Oh, wow. I haven't updated this in…forever. But then I got an e-mail asking me to, so here it is. My writing style's changed a bit, so bear with me. Usually, I put Gil with other guys. This is the first straight pairing I've written for fanfiction in…at least a year. Fedelta's a little OOC, a bit obsessed with tone in humming…

Yani and Gil began to spend much more time together. In fact, Shydeman was getting suspicious.

"Where is it you go every day?" he asked her one day, weeks after she and Gil had begun their friendship. She shrugged.

"Somewhere," she answered him mischievously. He glowered at her.

"Where?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you." And she didn't. She just left again.

Gil waited for Yani in the cave he was supposed to guard. It had been so long since anyone had shown him kindness. Yani was supposed to be his absolute master, yet she was his friend.

How badly he wanted more.

He loved her. She was beautiful, kind, funny. Everything Laam had been, though a different gender. Did she love him, and if she did, would she care that he had loved a man before her?

He had to tell her.

"Gil!" she called, walking around Emphaza listlessly. Where in the world was he?

"Yani?" He peered at her from around a tree. She smiled.

"There you are."

"Come here." He sounded a little bit excited. Yani went to him, and he pointed.

They were standing on a bank on the mountain, and from it they could see so far. Yani could see a silver river, winding itself through a labyrinth of trees and mountains like a snake. The sun shone down on everything, giving it all an ethereal glow.

"Gil…it's amazing…"

"So are you." His voice was so quiet. She turned and looked into his eye.

"I'm not."

"You are. You're everything to me, Yani. I love you." His lips met hers gently, as though telling her she could pull away if she wanted.

She didn't want to. And it scared her. Finally he pulled away.

"Yani?"

"Gil…I love you too." She knew it was useless to resist it.

"Then there's something you have to know. My last lover was a man." He held his breath.

"Oh really? Mine too. How convenient." She laughed at the look on his face, "Sorry. Bad joke."

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not! Come on, Ruwalk and Alfeegi are always…" She clapped a hand to her mouth. Gil blinked.

"Ruwalk and Alfeegi? Aren't they Dragons?" he asked slowly. She sighed.

"I guess there's something you have to know too."

"Who are those from?" Shydeman asked, pointing to the bunch of flowers that Yani was carrying.

"And it matters to you…why?" she snarled. He shrugged.

"Curious."

"Curiosity killed the demon." With that, she marched off to find her flowers some water. Fedelta appeared beside Shydeman.

"Master Shydeman."

"Fedelta. What news?"

"Not much. Emphaza is peaceful. Gil is…a little happier than usual, but otherwise snappish and hateful as always."

"Happier?" Shydeman eyed Fedelta closely, "How so?"

"When I first arrived, he was humming. Tunelessly, I might add. Completely off-key and…"

"I don't care about that. Find out why he's happy." Shydeman had a sneaking suspicion…

"Why? I don't want to hear that crap again."

"Just do it."

"Yes, Master Shydeman."

Weeks passed in a blur. Yani and Gil kept their secret; Fedelta's look into Gil's personal life bore no fruit.

One day, Gil pulled away from kissing Yani first. She growled at him.

"Hey!" she said indignantly. He laughed.

"Yani, I have something to ask you. But I have to get on my knees to do it. Do you mind?"

"…What?" She was speechless as he got on his knees and took her hand.

"When this is over, Yani, I would be honored if you would marry me." His beautiful eye implored her to accept. But…

"Gil…what if Shydeman finds out?"

"So?"

"What if Lord Lykouleon finds out?"

"So?" He was trying hard not to laugh. She smiled.

"If you don't care then I don't. All right, Gil, I'll marry you." She felt like crying as he slipped a ring onto her finger. She knelt down and hugged him tightly.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too."

Yani stared at the people in front of her.

She had come to Gil's house to meet his family.

She hadn't been expecting to meet members of her own.

"Rath!" She tackled hugged him, laughing. Cesia stood off to the side, smiling indulgently at this show of immature behavior. Rath laughed too, hugging her close. The innkeeper, Barl, smiled when he walked in followed by Gil, who gaped. Rath snarled at him.

"You're the guy that insulted me in the dining room," he growled. Gil shrugged.

"Didn't know you were my…that you were Yani's friend." He crossed his arms.

"Your what?" Rath snapped. Yani got in between them.

"His fiancée," she said quickly. Now it was the Dragons' turn to gape.

"…What?"

"Yup."

"You're going to marry…that?" Rath pointed at Gil, who bristled.

"That?" he snarled.

"He's not a that. He's Gil. He's been my lover for about half a year and we're getting married. Get used to it." Yani glared hotly at Rath. Cesia finally intervened.

"Congratulations," she said warmly. Yani nodded at her, forcing a smile. The tension in the room eased slightly. Gil turned and left the room. Yani sighed, and waving at the Dragons, she followed. Gil was in his bedroom, looking at his hands.

"Gil?"

"He's dangerous, Yani." Gil's voice was low and a little scared. Yani sat beside him.

"I know. So are Kai-stern and Cesia. So are we." She pulled him close.

"What if he tries to kill me? I'll lose."

"Oh, come on. You're the big bad guardian of Mount Emphaza."

"He's stronger than me." Gil sounded so scared.

"Gil, what happened? You're not this scared without a reason." Yani stroked his hair.

He told her about nearly killing Kai-stern, about his conversation with Shydeman and then Garfacky. Yani wanted to see Kai-stern, but she knew that Gil needed her now.

"Don't, Gil. Please don't try and kill them."

"What if they come for me first?" he whispered.

"…I don't know."