A/N: I'm really, really sorry I haven't updated in forever…really, I am. Our internet's been disconnected, and will be for a while…*scowls viciously at the new extension* It's all my Dad's fault. (Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt blame everything on somebody else.) And I'm trying to write original stuff now. (Note: 'trying' being the operative word. I'm failing. It's a load of…)

Anyway, this is the third to last chapter, and the title is from a nonsense poem that a friend of mine recited two-and-a-half years ago, and I don't know who the author is. It takes place some time after Meet The Team, and is really more of an interlude/ennui before the big attack on the wildcat fortress. Mariel and Dandin quarrel. Badly. And somebody's actually listening to Laurie, for once, which I'm sure can only lead to trouble.

I really need to sleep. And Durante's giving Dandin an inferiority complex. But I don't think he's evil. Yet. I'm hovering…I don't think he's evil. Yet. I'm hovering…Durante's a bit like Cal in Titanic…but doesn't have any claim on Mariel, thank goodness…he's a coward. And, to follow my Yorkist tendencies instead of my Welsh, in that, he's like Henry Tudor (the Seventh) I am a firm advocate of Richard III, you see.

The next chapter, Going For Gold…*yawn*.

I've changed the title, as you may have noticed, to Your Faithful Friend. Please, please tell me what you think of it, 'cause I prefer this to Love In The Light, but I don't mind LITL at all.

Mariel Gullwhacker.

Disclaimer: Well, of course I own Mariel and Dandin. I mean, who else's would they be?

Just kidding.

I'll leave it up to you to decide what BJ owns. I only own 'Your Faithful Friend', but I highly doubt anyone wants it.

Your Faithful Friend 06: Back To Back They Faced Each Other

One fine day in the middle of the night

Two dead men got up to fight

Back to back they faced each other

Drew their swords and shot the other

A deaf policeman heard the noise

And arrested those two silly boys.

- Anonymous (Good old Anon!)

To be honest, a less patient person than Lady Safire would have tried to break up the argument, but she knew, or thought she knew, Mariel and Dandin well enough to guess that such quarrels were easily forgiven. But Lady Safire waited outside the door until Dandin stalked out past her without seeing her, and she decided it would be wise to make a strategic retreat.

It had begun like this: Dandin had come to Mariel's chamber to ask her about her relationship with Durante. It wasn't a particularly prying question, in his view, he had asked questions like this before, when rumours had gone round pairing Mariel with some unlucky young mouse, and she had laughed in his face. In a sudden fit of uncharacteristic humility, he had said:

"Of course you love Durante. Why shouldn't you?"

"Why should I?"

"He's so nice to you. He's rich. He can offer you everything you might want. And he's in love with you."

It seemed entirely reasonable that Mariel should, therefore, love him back, in Dandin's view.

"Is he?"

"Isn't he?" Now Dandin was puzzled. He knew perfectly well how he himself felt about Mariel. It was inconceivable to him that Durante did not feel the same way about her.

"He says he is. He might well be. But why do you care?"

"You're my friend." Well, it was true. Of course, there were other reasons. For instance, he was worried about her. And…

"That's not an answer."

"I think it is." No, he didn't. She was right, it wasn't an answer.

"It's not the answer I want. Tell me why you really care."

"Why do you want to know?" Dandin wanted to curl up and die. How does she know?…Does that mean – everyone ELSE does as well?

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." I think I might understand, after all.

"You'd be the last person I'd tell this to."

"Oh, thanks." Dandin was hurt. After all that's happened to us, she won't tell me? She should know by now that I'd never betray her. He stood up angrily, eyes flashing. "I'm good enough to listen to your little secrets, but the important one I'm too inferior to know? That's great, Mariel, just wonderful. I'm fine with that. Better go and tell Durante all about this big upsetting secret, 'cause I'm just too thick to understand!"

He turned and walked away, swallowing hard. Mariel started after him, trying to call out, but the words stuck in her throat, and to her intense fury, her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm not upset. I'm not upset."

She repeated this to herself several times, but when she thought she'd finally beaten it and stopped, one tear slid down her cheek and Mariel bit her lip.

"I'm not upset."

Lady Safire, who had heard just the latter part of the argument, decided, as we have seen, to make a diplomatic flight from her position.

*

"So, d'you see? In my humble opinion – flippin' heck – ahem! Mariel and Dandin were made for each bally other."

Laurie had been speaking for some fifteen minutes on this subject, although the first ten had mainly consisted of insults towards the unfortunate Durante. The old wife Marian had listened politely to her diatribe, and when Laurie had actually said something that wasn't insulting, sentimental, or repetitive, Marian had actually expressed some interest. Finally, she said:

"I think you're absolutely right, Laurie."

"You do?" Laurie stared at Marian in disbelief.

"Yes, I do."

"Flippin' – bally – heck. That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me." Laurie was stunned, and not a little touched.

*

As Mariel walked down the corridor, she felt, rather than heard, a presence behind her. She quickened her pace. The other creature did so too.

Paw on her weapon, she swung round to face the other. But instead of facing the way she had come, she found herself being slammed into the wall. Durante's face was close to hers. It was clear he had been drinking.

"My dear gel…" he slurred.

Mariel lashed out at him, but he caught at her sleeve and managed to keep his balance.

"Don't think you'll get away that easily, my gel…" he garbled indistinctly.

"Leave her alone."

The voice came from the head of the stairs. Dandin, paw on dagger, was standing there, to Mariel's relief.

Durante looked for a moment as if he was going to disobey him, but after an agonising pause, turned and slunk away into a side-corridor.

Dandin came down the stairs, authority gone, but now he felt somewhat awkward, as did Mariel.

She swallowed. "Thanks."

"It's OK…" he shrugged it off, embarrassed.

"Well…thanks anyway."

He nodded, and walked away in the opposite direction. Mariel was left to proceed to a meeting with Aureole and inwardly berate herself.

I am an idiot. Besides, I could have handled Durante. I didn't need Dandin. But he rescued me from…that…and I can't even say 'thank you' properly. That means…oh, forget it.

Then, the evil little voice said:

If you can…

*

Aureole was disgusted beyond words at what Mariel told her. She went to find Durante on the spot, while still in a righteous rage, and found him in the mess hall, considerably more sober than before.

"What the – to borrow a phrase from Laurie – bally heck were you thinking?"

She glared at him, daring the young noble to be impertinent.

"All's fair in love and war, my dear gel." He looked indifferently at her, with all the arrogance of his ancestors apparent in his manner.

"Of course," retorted Aureole sarcastically. "I might have known. You weren't."

"Really, my – "

"Don't. Just don't."

"Do you think it would be a good idea to appoint a new Skipper? Skipper Allen is extremely rude, he stuck my head in a bucket of water a few minutes ago…I was only a little tipsy…"

Aureole could have screamed.

*

"Why are we happy?"

It was Aureole speaking. Laurie looked surprised at the question.

"We're happy people," she shrugged, and turned away.

"No, we're not."

Laurie turned back. Amazement was written all over her features.

"I've always thought we were, rather."

"We can't be. We wouldn't be here if we weren't happy where we were."

Laurie comprehended Aureole's mixed-up sentence perfectly. It was the sort of thing she often said herself.

"I see your point. But Hartfars are happy. We get on and make the best of things."

"So why are we fighting?"

Laurie pondered this question for a moment.

"I s'pose every creature has its bally breakin' point," she said finally. "What d'you think?"

There was no reply. Aureole had disappeared into the trees.

Muttering about the infinite rudeness of this act, Laurie went indoors to join the festivities. They were celebrating the imminent attack on Merriam Castle – which, as Dandin had pointed out, made you realise the truth of the phrase: 'eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die'.

She looked up at the stage. Dandin was preparing to sing. Even Mariel, who had been studiously ignoring him for the past two days, turned her face towards him. Her expression discountenanced Laurie considerably. For a moment, she felt that she had no right to interfere between these two. They could sort it out by themselves.

But it was only for a moment, and then Laurie was leaning forward eagerly, hoping to hear the song she had left lying about in the tower. It was an old song, and not, she thought, very well known, and hopefully those that did know it would have the sense to keep their bloomin' traps shut.

"We laughed as though we were fey

On a Midsummer's Eve.

Then the next day you went far away

Though you promised you'd never leave.

"You knew that wherever you went

I would go too

And that whatever you said you meant

I would always love you.

"I was there for you when your father died

I will be there for you whenever you need.

I was there for you whenever you cried,

I rejoiced with you when your mother was freed.

"I needed you once and you were there

If I needed you now would you still help me?

If I told you I'd die without you to care?

Or would you tell them all to 'leave me be'?

"Do you need me as much as I need you?

I will always be there right until the end.

Do you care as much about me as I do you?

Your faithful friend."

As Dandin relaxed and stepped down from the platform, Laurie glanced back at Mariel, whose head was bent and she looked as if she was doing some serious thinking.

*

Mariel looked down as Dandin finished his song. Dandin doubted her friendship? Doubted how much – Mariel let the thought hang. She didn't want to think about it. Wasn't it enough that he worried that they weren't – well, he had a point. They hadn't even spoken to each other for two days – the longest quarrel they'd ever had. It was hard to sustain bitter feelings when you had to work closely with that creature just to stay alive. Here, where there were plenty of distractions, and contact with that creature was unnecessary, it was easy.

Well, to be truthful, she missed him. And she had a very good idea why it felt like the empty space where he had been was tearing her apart. Not that she'd admit it, of course. Not the idea, not even that she was hurt. Unless they were being charged upon by a rampaging army – which seemed quite likely, if the attack went ahead.

She jumped up and headed towards Dandin. Just as she was about to reach him, Aureole burst in.

"Mordred – massive army – we've been betrayed!"

And the room went silent.