Black Gold

The truce between Emir Nesib and Sultan Amar is signed, ending hostilities. As part of the settlement, Nesib is entrusted with custody of Amar's two sons, Auda and Saleh, for fifteen years. The arrangement creates a fragile balance of power within the two chieftaincies.

A Texas Oil officer travels to Nesib's court to discuss rigging crude oil in the region. Nesib grants permission to proceed, hoping the wealth will transform his people. The decision unsettles the peace by opening the Yellow Belt to exploitation and wealth, threatening the No Man's Land arrangement.

Emir Nesib's backing of oil operations is framed as a path to modernization and prosperity, but it breaks the pact that kept the Yellow Belt neutral. Conservative courtiers in Sultan Amar's circle view foreign exploitation with suspicion and resentment. The rift between progress and tradition fuels mounting tension along the border.

Prince Auda, Nesib's son, leads a delegation to persuade Sultan Amar to oppose oil exploration. He argues that the oil wealth could fund hospitals and infrastructure for both sides. However, Amar's orthodox advisers refuse to listen, leaving the mission ineffective.

Saleh pushes to join his father and marches toward Amar's faction, killing his two companions on the way to his father's camp. He is intercepted by Tariq, Nesib's son, who shoots Saleh dead. The act intensifies the clash between the rival camps.

Contending Arabian factions join forces with Sultan Amar to avenge Saleh's death and drive out the American oil company. The coalition pits tradition against modernization and intensifies the conflict. Auda continues to try mediating but the united front grows stronger.

Amid the fighting, Auda works to appease both Nesib and Amar, hoping to bridge the divide through diplomacy. His efforts fail to sway the hardline factions, who insist on their chosen sides. He grapples with loyalties to his liberal father-in-law and his rigid father.

An overlord seeking détente shoots the Sultan from a distance, killing him and throwing the conflict into chaos. The assassination reshapes the power balance and accelerates the cycle of reprisals.

Heavy fighting erupts between the rival camps, and the warlord nearly kills Prince Auda on the battlefield. A slave girl stabs the warlord in the back, turning the tide in that moment. Auda survives the confrontation to continue the struggle.

Despite his wounds and ordeals, Auda survives and returns to Emir Nesib, who treats him with respect after his ordeals. The reunion reinforces family ties and solidifies the growing alliance with the oil enterprise. Auda's return signals a shift toward governance that balances tradition and wealth.

Following the reconciliation, Auda suggests that Nesib take the chairmanship of the Texas Oil board to oversee their country's interests. The move signals a fusion of traditional leadership with modern corporate governance. It deepens the alliance between Nesib and the oil company.

Princess Leyla brings the joyous news of her pregnancy to Auda, offering a personal beacon of hope amid the turmoil. He feels thrilled and humbled by the prospect of a growing family and the future prosperity it implies.