Nephilim

Oracle

    My mother knew immediately, when she got pregnant. She knew that I was to be a girl. She was happy though, wondrously happy. At least, that is what the Oracle tells me. It isn't that I don't believe him, it's just that I find it hard to picture that anyone could be happy about me.

     The Oracle isn't his real name, of course. But father says that I'm not to call him that. Nor am I to call him by his occupation, as so many do. So I simply refer to the strange man as Oracle, and that is that. Though he has told me several times that my father is simply overly traditional.

     My father finds it both irksome and odd that I spend so much time with the Oracle. It makes him angry, because the Oracle does not seem to like him very much. He bothers there Oracle needlessly when the reaping list is especially long. He will not let me help, saying that it is no job for a proper young lady.

      The Oracle is of the opinion that I should at least be allowed to prove myself. But father disagrees. He says that since he has no heir, I must stay out of harm's way until I am of a mind to produce one for our family. But I do not see why father doesn't simply find a pretty woman and get one himself. I am personally of the mind that father despises me, but if I were to say that I would be in very much trouble.

     So I do not say it to father. Only to the Oracle, who has promised never to tell. And my Oracle never breaks his promises. He refuses to take money though, for his trouble when I sit in his workplace and speak my mind. He asks only for his laughter, and I give him plenty. He rather likes my jokes, or so he tells me.

     I was of a particularly unpleasant disposition once, very recently when I went to see him. And my Oracle dislikes when I am displeased.

"What could be the matter? Who's tried to cage the little dove?"

"Oracle, I am distraught. Father has arranged a suitor. He wants no marriage for me, only to put him onto me so I'll give him a boy! Someone he can be proud of!"

     I stomped up to a coffin, perching on it with an angry huff. The Oracle came over and took my hands, pressing a soft kiss to each of my palms. The Oracle is fond of such things, you see. He is very affectionate, and he shows it very often. The man takes great pleasure, it seems, in making me red in the face or bringing a rare smile to my lips.

"There there little dove, I'm sure we can convince your father that you'll have a child when you're ready. One can't force these things. It's simply not done."

The Oracle nodded to himself, as though this was perfectly reasonable. But my father is a stubborn man. To my knowledge, he has always been that way. I believe I displease him by not looking like my mother. And by not being a boy.

"Oracle, he wants to put you onto me! He would like it if I were to bare a child to the most famous reaper of all time!"

I leaned my head in my hands, a bright red flooding my cheeks. I will not say that I was not attracted to the oracle. I would be lying, and that is not something that I do. However, the man seemed to view me as a source of entertainment. And that was not what I wanted, though if he were to ask me outright himself I would entertain him all the day and night.

"Little dove, you wouldn't want me. You know who I am, and you know exactly what I've done."

I looked up with curiosity, bringing a mild look of surprise to both of us. I reached out and gently pushed silver hair away from brilliant green eyes that I could spend hours getting lost in. The oracle said nothing, watching me with vague fascination as I ran my fingers through the silky strands of his hair.

"Little dove, if it would free you from your cage and you were willing, you know I would give you a boy. But you do not want a man like me. And you have already told me that you don't want a man you didn't love."

I stayed silent for a long while, before striking quickly, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him ever closer until those brilliant eyes were staring into mine from so very close I could feel his soft breathing against my lips.

"I have said that, is true. But if it will free me, will you help me? I only want to get away from him, to be my own person. I have long since realized that I can't love anyone at all with my father looking over my shoulder all the time.  Please..... Adrian."

And with the speaking of his name, it was as though I had cast a spell on my oracle. He picked me up ever so carefully, holding me as though I were a princess, someone to be taken care of and treasured. And I remember that night, that we were as one several times. He was beautiful, almost ethereal in his intensity. And I remember thinking that if I were to truly love this man, maybe I could truly be happy. Especially if he were to give me a son. I could be free of my father and have a tether to the only man who'd treated me kindly since before I had understood that my father despised me.