a/n: Hello, everyone! Miss me? Haha, just kidding! Anyway, here's chapter fifteen! There are about...hmm...five-ish chapters left. I think. Either way, we are coming towards our big climax and ending chapters! Which is super exciting! Thanks so so much to everyone for the support! Thanks for reading and please please please review because you're all so awesome! Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't own Covert Affairs.

Chapter Fifteen: To Be Happy

Princess Annie and Sir Auggie sprang apart, but the damage was already done.

"What are you doing here?" Auggie demanded of Prince Jai. The wooden legs of his chair scraped across the hardwood floors as he rose quickly from his seat. He then slapped himself mentally; it wasn't good to be impudent at the moment. The Prince could probably have him locked up just for looking at him the wrong way.

To Auggie's shock, Jai actually answered his demand. "I came to do some quiet reading, though apparently that's not all libraries are good for these days." The last part was said with a hint of amusement.

Annie's eyes were wide and cheeks were scarlet. She leapt from her seat and pushed Jai aside as she ran out the door. The two men gazed after the Princess for a few moments until Jai finally broke the silence.

"Perhaps we should talk, Sir Auggie," he reasoned. He indicated with a wave of his hand that Auggie should sit back down. He took the seat that Annie had vacated for himself.

"Talk about what," Auggie said tersely through his teeth.

"About a certain English Princess who seems to drive us both insane in one way or another."

Annie had never felt so vulnerable. She had fled to her chambers and proceeded to soak her pillow in tears. She ignored Joan and Reva as they hopelessly tried to coax an explanation out of her. They knew she had gone to the library, but her sudden change in mood had yet to be explained. The maidservants were left to pat her back and coo that whatever it was would be okay.

Auggie had kissed her. A guard had kissed his princess. And the prince to whom she was betrothed witnessed the entire thing.

The thought made Annie happy and angry and scared all at the same time. She had developed feelings for Auggie in the village, but she wasn't sure how deep than ran. Clearly deeper than those she had for her fiancé, Prince Jai, but that wasn't much to go on. He obviously returned the feelings, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Love wasn't something that could happen between and Princess and a guard, it simply wasn't done. Especially if it meant having to get Annie's father involved.

"I'm going to the library," Reva whispered to Joan, "It might give us some clues. We have to know what's going on."

Joan nodded. She continued to sooth the sobbing princess. Reva silently exited the chambers.

Arthur waited until the door had clicked shut behind the maidservant before speaking, "What's with Princess Annie? She ran past me crying her eyes out about something. What's going on? What happened in the library?"

Reva shook her head and gave a small shrug, "Annie isn't talking to anyone so we have no idea. I'm heading down to the library to try to find out what's happening. Sir Auggie is still down there I take it?"

"He never came back, so he must be," Arthur confirmed. Reva accepted this information with a determined nod and set off down the corridor towards the library.

Once she was down the vacant staircase, Reva saw Auggie coming her way. She rushed forward to meet him. He continued to walk and never stopped to talk or acknowledge the maidservant's presence. Reva was forced to turn around and follow him down an adjacent corridor.

"Sir Auggie! Auggie! Hey, Auggie, what's wrong with Princess Annie?"

She fell into stride behind him as he walked down the hallway. She noticed that his jaw was clenched tight and his eyes were cold like stone. He also looked guilty and ashamed about something, which confused the maidservant even more.

"I don't know," he said simply after a few moments of walking in silence.

"But you were with her! You would have seen something! What happened?"

"I crossed the line," Auggie said enigmatically without missing a beat.

"What line?" Reva exclaimed, "You're speaking nonsense!" The poor maidservant was beginning to grow annoyed with his nonchalant attitude and short, cryptic answers.

"The line between guard and princess," He sighed loudly as he continued, "Reva, this is all my fault. I messed up. I kissed Annie."

Reva froze mid-step while Auggie continued to walk down the corridor. The information clearly to stunned the girl.

"Where are you going?" Reva called after him after a long pause.

Without turning back to acknowledge her question, Auggie rounded the corner. Reva was about to chase after him again when he responded with a shout.

"The garden. To be alone."

Reva sighed, "Well, he was helpful," she said to herself sarcastically, "Better check the library, just in case Annie found any information on French weddings she wants me to bring up to her."

She backtracked down the corridor to the library doors and entered the vast room. It was empty except for Prince Jai, who had curled up in a plush leather chair with his nose buried in a large, dusty book. He didn't seem to notice Reva. She walked over to the table that was covered in several books about French wedding traditions and started to gather them up silently. A small frown graced her features as she thought about the day's events.

"Taking the books up to Princess Annie, I assume?"

Reva jumped when Jai spoke. He looked up at her now. The book lay forgotten on his lap. She nodded slowly, on guard, as the Prince continued to address her.

"I suppose you have heard the news by now?" He then rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly, "Yes, I'm sure you have. No doubt, of course. The Princess was quite upset, after all," he trailed off with a small shrug.

"You saw it?" Reva prodded.

Might was well get the full story, she thought.

"Yes, I did. I'm afraid I upset her though, with a teasing comment I made."

Reva raised a skeptical eyebrow at the Prince. It wasn't in her place to ask for more information so she kept her questions to herself.

Jai coughed uncomfortably and moved on, "Um, how is she? The Princess, I mean."

"In tears," the maidservant said frankly, "So, that was all they were doing...?" She trailed off to let him finish the sentence.

"Kissing? Yes. Don't worry; they had the table between them," He grinned. He looked quite amused.

"Such a pity," Reva mused more to herself than the Prince, "A marriage between them would have no chance of making it. Even if Princesses frequently marry their guards, Annie's father would simply never allow it to happen."

"If marriage for love is such a simple concept, then why is it so hard?" Jai asked with a clear scowl on his face.

"Because there will forever be people trying to control their children's lives. A child of a royal and a guard would be criticized its entire life," Reva sighed as she finished gathering up Annie's books into a neat stack, "It's sad but true. Therefore, Auggie must learn to control himself. His actions today were very reckless and I pray they don't cause any future problems for the two of them," the maidservant looked up from the books to make eye contact with the Prince, "Besides, Auggie knows better. He knows a relationship between himself and the Princess would be hopeless. And Annie is well aware of that as well. They both need to realize how little power they have in this situation. No matter how much they care about each other, they would never be able to be together. Annie's father would never allow it, that's for sure. And they would be forever criticized by the people of our kingdom."

"You said before that I should take a stand for what I believe and whom I love," Jai reminded her, "Would you begrudge Princess Annie for doing the same?"

Reva thought for a moment, "No, I suppose not. How could I? All she wants is to be loved for who she is. Just like you and Sir Auggie and myself. Just like everyone. She only wants to be happy."

"To be happy…," Jai sighed loudly and stood from his dark leather chair. He placed the dusty book on a nearby table, "That's a rather vague goal, don't you think?"

"No more vague than wanting to be loved," Reva answered with a soft smile, "Love and happiness seem to go hand-in-hand these days."

"Agreed. But how would I go about taking a stand for my own happiness?"

"Find the one who you love the most. She is the one person who can make you truly happy, Jai," The maidservant smiled as she met the Prince's eyes, "I mean, love is the key to happiness, after all."

"And what if I think I've found the one I love?"

"Then let her know. You never know, maybe she has the same feelings," Reva's smile dropped slightly and she bent down to pick up the pile of wedding books, "I had better take these to Princess Annie. I hope to see you later, your Highness."

Jai smiled brightly, "Of course. Goodbye, Reva. We shall see each other soon. I promise."

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