Belshassar
Prince and co-regent of Babylon
Belshassar is the son of Nabonidus and the grandson of Adda Guppi. While the king remains away, he exercises power in Babylon without being able to call himself king.
He manages resources, decrees, and alliances in a city where one poor decision can become a crisis. His severity is also a tool of government.
He must balance his family's devotion to the moon god with the influence of Marduk's priesthood. He cannot afford the simplicity of choosing only one side.
His public composure hides exhaustion, pain, and sleeplessness. Wine offers him respite, never a cure.
Adda Guppi's approval weighs on him as heavily as Nabonidus's absence. He is a prince, a co-regent, and the heir to expectations he did not choose.
In Zohra, his cousin, he believes he has found a gaze unlike those of people who ask him for favors or fear him. That longing for closeness soon becomes entangled with his urge to control.
Belshassar can be competent and cruel in the same gesture. His inner conflict does not excuse him; it makes the power in his hands more dangerous.
The Legacy of Belshassar
Son of Nabonidus, Belshassar governs in practice while his father is away from the capital. His authority is real, though the crown is not his.
Temple politics, family pressure, and the burden of rule sustain his show of strength while eroding his private life.
His bond with Zohra combines kinship, fascination, and a possessive need that threatens both their freedom.