People can and do become slaves in Seanchan willingly, for the very reason that they can rise to greater positions of power and authority than they could as free men or women. If it was required that to be the highest naval officer of the Empress, you had to become her property, 9 out of 10 high-ranking captains would probably jump at the chance.
It wouldn't seem unreasonable, but none of the high-ranking Seanchan officers we've seen so far have been property. When Tuon was deciding whether to attack the WT or meet with Rand in tGS, and in later strategy sessions, all the officers were either Low or High Blood. Maybe only High Blood positions are hereditary, then? Meaning that as Low Blood die, the Throne can give their estates to the new up-and-coming talent, while avoiding the ranks of the nobility becoming bloated?
All of that is, of course, stipulating for the sake of argument that Egeanin's mother WAS property, which seems unlikely. I do not even recall that it was stated she was even so'jihn.
WH, p429, Egeanin - "As a girl she had even dreamed of being the Hand of the Empress at Sea, just like her mother, to stand at the left hand of the Crystal Throne, so'jhin to the Empress herself, might she live forever, allowed to speak directly to her."
As mentioned in other posts though, I'm taking so'jhin to mean simply 'person given leave to speak to/look at the Empress directly' - not being property. I mean, I know rulers have to have keep some distance from their subjects, but not every occasion is a formal one, and even an Empress must sometimes want the odd frank or frivolous conversation over kaf that doesn't need every other sentence translated through a monotone servant.
Tiny question about Egeanin
06/02/2011 12:19:48 AM
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I scanned the WoT encyclopedia and wot wikia, no mention of her mom, but the library at
06/02/2011 03:29:00 AM
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Why would Egeanin inherit the later slavery?
07/02/2011 09:27:32 PM
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Re: Why would Egeanin inherit the later slavery?
07/02/2011 11:03:26 PM
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DomA sorted it all out, but yes, I'd read that slavery was hereditary. *NM*
07/02/2011 11:09:27 PM
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Re: Why would Egeanin inherit the later slavery?
08/02/2011 11:41:52 AM
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You do know that the Papacy and the bishopric of Rome are the same, yes?
08/02/2011 07:03:51 PM
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Re: Tiny question about Egeanin
06/02/2011 01:12:15 PM
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Aha
06/02/2011 03:16:48 PM
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Re: Aha
06/02/2011 10:38:43 PM
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Re: Aha
07/02/2011 12:31:15 AM
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Definitely Da'covale
07/02/2011 04:05:41 AM
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Re: Definitely not Da'covale
07/02/2011 11:55:21 AM
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Yes, those children WOULD be slaves. That was the point of the story.
07/02/2011 08:27:05 PM
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