Incompatible Values, Happy Breakup

Unlike Ghost, whose days were busy and fulfilling, Prince Rhaegar had been growing increasingly frustrated lately.

He could not squeeze into Rhaenys's schedule at all, and she was still deliberately avoiding him. For the first time in his life, he was at a complete loss with a woman, with no idea where the problem lay.

One morning, when Queen Rhaella returned to her chambers after morning prayers, she found Prince Rhaegar waiting there.

The queen thought something important had happened, only for the prince to ask about things like "how to get along with Rhaenys" and "what makes a happy marriage."

Queen Rhaella laughed and teased him. "My son, I heard you were the most popular man among the women of King's Landing, yet none of them ever moved your heart, not even the greatest beauty in the Seven Kingdoms. And now Rhaenys has you all unsettled?"

Rhaegar turned his head, keeping his mother from seeing his expression. "I simply don't want these little things spoiling my mood. She keeps deliberately avoiding me. If she keeps doing this after we're married... I don't know what I'll do."

After asking him what had happened, Queen Rhaella did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Not only did you let that Cersei girl cling to you, but you even said something spiteful like 'let her play around.' And you even told her to stay away from her friends?"

"Rhaegar, being so disrespectful isn't like you."

The prince wilted under her questions. He seemed to sense that something was wrong, but could not pinpoint exactly what it was.

Queen Rhaella took her son's hand and sat him down, speaking calmly. "You are different from your father, Rhaegar. You are a born king, and you have always done very well."

"But you cannot treat love the way you govern a kingdom."

"Love is possessive, especially for a woman as... unusual as Rhaenys. Your attitude toward love has made her feel insecure."

Prince Rhaegar seemed somewhat unconvinced, but Queen Rhaella interrupted him. "I do not love your father... so I have never cared who he beds or how many bastards he fathers, as long as they don't come before me and become an eyesore."

"You should be grateful. Rhaenys cares about your attitude and your thoughts because she has feelings for you. But that girl knows her own mind. Once you cannot give her the same love in return, she will treat you the way I treat your father."

"Is that what you want, Rhaegar?"

Rhaegar seemed to understand something from his unhappily married mother. With some difficulty, he asked, "Mother, what should I do...?"

Queen Rhaella was a little tired. Leaning back in her chair, she said softly, "Care for her. Get close to her. Not by casually fobbing her off with money and gifts, but through real actions."

While the prince and Queen Rhaella discussed matters of the heart, Ghost and Elia were still exploring fashion trends.

With his love life going poorly lately, Ghost was brimming with enthusiasm for starting a money-making venture.

Elia's plan to make sleeveless qipaos had been ruthlessly dashed. The tailors cried out that this was a vulgar, godless style that morality could not tolerate.

They could only burn the qipao designs dejectedly. (A cause for celebration-Ghost had been terrified that Elia would actually dare to wear one.)

Elia then pressed him into service again, ordering him to draw her a Rococo gown that was both sexy and flattering to her figure. Ideally, it would also include a few religious elements to shut those old fossils up.

Ghost did not know many brands, but anything involving religious scholarship certainly would not suit Rococo. He carefully sifted through his memories and suddenly thought of one.

Why not make an adaptation of a [Gaultier] design?

Sparks of inspiration flew. Ghost slapped the table and cried excitedly, "Let's make a Seven Children Series."

Elia was a little confused. "What Seven Children Series? Are you making clothes for nuns?"

Ghost shook his head. "No, Seven Children Series is just a code name. Don't you want clothes that are beautiful and sexy without getting criticized by the temples? I'm planning to make seven outfits in different colors and styles, each representing one of the seven gods and the authority they wield."

Elia thought it over carefully, and her eyes lit up too. Ghost grew more excited as he spoke. "Look, don't we already have ready-made styles for the [Mother] and the Maiden? We just need to use that floaty fabric for the veils and trailing capes to create similar halos and ribbons. Or we could simply work on the hairstyles. Tall, tower-shaped buns, or variations on braids... wouldn't those represent the Mother's mercy and the Maiden's innocence?"

"The Stranger would be easy too. All black and purple fabrics and accessories to represent darkness and mystery, with a lantern burning green fire in hand. Wouldn't that represent the souls under his dominion?"

"Uh," Elia said, her thoughts going off track. "Green fire? Isn't wildfire far too frightening?"

"It was just an example. Flames representing souls... we can use another color anyway." Ghost was helpless.

Elia said, "Now that you've explained it, I think it could work. Clothes like these, with their reverence for the gods, will definitely earn the approval of the septons of the Seven."

The wealthy woman waved a lavish hand. "I trust your taste. Do it! Tell me if you need anything."

Ghost excitedly began drawing, becoming so absorbed that he lost track of time. Elia had initially offered suggestions with enthusiasm too, but at some point she had grown tired and left.

Only when the prince's steward came to fetch him did Ghost realize he had gone hungry from noon until evening.

"The prince wants me? What is it?"

The steward bowed respectfully. "Princess Rhaenys, the prince invites you to dine with him."

Ghost waved a hand. "Sigh, there isn't much good food in the palace anyway. But why does Rhaegar suddenly want to invite me?"

How would the steward know? He could only keep smiling.

Ghost thought it over. He had to show Prince Rhaegar some respect, and besides, the man was sooo petty and prone to sulking.

"Wait a moment. I'll change and then go."

Ghost followed the steward to Rhaegar's quarters and discovered that his small dining hall was as spacious as his own reception room. A huge white stone table was already covered with all kinds of food, wine, and desserts.

Rhaegar sat at one end of the long table, while he was supposed to sit at the other end, several yards away.

Ghost was speechless. How could a meal like this have a good atmosphere? They would have to shout just to talk.

Rhaegar looked a little strange today. He kept trying hard to smile at him... Ghost occasionally saw the corners of his mouth twitching and felt exhausted on his behalf.

Rhaegar came over in person and helped him into his seat like a gentleman. Ghost could not help saying, "Don't smile if you don't want to. It looks exhausting."

Rhaegar: "..." She really was direct.

Normally, he only smiled like this when dealing with those hypocritical, troublesome nobles. After a whole day, his face would ache and he would be mentally drained.

Rhaegar put away his smile and returned to his aloof, handsome demeanor. Ghost found him much easier on the eyes too. "That's better. You look distinguished."

Rhaegar wondered whether the woman before him had been replaced by someone else. She spoke to him so frankly and casually today, without the slightest decorum or ladylike behavior.

And he had not even spoken yet, but she had already started eating?

Mostly, Ghost had not eaten since noon and was still hungry, so he could not be bothered with pleasantries with the prince. He grabbed a roast chicken and started gnawing, polished it off in a few bites, then stretched his demonic claws toward the roast venison.

Prince Rhaegar had originally wanted to stir up some tender feelings and coax Rhaenys with a few sweet words, only to discover that he could not find an opening at all.

How was she eating so fast!!!!

And wasn't she eating far too much!!!!

And she was going exclusively for meat! Big chunks of meat...

Prince Rhaegar: stunned dog.jpg

He froze, and even the silver fork in his hand fell onto the table.

Barbara, attending nearby, had already covered her eyes, unable to bear watching. When the steward had come to invite Princess Rhaenys to dine with the prince, she had sensed disaster looming. The princess's table manners were truly hard to describe... she ate so much, and so fast.

That was Prince Rhaegar across from you! Weren't you going to consider your image at all?

In truth, Ghost's table manners were reasonably elegant. He had, after all, been trained by Master Weilisi. He was simply extraordinarily fast, his stomach seemingly a black hole. Those large chunks of meat vanished into his mouth almost in the blink of an eye.

There was another reason: he had already decided to give up on Rhaegar. So he stopped pretending. It was too exhausting.

After lying low in the Red Keep for a few years, once Lord Rickard was thoroughly disappointed with his salted-fish attitude, he figured he would have a chance to return to the North, to Lyanna's side.

Of course, there was an element of giving up on himself too. In any case, he and the prince were ultimately not the same kind of people.

The steward reminded the prince, "Your soup has gone cold. Would you like the kitchen to heat it again?"

Prince Rhaegar came back to himself and nodded, then propped his face on his hand with great interest. He wanted to see just how much Rhaenys could eat...

So this was what the petite, slender girl was like in private? Had she often gone hungry since coming to the Red Keep, leaving her still looking so frail without gaining any weight?

Prince Rhaegar's thoughts went completely off course. The polite words he had intended to say vanished, and he began worrying about Rhaenys's meals.

Ghost feasted, finishing off two chickens, half a suckling pig, a goose, two haunches of venison, and a plate of steaks. Only then did he stop, still wanting more, to drink vegetable soup, gazing longingly at the roast fish...

When he looked up, Prince Rhaegar seemed to be distracted across the table.

Oh no. Had he eaten so much that he had frightened the prince?

With difficulty, Rhaegar asked, "Have you... not been eating well since you came to the palace?"

Ghost thought about it and nodded. They were not married yet, and the portions and delicacies provided for meals at court were essentially fixed. It was rather like the "allotments" in ancient China.

Besides, Barbara had always refused to let him eat too much, terrified that the prince would no longer like him if he grew fat.

Ghost felt that Barbara was simply worrying over nothing. He was a werewolf, after all... a wolf could eat well over ten jin in one meal.

After stuffing himself at the prince's table, Ghost felt too embarrassed to keep treating him so coldly. He had also been thinking ever since their argument that day, and felt it was unrealistic to impose his own ideas about love on a medieval prince.

So he had come to terms with it. After all, this was someone he did not deserve. Besides, according to the original story, Rhaegar was supposed to marry Elia anyway.

Ghost spoke hesitantly. "I went back and thought carefully about our betrothal."

"This was all my fault. I have some personal... quirks when it comes to love. So I think perhaps Elia would be a better match for you."

Rhaegar's expression gradually darkened, a storm brewing in his beautiful crystal eyes. That cold, prickling sensation returned...

Ghost swallowed and insisted on finishing. "I don't mean breaking off the betrothal, but... perhaps you could choose someone else you like as well? Elia is very good..."

Queen Rhaella's words echoed through Rhaegar's mind. "Do you want Rhaenys to treat you the way I treat your father?"

He brought his hand down heavily on the table with a dull bang.

The steward jumped and hurriedly called for someone to fetch a maester to examine the prince's hand-the palm he had struck the table with had begun to tremble.

Even the Kingsguard outside the door came running in at the sound. The prince waved his other hand, signaling for them to withdraw.

Rhaegar lowered his eyes and said, each word distinct, "You will be my only wife."

Ghost wanted to speak but stopped, while Rhaegar abruptly turned and strode out of the hall.