Skorpeus Belisarius
Skorpeus Belisarius was a high-ranking member of the Navis Nobilite House Belisarius.
History
|
This page contains spoilers for: | Wolfblade (Novel) |
A cousin of the reigning Celestarch, Lady Juliana, Skorpeus presented himself as her advisor and was often seen at her side, though he was actually kept distant from any real power or influence.[1a]
Believing himself to be gifted with divination, Skorpeus also believed that the stars ordained that he would one day become Celestarch himself.[1a] He often dropped veiled threats to other members of the house, warning that it was best to be in his good books when the day of his accession came.[1a][1b]
Skorpeus's ambition led him to collude with Cezare Feracci, the head of Belisarius's main rival House. Believing that Cezare meant to assassinate Juliana and install Skorpeus in her place, Skorpeus agreed to open the palace gates to Cezare's assassin, Xenothan. Skorpeus knew that Cezare was using him, but reasoned that there would be plenty of time after his accession to assert his independence and show his true power as Celestarch.[1c]
He was wrong; once the gate was opened, Xenothan killed him and entered the palace with a band of anti-Navigator zealots, planning to murder not just Juliana but most of the highest-ranking members of the family, including the family's Elders.[1c]
Skorpeus's body was later found near the opened gate, and Torin the Wayfarer surmised that Skorpeus had feared Cezare's takeover of House Belisarius and believed it was safer to be the Feraccis' puppet instead of their enemy. If Torin guessed that Skorpeus was so deluded as to actually think that Cezare meant to make him Celestarch, Torin did not say.[1d]
