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Aysu was laughing as she got to her feet again. "Of course!" she grinned. "But I have a feeling that the others are going to be the real challenges - I say we get them down!"

She grinned mischievously.

Aysu climbed back up quickly and looked around to see what was going on.

Ta'neer and Aranxia were still going against each other, though Ta'neer was the only one on the offensive. Aranxia was only blocking, still too shy to attempt an attack of any sort.

"Come on, Aranxia," Aennan was urging her as he danced around to help her keep from falling. "Get her!"

River was back on Jess's shoulders already by now as well, and they were already charging back into the fray.

"You got it!" Aysu grinned, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"Just take a swipe at her!" River shouted at Aranxia excitedly. "Come on!"

Aranxia looked positively petrified at the idea of shoving Ta'neer, so River came up behind her cousin and pushed her instead.

"Eep!" Aranxia yelped and tottered forward, but immediately Aennan stepped forward to re-balance her.

Aysu leaned forward to push her sister over, but Ta'neer grabbed her at the same time and both of them ended up going down, both of them squealing with laughter.

"Get them, River, and we've won!" Jess called excitedly to his fiancee, referring to Aranxia and Aennan.

But before River could do anything, Aennan took it upon himself to go on the offensive - he put his foot behind one of Jess's ankles and pulled, tripping the light elf. Both Jess and River fell into the water with a loud splash.

"Victory is ours!" Aennan cheered, throwing up both arms.

It was this action that finally unseated Aranxia, and with a squeal, she fell backwards into the water.

Of course by this time, everyone was good and soaked: even Aennan, who hadn't fallen in the water. He laughed and helped Aranxia back to her feet before giving her a wet hug.

"See?" he grinned at her. "I told you you could do it."

Aranxia stuck her tongue out at him.

"I didn't even do anything," Aranxia pointed out, blushing. "I mean, I blocked ... but Aennan was the one who took them down."

"Well, you would have if you'd gotten the nerve to try," River laughed. "Honestly, Aranxia. You've been trained just as well as I have! Better, I bet, because you were being held to standards!"

Aennan chuckled softly and grinned at Aranxia. "Did you at least have fun?" he asked her.

She nodded, smiling. "Yes."

"Maybe we could do something different," Ta'neer suggested. "Go back to Keep Away?"

"Let's play Keep Up, that's more fun with more people," Aysu protested.

"Up on the beach, that game is easier up there," Ta'neer suggested. She looked around at the others. "What do you think?"

Another two weeks passed, and Stirring ended. Then came Yestare, the last day of the year, and then Mettare, the first day of the New Year - and River and Aranxia's sixteenth birthdays.

The celebration in the city was huge: parades and feasts and music and dancing and games.

The Aldrich clan (or what members of it were present in Caras Galadhon) had gotten together at the inn where several of them were staying for a big birthday lunch. Present were River and Jess, Aranxia and Aennan, Halmir and Arthael, Timaeus, Alyse, Jasmine, Brooke, Lancaeriel, Wren, Daeron and Iorlas, Earendil, Lin, Miyuki, Andarien, Arwen, Roydon, Kelirahc, Leyenda, Amalirahc and Aravah, Feng, Ryu and Naida, Shiro and Kaito, Emile, Luk - and even Lily had come as a guest and as River's future aunt.

They filled the entire dining room, and it was a good thing that there were celebrations going on all through the city so that they weren't keeping other people from enjoying a good meal.