📌 Previously in Chapter 43:
Zayd returned to Baghdad and found the business flourishing, with over 1,200 gold dinars in sales for the month. But a flyer revealed a dangerous surprise — someone had copied his carriage design and was selling it in the southern district. Calm but alert, Zayd decided to investigate before taking any action.
📍 Scene: Zayd's Office – Morning
Zayd sat in his shop's upper chamber, a neat room with rolled blueprints, records, and polished models of carriage wheels. Across from him sat his cousins Faheem and Rayhan, and his loyal cousin Qadir, leaning lazily against a stack of account books.
Zayd placed the flyer on the desk.
ZAYD:
"This imitation… it wasn't done by a street craftsman. Look at the lines, the seal, the details. This was funded."
QADIR (grumbling):
"Then we find who's behind it and throw horse dung at their doors."
ZAYD (smirking):
"Or… we find out who they are, how they work… and take their roots."
📍 Scene Change: Southern Baghdad – Midday
Zayd wore a plain white tunic and a hood, moving through the narrow alleys of the Karakh district. He wasn't alone — Aftab, dressed in worn leather, walked beside him with two silent scouts from his guard unit trailing behind.
They passed a shop with a new wooden sign:
🪵 "Silver Stallion Carriages — Finest in All of Iraq!" 🪵
Outside, a young man polished a carriage. Zayd's eyes narrowed — the curve of the suspension, the polished brass ring handles — it was nearly identical to his third model.
He nodded to Aftab, and they entered.
📍 Scene: Interior of Silver Stallion Workshop
Inside, dozens of laborers worked under strict supervision. A tall overseer barked orders while scribes marked deliveries. Zayd studied the walls, materials, and the carriages being assembled. It was organized — too organized for a new shop.
Then, Zayd saw something else — a banner on the back wall: a golden lion with three tails.
His eyes narrowed further.
ZAYD (quietly):
"It's them again… the lion mark."
AFTAB (tense):
"Same as the crate in Mosul. They've been watching since then."
📍 Scene Change: Baghdad – That Evening
Back in his office, Zayd spread out the sketches and made notes. He scribbled in bold strokes:
Enemies funded by noble wealth.
Their design lags one step behind.
I must evolve faster.
He called in Faheem and Rayhan.
ZAYD:
"I need you both to handle the shop completely. Don't let quality slip. I'll be working on the next model — one they can't copy."
FAHEEM:
"What if they steal it again?"
ZAYD (calmly):
"Let them try. Every time they copy me, I'll change the game."
📍 Scene Change: Zayd's Workshop Design Table – Late Night
Zayd lit two lanterns and began sketching a new prototype: a winter carriage with heating stones, wool padding, and collapsible roof — perfect for merchants traveling long routes.
Nimr sat quietly beside the candle, eyes glowing in the dark.
ZAYD (softly, to Nimr):
"This… is not just about gold anymore. This is a battle of minds."
📌 Closing Narration:
The war had begun — not with swords, but with design and innovation.
And as Zayd sharpened his tools, his unknown rival watched from behind silk curtains, preparing his next move…
End of Chapter 44