Vera
Two weeks after that she left the schoolhouse in the evening to find her uncle talking threateningly to a boy, then she recognized him as Dan and forgetting herself she shouted his name and ran to him. They hugged and her uncle pulled them apart. "What do you think you're doing coming here causing problems."
"Don't worry Frank, no one knows me here."
"I do. And I don't want your kind of influence on my niece." Her uncle Frog stated.
"Niece?" he asked.
"Yes, let's get out of here people are staring." Her uncle said. And they were, several at her in shock that she spoke... One of her new friends had followed her and said asked incredulously. "You can speak?"
Embarrassed she nodded and said in her best centrilian accent "a little."
Her new friend just smiled and she smiled back. Her uncle dragged her away and she waved goodbye.
They didn't talk all the way back and she was sent to do chores as soon as they arrived her father came out to talk to Dan and her uncle. It had been three weeks but he had come back. Whatever they talked about she was never told, but she and Dan were allowed to hang out several days a week and they did every year until fall when Vera and her father and Unkle Ham would go to the northern lands until spring. Uncle Frog AKA Frank stayed behind and became an unwilling accomplice in sending messages back and forth until he insisted they get and train their own hawk.
Dan helped her not only with her reading and writing but by teaching her everything he was learning as a way to help himself study and Vera would drag him to the smithy to train with her father and uncles who had fought in the great war. They went on adventures and created a whirlwind of changes throughout the kingdom.
Dan
During his month of punishments, he studies the histories of the walls and possible tunnels along with any old maps he can find of the castle, this led him to the 7th king and a clue that the key to the secrets of the passageways would be taken to his grave. While cleaning his grave and talking to him he finds the secret passageway to the underground tunnel system, it takes him a while to solve the puzzle but when he does it unlocks the secret passageway and he can slide the casket over to reveal the stairs leading down.
After a few careful trips to map the area for himself he finds the exit that leads to the East wall. So he can sneak past the palace guards quite easily while making his commute faster and easier.
Although he uses the tunnel regularly he never tells anyone of it not even Vera, nor does he ever tell her who he is. This becomes harder and harder as he begins to have romantic feelings for his best friend who seemingly has none for him and is very much against the idea of marriage. And he befriends a mercenary who becomes one of his closest guards. He also uses his disguise and direct connection to the people to help bring problems to the king's counsel and bring about change.
The story starts in the spring before their whole worlds change.
PS: I am now aware my prolog is far too long and should be it's one short novel of short stories and adventures as there are several I skipped and it's still far too long. So let the story finally Beguin