Bride Of The Tecan Lord

Chapter 1

Location: Gob

Nimo's POV

I sat still on my special chair, my elbow anchored firmly to the armrest, supporting my chin which rested on the palm of my hand. My gaze remained fixated on the woman who had ambushed me in front of my shop while I was on my way to a nearby town in search of supplies. She reeked of royalty, if her pompous attire wasn't one to go by, the way she walked into my shop in the early hours of the morning without being invited in and planted herself on one of my favorite stools was definitely one to go by.

My eyes wandered next to the man beside her. I recognised him, bloody hell how could I not? He was my uncle. That's right—was. I disowned him.

"To what do I owe this unprecedented visit?" I finally broke the long silence that had sieged us for the past twenty minutes.

"Nimo dear… how have you been?" It was Gobi, my former uncle who spoke.

"I would really appreciate it if you would save my time by skipping these useless pleasantries and answering my question, if you aren't aware, I was very much on my way out before you came in" I spat venomously at him. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't mask my anger and hatred for uncle Gobi. I knew Goblins tend to be selfish but I never thought that my uncle would abandon me for greener pastures in a foreign Kingdom.

"It seems like you are still angry, young child. I hoped that by now we would have been over this" Gobi muttered, his voice overwhelmed with emotions.

I could see the self-loathe and guilt in his eyes, they hovered around those emerald green orbs like a thick fog but I was more than ever-willing to turn a blind eye to his guilt just as he was able to turn a blind eye to me.

"Perhaps if you had been there for me instead of abandoning me then maybe we wouldn't have even gotten to this point" I shot back at him.

He was about to say something when the woman beside him nudged him slightly, gesturing that he kept quiet and allowed her to speak.

"I would like you to know that I have no interest whatsoever in your family matters, I have come here for a different reason…" the woman beside Gobi finally spoke.

"And you are?" My eyes shifted back to her.

Her eyes widened as a frown graced her face "You insolent pest… how dare you talk about me in that manner, do you know who I am?"

" I couldn't care any less about your identity and watch your tongue, you are in my shop… my kingdom" I retorted.

" I am Ronxa, beloved Queen of Hohr, don't you dare tell me to watch my tongue"

"Hohr is Hohr Ronxa, this is Gob… you are no Queen here"

"Ronxa… how dare you address a Queen by her name?" She flared, fighting back the urge to grace my cheeks with her palm.

"I speak with all my customers on a first name basis, if you have a problem with that then I advise you to leave"

"I'll have you know that I can destroy the whole of Gob with just a snap of my finger" she threatened.

"And yet here you are sitting before me in search of a solution, unable to solve your problems with the snap of a finger. Now isn't that sad?" I pouted mockingly.

Ronxa abruptly stood up, she was clearly at the edge of losing control when Gobi placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head, Ronxa let out a grunt before falling back to her seat.

"We have not come here to fight Nimo. We have come here because we need your help, "Gobi spoke instead.

"What do you need my help for?" I asked, crossing my hands over my chest and raising an eyebrow.

I had no intentions of helping them but curiosity got the better part of me after all there is nobody who wouldn't be curious as to why a queen would be sitting before them in the early hours of the day looking distressed.

Gobi stared at the Queen as though he was seeking permission with his eyes, she shook her head slightly and Gobi nodded in understanding.

"I don't like to be kept waiting" I reminded both of them, freeing my hands from my chest and now tapping a finger on my mahogany table.

"My daughter is missing, she disappeared last night..." Ronxa finally let out with a sigh, looking worried.

I wrestled hard with the urge to throw myself into a fit of laughter, wrapping my fingers around my lips. I put my head down to hide the grin that had worked its way up my lips. The Queen's eye twitched, her face instantly went dark as a frown graced her royal face.

My uncle cleared his throat as a means of calling me to order, I lifted up my head meeting the Queen's eyes with mine.

I straightened up in my seat and cleared my throat before saying "I apologize for my rudeness and believe me I do feel sorry for your plight but I believe I am not the one you should be searching for... I am no bounty hunter but I can recommend you to one… if you want"

"If I wanted a bounty hunter I know where to get one" the Queen snorted.

"The hunter I speak of is the best in the Seven Kingdoms… he has always managed to find—" I rambled, unintentionally drifting away from the issue at hand.

"Nimona Ravene!" Gobi shouted, causing me to jerk forward in surprise.

"Bloody hell Gobi! Do you wish to force my heart out of my little chest or ain't you aware that it is barely morning?" I raised my voice at him, gripping my chest with my hand while panting heavily from the shock.

"For once can you be serious?" The Queen asked, a subtle plea was present in her eyes.

"I do not catch runaway brides, I sell potions...I apologize Ronxa but I cannot be of help to you" I exhaled, maintaining a straight face.

"I would not come here if you cannot be of help to me Nimona" her voice came out in a whisper and a little moisture glistened in her eyes.

I was not the type to feel compassion towards people, even if I was, from the intel I've gathered over time, the queen of Hohr was definitely not one who deserved compassion but something moved me—perhaps curiosity, to help.

"And exactly how can I help you?" I asked, inwardly face-palming myself. I had a strong conviction within me that I was going to regret offering assistance to the Queen.