A/N-This one popped into my head and wouldn't leave me alone. It's just a one shot so i should get back to work on my other stories soon. (Although i have my first GCSE soon so i'm not promising anything for a while)

He was in his room, pacing, thinking, and waiting. His mind was full of thoughts of her.

In the corridors she slipped past everyone, unnoticed in the darkness. She reached his door, stopped, and silently slipped inside. She closed the door behind her as he looked up.

Seeing her here he smiled and crossed the room to where she stood. He kissed her tenderly and lovingly. She smiled and kissed him back as they retreated to a corner of the room that light didn't reach and she was hidden from view behind him.

They kissed passionately and lost themselves in the other's eyes. Thus they were oblivious to the knock on the door and the fact that someone had entered. A man walked in and saw them in the corner. Well, he could see the man; he couldn't work out who the girl was.

He laughed and hearing him they jumped. The guy spun keeping the girl behind him hidden from the man's view. Seeing who it was he swore. This made the man laugh harder.

Merric bit his lip nervously. "Fal, go away." He spoke urgently. "Please."

Faleron grinned slowly. "Now why would I do that cousin?"

"Because…… I'm asking you to?"

"No way. Who's that you're trying to hide anyway?"

Kel quickly whispered into Merric's ear. "Can't we just tell him? If he promises not to say anything I mean."

Merric sighed. "Fine. We'll tell you Fal, but you can't tell a soul."

"I promise."

"Good. Close the door."

Faleron moved to the door and shut it. Then he went and sat down on a chair. Merric turned, kissed Kel and moved to another chair with her. They both sat down and began to laugh at the shocked expression on Faleron's face.

Finally he recovered. "Please tell me I'm dreaming!"

"Well we could. But we'd be lying."

Kel looked at Merric and raised her eyebrows. "He hasn't even heard all of it yet."

Faleron's eyes widened. "There's more? And were we ever going to be told?"

"We're telling everyone at the ball. It's going to be fun."

"How? And what haven't you told me yet?!"

"We're married Fal."

"WHAT!"

"Not so loud!"

"Sorry, but I'm rather shocked here."

"It's ok Fal…" The bell rang, making them all jump.

Kel swore and jumped up. "I've got to go. I need to see Neal and get ready!" She started towards the door.

Merric stood. "Kel wait." She stopped as he walked to her and kissed her. "You can go now."

"Ok. See you in a bit."

Kel left and Faleron spoke up. "Merric will you please explain all this to me?"

"Sure Fal."

Meanwhile Kel was walking to Neal's room. Reaching it she knocked on the door.

Neal soon answered it. "Kel. What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too Neal. I was hoping you'd give me a quick check up-I don't feel that great and I don't think I'm going to come to the ball."

"Sure Kel." He ushered her in towards a chair and magic quickly flowed from his fingers. When he finished he stared at her in shock.

She frowned. "What is it,Meathead?"

"Kel you're… pregnant."

"What did you just say?"

"You're pregnant Kel."Kel stared at him. "Who's the father?"

Kel hit him. "Don't be nosy Meathead. I think I'm going to go lie down. I'll see you later."

Kel left the room but instead of going to her own room she went to her sister-in-law's. "Ria. You there?"

Maria of Hollyrose opened the door and pulled Kel inside in a flash. "Kel!" She hugged her.

A bell later Kel was ready and she could barely recognize herself. She was wearing a cream dress that she wouldn't normally dream of wearing, her hair had been styled, her face was covered in face paint, a potion had been used to make her eyes brown instead of hazel and Ria had used a little magic to help hide her muscles and scars and change her voice.

A knock sounded at the door. "Kel remember you have to act the court lady or it will go wrong and all you know of your friends is what Merric has told you."

"Yes Ria." Kel then walked outside to where Merric was waiting and Ria followed.

Merric bowed. "May I have the honor of escorting you two beautiful ladies to the ballroom?"

Both curtsied. "Of course my lord."

They began to walk to the ballroom and Merric whispered quietly to them. "Ria, what have you done to my wife?"

"So it works?"

"Yes, I can't even recognize her."

Kel smiled. "I'd be insulted but I can't recognize my self."

They reached the ballroom door and waited their turn to be announced. The herald bowed in question and Merric answered.

"Sir Merric, Lady Keladry and Lady Maria of Hollyrose."

"Thank you my lord." He than stepped through the door and announced. "Presenting Sir Merric, Lady Keladry and Lady Maria of Hollyrose."

In the ballroom Neal looked up to see his friend enter. Frowning slightly he turned to his cousin. "Dom who are those ladies with Merric?"

Dom looked. "One's his sister but I don't recognize the other."

Neal shrugged. "Guess I'll ask him later."

The music then started and Neal led Yuki onto the dance floor. When the dance ended he looked for Merric and saw him talking with the lady he had been announced with. He then watched as Merric walked away to his sister.

Neal quickly walked over to the lady, Yuki following him. He bowed to her. "Excuse me my lady but I have not seen you here before and was wondering if I could ask your name."

Smiling slightly, Kel curtsied. "Of course you may lord…"

"Sir Neal of Queenscove my lady, and this is my wife Yukimi."

"Pleasure to meet you Sir Neal, Lady Yukimi. I am Keladry of Hollyrose."

"You don't look like a Hollyrose…"

"What gave me away my lord? I am a Hollyrose by marriage not by blood."

"So you're Merric's sister-in-law then?"

Kel shook her head and at that moment Merric returned. "Sir Merric is my husband." She put an arm around Merric and smiled at him.

Neal began to look angry. "Merric can I talk to you for a second?"

"Can it wait a minute Neal? I have something I must talk to my lovely wife about first."

" me on the balcony."

At that Neal strode off to find their other friends and Kel turned to Merric. "Yes love?"

"Nothing. I just thought he wouldn't get the others if I went straight away."

"Ok, but there's actually something I need to tell you."

"What?"

Smiling secretively she pulled him to the corner of the room. "When I went to see Neal before to tell him I wasn't coming to the ball he gave me a quick check up. He found something."

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Merric. I'm pregnant."

A huge smile broke out on her face and she saw it mirrored on his.

"You are?" She nodded and he hugged her.

Then Merric sighed. "Time to go face the music."

"Poor you. I'll go change back to normal. Bring them to your room in a bit."

"Ok. See you soon my love." He stood watching for a moment as Kel walked away. She stopped a minute to talk to Ria and then the two of them left the ballroom.

Then, smiling, he headed for the balcony. The smile disappeared as he reached the balcony and saw all his friends waiting there. He walked to them and gulped. "You have some explaining to do Hollyrose."

"I don't see what there is to explain." (This would have gone better if his voice hadn't gone squeaky at that moment.)

"Start with why you never told us you were getting married."

He shrugged. "We didn't want anyone to know."

"Why?" Neal's voice was distinctly menacing.

"I guess we just didn't want a big fuss made when there was a war going on."

"Fair enough. So when and where?"

Merric sighed. "Neal remember when I had to go home for a wedding?"

"Sure."

"Well it was my wedding."

"What! But that was ages ago."

"Look I probably should have told you and I'm sorry. Come on." He began to walk away.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to my room. And you're all coming too so you can get to know my wife better."

They walked through the hallways to Merric's room, not noticing that he was laughing silently to himself. As they reached the door it opened and Ria came out. Seeing them she smiled. "Well I was going to leave but I think I'll stay now." She turned and walked back into the room and could be heard saying. "They're here now."

They then all walked in and found somewhere to sit. Kel slipped out of her hiding place behind the door and shut it, making everyone jump.

Neal exclaimed "What are you doing here?"

Kel raised her eyebrows. "So you're all allowed to be here and I'm not Meathead?"

"Well no but I thought you were going to be resting because…" realizing what he had almost said he quickly changed the subject. "So where's lady Keladry anyway Merric?"

Merric looked at him in fake bewilderment. "She's right here."

Neal looked around. "No she isn't."

"Uh…yes she is,Meathead."

Kel frowned at Neal and Merric. "Who are you talking about?"

It was Neal who answered. "Kel, you know when he had leave to go to a wedding? Well it was his wedding! He's married!"

Kel feigned shock and surprise. "You mean when I had leave because my brother Anivar was home for a visit?"

"Yes, then. Hey you never actually told me why he came to visit in the middle of the war anyway."

"Oh that's right I didn't, did I?" She then began to walk towards Merric. "Well… he came to attend my wedding." She stopped next to Merric and kissed him.

Everyone just sat and stared and eventually Owen spoke up. "But who was the lady we met? She wasn't you Kel."

Kel grinned and bowed with a players flourish. "Thanks to a disguise concocted by the wondrous lady Maria it was me."

Neal then spoke up and what he said confused everyone but himself, Kel and Merric. "Is it Merric's?"

"Yes Meathead, and if you even thought for a minute about suggesting otherwise I would have to kill you."

Yuki spoke. "Can you just say that he didn't Kel because I want my baby to have a father." Realizing what she had said she pulled out her fan and hid behind it.

Neal stared at her. "You're pregnant?"

She hit him with her shukusen. "No I just made up something that I'm not sure of yet and haven't told you alone and I let it slip in front of everyone."

Magic flowed from Neal's fingers for a second then he smiled broadly and kissed Yuki lovingly.

Roald cleared his throat tactfully and brought both of them back to reality. "So what was Neal on about Kel?"

"Oh." Kel's hand slipped to her stomach. "I'm pregnant too."

A thud sounded from outside, causing Kel to go to the door and look outside. Alanna was standing next to the door looking rather sheepish and Raoul was sitting on the floor rubbing his head.

Kel scowled at them. "Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop?"

Alanna grinned. "How would we learn anything if we didn't eavesdrop?"

Raoul held up his hands in innocence. "In my defense it was her idea and she's been spending too much time with George and Gary. Also please tell me that what I think I just heard was a figment of my imagination."

"That really depends on what you heard sir."

"Well I heard that you and Merric are married, Yuki's pregnant and you're pregnant."

"Well I'm afraid I can't tell you anything of the sort because that's all true." She paused. "Well actually the first one's definitely true but the other two are debatable because it was Meathead who confirmed them."

Purple magic flew from Alanna to Kel. "No, they're true as well."

Both women then looked at Raoul. "Has he moved in the past two minutes?"

"No."

"Ah well, let's just leave him there."

Alanna left and then Kel walked back into the room to shoo everyone out.

A/N-By the way nobody connected "Lady Keladry" with Kel because they weren't expecting her to be there and the disguise was really good so she was so different that nobody suspected.