Page 25 of Stranger's Choice
“They have no recourse. No one had anticipated such a turn when they wrote the treaty, and technically, the emperor has the right to use his oracle that way. They tried assigning a male as the next emperor’s oracle, but his emperor used him to impregnate several women in his Will. He ended up with more half-oracle servants than anyone else. Every generation, the oracles do their best to see how to stop this, but if we do not abide by the treaty, the consequences will be terrible.”
“Why? What is worse than how the Emperor treats you?”
“I am just one person. If we break the treaty, the Emperor can go after all the magical races. He can retract his protection. He can declare that only humans are citizens of the empire and return us to the brink of war.”
“Do you really think it will come to that? Humans and the magical races have been living together, working together, for generations.”
“The magical races have helped the humans, but we are still separate. We live in our own villages. We are still Other. If the Emperor declared that the oracles broke the treaty, people will worry. According to the oracles with the skill of seeing distant futures over the years, war is a distinct possibility in such a case.”
Sebin cursed in his own language again. “So they sacrifice one to protect the rest. But to limit the power they granted this emperor, the oracles chose you as their sacrifice. If he touches you, you could die, so he must decide between a slew of weaker half-oracle servants and keeping his oracle.”
“He doesn’t have much of a choice. I wouldn’t live long enough to grant him even one child. At least, it wasn’t a choice before you came.”
“It still isn’t a choice. I am not one of the Emperor’s Will, ready to jump at his bidding.” Sebin’s brow furrowed. “I can’t believe that after centuries, with all their powers, your people haven’t stopped this.”
“According to those who have seen distant futures and large-scale events over the years, we will one day end the treaty without starting a war. But the pieces are not in place yet.”
