Nisa and her family return to Lahore. Now sixteen, the confident and beautiful Nisa turns up at the Zenana, much to Ruqayya's joy. She also meets Khurram, now six, and the two take to each other with ease. Pleased, Ruqayya asks Nisa to look out for Khurram, an arrangement that she accepts wholeheartedly. Salim's troops return after losing the extremely arduous Rajputana campaign. The dejected Prince refuses to meet his father. Abul Fazl uses Salim's absence to his benefit by welcoming young Prince Daniyal to court, who has just arrived at Lahore after tasting success at Kashmir. Mahabat and Koka remind Salim that he has a contender in Daniyal and must tread carefully if the throne must be his. Similarly, Abul Fazl ensures that Daniyal begins to understand that Salim hates him and thinks of him as competition. Seeds of doubt and thoughts of immense hate begin to take root in both the brothers' minds and hearts.
