A/n: no i'm not making another book. this will be like a short story within this book there will be lots of preferences in between chapters and there is actually a name to my character. Cory will be Sixteen and everyone else their proper ages. This is also an au so it's set in the past around Cinderella's time, but without further ado here is something new.
Cory Gruter and Marori Cambell were from two entirely different worlds. While Mary was planting flowers and making dresses, Cory was riding horses and hunting. You see, The Gruter family was the current ruling family over all of Norester Kingdom, currently there was no other heir to the throne so Cory was treated with extra care. Mary on the other hand was a peasant girl who sewed dresses for her mother and planted flowers for her sister. You might be wondering, how did Cory and Mary's paths cross? well it all started on one fateful day...
"Mum, i'm going out for a bit!" Mary called to her mother as she took off her apron. "Alright stay safe, dear!" her mother called back. quietly closing the door to the small shop she walked with her head down trying not to bump into anyone. Finally reaching the outskirts of the town she walked along a path into the woods with her hands in her pockets. I'm lucky, she thought, I at least have pockets. She walked slowly deeper into the woods humming a tune. Meanwhile, Cory and his best friends were going horseback riding into those very woods for a bit. At some point they had gotten separated so Cory was trotting slowly through the woods on his horse. The distant sound of soft humming caught his attention and he thought to go towards it in hope of directions. He ended up seeing a girl about his age with curly y/h/c locks and a dull brown dress. "Excuse me, Miss!" he called out suddenly. The strange girl whirled around before waiting for him to get closer. He rode up to her before asking, "Do you know how to get out of here?" She laughed before replying, "the woods? of course! just follow this path back to way you came and you should come out at the village." he smiled thanking her before riding off with butterflies in his stomach. My parents could only dream of me feeling this way toward another royal, he thought spitefully. When he finally got out of the woods he saw Graham and Dylan waiting for him and Judah came out just a moment later. "whoa dude you look like you just saw the love of your life," Graham said as they rode back towards the castle. "I saw a girl, but no i did not just see the love of my life." he retorted. The other three continued teasing him all the way back home.
Mary started to head back out of the woods just as she was sure the boy had left. When she got home it was dark and she hadn't even had the time to say anything before her sister tackled her waving an invitation in her face. "Did you hear?! The royal family is hosting a ball!"
