The Raven-Haired Mistress

Thoughts

"Adler." Monroe said as she came back inside.
"What?" Niklaus asked while cleaning tables.
"He said his name was Adler." She said.
"So?"
"So, who else do you know is named Adler?!" She ran over to her brother.
"The Prince, prince Adler. But that can't be him." He said.
"Why not?! It makes sense." Monroe argued.
"No, it actually doesn't." Nik laughed. "He probably just has the same name, or he said that to try and trick you."
"Nik, he lives in the main city. He is rich and handsome. He always rushes off. He can't come here everyday to drink his sorrows away." She exclaimed. "He is prince Adler!" She jumped for joy.
"Alright, even if he is you are forgetting an important detail." Niklaus said and his sister looked at him with attention. "He is married."
Monroe sunk down into the nearest seat. "Oh, yes. Then why was he here flirting with me?"
"Because he is a rich asshole who wants to pay you for a sex."
"Niklaus! I'm sure that is not true...I feel something with him. We have a connection." Monroe said with joy in her heart, but fear in her eyes. "He will come back for me. You'll see. And then he will tell me the truth and tell me that he doesn't love his wife." She got up and headed behind the bar. "You'll see." She slammed the door behind the bar that lead to the staircase to the upstairs area, their living space.
"Whatever you say." Nik muttered.
__________________________

Adler rode in through a back entrance to the castle to avoid being formally announced. He left that way too. If Regina and him were going to keep up their 'spending-the-evening-together' ruse, then he would have to avoid being seen by anyone. Even the servants would spread gossip and rumors. Luckily, the hour he was rolling in at left the castle completely empty. The halls were silent. The only people around were the guards. They went through a guard shift at about the time he arrived, so he slipped by when they were switching. He went into Regina's room. She was asleep. He had previously left a change of clothes in there for himself for his return. He changed into them leaving the others on the floor, to make it seem he had stayed all night. Then Adler got comfortable on the couch and sleep. He hadn't slept for about 24 hours.
After an hour, Regina woke up. She saw Adler on the couch.
"Adler?" She said as she got up, then poked his shoulder. "Adler."
He opened his eyes slowly and looked up at her. He sat up at attention.
"Regina. Sorry, I can leave." He said as he got up.
"No, Adler it's fine. I just didn't know you were in here." She said.
Regina sat at her vanity and brushed her hair again.
"Well, we have to keep up appearances." Adler stated. "What did you do with your evening?"
"Painted that." Regina pointed to her easel by her window.
There was beautiful landscape painting of lake in a forest in front of a mountain.
"Well done." Adler admired the painting.
"And you?" Regina asked.
"Just went to another tavern. Drank, had fun." Adler said.
"Had fun with who?" Regina asked.
"Random drunken bar men." Adler replied.
Regina turned to face him. "And no one else."
Adler grumbled. "Regina, I was at a tavern filled with men." He stormed out of the room, but quickly calmed down when he realized he was in a hall with guards and maids.
Adler went back to his chambers. He wasn't sure what he wanted at that moment. All he knew was that he wasn't happy and when he was in the tavern, he was.
Would it hurt if he invited her to court? Many Kings of the past and Kings in other countries have had mistresses. Just because his father never did because he got lucky didn't mean he couldn't. He was forced into his marriage. Adler didn't hate his wife, he just wasn't attracted to her. He respected her and wanted her to be happy too. He believed that the way to achieve that was if they were to get an annulment or divorce. Adler wanted happiness. As a prince and future king, happiness was important if he wanted to run the country as well as his father had.
There was also the pressure for the two of them to have children. They tried after they were first married, but had given up since then. The King was concerned especially since he had only one child. He feared that infertility might run in the family. He wanted his son to be always attempting to produce children to secure the kingdom's future. Adler did want children, but if he had them with Regina, they would never be able to divorce.
Adler went down to the breakfast table and joined his family. While they ate, his thoughts would constantly wander back to the raven haired waitress.