Proposal (2)

"You didn't have to bring so many gifts." She was in awe of the gifts she was being brought but she didn't deserve any of them. 

That was not what Zephyr thought. "You deserve them." 

"I don't." She disagreed. "I'm not even a princess. I'm a maid." She whispered out the last part because her presence had been announced as "Princess Marlena". No one knew she had told him the truth. 

Zephyr cupped her face. "That doesn't make you any less deserving of gifts and affection." When he saw her flinch, he pulled his hands away. "My apologies." 

"It's okay." She sat on the bench when he invited her to sit beside him. They were in one of the secluded gardens and she had a pretty good feeling she knew what the queen was hoping to achieve. If she and Zephyr got up to any inappropriate conduct, she would force them to marry. 

She decided it was best to get out of it as soon as she could. Maybe she could find out the queen's plan some other way?