family did, despite her father, she couldn't hide anything from her father, he had gotten a lot of practise with her elder sisters after all, anything she could say or do he'd probably already dealt with previously with one or all of them. The sounds and the sights of the stables made her feel all the more relaxed, she had even gotten used to the smell that sometimes wafted around the stalls. There was nowhere she'd rather be but here. 

One of the mares was close to birth, it would be in the next few days Gilrien was sure, the Ellon that owned her had never had a pregnant mare before, so Gilrien had told him that she would oversee the birth along with the stable hand who usually cared for her. She was currently giving the mare, Nordh, a brush down, the mare was clearly enjoying the feel so Gilrien continued.

Once she was happy the mare was groomed down and her overall health was still good for the birth to come. She moved over to the feed store and placed fresh grain and hay down for her, as well as a sneaky carrot, before departing to tend to the other horses that where currently in her care. Over the years the number of horses that Gilrien owned herself had grown, it seemed to be infectious for her to own horses. She of course had her favourites, as everybody did, however it didn't mean that she ever mistreated the others because she didn't favour them as highly. She loved all of her horses.

The next mare she came across was Gala, a short horse, more of a pony than anything which the children where fond of due to her sweet nature. She petted the little horse on the head as she entered the stall, changing her water and feed. She checked Gala's hooves for stones and dirt, cleaning them out where it was needed as well as her teeth and ears. The little horse recently got over a cold and she wanted to make sure it was not down to an infection of any sort. Once she was again happy with the horses health, she gave her another pat and left the stall.

"Meril, I insist that you go the far way around!" Almarelle screamed from a distance behind, unusually outran by Merilien's pressing footfalls.

Merilien walked on, heedless to her companion's suggestion, "It doesn't matter, Almy." Merilien continued to pace, "Through the stables are the fastest shortcut to that clearing. I am getting up that tree today, and hopefully I can get some samples - like furs, secretions and such - from those squirrels. Black and white stripped squirrels, Almy! I have never seen anything alike."

"But..." Almarelle stomped in the ground, seemingly grieving for Merilien's stubbornness, "The horse hair! The smell! Reactions, Meril! Don't blame me if you come back sneezing and get yourself in bed once more." She shrugged, and hurried on.

Merilien was going out on yet another expedition. This was her fifth in a month. She was often outdoors these days, a crucial reason being her discovering those strange squirrels that are yet too agile for her to catch and bring back to the Halls for the academic purposes of Merilien. So she largely collected the traces left by the squirrels, their food, their dens, and she did a quick sketch for one that she saw climbing a branch that was too high for her to reach. She brought her notebook with her, that middle-sized leather-covered notebook filled with her scribbles and random notes that made it look thick and archaic despite that it was only Merilien's second year of using it. There was an entire stockroom devoted to all her previous notebooks, where this one would also go fairly soon.

Think cheerful thoughts. Merilien liked this kind of situations, where she was able to be herself again with Almarelle by her side.

The whinnying of horses made her queasy as she passed the stables. The smell of them, of the straws, the dungs and all that horse-y things made Merilien sneeze instantly. Yet she managed to control them, and though the stables smell terrible, Merilien loved the horses. She used to ride on a white purebred horse when she was little, and she liked riding far more than fighting or using weapons. But she won't get on a horse now, for Merilien feared that she wouldn't be able to grip on and would fall down the instant she get on one. But she faintly remembered a member of her family who loved horses - was it her little sister Gilrien? Merilien scarcely ever see Gilrien anywhere, for they follow completely different daily routines, and she had no interest in Gilrien's interests anyways.

But just as she was thinking, Merilien saw a figure not far away before her. An elleth with silver in her hair - Merilien was utterly surprised to see the elf she was thinking about standing not far from her. Still she was not sure - but who else in the whole Woodland Realm has the hair of my sister? - so Merilien called out.

"Gilrien? Is that you?"

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I figured that I'd reply here instead of doing a starter ;P