The Claimed - Niako

145 21 96
                                    

Title: The Claimed: A Clash of Copper and Gold

Book Genre: Fantasy (subgenre manxman romance)

Author: spelunkadunk  

Character Name: Niako (circa chapter 7)

Nominated by: RowanCarver

About the story:

Prince Toom has never questioned the safety and power of his family - until he meets Niako, the cunning, arrogant, and unnervingly beautiful son of the enemy Rakim chief. In Rakim, Toom discovers heinous traditions beyond his imagination, such as Claiming enemies as personal slaves.

When Toom returns to Rakim ten years later, Niako proves more enigmatic than ever, and Toom grapples with conflicting feelings and an unsettling attraction. With the throne and his own family at stake, Toom attempts to seduce Niako to unveil Rakim's plots. Niako reveals little but offers foreboding advice: flee Rakim and never return.

As political machinations and cruel appetites overtake the land, Toom must work together with Niako to save the nation. To protect those he loves. And to survive.

Note: Thanks to vertigo_moon  for the great cover. 


Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.


Hi there.  Can I call  you Niako?

I'm not sure it matters much what you call me. Call a donkey a horse, and it's still just a donkey. Call Toom a prince, and he's still... well, he'll always be Toom.

Alright. Well, welcome and thanks for agreeing to talk to us today.

It sounds almost as though you think I had a choice.

I like to think so. Can I get you something to drink? Water? Soda? Coffee? Wine? Whiskey?

I'll have a chalice of prak. No, no, just leave the bottle here. Thank you.

One bottle coming up. Tell me a little about yourself?

Good Goddess, what did you do to this prak? It tastes of cat piss, though it lacks the strength. Please, no excuses about the suffering economy. I frequent a tavern covered in rodent feces, and their prak is not this watered down. Seven hells, even Toom could handle this.

Oh, what was that? Something about myself? Well, I'm terribly pleasant, as I'm sure you've gathered.

I'm beginning to get a picture. Where do you live?

A few years ago, I moved out of the palace into the slums. Don't give me that pitying look — I chose it. And no, I don't care about the people in the slums. But if you knew the people in the palace, you would understand.

Interviews With Your Favourite CharactersWhere stories live. Discover now