A/N I have two hundred reviews!! Thanks so much to all of my wonderful reviewers.
Dedication: To Mrs. Dom Masbolle, my two hundredth reviewer, I hope your ACT went well.
"Who's home right now?" Kel questioned her eldest brother as they walked toward the castle.
"You're in luck almost everyone is here to hear your big news," Anders said and paused to see if she would give in and tell him her news, when she didn't reply he sighed and continued. "Inness is home, he got a brief leave from the King before he goes north for three months, Conal's home as well, and so is Demadry, she's pregnant again and Gelvan didn't want to leave her alone when he left on border patrol, Patricia, Oranie, and Adalia are here as well, they came to help Demadry as she's at eight months and mostly confined to her bed. However, Avinar is in Carthak still." Anders explained.
"Oh…good." Kel replied gearing up to tell everyone her news. They had reached the castle at this point and headed into the front hall.
"Kel!" She barely had time to register the person's presence before she was enveloped into a hug.
"Hello." Kel said still slightly shocked by the sudden greeting. Baron Piers of Mindelan returned the greeting before questioning his daughter on her sudden arrival.
"I didn't know you were coming, Kel. Did the King give you leave as well?" He asked referring to the fact that Inness was now home for a brief amount of time before he goes north.
"She's come to tell us some big news." Anders replied. Piers lifted a questioning eyebrow at his daughter. Kel scowled at her brother in reply while Piers turned to the others who had come with Kel.
"Domitan, Nealan, Yukimi, welcome!" He said enthusiastically. "I haven't seen any of you since the wedding; I hope you're planning to stay for at least a few days." The three briefly exchanged greetings with the baron before he led the way to the dining hall. "It's about time for dinner," He explained.
"The others should be down soon." Anders added. "And, you, my sister, can tell us your big news once they get down here." Kel nodded in reply and followed her father into the dining hall. Her Mother was already in the room talking to Oranie about something or other.
"Kel!" The two women said simultaneously. She allowed herself to be hugged by the two before greeting them.
"How have you been?" Kel questioned her mother and sister.
"We've been fine." Ilane of Mindelan answered. "What I want to know is how you've been, I haven't seen you in ages."
"I've been great, in fact Dom and I have some news to share with you, but we'll save that for after dinner." Kel replied. Once her daughter had responded Ilane moved on to greeting the others. She hugged all three in greeting and paused at Neal.
"Do you know what this big news is, Nealan?" She asked in a whisper. Ilane knew her daughter's best friend was the weakest link in terms of keeping secrets.
"Yes," He answered. "But, alas, I've been sworn to secrecy, and I'm in no mood to have my head bashed in by an angry Kel." Neal replied in a sorrowful tone.
"Eh, she wouldn't bash your head in, Meathead," Dom began.
"I would do something much worse." Kel finished her husband's sentence with a dangerous glint in her eye. Neal swallowed apprehensively.
"It looks like you're going to have to wait for her to tell you." The healer informed the baroness. The sound of voices echoed from the hallway outside and the room was soon flooded with people. All of Kel's siblings who were home had entered the room even Demadry had come; Inness helped her into a chair as soon as they came in. They had yet to notice Kel's presence. Demadry was the first to notice her younger sister's presence.
"Kel, I didn't know you were coming," She said by way of greeting. The others turned abruptly hearing Demadry's greeting.
"Kel!" With that the lady knight was once more swept up into several hugs. There were some many different conversations going on at once that it was impossible to make out what everyone was saying. However, the siblings soon finished their greetings and took their seats. Kel was seated with Dom to her left and Neal to her right, Yuki was on Neal's other side. The baron and baroness each sat at one end of the table, and the others seated themselves in the spots that remained. They talked amongst themselves recounting events that had occurred since they had last seen each other until several servants came in with the meal. Kel decided that she would wait until after dinner to tell her news to everyone and so idle conversation reigned throughout the meal. They were soon finished eating, and the eyes of all those who new Kel was there to tell them some news fixed upon the lady knight.
"So, what's this big news, Kel?" Anders questioned voicing what everyone was thinking.
"Well," Kel started. "I'm pregnant," She answered. "Dom and I are having triplets." The noise in the room increased tenfold.
A/N My uncle just came in the room to tell me my lizard died. So, I'm ending the chapter here because I'm no longer in the mood to write anything happy.
