3: An Unconventional Happy Ending.

Chapter 23: An accord.

Within the week, they have travelled back to Ludlow to claim the bounty for killing the red dragon they received ten thousand gold, basically a thousand each plus some for the guards. They are given an extra five hundred for the generous gesture of leaving over half of the treasures for locals to claim, that extra five hundred is split between Simon and Billy as a bonus. They head into the city and start selling some of the treasure found, they manage to sell five hundred golds worth of fine jewels and jewellery each, Eleanora keeps an absolutely gorgeous emerald pendant, a blue sapphire bracelet and a ruby brooch for her own personal collection, so she doesn't make as much as the rest of them. Darien asks.
"Why don't you just sell that stuff?"
She examines the brooch a little closer.
"What can I say, it's beautiful and I'm quite the magpie. Besides, jewellery can be enchanted so it will come in useful to me."

D: "Alright... If you say so."

E: "Grumpy...."

He doesn't say anything and just wanders off. Corran catches up with her and takes her hand.
"Is he still in a huff?"
She sighs.
"Looks like it...."
Corran is getting fed up of him.
"Ach, just ignore him, you're better off with me anyway."
She grins.
"That's probably true, but I do care about him... Especially if it's my fault he's suffering."
He looks down at her.
"Nah, you two made a deal. Which he canny seem to actually deal with... So just leave him be... He'll get over it, he's just bein' a drama queen..."

E: "Maybe so, but still... So, you're still serious about me? Even though I'm obviously still grieving my last love?"

Co: "Of course I am, that hasn't changed... I'll help you through it in any way I can... I promise... you're more than worth that."

He puts his big arm around her shoulders and they walk like that back to the carriage. The next day, Eleanora takes her gold and buys herself a smaller, personal carriage with a double bed, a desk and a small area where she can enchant and make potions. Its small enough that only two horses need pull it so she buys another horse, a chestnut mare which she calls Myra. Both only costing her five hundred gold. She still has over seven hundred gold from the horde they found. She joins the rest of them with the horse and carriage. Darien looks on, shakes his head and asks.
"Is that really necessary?"

E: "Yes, I need my space to create and study and to be fair to me, its a bit cramped in those carriages... For all of my equipment as well as me and all of my clothes etcetera... And it's somewhere for me to live while I find a place in Calladon."

He scoffs.
"So the princess likes to travel in luxury, why am I not surprised?"
She shakes her head, a little hurt.
"Don't take that tone with me... I earned that money fair and square so I will spend it how I see fit... You're just being rude..."
He gestures with both hands to the carriage.
"It just seems such an unnecessary waste of money! But if you must have luxury..."

Corran walks over as the voice of reason.
"Hey, cool it you two. Darien please, stop being a huffy wee bastard, it's gettin' really tiresome... She helped us destroy that fuckin' dragon, let her spend her gold in peace eh?"
Darien rolls his eyes dramatically.
"You would take her side."
She raises her voice.
"Oh stop being so bloody childish...."

D: "Alright, I'm done here...See you two later... Maybe..."

Co: "Yes, please go an' cool aff. For fucks sake..."

Darien walks back into the carriage and slams the door behind him. A few days later, Darien is still in a huff as Eleanora and Corran grow closer, he seems to act like a big child over half of the time.
"Damn it, I don't know how much longer I can deal with this... I'll be honest, that's why I bought an extra carriage... for some peace..."